Book Review :: The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
ISBN: 1250189969
Series: The Shadows Between Us #1
Also in this series: The Darkness Within Us
Published by Feiwel and Friends
on 25 February 2020
Pages: 326
Goodreads

Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:

1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.

But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?

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What is The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller about?

The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller is the story of Alessandra, who is ready and very willing to woe the Shadow King, kill him and then take his crown. As one does.

The freshly crowned Shadow King wields some mysterious power. Talk on the town is that he can control the shadows that swirl around him and even hear the thoughts of his foes. But that doesn’t scare her. Alessandra is set on doing what hundreds of others couldn’t: marry the king.

But when she meets the King, it turns out he needs her too. The Shadow King proposes a fake-courting situation, where Alessandra will pretend to be his partner so he can get the country off his back about marrying. Alessandra agrees, still with the intent of actually marrying him, killing him and taking his crown.

The trouble is, Alessandra’s not the sole assassin in town. As attempts on the king’s life stack up, she’s caught between saving him long enough to become queen and not falling for him in the process.

My thoughts on The Shadows Between Us

I really enjoyed The Shadows Between Us. After reading Daughter of the Pirate King and then its sequel, Daughter of the Pirate Queen a few years back (and loving them!), I was looking forward to picking up another book by Tricia Levenseller. That book was actually not this one, but Warrior of the Wild, which was okaaaaay, and I did enjoy it (3.5 stars I believe I gave it), but it wasn’t Alosa and pirates.

So I did wait a little while before picking up The Shadows Between Us, as I was a bit nervous I wouldn’t like it. But, thankfully, I did. In fact, it was really good and my love for Levenseller was restored.

The hype around this book on the internet also made me a little hesitant about going into it, as is the case with many over-hyped books, but I have to say I did really enjoy The Shadows Between Us and while it was a little simple in terms of plot line and surprises, it was still a really good read.

Taking on a different topic this time, The Shadows Between Us is more fantasy than pirates, and definitely not Viking-themed like Warrior of the Wild was. Alessandra was feisty. Feisy and bad? She wasn’t an ethically good character, she was really to do whatever it took to get what she wanted, and there was definitely no redemptive arc in terms of evil to good. Morally grey, for sure.

Which I loved. Refreshing from the books I’d read recently, and before and after this one.

If you haven’t read this book and you’re a fan of Levenseller, then definitely pick it up. I’m looking forward to the second in this series, The Darkness Within Us, which actually looks like it’s going to be a companion novel rather than an actual sequel. It comes out in 2024.

What about you? Have you read this one? What did you think?