The Shadow Lord is Book 2 in The Cartographer’s War series by Allison Anderson. And what a sequel it is! I loved the first book, The Spring Maiden, and I was so happy to be chosen again to be one of Allison's ARC readers. The Shadows Lors picks up where The Spring Maiden ended, and it didn't disappoint! I was gasping once I reached the cliffhanger in the end, and I cannot wait for Book 3!

The second book in the series, the shadow lord picked up right where the spring maiden ended and it did not disappoint!!! The cliff hanger ending oh my gosh. I am so looking forward to book 3!

📚Netgalley Review📚

Sequel to one of my favorite books from last year, the Spring Maiden, the shadow lord did NOT disappoint.

I’ve long awaited this book to see what came next. Where was Lou, how does Penny take down the cartographer, WHERE IS LOU??

It felt a bit slow initially but picked up gradually. The prince certainly proves his namesake and I’m annoyed with how he first treats penny. I’m a full time hater of the miscommunication trope, and this kind of felt like that. If only they had just had a conversation, all of the pain could’ve been avoided.

Once our prince got over himself, I really enjoyed seeing penny’s development. We finally get to see her in a position of independence, where her mother isn’t breathing down her(thank you Dion). I think we all knew just how good of a spy she’d be, but we learn just how good she is at tracking down the rebels when no one else could.

The big climax point wasn’t too predictable, and while I initially guessed it, the book successfully gaslit me. Knowing what happened in the first book, I was suspicious of everyone, but nothing could have prepared me for the twist.

Now to talk about my favorite part, the ROMANCE!! I’ve been hunched over this book, kicking my feet about them just locking eyes, so when we finally get a taste of their romance?🫠🤯🤭<—— that was literally my reaction. I know sometimes romance tends to overwhelm a book but miss Allison Anderson nailed it perfectly. I love when romance is a subplot rather than the entirety of a storyline. The focus is mainly on penny and her journey, while also showing us her exploring her first hint of romance. Their journey is soft and sweet, and I couldn’t have asked for more(except maybe a few more kisses)

I personally loved this book, and eagerly await the next one. I do have to say it does end on another cliffhanger, which I’m not a huge fan of but it’s not a big deal. There was already so much happening that it was not surprising to see where we left off. Definitely recommend this book!!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc! Hope to see the new book on here soon ;)

This is Book 2 of the Cartographers War and oh lord I wish Book 3 was out - you cannot leave me on that cliffhanger Allison Anderson! This is a clean YA fantasy romance and it does not disappoint, this was so much fun and I recommend!

The Shadow Lord is a good fantasy read with great plot twists throughout the book. Penny has discovered the dark secrets of two of the people she deeply cares for- her mother and Lou, a boy she started falling for. She discovers her mother is the Cartographer and Lou is actually the Lord of the Underworld, Prince Aiden. Penny tries to find Prince Aiden to confront him, however he is constantly dodging her, for he is consumed by his guilt and what he has done.
This book was a great and interesting read, however I do wish there was more going on in terms of Penny's and Aiden's relationship. At times, the pacing did feel a bit slow, causing me to spend a little longer on this read than I would have liked.

Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for this book in exchange for my honest review!

I really loved this book. I think the main character and the setting both felt so so real. The main character and love interest were electric from the moment their connection started on the page and kept me wanting to read more!

I loved the first book in this series and the second one didn't disappoint. Allison Anderson knows how to write a good fantasy book.

First of all, the slowburn in this one is even better than in the last one. And when they finally confess their feelings for each other after she gets hurt, I love it.

I could not have been as strong as Penny if I found out my mom was an evil rebel who actually tried to kill me. Luckily for us, this was not the case. honestly, I never see those big plottwists coming. I'm so dumb when I'm reading. Like, literally, Lou being an anagram for Lord of the Underworld. Didn't see it.

I also loved the fact that the Aphrodite and Hephaestus actually love each other in this book. Because they are so cute together.

And finally, the ending. WOW. I am totally ready to go into faerie and see what it is like there. And to finally meet Penny's friend. Until now, we have only heard from her through the letters, but I'm ready to see her become a major character.
But most of all, I am ready to see Aiden shout: "Because she is my fiancée!" or something like that.

Can't wait for the next book!

Thank you to netgally and the publisher for the opportunity to read this wonderful book!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was instantly hooked within moments of the first book The Spring Maiden and that feeling followed into The Shadow Lord. The characters are so likeable and written exceptionally well. Each character even though we didn't hear much from most felt like they had depth which is sometimes hard to achieve. I need more of Paulo, his power is very interesting and I loved that he didn't tell Penelope any of what he saw, just helped her out to make sure it happened.

The twist of who the cartographer really was absolutely caught me off guard, I fully believed The Dutchess Barclay was the cartographer! Once we found out though alot made more sense, i also immediately hated Adira even though we barely know what she did to Aiden.

Also that cliffhanger ending gutted me. I needed more! Absolutely loved this book and wish it had not ended so soon. I'm definitely looking forward to the next 2 in the series.

This book was archived and I wasn't able to download it.

This will be my placeholder for the time being and will change should I decided to buy the book soon. Thank you for understanding!

First I’d like to thank NetGalley and Allison Anderson for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5.

AHHHHHH.

This series now has me in a chokehold because of this second book. I NEED THE THIRD BOOK NOW.

AND DUAL POV’s. 😍

When I tell you this book is slow burn, I put a lot of emphasis on SLOW. It took 2 books to get to where we are now, but I’ve loved every step of the way.

Penny is even more badass in this book than she was in the first.

Finding out who The Cartographer finally is will make for a very interesting third book!!! So many questions. I figured everyone’s suspicions in the book were too obvious, but I never would’ve guessed who it really is.

We spend the first almost half of the book with Penny trying to get Aiden to stop avoiding her because she has vital information about the rebellion that only he can be trusted with.

Aiden doesn’t want to continue to put Penny in danger and decides that avoiding her is the best option. Especially now that she knows that he isn’t Lou. Until Penny interferes with a murder investigation and won’t let him access the scene until he talks to her. 😂

Spy training is back on and The Cartographer’s rebellion is in full swing. Murders keep happening and rebels are being spotted almost everywhere.

The royal council continues to be a problem that can only be solved by the Crown Prince Dion getting married. He just has to convince Lady Carnation first

In order to infiltrate the rebellion Penny and Aiden must use glamours to disguise themselves. Only problem is…they may not be the only ones with glamours.

Once they think they have it all figured out and have plans in place to stop The Cartographer, it all comes crashing down.

The Cartographer finds out their plans and reveals themselves.

That isn’t even the craziest thing to happen either, the ending is a CLIFFHANGER.

You can find this book and The Spring Maiden on Kindle Unlimited NOW. Let me know what you think!

“The Shadow Lord,” by Allison Anderson

Penny is trying her best to keep her life from falling apart until the secrets everyone has been keeping start to come out. Trying to find the identity of the Cartographer has led Penny to rethink what she knows about the people she has been close to. Now she is in the capital she needs to decide if she can trust Lou again and stop the war against magic in time.

This book is WOW! I loved every aspect of this book and book 1 of the series. The characters are written so perfectly, and the story is so full, never a boring second. This is one of those books I will think about for years and years, it really was that good. I was rooting for Penny and Lou the entire time, so intense. It reminds me of the Bridgerton’s but with magic. The ending was literally everything. Hands down, 5 out of 5 stars, there is nothing I would change.

-Magic
-Shadow Daddy
-Fae
-Royal

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

One of the best books I've read this week!!! Loved the plot twists and gave it 5 stars. Loved it! Loved this story so much!

I read this in one day. I loved it, and am so irritated I have to wait for the next one! If you enjoyed The Cruel Prince, you’ll like this series. The Shadow King is even better than The Spring Maiden which felt slow at times with its necessary world building.

The world is good, the characters are well developed, the writing is well done. The plot is unique and doesn’t feel rehashed. The characters resemble other characters you’ve maybe read by other authors with a similar trope (dark shadowy prince), but is better written than some well-known authors (ahem JLA).

Definitely worth putting on your TBR.

First, thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I liked this book for a lot of reasons. I enjoyed the world, the fantasy aspect, and the characters. There were times I felt it was a little slow AND I have not read the first book, but this is still a very solid 3.75 Stars for me.

I'd recommend reading the first book so that everything makes sense right away but this was a good book.

Read books 1 & 2 and loved them! Im usually not a YA person, but loved the character developments of both LOU & Penny.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this addition the series and read the entire thing in one sitting. Only downside is waiting for the next one after that cliffhanger!

I really enjoyed The Shadow Lord! In my opinion it was even better than the first book .
Penny’s world has literally changed overnight when her mother and her had to abandon their home after the fire and move to the capital, she also finds out that her mother might be the villain Aiden and her have been looking for.
When Prince Aiden is trying to ignore Penny she takes it upon herself to prove to him that she can still be a useful partner even tho he did hurt her feelings by lying about his identity.
So interested to see what’s next Penny’s adventure is going to be!
This book was very well written and I finished it in less than a day because I couldn’t stop reading it.
I definitely recommend The Shadow Lord to anyone who likes fantasy.

The Shadow Lord is a worthy sequel to The Spring Maiden. The book is as gripping and compelling as its predecessor, filling reader with interest as the spy tale unfolds in front of their eyes.
Our heroine Penny knows now the truth. The truth about her mother who turns out to be the real villain and the rebel leader, the truth about her mentor Lou who is in fact the youngest prince of the Crown, the Olympia’s spymaster, and his name is not really Lou, but Aidan. As she’s trying to convey to him the shocking revelation about her mother, he’s avoiding her. Not just that, he’s actually physically running away from her, whenever she’s trying to initiate the confrontation. But Penny is not stupid, nor incapable, she knows if she wants to catch his attention and pass the crucial intel to him, she needs to best him in his own craft. So when Aidan investigates fae murders in the capital but with no results, Penny takes up the investigation too, just to solve it herself.
The novel seems to me a bit better than the book one of The Cartographer’s War series. It has the intrigue better thought through, the characters and their development are more visible, the plot twists are more surprising and unexpected, while the romance is more swoony and lovely. Penny is not annoying at all with her naivety and sunshine approach to life, she grew up and smarten up. Aiden is not as closed off as before, letting others in and opening himself to love and happiness. Even the writing style seems improved in comparison with the predecessor. It’s really been a refreshing experience to read a sequel that is actually better and I really admire the author’s growth.
What I didn’t like is the letters from Angelica, that didn’t seem to bring in anything to the table (well apparently they made sense at the end but still, throughout the book they felt like rather unwise and like an instant summary of the story so far.). I also felt the wedding storyline of Dion and Shaunie was quite rushed, with some events being completely inconsequential, like the labor assistance scene.
All in all it was a very good book, solid 4/5.

In "The Shadow Lord" by Allison Anderson, Penny Barclay discovers dark secrets within her trusted circle, leading her on a mission to expose the mysterious Cartographer and quell a rebellion threatening the kingdom. Prince Aiden, burdened by guilt, becomes a pivotal figure, torn between duty and desire.

Anderson weaves a captivating tale of fantasy, politics, and personal drama, with well-drawn characters and engaging plot twists. However, the pacing can be uneven, and the relationship between Penny and Aiden could use more depth.

Overall, "The Shadow Lord" offers an entertaining blend of mystery and magic, making it a solid choice for fantasy enthusiasts seeking a quick and engaging read.

Penny Barclay thought she could trust those closest to her. Her mother had been a paragon of virtue, a woman of sense and ingenuity in Penny’s eyes. Lou had been Penny’s friend, her confidante, her mentor. But both of them had kept dangerous secrets. Now, Penny finds herself trapped in the capital with the evidence Prince Aiden, Lord of the Underworld, needs. With the notes she found in her mother’s study, they could finally name the Cartographer and stop the rebellion running rampant through their kingdom. Only there’s one the Prince is avoiding her. If she can’t figure out how to get him to talk to her, the very kingdom may find themselves redrawn under the Cartographer’s hand.

Guilt dogs Prince Aiden’s every footstep. He can still hear Penelope’s screams in his dreams, see the flames devour Barclay Manor until it was nothing but ashes. But with a murderer on the loose in the capital, he can’t risk allowing his feelings to cloud his judgement, even if it means keeping Penelope Barclay far away from him. With Penelope now trapped in the capital, Aiden has to do whatever he can to make the city safe—even if that means running away from the mage girl with cinnamon hair and emerald eyes shadowing his every move.

While I may not have been the exact target demographic for this series, not loving romance in my fantasy, there was still a lot of good ideas in this book and I could appreciate what the author has accomplished here. Fans of book one, or any other books similar to this one should enjoy it, as the quality of writing and pacing were top notch.