Chrysantha is the naïve, do-gooder elder sister of Alessandra. She plays her role quite well and is within moments of having everything she ever wanted with her feeble, duke of a husband at death's door. Only everything she's worked hard for is yanked out of her grasp and she will not stand for it.
I read The Shadows Between Us years ago and loved the stabby heroine with a power trip. I got exactly the same vibes from this sequel. Chrysantha and Alessandra walk a similar path initially. I liked seeing again a girl plot and use her intelligence to force people to underestimate her.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the alc. All thoughts are my own.

I never added a book to my TBR so fast in my life. After falling in love with The Shadows Between Us and Alessandra's story, I just knew that Chrysantha's story would not disappoint. Her character setup was absolute gold: play the part of a simple woman who can't fend for herself when, in all actuality, she is the polar opposite. Every bit like her sister, Chrysantha is razor sharp, vindictive, witty, seductive, and *not* to be underestimated in any way.

She wants power but, more importantly, she wants freedom to live her life the way *she* wants to live it in a society that favors men. When she's finally faced with an opportunity to take control of her freedom, she seizes it without regret and begins to steer her life in the direction she wants it to go. That is, until the MMC shows up to take what Chrysantha has newly claimed.

The banter between Chrysantha and Eryx is pure gold, as is their enemies-to-lovers romance and everything in between. It felt like a very slow-burn between the FMC and the MMC, which I absolutely loved since it was set at a perfect pace. The only part of the book that felt a bit rushed was the climax and ending of the story, but I'm not mad at it. There was certainly enough deception, banter, and rivalry between characters along the way that I am left feeling very happy with this book. It was such a good story!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Let me say, I loved the Shadows Between Us. I had loved the intrigue, the romance, the Shadow King... it was just perfection. And then I read the Darkness Within Us. If there was a rating higher than 5, I would 100% give it to this gem.

Chrysantha Stathos. I didn't think I'd care to read about Alessandra's airhead sister, and I'm glad I was wrong. She's just as cunning and conniving as her younger sister, and she doesn't let anyone or anything stop her. Then she meets Eryx Demos.

The tensions between these two was just absolutely delicious. They are enemies through and through, and it was fantastic to see their characters grow. The magic was excellent. The plotting, the scheming... all top notch. The ending was perfect. This was just a fantastic book from start to end.

The audiobook was phenomenal. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing this book to life. And I loved that there was a bonus/deleted scene included at the end. Overall, I highly recommend these books.

This book gives a pride and prejudice with sexy Bridgerton vibes! Absolutely couldn’t put this book down and loved every page of it! I cannot wait to read more of it!!

In this companion book to The Shadows Between Us, Chrysantha becomes the main character. Rather than being the naive, innocent, and somewhat dumb character that the previous book made her out to be, in this story she is cunning, deceptive, and on a mission. She has spent the past seven years playing a part so that she can become a wealthy independent duchess, however her whole plan is shattered when an unknown man steps in to take away her inheritance, title, and independence. For 3/4ths of the book, I was entertained and loving the strong female character, however towards the end, it lost me. Still, if you enjoyed the first book, you’ll more than likely enjoy this one as well.

5 ⭐️
0.5 🌶️


The Darkness Within Us is a YA fantasy novel set in the same world as The Shadows Between Us. I listened to the audio of TSBU & TDWU back to back to refresh my memory on the world, however, you do not need to read TSBU prior to jumping into this. At most, I would consider it a companion novel, but can be read as a fully standalone.

The Darkness Within Us follows Chrysantha a young girl stuck in a marriage with an old, dying Duke. However, she is no damsel in distress; Chrysantha is a brilliant, scheming young woman on a mission, while hiding her true intentions under her air-headed demeanor. Her mission is freedom. When her husband finally passes away, she thinks everything is finally going her way. Her only dilemma is her lecherous late husband's estranged grandson coming to claim her estate and inheritance.

I will admit, I was a bit skeptical about a novel following Chrysantha due to how she and her sister interacted in The Shadows Between Us. Call me pleasantly surprised because I loved this so much more than the first one. I really loved that this was a true enemies to lovers situation! Eryx has his own secrets and I tries hard to guard them and keep Chrysantha away, but our girl is stubborn, fierce and when she wants something she is going to get it.

Narrated by Caitlin Davies - the narration was fantastic. Definitely enjoyed listening to this as an audiobook. I binged it in a day. I felt the tension and build up as the two bickered. Just make it through the first 15%, the rest is a win from me.


💟 YA fantasy, but on the borderline of NA
💟 Enemies to Lovers
💟 Bridgerton but make it fantasy
💟 Witty banter
💟 Light magic/fantasy
💟 Romantic tension
💟 Scheming and plotting
💟 Beauty & the Beast vibes
💟 (view spoiler)

The Darkness Within Us releases July 9, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley, Feiwel and Friends and MacMillian Audio for the ALC of The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller.

This audiobook was absolutely delightful! The narrator couldn't have been more perfect. She's wonderfully wicked in the best way.

At first... I thought this story was going to 100% a villain arc. It starts with a scandal and a murder and gets darker from there; however, the more I read, the more I like Chrysantha for who she is and for sticking by her own moral compass. I like how both her and her sister up heave social norms and traditions. I like how progress they both are. Alessandra and Chyrsantha complement each other in the best ways.

Chrysantha played the role of a dumb, pretty girl in order to score a wealthy WAY older husband of high rank. She just has to hold out until he dies to have everything she wants: freedom, money and a HUGE house. What could go wrong with her plans. you ask? An unexpected heir to her fortune who shows up magically out of the blue... and no one has heard of or known of... except for her sketchy lawyer? Plot twist, I think yes. Eryx Demos winds up becoming her arch nemesis and shenanigans ensue. But shadows lurk around Eryx.. will Chrysantha be able to conquer this new challenger to her happiness? Read on to find out!

What I loved most: how petty both sister were to each other, but how in the end; they still were there for each other, Chrsantha wears white to her sister's wedding to mess with her, but Alessandra wears black; the games Eryx and Chrysantha play with each other; the butler; the book club Chrysantha starts with her servants, Eryx's two best friends/body guards.

I think it might be helpful to have a disclaimer to check trigger warnings. Even though, the triggering scenes are mainly in the beginning and not carry throughout the story. I truly enjoyed every minute of this audiobook. I was invested in character development and growth. I struggled to put the audiobook down. I need to reread this once it comes out! I loved the narrator.

This was really entertaining for the most part. I always love a good enemies to lovers. I loved seeing their banter through out the novel . Towards the end I decided to DNF it sadly . It was because of one character being half demon . Which as a Christian I didn’t feel like finishing the book .

I liked this book better than the first one. Chrystanthas story to me was a lot more interesting and so much girl power and feminist. It was nice to see a bit more of the fantasy side played with a little bit more than book one.

The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller
4.5/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

•••Spoiler free review below•••

I loved the first book in this series and I was so excited for book 2! We see a completely different side to the brainless Chrysantha from book 1 and I. 👏 Am. 👏 Here. 👏 For. 👏 It. 👏

Chrysantha proved to be even more devious than her sister which lead to a captivating storyline and a delicious story of enemies to lovers. If you loved book 1 of this series, I think you’ll adore book 2. I especially recommend the audiobook to suck you into the world and set the scene.

Read this book if you like:
-villain x villain
-enemies to lovers
-monstrous MMC
-devious games

The Darkness Within Us will be released July 9th and if it's not already on your tbr, it should be!
.
.
.
Special thanks to Macmillan Audio for sharing a free copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

I received the audio ARC for this book prior to ever reading 'The Shadows Between Us,' which I honestly didn't love. I felt like it was just fine. So, I wasn't really expecting much from 'The Darkness Within Us,' but it was actually much more enjoyable and Caitlin Davies did a wonderful job narrating.

'The Darkness Within Us,' follows Chrysantha, Alessandra’s sister. The story unfolds with fiery dialogue and simmering tension. Levenseller’s unapologetic portrayal of her characters shines through, especially in Chrysantha, who evolves from a seemingly unlikable figure to a fiercely determined yet surprisingly lovable protagonist towards the end of the story. This one is steeped in the enemies-to-lovers trope, leaving readers eagerly devouring each chapter.

While the plot is very predictable, its strength lies in its captivating characters and their morally gray choices. With a blend of Pride and Prejudice sophistication and Bridgerton allure, 'The Darkness Within Us' tells a tale of wicked scheming, romance, and redemption.

Overall, if you’re craving an easy-to-digest enemies-to-lovers tale with lots of intrigue and banter, then you will enjoy 'The Darkness Within Us'.

Historical romance with touches of mystery and beasts. I truly enjoyed the characters and their interactions with each other. I loved the book club hosted for Chrysantha and her household staff. The snarky banter between the main characters kept me In stitches. I was truly shocked by how far Chrysantha would go to gain her freedom and control of her life.

Overall: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plotline: 3.5/5
World-Building: 3.5/5
Audiobook: 4/5

Romance: 4/5
Spice Factor: 1
Themes: 4.5/5
Writing: 4/5
Enjoyment Factor: 4/5
Review: I hesitated to jump into a sequel to The Shadows Between Us because it was a perfect standalone. However, Tricia Levenseller knows how to write clear, concise, and, most importantly, compelling characters. From the beginning, I was rooting for Chrysantha because she, like most women of her time, felt trapped in her marriage to a man several decades older than her, and her newfound freedom gets ripped from her so quickly she acts like an abused dog. I loved shee that in a female character and how we slowly peeled the layers of her as we progressed. I think that the plot was pretty thin and would get lost at times, and I would have to wonder what the motivations were, but the climax was fun and ended on such a fun note.

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK WAS CRAZY!!!!!!

First off the cover, um, yes! It is beautiful and misleading as to the books contents.

Since I had not read The Shadows Between Us, I was unaware of the personalities of Chrysantha and her younger sister Alessandra so I was at a disadvantage in that regard...but not really.

Tricia did a great job at building the characters individuality and she perfectly set the scene of each chapter allowing the reader the ability to become immersed into the world.

Now, Ms. Chrysantha, she did not come to play in this book. She wanted what she wanted and nothing was going to stop her from getting it! She took 7 years to finely craft her persona of being a dim whit, which rendered her invisible to men and allowed her to remain in rooms and hear conversations that women would have otherwise been removed. She, however, is no fool. The death of her husband the Duke, a vile man many years her senior, made Chrys a Dowager Duchess, she had enough money and status to be free and live as she pleased. Just when it seemed as if the world had finally shifted in her favor an unknown heir, Eryx pops up and threatens her happily ever after. Chrysantha then hatches a plan to eliminate the problem and maintain her position, A plan that should have been foolproof, failed, and opened news about Eryx that would have caused a lesser person pause.

The way Chrysantha and Eryx dance around each other and the banter between the two is quite entertaining! It gives Downton Abby with a splash of shape-shifting.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for allowing me early access to this audiobook.

I love how Tricia writes her FMCs in this series, I never want it to stop! You can read this as a standalone but I recommend reading in order. This is one I will be buying myself. The narrator is top-notch. I highly recommend for anyone who loves a good anti-herione in a historical fantasy read!

This is close door, which is fine but it seemed a bit abrupt to me.

I am enamored by how atmospheric both of the books in this series are. There is an absolutely perfect level of tension, mystery, romance, and dark undertones. This book was exactly what I needed the next installment of this series to be.

Chrysantha has convinced the world that she is daft, despite being anything but, and she has finally gotten everything she ever wanted. Her terrible husband it gone, and she is a duchess with an estate where she can escape from the rest of the world. Her perfect world is turned upside down when a man appears claiming to be her husband’s heir and threatening to take away the life she worked so hard to create.

I could not put this book down, I just needed to know what happened next. This was fast paced without sacrificing the story. I loved all of the characters, their relationships, and how every character and relationship developed and grew.

I will read absolutely anything Tricia Levenseller writes; she is an absolute auto buy author for me at this point.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. I leave this review voluntarily.

Tricia Levensellar remains on my auto-buy author list! Her storytelling is supreme. It was nice to see the underlying reasons for the animosity between sisters, although learning what Chrysantha had to do to ensure her independence was heartbreaking. Although she came off as a petty *itch in book one, she’s obviously an insanely strong woman.

Chrysantha is on the verge of having everything that she has ever wanted. She is only 19 but has manipulated her marriage to an elderly Duke who has no other heirs in the case of his impending death. She is thrilled when he finally succumbs and she is left to manage the estate herself since no male heirs are present. Everything is going quite well, especially when she receives news that her sister is to marry the king and has made laws in favor of female ownership and rights. One day a man is in her home and is claiming to be the grandson of her late husband and the rightful heir to the estate. Chrysantha will not allow him to just take over and demands proof of his lineage and the legal change to her husband's will. Eryx, the supposed heir, is trying to undo all the good that Chrysantha has done for the employees of the estate and the financial gain of her accounts as well. Eryx certainly acts strangely and always has his two friends at his side to back him up. Chrysantha is trying to keep what is rightfully hers and knows that Eryx must have falsified the documents that leave him in charge.

I absolutely love an underdog and I love that everyone undervalued Chrysantha and she was able to use that to her advantage and then live the life that she always dreamt for herself. The story was brilliantly written and really fast-paced. I love the way Tricia writes for her female characters and empowers them so much. I also admire the way that she puts real issues into a fictional setting and makes them so relatable. I loved this book and would highly recommend it!

Book one, The Shadows Between Us, was one of my favorite Romantasy book recs from booktok a few years ago, and I have been waiting for this book ever since! While this can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading The Shadows Between Us first to understand the sister's relationship.

I really enjoyed this and it was well worth the wait! It was nice that Chrysantha got a redemption ARC (both personality wise and repaired relationship wise). I love these fierce, feminist, morally gray tales with leading women who aren't afraid to straight up murder a guy for wronging them.

If you like the vibes of Pride and Prejudice & Bridgerton mixed with some sexy shadow wielding MMCs and some FMCs that love poisoning, scheming, and outwitting everyone, then this is for you.

Tysm for the audio ARC!