This is a really interesting book. It feels like a unique take on the witch/demon genre. Reading the book made me feel like Evie….like I might burst at any moment due to the tension. And Gomez might be one of my favorite animal companions ever.

CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS!!

This book was DARK....and I mean DDAARRKK.
I had to really sit back and think about my life choices when I finished this book.
This book devoured my soul and left no crummies and I have accepted that.

These authors really worked their magic with this one and it reached every corner of every dark romance trope you could ever think of. You may need to take breaks from this book, you may need to stop here and there to catch your breath, you may even need to say a few prayers, but I will tell you right now....it is worth it.

This story is so unique to me. A witch and a demon, sure it's all been done before...but the inclusion of this death and shadow magic that dance between the two as if they have their own souls is more romantic than I could've imagined.
Also can we talk for a second about Gomez?! While I was reading some of the action scenes I kept thinking to myself that if ANYTHING happened to my little Gomez, I'd start a riot. He is such a cute feature in this story and adds such a nice break in the very dark themes of the story.

Even though I saw the ending coming, I will be RUNNING...not walking...RUNNING to the next book when it releases.....and if there's one thing I don't ever do....its run.
Thank you, you wonderful beautiful magnificent authors for this book.

Star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

OHHH MY!! This book hit every.single.box on my list and I knew it was going to do this from the moment I started reading. Within a few chapters I struggled to put it down. The description that went into the characters, I felt like I could picture them perfectly in my head. Evie’s character was phenomenal. Her attitude fitted her life, her resilience and her being protective was perfect. You felt how she did in the book as her powers for stronger once she met Lorcan.

Lorcan… what can I say, YES PLEASE! Who doesn’t love a good demon in a book and he was amazing. He was sly but caring. You felt when he started to develop feelings and you felt the rage as he was pushing them away. I wanted nothing more than for him to just let everything go for her but you knew he couldn’t. The sexual tension for them both was there from the moment he found her and the spicy scenes.. god were they spicy and absolutely incredible. It was the perfect amount of spice for me and I can not wait to see what happens in the next book for them both.

First of all, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op and the authors, C.M. Hutton and Rebecca L. Garcia for generously providing me with a free advanced reader copy. This review is entirely voluntarily, and I want to emphasize that it truly reflects my genuine emotions and thoughts about the story.

Star rating:⭐⭐⭐ Spice rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I had never delved into the literary realms of these authors before, so when the opportunity arose to dive into their forthcoming masterpiece, "Corrupt Shadows," ahead of its official release, it felt like an exclusive privilege. The title, "CS," hinted at a dark and delicious urban fantasy with witches and demons. Yet, this novel was not just about its gripping plot; it was a spicy experience that could keep you warm on the coldest autumn nights.

"CS" served as the perfect spicy literary adventure for the spooky season, offering a tantalizing blend of supernatural intrigue. But, a word of caution before embarking on this journey: be sure to check the trigger warnings, as this story explores the darker corners of desire and danger.

From the very start, I could sense the simmering heat and magnetic chemistry between the two main characters, Evie and Lorcan, even though their initial interactions were tainted by mutual disdain. It felt like a whirlwind of desire, perhaps more lust than love, but the authors did a great job of enveloping the reader in an atmosphere charged with hatred, attraction, palpable lust, and electrifying chemistry.

The element of stalking within the narrative was executed with exceptional finesse, immersing me deeply in Evie's perspective. The constant unease and the eerie sensation of being watched reverberated throughout the story, adding a layer of suspense and tension that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

However, despite the delicious spiciness in the narrative, I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed more in terms of plot. I've always been a firm believer that a story should be more than just passionate encounters, and while this didn't detract from my overall enjoyment, I yearned for a richer and more intricate narrative. I thought the confrontation between Lorcan and Ezra felt hasty, Evie’s growth and the conclusion seemed rushed too. Perhaps with fewer spicy scenes, the entire story could have been contained in a single book instead of necessitating a sequel. However, it does make sense because of Lorcan’s true nature.

My feelings toward Evie were conflicted; she possessed immense shadow and death magic, yet her traumatic past rendered her reluctant to wield these powers. Her obsession with pleasure and her instant infatuation with Lorcan proved somewhat annoying. I couldn't help but feel that her character development was lacking. When you hold the power to obliterate your enemies, one would think you'd harness it to protect yourself.

Lorcan, on the other hand, fit the stereotype of the alpha male, a brooding stalker and a formidable demon king. I found his perspective captivating, and I relished Evie's perplexing reactions to him. While I wouldn't describe myself as obsessed with either of these characters individually, their palpable chemistry and scorching passion were undeniably captivating. It was a refreshing change of pace, though not a narrative I'd revisit. The spiciness provided a thrilling dimension to the book, but I longed for a more intricate plot to match.

In the end, I settled on a 3-star rating due to my overall enjoyment. I would recommend "CS" for those moments when you crave something spicy, where the sensual encounters take center stage. But if you're searching for a deeply intricate plot, you might need to look elsewhere.

Once again, I want to extend my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to explore this book ahead of its official release. It was a journey filled with twists, desires, and dark shadows that I won't soon forget. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead in the sequel.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital copy of this book!

I was hooked from the moment i first started reading this book! it has everything i look for when wanting to read a dark gothic romance. We're talking witches, demons, smut and violence. I also love love love it so much when the two main characters start off as enemies and slowly start to form a connection/bond/understanding, and it never hurts if they end up falling in lust of love at the end.

I will admit i wasn't really expecting too much when i went into this book, certainly nothing more thana juicy supernatural romance but i was wrong! There was so much world building and character development! There was also loads of development between the FMC Evie and her magic which terrifies her. I thought it was a very interesting idea to have the shadow magic almost be a sentient being that resides inside of her.

Overall i did really enjoy this book, the only thing i didn't like was how big of a cliff-hanger it ended on. I'll just have to wait until book 2 to read more about Lorcan's past and this brothers too!

Well, this book was unlike anything that I have ever read before… at first I was expecting something along the lines of a popular ‘Little Mouse’ series, but this was so much darker than that! Bringing in the paranormal element, there was seemingly no limit on what the very morally grey character would (or could) do, especially if you touch what belongs to him. On the topic of the MMC… he ticks all of the boxes! Tattooed, mysterious, obsessive, vengeful and full of blood-lust, Lorcan is everything we have come to love in the genre. Partnered with a sassy, almost fearless (and definitely reckless) FMC, Evie has great banter with Lorcan throughout, bringing some lighter moments amongst the darkness and danger constantly threatening them. However, if I had to choose a favourite character…it is 100% Gomez! What a little cutie and I will happily offer to care for him if Evie and Rosa are not available!

As someone who enjoys reading dark romance books, that can include a paranormal element, I was very much looking forward to reading this book. When I start books of this nature, there is often a trigger warning list at the start of the book, so when I didn’t find one to begin with, I was unsure of what I would find as I read on. (Just a heads up…the trigger/content warnings were found at the end of the story - not sure if that is going to be the layout for the printed copy, but this a review of the ARC.)

As I read this in less than 24 hours, reaching the end to find out that I would have to wait for part two until 2024…it’s going to be a long wait. I will be eagerly awaiting its release!
Thank you to NetGalley, CM Hutton and Rebecca Garcia for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Poor Evie feels so alone in the world after her dark magics backfire on her, causing her to stay on the run from The Order. Suppressing who and what she really is, to try and live a semblance of a normal life, Evie finds comfort in the relationships of very few. She can't hide from her nature though, and after masked demon Lorcan manipulates his way into the human world he soon shows her this truth. He also shows her his giant demon dong, and by shows her I mean...well, I bet you know what I mean

This story was very well written! I had so much fun reading Evie's descent into madness and bliss with Lorcan. I went into it thinking it was a stand alone that at the end I went OH $H!T and now am very much looking forward to the next release! 00

I received this as an ARC read (ty!), but it has recently gone live and I highly suggest it if you enjoy masked men, BDSM, blood play, breath play, character degradation w/ praise, somnophilia & stalking. Please check for full list of TW!

I went into this book pretty blind and wow, it was a wild ride! It was dramatic from the start and was a really fast-paced book. I was actually up till 4am because I couldn't put it down, I needed to know what happened next.

I really liked both Evie and Lorcan. They were well thought out characters, and together, there was so much chemistry. The spicy scenes were very intense!! The book explored a lot of dark themes between the two, so I definitely read the trigger warnings first (I didn't). My only concern with this is that the list of triggers was at the end of the book. Some people may struggle with these themes, so it should definitely be at the beginning, so you have some warning.

I absolutely loved Gomez, the little fruit bat familiar of Evie! I felt he injected a little bit of silly humour that this otherwise very dark book needed. I also loved her best friend, Rosa, who was such a sweet and funny character.

The only downside I really noticed were there were a few spelling errors dotted throughout the book and a few sentences that didn't always make sense. It needs another proof read from the look of things.

Overall, I really enjoyed it and am furious that it ended on such a cliffhanger as I really need to know what happens next!! I will absolutely be buying the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book! Oh. My. Goodness. This book kept me on my toes and begging for me. The spice, the characters, LORCAN. Yes please. This book has everything a dark romance reader would want. Demons, witches, blood, spice, shadows. From the dedication, I knew I was going to love it! Check the trigger warnings but you are in for a ride! I need a book 2!!!

I really enjoyed this dark fantasy romance!!! My fav is GOMEZ!!! I totally want a bat!

This was a very good spooky season read!!!!

Review on goodreads as bellow.
Review will also appear on Tiktok end of October.

"Arc review - thanks to the author and publisher for providing an e-arc!

Check Trigger warnings before proceeding with this book!

Overall rating 3.5🌟
Spice 5/5 🌶️
Plot 3/5
Romance 3/5
Characters 3/5

Corrupt Shadows is a dark fantasy gothic romance between a witch on the run and a Demon desperate for freedom.
In terms of plot, it has promising potential for further books in the series. But I'd be lying if I said you should read this one for the plot! This books is extremely spicy (again, check the trigger warnings at the front of the book) and the romance is the center of the plot.

I had a couple of issues while reading, one being the descriptive writing was confusing at times. It was hard to picture what the characters were doing and what the author was trying to convey with her descriptions, especially in action scenes. I also think the romance could have been developed a bit more, as the relationship between the two was purely sexual and dominating until the last few pages when they had a genuinely romantic moment which was unfortunately short lived.

Overall, this was a very fun time! Is it a work of art? No. It was however an extremely fun read that I think fans of The Souls Trilogy by Harley Laroux may enjoy. "

Corrupt Shadows ARC by Rebecca L. Garcia, CM Hutton


R.L. Garcia is a dark fantasy romance author, with an inclination to gothic elements and morally gray characters. She originally lived in England but now lives in Texas with her husband and sons. Garcia appreciates beautiful books as a collector herself thus creates beautiful pieces for her readers’ shelves (check out her website and Patreon). Corrupt Shadows is co-authored by Garcia and C.M. Hutton, who is also a dark fantasy writer, follow her Tiktok @cmhuttonbooks for some great recommendations and content.

“For those who wear red flags like necklaces, this is for you.”

Nine years ago, Evie killed her brother and has been on the run ever since. She settles in Darkwood and tries to keep control of her shadow powers, she wants to feel something, anything but if her control slips it could kill again. It dormant, fine even, until the masked man in the mirror haunts her, stalks her dreams. Lorcan has spent centuries stuck in the Shadow Realm, a purgatory he was sent to, trapped in by witches. He watches the world carry on without him; watching through mirrors until he finds the last descendant of the bloodline that can free him. Now he stalks her from the shadows, pushing her to unleash her magic and slowly corrupting her soul. Will she free him from his banished realm?

I’d put this book on my guilty pleasure shelf because the 🌶️spice🌶️ level alone made me feel like I should not be reading this in public. This dark fantasy romance had the perfect amount of kink detail and world building details. With an enemies-to-lovers romance, there’s a demon banished to another realm by a family of witches, the last descendant of which he is stalking to have her free him. It was her ancestors that betrayed him so he is convinced he can’t let himself fall in love again, but the attraction is palpable. If you enjoyed Hunting Adeline by H.D Carlton then this is a must add to your TBR. It also has the: touch her and die trope, as any morally gray love interest should. Just remember to check out the trigger warnings list included by the Authors. I will definitely be checking out the next book when it’s released, that cliff hanger has me literally hanging around instagram for updates.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Talk about DARK romance, this is nothing but that. It started off with the FMC being a witch suppressing her dark magic and accidentally kills her “brother” (she’d adopted). She runs away and for years she kills another four more people. She’s a sex addict with a pet bat. The story revolves around her and her use to free Lorcan from the mirror that blocks him from getting into the human world because her ancestors locked him in there.

🖤Stalker
🖤Witches and demons
🖤Enemies to lovers
🖤MASKS
♥️Stunning cover

I felt like I liked the plot, but I think I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. I had wanted to enjoy it a little more than I did, but I think I couldn’t see past alllll the smut happening where I felt there wasn’t like an instant connection in the beginning. I felt really bad for Evie, I think she did deserve better. She held her head high, but suppressed all of her emotions/magic through the use of pills and sex for sure.

But, there was a connection between them at some point and I really loved when I felt it. I’ve realized I do love stalker romance books after reading this👀

This book has a lot of action, drama, and GORE in it. Please please check the trigger warning list before diving into this, I beg you. It’s a pretty long list! If 5/5 dark smut is for you, then this is the book you need to read right now.

It does end on a cliffhanger so you’d have to wait until next year (2024) for the next book!

It was my first time reading these authors, but I still want to check out other books Rebecca Garcia and CM Hutton has written! Thank you NetGalley and Rebecca Garcia & CM Hutton for allowing me to read an eARC and review 😊

🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶/5

This is a a very spicy dark romance between a witch and a demon. Make sure to read the trigger warnings before reading. The author is excellent at describing all the locations the story is set in. I could visualize every location. The book ends in a cliff hanger leaving you wanting more.

I really enjoyed this book, it kept me hooked till the end, couldn't get enough, will definately be reading more by this author in the future.

Well, this one was certainly an experience! If you are a fan of intense, dark, very spicy fantasy romance with a morally black MMC, this is the one for you. The MMC is the epitome "I will protect you from everyone but myself" trope.

I will repeat it again - this is a very dark and intense book. The spice is heavy and riddled with triggers, so PLEASE read the triggers before reading.

After reading this book fully, it is apparent that I am not the target audience. While I don't mind some dark aspects of my romances, and have thoroughly enjoyed a dark romance or two, I felt that this was dark for dark's sake in many parts and there wasn't enough of a character redemption for me to feel connected to such a dark MMC. Though, this character arc could very well take place over the series! Unfortunately, it didn't connect with me enough to keep me interested in the next. Though like I said, I am also not the target audience here.

A few notes on the ARC itself, which may not apply if you are reading this review after the time of publishing - the triggers are noted inside the book itself so if you are unsure if you want to put in a request, just keep in mind that it has most of the dark spice and romance triggers. Also, there was a considerable amount of typos and grammatical errors so be aware of this if this is something that will catch your eye and take you out of the story. If either of these are big concerns for you, I'd recommend waiting until a later version of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review of this book!

I really enjoyed the premise of the book. A witch and a demon, set around Halloween, a spicy and spooky romance. However, the book really just didn't hold up for me.

There were a ton of spicy scenes, and several of them really just felt like they were there just to be there. Quite a few near the end don't make any sense in context.

I did receive an ARC copy, but it felt much more like a draft than a proof or early copy. There were some story and detail inconsistencies and SO MANY typos. It was genuinely difficult to ignore the quantity of errors at a certain point.

Overall, the story was okay. Both main characters were interesting. Gomez the bat was my favorite and seemed to have the most personality out of all of them. The pacing didn't feel consistent through the book. It would build and get interesting, then fall apart.

The book does end on a cliffhanger, but I don't anticipate picking up the second book.

If you’re needing a dark, sexy book for Halloween - this is it. Make sure you read the trigger warnings though.

Thank you NetGalley for access to this book!

Evie is just trying to survive - using drugs and alcohol to keep her magic in check without killing anyone.

A demon who is trapped in the Shadow World needs her to escape.

I really liked the premise of this book, loved the dual POV to see what both of them are thinking. Interesting turn of events at the end - looking forward to the next book!

This was a very spicy spice spicy 🌶️ book
I’m also very intrigued by the plot so I enjoyed reading it and it made me excited to see how it will develop in the next one
I enjoyed Evie s character ( AND A BAT AS A PET??? So cute)
Can’t wait for the second instalment
Thanks netgalley for the arc🫶🏻🫶🏻

This book has become one of my favorites ; glad it’s my first finished read of October. That cliffhanger is killing me! I need the next book! From the very first chapter this book sucked me in, I didn’t want to stop reading.