But in a land brimming with old magic and meddling gods, nothing is ever that simple, and nothing is ever what it seems. As the bodies pile up and strange monsters begin to wreak havoc throughout the realms, Cas and Elander will have to work together to protect their world whether they like it or not. Because one thing is clear: Something ancient and evil is stirring in the shadows of that world.

I think the pacing in general was good but sometimes it felt off especially midway. The action-scenes helped in keeping me invested in the story and the tension-building kept me on edge about what's to happen. Casia works as a mercenary with a group of outlaws thanks to their magic. Trouble stirs and they are caught by the guards of the King-Emperor Varen. Overall, there isn't anything in particular that I strongly disliked about this book. I think it did everything well but it didn't have anything that stood out to me as being amazing. I recommend this if you're looking for a fantasy-romance series with a badass female main character. I'll definitely keep reading the rest of the series! The romance develops at a steady pace and I'm happy it wasn't rushed because it was fun to see them face a battle of wits every time they were around each other. THE STORYLINE AND ROMANCE were a bit cliche and had a ton of tropes, but it was still really enjoyable. I don't mind tropes and things being cliche as long as there's enough nuance for it to still be unique.

It gives off major Throne of Glass vibes (which, okay, I didn't like either - but in my defense, I was at least able to finish that one), and hadn't it been for the unsufferable MC, the confusing world-building and the tedious way it was described, I probably would have tried harder to make it at least to the halfway mark. The first book in the thrilling Shadows & Crowns series - perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows !

The world-building is impressively atmospheric and intricate. I'm aware that it takes place in the same universe as another prequel series and builds up on that, it could be why I felt a tad overwhelmed by it but it didn't cause much confusion for me. They were an interesting pair, weren’t they? Nothing but questions and doubts between them, it seemed like. I adored the characters in this book! They were radiant and alive and each was tinged with a unique personality and a voice. The author did an excellent job at setting them apart and creating such an amazing chemistry between not only the couple, but all the characters.Speaking of the couple, Cas and Elander's chemistry was off the roof the moment they met. They served delicious banter, slowburn tension, and all of that added so much to the amazing chemistry between them. This infuriating Captain Elander also has secrets: A past that Cas can’t seem to uncover, a powerful but strange brand of magic, and a deep distrust of the very monarch that he’s sworn to serve. She feels oddly drawn to him in spite of these things… THERE WAS A GOOD mixture of fantasy and romance, my favorite combination in a book ❤️ The fantasy world was interesting, not like anything I've previously read before so that's always good.

Then there's Elander. I wasn't sure what to think of him at first. The way his relationship with Cas developed was really well done. They had some good jibs and banter, but also a couple soft moments, including a steamy scene. The ending was a bit wild. I was confused at parts, even though I guessed the "big reveal". The way the "villain" was revealed was kind of anti-climactic, because I was just so confused to their motivations in the moment.

Customer reviews

It was so much fun revisiting the world from the Serpents and Kings trilogy, with all the gods, myths and magic! New characters and new events, so you don't have to read the former trilogy before you read this book (although I highly recommend that you do, because it's damn good!). If you haven't read the Serpents and Kings trilogy you might have to spend some time getting to know the world, but no more than you usually do when starting a new series. However, Casia will have to work closely with the infuriatingly charming Captain of the Peace Keeping regiment of the King's army, Elander Revenmar.

But how can they save a world where nothing and no one is what they seem to be— including Cas herself? I do feel like this book is really an introduction to this series. It wasn’t that plot-heavy. We got little pieces of the plot but it wasn’t all that clear why the characters did what they did.The mythology within the country of Kethra was absolutely magnificent. There was a whole pagan set of gods and goddesses. I loved all the different "levels"(?), might not be the right word. Can I please have an encyclopedia of all the gods in this world? I want to learn more right now. I wasn’t super big on the narrator of the audiobook. She wasn’t awful or anything but idk there was something I just didn’t like. I think she made Cas sound way too much like an awkward teenager almost like a Bella Swan kind of awkward. And also she made Varen sound like a Disney villain but I only listen to the audiobook occasionally, most of the time I read the physical book so it was bearable when I needed to listen to a chapter or 2 Read more