This book definitely felt like a continuation of “The Shadows Between Us” and it was fun to revisit that world. It definitely took some turns I wasn’t expecting, but the main character was very similar to her sister.

Some convenient problem-solving and big actions without consequences. And more innuendo than I prefer in a YA, but everything else screams YA. Overall, I enjoy Levenseller’s writing style!

Tricia Levenseller is the queen of strong, badass women characters. Chrysantha is so witty and clever, and just wants a life of freedom. The writing of this book is everything you loved about The Shadows Between Us – fast-paced and exciting with a hint of plotting and mystery. Definitely a little bit spicier than the first, this book is essentially closed door, but there are some weighty topics – like violence and prostitution – so this may be more advanced YA than other YA romantasy books. I was so excited to receive this ARC – Thank you Tricia + team! – and I think anyone who loved Alessandra’s story will love this one as well.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
4.5/5 stars

This novel was a quick read for me. Just like The Shadows Between Us, it starts with conflict and keeps adding to it. I personally liked Alessandra more than Chrysantha, but she is also strong, independent, and morally gray. The sisters remind me of Emilia and Vittoria from Kingdom Of the Wicked. Eryx is a great MMC; I would swoon over him any day. I wish the world building tied together more nicely, and the main conflict toward the end was resolved a bit too easily for me.

3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Fewiel & Friends, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Darkness Within Us on July 9, 2024.

I had such high hopes for this book since I absolutely LOVED the first one. I expected the world, writing, and characters to pop as much as they did in The Shadows Between Us. Unfortunately, this companion/sequel novel fell flat for me.

Chrysantha as a character felt one-dimensional and repetitive. I felt like I was being bludgeoned over the head with the reminder of how she gave up her "true" personality for years to get what she wanted, and the repetitiveness made me sympathize less with her struggles. Eryx felt similarly one-sided and just kind of... boring to me? The monster was the most interesting aspect, but we don't get a hint of ANY fantasy elements whatsoever until almost halfway through the book.

It almost read more like a historical romance than a fantasy book until the very end when Kallias returns and we see more of Eryx's beastly side. And nothing's wrong with that, but I definitely entered the book with different expectations. The romance felt very contrived as well, and it was just more difficult to get behind Chrysantha and Eryx as a couple.

I will say this -- if you always thought the Beast in the animated Disney movie was more hot than the human prince at the end, this is the book for you. The story still has scheming and murder and inheritance conflicts, but I think they just weren't executed well enough for my taste.

I will admit that I was not a fan of The Shadows Between Us, so I was unsure of what to expect from The Darkness Within Us. I absolutely loved it! Lady Chrysantha finally has the life she’s always wanted. She played dumb for years so people would underestimate her. She married an old sickly Duke without heirs so that she could inherit his estate and his wealth and finally be independent, without a man making decisions for her. The Duke dies and she’s ready to live her dream until handsome soldier Eryx Demos arrives at her estate. He claims to be the late Duke’s grandson and that the estate and the money belong to him. Eryx also has a secret which Chrysantha is desperate to figure out. She spends most of the book plotting how to get rid of him, but the pair can’t deny their fascination with each other. It’s the enemies/rivals to lovers trope done very well and I really enjoyed it. I also liked the dynamic between Chrysantha and her sister Alessandra, who marries the Shadow King Kallias from The Shadows Between Us. The relationship between the two was developed in this book and it added a lot to the story.

Tricia Levenseller's "The Darkness Within Us" throws us into the whirlwind world of Chrysantha Stathos, a woman who has mastered the art of playing the game. With cunning disguised as charm, she's secured a wealthy title and awaits freedom upon her husband's demise. But fate, it seems, has a taste for the unexpected.

Enter a mysterious grandson, Eryx Demos, who threatens Chrysantha's carefully laid plans. Add to that a gloating younger sister on the cusp of becoming Queen, and Chrysantha finds herself with a double dose of trouble.

This novel thrives on its morally grey characters. Chrysantha is as ambitious as she is ruthless, a refreshing departure from the damsel-in-distress trope. Her motivations are clear, her methods questionable, making her a complex and intriguing protagonist. Eryx Demos is shrouded in secrecy, a potential enemy with a hidden agenda. The tension between him and Chrysantha simmers throughout the story, adding a layer of intrigue to the plot.

While the world-building is light, the story itself is fast-paced and action-packed. Levenseller's sharp wit shines through the dialogue, laced with sarcasm and dark humor. The plot takes some surprising turns, keeping readers guessing until the very end.

If you enjoy heroines who defy expectations and a touch of dark romance, "The Darkness Within Us" is a must-read. Just be prepared to be kept on the edge of your seat!


The novel is likely targeted towards an upper Young Adult or New Adult audience due to some suggestive content.
Fans of Levenseller's previous work, "The Shadows Between Us," will find familiar characters and references throughout the story, though it can still be enjoyed as a standalone.
Readers who prefer a deeper exploration of the world and its magic system might find this aspect underdeveloped.
Overall, "The Darkness Within Us" is a captivating tale of ambition, revenge, and a hint of forbidden love. It's a perfect pick for readers who crave a thrilling adventure with a strong, cunning protagonist.

I have not read the other book in this series, The Shadows Between Us, but the premise for this one sounded interesting so I took a chance.
Now that I've finished it, I am looking forward to reading The Shadows Between Us next!
This is the tale of a noble'girl', Chrysantha, (not quite yet a woman at 19) who marries a much older Duke for money and the freedom that will come with his imminent demise. She gets both, only to have them taken away when the Duke's long lost grandson, Eryx, shows up to claim her newly won inheritance.
What follows is a page turning game of cat and mouse between the handsome new Duke and the Dowager Duchess. Both beautiful creatures, one with a horrifying secret he must protect at all costs.
The first third of the book is a slow burn. As in, verging on boring. We get a lot of Chrysantha musing about her anger at losing her manor house and riches to Eryx, what she went through to acquire her inheritance, what she plans to do now, how she plans to do it, etc, etc.
When things finally pick up, hoo boy, the action is fast and furious and wildly entertaining. At that point, I couldn't put it down, I had to know what would happen next! And a lot happens, trust me.
So, to recap: loved this book, looking forward to reading the companion book, and hoping the next book doesn't take too long to show up.

I wavered between 4.5 and 5 stars for this one. But, at the end of the day, it was a 5-star read for me. I think my main qualms were based solely on the first book that takes place in this world. However, The Darkness Within Us really checked all my boxes as far as pacing, storytelling, and emotional impact. I was left wanting more, not to say that Levenseller doesn't hit the mark, but more in the way that these characters will now live rent-free in my brain for the foreseeable future. It's also made me want to read The Shadows Between Us all over again. So, I think it's safe to say I'm officially salivating for more of this world made for anti-heroes and villains.

This book was wonderful! I loved the twists and turns that happened! Eryx and Chrysantha were such fun characters to read about. I loved the "My Fair Lady" aspect of this story. It was a minor part, but so much fun! And it's always good to see Kallias and Alessandra :) I had so much fun reading this book and am grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to have an advanced copy of this wonderful story!

Chrysantha Stathos finally achieves peace, a widow with freedom to do as she pleases while maintaining her own residence happily in her manor. Such peace doesn’t last long when the grandson of her late husband appears, claiming the dukedom and taking everything away from her. Desperate to get her peace and home back, Chrysantha plans to try and get rid of the duke, but the mysterious and alluring man makes it rather difficult…

I could not put this down! It was so good, from start to finish. I really enjoyed the characters, even the side ones and learning little things about them. It was fantastic to see Alessandra and Kallias from The Shadows Between Us. I missed them! I’m so glad for the pleasant surprise of this sequel.

The cover is absolutely stunning also.

I really enjoyed the tension and banter between Chrysantha and Eryx. I am a sucker for good tension and couldn’t get enough of it! I wish there was more of them, as well as Alessandra and Kallias, their interactions were fun. I wouldn’t have been mad if the book had gone on for longer. It definitely has some of my favorite tropes.

Highly recommend to those who’ve read Alessandra’s story and those who love a good romance with tension, bickering, horns and more!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the chance to read an arc of this book.

Tricia Levenseller's THE DARKNESS WITHIN US was just as delicious as I hoped it would be. I devoured this novel. It's as good as THE SHADOWS BETWEEN US, which I honestly didn't think could be topped. The opening chapter is just as strong and the writing, overall, is phenomenal. One does not need to have read THE SHADOWS BETWEEN US first but why not? There are no lulls in the plot, so I never felt like I had to skim through, and the characters are compelling--so many empowered young women who challenge patriarchal norms. Levenseller took the vapid, condescending sister and turned Chrysantha into such a sympathetic heroine who you cheer on even through her morally questionable choices. I am hesitant to comment on much else lest I spoil things, but I cannot recommend this novel enough (along with its predecessor). Levenseller is just a fantastic storyteller. I cannot wait to read whatever story she decides to tell next.

An absolute favorite of mine. It was a pleasure to read again and I’m so excited to get to own in the new beautiful packaging with the sprayed edges. I’m glad this book is getting a new lift and more attention because it fabulous and deserves a boost.

4.5 ⭐️

A big thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the arc! I’m very grateful 🖤

Chrysantha puts up a front of being a very simple, and naive woman. But in reality she’s witty, strong, and working on a longterm goal of independence and financial freedom from all the men and societal pressures in her life - something I feel like a lot of us can relate to even today, unfortunately.

After her old, sickly husband “passes”, she thinks she’s finally earned her freedom after seven years of pretending. Until a long lost male heir comes to steal her deceased husband’s fortune away from her. Is the duke really who he seems? Or is he hiding even more secrets than just his identity?

——————

I am absolutely obsessed with Tricia Levenseller’s writing once again!! This book had so much wit and humor - if you had seen me reading it, you would have wondered why I was smiling to my kindle so much 😂 And while the story was pretty low stakes, it still touched on some devastating aspects of being a woman and I liked that it was so important to the story and not something that was ever compromised on. I also LOVED that we once again had two MCs who were both FIRMLY morally gray, I feel like they fit so perfectly in this story and world Levenseller has created.

While I don’t think it was completely necessary, I am very happy that Alessandra and Chrysantha were able to reconnect and find common ground with one another. Their budding new friendship is very cute and I’m glad they can truly bond as themselves now 😊

I would also like to call out how the MMC handled some of the initial physical moments between himself and the FMC, he was thoughtful and adorable and I’m in love with him - I wish all men put as much thought and care into their partners.

Anyway! If you liked The Shadows Between Us, than definitely check out The Darkness Within Us - you will not be disappointed 🥰

While this wasn't my cup of tea, it still was a yummy concoction 😁

This story was technically a sequel to The Shadows Between Us, but I did go into it not having read the first one. While I can see where having some backstory would be helpful, I didn't feel lost while reading this story.

Chrysantha is a young widow and is finally free to live her life without having men dictate every decision. That is until a mysterious grandson of her recently deceased husband (yes she was like 18 and married to an old man 🤢) strides in to claim her title, land, and inheritance. They irritate each other to no end and clash in every corner of this gigantic mansion. Eryx, just like how his name is spelled, is no ordinary military soldier. He has quite a temper and sometimes his eyes glow an odd color when he gets a little enraged, or let's say... impassioned 👀

I really enjoyed their bantering and the natural and slow progression of their dynamic. I also like that this story had some mystery aspects to it. I liked that it was a slow burn, but there also wasn't THAT much romantic plot for the first good chunk in general.

The main issue I had was that this book did NOT feel like a YA novel. I would consider her Daughter of the Pirate King to be YA. This book... felt more like NA. She was constantly talking about the male mistresses she paid for, and while it was fade to black, there were many many discussions about sex. She also claimed to be super shy and reserved in book one, and then you cut to her sleeping around and being pretty insane in this story ahaha.

I do appreciate NetGalley for letting me read this book. I've been wanting to read more of Tricia Levenseller's writing since I love her other series! I can def see other people liking this book, it just wasn't my fav.

Thank you to Macmillan for providing me with a copy of this book!

*The Darkness Within Us* is the companion novel to *The Shadows Between Us*. While you don't have to read *Shadows* to enjoy *Darkness*, I highly recommend it. Both books are fast-paced and addictive, with strong female protagonists.

Chrysantha is a standout character—clever and determined. She manipulates her father into marrying her off to a wealthy, heirless older man, only to have her plans disrupted by the late duke’s grandson, Eryx. Chrysantha fights to keep what she believes is hers, even pretending to fall for Eryx to learn his secrets. But Eryx's secrets and her own feelings complicate things.

The chemistry between Chrysantha and Eryx is electric, filled with witty banter and intense sparks. My only complaint is that the story ended too soon; an epilogue would have been perfect.

Tricia Levenseller has crafted another compelling read with *The Darkness Within Us*. I can’t wait for her next book!

PITCH: Beauty and the Beast meets the The Odd Couple with the elements of the stepmother from Ever After

This FMC plays the game. Calculating and manipulative tend to be words one uses with a negative connotation; Chrysantha puts these traits to positive ends. When Eryx threatens her livelihood, claws come out! The banter is actually befitting of enemies, and the internal dialogue defines this clever main character. Not to mention, have you seen this GORGEOUS book binding? I had no problem reading this book without having read The Shadows Between Us, but I’m definitely interested now!

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller. It is a spin off/ sequel to The Shadows Between Us, with the main female character being from Alessandra’s sisters pov.
I’ll give a more detailed review when the book has been released and I can give away some spoilers. I did read the book all in one night. I did get annoyed at first with the feuding between Chystantha and Alessandra, it just got so petty. Chystantha complained a lot and acted like a child almost the time, but once the MMC got involved it became quite entertaining and I giggled a lot. I do which the couple of spicy-ish scenes we did have were more detailed but because of how it’s done, I’d title this as more of YA. I’ll give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

I absolutely loved this continuation from "The Shadows Between Us". It was perfection, and such a fun read for me and one that I was sad to end. The character development of Chrysantha was flawless.

The Darkness Within Us starts with Chrysantha, the young wife of an old, sickly duke. She is just biding her time until the Duke's inevitable death so that she can become the sole mistress of the house. When a man claiming to be the Duke's long lost heir appears, all of her plans are upended.

Chrysantha is everything a typical heroine is not. She is burning with anger and she's constantly scheming. Her selfishness is probably her most defining quality and she cares for very few people. But all of those things make her such a compelling character and I had so much fun watching her story unfold. I loved the enemies to lovers, will they won't they tension between her and Eryx and also the relationship between Chrysantha and her sister.

I have not read the companion novel to The Darkness Within Us, but after reading this book I'm excited to pick it up! I think knowing more about Chrysantha beforehand will probably make it an even more enjoyable reading experience.

Basically, my memory of The Shadows Between Us was something along the lines of "it was more fun than it had any right to be" so when I saw this companion novel that didn't require me to remember the first book at all, I was like SIGN ME UP. And I'm glad I did! It's definitely more in line with a regency romance, but also there are monsters. IMO, monsters can make a great addition to regency romances, and the author pulled it off here. The characters are interesting, mostly in their flaws, but I really could empathize with the main character (minus the murder-y impulses, although I might have murdered Gross Duke too tbh) and her frustration with her lot in life as a woman. That through-line aside, though, we're basically in it for the romance, and it worked for me (minus one plot-line thing at the end, but it was a pretty typical romance trope/plot-point that I find annoying so that's just a preference thing on my end). Anyway, if you liked The Shadows Between Us, you'll probably like this one too. Romantasy readers, look no farther for your next fun read: 4 stars. I really liked it.

Thanks to Feiwel & Friends and Netgalley for the eARC which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. The Darkness Within Us is out on 09 July.