If you are like me and were dying to get more out of The Shadows Between Us, then this is the book for you. I can be a bit slow with audiobooks since I mainly listen in the car, but I gobbled this one right up - I could not stop listening to it. The narrator did an excellent job portraying Chrysantha. In fact, I could swear she was her.
It was so easy to be sympathetic to Chrysantha’s plight. I could help but root for her every step of the way. The plot was intriguing, mostly steeped in mystery and ambition, not action. I loved the slow burn of the story. The love interest, Eryx, was a particularly enigmatic; he comes out of nowhere. No one knows who he is and the circumstances surrounding his arrival are rather suspicious, throwing major obstacles in Chrysantha’s wake. As she navigates these obstacles and unravels the mystery that is Eryx, you can’t but be drawn in.
I loved everything about this story. Levenseller’s writing is captivating and immersive. I recommend this book, and if you’re up for it the audiobook, to anyone that wants more from the world of The Shadows Between Us (and yes, those characters and present, though in a small capacity). Also, if you’re looking for a book that aims to empower women to take control of their lives and go after what is theirs, then this is for you.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the audiobook. The opinion expressed are honest and my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Tricia Levenseller for the advance copy of the audiobook.

I really enjoyed the Shadow Between Us, but I really struggled to get into the audiobook for The Darkness Within Us because the FMC's thoughts of "I have worked too hard to be shadowed by a man" and "I killed for this" mentality. I love a strong FMC, but the way this FMC was depicted really was very off putting for me. I ended up really enjoying the book once I got about half way through it, but up until then it was a struggle for me.

I am a completionist so I had to read the second installment in the Shadow Between Us Series, and I am glad I did.

I enjoyed this second installment in The Shadows Between Us series. I am glad that Chrysantha is not quite as horrible as she seemed to be in book 1. It took a bit to warm up to her, but I was rooting for her happiness and freedom as I got to know her better. Eryx is the tortured soul, brooding hero type that is easy to love; I do wish we could have seen a bit more of his internal struggle and depth to his perspective I understand that this was all portrayed through Chrysantha's POV, but that just left me wanting when it came to Eryx's character arch and I liked him more between the two.

Thank You NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook. The opinions shared are my own.

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 really liked the narrator of this audio book. I feel like she perfectly captured Crysantha's sass and how annoyed she is with everyone most of the time and her voice for Eryx was very nice.

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.

I love Tricia Levenseller. Her Siren duet was fantastic, and book one of this duet was equally amazing. I went into this book with high high expectations and it delivered. Such a fun read, and the enemies to lovers arc was perfection.

I did receive an early audio copy and I think it was phenomenally done. The narrator was perfect, I listened on 2x and finished it within 5 hours.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early listeners copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read Levenseller’s first book in this world (The Shadows Between Us) and enjoyed it, but this one was a 100 times better! Maybe it’s because I found Chrysantha to be much more relatable - she’s a woman who has put up with living in a man’s world in order to eventually get the freedom she deserves…only to have it be taken away by another (very attractive) man. The wittiness of the two main characters and the inevitable flame of attraction was exactly what I wanted out of this book. I loved listening to this story unfold and look forward to any future installments in this world!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tricia Levenseller for allowing me early access to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

I devoured this audiobook in one sitting, and I'm still reeling from the experience. As the second book in the series, I was worried that I might miss out on crucial context, but fear not - this novel stands strong on its own, with a narrative that's expertly woven and had me hooked from start to finish.

The enemies-to-lovers trope is one of my favorites, and this book delivers it in spades. Chrysantha, the feisty and determined MC, has built walls around herself to protect herself from the harsh realities of her past. But then Eryx bursts onto the scene, shaking things up and challenging everything she thought she knew about herself.

What I loved most about Chrysantha is her sharp wit and unyielding spirit. She's a complex, multi-dimensional character who leaps off the page, and her banter with Eryx is some of the most delicious, slow-burn tension I've encountered in a romance novel. Eryx, too, is a compelling love interest, with a depth and nuance that makes him the perfect foil to Chrysantha's prickly exterior.

The plot is expertly paced, with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. The world-building is rich and immersive, drawing you into a world of intrigue and passion. The narration is superb, bringing the characters to life in a way that's both authentic and engaging.

I’m not sure if it was the book or me but I didn’t love this one. I really enjoyed the first book but this companion novel wasn’t nearly as entertaining as the first. I liked the main character well enough and she had the dry wittiness I love from Levenseller’s main characters but something about the book just felt immature to me. This is probably just me though and the book was really well written.

Let me just say, Tricia levenseller never fails to hit the mark. I eat her words up like its crack cocaine, and I'd probably read her shopping list if she'd only publicizes it.

As if Alessandra wasn't badass enough, I think I might like Crysantha even more. I really dont want to spoil anything before its released in july, so I'm not going to say anything more. But praise the heavens, and I thank the writing gods that this masterpiece was able to fall into my hands a month early.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audiobooks for the ARC of The Darkness Within Us!

4.5 Stars!
This was, much in the same way it’s predecessor was, a REALLY fun time. I always thought hat The Shadows Between Us read like watching an episode of reality TV, where every single person is bad but you just love to watch the mess unfold. And boy does this book have mess!
I do think I enjoyed the first book a bit more, but this one is up there in terms of entertainment. I cackled a few times at how sassy the FMC was. Tricia, you’ve done it again!

I really loved this book. The Shadows Between Us is one of my favorite Levenseller books, and I was so happy to return to this world. The characters were fun, the story engaging, and the narrator did a great job.

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I never hated you— well, maybe a little. Mostly I hated how easily you got under my skin.”

“The Darkness Within Us” is by far my favorite book by Tricia Levenseller. It is interconnected to “The Shadows Between Us”. The story is YA and face paced.

This book follows Chrysantha, sister to Alessandra, FMC from the first installment. Chrysantha is manipulative, calculating, strategic, fearless and will do what it takes to get her way. Strong FMC, per her usual.

🩷 YA
🖤 Fantasy
🩷 Romance
🖤 Mythical Creature
🩷 Dark
🖤 Murder
🩷 Morally Grey

I highly recommend this read. Especially if you’ve read the first book and enjoyed it. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this book. The narrator did an awesome job and would highly recommend the audiobook.

⚠️ Please be sure to check the trigger warnings before reading.

This was not the sequel that I had hoped for. The book was fine but did not live up to the first book.

I honestly don’t think this author is for me. I was really excited to read this book because I know that some many people loved the other one set in the same world but I did not enjoy it.
I didn’t like the FMC and didn’t care much for the mmc and tbh I skimmed the last 30% of the story. I tried as well the previous book but I lost my interest after a few chapters. I didn’t dnf it but I won’t continue it.
I just didn’t think there was much plot whatsoever, the reason why the FMC had to get closer to the mmc felt forced and sadly I did not cared for the romance at all.

I will purchase this series for my public library, and I have recommended it to several patrons. I would say that it is best to read both books. I will be rereading the first one once I receive The Darkness within us at the library.

Possible Triggers:
Death | Murder | Sexual Assault

Summary:
Companion novel to “The Shadows Between Us”; focuses on the sister of the main character from that book.

Audiobook Narration:
What a lovely narration for the book. Her tone and cadence really brought life to the characters' dialogue.

Final Thoughts:
This was not a book for me. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and this one fell flat for me. I think mainly because I really disliked the trope that the main character used in order to make things go her way. I am absolutely not a fan of a woman dumbing herself down to be thought of as unintelligent. I understand that it is a thing, and that women are frequently treated as unintelligent but it rubs me the wrong way to lean into it with wild abandon. I did enjoy getting to learn more about the odd magics that are in this world, especially pertaining to the Shadow Lord. I loved that we got some insight into how Alessandra is doing and what she is doing with her time now (can’t go into details as spoilers, but it’s fantastic). I think my favorite parts of this book involved the characters from the previous book.

“The Darkness Within Us,” by Tricia Levenseller

Chrysantha finally has everything she wanted by pretending to be dumb while waiting for her old husband to die. Now that he has died, she has access to money and her home and can now live the way she wants until an estranged grandson pops up to contest the will. She will try everything to get him out so she can live her dream life again.

I loved this book so much. I loved the first one of the series and this book was just as good. The romance was so perfect, and the bickering was hilarious. It has a lot of mystery and ended up a little different than I was guessing during the book. After picturing the sister in book 1 a certain way it was so cool to get in her POV now and finding out it wasn’t like what we were told because they are looking through different eyes. I listened to the audiobook version and the narration was really good and paced well, it was the perfect voice for the main character. Absolutely perfect, 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

Dare I say I loved Chrysanthas story so much more than Alessandra’s? In fact, this book made me dislike Alessandra much more than I expected. This was such a fast paced read and I was sucked in and invested from the get go. SO GOOD. The narration added so much to the tone of the book.

I felt so many emotions listening to this story. Right from the beginning I felt my jaw dropping at the things Chrysantha was dealing with. I loved seeing her character progress throughout the book. I was rooting for her the entire time.

Now Eryx.. I was conflicted with him. He had me scratching my head but wanting more information. His storyline was fascinating and so well written. To be honest, I’d read/ listen to another book about them both. That’s how much I enjoyed this story.

An amazing follow up to The Shadow Between Us.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners for the ALC.

Tricia Levenseller did not disappoint! I've been waiting so long for the sequel and I love that we got a chance to get to know Alessandra’s sister. I had always wondered what became of her, what made her tick. I love how smart and patient she is. Well patient until she had a taste of freedom. I'd fight like hell too if it was taken from me.
I loved the characters, the plot, and the high intensity of the scenes. It was everything I wanted out of a Tricia Levenseller novel.
Thank you so much for the opportunity! I hope this review helps. Happy Reading and Blessed Be.
Lily Ashtree

I read this without reading the first book, which was fine but I definitely think I would have connected with it more if I had read that one first! That being said, I liked the main character - this book was a fun, fast-paced YA read. I liked the narrator a lot too.