⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

To A Darker Shore is a sweeping, beautifully monstrous story that hooked me from the first page.

This story was lovely. I loved the characters, the journey through hell, and the monsters. It was creative and fun, with beautiful romances and hope woven throughout. TADS was wonderfully inclusive YA and felt like This Vicious Grace meets Hadestown. The prose was lyrical and enrapturing. I highly recommend TADS!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ARC!

Alesta is a peasant girl with a brilliant mind. Plus-sized and autistic, she never quite fit in with her community - her only friend being Kyrian, a fellow autist and the reluctant heir to the throne. Bound together by their deep understanding of one another, they're ripped apart when Kyrian is tithed in her place - chosen as sacrifice to appease the evil god threatening the realm. Devastated and rage-filled, Alesta undertakes a quest to the infernal island to avenge him, only to find him alive but monstrously transformed. Together, they fight to bring about a revolutionary peace, and make reparations for the mistakes of their kingdom.

I really enjoyed this book! I'm not a huge romance person, but Alesta and Kyr's relationship was maddeningly compelling. Great autistic representation, with some prominent 2SLGBTQ+ relationships as well. I found the worldbuilding to be very strong - with a whole pantheon of gods, demons, and lore helping to drive the narrative.

This was a fantastic read! Schwartz is quickly becoming an auto-buy for me. what’s not to love about this book? Dark intrigue, a romance that has all the simmering tension, so much angst, and demisexual representation ??? Inject it into my veins (I did). Readers are going to be obsessed with this one.

I loved this story! I loved all the detail put into the world building, I loved the characters and their voices, and the sweet ending. I loved the twist and the timing of its execution. The autistic rep was fantastic. It had some good queer rep too. Overall a fantastic story!

Educator note: This would be great for a class where students were reading some older classic tales and could then do an assignment looking at how those stories influenced a modern book like this one.

<i>First, a thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book.</i>

This book just didn’t resonate with me as much as it did for others, judging by the reviews.

I really appreciate the representation - that was one of the best parts of this book! - but the actual execution of plot, character development, and prose fell flat for me.

The story just felt sort of all over the place and the “wrap up” at the end felt forced and frankly a little unnecessary; but I don’t need a book to finished all wrapped up with a bow tie to make me happy.

I think this book is important for what it stands for and its representation, and I’m not necessarily against reading something else by this author; I think that a lot of YA is just only meh to me. I think part of this is my age - but points above are still relevant regardless.

If you’re interested I would say go for it - but for me, this was just an okay book.

3.5/5 rounding up to 4.

This one was actually pretty good! YA Fantasy has been VERY hit or miss for me, so I was genuinely surprised I enjoyed this one as much as I did, especially since I had a rough time getting through the first 20%.

Definitely a fan of the autistic and "fat" character representation! The story was interesting enough and had a unique way of combining fantasy and mythology elements to tell a new story. I think this going to be a hit among folks looking for more diversity in the books they read, particularly in the fantasy genre where the main characters tend to all be very similar. I think the characterizations and the way we explored them was VERY well done, and a much needed addition to the genre.

However, this was VERY slow until the last maybe 20% for me, and I was bored a LOT while reading it--The first 15% could have been cut down to 5-7% in length and I don't think anything would have been lost to the story. There are definitely areas where the writing feels less polished, and we kind of beat a dead horse after awhile making SURE you know that the FMC is "fat and ugly." I've noticed this a lot in YA novels recently when we're breaking out of the mold of the "gorgeous FMC who's great at everything" and instead have someone who is unconventionally attractive/ugly/fat/different--we have to hear about it every two pages to make sure we get it (looking at you too, Starling House!).

Personally, I was pulled out of the story too much due to the pacing and inconsistent writing/repetitive character descriptions and thoughts to say I LOVED it. I think we could have used another round of editing to adjust the pacing and phrasing of large sections of the book, and I would have liked it a lot more. But I still generally enjoyed it and think that for folks that LOVE YA fantasy stories, this will be a great read!

Thank you Netgalley and Page Street Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!

This has such a spectacular premise. I love a Dante's Inferno retelling with religious trauma/eroticism, monster romance, queer love, autistic rep with some horror elements??? The idea was so good. However, the execution was tremendously poor. The writing style very much just gave fanfiction and it unfortunately lost me.

Alesta is constantly trying to convince the kingdom of her worth and it resonated so deeply and on so many levels. She rarely sees her own value as she tries to prove herself by caring for her ailing grandmother, and inventing useful tools. Her best friend, Kyrian, is heir to the throne, but neither seems to care about the impending appointment.

However, Alesta creates an invention which goes awry, injuring another noble. Kyrian takes the blame and is tithed to the monsters in her place. Alesta doesn’t even realize what has happened as her grandmother falls ill at the same time and she is not informed of Kyrian’s fate. .

There is so much going on with this book in so many great ways. The characters are complex and they develop and mature throughout the novel. Though this is YA, I think there are some mature themes even adults can resonate with and I am glad to see a neurodivergent main character take the monsters by the horns. I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend and hope it continues to find its audience.

A big thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC for this book.

“He would follow her even to the sky that hated him, to the world that burned”. -Kyr

This book seemed heavily inspired by stories like “Dante’s Inferno”, the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, the tale of Saint George and the Dragon, and even a little bit of “Beauty and the Beast” to name a few.

I also noticed lots of themes revolving around this book, in particular the issues that arise from religion, and the biases that occur in society based off how someone looks or how they sexually identify themselves.

This book also dealt with themes of mental illness- at least in my opinion. Without spoiling anything, this book reminded me of a quote from the philosopher Nietzsche and how if ‘you gaze long enough into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you’- or basically if you fight enough monsters, you need to be weary that you don’t become one.

I appreciated that there was an autistic main character and there was LGBTQ+ representation. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and recommend it to anyone who finds themselves unworthy of love, for whatever reason.

A gorgeously written, deeply romantic YA fantasy with a strong autistic heroine who goes to hell and back to save her best friend and take on an unjust system--along with a lot of monsters! To A Darker Shore touches on a lot of heavy topics and addresses them well, while also being a beautiful and action-packed read. I've been looking forward to this Dante's Inferno-inspired novel for awhile and it did not disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

This one is being promoted as Hadestown meets Dante’s Inferno with an autistic main character who is also plus size which we don’t see that often in fantasy. So in this world, if you are not deemed worthy, you are fed to a monster and our main character creates an invention in hopes to be seen as useful but things don’t go as planned and she travels to hell in to try and end these totally mad sacrifices. This was a lot of fun and really different.

Living in a kingdom where the country’s poor get sacrificed to appease the infernal monster across the poison sea in hell, Alesta, who’s poor, plus-size and autistic hasn’t got a lot going for her. When her attempt to prove herself goes awry, her best friend and heir to the throne—Kyrian—decides to take the blame and ends up being tithed in her place.

Determined to end the sacrifices forever and get back at the monsters who killed her friend, Alesta travels to the depth of hell only to find her friend alive—but monstrously transformed.

Confronted with the truth about the tithings that threatens to turn their worlds upside down, Alesta and Kyrian must stick together to figure out how to save everyone and not lose each other in the process.

To a Darker Shore has an incredible premise with all the goodies YA readers love: angst, monsters, dangerous adventures, an unexpected monstrous childhood-friends-to-lovers romance with loads of pining and fantastic representation (both MCs are autistic). Alesta and Kyrian’s story will pull you in for sure.

While I loved the set up and the world-building, the pacing did meander a lot of times.

To be fair though, I struggle with pacing in pretty much every fantasy book so keep that in mind.

There’s a difference between things happening and them actually having an impact and while the first half of the story featured a lot of the further, the latter was often absent and thus made me feel overwhelmed with everything going on while not giving me a lot to work through at the same time. This changes after a pretty big reveal but to get to that point was tough at times.

The pacing may not have been the greatest but the characters surely were. Alesta and Kyr’s story fascinated me and the switching POVs kept me invested throughout. Their storylines gave us deeper insights into what motivates them and why they act the way they do (which counteracted the meandering pacing beautifully). I love stories where you can really see the characters taking care of each other and the fierce protective vibes from both Alesta and Kyr had me grinning at times. That protectiveness also gives ample space for discussing and pondering what it means to be worthy or valuable or good enough in society and how to accept yourself and let go of that notion that you have to be useful to be accepted, valued and loved. An important message that is sure to resonate with (younger) readers.

Lovers of fantasy stories with original premises and the friends to lovers trope with a monstrous twist will rejoice at getting their hands on To a Darker Shore.

I already knew it after I read A Prayer for Vengeance, but this book confirmed it: I'm a big fan of Leanne Schwartz's work. The author has a unique and imaginative way of mixing mythology with fantasy, creating worlds that feel both fresh and familiar.

To A Darker Shore is a lush book, with pacing and structure that don't always do what you expect them to do next, and I found this to be a very refreshing and immersive experience. I absolutely loved the autistic main characters, and the discussions of beauty standards, fat phobia, allonormativity and neurodivergence — for all its differences, the world of Soladisa is not so unlike ours, in the sense that people who look and behave differently will never be given the benefit of a doubt. This book does a great job of asking questions such as "who is the monster here" and actually giving succinct and unflinching answers.

But it's also a very fun and satisfying read (for all its dark and gory moments), and I would gladly return in this world for more. My only regret is that this book didn't exist when I was a fat, neurodivergent teenager — but I'm so happy that young readers today can have this kind of thoughtful and nuanced rep.

Note: there's a very satisfying amount of lesbians in this book, which only made it better in my eyes.

P.S. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Alesta doesn't quite fit in on her island home. There they value beauty, utility, and purity above all else and she is sturdily built, prone to curiosity that leads to "sins" and an inventor who's creations often need to fail before she can perfect them.

Her friendship with the assume heir of the kingdom, Kyr, causes even more confusion as he embodies all the traits most valued. At least until he takes them blame for one of her inventions failing and is chosen as the quarterly sacrifice their kingdom sends to the demonic realm across the poison sea.

Alesta doesn't learn of his being chosen until days later and he's already gone. She spends the next year working with his cousin and other peers to try to develop not only a plan to prevent others from being sacrifice but also a plan to kill the demon demanding them in the first place.

These plans require Alesta being chosen as sacrifice so she can enter the depths of hell and end the demon. But she finds and learns more than the bargained in hell with everything she's ever believed being turned on its head.

Huge fan of the body representation as so many female leads are just too tiny to do anything. Some parts of the story are a bit unnecessarily drawn out, but an enjoyable read.

Set in a world unkind to those deemed different, an autistic inventor embarks on a perilous journey to hell to save her best friend. Schwartz's gripping writing creates an immersive and darkly enchanting world, where heartfelt characters fight against authoritative structures. Filled with monsters, both human and otherwise, this novel is a twisty, romantic adventure that, despite its shadows, leaves readers hopeful and celebrates what makes us different.

When I heard To a Darker Shore be pitched as "Hadestown meets Dante's Inferno" with autistic MC's, I knew immediately that I needed to read this book. Hadestown is one of my favorite musicals, and most of you know I'm always searching for more autism rep, so this book was basically made for me. Having loved Leanne Schwartz's previous book, A Prayer for Vengeance, I was sure this book would not disappoint, and I'm happy to report that I was correct! From the moment I started reading, I was captivated by Alesta and Kyr, their dynamic, and the world they lived in.

Alesta and Kyr were two of the most compelling MCs I've read about in a while. Alesta was headstrong, intelligent, and full of vigor, while Kyr was more on the introverted side, but just as passionate. I don't want to say too much about him specially, because his character arc from beginning to end was truly excellent, and you should discover that for yourself. He went through so much in this story, and I felt every emotional up and down with him.

Because Alesta and Kyr both felt out of place in their lives, they were drawn to each other. Their strong friendship and close bond is the heart of this story, and watching them come to terms with their feelings and grow with each other was quite the roller coaster. I loved that we got both of their perspectives because it definitely enhanced the story. I don't think the book would've been as emotionally impactful if we didn't have both sides. But because we did, I was able to connect with both characters on a deeper level. And while allistic people may not realize this, it highlighted a lot of the struggles autistic people face when it comes to social cues and reading others. Alesta and Kyr were constantly misunderstanding the other's intentions when going off body language alone, and I thought this was a really subtle but impactful way of representing autism.

A lot of times in media, autistic traits are exaggerated, mostly for the benefit of neurotypical people, but I didn't feel that was the case at all for this book, and I loved that. Alesta and Kyr were both autistic, but many of their traits and mannerisms were very different from the other's, and in fact, in many cases, their traits were the exact opposite. This was fantastic, because it showed just how varied the spectrum can be and why it's called a spectrum in the first place. Personally, I related a lot with Kyr, but I also sometimes found myself reflected in Alesta, too. The fact that I'm seeing myself represented more and more these days is something I still can't quite believe, and I'm just so thankful these books exist.

Not only were Alesta and Kyr well-rounded characters, but all of the side characters were too. They stood out and added to the plot while still being their own people, which I always love to see. And speaking of plot, I loved it!! There were a few plot twists I figured out, which I was super proud of, but others took me by total surprise. The last twenty percent of the book was impossible to put down because of all the tension.

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read To a Darker Shore. I hope lots of people will pick this book up, because it deserves to be read.

Right and wrong. Sin or virtue. Monstrous and holy.


This book was incredibly flawed and often read like fanfiction… but I ATE IT UP! The vibes were Battle of the Labyrinth meets The Hunger Games , with a sprinkle of yearning, a dash of religious critique, and a cast of autistic characters.

☀ The story was A LOT. The pacing might throw you off because the story starts out really simple with a clear goal and a clear way to get to said goal, then suddenly, towards the end, there are a bunch of "twists" (I'm putting this in quotes because personally, I wasn't too surprised by any of it) that do get kind of crazy. By that point I was already invested in the book enough that the sudden bombardment of events didn't dampen my enjoyment of the book.

☀ The setting? The monsters? Yes yes yes. When I started reading this book, I was picturing the bright sun over a quaint hill where the heroine was, well, fighting a fish-man-monster, then a couple of chapters later, we're literally thrust into hell and I was ALL for it. The atmosphere was dark and gritty, and I had such a blast reading about all of the deadly creatures (should I be saying this?) our MCs encountered.

☀ The characters truly made me love the book despite all of its flaws. I loved being in both Alesta's and Kyr's heads. While they (mostly Alesta) were difficult to like at some points, they were both realistic and relatable characters. Both of them were both weak yet strong, unsure yet determined, selfish yet righteous. It was empowering to see them battle with their own thoughts (and, well, monsters that were physically there) and try to come to terms with who they are.

☀ The romance was 😭😭😭 (yup, this is me being eloquent). The angst was angsting and I was all for it. There was mutual respect and admiration between the characters that was lovely and wholesome. Did I want to bash their heads together so that they would kiss? Yes.

☀ I appreciated the religious commentary here. Coming from someone who is no longer religious, I understand how devotion can really inspire someone's life, but also that belief shouldn't be offered up blindly. Not everything is black and white. Devotion should still come hand in hand with critical thinking and trust in oneself. I love how this book explored this pretty deeply, though Alesta's and Kyr's completely different ways of dealing with religion.

☀ The writing and the storytelling weren't groundbreaking, but I didn't really mind. Like I said, this did read like fanfiction sometimes — the set-ups were a little predictable, and there were some scenes that felt a little bit like fanservice — which might take you out of the story, but personally, I wasn't that bothered by it.

TLDR: If you're interested in angst-y Monster Love™, crazy character development, dangerous adventures, religious commentary... do give this a try!

3.5, rounded up. :)

To a Darker Shore by Leanne Schwartz is a fantasy novel with a ton of things I like wrapped up in an expectation breaking bundle.

What worked for me
1. Multi Point of view utilized to fully flesh out the characters motivations and progress the plot fluidly
2. Excellent representation across the board
3. Lovely use of the friends to lovers trope
4. premise includes the idea of a deal with a monster and sacrifice for safety.
What didn't work as well for me
1.The Pacing was wildly uneven due to some odd story structure decisions
2. the prose and character development felt weirdly over written in the first fourth of the novel.

Who I would recommend this title for

Fans of friends to lovers young adult fantasy with a writing style similar to Scott westerfield.

Thank you to Page Street for the arc!

Leanne Schwartz neatly follows her debut with another gorgeously written fantasy adventure. I loved A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE and couldn't wait to get my hands on TO A DARKER SHORE. It delivers on all of its promises of friends-to-lovers, Hozier's Unreal Unearth, and autistic heroes. This book is SO fun and SO heartfelt, and as a fat person, seeing a fat protagonist literally means the world to me.

DNF @ 67%

I really wanted to love this one, and I struggled with how much I struggled with it. On paper, it's the kind of book I should be yelling from the rooftops about, but in practice, the technical execution fell too short for me to invest the way I wanted to.

The main issues I had were with the pacing and the prose. Structurally, the book felt very messy after the first 20%, with a lot of bloat and major beats landing at really weird times. For example, the reveal that felt like the midpoint twist landed at 65%, and while I'm not super prescriptive about this sort of thing, the preceding 30% FELT very draggy, and like even though a lot was *happening*, very little actually *changed*. I think it says a lot too that I DNFd shortly after this reveal--while I'd say the reveal itself was solid, the execution was for me still lacking enough, and my goodwill already worn thin enough, that I looked at the 'time remaining' on my Kindle and just couldn't do it any more. The prose only amplified the structural issues; there's something about Schwartz's sentence construction that made for a very inelegant reading experience, and prevented me from properly getting to experience the strengths of her writing. I also couldn't help noticing how overwritten the characters' inner monologue was in particular, which resulted in characters I otherwise liked a lot becoming irritatingly navel-gazy and wallowy.

I do wonder how much of what made this title fall short for me is potentially an extreme case of sophomore book syndrome. The release schedule between Schwartz's debut and this one is extremely tight, and the problems I'm having feel like the sorts of things that should have been resolved via thorough editing. There was enough that I did like about it (the characters had a lot of potential and I felt like they really could have sparkled with some closer editorial work, the worldbuilding was unique and fascinating, the story in principle really fun) that I'd like to check out her debut and will give her future work a try too. However, I really feel like this particular title simply isn't ready yet.

Many thanks to Page Street Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!