The Darkest Crown

The Eternal Darkness Duet #2

by Amy Atley

When the line between love and hate is drawn with blood.

Sarah would never be free.

After escaping the one who betrayed her, she returns home to heal her broken heart. But she is never given the chance. Recaptured and forced to stand trial once more, Sarah attracts the attention of someone far deadlier than Adam or Julian.

He is Marius, the vampire king. The original, from which all others were created. And he is certifiably insane. Sarah knows she can never escape him. Her only hope of survival is to play along with his deranged fantasies.

With the lives of her loved ones at stake, does Sarah have the strength to do what it takes? And what will happen if he sees through her lies?

The Darkest Crown is the sequel to The Darkest Song and is not a standalone. Sink your teeth into this completed vampire romance duet if you

Morally Grey VampiresEnemies To LoversMagicRoyaltyFound FamilyWitchesFantasy RomanceContent warnings can be found in the book's interior and on the author’s website.

Genres: Fantasy

315 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 27, 2024

About the author

Amy Atley writes paranormal and fantasy romance, featuring inhuman heroes (and villains!) who are sexy as hell and powerful beyond belief.

She's a crazy cat lady who loves all things witchy, is addicted to Oreos, and has an unhealthy obsession with Kylo Ren. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where the dark, misty weather provides the perfect backdrop for writing magical stories.

Reviews

[AmesChicReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Darkest Crown is everything I could ask for in a Vampire Story - Morally gray ✔️, vampires ✔️, spice ✔️, more than one love interest ✔️, kidnapping ✔️, forced proximity ✔️. This book has all the things *sigh. Book 1 ended on a cliffhanger so I couldn’t wait to dive into this one! Just like book 1, The Darkest Song, Could. Not. Put. This. Down. Amy does a wonderful job of building this world and developing the complex characters, all while keeping you on the edge of your seat! Loved this so much!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate this up so quick, I loved it more than the first book, it was delicious and had me crying, laughing and sitting in shock all at once. It was also SO spicy 😮‍💨😮‍💨

[Michelle Frater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Returning home, however briefly, Sarah is reunited with her sister Allie, only to unwittingly pull her into the shadowy depths of her new world. Yet, before she can even draw a breath, Julian finds her, dragging her back into the perilous intrigue she thought she had escaped. Echoes of déjà vu resurface as Sarah and Julian once again stand before the powerful Strategoi—only this time, it’s Adam who’s on trial. But just when the stakes couldn’t get higher, a new and formidable player enters the fray: Marius, the King, the first vampire. Ruthless and relentless, Marius is determined to uncover all Sarah's secrets, and he’s willing to do anything to get them without remorse. No one was more shocked than Marius when he discovers the answer he’s looking for. In the end I felt sorry for Marius. So alone for two thousand years and forced to watch what vampires had become. I literally cried for him at the end, even though he’d finally found peace. I loved watching Sarah come into her own among the vampires, helped by the lovable cast of characters in the Queen’s Guard, and of course, Adam and Julian. The ending, though heartbreaking, was beautifully bittersweet—a poignant conclusion that left me in tears once more. It felt like the perfect way to close this enchanting and deeply emotional tale.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Smuttybookoholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

🩸 BOOK REVIEW🩸

Title: The Darkest Crown (The Eternal Darkness Duet)
Author: @amyatleyauthor
Genre: Vampire Romance
Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🥵🥵🥵🥵

I absolutely loved this duet! I had the honor to beta read for Amy and can I just take a moment to say how brilliant she is?! This duet had me hooked from the first page and kept me wanting more and more! I remember reading the first half and I couldn’t wait for the second half of the book! There are so many twists and turns and unexpecting things! The love triangle in this book has even you not being able to pick sides! I loved all of the characters so much and even the side characters played important parts! All the details and the vivid picture Amy painted for us is amazing! Sarah is a talented violinist and ends up turning into a vampire one night. She then meets Adam, also a sexy vampire and then Julian, who is basically like a king of Vampires! The spice was soo good, I’d be squeezing my legs together haha I can’t say too much without spoiling the story, but if you love romance, if you love vampires, if you love twists and turns, and if you love a story with an amazing plot then don’t walk, RUN to read this duet! It’s amazing! I 10/10 recommend! I loved it so so much!🖤

[Heather Dudley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Darkest Crown is the second installment in The Eternal Darkness Duet series. The Darkest Crown is a dark and spicy paranormal romance which features morally gray vampires, forced proximity, captive romance, touch her & die, enemies to lovers, royalty, and magic. I don't read many books dealing with more than one love interest that can be considered as a love triangle. Before I continue my opinion about The Darkest Crown, I have to say this to future readers for this book: if you are looking to read this book, I would suggest that you read the trigger warnings first before you decide to read the book. With that said, The Darkest Crown is a well-written, well-balanced, and perfectly executed paranormal romance story. The Darkest Crown is most certainly a book that I would give as a recommendation for anyone who enjoys reading amazing paranormal romance stories. The Darkest Crown is the first book that I have read by Author Amy Atley, and I found that she writes a fantastic paranormal romance story that is quite a pleasure to read.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara Marie Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Darkest Crown: A Spicy Vampire Romance (The Eternal Darkness Duet Book 2)

The Darkest Crown: A Spicy Vampire Romance (The Eternal Darkness Duet Book 2) ~~A breathtaking conclusion to a duet that doesn’t hold back. *The Darkest Crown* raises the stakes in every way—more danger, more heat, and even deeper emotional intensity. The characters evolve beautifully, with raw vulnerability and fierce strength on full display. The heroine comes into her own power in a way that is both satisfying and empowering, while the vampire hero reveals unexpected layers of loyalty, regret, and love that make him unforgettable.

The tension between them is electric, with steamy scenes that are bold yet beautifully written, balancing lust with genuine love. But it’s not just the romance that shines—the plot is filled with betrayal, revenge, and hard choices that keep the pages turning late into the night. The author delivers an ending that is both epic and emotionally fulfilling, tying up the duet with passion and purpose.

**I definitely recommend this book and series—absolutely loved the book!!**

[Vonn Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 in this duet and what a roller coaster ride it was!

Sarah runs home, but of course gets found the next day. Allie, her sister is with her and Julian makes sure she knows, he owns Sarah and will always find her.

Through all of this another vampire comes into the mix. Marius, the original and King.
He knows she’s different, she’s hiding something.

The conclusion in this story is a long one. We meet more characters and lose some too. It’s a long build up to a scene that only covers a page or two and then justice isn’t served the way Sarah wants. It felt a bit rushed.

All in all, I did enjoy this book. Wouldn’t mind to see what Adam or Allie are up to, if this Vampire world is explored more. It feels like more could come from this duet.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[J.J. · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was almost a DNF at 40%. Like you’re telling me that this newbie to the vampire world who still doesn’t know much about the world is suddenly going to be the Queen?? Just like I thought with the first book, I’ve read this story/plot before but it was done better than the rush and underdeveloped nature of this series. Also, the sleeping and “falling in love” with each male after like one day of knowing each other was kind of ridiculous in both the first book and this one. I don’t understand why she was like “oh no, I have all these complex feelings for each guy!” when each relationship felt more like a plot point to create drama and less like actual relationship development. I ended up just skimming the second half just to get done.

[Lisa Bentley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect second half to this duet!! More action, more betrayal and even more spicy loving.
Sarah’s journey after becoming a vampire is still fraught and full of battles. She’s kidnapped, almost assassinated and finds out all is not as it seems to be. Even who she is is in question!
I loved seeing who she ends up with and although it wasn’t an easy journey I’m glad she ended up with the man she did!!
Wasn’t expecting the twist with her sister although I should have because she loves her so much she’d do anything to protect her.
Definitely recommend this for vampire romance lovers! I’m excited to see if Allie and Adam do indeed get their own stories 💜

[stephanie cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kicking off strong with book two, The Darkest Crown picks up with Sarah's journey as she returns home and reunites with her sister—just as chaos begins to unfold. This dark and spicy YA novel is filled with all the beloved elements: morally grey characters, captive romance, and questionable decisions that keep you guessing. Atley truly goes all out in both books, ensuring that every description and moment is impactful, always keeping readers on their toes. This sequel is a thrilling continuation that fans won’t want to miss.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[xbabygirl_2223x · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I begin.
This book was just amazing. I loved the storyline and how it contained more Spice, Vampires, and also the importance of Family, even ones that are not of your own blood.
At first I wasn’t sure of the other love interest being added to the story but how it ended was tragic and beautiful. Amy knows how to make it worth your while to read this deep and impactful duet. I’ll miss Sarah, Adam, and Julian. But I know that their story is ending like it should. And I hope there are other stories in the future ❤️

[Ragnhild Hynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any novel with the trope enemies-to-lovers in its blurb gets my attention. Add forced proximity and other promise of spice, and you can be sure that I consider reading the book.

I liked "The Darkest Crown", even more than "The Darkest Song". TDC felt a bit darker and as if it went more into depth when exploring the relationships between the main characters.

At 274 pages it is a quick read, which is a pleasant change from the 600-700 pages long novels you often find in the fantasy genre.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first book in this duet, The Darkest Song and absolutely loved it! So when I saw that book 2 was available, I jumped right on it!
After the cliffhanger book 1 left off on, I needed book 2 immediately!
I have so much I want to say about this book, but it would spoil it and I don’t want to do that! Overall, this has to be one of my favorite duets and I need more of these characters! Definitely excited to see there will be other stories based on characters in this book!

[Lunawolfwy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Darkest Crown was better than the 1st book. They both are excellent!

Amy Atley is superb in her writing in this book. Each of the main characters were written in such descriptive words that I felt it easy to envision their character, physical self, moods & emotions.

This duet is officially my favorite vampire story! I also got the dark romance and dark tropes. It's like this book had it all, and that kept me eager to continue reading and turning the pages.

[chesirern · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Darkest Crown (Book 2 of The Eternal Darkness Duet) by Amy Atley is a paranormal romance novel. It picks up where book one left off. This story was full of so many twist and turns but it was absolutely fascinating to follow. I enjoyed how different it was as a vampire novel. The characters continued with Sarah, Adam and Julian. We also added in the vampire king Marius.
Overall this was an interesting vampire novel.

[Ashly Giannotta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way too close of a story line to another book

This book was very all over the place with the love triangle. What was bugging me was that I thought this intertwined with another series I had read, and it doesn’t. The story lines are way too similar, which is why I was mixing them up. Love triangle, resurrected queen from the first vampire king ever created. Couldn’t help but wonder about that…

[Maria Wise · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really liked the first book, but this one was just a mess.
Spoilers!
Yet another captor/ romance intrest. It never ends!! It's like the book is on repeat again and again. Just that each repetition is worse then the previous one.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was 3.5 stars for me. The story was moving along until Marius, the Vampire King, is introduced and the story and plot gets really murky. At times it felt all over the place. Of course, Adam and Julian comes to help Sarah. Overall, the book was ok.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.⁶

[Lumen Wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved everything about this book. The characters were incredible, the world building was perfect and not too overwhelming. There were so many twists and turns but they were all fantastic and added to the plot nicely. I was rooting for all the normally grey characters from the start.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Book 2 of The Eternal Darkness Duet. I love the characters in this story. Very entertaining, intense, spicy, twist and turns. Well written. I highly recommend this author does not disappoint and can't wait to see what is next. Great Author.

[AMBER CLARK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Calling all vampire romance lovers! This story took a twist that I was not anticipating. What a roller coaster ride of emotions. It was the perfect second half and if there were similar novels in the works, I would not be mad about it.

[Jacqualine Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wonderful. I really enjoyed it. I kept reading till I finished it and I still wanted more. It’s a definite page Turner and I would recommend it. Thanks for the great.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[BusyM3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book two in this series The Eternal Darkness. The story will hold your attention all the way through. The characters fit well together. A great paranormal read.

I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Molly Pritchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book ended on a cliffhanger, and I just couldn't wait to dive into book two. This was such a beautiful accompaniment. If you've read book one, you MUST pick up this book.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Denise Doughten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful romance

This was a great book, I enjoyed reading. Wonderful characters. Exciting and fast paced. I want more of them. Will Adam find love. What about Allie and the guards. Please more.

[S I · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Darkest Crown by Amy Atley
New author for me and I find that her story is interesting and captivating.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gabriela]

I couldn't get through the love triangle, so I had to DNF. But besides that the story was captivating and I really enjoyed the writing style.

[Lala Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know she is a new indie author, I can appreciate how her writing has gotten better and better. I’m looking forward to her next books🤗.

[Stephanie D. Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eternal Darkness

I enjoyed this duet. It was a good story and great characters. This is a new author for me but I will definitely check out more of her books.

[Laura J Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dramatic and Spicy

This set was an exciting read throughout. Twists and turns. I’m so happy everything worked out the way it did.