4🌟

I loved the tone of the writing in this book. The formality in the way the characters spoke really transports you to a different time and place. The writing is consistent and well thought out. I loved the fact that we got a golden retriever as the MMC, nice change of pace from the typical "dark, mysterious, and initally mean" we see all too often in this genre.

Where this book lost me a little bit was in the character traits. I feel like there was a missed opportunity to create conflict by making all the main characters so loose-lipped and trusting. They immediately spill secrets without first forming a bond, and I just couldn't quite buy into it. For example, Sorsha immediately told the prince she was a spy, and Corvus told Sorsha specific details of a coup against the royal family within the first week. I just feel in those kind of precarious situations one doesn't spill secrets without first establishing and cementing trust, and I was missing that.

That being said, the politics of this book were quite enjoyable. The fae/mortal relations and the corrupted magic plotline was probably my favorite part. It's definitely a nice easy read for those who love fae fantasy books!


***Thank you Cidney Mayes and Cranthorpe Millner for this ARC in exchange for my honest review***

ARC REVIEW
**🅽︎🅾︎ 🆂︎🅿︎🅾︎🅸︎🅻︎🅴︎🆁︎🆂︎**

𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨- (out of 5 stars, my rating scale is at the end)
◇📚 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
◇❤️‍🔥 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲🌶/ 5

●📖#360   𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
●𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝘁?
2 days
●#dual 𝗣𝗢𝗩
Release date 19 Aug 2025

●𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊
👑ℛℴ𝓎𝒶𝓁 ℐ𝓃𝓉𝓇𝒾𝓰𝓊ℯ
😈𝔖𝔢𝔠𝔯𝔢𝔱𝔰
🪧Political Intrigue
Low spice



🌍𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘:
I'm pretty disappointed in this one, I was hoping for much more with this blurb and cover, and it just fell flat for me. The writing was easy to follow. A few words were repeated a lot throughout the story, and the pacing was very slow.

All in all-
It was OK. I wish i didn't start this one as It didn't do it for me as I struggled to read it. It had an interesting premise that fell flat, but I did want to see what happened in the end.

I found that almost all of the book was in the same setting, that being the pleasure house-which made it dull as there is only so much to work with when your not including spice or well fleshed out side characters. We got a typical jealous popular girl but that just didn't stick with me as we got no backstory or history on this bullying and the fmc just looked past it all which really irked me seeing as her character was all about defending herself and her inner monologue described thoughts of revenge.

I guessed quite a lot of the twists. There was nothing surprising in it or earth-shattering. I hoped for a few twists to arise as the story leaned one way but i was left waiting and waiting and nothing happened. I thought it would be interesting if 'this happened' or 'they got together' or we found out the lightning did xyz... but none of that came to fruition.
It's just a disappointing read sadly


🪧𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
This would be good for those wanting a simple, non emotional, easy to follow story. It suits those preferring low spice as there is only 1 s3x scene in the whole book (yes, even though most of the book is based in a pleasure house)




 

***********************

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕊𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕤:
⭐️ DNF

⭐️⭐️
I managed to finish it but it was rubbish. I won't keep a physical copy and won't recommend it, but  it's a shame as the plot could have made a good book in another authors hands

⭐️⭐️.5
It was OK. I wish i didn't start this one as It didn't do it for me as I struggled to read it. It had an interesting premise that fell flat but I had to see what happened in the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don't regret reading it, and I will read the next one, but this one did have a few flaws. [These could be repetative writing, gaps or plot holes, better character growth or world building, areas needing more detail]
Generally, the book lacked depth and became confusing. The plot resonated with me even though it annoyed me on the whole.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I'm glad I read it. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to the right people, but I wanted more! Sadly, it's easily forgettable with a few issues I just couldn't overlook/get past.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Good book! I loved it, but... I needed more! I really did enjoy it, but it had a few parts that needed more detail or added history/background or lore. But that's because the story or characters were memorable, and the plot was strong with brilliant twists. I would re-read if I needed to catch up for the next book and would recommend it.


 SPICE SCALE:
🌶️– segsual language and a little on-page action

🌶️🌶️– a lot of segsual language and some on-page open door action, may be occurring a couple of times

The Starlit Shadow is not your typical romantasy, combining court politics, Fae magic and Bridgerton style masquerade balls together. I loved our female main character Sorsha, a courtesan spy, assigned to gather information from our male main character, Corvus. Corvus gives off shadow-daddy vibes with his feathered wings but is immediately drawn to Sorsha and doesn't shy away from it. It was a great change of pace from recent enemy to lover reads.
As the story continued and Sorsha uncovered more, I found myself drawn in. I felt that the plot twists were well done with the pieces laid out in advance and the ending has my mind spinning, wondering where the series will go next. I am eager to see where Mayes takes the next book!

I almost gave up on this book around 40%. Not because the writing was bad, not because the story was bad either, but because I thought nothing was happening. I was wrong. I was so wrong. Pieces were being laid out and set up to be put together.

Corvus plays the part of a cocky and arrogant male. In reality, he’s soft and tender hearted. He grew into himself and he was as yummy as an alpha male would have been.
Sorsha starts off with a fire she never fans the flame of, but eventually she is blazing.

I am so glad I kept reading because what a book. 5⭐️

Oh my gosh, I just breezed through The Starlit Shadow and I’m still swooning! 🌟 Cidney Mayes has crafted a lush, romantasy debut that feels like ACOTAR meeting Moulin Rouge, brimming with forbidden magic, spicy tension, and unforgettable characters
What I adored:
• Electric chemistry – The tension between Sorsha, the courageous courtesan, and Corvus, the fae noble, crackles off the page. Their push‑pull is addictive, and Mayes does a fabulous job of letting their bond evolve naturally.
•World-building with bite – The House of Night (a decadent locale dripping with secrets and enchantment) and the fae courts feel vividly realized. There’s a strong sense of gothic elegance that really elevates the story.
•Dual POV is on point – Getting inside both Sorsha’s and Corvus’s heads gives the romance more depth, so you totally feel their desires, doubts, and internal struggles.
•Themes that resonate – Mayes explores agency, class divides, and expectations versus self-worth through both characters in a surprisingly tender but powerful way. It’s more than a love story—it’s a story about finding your own power.

Tiny things to polish:
•Pacing wobbles a bit – The opening is gorgeously atmospheric but can feel a touch slow if you’re eager for action. Stick with it, though—the story picks up beautifully once the intrigue kicks in.
•High-stakes setup left me wanting – The looming fae coup is compelling, but I found myself itching for a bit more detail or urgency around the political machinations early on. I’m hoping Book 2 will dive deeper into that!
•Side characters glimpsed briefly – A few supporting figures promise rich subplots (maybe even future spin-offs?), but they’re introduced and then fade quickly—just enough to intrigue, yet not quite enough to satisfy.

All in all, The Starlit Shadow is a delightfully dark and sensual romp through fae politics, magic, and royally intense romance. It dazzles with its lush atmosphere and charismatic leads. If you enjoy wicked bargains, secret courtiers, and swoon‑worthy dual POVs, this one’s a hidden gem worth spinning into your TBR.

Will definitely be keeping an eye out for the rest of the Starlight and Shadows series, Mayes clearly has a world full of tantalizing stories to tell!

OMG! I fell in love with this book. This is the best romantasy book ever that I read. I’m so lucky to read this. I knew this would meet my expectations. I loved the characters and storyline in this book. It’s really so good like if you like fae and romance, this book is for you.