Wow. Where to even start. THAT ENDING!! If I wasn’t already sat for this second book I most certainly am for the third. The slow burn was still burning all the way to its climax and it was DELICIOUS. The storyline continued its twisty turny ways leaving you trying to guess where we were heading and then pulling out complete 180’s. This series has had my attention from the moment Thea burst onto that bridge and I am still completely inhaling anything that Arcadia Rayne writes. I just can’t put her writing down. Big big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to absolutely DEVOUR an ARC copy of this book. Can’t wait for the next one.

Amazon/waterstones/Tome review to be published on release.

Plot Summary:
Theadora Moore has finally found her footing within the Athenian Court.

With her would-be assassin locked away in the palace dungeons, the kingdom now looks to her future—completing the sacred trials, securing a seat on the Royal Council, and forming a strategic alliance through marriage. Though Thea is ready to embrace her role, shadows from the past refuse to stay buried.

Plagued by vivid dreams of the Underworld, Thea becomes increasingly desperate to understand what her ancestor—the God of the Dead—demands of her. Until she unravels the truth, she keeps her visions hidden from everyone, including Crown Prince Clayton Vail. But her secret meetings with Hyrax threaten to destroy everything she’s built—especially her deepening bond with Clay, who grows ever more suspicious of what she’s hiding.

When the legendary Sword of Zion is stolen from the royal archives, Thea is forced to turn to an unexpected ally. She quickly learns that secrets never stay buried and that ancient prophecies have a way of forcing themselves into the light. To save the Mortal Realm and protect those she loves, Thea must finally embrace her true identity—and the destiny she was born to fulfill—before time runs out.

Review:
THAT ENDING 😭 I’m heartbroken and need more !!!💔

Thanks to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and author Arcadia Rayne for the ARC of this incredible book. It officially releases on May 8, 2025 and trust me, you do not want to miss it!

I adored Clay and Thea in this instalment. Their relationship grew so beautifully, with heartfelt moments that had me highlighting nearly every sweet line they exchanged. The world-building remained phenomenal, and I appreciated the helpful recap at the beginning; it made jumping back into the story seamless.

This book delivered everything: intense battles, emotional depth, surprising friendships, and plot twists that kept me hooked. My heart ached for Thea so many times, and after *that* ending, I’m in desperate need of the next book. I also loved exploring more of her connection to Hyrax and the Underworld; it was done beautifully and enjoyed whenever we got to see more of Thea's story. Let’s just say there are a few characters I’m now feeling very conflicted about, and I can’t wait to see how their journeys unfold in the rest of the series.

I definitely recommend this book 100%. I will be doing a re-read of both of the books in this series again soon !!

Arcadia Rayne's The Crown of the Dark Prince, the second installment in the House of Hyrax series, picks up seamlessly from where The Rose in the Shadows left off. Theadora Moore has found her footing within the Athenian Court, but her journey is far from over. As she prepares to complete her trials and ascend to the Royal Council, Thea grapples with haunting dreams of the Underworld and the enigmatic intentions of her ancestor, the God of the Dead.​

Thea's clandestine meetings with Hyrax add layers of tension, especially as they threaten her burgeoning relationship with Crown Prince Clayton Vail. The dynamics between Thea and Clay are richly developed, showcasing a blend of vulnerability and strength that keeps readers invested. The theft of the legendary Sword of Zion propels the narrative into a thrilling quest, introducing unexpected alliances and testing loyalties.​


Rayne's world-building is immersive, drawing readers into a realm where magic, politics, and personal desires collide. The pacing is well-balanced, with moments of introspection interspersed with action-packed sequences. The emotional stakes are heightened, and the cliffhanger ending leaves a lasting impact, setting the stage for the next installment.​

The Crown of the Dark Prince is a must-read for fans of romantasy, offering a compelling blend of romance, fantasy, and political intrigue.

What abook. Devoured this in a sitting, will pick up anything by this author now. An auto buy. 5* from start to finish I was hooked.

This was a heartbreaking yet amazing read, and I'm desperate for the next book. I loved returning to Athenia and diving back into Thea's journey as she faces the trials to become a councilwoman of the Royal Council. As the last remaining Descendant of Hyrax, she must complete these challenges before taking her position. Yet her growing feelings for Clay, the Crown Prince and member of the Zion house, complicate everything—especially since the King will do anything to stop their relationship, including betrothing her to another.

This book had it all: slow-burn forbidden love, royal political intrigue, betrayal, found family, and rebellion.

After finishing Book 1, I was more than ready to dive straight into Book 2! It picks up right where we left off, and I was instantly pulled back in. The political aspect was super intriguing, and the tension—both politically and romantically—was everything I wanted and more.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the arc!

This was a wonderful book! It is the second book in the series and I li ed how the story continued in this book. The main female chat was written very well!

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of The Rose in the Shadows on my blog, now! The Crown of the Dark Prince will be available on May 8, 2025.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved The Rose in the Shadows, and was incredibly excited to dive back into the world and see what was in store for these characters. Thea is now even deeper into Athenian Court and Council member life, and as she continues her internal battle between following her feelings and looking for the truth, she finds herself more isolated than ever. After the events of The Rose in the Shadows, she is essentially moving through life with determination to understand what the God of the Dead has in store for her.

Her attraction to Clay and their complicated relationship continue in this installment, and the will-they-wont-they is addicting. Every interaction they have is like adding fuel to the fire to their story, and I found Thea's complex and guarded actions towards Clay an intriguing part of her character that made her more nuanced as the story went on. Clay's reactions to her approach were completely valid, and his determination toward understanding the situation really solidified him as a character and as a potential love interest.

The Dragon continues to be one of the most vile characters in this series and the introduction of another foe only causes Thea, Clay, and the rest of their friends to face even more difficulties and loss throughout this installment. Thea is truly put through the ringer at every chance, and I felt as though she could never catch a break - there would be fleeting moments where she was content or at ease, but two chapters later, she would be fighting for her life or trying to save someone. That being said, she certainly had her moments and needed to lock into her common sense skills - I think she would become so overwhelmed at the state of the madness that she was unable to focus on how to solve issues.

Friendships in this series have been at the root for logical thinking and holding each other accountable. The majority of the characters either go through something horrific or bear witness to something of that nature, and the outcome tends to impact their relationships with one another. Considering what occurred in The Rose in the Shadows, it comes to no surprise that particular characters are not acting like their usual selves, while other characters attempt to aid those affected in the best way possible. Secrets are uncovered and loyalties are put to the test as everyone seeks to end the suffering around them.

Once again the ending of this book was insane and now I cannot believe I have to wait for the third installment. I had a feeling things were going in that direction, but when it actually happened, I still could not believe what I was reading. Rayne does such a fantastic job at pulling readers into the story, and coming off the intense battles these characters fight in, it felt like another blow by a sword, in the best way possible. I absolutely will be continuing on with this series, and cannot imagine what trials and tribulations this group of friends will have to endure.

The Crown of the Dark Prince was a good read, and I actually enjoyed this book more than I did the first book. Although there were times when the story felt a bit slow for me, there were more moments in this story that kept me wanting more. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say that I can't get enough of Thea and Clay and the sexual frustration going on between the two of them. I'm excited to read how things will continue to play out especially after everything that happened in this story and with that cliffhanger ending that left me wanting more. I'm looking forward to reading what other twists and turns, suspense, issues, surprises and more the author has in store for the characters in the next book. This series started off a bit slow for me but I'm enjoying it more and think other paranormal readers would enjoy it as well.

I won’t give too much detail because I don’t want to spoil anything but this book follows on from The Rose in The Shadows (see my earlier review).

Thea has finally settled into life at court and has developed control over her magic. Thea is a strong stabby FMC 🗡️ We learn more about her mysterious past in this book, which kept me hooked into the story as the little hints kept getting dropped until we finally get the big reveal. There’s a new character in the underworld, who I did fancy for a new love interest at first, I’m interested to see how it’s going to play out in the next book❤️‍🔥

I found the start of this book a bit slower than book one, however the ending was brilliant and I read the last third of the book in a few hours.

I am still having issues with the main male character, he spent a bit too much time sulking because Thea wasn’t doing what he wanted/thought she should be doing, keeping secrets etc.

Thea will forever by one of my favorite FMCs. Arcadia Rayne does such an amazing job writing a story that pulls you in. This was my favorite so far in the series.

This is an incredible sequel!

The story became more complex, and we get to know more of the characters, which is something I really enjoyed. Clay definitely redeemed himself in this and their relationship, although painful, i did feel for them and root for them. The yearning! The angst!

I am excited to continue this series and see where its going!

Not gonna lie, my heart hurts a little.
This book was incredible! When I thought I had figured things out, new twists and turns were thrown in that had my head spinning! When I thought I couldn't love these characters any more, they overwhelmed me with their strength and passion. I loved every single moment and I will slowly be dying until book 3 because that ending was insane! A House Of Hyrax is certainly a must read series!!

4.5 ⭐

"What would you do for the man you love?"

The Crown of the Dark Prince, the second book in the House of Hyrax series, picks up immediately where The Rose in the Shadows ends. But, if it's been a while since you read the first, this book has a "Previously in" chapter that can help refresh readers (which I think more authors should do). The book also has a pronunciation guide, descendent lines, and a map which I think provides incredible extra context for the readers. The book starts off quickly, slows in the middle, and ramps up with twists and reveals towards the end. I wish the reveals at the end came a bit earlier, but the pacing was definitely done with the intension of shattering our hearts at the end and keeping us on our toes for book three.

Much like the first, we see Thea's growth as she learns more about her powers, her heritage, and ultimately herself. Thea is facing two battles: the physical one in Athenia against the Dragon and the mental one as she is desperate to understand "who am I?" I resonated with Thea's constant battle of pivoting between self doubt and self assurance. There are times in my life where I am so confident in who I am and my strength, but there are days when I doubt myself too. Thea felt extremely real to me with the story line centered around her and Iris' friendship strains. I could understand her pain and determination to fix things.

This story continued to explore both Thea's and Clay's separate arranged marriages and the cost of defying laws. Some of this push and pull felt repetitive from the first story, but I understand it was written to show how tumultuous certain decisions would be for our MCs. I loved how this book introduced us to new characters and focused on world expansion, specifically due to the arranged marriages. I am curious with the ending of this book how these characters and worlds will come into play in book 3.

Overall, I am absolutely enjoying this series so much and I can't wait for others to read the latest installment! This book would be a perfect fit for those who enjoy:
✨ world inspired by Greek mythology
✨ forbidden romance
✨ royal arranged marriages
✨ magic
✨ overcoming grief
✨ self acceptance

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Book two of the House of Hyrax series did not disappoint! I was a little nervous at the beginning that the plot of book 2 would focus solely on Thea's trials as they were not included in book 1. I was thrilled when this turned out not to be the case at all. The pacing of the story was just right and I really enjoyed how the story progressed in a way that left you surprised while still answering all your questions along the way. I am happy that Camilla got to say her peace and explain herself and got the character arc none of us probably thought she deserved in the last book. However, I must admit that I am still not 100% sold on Clayton but while I started this book as Team Caldrius, by the end that was no longer the case. I am eager for Book 3 to find out if Daddy Hyrax is the monster history claims him to be and whether or not Clay is going to be the MMC Thea deserves him to be.

This is also my petition for Arcadia to please, please, please give Rankor and Kent their own time to shine!!! I need their stories!! Even if it's a novella!!! Please feel free to interpret just how much I love Rankor based on the amount of exclamation points used in my previous sentences.

Thank you to the author, publisher, & netgalley for this arc opportunity.

The banter. The yearning. The tension. The character development. The action. The plot. The twists. AND the spice. ALL 5 stars. I live for it all.

Thank you to NetGalley, Arcadia Rayne and team for the eARC! I zoomed through Book 2 and have never read an ARC so quickly after downloading.

Clayton Vail…. the man you are. Theadora Moore…. the woman you have become. Oh my.

The choice to start the second book in the middle of her Ascension trials was golden. This gives book two a similarly gripping beginning like the first and avoids the second book slump.

The sadness, grief, and guilt while mourning Lorelei was heartbreaking.

The Dragon is just as despicable if not even more in this book with his whole stay away from my son blah blah blah. He can catch these mortal hands, disrespectfully.

Clay and Thea: OOHHH! The screams that I scrumpt with the twists they endured. They learned to trust each other and only had miscommunication and secrets that, as a reader, made a lot of sense. AND they made sense without having dual POV. The forbidden love between these two was so unspeakably perfect and beautiful!

Overall, this is another banger from Arcadia Rayne! Whatever she is doing works and I hope the amazingness continues.

The Crown of the Dark Prince - Arcadia Rayne
5✨
I loved this book even more than the first one, there were more action in this one. I grew to love Iris even more, she is one badass girl and I feel like there could be a whole other series just about her and I would love to read that. Thea our FMC is still great, although man can she hold a grudge. Sometimes I couldn’t help but think she was a bit of a hypocrite, angry at Clay for keeping things from her while she has double the amount of secrets from him. But I know I can be like that sometimes too.
I could see one of the reveals coming, but what I could not see coming was the ending. My gosh what a cliffhanger. Now I just have to patiently wait for the last book.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review💕

*The Crown of the Dark Prince* exceeded my expectations; it was better then the first. The narrative was compelling, emotionally resonant, and thoroughly satisfying. The protagonist, Thea, remained a captivating character as she navigated challenging circumstances, powerful gods, a forbidden romance, and complex relationships, discerning allies from adversaries while safeguarding those in need.

The romantic relationship between Thea and Clay, the male protagonist, continued its captivating, albeit tumultuous, leaving me eagerly anticipating their union.

As the series progressed and delved into the underworld, Thea's perspective on this realm of pain and suffering evolved.A particularly intriguing aspect of the underworld was the introduction of a new character—a strikingly handsome individual. Who i might have been smitten with.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and eagerly anticipate the next installment in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher of *The Crown of the Dark Prince* for the wonderful opportunity to review this ARC.

THAT ENDING 😭 currently sobbing 💔

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and author Arcadia Rayne for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book releases on May 8, 2025, and you won’t want to miss it!

This was an easy 4.75/5 stars, rounded up to 5. The only reason for the slight deduction was that the beginning felt a little slow for me, but it picked up around halfway, it did not let up.

I LOVED Clay and Thea in this book. So much happened to build their relationship and deepen their love for each other. I swear I was highlighting every cute thing they said to each other. The world building remained absolutely top-tier, and I really appreciated the little refresher at the beginning to help recap the previous books.

This book was packed with thrilling battles, heartbreak, unexpected friendships, and so much more! My heart shattered for Thea throughout so many moments, and after that ending, I desperately need the next book. There were twists and turns that kept the story engaging, and I loved diving deeper into Thea’s link to Hyrax and the underworld. Right now, I have a love-hate relationship with a few characters, and I’m so excited to see how their arcs play out in the rest of the series.

If you love fantasy, this is a must-add to your TBR! 💖

4.5 Stars. That ending!!!!!!!!!! I need book three ASAP. I enjoyed “The Rose in the Shadows”, but I devoured “The Crown of the Dark Prince” within 24hrs! It picked up from book one with Thea completing challenges to join the council. Clay and Thea continued to be a sweet slow burn that literally left me craving MORE for them. Which again leads me to the ending!!! I loved the continued world-building and deeper dive into Thea. I absolutely cannot wait until book three!!