I couldn't wait to read this sequel, and got everything I wanted for Chrysantha! It was fantastic, nervy, and beautifully written. I couldn't wait, and am so thankful for the opportunity to read this through NetGalley!!

I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. This book was a page turner and I couldn't put it down.

Title: The Shadows Between Us
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Pages: 326
Time Length: 10 Hrs 12M
Dates: 9/5-9/6
Format: Audiobook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Summary: Book Two in the Shadows Between Us series.

Review: This one was almost as good as the first. I still enjoyed the characters and the love interests. It was a slower pace and less action.

Such a great book that was easy and fast to read. It sucked you in and didn't let go! I loved the world and the characters and the way it was written.

Who will back down first?

Chrysantha is a beast. She and her sister Alessandra are in constant competition and their father expects both of them to keep him out of bankruptcy by marrying someone rich. While Alessandra married the Shadow King, Chrysantha married an elderly Duke but she ends him within two months after their marriage. Since the Duke has no heirs, she inherits everything and thoroughly enjoys redecorating the manor and revamping her wardrobe. She also gives the servants raises and shows them appreciation for their hard work. Eryx arrives, claiming he’s the Duke’s grandson and turns life in the manor upside down. Eryx has a secret and Chrysantha isn’t going to let him get away with ruining her plans without finding out what he’s hiding.

Likes/dislikes: The contradictions of Chrysantha’s character and actions are entertaining. Eryx is an interesting character and I enjoyed the unknown that went along with his secret. I liked Chrysantha’s feistiness.
Mature content: PG-13 for kissing and off page sex.
Language: R for 62 swears and 0 F-words.
Violence: R for bloody deaths.
Ethnicity: Pale ivory, peach, dark beige, ebony skinned, deep obsidian skin tone, golden skin are all mentioned.

I loved getting to re-enter this world. Tricia’s writing is so beautiful and really depicts every moment of her stories. I hope there is more to come from this series in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing me with an eARC of The Darkness Within Us in exchange for my honest review!

As someone who had enjoyed The Shadows Between Us when I read it years ago, I'm glad to say that The Darkness Within Us serves as a good old standalone sequel. Sure, it wasn't absolutely necessary for this to come out, but it remains enjoyable and gets me invested in Chrysantha as an intriguing protagonist who possesses a sharp and conniving gumption. It's funny, because we'd never met her back in Shadows, although the book had referred to her, so it's nice to finally have the spotlight shine on her. I like the solidly clever banter between her and Eryx as well.

Overall, I'm officially rating The Darkness Within Us 3.25 out of 5 stars. I'll continue to keep an eye out for more of Tricia Levenseller's work.

This was the perfect enemies to lovers story. The banter between Eryx and Chrysantha was everything you hope for in a romantasy novel. Their interactions were very amusing. The only reason I didn't rate it higher was because I felt that the ending was a bit rushed. I did find myself enjoying it more than the first novel.

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕚𝕤𝕥:
Nineteen-year-old Chrysantha Stathos has cunningly secured secrets, wealth, and her father's care by posing as a beautiful, air-headed girl. She is just one dying duke away from ultimate freedom and safety. However, her plans are thwarted when her sister Alessandra weds the powerful Shadow King, and a mysterious man, Eryx Demos, claims to be the duke’s heir.

Furious and determined, Chrysantha vows not to let Eryx, despite his allure and mysterious powers, take what she believes is rightfully hers. In the end, a Stathos girl always gets what she wants.

𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
✨Slow Burn
✨Angst and tension
✨Secrets and betrayal
✨Enemies to Lovers
✨Touch Her and ☠️
✨Morally grey characters

𝕊𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕍𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕤:
📚 𝗔 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗝𝗠
📚 𝗧𝗼 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼

𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
I was not expecting to get this follow up to 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗨𝘀, but I’m so glad Tricia Levenseller gave it to us! I honestly enjoyed this sequel so much more than the first book. I am such a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers Romantasy.

I enjoyed Chrysantha so much more than Alessandra, which I think is why I liked this book so much more too. Chrysantha wanted freedom, where Alessandra craved attention. Chrysantha is fun, loves pink, sarcastic, loves reading, vicious, manipulative, has a mean streak, and is ready to kill a man or two when they get in her way. What more could you want from an FMC? The romance was also 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿. The constant banter, fighting, arguing with each other- 𝗜 𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘂𝗽.

I am so glad I gave this book a chance after not loving book one.

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(𝟰/𝟱)

𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
🌶️🌶️(𝟮/𝟱)

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s for the ARC.
I’ve enjoyed this author’s other work, and while I enjoyed this one as well, it wasn’t quite my favorite out of them all. That being said, I’ll still continue to read her books

I enjoyed the first book more than this one, but that isn't to say this isn't worth a read. It moved at a slower pace and took a little more time to really get moving.

This author is an auto read for me. I’ve never not liked a book by her and I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

I was worried I wouldn’t like this book as much as the first one because it’s about a different main character and one we don’t really see in the first. However, I really think I liked it better. The slow burn romance was really well down. The main character had her gray areas but also took care of her people. I loved getting to see the relationship between her and her sister get fleshed out some which we didn’t see in the first book.

“The Darkness Within Us” is the captivating sequel to Tricia Levenseller’s “The Shadows Between Us.” Levenseller’s newest novel follows Chrysantha Stathos, a young duchess who has meticulously crafted her life to achieve wealth and freedom. However, her plans are thrown into disarray when her sister, Alessandra, marries the Shadow King, and a mysterious man, Eryx, arrives to claim her inheritance.

Levenseller masterfully blends elements of fantasy and romance, creating a world of intrigue, power struggles, and dark secrets. Chrysantha is a complex and compelling protagonist, whose intelligence and ambition are both her greatest strengths and her most dangerous vulnerabilities. I love that she’s a reader, loves pink, but can still be conniving, vicious, and as morally gray as some of my favorite MMCs. Much like her sister, Chrysantha is determined and fiercely independent. Despite her standoffishness and hermit-like tendencies, Chrysantha cares deeply for the people around her. Her interactions with Eryx are charged with tension and chemistry, making their relationship and banter one of the highlights of the book for me.

The plot is well-paced for the most part, with plenty of twists and turns to intrigue readers. As was the case with this book’s predecessor, Levenseller’s writing is vivid and immersive, bringing the world of Chrysantha and Eryx to life with rich descriptions and dynamic characters. The themes of power, ambition, and the lengths one will go to achieve their goals are explored in depth, adding layers of complexity to the narrative.

Overall, “The Darkness Within Us” is a thrilling and enchanting read that will appeal to fans of young adult fantasy and romance. Levenseller’s ability to create strong, multifaceted characters and weave them into a gripping story makes this book a must-read for fantasy lovers everywhere.

The bar was set very high after reading the first one, but this was just as good (if not better)! I loved it from beginning to end and I already know that I will be rereading this in the future. What a delight!

The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller is the new spin-off of her 2020 hit, The Shadows Between Us. That being said, I can attest that you can start with this one and still fully understand and enjoy it. Though it would spoil the first book for you.

“My husband is taking too long to die.”

Chrysantha Stathos has hustled and schemed her whole life to achieve freedom in a world dominated by men. Now, married to a dying duke, it’s all finally within reach. That is until Eryx Demos turns up claiming to be her husband’s grandson and heir to her dukedom. His mysterious charm won’t sway her when it comes to prying his claws out of what’s hers, even when she starts to suspect he might have literal claws.


This book is perfect for your laziest reading days. There isn’t much exposition, but the world-building isn’t complex enough for it to be confusing. The magic system in particular isn’t really explained. I can’t speak to what was established in the first book, but having gone into this one blind I initially thought this was a fantasy in the sense of vibes and then was pleasantly surprised by the magical twist. While I believe it’s marketed as YA, this story does contain some more mature themes as far as sexual autonomy. That being said, none of it is explicit on the page and any spiciness is ‘closed door.’


We’re thrown straight into who Chrysantha is and what her stakes are. The story is entirely in her POV, which is a soft, warm center wrapped in a snarky romp of a candy coating. I believe it to be a challenge to write a character who readers will find endearing and root for when she’s actively planning murders for the majority of the book, and I rooted for Chrysantha and every ounce of savageness found in her internal monologue. I also really enjoyed seeing her growing relationship with her sister, Alessandra the FMC from The Shadows Between Us. It was a lovely acknowledgment of how we can coexist in hardship and yet be totally unaware of the allies we have. They’re allowed to see that though they survived their father’s house in different ways, it doesn’t need to come between them.

“Before, I wasn’t a violent person. Before, I’d been patience personified. Now, I’m free. Now, I can be whatever I want.”

This book is the lightest kind of palette cleanser, providing something fun and easy to absolutely inhale. I don’t want to say it’s kind of cozy given the amount of murder plots, but… I wouldn’t not say that. You’re given thoughtful, unique characters who have enough stakes to keep things moving without ever getting particularly suspenseful and just enough romance to make it truly interesting. I’d recommend The Darkness Within Us to anyone looking for something quietly delightful to read in the sunshine. Especially to those who enjoyed The Shadows Between Us, because we love a cameo.

I loved The Shadows Between Us so much and was so delighted to be approved for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I had originally loved the first one that came out in this world, and when this one came out, detailing the life of her older sister, I had to read it! This follows the other, older, sister and her romantic story line and the spice is spicing.

For me this was a shorter standalone at about 336 pages, and I was able to read it in one sitting as both the length and the writing style lended to an enjoyable and easy read, and the romance and plot were also intriguing enough to keep me continuously reading! Some books you gobble up immediately, and this was one of them for me!

I loved Chrysantha’s story; she is a strong, determined and patient young woman with a plan in hand. Her newfound freedom and then her encounter with Eryx and dynamic with her sister is all a very interesting part of the novel. I really enjoyed the dynamic between her and Eryx and his bodyguards. I also reveled in her freedom and how she made life pleasurable and meaningful after his passing. Overall, her journey and her change of life and change of dynamics in her relationships (without giving too much away) was a win for me and I really enjoyed her.

When it comes to worldbuilding in this one, I think it does help to read the first novel that came out in this world - though it’s not needed to understand the story. This second novel is also after the first novel in terms of timeline and would give major spoilers to the first one! All to say, there isn’t *much* more worldbuilding here but some expansion on the politic-ing and court intrigues and relations, etc.

The writing was great as always, flowed well and easy to understand. Like I said, I read this in one sitting! I enjoy the romantasy books writen by Tricia Levenseller and will continue to pick them up when I see them!

Overall, really enjoyed this one, it was definitely a good vibes book and would recommend to anyone who enjoys romantasy.

"The Darkness Within Us" by Tricia Levenseller was just as much fun as "The Shadows Between Us." They both have fantastic opening lines. This one starts with, "My husband is taking too long to die."

While it can be read as a standalone, the sister storyline is stronger with the context of the first book. Chrysantha experiences significant growth in this story, and I loved it. I didn’t realize how much I wanted her story until I started reading. I loved the themes of feminine rage and her quest for independence.

This is very much an enemies-to-lovers story. Eryx is dark and mysterious, and it's unclear whether we should trust him. He arrives with two minions whose motivations also remain unclear for a while.

I read this both in print and as an audiobook, and I loved it both ways, flying right through the book. Tricia Levenseller is an auto-read author for me.

I never thought we needed a sequel to Shadow Between Us, but I am happy we got one. I enjoyed Darkness Within Us more than Shadow, a rarity for duologies. Overall, I enjoyed Crys' character and was delighted she was more than the naive little thing we saw in Shadow.

Admittedly, romantasy is not my sub-genre of choice. So, take this with a grain of salt - but I did not connect to the male lead as a character. I found the banter fun but never cared if Chrys and Eryz became a couple. Despite this, I absolutely devoured the political intrigue. I found the court drama fantastic and I wish we would have gotten more in this area.

Audio Notes: Caitlin Davies did a great job narrating this. I enjoyed her voice and have already sought other works she has narrated.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller is an enthralling and immersive novel that masterfully blends dark fantasy with intense emotional depth. Levenseller’s vivid world-building and complex characters create a gripping narrative full of intrigue and suspense. This book's compelling plot and richly developed themes make it a standout read that will captivate fans of the genre.

I am grateful to Macmillan and NetGalley for giving me an e-arc to read and review!

This book ended up not being my cup of tea but it was still interesting!

The Darkness Within Us is a spinoff of The Shadows Between Us. The focus is on Chrysantha, Alessandra’s sister. Chrysantha is just like her sister — self-centered, sneaky, conniving, and a murderer (which explains the great title of the book). They only care about self-gratification and climbing the social ladder. To be honest, it felt a bit copy and paste from the first book initially.

Although these books are classified as Young Adult, I found them to lean more towards New Adult since there’s quite a bit of off the page sex (or discussions about it). However, the writing feels YA.

Ultimately, I just had a hard time getting into this book, which is why it took a while to review. If you loved the first one, you’ll probably like this (since it’s a bit copy and paste). Maybe this will change for me in the future but right now it’s just not for me.