My Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5
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I had high expectations going into this book. My mood and interest in this book were as follows :
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1-25% : Omg that is such an interesting start to a character and the plot!! I'm going to devour this book in a single setting!! I'm loving Alessandra!
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26-40% : wait, I'm kinda liking the fake front they are showing, the lovely side characters we have.. and the shadow power is cool as heck! but I'm not really vibing with the story and the characters?
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41-70% : did that really happen.. Like gurl what? you're just going to whine? or if you're going to stray at least do it well?
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71 - 80% : omg I knew this would happen. The Fmc is getting on my nerves.. sigh I feel bad for Kallias
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81-95% : aahh amazing fúçk it moment!! we love it! ...omg don't you dare do this. don't be stupid. Why is no one communicating? I don't like where this is going!
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96-100% : I knew he would be involved!! ummmmm... that's it? what the fu..?? THE REST OF THE BOOK?
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well.. you see? i had thoughts and not all of them were good. but I enjoyed the rollercoaster pf emotions because I love it. ✌️
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Thank you Pushkin Press & Netgalley for the gifted review copy!
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Favourite Lines from the Book
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“Everyone knows the king’s favorite color is green.”“Every single girl in attendance will be wearing green. The point is to stand out, Father. Not blend in.”
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"You are perfect, he’d said. Right after not so beautiful as to tempt me. I want to slap him. I want to kiss him. I want to throw the rest of my cake in his face as much as I want to finish off the delicious dessert."
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But he’s going to give me power. Share his power. Just like he’s sharing the head of the table. But I still won’t be able to touch him. I won’t have him. Which is more important? I know the answer to that. Obviously the power . But then— why do I feel so miserable inside?
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“I think that when you care enough for someone , you reach a point where it’s far more painful not to have him at all than to have him and risk losing him. You realize the risk is worth it. Because happiness, however short-lived, is always worth it.”

1.5 stars

I was disappointed with this one if I’m honest. The premise sounded very intriguing ~ a woman seducing the king so she could kill him and take the throne for herself ~ but the execution wasn’t there.

Firstly, world building was nonexistent. I couldn’t tell you anything about the world, the supposed kingdoms that have been conquered, the people in them, or anything. Beyond that, it felt like an awkward jumble of classic fantasy, regency era dialogue, and modern day behaviour.

The writing felt clunky and often took me out of the action, and for me the characters fell flat unfortunately. Alessandra could have been a cunning and unreliable, like to dislike, kind of character, which would have blended perfectly with the plot. But instead she felt quite… bland.

As for Kallias, he’s supposedly this intimidating, powerful king who has conquered vast kingdoms, yet all we really see of him is playing with his dog and gushing over Alessandra.

I did like the twist at the end I will say, but I wish that had been fleshed out into more of the story as this could have been an excellent dark fantasy romance. It felt like the author was trying to do too much in one storyline, which didn’t work for me I’m afraid.

(Sorry it took me forever to get around to this book.)
I didn’t like this book at first. I thought the writing style was really juvenile and the worldbuilding way too sparse, not nearly enough description of anything apart from Allesandra’s clothes.

BUT

The events of the plot were redeeming. I loved the plot twists, the deceptions, the characterisation. The YEARNING oh my god. Was crying by the end.

I was hooked on this from the beginning, although I did think the main character was not a nice person. I enjoyed how she grew as the story progressed. The premise of the story was interesting and I am looking forward to reading the next book!

Wow, I LOVED this book!!!

I have heard some hype about this book around the internet, but I didnt expect to love it THIS much! Alessandra is such a great mc and I loved being in her twisted mind. Kallias is truly her equal, and loved all the political discourse they discuss (and the drama in general too) throught the story. Also the dresses and their designs and how Alessandra's mind works in general???? Amazing!

Absolutely loved this book, I'm a massive fan of this author.

The characters were beautifully written. The pace was excellent and at no point did I feel it hit a slump.

The author just knows how to write books

5*****

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved the Daughter of the Pirate King duology so I was very excited to get to this and let me tell you it did not disappoint! I loved Alessandra from the moment I met her. Feisty, sassy, a woman who doesn't fit the mould and goes after what she wants? That's something I can get behind.

Full of Action, fun, murder, lovable characters, an unexpected villain and an air of mystery, this had everything I wanted and more. I was hooked from the get go and I can see that Levenseller will fast become an autobuy author for me.

The only thing that I didn't like, was how quickly Alessandra forgave the King. She didn't forgive her sister for telling the constable about her fling with Hector but the King who threatened to kill her should she return over something she didn't do? Not a problem, welcome back Your Majesty.

This book taught me how much our initial impression of someone can influence our reactions to their actions in any given situation. Alessandra was introduced as a vicious and scheming woman with no loyalties, but in reality, she was captivating in her intelligence. I held onto my suspicion of her for so long that I nearly forgot that she, too, must have feelings and a reason for her need to control everything around her. She expressed herself in the only way she knew how.

You're in for a treat with this captivating book! The author's meticulous planning and remarkable results will keep you hooked from start to finish. Alexandra's clever strategies are sometimes revealed early on, while at other times, she keeps her plans a secret until the very end, adding to the excitement. Her personal schemes, intertwined with the larger plot of the king's possible murder, seamlessly overlap and diverge throughout the book, making for a truly engaging read. You won't be able to put it down!
"It's amazing how unexpected plot twists can arise seemingly out of nowhere. These twists don't occur during moments of calm before the storm, but rather amidst the chaos of everything else happening. There isn't a single moment in the book where everything is truly settled; every page is filled with tension and apprehension about what will happen next."
The book had steamy and angsty moments, and I loved the dynamic between the two main characters. Although the plot was weaker, the romance was my main attraction. Some found the main character bland, but I enjoyed her. It was a quick and easy romantic fantasy, so I'm not disappointed.

#TheShadowsBetweenUs #NetGalley #bookreview #romance #sciandfantasy #teensandya #books #bookbloggers

I received an e-copy of The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller from Pushkin Press and Netgalley. Even though I have been gifted this book for review, all opinions are my own.

This was meh for me. I have loved and given 5 stars to the authors other works including Warrior the of Wild. But something was missing for me. I am not sure what that this was, but I could not connect with main female character, the story was interesting.

Thank you to the publishers for gifting me this novel to read and review.

I was really looking forward to reading this, the blurb really drew me in. But I ended up not being able to finish. This doesn’t mean I won’t try to read other books by this author, this was just not for me.

Full review pending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

"The Shadows Between Us" by Tricia Levenseller is like a dark chocolate truffle with a hint of poison - irresistible and a little bit wicked! This book takes the typical fantasy romance and flips it on its head. Alessandra, the cunning and ambitious heroine, is on a mission to become queen by any means necessary, and her sassy attitude makes her an absolute joy to follow. The chemistry between her and the mysterious mmc is off-the-charts sizzling. With political intrigue, plot twists that'll leave your jaw on the floor, and a satisfying dose of girl power, this book is an absolute page-turner. If you're in the mood for a clever, morally ambiguous love story set in a lush, captivating world, don't miss out on this gem!

Turns out I really love morally grey (maybe a bit darker in this case) characters. I just love how the MC got stuff done with grace and cunning. And how the king just champions it. I'd really love to read another story with these characters!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this, I've even picked it up as a physical to reread.
Addictive, amazing and the cover is stunning!!!

I have heard so much about this book I was so happy to be approved for an arc although it took me waaaay too long 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Alessandra was such an intriguing FMC and very head strong from the get go with what she wanted. I love how this didn’t change throughout the book regardless of the things that happened. She & Kallias are so similar right from the get go and I LOVE that their growing romance helped to break down those barriers inside themselves and get them to accept the other one fully. I loved getting the moments of Kallias when he was truly happy considering everything he has to deal with. The tension between them just kept growing (and although I was expecting the spice to come, it didn’t) and I loved seeing how their relationship developed.

This story really did keep me guessing; there were times when I suspected everyone but I had a bad feeling that although Leandros was very charming and seemed like he could be who she chooses, there would be something else going on. I didn’t suspect him being Kallias’ brother though!!!

One thing that let it down was the ending. It really felt so quick from when Kallias kicked her out of the palace to him finding her and confessing he still wants to be with her. And then that was it! I hate not getting a proper moment after everything goes

1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

I understand in some points why they are saying a Slytherin romance.
A dark bridgerton.

I did enjoy this book, the writing and plot was fun and funny to read in some parts. I do find the story too pridictable and when they reveal in the end was abit down putting because it was obvious.

It would of been a cool and twisted if they let the main character the villian/psycho the whole way through as she sounded ambitous and cunning with a creative flare. She was enjoying to read and she was definitly not boring. But it would of been interesting to know about her relationship with her ex in the beginning. I will go back to read this again as I enjoyed being in this world.

This book was a little slow to start but really grew on me. I think my initial hesitation was that the heroine was so unlikeable. These are not star crossed sweethearts who find love in the face of adversity, these are two villains who are reluctantly pushed together through a common goal. It is a slow burn, the characters go through a lot of personal development and it is a really interesting read. I didn't feel as emotionally invested in these characters as I have done with other books by this author, but this is a great example of a standalone fantasy with romantic undertones.

Really enjoyed this from the first line:
"They've never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart. And they never will."

This book will give you everything you expect from the blurb and the first line, and sometimes, don't you just love books like that, when you read a summary and think 'that's what I need right now' and then the book gives you just that.

Goodreads summary:
"No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King's power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra, tired of being overlooked, has a plan to gain power: woo the Shadow King, marry him, then kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

But Alessandra's not the only one trying to kill the king. As he dodges assassination attempts, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen - all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?"

Enough said. This might be my favourite Tricia Levenseller, I do love Daughter of the Pirate King, but I think I prefer the romance in this one, and the idea of the shadows, and the untouchable king really drew me in, plus I think Alessandra grows a bit more as a character... I might have to re-read the DotPK books now to see if that's true. Anyway, it might be obvious, it might not surprise you, but I devoured this book super quickly, I think Tricia Levenseller might be my go-to guilty pleasure, quick reading slump remedy author.

I ended up loving this book a lot, which may be a surprise because it is pretty much a romance novel. But this is my kind of romance! It's a nice slow burn between two characters who are both morally gray which makes it all the more interesting.

It took me about one chapter to fall in love with the main character Alessandra. She is sassy, ambitious and likes getting her own way. Yes she acts childish at times, but it adds to the character. But she also proves again and again that she is smart, cunning and ruthless. I also really liked Kallias, he was a lot like Alessandra and craved power and wasn't a great person. He didn't really care about other people much, he was a ruthless leader. They are both very ambitious and cunning people that would be a very scary combo. There are a lot of other very good characters in this story and I liked that Alessandra does make friends and starts to see the benefits of female friends for the first time in her life.

I have to say my favourite part of this book was all the scheming and there is a lot of it and not just from Alessandra. There is also some mystery and intrigue, they have to deal with assassination attempts, bandits and nobles alongside jealousy and their growing feelings for each other.

Overall a book with interesting characters and a good plot. Its not anything too complicated but I really enjoyed it.

3.5⭐️

For the first half of this book I wasn’t enjoying myself which was a bummer because I loved the Daughter of the Pirate King Duology. But the second half had me in a chock hold. The tension between the two was so good. The plot was predictable but like do I even care with a romance like that? The only thing I wished was that there had been more scenes between Alessandra and Kallias.