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In Her Shadow
Twenty-one-year-old sorceress Adara has trained since childhood to be a killer. Her grandfather, as head of the Assassins' Guild, raised her to believe in the morality of their to rid the world of criminals and the suffering they cause.
But there's more to Adara than her lethal abilities-more than she even knows herself.
When a routine mission goes wrong, she is kidnapped by enemies of her estranged mother, and soon, Adara is caught up in politics at the highest level. In discovering the truth about her parents and the origins of her powers, Adara must decide who she wants to be . . . even if it means leaving everything from her old life behind. The fate of the world may rest in the balance.
Set in a richly imagined world where magic has evolved after the fall of democracy, In Her Shadow is an action-packed story of power, corruption, justice, and family bonds.
But there's more to Adara than her lethal abilities-more than she even knows herself.
When a routine mission goes wrong, she is kidnapped by enemies of her estranged mother, and soon, Adara is caught up in politics at the highest level. In discovering the truth about her parents and the origins of her powers, Adara must decide who she wants to be . . . even if it means leaving everything from her old life behind. The fate of the world may rest in the balance.
Set in a richly imagined world where magic has evolved after the fall of democracy, In Her Shadow is an action-packed story of power, corruption, justice, and family bonds.
294 pages, Hardcover
Published April 21, 2023
4 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 10, 2023
I'm having a really hard time giving this a star rating as I am new to Sci-fi fantasy and don't have much to compare it to.
My preferred genre is Romantic Fantasy/Dark Romance, so this was a pretty hard left turn from that for me, but I had a lot of fun reading it.
The world-building is extremely thorough. Character backstories and family trees were incredibly well thought out, and if you're into political intrigue, this is certainly the book for you!
If I had to describe this book to someone who knew nothing about it, I would say imagine Caelena Sardothian fell into the marvel universe and hooked up with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Kim Kardashian is also there, but her name is Naya. She knows how to use a bow and is super badass.
It did feel like we were getting some hints of romance toward the end, which I'm excited about!
I can't wait to see where this series goes :)
My preferred genre is Romantic Fantasy/Dark Romance, so this was a pretty hard left turn from that for me, but I had a lot of fun reading it.
The world-building is extremely thorough. Character backstories and family trees were incredibly well thought out, and if you're into political intrigue, this is certainly the book for you!
If I had to describe this book to someone who knew nothing about it, I would say imagine Caelena Sardothian fell into the marvel universe and hooked up with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Kim Kardashian is also there, but her name is Naya. She knows how to use a bow and is super badass.
It did feel like we were getting some hints of romance toward the end, which I'm excited about!
I can't wait to see where this series goes :)
September 9, 2023
Okay I loved this! This is one of those books that proves why 3rd person perspective is better. It was so fun getting to follow so many different characters in different places. It gave six of crows vibes in that way.
I thought the storyline was brilliant and the whole time I was reading I was like “I wish I could come up with ideas like this and be an author”
Honestly idk what I’m going to do until book 2 comes out because I NEED to know whats going on between the two characters in the epilogue 👀 (no spoilers)
Thanks again to the author, K.L. Hazlett for sending this to me, I’m SO happy I got to read it because wow 🤩 so good.
I thought the storyline was brilliant and the whole time I was reading I was like “I wish I could come up with ideas like this and be an author”
Honestly idk what I’m going to do until book 2 comes out because I NEED to know whats going on between the two characters in the epilogue 👀 (no spoilers)
Thanks again to the author, K.L. Hazlett for sending this to me, I’m SO happy I got to read it because wow 🤩 so good.
July 17, 2023
3.75⭐️/5
Can I just say… wow!
I am typically a romance reader, who dabbles in fantasy and thrillers.
This was an amazing way to venture into the realm of Sci-Fi Fantasy! I was worried off the bat about the politics aspect, as that usually is a bore for me when it comes to stories, but this book changed my way of thinking and reading when it comes to politics!
No spoilers:
-I loved the world building, not too much info but just enough to truly be imaginative and creative in my own mind
-lots of characters, which was a bit hard to follow at times but I caught on pretty quick!
-usually not a big fan of third person, but it was necessary in this book for sure and loved how well it was done!
-gave me a whole new insight to a new genre, and I can’t wait to continue this series!
-I can truly see this book being an amazing gateway to an awesome, action packed series
Spoilers:
******
-If I don’t get an Adara x Tydus romance in the second book I am going to riot .
Well done K.L Hazlett, well done.
Rating determined by:
-great story and good build up to the next book
-likeable characters
-easy to get a bit lost at times due to many characters being introduced as well as names of countries/continents/kingdoms etc
-could have used a tiny bit more editing for some grammatical errors!
-overall a great debut !!!
Can I just say… wow!
I am typically a romance reader, who dabbles in fantasy and thrillers.
This was an amazing way to venture into the realm of Sci-Fi Fantasy! I was worried off the bat about the politics aspect, as that usually is a bore for me when it comes to stories, but this book changed my way of thinking and reading when it comes to politics!
No spoilers:
-I loved the world building, not too much info but just enough to truly be imaginative and creative in my own mind
-lots of characters, which was a bit hard to follow at times but I caught on pretty quick!
-usually not a big fan of third person, but it was necessary in this book for sure and loved how well it was done!
-gave me a whole new insight to a new genre, and I can’t wait to continue this series!
-I can truly see this book being an amazing gateway to an awesome, action packed series
Spoilers:
******
-If I don’t get an Adara x Tydus romance in the second book I am going to riot .
Well done K.L Hazlett, well done.
Rating determined by:
-great story and good build up to the next book
-likeable characters
-easy to get a bit lost at times due to many characters being introduced as well as names of countries/continents/kingdoms etc
-could have used a tiny bit more editing for some grammatical errors!
-overall a great debut !!!
March 10, 2025
I’ll start with what I liked! Adara’s mother is who I would assume the title is based off of, the entire story feels like they’re living in her shadow. I like the idea of chaotic neutral characters being the main villains of the story. The magic system is fun and mixed with sci-fi and I like the family politics and lovable characters.
I will say this is more of a young adult novel and I prefer more adult but the story was a relaxing read, I always had a feeling of comfort while leafing through the pages.
I think my main comment would be surrounding the plot. Sometimes I struggled to see where the story was going or detect the underlying thread pulled by the antagonists- sometimes they felt invisible (assassin joke lol).
But that cliff hanger at the end?!? I’ll need to know what happens.
I will say this is more of a young adult novel and I prefer more adult but the story was a relaxing read, I always had a feeling of comfort while leafing through the pages.
I think my main comment would be surrounding the plot. Sometimes I struggled to see where the story was going or detect the underlying thread pulled by the antagonists- sometimes they felt invisible (assassin joke lol).
But that cliff hanger at the end?!? I’ll need to know what happens.
July 28, 2023
This book came up on booktok and I decided to give it a go. I enjoyed the world and how there were elements of today's technology and inventions alongside the use of magic. My biggest peeves with this book was the fact that there were a lot of moments that I saw coming, and whenever anything happened that impacted the story, it was resolved quickly and then mostly forgotten about. There were also a lot of grammar mistakes that I picked up, and a lot of words were left out and I needed to fill in a lot of blanks. Apart from that I enjoyed the different perspectives of the characters and the fast paced action scenes were fantastic. I give this book 3.5/5 and can honestly say I'm excited for the next instalment.
March 31, 2024
Super fun Sci-fi/Fantasy hybrid! This was the perfect read for me, I don’t read a ton of sci-fi but I love fantasy!
The characters are very charming with complex and realistic motivations! I really enjoyed Klein’s character and it was such a cool plot to follow through a multi-pov narrative.
The author creates a interesting world with unique twists that made this read super easy to finish! The cover is beautifully done and I think the authors efforts to create a dynamic and compelling experience really shine.
The characters are very charming with complex and realistic motivations! I really enjoyed Klein’s character and it was such a cool plot to follow through a multi-pov narrative.
The author creates a interesting world with unique twists that made this read super easy to finish! The cover is beautifully done and I think the authors efforts to create a dynamic and compelling experience really shine.
March 21, 2025
Assassin and Princess? 😱
To my shock, there was more than action scenes in here. There’s actually a lot of political intrigue. But to my surprise I was invested. I came in thinking this would be full of action from point a to point b. But no, there’s a lot more that’s going on and it’s great!
But when the action does get going, it gets GOING! There are so many great scenes in here and it’s hard to pick just one. But I am excited to see where it all leads into. Because that epilogue got me hooked!
We need book two like yesterday!
To my shock, there was more than action scenes in here. There’s actually a lot of political intrigue. But to my surprise I was invested. I came in thinking this would be full of action from point a to point b. But no, there’s a lot more that’s going on and it’s great!
But when the action does get going, it gets GOING! There are so many great scenes in here and it’s hard to pick just one. But I am excited to see where it all leads into. Because that epilogue got me hooked!
We need book two like yesterday!
October 21, 2025
SPOILER FREE
Really enjoyed this one. In Her Shadow has a cool mix of magic, assassins, and a bit of sci-fi that kept me hooked. The world feels layered and Adara’s story pulled me in more than I expected. The twist at the end landed nicely as well.
If I had one small gripe, it’s that some of the chapters are pretty long, so it was hard to find a good place to stop when reading late at night. But overall, it’s a strong start to a series that feels like it’s building toward something bigger. I’m definitely curious to see where it goes next.
Really enjoyed this one. In Her Shadow has a cool mix of magic, assassins, and a bit of sci-fi that kept me hooked. The world feels layered and Adara’s story pulled me in more than I expected. The twist at the end landed nicely as well.
If I had one small gripe, it’s that some of the chapters are pretty long, so it was hard to find a good place to stop when reading late at night. But overall, it’s a strong start to a series that feels like it’s building toward something bigger. I’m definitely curious to see where it goes next.
July 14, 2023
I received a free copy of this book. I am providing an honest review.
The basics:
Magic is essential to the rulers of Adara’s home, but Prince Klein, heir to the throne, does not possess any magic and is in need of a replacement. Adara is a trained assassin. She is also unknowingly heir to the throne after her mother, the most powerful sorceress in the land, had an affair with the king to produce a heir with magical abilities. As Adara prepares to take over for Prince Klein, she is thrust into a crumbling world of politics.
My thoughts:
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There was very thorough world building, so it was easy for me to understand the politics of Adara’s world. I also really enjoyed each of the characters. Adara, the main focus of the novel, is immensely charming. She is motivated by her sense of duty. Prince Klein, despite his grave circumstances, is determined to fulfill his duties despite his inability to lead. Naya and Adara’s mother are fierce, while Adara’s grandfather is steely. There were lots of great moments of suspense and action, as well. Additionally, the ending had an amazing plot twist.
I would recommend this book to individuals that enjoy diving into the politics of a fantasy world.
The basics:
Magic is essential to the rulers of Adara’s home, but Prince Klein, heir to the throne, does not possess any magic and is in need of a replacement. Adara is a trained assassin. She is also unknowingly heir to the throne after her mother, the most powerful sorceress in the land, had an affair with the king to produce a heir with magical abilities. As Adara prepares to take over for Prince Klein, she is thrust into a crumbling world of politics.
My thoughts:
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There was very thorough world building, so it was easy for me to understand the politics of Adara’s world. I also really enjoyed each of the characters. Adara, the main focus of the novel, is immensely charming. She is motivated by her sense of duty. Prince Klein, despite his grave circumstances, is determined to fulfill his duties despite his inability to lead. Naya and Adara’s mother are fierce, while Adara’s grandfather is steely. There were lots of great moments of suspense and action, as well. Additionally, the ending had an amazing plot twist.
I would recommend this book to individuals that enjoy diving into the politics of a fantasy world.
March 14, 2024
I loved this sci-fi fantasy! The author has created a very interesting post democratic world. It is futuristic, but reads like fantasy in some aspects, as there is ample supply of sword and sorcery, which I love. I truly felt like I was thrust into the story. The characters were endearing and dynamic. I’m very excited to see where the story takes us in future books. Absolutely recommend this read!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews