The Shadows Between Us is being advertised as a Slytherin romance and I can't really think of a better description for it. However, I kind of want to say it's Slytherin-lite, as I think it could have gone even darker for its two main leads. I really enjoyed the overall court setting and the characters of this book, including the leads and side characters. They were easily my favorite part. The pacing of the book, meanwhile, was a bit uneven, but the book really stuck the landing. As I mentioned before, the main thing I wanted more out of the book was taking the two leads even farther. A lot of problems are easily solved and the internal conflict for Alessandra is dissolved fairly easily. I would like to have seen even more build up before the resolution. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and with a few tweaks, this could have been a five star read instead of a four. I'm curious if this will be part of a series, because we really didn't see the world and there's a lot of avenues it can go (especially if it explores what it truly means to be human).

Alessandra has a plan. She is going to meet the Shadow King, marry him and then take his kingdom after killing him. Alessandra has no problem catching the King’s attention, but he only wants to pretend to court her to get everyone off his back. He knows that there are people who want him dead and he isn’t one to trust others. Now Alessandra is trying to keep the king alive, at least long enough for him to make her his queen first. Will Alessandra get her greatest wish? Will she lose her heart along the way?

The Shadows Between Us is a stand-alone fantasy that was everything the description promised. We had court intrigue, backstabbing ex-lovers, a family curse and a budding romance. Levenseller has created a strong female protagonist and readers are hard-pressed to decide if they like her or hate her. In a world full of trilogies and series, I was thoroughly invested in this one and done novel. I couldn’t wait to get to the end and all fantasy fans should add it to their to-read list.

“They’ve never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart.

And they never will.”

After reading those first two sentences, I was hooked. This book has you rooting for Alessandra to achieve her goals at any means necessary. Men do whatever they want without any repercussions, why can’t a woman? Alessandra is extremely cunning. Every time something arises that could potentially ruin her plans, she is swift and ruthless to put it out. I mean her heart was broken, wouldn’t you be ruthless as well if you could?

Part way through you start to ship Alessandra and the Shadow King all the while wondering how can all the issues be resolved and these two still be together? If he touches her he loses his ability to control his shadows around her. Who killed the kings parents? Who is trying to kill him now? Is Alessandra’s past going to ruin everything she worked so hard for? Will these two actually end up together?

So many questions and I wasn’t 100% sure how Tricia Levenseller was going end it cause after after almost every chapter, I had new questions.

I devoured this book 2 days, I have not done that in a while. If you go in without hoping for a true Slytherin romance I don’t think you’ll be disappointed like others were when they were all onboard for that. I wasn’t aware it was even thought as that until 30% of the way through but by that point I was already hooked and had to know how it would end.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller was such an amazing story! I loved the court intrigue and the politics and the struggle that the main character goes through.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved her writing in her previous books so I had a feeling that I would. When I saw the cover and read the synopsis, I couldn’t do enough to get my hands of this book, friends. I am such a fan of books with a heroine who’s cunning and goes after what she wants.

Alessandra was my kind of girl. She’s killed, isn’t afraid of her sexuality in a world that wants her to be, and was so vindictive. I couldn’t help but admire her. She made a plan and went after what she wanted. Reading about her around the court was really entertaining. The king, Kallias, was such a great character. If he touches someone, he loses the ability to call on his shadows. So he lives a very lonely life by not letting people get close to him. Also, someone in the court murdered his parents so he’s wary of everyone. My heart went out to him because touch is something that a normal person would take for granted.

The relationship between Alessandra and Kallias really made this book for me. I loved the friendship that they created and how their relationship progressed. This such a slow burn and even though it was killing me, I couldn’t get enough of it! They way they fed off each other’s cunningness really made me love this couple so much.

Besides the couple, I loved the vibes at court and also learning about the powers of the king. We got a look at how his powers worked and how they were passed down.

I will say that this didn’t have an epilogue or look at the future after everything is solved. Also, I do feel that some of the pages could have spent on the actual mystery of who was trying to kill the king instead of dressmaking and other everyday things.

Overall, even though it didn’t have an epilogue I really enjoyed it!

The Shadows Between Us is the most Slytherin love story ever. Both main characters are terrible people, stopping at nothing to get what they want but also protecting those fiercely that they love and care for. It actually slightly reminded me of Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge, but with a much better female MC.

After years of living in her perfect sisters shadow, Alessandra has a plan of her own to be seen and gain power for herself. She will catch the Shadow Kings’ eye, woo him into loving her like she’s done to every guy before, and then kill him and take the power of the kingdom for herself. Not the typical hate to love troupe you typically see in these kinds of stories. She didn’t know the king or have any feelings towards him period. He was just a means to an end, a way to finally achieve power and make the changes to it that she wants. Turns out the king isn’t too good of a person either and he enjoys how cunning and ambitious Alessandra truly is.

The book opens up with a murder and Alessandra laying out this scheme she has to become Queen and I was impressed. She’s devious, but also quite charming and very smart. After years of lovers she knows just how to play guys to get what she wants. I knew she was a morally grey character but I caught myself admiring her tactics and ideas throughout the book. If Kallias weren’t just as morally jaded as her I don’t think she would have been able to set foot in the palace.

Kallias is the bad boy we all want. Think the Darkling but more respectful towards women and shrouded in shadows. He was sexy and a tad power hungry. People that didn’t do their jobs right were killed without an eye being blinked by anyone. He was good to those at court, but don’t cross him. He could hold his own against Alessandra, just as smart and cunning, and they made a formidable team.
I was enraptured by the interactions between Kallias and Alessandra. Between the witty banter and her calling him out on his shit, it was refreshing.

What I found slightly funny though was the references to Alessandra’s perfect sister and her father’s failing estate. In any other story, that sister would be the MC and saving the family land by being sold to the highest bidder would have been main plots. This is a story of the forgotten sister, the “Trollop” or black sheep. Instead we get a story of an empowered female who owns her body and uses it and her mind to get what she wants. The non-shaming and gender equality was refreshing. Plus did I mention the hot bad boy covered in shadows that respect women? Yummy.

My only complaint is the world-building. There was talk of conquered kingdoms that Kallias now ruled, but it was mentioned in passing. No clue where these kingdoms were but honestly it really didn’t matter and that didn’t bug me. It would have been nice to know more but at the same time it might’ve taken away from Kallias and Alessandra’s story which I wouldn’t have wanted.

So I lied and I actually have one more complaint; why isn’t this book a duology?! I thought for sure when reading it that there was going to be at least a second book. Then all of a sudden everything I needed and wanted to know was all wrapped up! I need more. It was so well written and it’s not every day that you get not just one but TWO morally grey characters that are main characters or the main focus of the story. It was such a fresh and new idea. I devoured it in one sitting and I regret putting off reading it for so long. I mean, any book that starts off with a quote from Damon Salvatore is bound to be a damn good book.

This book was just not for me. I tried really, really hard, but the main character's attitude kept getting in the way. I think the author wanted to portray her as self-assured and confident, but to me she just came across as arrogant, rude, and self-absorbed. In the opening sentences the reader finds she has quite nonchalantly killed someone in the past so perhaps her conceited behavior shouldn't be a shock, but I just found the way she was written terribly off-putting instead of intriguing. I just could not get past her superior and pretentious attitude and it took away from the rest of the story.

Two words...Slytherin romance kinda sums up this book perfectly.
Both MC were ruthless and instantly in love. Take that and add in an underdeveloped world building, plot holes, and a predictable ending then this book is it.
I felt a bit disappointed after reading and just was glad I completed it.

Big Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book!

As the second daughter of a minor nobleman, Alessandra has been overlooked by her father and sister for most of her life. Though she resents this treatment, it has given her the ability to plot her own course in life and love. Rejected by her first lover, Alessandra is determined to never fall in love again. Her ambitions, as well as her sister's timely marriage, free her to enter society and catch the king's eye. This leads Alessandra to form a plan: (1) win the king; (2) marry him; and (3) kill him. Once the king is dead, Alessandra will rule the kingdom and have all the recognition she's ever wanted. But as she learns more about life at court and the threats against the Shadow King, she starts to gain friends and form attachments that she might not want to give up, including the king himself.

I love Tricia Levenseller's writing. I ran through Daughter of the Pirate King and Daughter of the Siren Queen in a week and though I haven't had an opportunity to read Warrior of the Wild, I look forward to it and have moved it toward the top of my priorities list. That being said, I had high hopes for The Shadows Between Us and it did not disappoint.

I can enjoy a book while still knowing it's not perfect, and while I loved Levenseller's Daughter duology, I will say the magic system was a bit flawed and arrived late in the first installment. This was rectified in The Shadows Between Us. Upon first introduction to the king, the reader learns of the shadows that spin around him, showing the magic that is unpacked throughout the novel. The magic is a blessing from the demon of pain and allows the bearer to live indefinitely and not be harmed; however, the drawback to the shadows is that no one can touch him or the shadows, and therefore immortality, become unusable in their presence leaving him vulnerable. Pretty simple system, but it was set up from the beginning and helped build the tension throughout the novel between the two main characters as they searched for the assassin.

As for the main characters, Alessandra and Kallias are well-suited. They're both smart, overlooked, deeply cunning, lonely, and looking to have both power and love. Deeply flawed, Alessandra is able to be herself around Kallias and reveal her deepest secrets, yet never does Kallias judge her for her past or the mistakes that have formed her into the woman before him. Kallias is able to gain a friend and companion, something he has desperately wanted. The mutual respect they both have for each other also make you root for the potential of their romance. As a reader, both of these characters can be horrible people (and generally are in the way they often view peasants and peoples of conquered lands), yet Levenseller writes with a careful hand allowing the good traits to stand out and shine.

Though I weeded through all of the red herrings and eventually guessed the answers to some of the mysteries swirling throughout the novel, it did not prevent me from deeply enjoying The Shadows Between Us. I highly recommend this novel and look forward to The Secret Blade, Levenseller's first in a planned duology due out next year.

Ah, I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately, it just wasn't for me :( I would like to say thank you to Netgally and the publisher for granting me the opportunity to read this ARC. As always, the opinions expressed below are my own!

Rating: 1/5

Alessandra is the daughter of a nobleman who is about to go bankrupt. She is ambitious and will stop at nothing in her search for power and wealth. Once her elder sister is betrothed, Alessandra has the opportunity to win the hand of the Shadow King, then kill him, then take his place as ruler. Our MC then goes on to attend balls and banquets while avoiding some previous beaus in her search to have it all.

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The premise of this book really had me hooked, but its execution really fell flat. Here are the CONS, folks:

<b>Firstly, the writing was inconsistent</b>- the author would frequently move between Old English and modern language. I know it might be a pet peeve of mine, but if I'm in a medieval setting, I want to stay in a medieval setting. I don't want the characters making modern references and using modern language (unless it's urban fantasy, then you can definitely get a way with it!). And that's not all... I feel terrible saying this, but the writing was very reminiscent of a fanfiction. The banter and interaction between characters is childishly simple and not layered whatsoever.

<b>Second, the main character was ANNOYING</b> I'm ALL for badass, strong female characters who embrace their femininity and sexuality, but Alessandra was over the top. And I don't mean bragging about how many partners you've had over the top, I mean the likelihood of being the teen daughter of some noble-man and getting away with that kinda sh*t, definitely not believable kinda over-the-top. Telling your dad to shoo when he walks in on you and a paramour? Whaaaa? I would have gotten the a*s-beating of a lifetime if I would have EVER tried to pull something like that. The author tries to get you to not like her father, but the interactions between the two and how much of a jerk Alessandra is to him kinda make me feel bad for her dad instead. Not to mention how Al hates her sister for simply being her father's favorite. She bashes her sister and the reader has no clue what her sis is like. All of this grouped together just makes me think of Alessandra as a spoiled brat and NOT as an empowered woman. This is feminism either- if I would have encountered a male character with all of these characteristics I would have thought him a grade-A douche bag as well.

<b>Thirdly, one-dimensional characters</b>: Al's dad is a crappy noble-man on the verge of bankruptcy who lets his daughter walk all over him, the Shadow King is the mysterious, brooding character who our MC is bound to not kill like she planned on, the MC's sister is the perfect daughter who... you get my point.

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I tried to work through it, but I just couldn't finish it and DNF'd at about 10%. I would have loved to see complicated characters with careful and intense interactions, especially since the main character was being portrayed as dark, intelligent, and ambitious.

Fantastic. Phenomenal. Awesome. Incredible. I can not praise this book enough! I absolutely LOVED it! The story had me drawn in from the very beginning and kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end. While this book is considered to be YA, I would definitely consider it to be upper YA because it walked a fine line between being YA and being Adult. I feel the subject matter of the book would be better suited for older teens. I am a high school librarian and most definitely be purchasing this magnificent book for my library! The only thing I did not like about The Shadows Between Us is that it had to end!

When I picked this book up, it was because I want something I could use to get over my book hangerover. I was super surprised by how much this book dragged me in and made me be present. I love every page and the story arc of the characters. It was truly a slytherin romance. I have always enjoyed Levenseller's books but they just keep getting better and this is one is by far my favorite. I will indeed be purchasing a copy to keep in my private library so I can read it when the mood strikes me. Well done.

This book was so good I read it in two days! As the author noted in the book dedication this story is very much a Slytherin romance. Alessandra and Kallias are truly a perfect, cunning and ambitious match for each other. Despite their flaws and how ruthless the two could be I couldn’t help but root for them to prevail. Four stars, would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a fun, fast read!

~~I received an ARC copy of The Shadows Between Us from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review~~

I absolutely loved this book. A flawed but calculating character was a welcome refresher from the typical female lead in most YA/Romance novels. Alessandra is quick-witted, bright and has a plan to get what she wants, However, she's not uncharacteristically cold. I enjoyed seeing her ambition and her growth throughout the story. Tricia Levenseller knows how to suck you into a tale and get you bought into the characters. I also appreciated that secondary characters had nuances and body instead of just background noise.

The story was fantastic. I loved the characters and their relationships, the pace of the story was perfect though I feel the the world could have been built up some more. This is definitely a book I am going to be adding to my library!!

I've loved books by Tricia Levenseller in the past and this was no exception. I really loved The Shadows Between Us. This is the story of a girl who decides to woo and marry the king, before killing him to take over his kingdom. I just love getting to read a story about a girl who is ruthless and cunning and willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants and is never apologetic about her actions. I wish more books would take this perspective. Even though Alessandra plans to kill the king, I just couldn't help liking her. She learns through her time at court and eventually grows so much in her friendships and relationships that I just couldn't help rooting for her. I think the story wraps up a little too quickly and easily but since it was a standalone, that's pretty much what I expected and I didn't end up minding all that much. There is just something about Tricia Levenseller's writing that I find so easy to read. It is engaging and entertaining and while the story itself may not be the most unique thing ever, I had a lot of fun reading it and that's what reading should be.

I honestly read this book in less than two days, because I just couldn’t put it down. I loved Levenseller’s Daughter of the Pirate King duology, so I had high expectations going into this. The Shadows Between Us most certainly lived up to those expectations.
“Cunning” and “villainous” perfectly sum up Alessandra…but I liked her for it. She was smart, sassy, knew exactly what she wanted, and was never discouraged by other people’s opinions of her. In fact, she used them to her advantage.
I would, however, recommend this book for the older end of the YA spectrum (I would not let my twelve-year-old goddaughter read this!). From the very first page, Alessandra uses her sexuality to get what she wants: whether it is power or money or simply something to relieve her boredom, she knows how to effectively use her feminine wiles. And use them she does!
The Shadows Between Us is a great fantasy read, and I highly recommend you get lost in this book when it is released in February! Until then, preorder so you can be sure to read it as soon as possible. 😉
Many thanks to MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for this ebook for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

This book! So good! I read the whole thing in one afternoon because I could not put it down! I love the writing, the characters, everything about it.

At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like Alessandra. I respected her immediately and admired her ability to pursue her goals. But it wasn't until a little deeper in the story that I realized how much I liked her! She relentlessly pursues her goals - but she also helps and encourages other women to do the same. She is a strong ally for her friends and I love that about her. She's also very smart, witty and cunning.

The slow burn romance in this book - swoon! Levenseller has a gift for writing the sexy parts and that's all I'm gonna say about that :)

There is also a twist at the ending that I did not see coming (the best kind). This book is a must read for 2020!

Summary:
Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:

1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.

But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart.

I loved Levenseller’s earlier novels and was excited to see this one on Netgalley. I went back and forth on Alessandra as a main character - she is certainly an interesting anti-heroine as she opens the book with a reference to killing her first lover - but for parts of the book she seemed a bit childish and even spoiled. I do think that she grew into her own, and I ultimately liked her character arc. I also liked the whole Shadow King situation, both the man himself and the lore around his strange powers. Overall, this was fast and fun, and I got the sense that Levenseller must have had a good time writing it.

HOLY HELL GIVE ME SEVEN MORE I AM LIVING FOR THIS. This has everything a girl could ever want in a book: sexual empowerment, boxing, naked swims, ending engagements, dressing like a prostitute, killing assassins. There was no limit to how much joy my heart had in reading it, no limit to how many needs this book solved. I am here for Alessandra and her fierceness and give me ALL OF daddy Kallias. I swooned no less than twelve times. I aches for more when I had to put the book away to do other things.

This is my first Tricia Levenseller book and, after reading it, I definitely plan to read everything else by her. This is a highlight to 2020 and I hope everyone else just devours it and loves it as much as I did. I can’t critique the writing in any way because I felt it matched Alessandra’s personality to perfection. It isn’t often we get an MC who is so horribly villainized, but Alessandra is the dream one. You hate her at times because she has such horrible goals, but you grow to love her and realize she isn’t truly that far off. I could read so much more by her as the narrator. KEEP DOING YOU GIRL.