I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I was very disappointed by this book. I have loved most of Levenseller's books. This one dragged for me. The ending is relatively predictable which is fine, but it wasn't very enjoyable. The banter between the characters felt stiff. The tension was overwrought.

5 Stars

This book was SO SO GOOD. I genuinely forgot how much I loved this world and how quickly I get sucked into Levenseller’s writing.

Just like Shadows Between Us, the pacing moves quickly, and the story grips you from the first scene. I love that both books are stand alone romantsy stories but are about two different sisters so you get that familiarity of characters without having had to read the other book. But as a treat, it was so much fun to see the Shadow King and his Queen several times in this story.

Our main characters in The Darkness Within Us were A DELIGHT. Chrysantha is tired of being a pawn in men’s lives and just wants freedom. She has worked so hard to position herself to finance her life and live freely only to have that carefully executed plan go to crap when Eryx shows up. He is the heir to Chrysantha’s late husband’s estate. The heir she didn’t know existed. The heir that has secrets that she will use to gain her freedom again. Problem is……as she learns Eyrx’s secrets, she realizes they have a lot in common.

I couldn’t put the book down and hated to see it end. It was incredible and I can’t wait to reread it one day. I also read via audio and the narrator did an amazing job bringing the story to life.

My first thought when I finished listening to this audiobook was "what took me so long to read/listen to this?!" It was great. It was brilliant. It was everything I wanted it to be. I finished it in one day and did zero work because I was so enthralled in the storyline.

This is the first book I've read by Levenseller and I have to say I was NOT disappointed. Enemies to lovers, forbidden love, suspense, dark creatures, royalty, this book had it all. It's labeled as a young adult novel, but don't let that sway you if you're not into YA. I didn't get that vibe from it at all, and didn't realize it until I was looking into it in the end. It doesn't have the spice, but it wasn't needed for this book.

Caitlin Davies did a wonderful job with the narration. She gave the characters the energy they deserved.

I cannot wait to read the next installment.

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

I loved this book so much. The first book was great and I was so excited to read this one. I always wondered what Alessandra's sister was like and this book did not disappoint at all. I always felt bad for the sisters but they aren't much different. I already bought the book with sprayed edges and I love it.

I was very excited to get a copy of this to listen to, as I was an avid fan of the first book. I was excited to see that this book upheld many of the strengths of the first in the series, with an interesting female protagonist and fun, witty storylines. However, some parts of this story felt a bit like they were trying to fit into the cracks of the original, and I think it would've held more strength if it had distanced itself further in time/place from the original storyline.

The narrator was great, the story flowed smoothly, and I enjoyed listening to it.

I enjoy Levenseller's writing, and the banter in her books. I definitely enjoyed this book as well, and the narrator did a phenomenal job. Overall, it was a fun and easy listen.

Tricia Levenseller does it again with a brilliant follow up to her book The Shadows Between us with the second book in the duology, The Darkness Within Us. This book follows Chrysantha, sister to the future Queen, as she finds her place in society. After the death of her husband, Chrysantha becomes a duchess with all the freedom she ever hoped for. The freedom she worked so hard for was cut short by the arrival of the Duke’s supposed grandson, who is ready to take everything from Chrysantha. What he doesn’t know? She’s alot stronger, smarter, and more determined than she ever allowed anyone to see, and she’s not going to let her life be taken from her that easily.

Chrysantha was a brilliant fireball of a character and that made it impossible not to fall head over heels for her. Her grit and determination made it incredibly fun to watch as she flourished in every situation she found herself in. Her quick wit and the banter that so quickly developed between her and the Duke’s grandson was perfection. The banter helped both Chrysantha as well as Eryx growth into fully fleshed out characters that helped with both the story flow and the development of secondary characters.

There was not a single character in this book that did not serve a purpose. Each person was carefully crafted to add to the story in some way. Some ways were small, but still meaningful, such as showing the lighter side to Chrysantha, but those small moments ended up meaning the most.

The vibrancy of the characters was set in stone by the incredible work of the narrator. Her voices and the tones she used for each moment really added to the complexity of the story. The Narrator easily captivated my imagination and led me through the story feeling like I could actually picture what was going on. This was a huge feat because I normally struggle when picturing the story in my mind.

This was such a great addition to Tricia Levenseller’s collection of works that, especially if you have read The Shadows Between Us, this story is a must.

5/5 stories for a book that was both well written and well narrated.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller is the new spin-off of her 2020 hit, The Shadows Between Us. That being said, I can attest that you can start with this one and still fully understand and enjoy it. Though it would spoil the first book for you.

“My husband is taking too long to die.”

Chrysantha Stathos has hustled and schemed her whole life to achieve freedom in a world dominated by men. Now, married to a dying duke, it’s all finally within reach. That is until Eryx Demos turns up claiming to be her husband’s grandson and heir to her dukedom. His mysterious charm won’t sway her when it comes to prying his claws out of what’s hers, even when she starts to suspect he might have literal claws.


This book is perfect for your laziest reading days. There isn’t much exposition, but the world-building isn’t complex enough for it to be confusing. The magic system in particular isn’t really explained. I can’t speak to what was established in the first book, but having gone into this one blind I initially thought this was a fantasy in the sense of vibes and then was pleasantly surprised by the magical twist. While I believe it’s marketed as YA, this story does contain some more mature themes as far as sexual autonomy. That being said, none of it is explicit on the page and any spiciness is ‘closed door.’


We’re thrown straight into who Chrysantha is and what her stakes are. The story is entirely in her POV, which is a soft, warm center wrapped in a snarky romp of a candy coating. I believe it to be a challenge to write a character who readers will find endearing and root for when she’s actively planning murders for the majority of the book, and I rooted for Chrysantha and every ounce of savageness found in her internal monologue. I also really enjoyed seeing her growing relationship with her sister, Alessandra the FMC from The Shadows Between Us. It was a lovely acknowledgment of how we can coexist in hardship and yet be totally unaware of the allies we have. They’re allowed to see that though they survived their father’s house in different ways, it doesn’t need to come between them.

“Before, I wasn’t a violent person. Before, I’d been patience personified. Now, I’m free. Now, I can be whatever I want.”

This book is the lightest kind of palette cleanser, providing something fun and easy to absolutely inhale. I don’t want to say it’s kind of cozy given the amount of murder plots, but… I wouldn’t not say that. You’re given thoughtful, unique characters who have enough stakes to keep things moving without ever getting particularly suspenseful and just enough romance to make it truly interesting. I’d recommend The Darkness Within Us to anyone looking for something quietly delightful to read in the sunshine. Especially to those who enjoyed The Shadows Between Us, because we love a cameo.
This book was provided in exchance for an honest review graphic

This was everything I hoped it would be! As a follow-up to The Shadows Between Us, this book had some big metaphorical shoes to fill. I assumed based on the jacket copy that we'd see a much darker side of Alessandra's sister and I loved how Tricia Levenseller delivered it. The sisters and their stories are not the same, which is important. Chrys has her own goals and her personality shapes how she gets there.
As a young widow who has truly paid for the privileges afforded her by widowhood--money and marital choice--she takes on the management of her late husband's estate. She pays the staff well, gets things repaired, makes wise financial decisions, pays for the intimate services of a few young men. And then some dude shows up claiming he's the rightful heir and she should stop spending his money. Sadly, he's very hot.
Plot happens, but this is a book for the vibes. Somehow very enemies-to-lovers but with a sweetness at the core.
Caitlin Davies narrates and since she did the first in the series as well, I wouldn't recommend listening back to back because her voice is quite distinctive. I read The Shadows Between Us in ebook when it released 4 years ago so I didn't have that issue, but thought I'd give a warning. Davies is popular in young adult and adult romance and contemp. fantasy and not one of my favorites, but her younger voice works well here for Chrys.

Thanks net galley, publisher and author for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Sad that I didn’t realize it was a series so now need to read the first one then I will definitely be picking this up again. I will definitely be reading it on my kindle as I felt sometimes I lost track due to not being able to focus lol adhd.

A Gripping and Unforgettable Read

The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller is an absolute masterpiece that had me hooked from the very first page. This novel is a thrilling blend of dark fantasy, suspense, and emotional depth, showcasing Levenseller’s incredible talent for storytelling.

I didn't realize that this was the second book when I first requested it, so I read the first one. I'm glad I did because I think I would've been confused about certain characters and content mentioned in this story.

I must admit, when I first started this one, I thought I wasn't going to finish it. I think reading along with the audiobook helped. The narrator did a great job with capturing the characters' different personalities and bringing them to life.

At the start of this book, I wasn't sure I was going to like it. Chrysantha made me think of Nesta from the ACOTAR series and she frustrated me beyond belief. In walks in Eryx... Hellloooooo. 😂 They had a bit of a prickly start but they always say there's a fine line between hate and love. To make a long story short, I had a copy of this pre-ordered before I even finished the ARC.

The audio was super enjoyable! I very much refused to put it down 😂.

A big thanks to Macmillan audio and NetGalley for the ALC.

Chrysantha has always played naive, in the hopes to advance her status in the world. She has just married a much older man, hoping he would meet a quick demise, leaving her with his fortune. It's taking a bit longer then expected, so she takes matters into her own hands. Just when she thinks she is finally free from her abusive husband, a man named Eryx shows up claiming to be the next duke of the estate.

I'm sorry but this book just give "I love you its ruining my life" vibes.

This is the companion novel to The Shadows Between Us, which was my favourite book of the year when it came out. You don't need to read the first to pick this one up, but I do think it's worth it to get the full scope of the world and the characters. Chrysantha was an amazing character, I loved how she fooled everyone into thinking she was just a silly little woman, when in reality she was a total badass who knew EXACTLY what she was doing. We get an entirely different side of her then what she was described as through Alessandra's POV in the first book. I also really loved Eryx. His banter with Chrysantha was so entertaining, and they had me giggling a few times with their back and forth. I would have LOVED to have a dual POV so we could see inside Eryx's head as well. I love how we got a cameo from Alessandra and Kallias near the end of the book. It was great seeing them again, and what they've been up to since the end of their book.

I flew through my re-read of the first book and jumped straight into this one - finishing both in a single day. Such an addictive, fun duology, and I highly recommend!

Tricia is one of my favourite authors, and at this point I will read anything she writes.

The Shadows Between Us was such a great book and well done standalone that when I heard about The Darkness Within Us, I was skeptical. Not that it would stop me from reading it though. I really enjoyed the story that was told. Getting to see the world a little bit more, especially the social dynamic that exists, especially exploring the relationship with her sister - now the Queen. It was a nice way to also showcase what has happened with the main characters of book 1 after it ended, without it really being about them or their story. So, if you liked book one you will love this one. If you haven't read the first book you could read this first, but I highly recommend you start with The Shadows Between us.

I enjoyed the audiobook version and Caitlin Davies does a great job of bringing the whole story to life. Her ability to do multiple characters is amazing. I do think I enjoyed this better than actually reading the book myself, she just captures the characters personalities perfectly.

If you were a fan of The Shadows Between Us, you absolutely need to pick this up! Alessandra’s sister, Chrysantha is not the meek girl she pretends to be. No, she’s actually more ruthless than Alessandra herself!

This is an incredible enemies to lovers romantasy in a fun fantasy world that pushes the boundaries on being YA.

I never thought we needed a sequel to Shadow Between Us, but I am happy we got one. I enjoyed Darkness Within Us more than Shadow, a rarity for duologies. Overall, I enjoyed Crys' character and was delighted she was more than the naive little thing we saw in Shadow.

Admittedly, romantasy is not my sub-genre of choice. So, take this with a grain of salt - but I did not connect to the male lead as a character. I found the banter fun but never cared if Chrys and Eryz became a couple. Despite this, I absolutely devoured the political intrigue. I found the court drama fantastic and I wish we would have gotten more in this area.

Audio Notes: Caitlin Davies did a great job narrating this. I enjoyed her voice and have already sought other works she has narrated.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.