Realm of Shadows
A Slow Burn Hades & Persephone Gothic Romantic Fantasy Retelling
by Rektok Ross
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Pub Date 21 Apr 2026 | Archive Date 23 Apr 2026
ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | Ic13 Books
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Description
In a world where gods and monsters walk hidden among us, falling for the wrong guy might do more than break her heart—it might awaken a war...
College freshman Alysander Smith has never fit in her small beach town of glossy smiles and airbrushed perfection. All she wants is to escape and prove she’s more than just the punchline everyone laughs at. The only bright spot? Hayden Vassilios, her gorgeous childhood best friend turned campus football god—and the guy she’s been secretly in love with for years. But when she uncovers a dark family secret about her long-lost, deadbeat father, everything changes.
Alysander starts to wonder if her mother’s crazed whispers about ancient mythological bloodlines and a secret Underworld might be less delusion and more danger. Something old and powerful is awakening, and Hayden is at the center of it all. When the truth shatters everything she thought she knew, Alysander will have to choose: walk away—or step into the shadows and fight for a love that was never hers to keep.
The Summer I Turned Pretty meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this gothic romantic fantasy retelling of Hades and Persephone. A slow-burn, best-friends-to-lovers forbidden romance that explodes into a supernatural reveal that changes everything. This is a closed-door romance filled with delicious pining, yearning, and tension.
A Note From the Publisher
***The limited deluxe paperback edition includes printed edges and exclusive artwork!
Advance Praise
PRAISE FOR BESTSELLING AUTHOR REKTOK ROSS
Rektok Ross offers “readers genuinely diverse characters, each of whom continues to grow throughout the narrative… Brace for impact readers, [Ross] holds little back.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Rektok Ross has “inborn talent for the kind of narrative driven storytelling that makes for a compulsive page turning read from cover to cover… Unreservedly recommended…”
—Midwest Book Review
“If you like action, suspense, and the horror real life can sometimes dish out, you can’t go wrong… Rektok Ross delivers!”
—Reader Views
“[Ross] does a great job of making you care for [her] characters, keeps you guessing, and [gives] lots of chills.”
—Double the Books
“Ross’ thrillers are fast-paced and feature capable women in the lead. There’s nothing to not like!”
—Popverse
“Ross crafts relatable, multi-dimensional characters and weaves together her signature recipe of thrills, chills, romance, and social commentary.”
—Temple of Geek
PRAISE FOR SUMMER RENTAL:
A “clever” locked-room thriller!
—Publishers Weekly
“[A] masterpiece! Deeper than just a chilling horror story… it’s also a beautifully crafted work that expands on marginalization, vengeance, and bullying.”
—Readers’ Favorite
“Summer Rental keeps the reader’s riveted attention from the first page to last… more plot twists and turns than a Disneyland roller coaster!”
—Midwest Book Review
“A fun and scary slasher thriller!”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Harkens back to ’90s slashers and to Mean Girls!”
—The Hollywood Reporter
“Rektok Ross delivers yet another impossible-to-put-down young adult horror page-turner with Summer Rental… a must-read for Scream and Mean Girls fans.”
—Perri Nemiroff, Collider
“[Summer Rental] delivers chills and suspense… [A] quick and compulsive read which makes for a good summer beach read.”
—Fresh Fiction
“A fun, fast read and fans of teen slasher films will find it reads like a ’90s thriller!”
—Youth Services Book Review
“[A]ll the ingredients for a classic summer slasher… Summer Rental will satisfy the craving for teen body count films of old.”
—Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anna Dressed in Blood
PRAISE FOR SKI WEEKEND:
*Winner of the WILLA Literary Awards, San Francisco Book Festival Awards, National Indie Excellence Awards, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorite Awards, Reader Views Literary Awards, CIBA Dante Rossetti Book Awards, Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, American Fiction Awards, IAN Book of the Year Awards, and Firebird Awards!
*Named a Best Book of the Year by Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly, Yahoo!Life, Parade, Brit + Co., Book Riot, J-14, The Strand, She Reads, and more!
“A nail-biter with some surprising moments. Recommended for high school and YA collections.”
—School Library Journal
“This is a suspenseful book that had me thoroughly hooked from page one… The emotional journey of Ski Weekend is relentless…”
—Readers’ Favorite
“Rektok Ross delivers an absolute dynamic story packed with goofy teens, heart-stopping moments, romantic tension, and one adorable pup in this adrenaline-filled survival story.”
—BooknBrunch
“Rektok Ross thrills readers with an electrifying winter tale that will have you wondering if that snow-filled adventure you’ve been planning is worth risking your life!”
—Key Biscayne Magazine
“A pacey thriller with moments of great tenderness—and spine-chilling horror.”
—Lauren Kate, New York Times best-selling author of Fallen
“Hand this to students who like thrillers and books about survival!”
—Youth Services Book Review
Marketing Plan
Robust marketing plan for Realm of Shadows includes but not limited to:
• National print, broadcast, and online media campaign
• Widespread galley distribution to national, local, and niche markets
• Targeted trade media campaign for reviews and spotlights
• Digital marketing campaign including social media and blog tours
• Librarian and educator outreach
• National and social media advertising
• National author events and appearances
• Targeted outreach and ARC mailings to educators, booksellers, librarians, and social media influencers (heavy emphasis on TikTok/BookTok)
• Early reviewer promotions and campaigns on Goodreads
• Book club marketing and reading group resources
• Podcast tour
• Extensive pre-publication consumer and industry buzz campaign
• Distribution and promotions with NetGalley and Book Sirens
• Extension promotion on author’s own social media platforms (combined following over 33,000 engaged followers)
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9798993789736 |
| PRICE | $4.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 360 |