I finished the first and RAN straight to the 2nd and WOW what an amazing sequel!!!
I genuinely think Arcadia has become one of my favourite authors from now on!
I love how at the start we get a detailed recap of the first book, really helps when you’re a bit of a fish brain like me!!
This one definitely hurt me a little, the forbidden love, the yearning, FINALLY YEARNING I love a good bit of yearning in a romance.
I love how we learnt more and more about the world and we kept getting new things added, I can’t wait to find out more. After that ended I’m basically chomping at the bit waiting for the next book!!

I am thoroughly enjoying this series. I love the twisted take on the greek gods being used and this magical and politically intriguing world. The romantic tension is excellent an with that devastating ending I can't wait for the third book!

Wow what an incredible sequel! Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for the early copy!
I adored the first book, The Rose In The Shadows, but this one really takes the cake. To start, there is a very detailed recap of the first book, which I absolutely love and I think a lot of readers will appreciate!
We follow Clay and Thea as they navigate balancing their responsibilities as heir and Councilwoman and their feelings for one another. Despite impending arranged marriages for each of them their intense feelings for one another is impossible to ignore.
This one definitely hurt. Their love is forbidden and I totally felt the yearning between them. This was full of action, forced proximity, and complex conflicts between the characters. I absolutely love Thea as an FMC.
This was definitely my favorite installment in this series so far and I’m so excited to see where this story goes!

Well book 2 did not disappoint.
I loved the way that Thea grew in the is book and allowed herself to feel more. I did get frustrated that she tried to keep everything to herself until it blew up in her face.
Clay was less self centered in this one as well. He slowly grew into a MMC that I can actually stand behind and the way he reacted at the end was perfect!
What a ride the end was. It was slow going until almost the last chapter. Not in a bad way as we needed the characters to go through the slow growth to get where they needed to be for the end. And the end, I can't say too much because I don't like to put spoilers on ARC's but wow.
I need the next book asap.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy and these thoughts are my own.

This book picks up where we left the first book, and it didn’t disappoint! Great pacing, great storyline. It really kept you wanting more, and plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep you hooked!

Thank you NetGalley for a eARC in exchange for an honest review. Excited to see more from this author!

This book picks up right where we left off in book one, A Rose in the Shadows, and there are non-stop twists and turns as Thea comes to terms with her powers and does all she can to survive the trials that will grant her the House of Hyrax seat as a Council member. She knows her future is going to be difficult with the Dragon King still in power and her complicated relationship with the Crown Prince, Clay, threatened but she is determined to find a way to succeed and bring good change to Athenia.

Thea and Clay’s relationship is put to the ultimate test as they deal with their trust issues, numerous secrets, and the threat of arranged marriages to continue their respective houses. Old friends turned enemies may have to become allies in their fight to find out the truth of what happened before Thea lost her memories, where she came from, and what other secrets Hyrax is keeping from her.

okay but clay in this book??????? actually the most perfect character ever. and Thea's growth in this book?? i loved it so much! morally grey characters get me every single time! I need book 3 immediately! the plot twists get me every single time and I can honestly say I wouldn't have guessed any of them.

“…I love you. Only you. And it’s only ever been you”

This sequel was so much fun! I definitely think this one was better than the first and I loved the first book! I really enjoyed following Thea and watching her character development grow even more and her learning more about herself was so interesting and fun to watch. And CLAY??? amazing. again, this series is so full of twists and turns, and honestly, I loved every single one of them.

This series was such an unexpected love for me and reading the first book and then this one back to back was a must and I cannot wait for the next one! Though both are 5 stars I definitely enjoyed the 2nd book the most.

I love following Thea as she learns about herself and the world she's found herself in is amazing. We get to see her completing her trials to become a full member of the council while dealing with having to begin being matched for a husband and her turmoil with it all.

And Clay... Oh Clay the man you are.

Definite 5 stars and I am on the edge of my seat waiting for book 3. Highly recommend that people read this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book.

Oh Thea and Clay?!? Why must they keep doing this to you? Why can't the world just let you love and be loved....

"The Crown of the Dark Prince" is the second installment in the House of Hyrax series and is another 5 star read from Arcadia. I gobbled this book up in less than a day (I only stopped to get the requires sleep to live!).

Picking up from Book 1, Thea is set to participate in her trials to become a Council Member. The heat between her and Clay is at an all time high but they are fighting their attraction even more, knowing that fate is not going to let them be together. The Dragon has identified someone he feels would be perfect as her betrothed which leads to even more issues, given family ties. While Thea is navigating all of this, her dreams continue to send her to the Underworld where more and more of who she is begins to emerge.

The twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat at the same time the sexual frustration will have you fanning yourself like a woman going through menopause.

But....The ending left me needing the next book NOW! I can't wait to see what happens next for Thea, Clay, Iris, Kent, Camilla, Rankor and the House of Hyrax.

Thank you to Arcadia Rayne and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Devoured the first book late at night and didn't go to sleep because I immediately jumped into this one! I am so appreciative that I was able to read these books. They have quickly become some of my favorite!

A Darker Sequel Full of Surprises
Overall Rating~ 4.75 stars
Themes~ Who to Trust, Family Secrets, Unforeseen Allies, Secret Romance, Courtly Conflicts, Gods & Humans Conflicts, Mythology

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Summary Analysis~ In the sequel the story heats up with rising stakes, more romance, and new charters that add complexity to Thea’s mission and goals. “The Crown of the Dark Prince” is an excellent sequel that doesn’t drag or have a slow pace but keeps the reader engaged with the plot devices throughout. Athenia’s council is nearly whole with Thea’s ascension but with the Dragon’s dislike of her relationship with his son, her life will be nothing but challenging as she faces unexpected forced deals, unforeseen allies, and must face her connection to the underworld if she wishes to keep herself and her loved ones alive.

Standout Characters~
~ Theadora: She is gaining more character depth and confidence in her actions in the sequel which make her even more interesting and empowering to follow along
~ Clayton: He is a main male character that goes against the miscommunication trope whole heartedly by communicating effectively which is refreshing in the Romantasy genre
~Nessira: Her timely interjections and appearances added many comedic moments
~Veric: Without spoilers, he’s just a surprisingly good character!

Standout Aspects~
~ The Descendant Line Charts and Detailed Maps for reference were great resources
~ Keeping readers guessing with surprising plot twists that had me needing the 3rd book now
~ More romantic development in this sequel was a great addition for those who truly love Romantasy as a genre

Wishes~ I only had a few!
~I wish we saw bit more character clarity on Hyrax, is he misunderstood and misconstrued in the human realm or is he as he is portrayed in the human realm?
~Checking in on the developed side characters more in the second half to ensure the readers know where they are and how they are in the second half of the story’s events!
~ With the expanded geographical world, will the new regions and other political powers be utilized more so going forward?

Firstly i would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for sending me an early e-arc of this book.

Okay so i didn't waste anytime diving head first into this book and god damn it didn't disappoint, when i tell you guys i was able to read it in probably 4/5 hours everywhere i went today my book followed me... any chores needed to be done they could wait i had to know what the hell was gonna happen.

i don't wanna give any spoilers to the other people reading it but my god how it ended had my jaw hanging as what you mean it ended like that excuse me miss maam.

I NEED THE NEXT BOOK ASAP PLZ otherwise I will cry forever.

I love clay and thea, i loved finding more depths within them both and vulnerabilities.

I loved the plot, the rush of what was happening and i cannot wait to dive again into the universe when the next one is released.

4.5⭐️

I loved this sequel! For me this book was better than the first one. Picking up where the first left off Thea is on her way to finishing the challenges to join and complete the council. We immediately see the tension between Thea and Clay since Thea is trying to keep her distance to avoid more problems with The Dragon. Now I absolutely loved the political and court intrigue. That is one of my favorite parts of fantasy books and I always love to see how the main character works through it.

After a very exciting challenge testing Thea’s magic she becomes a full council member and now comes the time to find a husband. This had been threatened since the first book so I was so curious to see what was to come. And of course it so happens to be Clay’s cousin. When Thea has to go to her future husband’s kingdom Clay comes along which finally leads to Clay and Thea having some much needed conversations. Their tension and buildup was so strong from the get go that I was waiting for them both to break and finally be together.

Now we get some new insights into the underworld and Hyrax in this book as well as a new controversial character. I loved seeing more from Hyrax, his kingdom, Thea’s history, and so much more. The gods are such an interesting part of this world that we are slowly starting to learn more and more about. After that ending I can’t wait for the next book! So many mixed feelings about how the main characters are left in this book and wow I am so curious to see where the author takes some of these relationships. This was such a great read and I need the next book asap!

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC. Is book 3 available yet? Because that ending😬😬 I flew through this book, finishing it on the same day I started it. There were so many twists I didn’t see coming, a few that I did, and it all left me captivated. The only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is because I felt like the back and forth between wanting each other and pushing away got a bit too repetitive for me. But still a wonderful story and a great sequel which is not easy to do. I can’t wait to hear what more people think about this once it released!

🩷 Book Review 🩷
📚 The Crown of the Dark Prince
✒️ Arcadia Rayne
🗓 8th May 2025
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Thank you @netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, this book broke me. It broke me with one simple quote; "I love you. Only you. And it's only ever been you."

Yep, book 3 now please!

It was like Arcadia learnt from the first books predictability and went "oh yeah, you think this is going to happen... yeah, I don't think so" and it wasn't randomly written, it worked! It fitted into the plot like a glove that I question my easter egg sleuthing skills.