That Dark Infinity is such a beautifully written YA fantasy. The world-building is outstanding. The story is well written with an enchanting storyline and well-developed characters that engage from start to finish. The world is atmospheric and feels real with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. I cannot get enough. Highly recommended. Be sure to check out That Dark Infinity today.

I adored That Dark Infinity, Kate Pentecost has weaved such a beautiful story of love and friendship. This was romance at its finest, loving someone no matter what the circumstances and giving up your dream for another. Being party to the development of Lazarus and Flora’s relationship felt like a true honour.

Flora had experienced such a terrible trauma and while not at all graphic, it made it very clear what had happened to her. I liked how the author did not shy away from the realities of invasion. She treated the reader with maturity and rightly assumed that we would understand that this would have been the likely scenario if this had truly happened. Similarly, she covered the workings of the female body in a realistic yet sensitive manner. It doesn’t matter what fantasy world you live in, women are going to have periods and the author dealt with this fabulously and wove it into the story, so the reader felt like, although this was a fantasy, there was a sense of realism. Also well done for creating male characters that were mature and accepting of the natural cycle of a woman.

The role of the Ankou gave this story a ‘Witcher’ feel, which I really liked, but Kate made Lazarus more relatable and human. His was such a sad story, however while tired of his situation, he never lost his perspective or kindness. The way he cared for Flora in the beginning, with gentleness and patience, without immediately lusting after her, meant that their relationships began as a friendship. This made for a deeper connection between the two of them. I liked the way the author made Flora vulnerable and how she had to work to put the past behind her, yet it sometimes still reared it’s head. Their relatability and the realism of their relationship made them one of my favourite couples that I have read about recently.

The ending was just perfect. I felt that they had a new beginning, and I was excited for them to move forward into the future, whatever it may hold.

An absolutely well deserved five stars from me.

I am honored to have been able to read The Dark Infinity early! The Dark Infinity is an absolutely beautiful piece. I absolutely loved the dark romantic premise and it had a perfect slow burn. This book had a unique feeling to it, and I devoured it as fast as I could.

The Dark Infinity by Kate Pentecost is about a heroic and loyal handmaiden, Flora. She is assaulted and left for dead. The only thing on her mind? Finding the princess that she serves. Ankou, a young mercenary, agrees to help train her. The Dark Infinity is filled with magic, feminism, heroics, battles and enough adventure to keep you glued to the pages. The Dark Infinity receives a solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from me!

Before we begin, I need everyone to appreciate this gorgeous cover.
I was intent on reading this book solely because of this beautiful cover art.

I feel I need to be fully transparent before I begin. I did not include the content warning at the top of this post on purpose. In the spirit of full disclosure, the female main character is raped. It is not explicit in detail, but it is heavily implied and is a trauma she works through throughout this novel. Additionally, being a dark fantasy, death is a theme that is repeated and mentioned often. This book does require a trigger warning, however it was written and published intentionally for a younger audience.

I initially gave this book only two stars.
But as I began to organize my thoughts for this review, I bumped it to three.
Here is why. After finishing this book, I felt satisfied that all the characters got the ending that they deserved. BUT I also felt that it all happened far far too quickly. Let me explain.

That Dark Infinity has some truly beautiful imagery written into it. One of my favorite passages was when the author described The Ankou’s daily death for the first time. Kate Pentecost really spent a lot of time describing this world and it’s obscure beauty to the readers. But as beautiful as the descriptions were, the plot’s execution was a little substandard.

The Ankou and Flora (whose name I adore btw) meet under some less than stellar circumstances. They form a very tentative alliance in order break the Ankou’s curse and so that Flora can right all the wrongs that had been committed to her lands.
The Ankou is a mercenary, so him and Flora encounter all kinds of monsters (literal monsters ie: Striga, Shadow People, Will-O-the-Whisps, etc) that they have to defeat in order to move forward on their mission. They do this, and all the while they are trying to literally outrun the malediction that is cursing The Ankou.

Somehow though, even with all the action and magic and the monsters that are trying to clobber them, the plot is a bit uninspiring. It needed some pizzaz in my opinion.
I felt as though I was being informed of things as opposed to witnessing them… if that makes sense. I was told that Flora was picking up sword fighting quickly, I was informed that the Ankou was starting to catch feelings. Just like the author declared that time was passing. But there wasn’t anything demonstrating evidence of the reality that was being broadcast.
My big issue was being told that Flora and The Ankou loved each other. WHAT A LET DOWN. As I didn’t feel I was a witness to it. The romance was a nice idea, but the story truly didn’t need it to stand on its own. I personally think that the entire romance subplot could have been edited right out and this book would have been better for it.

I think this lack of connection to the characters was ultimately this novel’s down fall. Most of the book is following Flora and The Ankou on their journey, but all of the action and the pinnacle of the entire plot happens at 86%! THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE BOOK. and it was rushed. Three hundred and thirty pages with hardly any connection to the characters or their struggles and then the reader is forced to hurry through the best part of the book because there are only fifty pages left!

Despite all my griping, I actually did like this book (lol).

I though that the story was unique, it had so many familiar literary devices, but it was all put together into a scenario I haven’t encountered before.

This standalone is perfectly geared for a younger audience. Not to say that I didn’t enjoy it, because it captured my attention and I wasn’t bored at any point while reading.

But I love dark romance and fantasy. So if I am going to read said dark romance or a novel with gothic themes, I want them to be inky and devastating.
Obviously, with That Dark Infinity being geared for younger readers I didn’t get the profound gloom that my inner goth kid craves.

For a reader who might be new to this genre or who is easily triggered, That Dark Infinity would be a really great introduction to Dark Romances.

I found the cover of this book to very striking! It just pops and is very intriguing. It makes you want to pick up the book. I found the premise of the story to be interesting. At times, I found the characters to be a little lackluster, but it didn’t detract from the overall book. Definitely recommend!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I am a massive fan of the Witcher and this one did not disappoint!! Absolutely fabulous I cannot get over how wondering The Dark Infinity is! A watered down version of the Witcher but in the best way possible :)

2021 is the year of jaw-droppingly gorgeous covers, and That Dark Infinity is proof! I absolutely adore the juxtaposition of the bones and the hand, and the way the title pops out against the dark background. This is easily one of the prettiest books being released this year. Now that I've thoroughly judged a book by its cover, I will get on to the actual review! I quite enjoyed reading That Dark Infinity, as I found the plot premise to be engaging. The characters and writing style were occasionally lacking for me, but it was not so much as to put me off the story entirely. I'm very glad that I kept reading, because in the end, I found that I had an overall positive impression of the book, and that I would recommend reading it to other folks too!

My Recommendation-
If you're looking for a dark novel that is firmly young adult in genre, you should pick up a copy of That Dark Infinity! This book would be a great read for someone looking for an exciting fantasy novel with spooky fall energy to get them in the Halloween spirit!

Content Warnings-
Mentions of past sexual assault (not graphic, but there is trauma processing on-page) and abuse.

Thoroughly enjoyed this dark fantasy with a romance baked into it's quest. What it lacks in world-building it makes up for in surprising storylines. Each character is unique and intriguing, and left me wanting more - not in a way that detracted from the story.

Lets start with the cover, it is STUNNING. It promises the perfect spooky season read and fits in nicely with a spooky aesthetic. The pacing is good and the story progresses well. Some of the dialogue was a little stiff for me, said was over used but really that’s my only gripe. I reeeeeally liked The Ankou’s (Lazarus) character and the dynamics of his curse and how as a consequence of his curse he’s severely misunderstood. Overall I really enjoyed it and i think fans of Lakesedge will love it too!

The Ankou is a legendary monster hunter who’s cursed by a witch’s love with immortality. He’s alive during the night, but every dawn, he returns to a lifeless skeleton.

However, he’s grown tired of living unchanged for centuries and never being able to see the sun again, so when he finds a royal handmaiden named Flora half-dead on a beach, he’s convinced that she may be the key to breaking his curse. In exchange for teaching how to fight monsters, she agrees to help him.

That Dark Infinity by Kate Pentecost is dark but charming YA fantasy standalone. It’s gruesome and macabre in parts, and yet, there's a whole lot of heart to this story as well. I especially loved Flora’s stubbornness and the old-married-couple type relationship dynamic she had with Ankou. In fact, their romance reminds me a little of Howl's Moving Castle in the best possible way.

Also, I would say this book feels like a classical fantasy—for better or worse. The author uses the whole traveling on a quest trope, making for a more meandering storyline where the characters travel around to various kingdoms and enchanted locations. The story particularly loses its focus and tension around the halfway point, until it picks up back up and redeems itself in the end.

Flaws aside though, I still devoured and absolutely adored this book.

I immediately jumped at the chance to read this book after seeing that stunning cover. I knew I wanted to read it before I even knew what it was about.

It centers around two characters from entirely different backgrounds.

Flora, a princesses handmaiden, suffers a terrible trauma and loses everything. Her home, her family... her entire life gone in an instant. She crosses paths with the Ankou who is cursed to be eternally young but is only alive during the night-time hours and in the daytime he becomes a skeleton, soul leaving his body and entering the between.

Though an unlikely pair the two determine that their goals are aligned. Flora wishes to find her lost Princess and the Ankou wishes for death and peace. The Ankou believes that Flora is the key to breaking his curse.

Together they journey to a legendary temple fighting monsters and forming a sweet romance... it then becomes a race against time as The Ankou begins to rot and change.

The story is full of excitement and intrigue and the world building and writing is gorgeous.

I would have liked a little more substance when it came to the romance but the pacing otherwise was good, lots of interesting characters and the ending was well wrapped up!

If you love The Witcher, monster hunter vibes, and girls who are willing to take on the world for those they love- then this book is for you!

I was immediately drawn into the magical, and somewhat dark and mystical, world of the Five Kingdoms. Author Kate Pentecost does a phenomenal job creating a lush and vivid-at times monstrous-world that comes to life right before your eyes.

That Dark Infinity is told from both the perspective of the Ankou, as well as Flora, and I love the dual point of view. Pentecost does a great job giving us insight to what characters are both thinking and seeing from the other characters in the book that helps create a full picture.

As the reader first dives into That Dark Infinity, we find there are both monsters in the shadows of the Weir woods and human monsters walking the streets- and Flora determined to find the royal family is willing to face them all despite her own trauma thanks to the help of the Ankou. Following their journey and the extra mage they pick up along the way- I loved rooting for Flora as she took on more than she ever thought she would.

This book held a steady, and at times gripping, pace as the characters fight their own trauma, monsters and fate itself. I definitely recommend this book to fantasy readers who enjoy dark elements and fighting the terrifying monsters lurking just out of sight.

That Dark Infinity was a delightfully atmospheric spooky read that was perfect for this time of year.

Here are 5 reasons to read:

1.A young girl's mission to discover herself after extreme trauma.
2.An unlikely duo of girl and Ankou journeying together and bonding through sorrow.
3.Slaying horrifying, monstrous demons is a common occurrence.
4.Amazing fight scenes and spooky atmospheric writing.
5.Dark Fantasy with spooky vibes perfect for this time of year

This was a quick and easy read for me and I definitely recommend it.

I liked this one but I felt like the story was more about the Ankou rather than Flora. Which I didn't mind because he is a pretty interesting character. This was super fast-paced, and there was a bit of romance, which I knew to expect.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the chance to read and review this book in exchange of an honest review.

TW: rape (off screen), PTSD, death, blood

The Ankou is a young mercenary, cursed to never die. By night he's able to fight against demons, witches, kelpies and all kind of monsters, but, by day, he becomes bones and he's trapped, between life and death, unable to move on and to find peace. Flora is the only survivor of the kingdom of Kaer-Ise. Assaulted and left for dead, she's saved by the Ankou and desperate to find the princess she served and loved, they strike a deal. The Ankou will help her find the princess and train her in combat and Flora will aid him in breaking his curse, following a strange prophecy. But nothing is simple and they will face battle, eagles, solve mysteries and illnesses, while their bond strengthen and threaten everything.

I absolutely LOVED reading That dark infinity! The story is very original and it captured my attention right away. The book is a wonderful and thrilling fantasy, mixing witches and curses, all kind of monsters, political battles, PTSD, falling in love, family's expectations, society's expectations and so much more. The characterization is very good, the book is focused on three characters: the Ankou, Flora and Atonais, the prophecy's protagonists and each of them is facing struggles, expectations, personal journeys.

TThe Ankou is a brilliant character, weighed down by his past, traumas and loves and his inability to actually die and find peace. His meeting with Flora gives him hope to find a real solution, even though it brings more that he and Flora expected, when he starts to rot while awake and alive. Flora, on the other hand, lived all her life believing in her goddess, in virtue and purity, serving and loving his princess, but when her kingdom is attacked and destroyed and she's assaulted, she struggles with her traumas, fears and lost hopes. Travelling with the Ankou gives her a new purpose, battling monsters, looking for a way to save him, helping Atonais, all while still looking for her lost princess, hoping for the best. Atonais is a lightning mage, shunned by his family because different, by the other magicians, because he mixes magic and sciences and he's the third member of this weird group. In their journey, looking for answers, a cure and a lost temple, the Ankou, then called Lazarus, Flora and Atonais grow, change and becoming more and more confident of themselves, creating a peculiar bond with each other, made of loyalty, love and adventure.

The worldbuilding is fascinating, a world where curses and monsters exist, where people call a mercenary to help them fight monsters and diseases, where unicorns and maidens share a bond, ghouls wander, lost temples and gods live and where love can save and complicate everything. It's a book about sacrifice, love, loyalty and healing, it's a journey Lazarus, Flora and Atonais have to take, while healing, finding and embracing themselves and each other. I liked how the author talked about traumas and losses, how her characters face and learn, with time, to accept them and not to let their traumas define them. I also loved the slow burn, friends to lovers and the way it didn't slow or weigh down the story, it was really well integrated and spontaneous. The relationships between characters, both between the main ones and with the side ones, are well written and realistic.

The plot is full of twists, discoveries, battles, monsters and I loved everything. In a race against time and fate, these characters are brilliant, clever and brave. I devoured this book and I absolutely loved it. I definitely recommend it to everyone!

4.5/5 Stars
I really enjoyed That Dark Infinity. Before I delve into my gushing, I would advise readers to look into content warnings for this one as there is some material that may prove a bit triggering for some.
First off this cover? Absolutely gorgeous! That Dark Infinity is perfect for spooky season in every way! It is a lushly written dark fantasy with a monster romance, a quest to change the past, and lots of terrifying monsters to keep you happy. I loved loved loved the feel of the world that Pentecost has created here. A world with demons and monsters, an immortal demon slayer, a handmaiden who is the last of her people, unicorns (yes, unicorns!), eagles you can ride on and so much more! What Pentecost has created here is truly a feast for the imagination. The writing gives this story a lush and atmospheric feel the entire way through. Our main characters, Lazarus and Flora, are characters who are very unique and complex, which I consider to be well-developed. I loved the romance between them and all the ways that challenges arise because of their feelings for each other. Lazarus is very swoony and tortured which is something I just love in a LI. I loved the banter between Flora, Lazarus and Antonias as they travel across their world to find a long lost temple with an artifact that grants wishes. This is one of those books that tickled my fancy. It is just a great story with mystery, romance, heartache, and magic. This is probably going to be one of my favorite reads this month, and I hope that fellow readers enjoy this story as much as I did!

Initial Thoughts
I fully expected to not read this book because I thought it would be too scary. I’ve said this before and then realized that I was being silly. I decided to apply for a tour for this book and was really excited to be chosen. I was eager to get out of my comfort zone.

Some Things I Liked
Cinnamon roll, semi-immortal love interest, The Ankou. I am obsessed with Lazarus. He was literally the most perfect character. Kind, understanding, but also dark and mysterious. Normally, I’d think a character like that is hiding some devastating secret but I never got that feeling from him. He was just so good.
Themes of acceptance, trauma, and recovery. I think this was handled with such care and respect. My heart hurt when Flora and her land were attacked. But, Flora’s journey was so beautiful to see unfold. She grieved for who she once was and could have been and became so much stronger.
Found family vibes. Atonais, Lazarus, and Flora are the found family I want to adopt me. Their routine and the way they accepted each other was just perfect.

Series Value
I’d love to read more about this crew and their adventures but the ending of this book left it on such a perfectly mysterious but resolved note. I want to preserve that feeling the ending left me with.

However, I would love to read more of Kate Pentecost’s books. The writing here was phenomenal.

Final Thoughts
Never have I ever been so wrong about my initial feelings about a book. How dare I ever think I wouldn’t like this book. I can honestly say this is a top 10 read of the year for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An immortal monster hunter and a royal handmaiden embark on an epic journey to change their fates in this soul-stirring young adult fantasy novel for fans of The Witcher and The Last Unicorn.

By night, the Ankou is a legendary, permanently young mercenary—the most fearsome sword for hire in all of the Five Lands, and its most abiding mystery. But when the sun rises, a dark magic leaves him no more than bones. Cursed with this cycle of death and resurrection, the Ankou wants only to find the final rest that has been prophesied for him, no matter the cost.

When the kingdom of Kaer-Ise is sacked, Flora, handmaiden to the royal family, is assaulted and left for dead. Wounded, heartbroken, and the sole survivor of the massacre, Flora wants desperately to be reunited with the princess she served and loved. She and the Ankou make a deal: He will help Flora find her princess, and train Flora in combat, in exchange for her aid in breaking his curse. But it isn't easy to kill an immortal, especially when their bond begins to deepen into something more . . .

Together, they will solve mysteries, battle monsters, and race against time in this fantasy novel about sacrifice, love, and healing by Elysium Girls author Kate Pentecost.


My Review will be updated closer to my tour stop!

Unfortunately THAT DARK INFINITY is a great example of a very exciting premise that is let down by execution. 

This dark romantic premise is hamstrung by very young-leaning YA dialogue, which is frustrating considering the darker content, and an immortal being that, after living three centuries as a nineteen year old instead reads like he's sixteen. For someone who carried all these tales and mystique around him, I enjoyed that almost none of them were remotely true, which was a funny twist, but at the same time.. some mystique would've been good. How this was set up, how it played out, and how he actually should've been treated based on how he interacted with others.. I don't know, it didn't quite line up.

Another thing that didn't quite work was this starts off with an off-page assault on our other main character, Flora, which is not only traumatic but carries extra shame due to her peoples' value on virtue, but what was perplexing is that she was mistaken for the princess when she was grabbed and her attackers made a comment she was meant for the invading prince but "what he wouldn't know wouldn't hurt him" and yet.. they subsequently leave her for dead? Because the prince also said to "leave no one alive". So.. she wasn't going to the prince after all? We never end up seeing this prince, this whole plotline kind of becomes background noise to a certain extent, so it doesn't have any real relevance I'm just irritated because I don't understand the point of the comment or why things end up the way they do.

Over the course of the book, the aforementioned weird dialogue persisted, which was frustrating as some of the description was decent. But overall there was just no tension. These big action or suspenseful moments were, theoretically, taking place but you could feel none of it. Especially as the characters reacted as if, really, nothing had happened. At one point, during a scene I can't describe due to spoilers, Flora is calling out constantly for Lazarus to help her, save her, and then he does, and when he asks after her, she says "oh don't worry about me".. insert side eye here. At another point, Flora gets her period (yay! and cramps! love to see it, hate to live it) and it's a big issue because it attracts spirit thingies and this whole scene is set up where we see her surrounded and barely protected by their super special fence thing, except.. she's found sleeping outdoors infront of said fence. Why? There's no explanation for it. It's just for this tension-less tense scene. It just.. doesn't make sense.

Anyway, I'll end the complaining, mostly because I don't even want to get started on the "romance", but this just wasn't it. And I'm sad. It's got a good looking cover (which, granted, looks better from a distance than it does close up) and has what sounded like a great, intriguing, romantic premise but.. alas.

Wouldn't recommend and, unfortunately, I wouldn't pick up this author again.

1.5 stars?

That Dark Infinity is an odd fantasy road trip, a slow-burn romance, and a meditation on mortality. While it won't appeal to everyone, for fantasy lovers that like a touch of macabre along with their romance, it certainly hits the right notes. Would recommend to fans of INK IN THE BLOOD or THE MIDNIGHT LIE.