Thank you Net Galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. I love this author but this book seemed a different vibe than the others. Still a strong female lead but there was more innuendo than past books and it didn't work for me. Still love this author and will try again.

The Darkness Within Us is a dynamic companion to The Shadows Between Us. Taken alone, each book tells the struggle of a young woman to thrive in a world full of barriers. The twist is that the two protagonists are sisters who hold conflicting opinions of each other. The Darkness introduces us to a strategic and determined young woman named Chrysantha. Her actions throughout the book keep the reader engaged. There are several side characters who move the plot along in thoughtful ways. If you enjoy enemies to lovers, this is a book for you. Fans of The Shadows Between Us will be happy to see interactions between the sisters. I highly recommend reading both books to fully experience how these sisters navigate their challenging world.

You don’t need to read the first book to devour this one! This was sooo great on its own. I love Tricia’s writing. She has a way of luring you in and not put it down until you know what’s going on. The connection from the first book to the second book is subtle & a great way for readers to connect. The angst & banter from the protagonist and the boy is really funny and interesting. I loved that the sisters have a lot more in common than they thought and evolved their relationship for the better. Beware this book will make you horny & want horns. Thank you so much Tricia Levenseller, the publisher, and NetGalley! A great fall read for 2024!

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*The Darkness Within Us* by Tricia Levenseller is a gripping fantasy that explores the complexities of morality, power, and the struggle between light and darkness. Levenseller’s vivid world-building draws readers in from the very first page, creating an immersive experience filled with intrigue and suspense.

The protagonist is well-developed, navigating a rich inner landscape that mirrors the external conflicts she faces. Levenseller does an excellent job of portraying her character's vulnerabilities and strengths, making her journey relatable and compelling. The supporting cast adds depth to the story, each bringing their own motivations and challenges that enrich the narrative.

The plot is fast-paced and filled with unexpected twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. While some themes felt familiar, Levenseller manages to inject fresh perspectives that elevate the story. However, there were moments where certain plot points could have been more thoroughly explored, leaving me wanting a bit more resolution in some areas.

Overall, *The Darkness Within Us* is a captivating read that blends adventure with thought-provoking themes. It’s a great pick for fans of fantasy who enjoy complex characters and moral dilemmas. I can’t wait to see what Levenseller has in store next!

I completely loved this book. Chrysantha and Eryx are such strong characters and so well developed! The scenes were set out with enough detail to picture the scenes as I was reading.

If you love strong female characters with strong male counterparts you will definitely enjoy this book

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillans. Children’s Publishing Group for this advanced readers copy and this is my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

Tricia Levenseller has never let me down. Her stories are always immersive and entertaining with just a hint of darkness that draws a reader in immediately. I can not wait to see what she puts out next

In The Darkness Within Us we follow Chrysantha who feels bested by her sister Alessandra since she was able to capture to eye and heart of the Shadow King, Chrysantha pretended to be a air head and in order to become a duchess and and marry an old dying duke. Once he passes she has the wealth and freedom she’s always desired, that is until the dukes estrange grandson claims to inherit the wealth. Now she must get him out her way.

I was not the biggest fan of this book. In fact I quite dislike it. The characters were not very likable and the rivalry between the sisters seems one sided and very immature. I understand the characters were about 19 but Chrysantha spoke more like a 15 year old. The sister seemed to be very feministic which was awesome but I feel like all the new feminist inspired laws she passed was unrealistic for the type of era this book would take place in.

In all the plot fell flat, the characters were flat and overall the book was not enjoyable

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

Tricia Levenseller gives life to female characters that aren’t afraid of ambition, and will tear down the sky to achieve their goals. What I love most, is that the goal doesn’t have to be something thrilling like being a ruler of a kingdom, it could also be to be one’s own keeper. This was the story that I didn’t know I needed and it rekindled my spirit during a moment in time where I was feeling down, and I fell head first into a story that genuinely surprised me. I didn’t think I could love Alessandra’s sister after reading The Shadows Between Us, but Levenseller turned my world upside down, falling in love with Chrysantha even more.

The Darkness Within Us is a companion novel to The Shadows Between Us, taking place in the same world but focusing on Alessandra’s sister Chrysantha Stathos. Please keep in mind there might be spoilers to the previous book, so tread carefully!

In securing her position as a duchess, she has successfully won the game she played her entire life. All she has to do is wait for the wealthy old man she’s married to pass on so she can inherit his money, titles, but above all else: her freedom. In an unfortunate twist of events, it seems her sister has upended her life by marrying the shadow king, and upon her husband’s death, a man claiming to be his grandson has come into the picture. There’s no way she’s going to let this man take what is rightfully hers, and she will do whatever it takes to get it.

I was so conflicted when I picked this book up, only because I adore Alessandra so much. However, I was intrigued by what would happen between these two sisters over the course of this book. I was pleasantly surprised by Chrysantha as everything we’ve gotten to know about her in the previous book has been a façade. What I loved most was that although she donned a mask of a vapid beauty, she was rather honest with her goals. She yearns for freedom and the ability to make her own decisions. I loved that we got to explore just exactly what that meant for her, and for those around her, with particular regard to her sister. Chrysantha’s interactions with Alessandra were some of my favourites because we got to tear away the issues that created their tension and see their relationship take a turn. As it turns out, when Chrysantha finally lets her walls down she’s also a bit of a romantic, yearning for the experience of romance without being tied down by a guy.

When Eryx Demos arrives, everything gets flipped upside down for Chrysantha, and an intricate chess game begins. Chrysantha is not willing to go back to the cage she was just freed from, and Eryx is hiding a dangerous secret that she’s desperate to exploit to prevent her from losing everything she worked for. Their interactions are fraught with pent up frustration, and quite a bit of attraction. Regardless of her attraction to the interloper of her rightfully won fortune, she is ruthless in her pursuit to dominate. Eryx has met his match, to be sure. Their romance is very much enemies to lovers I would say, and I devoured every bit of them I got to read.

By the time I finished this book, the one thing that I was sure of was that I didn’t know where the story would go next. If you’re looking for a book where the female protagonist is a damsel in distress, you’re looking in the wrong place. However, if you’re looking for a bit of a villainess who lives by the arrow of her own moral compass, you will likely love this book as well as The Shadows Between Us. The only thing that I feel people might not love is that the relationship between Alessandra and Chrysantha seemed a little unrealistic for the way that it was set up in the previous book. That could have been something that was developed over the course of the book and it was not.

Overall, this was an incredibly satisfying read that I hope you’ll definitely add to your TBR list! I’m so happy to have my copy sitting alongside The Shadows Between Us. Now I just need some bookish art of the characters to go along with it.

This was a fluffy, light romance. It read more like a young adult title, but with more adult themes, so I think this will be popular in the new adult section. It was a fun read, even if it wasn't the most innovative premise. I think you will get more out of the book if you read the companion novel.

I really like this one, i don't think you need to have read the first book but if you have it will be more impactful. Almost a beatuy and the beast twisted retelling which i really love!

Tricia Levenseller perfectly brought her character to life. The romance was unbelievably cute, filled with endless banter, clashes, and fiery disagreements—so intense! I didn’t anticipate this book would have such an impact, but it completely exceeded my expectations, and I’m over the moon.

Welcome back to one of my favorite fantasy worlds! This is the sequel to The Shadows Between Us, and while I didn't love it quite as much as the original, I enjoyed this story of Alessandra's sister.

Chrysantha is extremely smart, and uses her cleverness to always get her way in the end. The male lead took some time to grow on me, but then I saw him as the only one who could match Chrysantha. Overall it was fun to see characters from book one and that the sisters finally showed their true selves to each other.

The sequel to "The Shadows Between Us," I went in with certain expectations knowing that I did not enjoy the characterizations of the first book. Regardless, I was still intrigued by what could possibly happen in this story that follows a new character, and if I would warm up to the author's writing style. Unfortunately, nothing really stands out to me in the book, which I suppose was to be expected. I do think that Chrysantha was a more interesting character than her sister from the previous book, even though they both fall under the same 'badass girl who takes no shit' stereotype. She felt a little more fleshed out as an actual person with ambition so I do appreciate that growth from the author. The enemies-to-lovers romance fell flat which was rather disappointing but there's nothing memorable about the male lead.

"The Darkness Within Us" by Tricia Levenseller reminded me how much I enjoy her work. It was light-hearted, fun, and full of banter. This is one of those rare sequels that I enjoyed even more than the original.

Chrysantha and Eryx Demos have such a fun chemistry throughout the book which led to a very engaging read. I would definitely recommend this series to all my bookish friends.

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for gifting me this ARC. I enjoyed it.

I couldn't wait to read this sequel, and got everything I wanted for Chrysantha! It was fantastic, nervy, and beautifully written. I couldn't wait, and am so thankful for the opportunity to read this through NetGalley!!

I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. This book was a page turner and I couldn't put it down.

Title: The Shadows Between Us
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Pages: 326
Time Length: 10 Hrs 12M
Dates: 9/5-9/6
Format: Audiobook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Summary: Book Two in the Shadows Between Us series.

Review: This one was almost as good as the first. I still enjoyed the characters and the love interests. It was a slower pace and less action.

Such a great book that was easy and fast to read. It sucked you in and didn't let go! I loved the world and the characters and the way it was written.

Who will back down first?

Chrysantha is a beast. She and her sister Alessandra are in constant competition and their father expects both of them to keep him out of bankruptcy by marrying someone rich. While Alessandra married the Shadow King, Chrysantha married an elderly Duke but she ends him within two months after their marriage. Since the Duke has no heirs, she inherits everything and thoroughly enjoys redecorating the manor and revamping her wardrobe. She also gives the servants raises and shows them appreciation for their hard work. Eryx arrives, claiming he’s the Duke’s grandson and turns life in the manor upside down. Eryx has a secret and Chrysantha isn’t going to let him get away with ruining her plans without finding out what he’s hiding.

Likes/dislikes: The contradictions of Chrysantha’s character and actions are entertaining. Eryx is an interesting character and I enjoyed the unknown that went along with his secret. I liked Chrysantha’s feistiness.
Mature content: PG-13 for kissing and off page sex.
Language: R for 62 swears and 0 F-words.
Violence: R for bloody deaths.
Ethnicity: Pale ivory, peach, dark beige, ebony skinned, deep obsidian skin tone, golden skin are all mentioned.