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The Undesirables #1
Shadow and Wrath (The Undesirables Book 1)
I've lived in the shadows all my life.Some might even say that I am the shadows.Undesirables are banished to the Lower City, where crime runs the darkened streets and sell-swords lurk in the underground catacombs. Those with blessings that are either too useless to be deemed worthy, or too dangerous to see the light of day. The underlord hired me when I was only a child, coveting the dark magic that makes me an undesirable of the highest risk. He took pity on the child with poison in her veins, but he made me into a monster.The rogue prince, freshly home from war overseas, is in need of a wife before his father, the king, dies of old age. A pageant will be held at the palace, and the prince will handpick his next queen. Posing as a lady of the court, it's my job to seduce his majesty and win this pageant, all the while snuffing out my weekly marks one by one.I might have jumped at the opportunity to play dress-up, eat fine foods, and sway the hearts of precious royalty, but my self-imposed bodyguard and fellow undesirable, Wolfe, has made it his personal mission to get in my way.This is a why-choose, dark, high fantasy series. For lovers of The Fourth Wing and Throne of Glass, this spellbinding, heart-stopping new world will suck you right in and hold on tightly. Not suitable for young readers. Includes explicit content, violence, and language.
264 pages, Paperback
Published April 27, 2024
124 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
Penn Cassidy
47 books479 followersI spend 95% of my life huddled in my little office, at my little desk, vividly hallucinating about characters and scenarios that don't exist. Then I write it all down for you to enjoy!
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 3, 2024
Why did I rate this 3 stars if it’s my favorite read of the year? Well, this series has so much potential even though not much really happens in this book at all. The ending felt rushed and the cliffhanger was only there for people to get hooked to read book 2
August 30, 2025
2.5⭐
I thought Shadow and Wrath would be something along the lines of The Selection meets The Red Queen , with court intrigue, royal excess, secret identities and a society ranked based on powers, except R rated and with multiple love interests.
That wasn't what I got.
Instead, I found myself wading through an insipid, uninspired story, where everything was very average, run-of-the-mill romantasy prose and nothing really ever happened.
The writing was repetitive, relying on overused turns of phrase and bringing up time and again details, descriptions, and background information that had already been established. It was also inconsistent, describing the FMC's skin as alabaster one page and olive the next, or transitioning from the sun being high in the sky to being evening in the same scene, or having one character holding a tray and rubbing her hands together in the very next instant. Which some might describe as me being nitpicky, but all these small mistakes added up to show a lack of attention to detail that I felt was present throughout the book.
It showed in how inconsistent the tension was, in how the flow of conversation was choppy, hard to follow, and at times made little sense because it didn't keep up with the logical flow and emotional responses I expected to see. Plus, the smut didn't really hit because the buildup wasn't there. Senka, the FMC, was already familiar with Cross and Wolfe, two of the MMCs, from events in the past that happened off-page, and very few interactions of any substance were depicted between them. You can tell me two characters have a connection, but if you don't show it to me, you can't expect me to feel it or buy into it.
Add to that that there was basically no plot progression and that the three MMCs (Cross, Wolfe, and Prince Baz) were basically copies of one another—all brusque, good-looking, aloof, and arrogant—and there really wasn't much to keep my attention engaged.
All in all, this was simply a boring, not very good book. There were too many descriptions and too little action. It felt too long while at the same time feeling empty of character and story progression. A forgettable title in the Romantasy universe and a big disappointment, given the intriguing, sexy picture the description painted.
I thought Shadow and Wrath would be something along the lines of The Selection meets The Red Queen , with court intrigue, royal excess, secret identities and a society ranked based on powers, except R rated and with multiple love interests.
That wasn't what I got.
Instead, I found myself wading through an insipid, uninspired story, where everything was very average, run-of-the-mill romantasy prose and nothing really ever happened.
The writing was repetitive, relying on overused turns of phrase and bringing up time and again details, descriptions, and background information that had already been established. It was also inconsistent, describing the FMC's skin as alabaster one page and olive the next, or transitioning from the sun being high in the sky to being evening in the same scene, or having one character holding a tray and rubbing her hands together in the very next instant. Which some might describe as me being nitpicky, but all these small mistakes added up to show a lack of attention to detail that I felt was present throughout the book.
It showed in how inconsistent the tension was, in how the flow of conversation was choppy, hard to follow, and at times made little sense because it didn't keep up with the logical flow and emotional responses I expected to see. Plus, the smut didn't really hit because the buildup wasn't there. Senka, the FMC, was already familiar with Cross and Wolfe, two of the MMCs, from events in the past that happened off-page, and very few interactions of any substance were depicted between them. You can tell me two characters have a connection, but if you don't show it to me, you can't expect me to feel it or buy into it.
Add to that that there was basically no plot progression and that the three MMCs (Cross, Wolfe, and Prince Baz) were basically copies of one another—all brusque, good-looking, aloof, and arrogant—and there really wasn't much to keep my attention engaged.
All in all, this was simply a boring, not very good book. There were too many descriptions and too little action. It felt too long while at the same time feeling empty of character and story progression. A forgettable title in the Romantasy universe and a big disappointment, given the intriguing, sexy picture the description painted.
May 4, 2024
Heat level: 2/5. I have been waiting for this book since Penn announced it! It just sounded SO good and I was proved right! This book is like a mix of The Selection trilogy and Fourth Wing because these people have powers and she's part of the group of women chosen to try and win the prince's hand to become the next empress. It gives you old timey class disparity with a badass FMC assassin and 3 dudes who want her for themselves. That cliffhanger was so wild and I'm on the edge of my seat for the next one! The characters, the story, the world building: all top tier. I hope there are at least 2 more books in this but I'm hoping for more.
May 1, 2024
Wow this was good. If you're looking for a dark(ish) fantasy about a shadow welding female assassin, this is the one for you! This was well written and a quick read.
Senka is a death dealer who works for a seer named Cross. He gets visions from the goddess of death who orders the kills. On one such assignment, she has to enter a pageant\contest to be the Prince Bazaan's wife and stick close to enact more kills as Cross sees them. Unbeknownst to Cross and Wolfe, she has met the Prince years ago...
The harem is not yet established but you get a general idea who the harem is. Then throw in the last few pages of the book...(who knows...)
I'm not sure how many more books are in the series but I can't wait for more. I've read many of Pennn Cassidy's books which are mainly standalones and 2 completed series.
Tropes for those looking:
No specific triggers (except some character deaths)
Paranormal fantasy
Kickass female lead
Assassins
Royalty
Political intrigue
Games\trials\contest
Slow build and slow burn harem
3 on spice level. (Only a couple of scenes)
Senka is a death dealer who works for a seer named Cross. He gets visions from the goddess of death who orders the kills. On one such assignment, she has to enter a pageant\contest to be the Prince Bazaan's wife and stick close to enact more kills as Cross sees them. Unbeknownst to Cross and Wolfe, she has met the Prince years ago...
The harem is not yet established but you get a general idea who the harem is. Then throw in the last few pages of the book...(who knows...)
I'm not sure how many more books are in the series but I can't wait for more. I've read many of Pennn Cassidy's books which are mainly standalones and 2 completed series.
Tropes for those looking:
No specific triggers (except some character deaths)
Paranormal fantasy
Kickass female lead
Assassins
Royalty
Political intrigue
Games\trials\contest
Slow build and slow burn harem
3 on spice level. (Only a couple of scenes)
July 2, 2025
This was an easy read with an interesting premise, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The story moved quickly, which kept me entertained, but the writing felt too surface-level (for example, one scene that stood out was when Senka arrives at the palace and is recognized by Madame Leanna —what could’ve been a tense, nail-biting moment gets wrapped up in just a few paragraphs and is over in the blink of an eye.)
The FMC, Senka, is a shadow-wielding assassin with a rough background, so I expected her internal voice to be rough, edgy, and at times, unfiltered. Instead, her narration came across way too polished and proper- sure she said a few cuss words, but overall the internal voice didn’t match the gritty character that was presented.
Overall, it had promise but felt a little too neat and predictable. There were some decent spicy scenes, but those too fell a bit flat and left me wanting more from the characters. I think readers looking for a dark, spicy fantasy with depth might walk away wanting more.
The FMC, Senka, is a shadow-wielding assassin with a rough background, so I expected her internal voice to be rough, edgy, and at times, unfiltered. Instead, her narration came across way too polished and proper- sure she said a few cuss words, but overall the internal voice didn’t match the gritty character that was presented.
Overall, it had promise but felt a little too neat and predictable. There were some decent spicy scenes, but those too fell a bit flat and left me wanting more from the characters. I think readers looking for a dark, spicy fantasy with depth might walk away wanting more.
August 10, 2025
Couldn’t put it down.
Personally I loved this read. Every book is subjective so my cup of tea may be drastically different from yours.
My honest to god personal opinion of this book is that I consumed it like I’m a Dyson vacuum cleaning up Cheeto dust. The pages were disappearing. I loved the characters and world building. Was it perfect? No, but no book is ever supposed to be people! We do not read for perfection we read for connection and i felt connected and invested the whole way.
It has action, drama, fantasy, romance, heat and humour. I felt gripped and grabbed from different directions and characters throughout this story. The FMC has ability, confidence and strength which was beautifully captured on every page. I feel thoroughly hooked and was outraged to see I must wait for the second book. OCTOBER CANT GET HERE SOON ENOUGH.
Personally I loved this read. Every book is subjective so my cup of tea may be drastically different from yours.
My honest to god personal opinion of this book is that I consumed it like I’m a Dyson vacuum cleaning up Cheeto dust. The pages were disappearing. I loved the characters and world building. Was it perfect? No, but no book is ever supposed to be people! We do not read for perfection we read for connection and i felt connected and invested the whole way.
It has action, drama, fantasy, romance, heat and humour. I felt gripped and grabbed from different directions and characters throughout this story. The FMC has ability, confidence and strength which was beautifully captured on every page. I feel thoroughly hooked and was outraged to see I must wait for the second book. OCTOBER CANT GET HERE SOON ENOUGH.
May 1, 2024
OH my lanta I am loving this Senkah is bloody amazong shes strong and knows her worth I loved the interactions between characters and can Okie, this is the first one so has a cliffhanger. Who am I kidding it was like being tossed out of a skydiving plane into the north pole in a bikini lol so do not goninto this thinking it will be a ine and done book its not, I know it will be resolved but dang that was rough, some more surprises to come and I freaking love Senka she's amazing and so far her menz are ok lol they need to let her know their feelings not just assume she does lol wait to see where this story is going cause its dynomite!
August 26, 2025
I really need to start checking if series are finished before I start reading them 😩 I am hooked. Such a great read. Be warned it ends on a cliffhanger! Though the 🌶️ level isn’t very high, I sincerely enjoyed this book and the plot! It was a quick read because it was hard ti put down! If you love the idea of an awesome shadow wielding death bringer FMC who doesn’t take shit from anyone, look no further. Excited for book 2, I can’t wait to see more of Senka with Cross, Wolfe and Baz. And to find out more about her brother!
May 1, 2024
When I tell you from page 1 I was so invested in this story! Dark magic, shadows, why choose, enemies to lovers, like what else could you ask for! The way that Penn weaves a story pulls me in every time I open up one of her books! This is a slow build why choose with dark elements so check your triggers, but I promise it is so worth taking the time to read!! I would give it 1million stars if I could!!
April 29, 2024
The detail, the world building. This book had me sucked in from the very first page.
The author did such a fantastic job creating this world and the characters. The build of tension between Senka, Wolfe, Cross and Baz had me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait to find out what happens to them in the next book.
That ending!
I can’t believe we have to wait so long for book 2 😫
The author did such a fantastic job creating this world and the characters. The build of tension between Senka, Wolfe, Cross and Baz had me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait to find out what happens to them in the next book.
That ending!
I can’t believe we have to wait so long for book 2 😫
June 27, 2025
Randomly came across this book as a recommended read for fans of TOG and Fourth Wing… I’m so glad I read it! I loved the main character, Senka, early on. I’m excited to see how Penn Cassidy picks up from that crazy ending and to hopefully find out who Senka ends up with in book 2. Great story, easy read, fast-paced, a definite recommendation for fantasy fans!
November 10, 2025
Intense and exciting!
This book is full on from the very start!
There’s danger, excitement, mystery, tension and throughout it all there is a great story building. There’s lots of questions to be answered and I’m enjoying getting to know these characters.
Looking forward to the next book in this new series
🌟🌟🌟🌟
This book is full on from the very start!
There’s danger, excitement, mystery, tension and throughout it all there is a great story building. There’s lots of questions to be answered and I’m enjoying getting to know these characters.
Looking forward to the next book in this new series
🌟🌟🌟🌟
May 3, 2024
Loved it!
I love fantasy adventures, and this one was terrific!
Great characters, and excellent world building..
I'm sorry I have to wait till November for book 2..
Highly recommend!
I love fantasy adventures, and this one was terrific!
Great characters, and excellent world building..
I'm sorry I have to wait till November for book 2..
Highly recommend!
May 14, 2024
Soooo good!
What a great read. I couldn’t believe i read it all in one go! Ha.
You’re in store for some great lady assassin business, steamy angst, and perhaps a why choose all wrapped up in a plot that had me turning the digital pages faster and faster.
What a great read. I couldn’t believe i read it all in one go! Ha.
You’re in store for some great lady assassin business, steamy angst, and perhaps a why choose all wrapped up in a plot that had me turning the digital pages faster and faster.
July 8, 2024
Best RH fantasy this year
This book got me out of a book slump which I’ve had for months. Great action pace and the spice level was just right. Love the chemistry between Senka and the guys and can’t wait for book 2 to find out where the story leads. Major cliffhanger though!
This book got me out of a book slump which I’ve had for months. Great action pace and the spice level was just right. Love the chemistry between Senka and the guys and can’t wait for book 2 to find out where the story leads. Major cliffhanger though!
August 7, 2024
There were some mistakes and inconsistencies, but overall, this was an enjoyable read! Very interesting world and magic system. The epilogue was a bit random imo, but I’m sure it will make sense in book 2.
May 2, 2024
Damn
As always you get twisted into a world all Penns and she leaves me on a cliffhanger!!! Can not wait to the next.
As always you get twisted into a world all Penns and she leaves me on a cliffhanger!!! Can not wait to the next.
May 5, 2024
All hail to a bad B!
Senka is just that girl!
"Why does it matter to you who warms my bed?"
Pls edit a bit better.
Senka is just that girl!
"Why does it matter to you who warms my bed?"
Pls edit a bit better.
May 16, 2024
Interesting
Interesting world and a great first book. Looking forward to reading more in this series! I appreciated the pronunciation guide etc at the beginning.
Interesting world and a great first book. Looking forward to reading more in this series! I appreciated the pronunciation guide etc at the beginning.
December 18, 2024
4.5 stars! I really enjoyed this read, would have been 5 stars but there were some grammar mistakes near the end of the book that threw me off a bit.
dnf
July 14, 2025DNF @ 24%
August 11, 2025
Gimme the next one STAT!!
August 13, 2025
This gave EXACTLY what I needed it to give.
The smut? Smutting.
The asshole MMCs? Yupppp.
The why choose? I know that's right.
I only wish it was longer.
The smut? Smutting.
The asshole MMCs? Yupppp.
The why choose? I know that's right.
I only wish it was longer.
October 16, 2025
Dark fantasy romance and why choose. I loved this and couldn't stop reading, can't wait to read book 2!
November 11, 2025
This was definitely a book that sucked me in. It seemed a lot more fast paced than I normally like but I would still reread it again
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews