Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.25 stars.

I want to start off by saying I’m so obsessed with the character art and I wish more books included this, it was beautiful.

The story really jumps in the deep end from the get go I feel like as we deal with the repercussions of book 1, we start really deeping the gravity of the situation and the stakes attached if they fail. The book had some lovely highs which felt like stolen moments considering everything they were dealing with, and the lows were heartbreaking and quite cutthroat at points.

I also love how book 2 ended as it felt so open ended so I’m obviously quite optimistic we will get more from this world and some of our fav characters.

I highly recommend this for fans of YA fantasy with diverse characters and great world building.

This book was a strong 4 star read, with my own personal preference, I didn’t quite feel it met 5 stars because it was quite a slow burn at the start and took me a little bit of time to get in to the story.

The authors writing is strong and the characters continue to be written well. On a side note, I enjoyed the artwork as well to the book and I feel as though this really helped with some imaginative aspects of the book.

Overall it is an enjoyable read and I would recommend to read this book if you enjoyed the first.

I'd like to firstly thank Andy and Simon & Schuster UK for giving me an early copy for an honest review and taking me out of the 2 year misery that I have endured while waiting for this absolute masterpiece.

Where do I even begin?! I've been sweeped off my feet, thrown across the room, heart hammering in my chest, rocking back and forth, and then stitched right back up again. [Then thrown in a spiral with that epilogue]

But first and foremost can we give 13 year old Andy a standing ovation 👏🏼  of the masterpiece he's written!!

This exhilarating read was filled with twists after twists, emotionally wrecking my heart and soul, a therapy session that leads to a good cry , and most of all a darkness that begins to rise.

Andy has once again captivated readers by weaving together the complexities of the mind in his beautifully crafted book. It tackles not only the struggles within but also the intense physical challenges that provoke me with anxiety. I found myself in deep reflection, wondering if I was experiencing a personal therapy session or simply engaging with Alexis's journey—it's a mystery we'll never unravel! These characters are my home [even Mortem, that man had me giggling] and I couldn't have had it any other way 🧡✨️

The stakes are high, the darkness rises, and a battle brims. Take it from me...he said "you aren't ready?!" I say "I should have taken that statement seriously!!"

I cannot give much away but those 2 years were worth every second of these finely written pages with each and every line being delicately thought out. Andy is one of those authors where you thank the Fates for making him a writer !!! 👏🏼 

Not long until this gem releases into the world, so if you haven't already preordered, then I urge you to 🤺

You don't want to miss the adventures, the trials and tribulations, and the fight against light and darkness, that is The Dark That Hides Us.

Andy does it again with this enthralling sequel. The characters are strong and always developing and the plot line is so packed I couldn’t stop reading. Each character could stand on their own and carry the story which I love

I don’t even know where to start with this book . I’ve been following Andy‘s journey for as long as I can remember. Definitely from my early days on Booktok. I remember the absolute joy of receiving the first book and getting to read it and the way I fell in love with all of the characters. It gave me that nostalgia of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. And by the time I finished, I couldn’t wait for the day to share it with my children.

And now here I am posting a review for the second book . There are so many incredible things about this sequel. But the thing that stood out to me the most was the incredibly long battle scene. It took up a good chunk of this book and it was so worth it. There was so many different things going on but you never felt lost. And sometimes in these battle scenes it becomes far too much about the action and not enough about the characters. Andy just got this balance perfect whilst there was still a lot going on and a lot of gasping moments the bits I loved the most was how intimate it was for each character and how many realisations and revelations they had whilst dealing with this incredibly scary situation.

The way you so deeply get to know the rest of the characters. And yes, Blaise 100% has my heart.
And then on a more technical side you can see how much Andy’s writing in this story has improved. His storytelling is perfect . You can see how incredibly hard he has worked on everything. It literally shines through all of his characters and his scenes and his arcs.

Let me know when that book 3 manuscript is ready dude!

Andy has absolutely done it again with this book! Only he could centre a whole book around a battle and ensure that the reader is never bored!

The whole world is so well built and the characters have so much depth in them. They are constantly challenged, and a great representation of true friendship and the curveballs of life. Their vulnerability it perfectly paired with their strength and the balance is perfection.

So many twists and turns and eating out of the palm of his hands! Book 3 cannot come soon enough!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for this ARC! 🩵

Thank you to Andy, Darcy, Theo, and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I want to emphasize one thing: have tissues on hand!

Andy has done it again with a fast-paced book filled with emotion, drama, conflict, love, friendship, and meaningful messages.

The storyline was captivating and gave me goosebumps multiple times. I hope this isn't the end of the story, as I have several questions and theories that I need answered.

I highly recommend both The Light That Blinds Us and The Dark That Hides Us.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read this early.

What a wonderful follow up to The Light that Blinds Us. I loved this, the magic system is so unique, the character development is fantastic within the story and never feels forced within the context of the world or the story itself - which is twisty and fast paced. I loved every chapter and now need the next instalment asap!

An absolutely amazing sequel full of high stakes, big moments but also intimate declarations of love that are strong enough to drown out the battle for a second. Brilliantly paced with no lulls and an intriguing ending leaving you hoping for another.

Perfect for older teens looking to bridge the gap between books like Percy Jackson and Harry Potter but not quite ready for the world of Game Of Thrones.

Full of action and plot twists that kept me guessing, this sequel definitely lived up to the hype of book one.

The magic is unique and exciting, and I loved being back with the characters and the world.

I definitely reccomend this series, and what a perfect time to catch up!

“For even when the day goes dark, the light of our lives will shine on and we will burn brighter than the dark that hides us” 🔥

Thank you so much NetGalley for approving this ARC for me in exchange for my honest review 🤎

Wow. What can I say. Andy you have gone and done it again!

It was amazing to dive back into the world with our children of the elements and to discover what going to happen next. I knew there was going to be lots of dark paths and twists and turns and I couldn’t wait for them to unfold!

I absolutely loved how fast paced this book was. The tension and build up towards the battle was written perfectly and it made the whole experience feel full of suspension. The way Andy describes the battle field is so immersive you are made to feel as though you are fighting along side our characters. I was always left feeling 100 different emotions while reading what our characters were experiencing. It was a rollercoaster of emotions for sure!

I loved the character developments within this book and seeing our characters become more powerful and strong (especially when being forced to be independent) was amazing to see. They are such incredible characters and they have been written so perfectly. As much as I love Alexis, it was amazing to see more of our other characters and I personally loved seeing more of Incantus. (Shout out to our boy Gibbious) 🐶

I love how we get to see more of the dark side of things in this book and how it affects everyone and everything around our characters. AND THE TWISTS! Did not see those coming at all! 😱

I love a book that makes you feel all the emotions; shock, sadness, envy, horror, uncertainty and happiness, and it’s safe to say, the book gave us all the feelies! ❤️

Thank you Andy for a wild adventure! I cannot wait to see what more you bring for us! (And how many more emotions you want to us to experience) 👀

Seems a little punny to say but The Dark That Hides Us well and truly blew The Light That Blinds Us out of the water- and was the sequel we all never knew we needed!

Not just in the sense that it was a fantastic continuation of where TLTBU left off- but for the fact that Andy quite clearly put his all into TDTHU- whether it was describing the vulnerability of a character or just the setting of a scene- everything felt thought out and in the end it all came together, whilst simultaneously leaving us gasping for a next book

I was so excited to read this as I had absolutely loved the first book, and this one met expectations and beyond. Everything felt elavated, the suspense, the action, the romance, it was mind blowing.

The love and dedication these characters had for each other was really a highlight, I felt truly intertwined in their friendship and felt every high and low along with them.

And man, ADT is incredible at writing battle scenes which make you feel right there. Every move, every decision was clear and precise it was like watching a film at times.

I cannot wait for the next book, and I really cannot wait for everyone to be able to read this next month. I will be thinking about this story for a while!

The first in this series set down a very compelling tale and introduced us to some great characters and an exciting plot ahead.

I was eager to get back to the story and the follow up which would see us thrown into a well awaited battle. It was a slow burner and one that steadily made its way to the crux of the story and I was definitely in the mood for a bit more pow pow pow straight off the bat but that was just personal preference. I loved the darker turn it took and the intrigue that started to build towards the end of the book.

The writing in this was great and I love the centre to the story. The elementals, the magic and the prophecies, the friendships and the growing relationships between our main characters. I’m super intrigued into the next twist and where it will take us in the next book!

I'm calling it now ... this is one of my favourite reads of the year!!

I ADORED The Light that Blinds Us and I was eagerly counting down the days until this gorgeous sequel graced our shelves. So when the opportunity to nab an e-arc came, you BET I ran to NetGalley.

The transition into the second book was so seamless, it was as though I'd never stopped reading the first. You get straight back into the action and delve further into each character's background.

The writing is so beautiful and captivating that you find yourself quickly immersed in the story. The plot is packed full of twists and turns - with moments that honestly made my jaw drop.

I don't want to say much more right now... because spoilers.
But, please do yourself a favour and preorder this asap. It's absolutely incredible and you will not be disappointed!!*
Thank you Andy Darcy Theo, Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the early copy. I absolutely devoured it!

I thought the first book was fun, but this one was a bit more of a mixed bag for me. I'll start off with the positives:
- The writing style, as with the first book, was well done. It flowed well and, while it was very 'ya', I think it was really effective in getting the story across.
- It was very ambitious to have the majority of the book be one large battle (I don't think this is a spoiler, as it's very much set up in the first book) and the author pulled it off. It's no mean feat to be able to keep up a breakneck battle pace for 400+ pages but he did. There weren't any sections that felt like they slowed or dragged at all.
- I think the character work improved a little from the first book. There was actually some development of the side characters, and I enjoyed Blaise's journey in particular as he felt a bit one-note in the first book. I do wish I'd had a little more of him though, as most of the book still focussed on Alexis and I felt that he'd had his time already.
So I think the overall writing in terms of style and character development did improve from the first book, but the problems I had with the first book were also a lot more prominent:
- The book felt a little bit like a collection of 'epic moments' that, while cool for those those moments, didn't really have much substance holding them together. It felt a little bit like the author had imagined some scenes and really wanted to put them in, but didn't really consider how they would fit in with the rest of the story.
- Depsite the fact that I think the characterwork improved a little from the first book, it still didn't really work for me. The majority of characters felt like an amalgamation of one or two traits/tropes (Incantus is the 'wise mentor', Ziya is the 'smart hacker', Caeli is the 'snappy teenage girl', Serena is the 'sassy warrior', etc) and I just didn't find them very interesting. This can be fine in one or two characters, but I think the main villain of the book really suffered from this too. He was just 'the evil wizard' and there was really nothing else to him. No proper motivation, only a tiny bit of backstory that didn't really give any kind of insight into his character at all, really cheesy 'mwahahaha I'm so evil' dialogue and a complete lack of charisma or prescence. He was just such a boring villain, which was a shame because it meant that the plot surrounding him sort of fell apart as I couldn't get invested. I also found the protagonist Alexis a bit boring in this book. In the first one, there was actually some evidence of some darkness to him and I was really interested as to where that would go, but here he just spends the whole book going "I'm so evil :(" and then never actually does anything actually bad (killing undead enemies doesn't count).
- The main quartet felt a bit overpowered. Every time the battle got somewhat difficult for them, they'd just suddenly unlock a new ability and it was all fine. It felt really unearned as there wasn't really any kind of sense of progression or hitting milestones, they could just suddenly do it. It was cool to envision them defeating their enemies at first, but it quickly got quite repetitive and meant that there weren't really any stakes. Speaking of the lack of stakes, it didn't really feel like there were many consequences. I don't really want to be too specific for fear of edging into spoilers, but I didn't appreciate the fake-out deaths which were just explained by a character saying 'idk it was destiny I guess'.
And here are just some more kind of 'neutral thoughts', that I wasn't quite sure where to put in this review:
- I wasn't quite sure which age group this book was aimed towards. There's a weird mixture of choices would belong in a ya novel aimed at the lower age range of teens (villains called 'Dr Sinner', sassy protagonists), and then also implied sex. It didn't hugely impact my reading experience, but it was just something that I noticed.
- The dialogue really worked sometimes and then really didn't work at other times. I liked a lot of it, it was really good at showing the emotions of the characters. But, at other times it felt really cheesy and a bit out of place. In some really tense moments, the pov character would suddenly say something snarky or silly and it just really took me out of it. There were also many moments of dramatic romantic monologues and, while they were really well written and beautiful, I couldn't help thinking that 17 year olds do not talk like that.
- I don't expect a huge amount of intricate worldbuilding from a ya book, but some more would have been nice. There were some glimpses we got, but I feel like I have no idea how the elemental world and powers work and I would have liked some more.
- I just wanted to appreciate the artist for this book, because the artwork really was gorgeous!

I think some people who enjoyed the first book will still enjoy this- it has romance, epic battles and magic, everything you want!- but I think it just wasn't really for me. I don't think I'll be continuing with the series.

Thank you Simon Schuster and NetGalley for this arc!

I really enjoyed jumping back into the world of the elementals. I really liked that in this book we also had pov from Blaise too. It really gave us an insight into his feelings.

I love the relationship the children of the elements have. There are a few plot twists that I’m looking forward to seeing what happens. Some of the new side characters are very interesting and I am excited to see their backstories too.

Working in mental health has given me even more appreciation for Andy's wonderful writing. The prose is beautiful but I don't think I can forgive him for what he's done to the gang 😭

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

thank you so much to Andy Darcy Theo & Simon and Schuster UK for giving me this ARC!

where do i even begin?? andy’s gone and done it again with The Dark That Hides Us, totally beating ‘second book syndrome’ (let’s be honest, I never doubted him).

Everything about this book blew me away, from the character development, THE MANY PLOT TWIST, the action scenes, amazing pacing, especially the more insight into the Elemental side of things!

The characters!! I loved seeing Alexis, Blaise Caeli and Demi again (and yes I totally lost my mind over certain parts of the story). Was everyone in this book sassier than ever? YUP and I absolutely loved it!! I was losing my mind annotating everything I could. No peace for the readers in this one though.

Releasing 24th April 2025!!!

I loved this! After reading the light that blinds us I have patiently waited for this to come out. It was soooo worth the wait! I was in a reading slump when I started this book and it has fully pulled me out and got me back on track. I loved every second of it. The battle, the emotional tension and trauma, the feeling of being there with them throughout the whole experience, just all of it! The debut of how dark things get and could still get darker was deeply moving. It had me feeling all the feelings you want when reading a book. I loved it. I loved the story and can’t wait to read more!!