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!

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.

“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'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!

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.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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!!

Absolutely beautiful writing that continues an amazing story. I was obsessed with the first book of the series and this one went above my expectations. Brilliant descriptions of the setting with amazing cast of characters and plot. It has to be one of my all time favourite fantasy series.

You fall back right into the story with the characters which feel like your friends. The emotions run so high that although you’re at the edge of your seat, you feel like you’re part of the story yourself.

Couldn’t recommend picking up this book/series more!

I loved The Light That Blinds Us and had already ordered its sequel by the time it came onto NetGalley. Andy Darcy Theo continues the gripping story of the Children of the Elements who, having come into their true powers in the first book, must now use their skills to defend the Haven and the world of the Elementals. The title hints at the more mature themes that lie ahead and there are some horrific moments which are skillfully written but may upset younger readers. This book is firmly in mature, young adult category.

The main focus in the first book was Alexis and while we still see plenty of his thoughts, the point of view is widened to include Blaise. This is hugely effective in showing the truly nuanced characters that Theo has created. The ending is a classic, second-book-in-a-series cliffhanger that leaves you desperate for the next installment. I can't wait.

A writer's dream and a reader's haven. (no pun intended... okay, maybe a little.)

This was absolutely sensational. I absolutely loved the adventure of book one, but the emotional depth, the character developments, the romance and found family subplot was brilliant in this book.

I can not fathom or explain how incredible Andy's writing is, and how he brings these characters to life in so many ways. How real the world feels, how raw these characters emotions and trauma we learn about are.

A huge portion of this book is a battle, but it takes small pauses where emotion comes in, where we get moments of joy and agony and then we get right back into fighting again. There is a good balance of friendship, romance and action!

This book broke me in so many ways, I cried, I laughed, I gasped so hard so many times my throat hurts. Please be careful and read triggers. This is a YA but there are some horrific moments in this book, lots of talk surrounding darkness so please look after yourselves!

The character art we're blessed with in this book is INSANE. So if you struggle to visualise, these are a real help and also sooo cool.

The ending gives way for another book and you best believe I will be devouring that too. I will never be ready to let go of these characters, they're a part of me now.