Got as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. And maybe I'm just not sure because I didn't read the 1st book! But this book really just felt flat I'm not sure! It just wasn't my cup of tea!! Idk. It was sooo i wanna keep dancing! I can't do this! This thing inside me blah blah idk.... once the action did start I was kinda over the whole book and wanted it to actually end!

I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call picks up a little after the events of book 1 and Laure is going THROUGH it. Still dealing with the fallout of the last book and her new found “partnership” with Acheron, she struggles to find balance between her old life and the new one that was forged after her resurrection. But with her protégé gone wild and the threat of terrifying monsters rising above the surface, Laurie must embrace the beast within to snuff out any lingering threats. Can she become one with the dark to save who she holds dear or will be consumed, along with everything else?

👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹👹

Hovering between 3.5 - 4 🖤.

I really enjoyed I Feed Her To the Beast, so I jumped at the chance to read the sequel. Laure is such an interesting and complex character……she’s neither good or bad and is filled with so much rage……it was almost infectious. I couldn’t help but root for her (even with her questionable decisions) and I am pleased with the outcome of the story. Definitely as dark and gory as the first one but if you’re into that ( I am), you will love this. Really solid ending to a unique story and the narrator was amazing!

Thank you NetGalley and Mcmillian Audio for the ARC. I Am the Dark When You Call is out today!

The narration is perfect for this follow up of I Feed Her to the Beast. I feel like this was more of a standalone than book 2 - is that good or bad thing? Could go both ways. Jamison Shea is a very talented YA author who brings us difficult, complicated, maybe unlikeable heroines and goes hard with the horror elements

Even better than the first and a perfect ending! I can’t reccomend this duology enough. I don’t normally read horror but this duology is amazing. Read it now!

I find that I don't read a whole lot of horror as I get older. In middle school, Stephen King style horror was amongst my favorite genres. At my current big age, I find that horror has to be grounded in real world aspect for me to fully invest and enjoy a novel. In my opinion, this novels horror was grounded in an exploration of real-world oppression, and so I found myself deeply invested in the outcome.

I did read the first novel in this series before I read this sequel to review. Laure and Acheron are back for more ballet themed adventures. This picks up right where the first novel left off. It could be read as a stand-alone novel, but much of the richness of Laure's growth as a character would be lost without the first novel as a reference. I don't want to give spoilers away for either novel because I think this duology unfolds better if the reader has less knowledge of the story flow.

This does have blood, gore, and other horror elements. I didn't find the violent scenes gratuitous. Everything felt like it was there to explore the characters' journey. This second installment was just as fast-paced as the first novel and every bit as engrossing. I love a well written, morally grey character who embodies the 'by any means necessary' mantra. I also enjoy the fierceness and unapologetic badassery of Laure.

This audiobook is narrated by Kristolyn Lloyd, who also narrated the first book in this series. I love love love when the same narrator returns for the sequel. This is a unique story, and I appreciate Kristolyn's treatment of the fantastical and horror elements. The narration in this instance adds another layer to the story, and I highly recommend the audiobook for this story.

Thank you to Jamison Shea, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

4/5 stars
*I tandem read the audio w/ a physical copy

“I made the devil fade away. And this dark is mine.”

With terrifying body horror and captivating prose, I Am The Dark was the perfect end to Laure’s journey.

Laure, more or less, is crashing out after the events in I Feed Her To The Beast and is coping with the aftermath in destructive ways. In Dark, we’re not only delving deeper into the internal struggle with her monstrous side and humanity, but how she’s grieving the loss of almost everything she’s ever loved — including herself.

Laure’s arc has such a gratifying conclusion and shows that Shea is a master in writing character growth. I was frustrated with Laure, yes, but I was always rooting for her, even in her villain era. I also appreciated that we got additional lore, as well as expanded on the other characters, their interpersonal relationships, and how Acheron affected their lives.

Dark also didn’t skimp on the graphic imagery and twists. I love body horror and I cringed at certain parts (which is a good thing in my book!) and was consistently kept on my toes until the last page.

Kristolyn Lloyd is a gem! She did such a fantastic job narrating Dark and you could hear the passion in her voice. All of the characters had distinct voices and, once again, her choice for Acheron was chef’s kiss. I need her to narrate more!

I genuinely couldn’t have asked for a more satisfying ending to this duology. I can’t wait to see what Shea has for us in 2025.

4 stars

This was horrific in the best way. Jamison Shea's writing is so gripping and poetic. The rage continues in this one, just differently from I Feed Her To The Beast, and I love it. The story is intriguing and, at times, graphic. We get more body horror in this one and, not as surprising as one might think, some light cannibalism. All in all, this was great. I did struggle a bit at the beginning because the pacing felt a little slow, and it dragged for a bit. That was quickly remedied around the 50% mark, and the story really moved along. I listened to the audiobook for this, and it was AMAZING. The narration was perfect, and Kristolyn Lloyd did a beautiful performance with all her different voices. Especially the chilling Acheron. This was a great reading experience and a wonderfully dark and twisty adventure. Definitely recommend if you need a little dose of feminine rage.

*4.5 Stars*

I wish I could tell you my deepest thoughts about this book but I have none. It was one hell of a roller coaster though, what a ride. This series took me to places I didn't think it would. I kept being surprised over and over and over again. An insane series all around. The characters were great, the plot wholly original and I was enthralled, I could not stop reading.
It's so crazy that those two books were Jamison Shea's firsts and I cannot wait to read anything else they write.

What a thrilling conclusion to this series. I was wondering how Jamison was going to top the first book, and they did not disappoint! There were still themes of belonging, community, power, and control but this book was also a different journey. I appreciated the very real frustration of being overlooked, forgotten, and tossed aside. It’s heartbreaking to dedicate yourself to something for so long and seemingly be erased so quickly. But it’s also a tale that so many marginalized folks have lived through. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was audibly gasping with each new twist. The narrator was excellent and made each character sound completely unique. I really enjoy Jamison Shea’s storytelling and will always recommend their books.

I Am The Dark That Answers When You Call follows Laure (and Acheron) as it becomes clear that something is wrong with Elysium, and it’s bleeding into the streets of Paris. I love the rage, violence, and monsters that fill this series. Laure’s anger is tangible and raw, as she faces trial after trial. Again, Andor is one of my favorite characters. I love how Jamison Shea can write characters that balance both sharp and soft edges. Through describing horrifying images, they write it so reverently that you can’t help but see the beauty in it.

Kristolyn Lloyd does such a fantastic job narrating the audiobook. Each character is so unique through their narration, it adds an additional layer to the story. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook format.

Title: I Am The Dark That Answers When You Call
Author: Jamison Shea
Page Count: 336
Time Length: 10H 31M
Dates Read: 11/6-11/6
Format: Audiobook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Summary: Laure has to face her consequences for her decisions. She has to learn to make her way in the world that has nothing left for her.

Review: This one didn't steal me away as much as the first. The story was still dark and twisty. I loved the even more darker Laure. I would reread this series and recommend it to my friends.

I had not read from this author before now, I have seen the error of my ways and will correct this right away! Finding out that this is a sequel I did not feel that I was missing a piece of this story at all. The character-building, action, conflict, plot, and world development were enjoyable, and it moved at a decent pace. I will be reading the first two books right away so that I have a complete view of this world.

I listened to the audio version and it was chef's kiss, Kristolyn Lloyd did an outstanding job narrating and slipping in and out of English and French.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Jamison Shea, and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily and without coercion.

This was a solid 4 star read, and a wonderful ending to the duology. Laurens anger and overall feelings were valid in so many ways, and this was a great way to explore those emotions. It was a gory, but not to the point that I was uncomfortable. It was slow in spots but it picked up not long after, and overall, I found this to be a good read for Halloween and it's a good horror series as well.

I Am The Dark That Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea is the sequel to I Feed Her To The Beast And The Beast Is Me. This ya dark fantasy is a great follow-up to the villain origin story that I loved so much, and I'm just completely obsessed.

Without spoiling book one, it's basically about an outcast ballerina who does everything she can to be exactly who she wants to be. But are the consequences of her actions worth it?

Shea's writing is so beautiful, and the best way for me to describe it is magnetic. I really loved the higher stakes in this one. It was dark and twisty. We got to see more of the paranormal aspect of the plot. It's full of sketchy characters. The fmc is trying so hard to be grounded and is striving for some kind of connection. I felt like she was just losing control.

I received the advanced audiobook for this one, and the narrator did such a great job. It was easy to listen to, I was engaged. The narration was done well, and the voice fit the characters and the vibes.

I absolutely loved this. This was the perfect ending to this duoligy. I love how dark this is and how Shea isn't afraid to take this to its gory and depressing end. I honestly read this all in one sitting cause I just couldn't put it down.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook! The characters were vivid and helped me understand the complex topics featured. I however did not enjoy the person who read the book! I rate this book 4/5 stars!

Another dark YA thriller set in Paris that picks up where the first book left as we continue following Black, demon-possessed ballerina, Laure as she navigates jealousy, love and danger the more enmeshed in the underground world of Elysium she becomes. I love this gritty look into the harsher sides of ballet, particularly for ballerinas of color. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Tiffany D. Jackson and good on audio narrated by Kristolyn Lloyd. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved I Feed Her to the Beast when I read it last year. When I saw its sequel, I have never wanted to get my hands on an ARC in all my life. The only difference this time around was that I was consuming it as an audiobook rather than text, and I was extremely curious to hear how Shea's writing would sound being performed aloud.

Even though this book was still good, it didn't grab me like its predecessor.

Firstly, the narrator was pretty good. Kristolyn Lloyd made Laure voice's very strong and imbed in my brain, and her narration of the scenes and descriptions were splendid, too. There were times I found it kind of goofy. I think it's because I was listening at 1.5x speed, but her voice for Acheron, which was demonic, felt very non-serious, as well as the accents she put on for other characters. It wasn't bad, nor did it hinder my enjoyment; it just pulled me from the story sometimes.

Speaking of which, the story started out good, but it kinda stretched itself thin at the end. There's only so many times you can say someone's spiraling, and Laure's mental health crises were more upfront rather than the clasping of her god's sanctuary. Normally, I wouldn't mind that, but her thoughts got very repetitive. I think this was a problem in the last book, too, but I really felt it here. There were so many times I wanted Laure to lose it on someone, to tell them flat out what she was thinking rather than sit there and seethe on it. That probably speaks more to her character, because the reason she got here in the first place was due to taking all the crap the world has thrown at her throughout her life. But I wanted her to be more unhinged vocally, for her to show how monstrous she's become while inhabiting an eldritch god.

There's so much happening outside of Laure's downward plunge, but it still feels like nothing all that much at he same time. Her boyfriend is scared of her for a bit before getting over it (She also gets a girlfriend? Kind of? That wasn't explicitly clear by the end), her protegee turns on her, a certain parental figure bombards back into her life, there's a whole other god name Leafy (Forgive me if I spell it wrong; I'm assuming based off the audiobook), which makes me laugh because I kept imagining it being LeafyIsHere, and said new god has a acolyte named Gabriel who becomes Laure's new ballet teacher/enemy/father figure(?). Despite all of this, I wasn't entranced as I was with Laure's struggles last book. I dunno, the connections with her struggles last time felt more intertwined, more natural, and here it felt - scattered. I feel like some threads could have been trimmed to make the whole tapestry a little cleaner, but, ultimately, it is what it is.

I think I would still recommend this book to anyone who loved the first one just to see through the end of Laure's story. Plus, I still like the writing, even with the repetitiveness. I can only hope whatever Shea does next grabs me like their debut.

Not feeling this as much as the first book. And honestly that could have been a standalone with a sufficient enough ending.
2 months after the incident at the Palais Garnier, Laure is spinning out of control. She's drinking and partying and basically just being one with Acheron. Until Laure discovers that Elysium is dying and Acheron and Lethe's influence starts spilling out onto the streets of Paris. Who better to save the day than the monster they made?

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc..*

From the first sentence to the last, I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call had me in a chokehold.

Jamison Shea's second installment of the I Feed Her to the Beast series was a vast improvement on the first novel. That's particularly impressive because the first book was very good. The one weakness in that novel was completely rectified in this one. Before, I was disappointed with the level of development in Laure Mesny's significant relationships. The sequel delves into the strained dynamic with her parents, shows the deep complicated bond between her and her close friends, details her exploring romance, and explored her connection with an eldritch god.

All of this quality relationship building strengthened what had already been achieved in the first book. Following Laure as she navigated new challenges was incredibly rewarding. I wish all sequels were this amazing. I'm giving this a solid five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.