Chrysantha, stifled by a patriarchal society, has been cleverly masquerading as a naive, simple girl. Upon the death of her elderly, infirm husband, the Duke, she finds herself the sole inheritor of his title, lands, and fortune. At last, she possesses the freedom and power she has longed for. However, her newfound independence is threatened when a man named Eryx arrives at the manor, claiming to be the true heir as the Duke's grandson. Chrysantha must uncover the truth and reveal Eryx’s secrets before she loses everything she has fought to attain.

This book is an engaging enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romantasy. I especially enjoyed that the female protagonist is a morally grey character, and the closed-door romance added a refreshing touch (though it still maintained plenty of tension). This novel can be described as Fantasy Lite™️, reminiscent of Bridgerton but with more murder and characters possessing supernatural abilities. I rated it 4 stars instead of 5 because some parts of the plot felt rushed, but overall, I found it intriguing and enjoyable. I didn't realize until receiving the ARC that this is actually the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. Now, I'm eager to read the first book to delve deeper into this world.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 overall
Spice: 🌶️.5 (YA novel)

This was my fourth book by this author and it’s one of her better books! I found the FMC, Chrysantha, to be a little cringy at first, but she ended up growing on me throughout the book. I LOVED that she runs a smutty book club. It was such a fun, minor detail that made me like her so much more.

I wish we had more background information, but I never read book 1 of the series. I assume I’m missing some backstory and info about Chrysantha and her sister. Eryx is a likeable MMC, but we also never find out his motivation for certain things (I’m trying to be vague to avoid spoilers). I did really enjoy the enemies to lovers perspective of this book.

Overall, this one was cute but it could’ve been a novella instead of a novel. Thank you to Netgallery for the electronic advanced copy of this book.

Chrysantha, oppressed as a young woman in a heavily patriarchal society, is a mastermind that has been posing as a foolish, simple girl. Her old, sickly husband, the Duke, has now died, leaving her as the sole inheritor of his title, lands, and money. Finally she has gained the freedom and power she has so desperately wanted…until a man name Eryx shows up at the manor claiming to be her deceased husband’s grandson and true heir to the dukedom. Now Chrysantha must find out the truth and expose Eryx’s secrets before she loses everything she has worked so hard to achieve.

This was a pretty good enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, romantasy. I really appreciated that the female protagonist is a morally grey character, and the closed door romance was refreshing (but don’t mistake closed door for a lack of tension). This is also Fantasy Lite™️…imagine Bridgerton with more murder and with some characters with supernatural powers. I rated this book 4 stars instead of 5 because I did feel like the plot was rushed in a few places, but overall I enjoyed it and it kept me intrigued. I didn’t realize until I received the ARC that this is actually the second book in the series but is able to be read as a standalone. I do want to go back to the first book now to experience more of this world.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Enjoyed the first book a bit more, but still enjoyed reading this. I wish the cover was a little less goofy looking.

Loved it! No notes. This series continues to be perfection and it reads like it was written specifically for me!

I absolutely love this book! I think that booktok will eat this right up. At first, I was skeptical that this series needed another book, but it was the conclusion that we all needed. Five stars!!

I adored the first book of this series, and while this one didn’t live up to that same hype for me, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the characters, loved that they were unapologetically morally gray, loved that it was an actual enemies to lovers. A very fun and easy read. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was so much fun. she is delightfully deceptive in her actions..... plus she holds a grudge!!!!! the enemies to lovers trope was done wonderfully. Eryx is such a villain but then again so is she.... they are the perfect match and I love reading about them. this is Tricia Levensellers best series in my opinion.

The Darkness Within Us is a companion novel to Tricia Levenseller’s The Shadows Between Us. And it’s really worth reading both in order, especially since The Shadows Between Us is so strong.

In The Darkness Within Us Levenseller once again enters a morally grey world where the main characters aren’t particularly likeable but are so compelling you need to keep reading. Like her sister, Alessandra, Chrysantha is cool and calculated and knows what she wants. The juxtaposition between the sisters strengthens the books overall and gives you greater appreciation for Levenseller’s ability to get inside her characters’ heads.

Levenseller excels at world-building, and the tension between her enemies-turned-lovers will keep the pages turning.

Like its predecessor, I wouldn’t recommend The Darkness Within Us for younger YA, but readers 14 and up will enjoy it.

This book had all the things I loved in book 2. The tension, the longing, the banter, the mystery, the sister arc? I loved this and the morally gray characters. The end was a little convenient but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book!

I might be a little bit obsessed with this one... "The Darkness Within Us" by Tricia Levenseller is a deliciously dark and twisted delight, perfect for fans of cunning heroines and sizzling intrigue. Chrysantha Stathos is the epitome of ruthless ambition, masked in beauty and charm, navigating a treacherous world with deadly precision. She's just the MC that makes readers ache for more. Levenseller's storytelling is as sharp as ever, with every page brimming with schemes, secrets, and seductive danger. The dynamic between Chrysantha and the enigmatic Eryx Demos crackles with tension, making it impossible to look away. Add in the gorgeous book design—spray-painted edges, metallic foil, and a ribbon bookmark—and you’ve got a novel that’s as stunning to hold as it is to read. This companion to "The Shadows Between Us" is a must-read for anyone who loves their fantasy with a wicked edge and a fierce, unrelenting heroine. 💀👑📖

Tricia Levenseller has always been an auto read for me ever since I read The Shadows Between Us for the first time. I was ecstatic when I saw another book set in the same world was coming out. I was a little bummed it wasn't a continuation of the OG main characters of The Shadows Between Us but I found myself devouring this one. Not like I should have been surprised because Levenseller creates just great characters, deep backstories, and gorgeous settings with the storytelling that just feels so enriching for my soul.

I loved Chyrsantha and this almost Beauty and the Beast-esque vibe between her and Eryx. Yes this has the "who hurt you" and the "touch her and you die" I read this in 24 hours. I loved it. The banter was great, the characters were great really from our MC's to the side characters. This has a true backstory of survival and doing what it takes to survive in a world that doesn't treat the feminine side of the world equally. I thought Chyrsantha was a very smart woman in what she did to survive. I loved the two sisters reconnecting. The had action to keep things rolling right along. I loved the relationships between all the characters. They had such a organic connection. This series is just good on the vibes. I need to go reread book 1 now.

The Darkness Within Us is the companion novel to The Shadows Between Us. While the two novels fit into the same universe and contain overlapping characters, they could potentially be read as standalones; however, I think reading the stories in order would help gain great background for the characters and world-building. This story follows Chrysantha Stathos, who is the sister of Alessandra from the first novel and was featured a little in that novel. I immensely enjoyed the first novel, and this novel did not disappoint. Levenseller did a great job of expanding on a character to make them more complex and giving them their own story. This story did have some similarities in formula to the first one, but since I read them years apart, I did not mind as much as I think I would if I read them one after the other. In this story, Chrysantha is about to inherit her late husband’s fortune when another man, Eryx, comes forward claiming that it belongs to him. Now Chrysantha must prove that Eryx is not who he says he is and get her inheritance back.

There is a large focus on the romance and connection between the two characters where the other plotline does not appear until later. The style, though, fits Levenseller’s other works so this novel was great for me, but I can see it frustrating some readers. It is an enemies to lovers story that was nicely done as the chemistry was apparent. The two characters went well together, and I enjoyed learning about both of them. Their story fit nicely into the world established in the first story and expanded on the world-building. I still think there was more to be done with some details in the world and politics, but I do understand that there was only so much that could be done in a “standalone.” Alessandra from the first novel’s motivation was better written compared to Chrysantha’s, but hers was still appealing. The writing and pacing still had Levenseller’s flair, so I love how her writing has stayed consistent yet interesting. Overall, this was an enjoyable experience and I look forward to trying out Levenseller’s new trilogy in 2025.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Feiwel Friends, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Received a copy from NetGalley.
I liked it, it was a good story. However, in all honestly it didn’t match the experience like the first one did. And the FMC reminded me of that Harry Potter woman; Bellatrix Lestrange

This series was really great and I really thought the author did a great job with having the sister start with bad intentions but end up with good ones. It’s like a villain turning good? All for love. It’s quite unique and I definitely loved the ending to this story.

After loving The Shadows Between Us, I was pretty disappointed in this title. It was a meh fantasy, but I wasn't very invested. I finished the book because I was curious to see what the deal was with Eryx, but overall it just wasn't really doing anything for me. It was fun to see other parts of the world and characters, but I would not reread this one.

Chrysantha’s entire life has been a long con. If she just played the simpleton girl no one would look too close and she could marry an elderly sick man, endure his company and then finally have her freedom.

When an unexpected heir arrives shortly after the start of her new life with a sketchy story and an edited will, she is immediately on guard. This handsome and frustrating stranger is clearly hiding secrets and she’s going to figure them out and get her hard earned freedom back.

I read and adored The Shadows Between Us when it first came out so I was both excited and nervous about Chrysantha’s story because we only knew what her sister did and her sister was never in on her true self. I absolutely fell head over heels for this strong self possessed morally grey fmc. I loved that she wasn’t afraid to reclaim her sexuality and that she was in fact more experienced than the hero. Her loyalty and kindness to her staff who became her family made it that much more heartbreaking when Eryx came in to ruin her life.

The banter between Chrysantha and Eryx was next level. They did not hold back. If you want true enemies-to-lovers vibes this one will not let you down. This is definitely a slow burn and they really get into their heads about it but I felt she flipped the switch from enemies to lovers just right.

I think the one thing that really made this book special was the way she built a new relationship with Chrysantha and her sister. They both felt so slighted and wrong by each other and it was such a joyous and emotional moment when they were finally on each other’s team.

I absolutely adored this book and the only thing I wish is that I could spend more time with the Stathos sisters. I cannot recommend this book highly enough and I’ll definitely be adding this to my books to reread when I need a serotonin boost.

The Darkness Within Us (The Shadows Between Us #2)

Tricia Levenseller

YA/NA Romantacy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“When men think they can control you, they don’t watch you as closely.”

Chrysantha has finally achieved the life she wants. She purposely married an elderly man so he would die soon and she could inherit his estate. She has played the demure, innocent girl for long enough and now she can be herself. Until one of her late husband’s long lost grandsons comes to inherit instead. After living her 19 year old life under men’s rules, she has had it and refuses to let him ruin her new life.

“If the gods didn’t want us killing men, then they shouldn’t have allowed them to hurt us so much.”

Chrysantha is just as devious as her sister in The Shadows Between Us. She’s cunning and traitorous and such a fun morally grey character. She has conned enough men to know how to get her way and the grandson doesn’t know what’s about to hit him. It was entertaining to see her schemes play out and ultimately find her happiness.

I found it a bit unbelievable that nobody cares if someone has murdered another. What? And just as in book one, Chrysantha has a very healthy sex life, which is not a problem but definitely feels more New Adult than Young Adult. I loved hopping back into this world of tricks and twists, lies and love. And even better, Fierce Reads graced me with the beautiful special editions and I could not be happier!

Thank you to Fierce Reads and NetGalley for the copies!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved the Shadows Between Us so I was very excited to receive this arc and get back into that world. While I didn’t love it as much as Shadows or as much as I was expecting too, I still enjoyed it.

I really only had two gripes that stuck out while reading. One of them is kinda a spoiler so I don’t want to say too much about it but the book was more monster vibes than shadow/magic powers and that typically isn’t what I enjoy so I think that is one reason I didn’t click as well with this book versus Shadows. The other was I was thrown off by Chrysantha’s personality for the whole beginning of the book until I learned who she was. She seemed so different from when we see her in The Shadows Between Us. We do get an explanation for it but it was still a shock since it was such a difference and I was expecting a little more of a villain romance like Shadows and it was more “murdered my creepy elderly husband” and “I’m gonna do what I want and not care about society.” But that might just be my own fault for comparing it too much to Shadows and not letting it stand on its own.

Lately, I always love seeing previous character’s pop up in companion novels so it was so fun to see Alessandraand Kallias pop back up towards the end of the book.

In general I think The Darkness Within Us is an enjoyable read for YA romantasy lovers.

The Darkness Within Us is an enemies-to-lovers romantacy that will have you on the edge of your seat. I'm a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers story, especially when the female lead is fiesty like the FMC, Chrysantha!

This was such a captivating story with just enough mystery to keep you reading and just enough romance to not make you feel dirty. Lol (sorry smut lovers, I don't think this one is for you). My fave thing about this story is how it focuses on women taking back their power and releasing themselves from the patriarchal hold of men. *chef's kiss*

I don't even remember at what point o started rooting for the FMC and MMC but by the end I was screaming! Deff well worth the read!