Destined Shadows

Silvercrest Academy #2

by K.C. Kean

I can feel it. It floats beneath the surface, an endless well of power waiting to be unleashed.

Magic I never thought I’d possess, and yet now that I do, I’m starting to wonder if it’s more potent than I ever could’ve imagined. But I need to learn my limits and fast because there’s darkness on the horizon.

My days at Silvercrest Academy have been filled with secrets, conflict, and death. It’s a world consumed with uncertainty, but there’s only one thing I can believe in… the Bishops.

Creed, Zane, Eldon, and Brax.

They’re everything I never knew I needed, and I have a feeling the five of us together are the key to making it out of here alive. In this fight, it’s kill or be killed.

And I hold the power in the palm of my hand.

Genres: Fantasy, Why Choose, Romance, Paranormal, Magic, Dark Romance, Paranormal Romance

464 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2023

Reviews

[Cindy ✩☽♔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked book 1. But for some reason, there was a bit of a disconnect for me with book 2. I'm not sure if it's the pacing or if it's because, in truth, not much happens here. There is a lot of vague setup for bigger things and a lot of annoying, pointless bully moments by Genie. The girl needs to learn to quit. Luckily, Raven doesn't take shit from her but I'm still so over the pointless girl drama.

I'm on the fence about whether or not I will continue this series. I guess I'll wait for reviews of book 3 to come rolling in.

[Spasticnontastic · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

Meh

[Lammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy crap!! That cliffhanger 😥. This is why I wait until a book series is done. No need to wait until book 3 comes out. Here we go …….

[Krystal- Celestialbookdragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.25 Stars*

Holy moly y’all, I can see the potential now! 🤌🏻 While Raven still has a bit of a way to go, the beginning of her character growth was bright as day in the way that she recognized her flaws and is now ready and willing to work with her men to overcome them for the sake of their relationship. To be fair, she’s had a lot going on as of late and is barely managing to roll with the punches as it is but acknowledgement goes a long way in my book! And I couldn’t think of a better group of guys to go on this journey with her because not only are they so supportive and protective of Raven in general, you know we LOVE some possessive men, but they are also always making sure they are there for each other when one of them is struggling. This time around it was Braxton but I have a feeling it’s going to be Creed’s turn in the next book cause um, let's just say iykyk. 😅

I am happy to report that while I noticed some parallels between Destined Shadows and KC's first book of Saints Academy, I think she did an incredible job of making this plot begin to feel more unique so the story and series had the separation it needed to take on a life of its own. Things got VERY interesting when the book completely changed direction towards something I was NOT expecting and even after finishing I’m still unsure how I feel about all of the things we learned! People I thought were enemies are possibly not while characters I loved can no longer be trusted? I want to give them the benefit of the doubt but they’re being so sus that I just can’t! 😭 Don’t worry though, there were some antagonists that remained as terrible as ever! 🙄 Thankfully, when it comes to good side characters I’m not sure who I loved more, Ari or Rhys! They both really shined in this book and I was absolutely smitten with them! I hope that we get to spend more time with them and the rest of Zane and Eldons’ families because they are the best and I LOVE THEM ALL!

Another thing I think KC is doing really well in this series is balancing the pacing and overall plot progression with jaw dropping reveals and twists! We get just enough questions answered to keep us satisfied without everything being given away! Destined Shadows kept me on my toes the whole time and I still haven’t been able to fully process the implications of it’s wild cliffhanger cause it changed everything I thought I knew! One thing is for sure though, I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS and I need the next book ASAP! 😫

[Duchessbookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 50%

The secret academy was introduced...and I felt like I should take my leave. The formula is formulating...I don't think Imma like this long term. Her brother finally makes another appearance but like come on bro...idk why you hate ur sister so much and I guess I'll never know.

[Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5: As with all KC Kean books, the later books in the series are not as good as the first one. Case in point, Raven learns about Sebastian‘s betrayal of the school, but instead of telling a trusted teacher, she just goes to class because the bell rang. This does not seem logical at all. And there are a lot of instances when the MCs learn something new or something confusing happens, but instead of seeking answers, they just move along. I know the author is just trying to build suspense, but most people don’t go through life that oblivious or complacent. I think I get sucked into these series because the first books have that whole anticipation of new relationships starting up, which gets me interested. Then the following books get more tedious and boring and I start to lose interest.

[olgieshmolgie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really tired of FMCs who have the emotional range of a petulant child.

[Amanda - leftamongthepages · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked Falling Shadows so I had high hopes for Destined Shadows, especially when we were left on a cliffhanger. The second book didn’t live up to the hype for me. The story line felt disconnected and the characters didn’t flow. Also, I found the animosity Raven and her guys had towards Lila difficult to understand, especially since Raven was keeping her own secrets from her best friend and the way she shut her out due to an omission she couldn’t reveal. Ari the griffin was the best part of this book and sadly I won’t be finishing the series.

[alyona]

Dnf @ pg 229 / 49%

[ListenWithNic · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️

Still unsure, but I’m going to keep going 😂 full review at the end.

[Dior Sanders · Rating 1 out of 5]

An Incredible Premise That Never Reached Its Potential

I’m going to review the series as a whole since I finished all four books.

After sitting on it for a few hours, I can confidently say that while I enjoyed parts of this series, I don’t think I’d recommend it, nor do I see myself rereading it.

This series had so much potential. The premise was compelling, the academy setting immediately caught my attention, and I was excited by the promise of unraveling a larger mystery surrounding Raven, her powers, and the political conflict between the realms. Unfortunately, I felt like the execution never lived up to the ideas it introduced.

My biggest criticism is that the series consistently prioritized introducing new mysteries over developing the ones it had already established. By the end of the fourth book, I still felt like I didn’t fully understand the world, the political conflict, or even the rules surrounding the magic system. That lack of clarity ultimately affected nearly every aspect of the story, from the pacing and world-building to the character development and emotional payoff.

*The Biggest Problem: Mystery Without Payoff*

I enjoy books that slowly reveal information. I don’t need every mystery solved immediately, and I actually appreciate stories that trust readers to piece things together over time.
The problem wasn’t that Shadow Crest Academy contained mysteries. The problem was that it continually introduced new ones without meaningfully resolving the previous questions.

By the end of Book 1, I was already concerned. While I didn’t expect every answer, I expected to have a stronger understanding of the world I was reading about. Instead, I still had very little grasp on the political landscape, the history of the realms, or how the magic system actually functioned.

By Book 2, I seriously considered DNFing the series because it felt like every answer simply created several more questions.

Some of the biggest examples include:

* What exactly was happening with Raven’s father and brother?
* How did Raven’s parents know what abilities she would eventually possess?
* How does necromancy actually work?
* Why is resurrecting the dead considered illegal if Raven repeatedly does it with almost no meaningful consequences?
* Why does she suddenly lose the ability to resurrect people? What determines those limits?
* Why don’t we fully understand Raven’s shadow abilities until the final book?

None of these questions needed immediate answers. The issue is that many of them either received incomplete explanations or weren’t explored deeply enough to feel satisfying.

One example that perfectly illustrates this issue is Raven’s magically suppressed powers.

The story spends a significant amount of time establishing that Raven’s powers have been magically suppressed for her entire life. When her parents decide to remove that suppression, Raven is terrified. She begs for it not to happen, and the narrative presents it as though the procedure will be traumatic and life-changing.

Then the moment finally arrives.
The story cuts away.
Raven blacks out, wakes up back in bed, and appears to be relatively fine.

We never actually witness the procedure. We never learn why it was portrayed as so horrifying. We never see any significant physical or emotional consequences afterward. The event is built up as one of the most important moments in Raven’s life, only for the story to skip over it entirely.

That became a recurring pattern throughout the series. Major mysteries and major moments were consistently introduced, but the payoff rarely matched the buildup.

*Why Doesn’t Anyone Ever Research Anything?*

What made this even more frustrating was that the characters rarely seemed interested in finding answers. Raven constantly questions her powers, the monarchy, the realms, and her own family history. Yet at no point do we really see her actively researching those questions.

This world clearly has advanced magic, projectors, communication devices, and enough technology to suggest a functioning society. Are there no libraries? No historical archives? No scholars? No magical texts? No professors capable of answering basic questions?

Even Raven’s four love interests, who grew up in families closely connected to the monarchy, seem almost as uninformed as she is.

That made the world feel strangely empty. Instead of uncovering the history alongside the characters, I found myself wondering why the characters themselves seemed to know so little about the society they had lived in their entire lives.

*The Political Conflict Never Felt Fully Developed*

The war and political conflict were another source of confusion.

These students are being trained to become soldiers, yet the vast majority of them have almost no understanding of what they’re actually fighting for. That simply didn’t make sense to me. If you’re preparing an entire generation to fight in a war, why intentionally keep them ignorant about the conflict? The introduction of the Nightmares Guild only made this stranger.

We’re told they’re secretly protecting the realms and using their abilities to fight back against the monsters, but we rarely see that work in action. We don’t hear about previous missions, long-term operations, or the impact they’ve had on the war. They repeatedly worry that they don’t have enough people to fight, yet they refuse to educate the very people they’re training to become soldiers.

Eventually, everyone ends up fighting anyway.
The secrecy never felt justified.

Likewise, the conflict between the realms remains surprisingly vague. We’re told they aren’t on good terms, but we receive very little historical context explaining why, how those relationships deteriorated, or why merging the realms would supposedly solve everything.

*The Academy Setting Was Underutilized*

This may have been my biggest disappointment.

The academy setting had enormous potential, but it rarely felt like it contributed to the story. The students have endless questions about magic, history, politics, and their own abilities.

Yet somehow:

* Their classes rarely answer any of those questions.
* We almost never see them using information from class to solve problems.
* Their professors provide very little meaningful guidance.
* We rarely see them researching anything on campus.
* Magical training is surprisingly limited despite this supposedly being an elite academy.

Raven spends some time practicing her mirror magic, but beyond that, there is very little focus on actually mastering magic. For a series centered around a magical academy, the academy itself often felt like little more than the backdrop for the romance.

*The Characters Needed More Development*

I also struggled with the characterization.

Raven is introduced as someone hardened by her upbringing in Shadowmore. We’re told she doesn’t trust people, she’s endured tremendous hardship, and she has walls built around herself.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel like the story reflected that characterization.

She becomes close to Layla almost immediately.
She opens up to the boys relatively quickly.
When they pressure her about why she refuses to use her magic, she tells them she’s void without much resistance.

For someone who’s heavily implied to have experienced significant trauma, including hints that she may have survived sexual assault, she places an enormous amount of trust in four men she’s only recently met. She never seems particularly uncomfortable living as the only woman in an all-male household, despite everything we’re told about her past.

The disconnect between how Raven was described and how she behaved made her characterization feel inconsistent.

The male main characters also felt underdeveloped. For example, Brax is consistently portrayed as the grumpy one, but beyond believing his parents had died before being taken in by another family, we don’t really explore why he is the way he is.

We hear very little about the boys’ childhoods, their relationships with their families, or even their siblings until the very end of the series. I wanted far more emotional depth from all of them.

*The Romance Developed Physically Before It Developed Emotionally*

I actually enjoy a reverse harem dynamic.

I just don’t think the relationships were given enough emotional development. The physical intimacy escalated very quickly, but I never felt like the emotional intimacy kept pace with it. And oddly enough, despite entering what is clearly a polyamorous relationship, they never explicitly discuss what that relationship actually is. The “handbook” is constantly referenced and yet we never really learn what’s inside it. For a society that otherwise appears overwhelmingly monogamous, everyone also accepts the relationship with remarkably little resistance.

The only real backlash occurs after Raven’s intimate photos are secretly taken and distributed throughout the school without her consent. She’s briefly slut-shamed for it, but the incident is almost immediately forgotten and has virtually no lasting impact on either the story or the public’s perception of her.

*Too Much Spice, Not Enough Substance*

This may be my hottest take because I genuinely enjoy spicy books. The issue wasn’t that there were sex scenes. The issue was that there were too many of them relative to everything else the story needed to accomplish. It got to a point that by book 3 I was skipping a lot (if not all) of the scenes.

Time and time again, whenever the characters found themselves alone, they chose intimacy over conversation.

Instead of processing everything they’d learned…

Instead of researching…

Instead of investigating…

Instead of strategizing…

They had sex.

They’re in the middle of a war. People are dying. They have countless unanswered questions about the enemy, the monarchy, and Raven’s powers. Yet they spend surprisingly little time actively trying to solve those problems.

One of the male main characters possesses both mind magic and invisibility.

Why weren’t those abilities used for reconnaissance?
Why weren’t they spying on enemies?
Why weren’t they actively gathering intelligence?

The story had so many opportunities to develop both the characters and the plot, but many of those opportunities were instead replaced with another intimate scene.

*The Tone and Maturity Felt Inconsistent*

The characters are all around eighteen years old, and sometimes they absolutely feel that age. Other times, however, they feel strangely naive about the world they’ve supposedly grown up in.

I honestly think this story may have benefited from aging the characters up slightly.

The academy setting still could have worked, but the characters would have felt more believable if they entered the story with a stronger understanding of their own society and the political conflict surrounding them.

*Final Thoughts*

This series had every ingredient necessary to become one of my favorite academy fantasy romances. Instead, it felt like a collection of fantastic ideas that never received the development they deserved.

My biggest issues ultimately came down to:

* Weak world-building
* Too many unanswered questions
* Setup without satisfying payoff
* Underdeveloped characters
* Inconsistent pacing
* An underutilized academy setting
* Relationships that relied more on physical intimacy than emotional development

I didn’t hate this series. In fact, there were moments where I genuinely thought it was building toward something incredible. But after finishing all four books, I still felt like I didn’t truly understand the world, many of the characters, or the rules that governed the story.

For me, that ultimately made the series tolerable enough to finish, but not memorable enough to recommend or revisit.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-3.5 ⭐️
This paranormal/fantasy academy reverse harem (RH) series is .... okay. I think I want to rate it higher than most because it is edited well when so many RH's are not, but the story and relationships are not really all that well-developed. Though perhaps not as bad as in book one, characters still learn things by "just having a feeling" and "maybe I can do this random thing that's never been mentioned yet" or choose to do things with no information and no answers for seemingly no reason at all, just to get to some of the plot points the author wants to reach.

To be fair, I think there are some really good ideas, but it is just not written compellingly enough to have me excited to read more. Additionally, with the relationships between the heroine and all four male characters being all-in by the end of the first book there is no anticipation to help sustain a long series in that regard either, and I have to admit the heroes blend together for me too, despite there being a clear attempt to give them differing personality traits. I might continue on, even if I only skim (because I struggle to DNF stuff!) but I am not excited or eager to do so.

[CJ McAwesome · Rating 1 out of 5]

Book one was fantastic. I flew from book one straight into book 2. This started off great, but it seemed to slow down like crazy... almost drag. Leaving a disconnect and a feeling like I was reading just to finish it, not enjoy it.

[Ash]

It’s giving, white people really wanna feel oppressed. Shit read. Put me in a slump and completely off this genre for a while.

[The_Book_Brat · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Reverse Harem
*Paranormal
*Multi-PoV
*Academy based
*Unknown FMC
*divided family
*mixed powers
*established harem (4)
*mid/slow burn
*2/4
More and more questions 😮
Well we’ve certainly found out what Ravens powers are in this book - not only her primary but secondary as well 😁 Although her primary power savers the Bishops it placed her as an enemy to the realm 😖 having to now hide her powers whilst still training at the academy for this nameless enemy is draining her; along with dealing with the continuous attacks by her parents plus her brother and Genie! Poor Raven’s got a lot on her plate - it’s only made worse by the secret Guild and then the supposed enemies turning up randomly at school 😳 it’s going to be interesting to see how it all ties into the wider war that’s going on!
It’s a good job she’s got her men there to support her and boy do they back her up and show her she’s worth it all 🥰🥰 and Ari got to love the griffin and I really hope they can sort that issue out 😢 Rhys is also a treasure in protecting Raven! Although with the cliffie I am not sure anything can protect them 😮😮

[Poetry Drive · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t notice this much in book 1, but it’s really evident in book two that the author isn’t completing scenes. Chapter 22 is a great scene between Raven and Rhys but it ends abruptly, and then she wakes up someplace new in chapter 23. Do we find out eventually what happened? Sure, BUT WHY NOT JUST FINISH THE SCENE IN THE MOMENT? You literally have readers on the edges of their seats. The author’s attempts at a mid-book cliffhanger is dumb BECAUSE THERE’S STILL 200 PAGES LEFT. This faux butterfly-effect attempt at writing is frustrating and unsatisfactory.

Ugh 🙄

Anyway, I skipped a lot of the spicy scenes because they just felt strangely placed. Finally the ending of this book has some actual movement in the overarching story. Much of this book felt like filler and could have been shortened to make the book more consistently paced and moving.

The story itself is good, I guess I’m just not thrilled with the writing style.

[Cierra McCauley (Cierra's Corner) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m Hooked!

This book is shrouded in secrets and shadows. You are trying to piece together everything you know and as each chapter continues something new is being revealed. It keeps you on your toes. Sometimes you get a bit “what now” as there is a lot of information constantly coming your way, but it seems to come together smoothly. I took a few days break due to things happening in my personal life, I just couldn’t concentrate well, I had a death in my family. But once I picked it back up I couldn’t stop reading. I love how much the guys and Raven have bonded together. I love Ari and i can’t wait to see them in action together. Something is super fishy with Sebastian, and I’m on the fence with Bolton and the whole nightmare guild. There is just so much going on and I don’t know how one more book is going to wrap it all up. I’m off to read book 3!

[Jess O. (From Jess to You) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 out of 5 stars. I loved this steamy continuation of the series, though I was hoping for more from it. However, the main characters and the way the plot wrapped up really made me enjoy this novel even more. I'm looking forward to continuing with this series when I get the chance. It's a good read that I would recommend to others! Watch my full book review here: https://youtu.be/PhV9iVh3Dkg

- Paranormal Fantasy Polyamorous Academy Romance -
🛍️ Jess' 2024 Reading Book List: https://amzn.to/48qZ1Qq

[Jess McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Destined Shadows picks up right where we left off in Falling Shadows, and it doesn't slow down. With Raven's power unlocked, she's got to play like only some has as there is danger lurking that wants to use her for their own gain.

I love that were getting to know all the characters more and more. This introduced new elements into the timeline and with that cliffhanger, theories are starting to take over my brain.

Currently, I don't think this series is overly dark. It has some darker elements to it, so still be mindful. Also, the spicy bits 🥵🥵 I cannot wait for book 3!!

[Catherine Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!
Note - must read book 1 prior, otherwise you will have no idea what’s going on.
It kicks right off where we left it in book 1.
Raven’s power is determined, but it’s forbidden so they all need to ensure that no one else knows.
It’s quite a lot for Raven especially with all the other crap she is dealing with, like family drama including her brother and also Genie. There’s the unknown enemy turning up at the school.
Raven’s men Creed, Zane, Eldon and Brax all step up to the plate to back her 100%, she also has her Griffin, Ari - just love Ari
Love the depth to the storyline, as always with KC’s books, nothing is as it seems. The secrets and mysterious element is perfectly written. Which had me on the edge of my chair - loved it!
The steamy scenes were hot AF.
Overall another amazing book for this series. That cliffhanger ending was jaw dropping and yes I am left with so so many questions - can’t wait for book three.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, and I mean really am enjoying this series! There is intrigue, intense tension and feeling of being out of control against an unknown enemy, there’s love and compassion and commitment…. There’s every I enjoy from a fantasy series and world. I seriously love Raven, so much! I do highly recommend these books so far and with that ending?? I’ll need to get the next book now so it can be delivered on release day! Do recommend and you won’t be disappointed!

[HERE FOR THE STEAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasy RH and @kckeanauthor … can’t go wrong!! Destined Shadows is book two in the Silvercrest Academy series and this was jam packed!!

Poor Raven and her guys seem to encounter one hurdle after another, but the twisted layer and the bomb dropped at the end? Uhhhh yeah I have ALL the questions and I’ll be clamoring for book three!!

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Destined shadow….


This is book 2 in the silvercrest academy series, and it picks up right where book 1 left us with that crazy cliffhanger!

We get some questions answered but are left with a million more.. the growth of the characters in this book is on point.. the spice was 🔥🔥🔥 I’m loving Raven the guys and Ari!!

and omg that cliffhanger!! Can’t wait to get my hands on book 3!

[RedsBookReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowzers

My god this series just gets better and better - and the cliffhangers more and more brutal! I adore everything KC writes and this series is no different. Raven is really shaping up to be one of my favourite MC’s so far and I can’t wait to see what happens next in this amazing series

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book, it was a little slower burn while the characters all developed and the storyline was flushed out more. The steam I still there though! I think it's less predictable than a lot of other books with the same tropes, and I like the foreshadowing about what's to come. Great continuation of the series, I can't wait for the next book!

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as book 1. Story progressing with more layers and clues to the mystery but slower pace. Gives Goblet of Fire vibes. (Which is my least fav. HP) FMC discovers her magic and must hide it from everyone for fear of being used as a weapon. She is powerful but still unskilled. Love her connection to her familiar Ari a griffin. 🦅🦁

[Carol Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody cliffhangers

Great storylines , good characters with intriguing side characters & sub plots .completely addictive and hard to put down until you get to the end to find a cliff hanger ,so annoying , so frustrating I have to wait 2 whole days for the next in series

[Leilani Noack · Rating 5 out of 5]

KC Kean did it again. All these twist and turns make you wanna scream! Her familiar Ari is amazing and I think him and Raven will be a force. I can’t wait to see what book 3 brings!

[aisbeareads ❄️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ari the griffin carries the entire book on his shoulders.

[Kim Stalder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean again, it’s ok, honestly it’s like a 2 for the sex but a 3 because I want to know what’s going on in the story.