Court of Shadows

Institute of the Shadow Fae #1

by C.N. Crawford

A girls' night out means three things to me: drinking whiskey with my best friend, trying not to kill anyone, and keeping my magic hidden. A supernatural gladiator like me isn’t supposed to exist anymore.

But my Friday night takes a bad turn when a lethally gorgeous fae--Ruadan--tries to assassinate me. He's taken a vow of silence until he’s slaughtered the outlaws on his kill list. Outlaws like me.

Ruadan lets me live on one condition: I have to earn my place at the Institute of the Shadow Fae. As a powerful demi-fae, I can take the competition.

But things fall apart when I’m given an impossible choice: betray my mentor Ruadan, or my best friend dies. Now, I face a quandary my gladiatorial past did not prepare me for.

This book is from the Demons of Fire and Night world.

Genres: Fantasy, Fae, Romance, Romantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 9, 2018

About the author

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C.N. Crawford are Wall Street Journal bestselling authors of romantasy books, including books with fae, demons, and magical academies.

We write fantasy romance, urban fantasy, and portal romance. Our books often include trials, banter, and enemies to lovers stories.

CN Crawford’s books are perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, K.F. Breene, and Laura Thalassa.

Note: We are actually two people--a former biologist (Nick) and a former school psychologist (Christine).

Reviews

[Rhy Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sympathetic back pains

These authors really need a different way to describe the physical sensations and responses their characters experience around magic. Take some time, sit down together, think about it, and make a list. You shouldn't stop until you have at least a dozen options on it you're happy with. Ideally more. But NONE of them should involve backs arching, okay? You've already incinerated that bridge. Seriously, you've used it way too much, and it barely made sense to start with. There are two of you, so watch each other try to act these scenes out. Or try it out in a coffee shop or something. In the middle of a conversation, arch your back, breathe heavy, then go on about your business. See that? Everyone is giving you side eye. Now do it another dozen times. The coffee shop is empty, the cashier is on the phone asking their manager for help, and if you haven't pulled a muscle in your back, it's sheer luck. Please, please stop using that phrase.

[MK ( MaKayla) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book in emojis : 🤦🙅🤷

I got only ten pages in and it was SO CRINGEY that I didn't even feel bad about quitting .
The main character was so cliche that I couldn't even stand it .
My biggest pet peeve in any vampire book is the vampire saying something like ;
" Darling , we are dignified creatures , thousand year old vampires don't fall in love with teenage girls , and we don't sparkle like a unicorns bum .". 🙅🤦 I don't have the book anymore so it's not a direct quote but this is almost LITERALLY what he said . I've had enough of Twilght bashing especially when said bashing happens in books so terrible that they don't even have 'a fang left to bite with '. * Sorry about the pun they just come to me * 😂😂

Content : I'd say this is definitely going to be a PG-13 book with what language was used in the first few pages . Listen the word f@#$ doesn't need to be used like gravy on mashed potatoes . We get that you know BAD WORDS, we all do , it doesn't make you look more mature it makes you sound like a three year old that picked it up and doesn't have any idea why they're even using it . 🤦🙅

[emelie 𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚ (exams!!) · Rating 2 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 𝟐.𝟐𝟓₊˚⊹⚔️ 𝟘𝟞/𝟘𝟛/𝟚𝟝—𝟘𝟞/𝟘𝟛/𝟚𝟝
listen, i already wasn’t expecting much for this book but guilty pleasure reads only work if the romance or some factor is addictive (in this case it should’ve been the romance).

but this romance? this isn’t even one where i understand how other people love it but it just wasn’t for me—no. this man was a brick. he had NO personality and was practically nothing. he didn’t even speak for the majority of the book and yeah that could be fun but he was just so…stale. grumpy can work but it wasn’t even like he was a jerk, he was NOTHING! no personality!

the book itself? so 2015 fantasy cliche. the world building was trash and basically just a repeat of everything before. the writing was so bad and just repetitive. i’m not gonna lie but the last half if you asked me what happened i wouldn’t be able to tell you. i cannot fathom how this can end up being a TEN book series? there is just no substance

i will say in the VERY beginning it did have some potential(?) to be decent. i kind of liked the fmc even though she was cliche—she did have some funny lines. despite this somehow a not even 200 page book managed to inch me into a slump! yeah but this isn’t even a book i can understand how some people love because where? everything is so stale and basically nothing even happens remotely interesting. the only reason i binged this in a day was because near the half mark it turned into a hate read.

╰┈➤ tropes to expect!
✎ she goes through trails/he’s her mentor
✎ fae romance
✎ forced proximity
✎ he tries to assassinate her
✎ different realms

₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
on another road trip and this romantasy looks so fun and is just 200 pages! based on the blurb the writing seems pretty bad so i’m not expecting much 👀…

[elizabeth rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is giving serious 2015-era fantasy vibes. We're talking cringey dialogue, predictable plot twists, and a not like other girls main character with mysterious powers. The story follows a supernatural gladiator trying to hide her magic, who ends up entangled with a silent, lethal fae named Ruadan. It's got the classic love-hate relationship and the 'impossible' choices we've seen a million times before.

Why 3 ⭐️, you may ask? Because it was like a nostalgic trip back to the mid-2010s fantasy craze. Sure, it’s clichéd and cheesy, but there was something weirdly enjoyable about it.

Would I recommend it? No.
Am I going to read the next book? Unsure.

[Hinnah · Rating 1 out of 5]

what in the wattpad throne of glass knockoff book is this 💀

[kayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

i KNEW i could smell a man having written some of this book! i didn’t know until after i finished and read about the author but after the thirteenth mention of this poor woman’s boobs i knew.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you know when a book is so bad that it’s kind of good?

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

I don't even know what to say! This is a very solid urban fantasy with a heroine who is so lovable that she melts your heart right out of your chest.

Arianna is a former prized gladiator trying to recover from her captivity while keeping her head down. She has been forced to become a ruthless fighter and while she never forgets all the necessary tools for survival she has learned, she never loses her sense of honor or her vulnerability.

I already knew that this author has skill in writing urban fantasy, but Arianna really pushed it over the top for me.

The premise of the story was interesting, although I wish it was explored in more detail. The romance was great. Arianna's interactions with the other female characters were also a bright spot. And the story was suprisingly funny while still delivering that emotional depth that I crave.

[kitkat (semi-hiatus ♡︎)]

✩࿐ started 10.13.25

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

ೀ. preread ~
i've been craving a good romantasy, so fingers crossed this one hits! 🤞

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

GIMME THE SHADOW DADDY

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty fun urban fantasy where humans co-mingle with magic, fae, vampires, and demons- all in the backdrop of London after a apocalyptic war twenty years ago.

Also this book had all the elements I love! Interesting characters, good world building, and a little schemxy time going on.



So for the characters we have Arianna- a "gutter fae" bartender -whose not exactly suppose to be in this realm after the war, but is just trying to get by with her human best friend Ciara. That is until two unruly vampires trying to start a bar brawl in her pub end up bringing the Shadow Fae to her doorstep. (Kinda like the big bad supernatural police that are down with giving their prey the axe)

Then we have Ruadan, a shadow fae nicknamed 'the Wraith', who doesn't speak and has a nasty attitude-but has some serious power to back it up. He and another fae show up to recruit Arianna into their ancient order of assassins....upon pain of death.



However, in order to become a full fledged member of the Shadow Fae organization she has to compete with other novices, and if she doesn't make it to the end she only has that dreaded iron axe waiting for her. Still, that's not the only reason she agreed to join when an enemy from the past shows up to make even more dangerous demands of Arianna than her new "mentors".

Again loved the premise and look forward to the secrets uncovered in the next book...oh and the romance 😘

[Thais • tata.lifepages • · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I believe Court of Shadows just took the podium as my favorite C.N Crawford novel. After loving the Demon Queen trials series so much I dove in eagerly into this fae series by the same author. What can you expect from this series? That spectacular slow-burn HATE-TO-LOVE with sizzling chemistry that C.N delivers so well, also seen in City of Thorns. I can NEVER get enough of this trope. I listened to the audiobook and I SUPER recommend it, the narrator does an amazing job; love the accents!

Tropes included:

-HATE TO LOVE!!
-Hot, hot, hot fae and demons
-A badass female-lead that can kick (almost everyone’s) ass
-London setting
-A deadly competition
-Adorable and loyal friendships
-I came to kill/steal from you but fell in love

After being a war-slave for so long for a wicked fae, Ariana lives in hiding from the supernatural world. That is, until that same fae finds her and blackmails her into obtaining one of the most wanted artifacts: a world key. Problem is, that key is inside the Fae Institute and guarded by one of the most ruthless and powerful fae warriors (and to top that obscenely gorgeous): the wraith. She has no choice but to joins the institute’s deadly competition in order to get close to the wraith. But after spending so much time alongside this silent warrior who burns her insides, she starts to doubt her intentions. Is she growing soft? Can she go through with her plan? I love the “I came to kill you but fell in love” trope and my heart leaped in glee as the story unfolded.

Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review!

[Camila · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea.


The plot: like a 3 out of 5 until you get towards the end and realize.. what now? Then it dropped to a 1 out of 5. Lacked finesse.

The characters:
Ciara: we had barely any time to get to know her yet she was DIRE to the MC.
Arianna: ehhh, she didn’t draw me in at all. It was hard to sympathize for her.
Ruadan: O M G HOW do you say his name??
Is it like Roo-Ah-Dahn?
Or Roo-a-Dan?
I kept saying Roo-Dan in my head and had to correct myself every time.
ANYWAY.
Literally the mute factor was one of the most interesting parts of the book and then at the end when he spoke..
Well by then the plot had gone to shit so it didn’t even matter.

This book was a whole lot of LACKING.

And I totally agree with the review I read about the overly used back-arching...
Awkwardddd
I too would be calling the manager for help.
Please go read that review it’s hilarious. GO FIND IT.

Anyway. Not diving into book 2. Consider my time wasted.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Interesting enough and our main female character is a badass and very funny half fae. A gutter fae precisely though I still don’t know what it means exactly. And we don’t know what her other half is…

Unfortunately there are plot holes and the romance lacked tension, but I am still intrigued to read the next book.

[Mollie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Objectively bad book yet I liked it and would potentially read book 2???? I’m confused???

[🌠Maïssane (azriel’s spouse) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I’ve read the Frost and Nectar duology I was in love and I’m not disappointed with Court of Shadows. I’ve love this book, I just didn’t like the trope as the duology before. But I want a Ruadan 😫
It’s an easy reading, there’s not « too much » world building. I think it’s good when you search something simple. But be careful about the triggers warning !
The writers got the talents to make powerful women in every books. And that’s such a good point to have build women and not some random little girls who can beat anyone without knowing any defense methods.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this book. I really like these authors and all the books I’ve read by them, but this book was just wonderful. Great characters, intriguing plot, hot chemistry, and action so exciting your heart might stop lead to a book that was extremely hard to put down. I enjoyed every minute I spent reading this book. I love the hints that there are some things about Arianna’s past she needs to find out about, and I loved Ruadan, even when he didn’t talk for most of the book. His eyes were so expressive. I can’t wait to find out more about this couple, the Institute, and the secrets that are being kept. I can’t recommend this book enough! I was provided a complimentary copy of the e-book which I reviewed voluntarily.

[Just Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great way to start a series!

The thing I enjoy the most about Team Crawford’s writing is how imaginative they are.
They have the greatest ideas and they make them real, functional and magical.
They just make it work so effortlessly.

Arianna has sass, and epic fighting stills, and most important. She has loyalty.

Ruadan was just how a brooding, non-talking Fae male should be. Tough, no bull-shit and a protector. Even if he doesn’t come off as one😂


Read: 29/10/2020
1st rating: 4 stars
Genre/tropes: Paranormal/Fae/vampires/romance/magic
Cover: 3 stars
POV’s: Single -1st person (Arianna)
Will I recommend: Yes, and I will be continuing the series because all the chemistry😍

[One chapter more · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love C.N. Crawford since her fantastic FBI Fae series, so I quite enjoyed this read too. Don't want to say too much as the audiobook version was absolutely horrible so I will re-read it in the normal way and update my review once that's done. It does have a similar feeling to the Shadows & Flame series but the story is interesting enough to continue exploring more.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Arianna with my whole heart. Her comments made laugh so hard. She is a queen. Said comments:

“𝐎𝐤𝐚𝐲‧ 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐞‧ 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐞‧”

“𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐭‧”

𝐈 𝐧𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡‧ 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦‧ “𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞?”

♡ Blurb: Going from a cheap London hovel where people might kill you to an elite fae institute should be amazing, especially when it involves a medieval castle. But there, people also want you dead, even more when you are fighting for the only spot with the Knight Faes and you’ll be trained by The Wraith, the darkness itself, a demon, a killer.
So what, should I be afraid? — possibly Arianna. She is a badass woman.

♡ Also, can we talk about the fact that The Wraith is so hot. Like I can’t. Give me a man who doesn’t realize how attractive he is, who made a vow of silence, who acts all cool but can’t help to care about you, who can’t resist you, who will kiss you to help you control magic and I will be a pool of goo on the floor.

Pd: Ignore this. Like you don’t have to read it, but everytime he wrote in a piece of paper to communicate, I couldn’t stop imagining how many pieces he had on his pockets. It makes me laugh everytime.

That’s it, that’s my honest review 😌

[Lady Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

This was good... but could have been a whole lot better, I felt. I found it entertaining enough, but the story needed "fleshing out", IMO. It felt like there was a good structure in place, and the idea was good (give me the apocalypse, the Fae, and fighter-heroines any day and I'm there like a bear), but it needed a bit more thought into pretty much all aspects of the story.

I would've appreciated a bit more world-building (although to be fair I believe this series falls under the Demons of Fire and Night Universe, and I have not read any of those, which would explain why I felt like I was plonked into the middle of a story with the start of this series) the characters felt a little flat to me, and the underlying plot was not hugely convincing. There were also one or two spelling errors that detracted from the book.

Hopefully the next book will divulge a bit more and will get me fully invested into the story.

[Marie-Claude Gagné · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je n’avais pas d’attente particulière envers ce livre, mais j’ai vraiment été divertie du début à la fin. Le personnage principal est vraiment bien, il y a toujours de l’action, l’univers des faes est simple sans avoir besoin de 200 pages en trop, et tout fonctionne. Bref, une belle surprise.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ : Adoré

[Ruba · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.7

What was this book? Why was this book?

I'm not sure what I expected but it wasn't this. I couldn't get over how many times the FMC's boobs are mentioned along with the phrase "the scent of pine" (update: a total of 15 times). I'd say 80% of the FMCs personality is her violet hair. Someone said this was a slow burn, and I want to know WHERE.

The MMC has the personality of a cardboard box, mainly because he chooses not to speak throughout the book, until he finally does? This doesn't happen until the last 5 pages. To make matters worse, he's an INCUBUS of all things and so you'd expect some sort of sexual deviant, right? This book had the spice level of cinnamon flavored gum.

There was no bold plot or amazing development, and there's this suddenly revelation during the last 2% that the FMC has a secret (that's not even touched on or mentioned at all during the first 98%).

**sigh**

[Heather Bowes-Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a complete and utter waste of time. This book managed to take an interesting premise and smother it under layers of dreary writing, lifeless characters, and a plot so flimsy it could barely stand upright. Every page felt like a slog, and by the halfway mark I was only reading out of spite.

The characters had the personality of damp cardboard, the pacing was non-existent, and the supposed “twists” were about as shocking as lukewarm tea. Honestly, I’ve read shopping lists with more tension and intrigue.

By the time I finished, I wasn’t just disappointed — I was furious that I’d sacrificed hours of my life to something so utterly hollow. If this is what passes for fantasy, then the genre deserves better. Court of Shadows should have stayed in the shadows and never seen the light of day.

[DarkTwistedReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will always love this book and the series. So much was fit into only 200pgs.
So fun.
Ruadan will always be my book boyfriend ❤

[sar · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book was literally so terrible. like the headlamps?? the lollipops?? there are SEVENNNN of these books?? im so sick lol

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Butterscotch and Shadows

Arianna was managing by staying out of trouble and that meant not allowing herself to be seen as obviously anything besides human despite her shining lavender hair. She also needed to avoid killing any of the dubious drunkards that wandered into the bar where she was a bouncer. When two Shadow Slayers showed up in that bar, Arianna decided to quit the evening a bit early. London could be rough on a good night, but Shadow Slayers were to be avoided at all costs.

Unfortunately the Slayers followed Arianna and her time in Balleros arena gave her a fighting skills that made her think she might be able to disable them enough to escape. To her credit Arianna made them work for it enough that they were impressed and decided not to kill her. Instead she was invited to the Fae Institute in what was once The Tower of London to train as a Knight. She would become a Knight or die.

Arianna’s old master Balleros kidnapped her only friend Ciara when he found she was going to the Institute and demanded she steal a key in return for Ciara’s life. The very bad news was the key was held by a wraith that was very powerful and didn’t speak which made him twice as terrifying.

This world was bewitching and well imagined and so were all of the main characters. It says this was book one, but it seemed to be a self contained story that I really enjoyed. It had some mild erotic talk, but this was a story about magic and the fae. There is a little bit of desire, but this is really not a romance and yet it is that’s the best I can say about it. Five solid stars for C.N. Crawford.

[Kendra Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed my entire way through this book. In a good way.

I had so much fun with this read. It's a wonderfully bright urban fantasy with world-building that is all at once immersive and subtle. Crescent City vacuum vibes without the six hundred pages of confusion and brain-melting theory. Everything about Crawford's writing style is easy and that extends to the ease and speed with which I slipped into this book.

There's a stabby FMC with a mouth like no other, creative insults that deserve their own urban dictionary entry, fast-paced plot development, and a shadow daddy that literally does not speak. He's silent. And mean...also borderline terrifying. And I love him.

This is the ultimate in grumpy-sunshine, forced proximity, and mentor-mentee. There is a magical training college where the recruits participe in high stakes trials. There's smoldering tension and life-and-death angst among the participants as well as the mentors. But my biggest takeaway was the levity and feet-kicking; the uproarious giggle fits this book caused. Love. Five stars. Pure unhinged joy.

[Ve (ve_xo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely a quick read! I think it’s the first time I read something with fae/gladiators, I enjoyed the slow burn romance and the sassiness of the main character. The competition element is always enticing and definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The interaction between Ariana and Ruadan is tense but sexy, they’re always at each others throats 🤣. But it was great to see they’re sexual tension evolve. The mysterious Ariana and all her secrets kept me hooked. I am looking forward to reading more of this series! And can we talk about the gorgeous covers 😍

Huge thanks to the author for sending me a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

[S. ♈ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read! I loved Arianna, the FMC, and the story from the very first lines. I can't wait to read the sequels!