When I picked this book up, it was because I want something I could use to get over my book hangerover. I was super surprised by how much this book dragged me in and made me be present. I love every page and the story arc of the characters. It was truly a slytherin romance. I have always enjoyed Levenseller's books but they just keep getting better and this is one is by far my favorite. I will indeed be purchasing a copy to keep in my private library so I can read it when the mood strikes me. Well done.

This book was so good I read it in two days! As the author noted in the book dedication this story is very much a Slytherin romance. Alessandra and Kallias are truly a perfect, cunning and ambitious match for each other. Despite their flaws and how ruthless the two could be I couldn’t help but root for them to prevail. Four stars, would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a fun, fast read!

I finished reading "The Shadows Between Us" by Tricia Levenseller and it was so good! 4⭐. This book is a lot darker than her other books 😈. You must read it. I can't wait to read what Tricia writes next! Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

~~I received an ARC copy of The Shadows Between Us from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review~~

I absolutely loved this book. A flawed but calculating character was a welcome refresher from the typical female lead in most YA/Romance novels. Alessandra is quick-witted, bright and has a plan to get what she wants, However, she's not uncharacteristically cold. I enjoyed seeing her ambition and her growth throughout the story. Tricia Levenseller knows how to suck you into a tale and get you bought into the characters. I also appreciated that secondary characters had nuances and body instead of just background noise.

The story was fantastic. I loved the characters and their relationships, the pace of the story was perfect though I feel the the world could have been built up some more. This is definitely a book I am going to be adding to my library!!

I've loved books by Tricia Levenseller in the past and this was no exception. I really loved The Shadows Between Us. This is the story of a girl who decides to woo and marry the king, before killing him to take over his kingdom. I just love getting to read a story about a girl who is ruthless and cunning and willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants and is never apologetic about her actions. I wish more books would take this perspective. Even though Alessandra plans to kill the king, I just couldn't help liking her. She learns through her time at court and eventually grows so much in her friendships and relationships that I just couldn't help rooting for her. I think the story wraps up a little too quickly and easily but since it was a standalone, that's pretty much what I expected and I didn't end up minding all that much. There is just something about Tricia Levenseller's writing that I find so easy to read. It is engaging and entertaining and while the story itself may not be the most unique thing ever, I had a lot of fun reading it and that's what reading should be.

I honestly read this book in less than two days, because I just couldn’t put it down. I loved Levenseller’s Daughter of the Pirate King duology, so I had high expectations going into this. The Shadows Between Us most certainly lived up to those expectations.
“Cunning” and “villainous” perfectly sum up Alessandra…but I liked her for it. She was smart, sassy, knew exactly what she wanted, and was never discouraged by other people’s opinions of her. In fact, she used them to her advantage.
I would, however, recommend this book for the older end of the YA spectrum (I would not let my twelve-year-old goddaughter read this!). From the very first page, Alessandra uses her sexuality to get what she wants: whether it is power or money or simply something to relieve her boredom, she knows how to effectively use her feminine wiles. And use them she does!
The Shadows Between Us is a great fantasy read, and I highly recommend you get lost in this book when it is released in February! Until then, preorder so you can be sure to read it as soon as possible. 😉
Many thanks to MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for this ebook for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

This book! So good! I read the whole thing in one afternoon because I could not put it down! I love the writing, the characters, everything about it.

At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like Alessandra. I respected her immediately and admired her ability to pursue her goals. But it wasn't until a little deeper in the story that I realized how much I liked her! She relentlessly pursues her goals - but she also helps and encourages other women to do the same. She is a strong ally for her friends and I love that about her. She's also very smart, witty and cunning.

The slow burn romance in this book - swoon! Levenseller has a gift for writing the sexy parts and that's all I'm gonna say about that :)

There is also a twist at the ending that I did not see coming (the best kind). This book is a must read for 2020!

Summary:
Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:

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

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 knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.

But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, 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.

I loved Levenseller’s earlier novels and was excited to see this one on Netgalley. I went back and forth on Alessandra as a main character - she is certainly an interesting anti-heroine as she opens the book with a reference to killing her first lover - but for parts of the book she seemed a bit childish and even spoiled. I do think that she grew into her own, and I ultimately liked her character arc. I also liked the whole Shadow King situation, both the man himself and the lore around his strange powers. Overall, this was fast and fun, and I got the sense that Levenseller must have had a good time writing it.

HOLY HELL GIVE ME SEVEN MORE I AM LIVING FOR THIS. This has everything a girl could ever want in a book: sexual empowerment, boxing, naked swims, ending engagements, dressing like a prostitute, killing assassins. There was no limit to how much joy my heart had in reading it, no limit to how many needs this book solved. I am here for Alessandra and her fierceness and give me ALL OF daddy Kallias. I swooned no less than twelve times. I aches for more when I had to put the book away to do other things.

This is my first Tricia Levenseller book and, after reading it, I definitely plan to read everything else by her. This is a highlight to 2020 and I hope everyone else just devours it and loves it as much as I did. I can’t critique the writing in any way because I felt it matched Alessandra’s personality to perfection. It isn’t often we get an MC who is so horribly villainized, but Alessandra is the dream one. You hate her at times because she has such horrible goals, but you grow to love her and realize she isn’t truly that far off. I could read so much more by her as the narrator. KEEP DOING YOU GIRL.

OMG OMG OMG
I wish I could read this again for the first time!
What a book.
I wasn’t expecting how much I was going to care about these characters. Two days after I’ve finished it, I’m still thinking about it!

Alessandra is ambitious, commanding and cunning. I loved being inside her head. She is so so strong and sometimes wrong, and always entertaining. I like a heroine that is all shades of gray, that sees what she wants and goes for it. Her character development flows naturally. She’s not a good person and doesn’t do good things, well, mostly. And that’s how I like her. With a bite.

The Shadow King is the perfect mate for her, even though she plans on killing him. He is ruthless and a bit misunderstood. When one pulls, the other pushes and vice versa. Don’t you hope she figures out she likes him before she kills him?


The plot is so fast and the writing is solid. There’s lots of fun twists and unforeseen turns, and some romance too. I really love how he accepts her for who she is and doesn’t try to change her, and she him. There’s this inner thread between them that draws them together, they understand each other on a different level that others don’t. I see how their mutual respect and admiration for each other, especially their flaws, strengthen their relationship. I love seeing this play out as the story moved along. It was clear together, they would be a formidable couple.
If only she could you know, not kill him.

Personally this book speaks to me deeply. My husband and I just get each other in a way others don’t, on some deeper level that can’t be expressed.

Overall, this book was so much fun. I couldn’t put it down. I’ve already re-read my favorite passages and I’m looking forward to re-reading the whole book during the summer. What a way to start 2020!

I'm going to start off with the fact that morally gray characters are my favorite type of characters. When starting this book, I was excited for just that. However, it was this very reason that I struggled with this book. I wanted there to be a back story as to why Alessandra was this heartless, power-hungry villain. She definitely comes off spoiled and mean. I almost gave up, I disliked her so much. She redeemed herself in her witty banter, confidence in her sexuality, and character growth. I enjoyed the court intrigue and the other characters and would have liked more from the shadow king. Actual rating 2.5

Main characters were strong and had growth throughout the book. A lot of this book was predictable and slightly overdone, yet there was a charm to the author's writing that was enjoyable. Not a favorite, but enjoyable and a decent read. The setting was nice, the wording wasn't overdone, and the characters kept your attention. Overall, a nice read to start the year. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I have never heard of an affliction like the Shadow King. I have never loved a heroine like Alessandra. She starts off so cocky and knows just what she wants to happen. I was torn in the beginning whether I should love her or be disgusted by her. The girl power she exudes is so amazing and how she breaks barriers is admirable.

The premise of this novel is that Alessandra is the second daughter of a Lord and no one expects much from her. After her sister goes to court and tries to win the Shadow King's eye and fails, Alessandra is ready to take her turn and she take the court by storm.

Her plan is simple, she'll tell you, its easy as pie: Make the King fall in love, marry the king, kill him and take the throne for herself.

Now, I was confused by this set up at first. I thought maybe the king was evil, so we wouldn't feel bad if she wanted to off him. Not the case at all. He is a cinnamon bun who just wants to find out who killed his parents and avenge them. He is paranoid, but he is smart, dashing, and oh-so appealing to Alessandra. Their chemistry was off the charts.

Of course there are some twists and turns, but at the end of the day, this is a romance. The focus is Alessandra and King Kalias having the longest slow burn ever and what starts as a "fake dating" took my on a journey that I never expected.

I gave it 5/5 stars. Tricia Levenseller had me hooked from the first page. Alessandra is empowered, she does what she pleases with her life, her clothing, and her body. She is so much fun. And the Shadow King's powers were so cool and they have a cost that was very clever. I really enjoyed it.

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

This book was charming and cheeky, wonderfully romantic and wicked, and just plain FUN. It was well written, fast paced and had the most delightful characters. I was sorry to see it end.

This book is wonderful! So very well done! I adored so much about it. I don’t think I can accurately describe my current feelings. I especially adored the characters, and how well done all of them were! And the TWISTS! I can’t even. It’s perfect for anyone that wants to read something with a main character who breaks the mold, and knows what she wants. Highly recommended.

I absolutely loved this book. The opening line caught me right away and I couldn’t put it down. I loved Alessandra and Kallias. I loved the story! Murder. Mystery. Action. Adventure. Romance. This book has it all and then some!

Title: The Shadows Between Us
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Release date: 02.25.2020
Review date: 12.23.2019

I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:
1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

Where to begin? I'm sitting here struggling because I have no idea what to say about this one. I have read the author's other books and enjoyed them so I was very excited to read this angsty description of this one and immediately put it on my most anticipated of 2020 list. Receiving a ARC of this and being able to read it in a different calendar year than it's release was amazing. Being able to put it on my Top Ten of the year was even better.
I don't know what to say outside of I loved it. I would have liked a little more world-building and angst but other than that I enjoyed this one. Alessandra was a very different character than I am used to. I would have liked a little more from the Shadow King. I didn't see the big reveal coming ahead of time which is always nice. I really enjoyed the side characters of her best friends as well. I really like Levenseller's writing and will continue to read everything she releases.

Hello and good evening- I'm here to tell you to IMMEDIATELY put this on your pre-order list. Like, as soon as you finish reading this review, head on over to your favorite book store's website or local indie book store and pre-order. this. book. right. now.

If you've been following me, you'll know that Levenseller is one of my auto-buy authors. If she came out and said she was going to publish a book on how to properly vacuum your house, I would probably still pre-order it. This book was EXCEPTIONAL.

The more Levenseller writes, the more talented she becomes. It's just that simple. Warrior of the Wild was my favorite novel of hers as of this year, but Shadow Between Us just knocked it completely out of the water. This is my new favorite Levenseller book by a long shot. I'm going to be screaming about this book for the entirety of 2020 so hold on tight folks.

First of all, the first line of the novel grabs your eyes and forces you to read the rest. The plot is so well thought-out and kept me entranced throughout my entire read. I screamed, I laughed out loud, I got anxiety, and that is DEFINITELY 5-star worthy. You think it's going to end one way, but then ends a completely different way. All of the characters were well thought out and have a crisp chemistry to each other. Nothing is awkward, and everything flows smoothly.

I love how Alessandra is so non-bullshit. She knows what the hell she wants and she won't let ANYONE get in her way, she's outspoken, and had strong opinions. I also really love that this novel is incredibly sex-positive (in a tasetful way that's teen appropriate) and has LGBTQ representation that (much like WARRIOR) is done in a way that doesn't make it a big deal which I always appreciate it. I really do dislike books that add LGBTQ representation just to say that it's inclusive, but ends up being awkward and unrealistic. Levenseller knows how to avoid this and that is one of the main reasons I love her books so much.

Well, I am definitely looking forward to her next few books which were just announced (THE SECRET BLADE, a blacksmith with social anxiety??? Count me in!). I will pre-order them as soon as I am able, and I definitely recommend you put Shadows Between Us on your TBR when it releases on February 25th. BUY BUY BUY THIS BOOK.

I can not thank Macmillan & Netgalley for this review copy enough, I was SO PLEASED to see that I had been approved. A million thank yous!

(Review on blog scheduled for January 25th)

Loved this story and characters but it's really just a straight up romance novel, which is not a criticism - I love a romance from time to time! When I started the book I was curious to see how Levenseller was going to make this murderous character likeable. I knew it had to happen or else the story would be flat, but it seemed like a daunting challenge to set for yourself. Alessandra's cunning is what hooked me and I was turning pages especially fast after she said she had a plan to rid her friend of his fiance while also getting her blackmailer off her back. The sex/foreplay scenes were too much for me to have this in my middle school library but they were just the right amount of teasing for an older reader. Also, the descriptions of her outfits are sumptuous!