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The Broken Realms #1
Satanic Shadows
IN THE SHADOWS
HE WAITS
Seraphine Winters had a normal life. One she misses when she’s kidnapped and taken to an island in the middle of nowhere.
Forced to attend Quarrierton Academy, a castle full of immortal beings, the only way she can leave is if she passes all her classes. But as a human, she’s hated just for breathing, with no way to fit in around magic and powers she never knew existed.
And who doesn’t hate mortals more than Dane Dalton? The Shadow Prince loathes everything about her, yet there are more secrets and lies than truths between the pair, and it’s a race against time when the curse is revealed.
HE WAITS
Seraphine Winters had a normal life. One she misses when she’s kidnapped and taken to an island in the middle of nowhere.
Forced to attend Quarrierton Academy, a castle full of immortal beings, the only way she can leave is if she passes all her classes. But as a human, she’s hated just for breathing, with no way to fit in around magic and powers she never knew existed.
And who doesn’t hate mortals more than Dane Dalton? The Shadow Prince loathes everything about her, yet there are more secrets and lies than truths between the pair, and it’s a race against time when the curse is revealed.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2024
1366 people are currently reading
19439 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Rivers
10 books13.9k followersLeigh Rivers is a Scottish Biomedical Scientist who has ventured into the world of writing dark, morally gray characters with rollercoaster storylines to drive her readers wild.
When she isn't reading, writing on her laptop, or gaming until ridiculous hours, she dances at the pole studio, goes to the gym, and walks her four dogs with her two sons and husband.
When she isn't reading, writing on her laptop, or gaming until ridiculous hours, she dances at the pole studio, goes to the gym, and walks her four dogs with her two sons and husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,271 reviews
December 31, 2024
okay guys so is it just me, or do you all sometimes find yourselves loving those so-called "trash" books? because let me tell you, this one was a total feast. did i call it trash? you bet i did. but did i have an absolute blast reading it? oh, you know it.
it's another book that’s just recycling the same old tropes. dark fantasy romance? check. a brooding shadow daddy as the main man? double check. mind reading powers? yawn. so why did i devour this like it was the last slice of pizza? we shall find out. lemme calm down while typing this because it was so so good. i'm so glad i picked up this bad boy and regret not reading it on the wattpad because my obsessed ass kept re-reading insatiable and psychotic obsession by this author.
the plot was rushed to the max. seriously, cramming this book into just 200 pages should be illegal because i am absolutely starving for more. the beginning was like a speed race from point A to B, leaving me utterly baffled. but hold up—this is an enemies-to-lovers story, and the banter? absolute perfection. i couldn’t care less about their school drama or whatever nonsense was going on, but that banter? it was served, devoured, and left me wanting seconds.
miss rivers i need book two now.
it's another book that’s just recycling the same old tropes. dark fantasy romance? check. a brooding shadow daddy as the main man? double check. mind reading powers? yawn. so why did i devour this like it was the last slice of pizza? we shall find out. lemme calm down while typing this because it was so so good. i'm so glad i picked up this bad boy and regret not reading it on the wattpad because my obsessed ass kept re-reading insatiable and psychotic obsession by this author.
౨ৎ ⋮ "You think I don't know you, little mortal? I'm fucking haunted by you."
the plot was rushed to the max. seriously, cramming this book into just 200 pages should be illegal because i am absolutely starving for more. the beginning was like a speed race from point A to B, leaving me utterly baffled. but hold up—this is an enemies-to-lovers story, and the banter? absolute perfection. i couldn’t care less about their school drama or whatever nonsense was going on, but that banter? it was served, devoured, and left me wanting seconds.
౨ৎ ⋮ "You'll never be free of me. That's a promise. After we're done with the academy, I will follow you to the ends of your world and make your meaningless life hell."
miss rivers i need book two now.
March 10, 2025
Oh!
The beginning of this book, if I put it simply, is that it was terrible. Prologue? Fire! Fast paced and we are staring with a fucking BANG and I loved it. The next chapter?…. Tell me why this bitch gets transported to a different realm and just simply spends a week in her room…
Yeah…
The next chapter?
FOUR WEEKS HAVE PASSED…. ARE YOU SERIOUS???!! We are going to start off a fantasy book by just skipping over EVERYTHING??! WTF???? Our FMC makes friends that are assigned to her by the head mistress. Oh and of course during those four weeks she has already interacted with the MMC MULTIPLE TIMES… what do we see you ask? Oh don’t worry, we get to see why he doesn’t like her and decided to bully her! Are you ready for this? I don’t think you are…
Because she bumped into him!!!
Yep you read that right! He “hates” her because she bumped into him and is a human.
Wow! I don’t think I have ever read a more mature and sexy MMC. That is just the hottest thing I think an MMC has ever decided to do!! Don’t you guys agree?!
Oh and the other one interaction we get to see between the FMC and MMC during those four weeks that are so graciously just SKIPPED over, let me tell you guys the FULL BODY SHIVER of cringe that went through me when I read this… It was like nothing I have ever experienced. Prepare yourself, I’m warning you…
Okay so she runs into him again because OF COURSE she does! And he says in a ‘deep tone while dragging his gaze up and down my body while I struggle. Dimples dent deep as he smirks. “I think the human likes being on her knees for everyone, maybe she should stay there. It seems to be the only place she belongs.”
HOLY FUCK. What year are we in again?? WTF IS THAT??
Okay I have to move on or I will simply not make it through this review 😃
The story continues, blah blah, they have had an insta connection from the start. The creatures, I don’t even know what they are, in this realm are learning human behaviors and ways to take over the human realm. Why? Cause this realm is cursed apparently.
We skipped over the first five weeks of this bitch being in this new place guys, we don’t get answers 🤣
ANYWAYS, in learning human behavior, these fae? creatures? monsters? have to learn intimacy/emotional connection, so everyone is paired up and must complete tasks. The first one is asking each other questions, the second is kissing each other.
I think over 50 pages of this book is just descriptions of our MC’s kissing… I’m not even lying. From their first kiss it’s fireworks and sparkles and worlds colliding, and guess what? We get pages and pages of descriptions of their kissing each and every time.
And they have to kiss 5 times, for a minute each, and guess what? They are always stopping right before the minute mark!!
…Yay!!
Oh! And these two can read each other’s minds at times. Odd though because it was never consistent and he would somehow only read her mind when she was thinking dirty, scandalous thoughts and his mind would only open when he was thinking a vulnerable thought about her…
EVEN THOUGH HE HAS BEEN ALIVE FOR HOW LONG NOW??? OVER HUNDREDS OF YEARS… you THINK he would be able to control that by now but NO, apparently not.
Basically the author was TELLING everything., Like spoon feeding into my mouth until I was gagging and having to spit it out because my mouth was FULL.
I cannot stand it when books are told instead of shown and unfortunately thats what Leigh decided to do with this one. I want the story, I want the build up and tension, and LONGING… instead we got glimpses into the dude’s mind that just told us he didn’t want the kissing task to be done with.
There was just no build up between the characters it was all INSTA 🤮
This is supposed to be a bully romance… they are supposed to hate each other… WHERE??? I didn’t see that. They legit never hated each other and there was no bullying. All he would do is say he hates her and she’s weak and pathetic and blah blah fucking BLAH.
How did we go from the masterpiece that is The Edge of Darkness trilogy to this???
It was like pulling teeth trying to make myself read this book guys. I was STRUGGLING!!
Until about 75% where some stuff other than just kissing and dry humping started happening.
Thats right, the PLOT!
Now, was it predictable? Yes! And as someone who hardly reads fantasy, thats kinda sad, but the foreshadowing was HEAVY. I legit guessed what was going on the first time something was mentioned. Still the premise and idea was super intriguing, enough for me to read the second book? No. But enough that I didn’t DNF this one!!
Basically it seems this girl keeps dying because of this curse and keeps getting reincarnated and they have been lovers forever, oh and this is where Leigh tries to clean up the mess that was the first 75% because he tries to say that their idea for them to not fall in love wasn’t working and he couldn’t be rude to her and what not…. Maybe if she isn’t supposed to fall in love with you, you should avoid her, or you know, actually make her dislike you…. Like it just didn’t make sense. I know what she was trying to do, but unfortunately I was just too disappointed and annoyed by the first half that it didn’t work.
I don’t know much about the curse other than it seems to kill her and maybe turn her evil? Like I said, I don’t know, but since this is supposed to be a five book series that does make sense. I’m sure more will be revealed as the series continues.
Thats where it pretty much ends… there’s a small cliffhanger, nothing that had me blown away or saying “I NEED THE NEXT BOOK RIGHT NOW 👹”
Oh! One more thing that bothered me was the inconsistencies… small things, but this stuff really does irritate me because how did you not catch this when you were rereading/editing. Here is an example:
“At midnight on the dot, I’m doing as Mel said and lounging in the bathtub…”
Page 153 (on my kindle)
Later on page 153 (on my kindle)…
“I check my phone beside the bathtub, It’s four minutes to midnight.””
WHY ARE WE GOING BACK IN TIME????!!! I noticed this happened a few times time wise, and like I said its little stuff, but it really does get on my nerves and under my skin 😭
There were some instances with her twin friends where I was like “oh I think the ‘sunshine’ one was meant to say this not the ‘grumpy’ one”, but those happened in the beginning so I think she was still learning the characters.
Overall this book was a NO from me. It was a cringe-fest. Seriously I have not read so many cringey lines/interaction in one book in I don’t even know how long. It was just poorly executed and bad to the point that I could not handle. If this were not an ARC from an author who’s team I am on and want to stay on I would 100000000% would have just DNFed 😭
Update: I was removed from the team
1.5 stars I think? 😭
The beginning of this book, if I put it simply, is that it was terrible. Prologue? Fire! Fast paced and we are staring with a fucking BANG and I loved it. The next chapter?…. Tell me why this bitch gets transported to a different realm and just simply spends a week in her room…
Yeah…
The next chapter?
FOUR WEEKS HAVE PASSED…. ARE YOU SERIOUS???!! We are going to start off a fantasy book by just skipping over EVERYTHING??! WTF???? Our FMC makes friends that are assigned to her by the head mistress. Oh and of course during those four weeks she has already interacted with the MMC MULTIPLE TIMES… what do we see you ask? Oh don’t worry, we get to see why he doesn’t like her and decided to bully her! Are you ready for this? I don’t think you are…
Because she bumped into him!!!
Yep you read that right! He “hates” her because she bumped into him and is a human.
Wow! I don’t think I have ever read a more mature and sexy MMC. That is just the hottest thing I think an MMC has ever decided to do!! Don’t you guys agree?!
Oh and the other one interaction we get to see between the FMC and MMC during those four weeks that are so graciously just SKIPPED over, let me tell you guys the FULL BODY SHIVER of cringe that went through me when I read this… It was like nothing I have ever experienced. Prepare yourself, I’m warning you…
Okay so she runs into him again because OF COURSE she does! And he says in a ‘deep tone while dragging his gaze up and down my body while I struggle. Dimples dent deep as he smirks. “I think the human likes being on her knees for everyone, maybe she should stay there. It seems to be the only place she belongs.”
HOLY FUCK. What year are we in again?? WTF IS THAT??
Okay I have to move on or I will simply not make it through this review 😃
The story continues, blah blah, they have had an insta connection from the start. The creatures, I don’t even know what they are, in this realm are learning human behaviors and ways to take over the human realm. Why? Cause this realm is cursed apparently.
We skipped over the first five weeks of this bitch being in this new place guys, we don’t get answers 🤣
ANYWAYS, in learning human behavior, these fae? creatures? monsters? have to learn intimacy/emotional connection, so everyone is paired up and must complete tasks. The first one is asking each other questions, the second is kissing each other.
I think over 50 pages of this book is just descriptions of our MC’s kissing… I’m not even lying. From their first kiss it’s fireworks and sparkles and worlds colliding, and guess what? We get pages and pages of descriptions of their kissing each and every time.
And they have to kiss 5 times, for a minute each, and guess what? They are always stopping right before the minute mark!!
…Yay!!
Oh! And these two can read each other’s minds at times. Odd though because it was never consistent and he would somehow only read her mind when she was thinking dirty, scandalous thoughts and his mind would only open when he was thinking a vulnerable thought about her…
EVEN THOUGH HE HAS BEEN ALIVE FOR HOW LONG NOW??? OVER HUNDREDS OF YEARS… you THINK he would be able to control that by now but NO, apparently not.
Basically the author was TELLING everything., Like spoon feeding into my mouth until I was gagging and having to spit it out because my mouth was FULL.
I cannot stand it when books are told instead of shown and unfortunately thats what Leigh decided to do with this one. I want the story, I want the build up and tension, and LONGING… instead we got glimpses into the dude’s mind that just told us he didn’t want the kissing task to be done with.
There was just no build up between the characters it was all INSTA 🤮
This is supposed to be a bully romance… they are supposed to hate each other… WHERE??? I didn’t see that. They legit never hated each other and there was no bullying. All he would do is say he hates her and she’s weak and pathetic and blah blah fucking BLAH.
How did we go from the masterpiece that is The Edge of Darkness trilogy to this???
It was like pulling teeth trying to make myself read this book guys. I was STRUGGLING!!
Until about 75% where some stuff other than just kissing and dry humping started happening.
Thats right, the PLOT!
Now, was it predictable? Yes! And as someone who hardly reads fantasy, thats kinda sad, but the foreshadowing was HEAVY. I legit guessed what was going on the first time something was mentioned. Still the premise and idea was super intriguing, enough for me to read the second book? No. But enough that I didn’t DNF this one!!
Basically it seems this girl keeps dying because of this curse and keeps getting reincarnated and they have been lovers forever, oh and this is where Leigh tries to clean up the mess that was the first 75% because he tries to say that their idea for them to not fall in love wasn’t working and he couldn’t be rude to her and what not…. Maybe if she isn’t supposed to fall in love with you, you should avoid her, or you know, actually make her dislike you…. Like it just didn’t make sense. I know what she was trying to do, but unfortunately I was just too disappointed and annoyed by the first half that it didn’t work.
I don’t know much about the curse other than it seems to kill her and maybe turn her evil? Like I said, I don’t know, but since this is supposed to be a five book series that does make sense. I’m sure more will be revealed as the series continues.
Thats where it pretty much ends… there’s a small cliffhanger, nothing that had me blown away or saying “I NEED THE NEXT BOOK RIGHT NOW 👹”
Oh! One more thing that bothered me was the inconsistencies… small things, but this stuff really does irritate me because how did you not catch this when you were rereading/editing. Here is an example:
“At midnight on the dot, I’m doing as Mel said and lounging in the bathtub…”
Page 153 (on my kindle)
Later on page 153 (on my kindle)…
“I check my phone beside the bathtub, It’s four minutes to midnight.””
WHY ARE WE GOING BACK IN TIME????!!! I noticed this happened a few times time wise, and like I said its little stuff, but it really does get on my nerves and under my skin 😭
There were some instances with her twin friends where I was like “oh I think the ‘sunshine’ one was meant to say this not the ‘grumpy’ one”, but those happened in the beginning so I think she was still learning the characters.
Overall this book was a NO from me. It was a cringe-fest. Seriously I have not read so many cringey lines/interaction in one book in I don’t even know how long. It was just poorly executed and bad to the point that I could not handle. If this were not an ARC from an author who’s team I am on and want to stay on I would 100000000% would have just DNFed 😭
Update: I was removed from the team
1.5 stars I think? 😭
January 9, 2025
OMG!!!! When Leigh released a teaser and the tropes for this book I just knew I was gonna swallow this shit whole AND I SURE DID.
Obsessed is an understatement, this was the book of my dreams. At first, you’re a little confused about how Seraphine just gets plucked out of her human life and thrown into this magical school. But as the story progresses, the plot just becomes more entertaining and more addicting. I was fully sat. I love when a story has a sense of mystery and this is definitely one where you’re going to try to string things together.
The banter in this book was fucking hilarious when I tell you I was laughing out loud every time these two had an interaction, they were literally going at it every time they were together, and every comeback was so vicious like these two did not give a fuck, you could feel that enemies to lovers to the CORE. The hate that Dane has for humans is strong af but when these two are paired up and forced to complete intimate tasks, you can see him fighting his attraction for her and it’s so fucking good.
“Should we skip straight to our most awaited task? Should I fuck you into oblivion and keep you trapped there?”
AND DANE?? This man is the ultimate shadow daddy. When I tell you this book had me in a full blush I’m not even kidding,the spice the tension and the hate fucking(around) was so beyond hot, Leigh executed this perfectly. Dane was so hot and cold and it gave me whiplash in the best way, every time he degraded her and treated her like shit and then had his mouth all over her, I was like am I turned on?! (Yes yes I am)😭😮💨🧎🏼♀️
And then they started passing their orgasms back-and-forth and I was like OK this can’t get any better.
I fucking love where this storyline is going. I started to pick up on some things while I was reading it and I’m so happy it’s playing out the way it is. But I don’t know if I am physically capable of waiting for a book 2 I don’t know how I’m gonna survive. This book gave me every single thing I love and I need moreeeeeee
“You think I don’t know you I’m fucking haunted by you”
Obsessed is an understatement, this was the book of my dreams. At first, you’re a little confused about how Seraphine just gets plucked out of her human life and thrown into this magical school. But as the story progresses, the plot just becomes more entertaining and more addicting. I was fully sat. I love when a story has a sense of mystery and this is definitely one where you’re going to try to string things together.
The banter in this book was fucking hilarious when I tell you I was laughing out loud every time these two had an interaction, they were literally going at it every time they were together, and every comeback was so vicious like these two did not give a fuck, you could feel that enemies to lovers to the CORE. The hate that Dane has for humans is strong af but when these two are paired up and forced to complete intimate tasks, you can see him fighting his attraction for her and it’s so fucking good.
“Should we skip straight to our most awaited task? Should I fuck you into oblivion and keep you trapped there?”
AND DANE?? This man is the ultimate shadow daddy. When I tell you this book had me in a full blush I’m not even kidding,the spice the tension and the hate fucking(around) was so beyond hot, Leigh executed this perfectly. Dane was so hot and cold and it gave me whiplash in the best way, every time he degraded her and treated her like shit and then had his mouth all over her, I was like am I turned on?! (Yes yes I am)😭😮💨🧎🏼♀️
And then they started passing their orgasms back-and-forth and I was like OK this can’t get any better.
I fucking love where this storyline is going. I started to pick up on some things while I was reading it and I’m so happy it’s playing out the way it is. But I don’t know if I am physically capable of waiting for a book 2 I don’t know how I’m gonna survive. This book gave me every single thing I love and I need moreeeeeee
“You think I don’t know you I’m fucking haunted by you”
February 20, 2025
2⭐️
I’m sorry Leigh 😭 you’re still my fav the edge of darkness trilogy is a masterpiece but this did not do it for me ❤️🩹
The world building is completely non existent in this, there’s a mortal realm and immortal realms and that’s literally all we know… there isn’t much explanation around them, and not much around what happens to Seraphine when she’s taken from the human world and thrust into a school for immortals, she literally accepts her fate there after 3 chapters after not even knowing there was any other worlds but hers and I found that soooo lacking/lazy writing.. not to mention we skip the first 4 weeks of her being there and she’s already met Dane in that space of time multiple times?!?! We don’t even get to see them first meet whyyy???
I didn’t love her and Dane, the hate/love scenario was just cringey with him calling her ‘mortal’ condescendingly every 20 seconds (annoying) and the tension just wasn’t there for me. The fact that the spice comes as a result of them having assignments to behave more like humans therefore they need to kiss and touch/intimately explore each other for class assignment was weird to me and took away all of the tension
The last 20 pages were okay 🤷🏽♀️ I can see the potential but it’s all very surface level, the twist I saw coming but I can see how it sets up future books
I’m sorry Leigh 😭 you’re still my fav the edge of darkness trilogy is a masterpiece but this did not do it for me ❤️🩹
The world building is completely non existent in this, there’s a mortal realm and immortal realms and that’s literally all we know… there isn’t much explanation around them, and not much around what happens to Seraphine when she’s taken from the human world and thrust into a school for immortals, she literally accepts her fate there after 3 chapters after not even knowing there was any other worlds but hers and I found that soooo lacking/lazy writing.. not to mention we skip the first 4 weeks of her being there and she’s already met Dane in that space of time multiple times?!?! We don’t even get to see them first meet whyyy???
I didn’t love her and Dane, the hate/love scenario was just cringey with him calling her ‘mortal’ condescendingly every 20 seconds (annoying) and the tension just wasn’t there for me. The fact that the spice comes as a result of them having assignments to behave more like humans therefore they need to kiss and touch/intimately explore each other for class assignment was weird to me and took away all of the tension
The last 20 pages were okay 🤷🏽♀️ I can see the potential but it’s all very surface level, the twist I saw coming but I can see how it sets up future books
January 16, 2025
I need book 2 IMMEDIATELY
January 26, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
Ok that was not it….
As a Stan of Leigh Rivers books I went to this one ready, I was excited and the reviews were making me more excited. Unfortunately I was disappointed.
The Prologue already made me question the book cause same thing again as in most fantasy books “poor mortal girl gets taken to a fantasy world”, FINE. 🙄
But my issues with the book starts right in the first chapter. How can you start a fantasy book let alone a series by skipping everything? Seraphine is dropped at the island full of magical beings and monsters of all sorts. She is supposed to attend school (very Zodiac Academy), twin magical sisters were assigned to help her. She meets Dane who’s obviously the super hot mean Shadow Prince who HATES her for the crime of being mortal and than the freaking book skips to 4 weeks later. 😠 Oh and the author keeps up with the skipping because every time is like 2 weeks later, 6 weeks later. You can’t tell me that there’s NOTHING interesting to write about all this creatures, this school, her shock and surprise and learning how to navigate this situation….
We literally have no idea how the school works, who are the magical creatures and what their powers are, we don’t see any struggle from a mortal girl in understand and adapt to the place. We don’t know why the castle is magical and how it works. She doesn’t even question or is afraid of all the shadows living life in her bedroom, like literally living life having ice cream, walking the dog and shenanigans like that.
Her interactions with Dane are just infuriating, because he is a bully but he is not the bully that I like it, he is mean but falls flat, cause he only talks a big game but does literally nothing. He is no Darius Acrux. Yes he is hot and the tension between them is good. But stops there.
So she basically is in this school where immortal creatures are learning how to be mortal because their realms are been destroyed and they might need to live in the mortal realm. So clearly let’s get a mortal to help us understand the mortal realm but let’s not allow her to do or say anything and lets treat her like shit because why the hell not?
The entire book is only Dane and Seraphine completing assignments for a mortal class in intimacy, learn how mortals behave in a romantic relationship, they have to ask questions to each other, to kiss for certain amount of minutes and the list goes on, it would be fine and it’s hot and all but that’s the entire book.
Do we know why she is there ? NO.
Do we know how she knows certain things? NO
Do we know her connection to Dane? NO
Do we know how their world is and their creatures and powers ? NO
I get that it’s the first book in a series and we are not supposed to find out everything, BUT GIVE ME SOMETHING. Something to make me want to read the next one. As it right now I am not going to read the next one. Minds can change and mine changes often, but not even the ending made me salivate to get the next book. So, NO.
I feel like I am bitching and been bitter because most reviews are amazing, I am not a fantasy reader, but I can’t come from ACOTAR and ZODIAC ACADEMY and land here without complaints because those 2 series are practically flawless.
Now I am done with my rant 🙃
Ok that was not it….
As a Stan of Leigh Rivers books I went to this one ready, I was excited and the reviews were making me more excited. Unfortunately I was disappointed.
The Prologue already made me question the book cause same thing again as in most fantasy books “poor mortal girl gets taken to a fantasy world”, FINE. 🙄
But my issues with the book starts right in the first chapter. How can you start a fantasy book let alone a series by skipping everything? Seraphine is dropped at the island full of magical beings and monsters of all sorts. She is supposed to attend school (very Zodiac Academy), twin magical sisters were assigned to help her. She meets Dane who’s obviously the super hot mean Shadow Prince who HATES her for the crime of being mortal and than the freaking book skips to 4 weeks later. 😠 Oh and the author keeps up with the skipping because every time is like 2 weeks later, 6 weeks later. You can’t tell me that there’s NOTHING interesting to write about all this creatures, this school, her shock and surprise and learning how to navigate this situation….
We literally have no idea how the school works, who are the magical creatures and what their powers are, we don’t see any struggle from a mortal girl in understand and adapt to the place. We don’t know why the castle is magical and how it works. She doesn’t even question or is afraid of all the shadows living life in her bedroom, like literally living life having ice cream, walking the dog and shenanigans like that.
Her interactions with Dane are just infuriating, because he is a bully but he is not the bully that I like it, he is mean but falls flat, cause he only talks a big game but does literally nothing. He is no Darius Acrux. Yes he is hot and the tension between them is good. But stops there.
So she basically is in this school where immortal creatures are learning how to be mortal because their realms are been destroyed and they might need to live in the mortal realm. So clearly let’s get a mortal to help us understand the mortal realm but let’s not allow her to do or say anything and lets treat her like shit because why the hell not?
The entire book is only Dane and Seraphine completing assignments for a mortal class in intimacy, learn how mortals behave in a romantic relationship, they have to ask questions to each other, to kiss for certain amount of minutes and the list goes on, it would be fine and it’s hot and all but that’s the entire book.
Do we know why she is there ? NO.
Do we know how she knows certain things? NO
Do we know her connection to Dane? NO
Do we know how their world is and their creatures and powers ? NO
I get that it’s the first book in a series and we are not supposed to find out everything, BUT GIVE ME SOMETHING. Something to make me want to read the next one. As it right now I am not going to read the next one. Minds can change and mine changes often, but not even the ending made me salivate to get the next book. So, NO.
I feel like I am bitching and been bitter because most reviews are amazing, I am not a fantasy reader, but I can’t come from ACOTAR and ZODIAC ACADEMY and land here without complaints because those 2 series are practically flawless.
Now I am done with my rant 🙃
July 2, 2025
3.5 🌟
the cliffhanger, are you kidding me? i’m a mess rn. LEIGH RIVERS GIVE ME MOREEEEEE
i did not expect to love this story as much as i did. if you want a perfect dark academia romance to read while it's stormy out and raining... this is the one!! the tension, the way he bullied her 😏 i could feel everything through my kindle screen, it was so intense. THE CLIFFHANGER THOUGH... i actually need more of this series asap, thanks!!
the cliffhanger, are you kidding me? i’m a mess rn. LEIGH RIVERS GIVE ME MOREEEEEE
i did not expect to love this story as much as i did. if you want a perfect dark academia romance to read while it's stormy out and raining... this is the one!! the tension, the way he bullied her 😏 i could feel everything through my kindle screen, it was so intense. THE CLIFFHANGER THOUGH... i actually need more of this series asap, thanks!!
Want to read
December 2, 2024HELLO???
Yet another Leigh Rivers book that will probably consume me and become my entire personality for a few months😌 Can't wait.
Yet another Leigh Rivers book that will probably consume me and become my entire personality for a few months😌 Can't wait.
June 17, 2025
Задумка цікава, без води, книга легко читається
Але шось я не думаю що буду продовжувати, чомусь більше акценту робиться на їхньому потязі один до одного, будь яка їхня взаємодія закінчується тим що вони хочуть переспати🤷🏿♀️
Їхні перепалки цікаві, і дуже гарячі тут не поспориш але так то сам сюжет якийсь недопрацьований чи що😢
Бажання продовжувати читати в мене немає
Але шось я не думаю що буду продовжувати, чомусь більше акценту робиться на їхньому потязі один до одного, будь яка їхня взаємодія закінчується тим що вони хочуть переспати🤷🏿♀️
Їхні перепалки цікаві, і дуже гарячі тут не поспориш але так то сам сюжет якийсь недопрацьований чи що😢
Бажання продовжувати читати в мене немає
December 12, 2024
It’s times like this where I question whether I read a completely different book to everyone else.
If you are going to assert in the blurb that the two main characters hate each other, then I would expect them to actually despise each other. Also, for a ‘bully’ romance, I’d expect there to be more… well ‘bullying’. These two did not hate each other, neither did they bully each other; this was evident in the first 50-80 pages. They teased/picked on, flirted and lusted after one another, while merely disliking each other.
The world building (or lack thereof) was vague and nondescript. Therefore, if you’re looking for an easy, spicy, and short read - this will be ideal for you. I, however, expected more from this. Moreover, this entire book fell flat for me, and I found the cliffhanger very anticlimactic.
My two stars go to shadow daddy Dane, and Dane only. His filthy mouth and banter did in fact have me giggling during some chapters.
For a Leigh Rivers book, I’m left feeling disappointed!
P.S I already forgot everything that happened in this book.
If you are going to assert in the blurb that the two main characters hate each other, then I would expect them to actually despise each other. Also, for a ‘bully’ romance, I’d expect there to be more… well ‘bullying’. These two did not hate each other, neither did they bully each other; this was evident in the first 50-80 pages. They teased/picked on, flirted and lusted after one another, while merely disliking each other.
The world building (or lack thereof) was vague and nondescript. Therefore, if you’re looking for an easy, spicy, and short read - this will be ideal for you. I, however, expected more from this. Moreover, this entire book fell flat for me, and I found the cliffhanger very anticlimactic.
My two stars go to shadow daddy Dane, and Dane only. His filthy mouth and banter did in fact have me giggling during some chapters.
For a Leigh Rivers book, I’m left feeling disappointed!
P.S I already forgot everything that happened in this book.
December 12, 2024
ARC REVIEW POSTED FOR RELEASE DAY!
⭐️5 / 🌶️ 4
"I want to hurt you."
"And I want to kiss you."
You would think being besties with an author I wouldn't be such a fangirl and yet when Leigh told me she was going to publish what may very well be my favorite work of hers I let out the loudest scream of happiness ever . Sounding something between a dying whale and Ariana Grande who knows ? 🤣.
The wattpad girlies that been here since the beginning get it! We got daddy Dane back ladies🥰!
The dark fantasy of Dane Dalton and Seraphine Winters is a rollercoaster of angst , tension , sexual tension and desire. When mortal/human Seraphine gets kidnapped from her world and thrown into a supernatural realm with no idea why her entire world is spun on its axis . What's even more confusing to her is why shadow king Dane hates her more than any other being .
Trust when I say their is a VERY fine line between love and hate.
"You think I don't know you? I'm fucking haunted by you."
After being assigned as partners for school both Dane and Seraphine are assigned to do tasks that will build proper communication and interactions for the supernatural to survive in the human world . Let's just say these tasks are veryyyyy ... personal . JAW DROPPING , PEARL CLUTCHING , SLIDING DOWN THE WALL WISHING YOU WERE SERAPHINE PERSONAL MISS GIRL😩😈!!
CANNOT believe my bestie let me read this all early and know I'm gagging for book two immediately after how dare she , but bet I devoured this in mere hours and you will to.
"I don't like you. In fact, I hate you the most out of all the immortal creatures in this school."
"Is that why you're enjoying kissing me so much?"
So proud of you Lee Lee and I love you mamas because I know you read my reviews lol - Kendra #1
⭐️5 / 🌶️ 4
"I want to hurt you."
"And I want to kiss you."
You would think being besties with an author I wouldn't be such a fangirl and yet when Leigh told me she was going to publish what may very well be my favorite work of hers I let out the loudest scream of happiness ever . Sounding something between a dying whale and Ariana Grande who knows ? 🤣.
The wattpad girlies that been here since the beginning get it! We got daddy Dane back ladies🥰!
The dark fantasy of Dane Dalton and Seraphine Winters is a rollercoaster of angst , tension , sexual tension and desire. When mortal/human Seraphine gets kidnapped from her world and thrown into a supernatural realm with no idea why her entire world is spun on its axis . What's even more confusing to her is why shadow king Dane hates her more than any other being .
Trust when I say their is a VERY fine line between love and hate.
"You think I don't know you? I'm fucking haunted by you."
After being assigned as partners for school both Dane and Seraphine are assigned to do tasks that will build proper communication and interactions for the supernatural to survive in the human world . Let's just say these tasks are veryyyyy ... personal . JAW DROPPING , PEARL CLUTCHING , SLIDING DOWN THE WALL WISHING YOU WERE SERAPHINE PERSONAL MISS GIRL😩😈!!
CANNOT believe my bestie let me read this all early and know I'm gagging for book two immediately after how dare she , but bet I devoured this in mere hours and you will to.
"I don't like you. In fact, I hate you the most out of all the immortal creatures in this school."
"Is that why you're enjoying kissing me so much?"
So proud of you Lee Lee and I love you mamas because I know you read my reviews lol - Kendra #1
December 16, 2024
5 STARS!
WHAT THE FU K
I NEED THE NEXT ONE IMMEDIATELY
I AM OBSESSED
I AM IN LOVE
would not expect anything less from a LR book!!!!!
Dane Dalton, the man, shadow daddy you are. ugh, there is something so hot about the bully trope and Dane had that bullying down to a fkn T.
i’ve only read a couple fantasy books but i’m now deep diving into that genre because of this masterpiece!
Sera and Dane together, ugh their internal monologue had me SCREAMING! i was giggling and kicking my feet like a lil fan girlie 🤭
“ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴜʀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ.”
“ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴋɪꜱꜱ ʏᴏᴜ.”
i also LOOOOOOVED Sera’s friendship with the two sisters, Poppy and Mel, they are the sweetest trio!
i literally loved all these characters so much and hello? i need more please 😭
so many questions i need answers tooooo omg
5 stars all day longggggg (did u expect anything less hehehe)
ᴀꜱ ɪꜰ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴡɪꜱʜ, ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴇʟʟ ʜɪᴍ ᴛᴏ ꜰᴜᴄᴋ ᴍᴇ. ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ʙᴇ ᴅᴀᴍɴᴇᴅ.
ps. the book is so stunning irl 🥹🥹
WHAT THE FU K
I NEED THE NEXT ONE IMMEDIATELY
I AM OBSESSED
I AM IN LOVE
would not expect anything less from a LR book!!!!!
Dane Dalton, the man, shadow daddy you are. ugh, there is something so hot about the bully trope and Dane had that bullying down to a fkn T.
i’ve only read a couple fantasy books but i’m now deep diving into that genre because of this masterpiece!
Sera and Dane together, ugh their internal monologue had me SCREAMING! i was giggling and kicking my feet like a lil fan girlie 🤭
“ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴜʀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ.”
“ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴋɪꜱꜱ ʏᴏᴜ.”
i also LOOOOOOVED Sera’s friendship with the two sisters, Poppy and Mel, they are the sweetest trio!
i literally loved all these characters so much and hello? i need more please 😭
so many questions i need answers tooooo omg
5 stars all day longggggg (did u expect anything less hehehe)
ᴀꜱ ɪꜰ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴡɪꜱʜ, ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴇʟʟ ʜɪᴍ ᴛᴏ ꜰᴜᴄᴋ ᴍᴇ. ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ʙᴇ ᴅᴀᴍɴᴇᴅ.
ps. the book is so stunning irl 🥹🥹
December 24, 2024
i’d like book 2 leigh. ☝️✋🫴🫴🫴🫴
January 8, 2025
ate this up with a fork and knife and spork and ladle
December 13, 2024
“You’ll never be free of me. That’s a promise.”
ARC REVIEW
Satanic Shadows is quite different from everything I’ve read by Leigh Rivers so far. The story starts in the human world but quickly transports us to an island full of strange and powerful creatures, where all hell breaks loose.
The book follows Seraphine Winters, a human woman who is kidnapped and forced to attend Quarrierton Academy, a school filled with immortal beings from various realms. Seraphine is smart and determined, but she’s the only one there without powers—and she’s hated for it, especially by Dane Dalton. The prince of an extinct realm loathes everything about her existence and doesn’t bother to hide it. When Seraphine and Dane are paired up for classes, they’re forced not only to spend time together but also to be intimate. As they grow closer, their desires intensify, and secrets begin to arise.
The story’s atmosphere is mostly tense. Seraphine is always on edge, trying to survive as the only mortal and powerless person in the castle, while her interactions with Dane are electric—full of both hatred and desire. Their banter is intense: one moment they’re arguing, and the next, they’re all over each other—for the sake of their assignments, of course.
But there’s more to everything than is shown. Seraphine and Dane share a past—an intense one, filled with heartache and hidden truths that Seraphine is yet to know about and understand. Meanwhile, she keeps having vivid dreams, memories about lives she didn’t live; a mysterious curse starts appearing on her body, strange symbols surfacing on her skin—the same ones that are tattooed on Dane’s.
The book ends with a cliffhanger that is honestly driving me crazy. I have so many questions and so little answers, and can’t wait for book 2 to see more of these characters!
An ARC was provided by Leigh Rivers and her team in exchange for an honest review.
Also, for Dane, the answer is TAYLOR SWIFT.
ARC REVIEW
Satanic Shadows is quite different from everything I’ve read by Leigh Rivers so far. The story starts in the human world but quickly transports us to an island full of strange and powerful creatures, where all hell breaks loose.
The book follows Seraphine Winters, a human woman who is kidnapped and forced to attend Quarrierton Academy, a school filled with immortal beings from various realms. Seraphine is smart and determined, but she’s the only one there without powers—and she’s hated for it, especially by Dane Dalton. The prince of an extinct realm loathes everything about her existence and doesn’t bother to hide it. When Seraphine and Dane are paired up for classes, they’re forced not only to spend time together but also to be intimate. As they grow closer, their desires intensify, and secrets begin to arise.
The story’s atmosphere is mostly tense. Seraphine is always on edge, trying to survive as the only mortal and powerless person in the castle, while her interactions with Dane are electric—full of both hatred and desire. Their banter is intense: one moment they’re arguing, and the next, they’re all over each other—for the sake of their assignments, of course.
But there’s more to everything than is shown. Seraphine and Dane share a past—an intense one, filled with heartache and hidden truths that Seraphine is yet to know about and understand. Meanwhile, she keeps having vivid dreams, memories about lives she didn’t live; a mysterious curse starts appearing on her body, strange symbols surfacing on her skin—the same ones that are tattooed on Dane’s.
The book ends with a cliffhanger that is honestly driving me crazy. I have so many questions and so little answers, and can’t wait for book 2 to see more of these characters!
An ARC was provided by Leigh Rivers and her team in exchange for an honest review.
Also, for Dane, the answer is TAYLOR SWIFT.
June 25, 2025
“I truly hate him, but I would gladly let him dominate me from every angle.“
I went into this book blindly, just because I’ve loved every Leigh Rivers book I’ve read so far & this did not disappoint! WHAT WAS THAT ENDING….
I just loveee a dark academia with a shadow daddy. This was truly enemies to lovers. The banter was everything & more!
I actually laughed throughout the entire book with them making jokes about humans and the “mortal world”.
“Who’s the better singer… Billie Eilish or Taylor Swift?” “Who?”
I toss down my book. “I think it’s time for you to leave.” 🤣🤣
I’m going to need the next book asap!!🖤
I went into this book blindly, just because I’ve loved every Leigh Rivers book I’ve read so far & this did not disappoint! WHAT WAS THAT ENDING….
I just loveee a dark academia with a shadow daddy. This was truly enemies to lovers. The banter was everything & more!
I actually laughed throughout the entire book with them making jokes about humans and the “mortal world”.
“Who’s the better singer… Billie Eilish or Taylor Swift?” “Who?”
I toss down my book. “I think it’s time for you to leave.” 🤣🤣
I’m going to need the next book asap!!🖤
November 7, 2025
1.5 ⭐️
Im so sry but, WHAT was thiiis?!
My queen…..
I am devastated that I didn’t like this, cause I wanted to so bad!!
I was hoping it would get better but it didn’t.
It felt very rushed, no world building at all, no connection between the characters, super immature and just not good 😫
Im so sry but, WHAT was thiiis?!
My queen…..
I am devastated that I didn’t like this, cause I wanted to so bad!!
I was hoping it would get better but it didn’t.
It felt very rushed, no world building at all, no connection between the characters, super immature and just not good 😫
March 9, 2025
I’m PLEASANTLY surprised as to how GOOD this book is! I can’t believe it’s Leigh Rivers first fantasy because she knocked it out of the park. Seems like she’s been writing fantasy for years! It has good world building (not too much but just enough that you can visualize it when reading), a fantastic setting (set in some sort of academy), and an enemies-to-lovers plot that will leave you SWEATING. I’d like to say that it teeters on the bully trope, but it wasn’t as bad as I’ve seen in some books- he’s just really mean.
If you’re a fan of books like Zodiac Academy but want strictly one form of Fae and human, then this is a must read for you. Zodiac Academy is one of my favorite series in the entire world and I think this book is PERFECT for anyone who loves that series too. It’s not as long as drawn out and there is a cliffhanger at the end of this one (it’s a doozy too) but it has a great twist, and I know these characters will easily become favorites as the series progresses. I highly recommend it!
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Romantasy Novels
❥ Academy Settings
❥ Enemies to Lovers
If you’re a fan of books like Zodiac Academy but want strictly one form of Fae and human, then this is a must read for you. Zodiac Academy is one of my favorite series in the entire world and I think this book is PERFECT for anyone who loves that series too. It’s not as long as drawn out and there is a cliffhanger at the end of this one (it’s a doozy too) but it has a great twist, and I know these characters will easily become favorites as the series progresses. I highly recommend it!
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Romantasy Novels
❥ Academy Settings
❥ Enemies to Lovers
January 17, 2026
6 freaking stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️that was hands down the BEST book i’ve read so far!! im going to need the second book like…right now. this book is a TRUE enemies to lovers and i’m OBSESSED. their connection, the banter, the twists, the spicy scenes, the ENDING?? yeah, like i said, im going to need the second book now, please. 🤭🤩🤩
“It’ll make task three easier.” He glares at me. “And what is task three?” “You need to kiss me.” Dane looks like I just killed his mother. He turns and walks towards the door. “Where are you going?” I call. “To hang myself.”
🥹
‘Fuck. Fucking fuck. She’s perfect.’
“It’ll make task three easier.” He glares at me. “And what is task three?” “You need to kiss me.” Dane looks like I just killed his mother. He turns and walks towards the door. “Where are you going?” I call. “To hang myself.”
🥹
‘Fuck. Fucking fuck. She’s perfect.’
October 22, 2025
As a primarily dark romance reader, I really enjoyed this book and have SO MANY QUESTIONs! If you are a big fantasy reader, this book might feel too simple to you in comparison to the heavy world building fantasies you may be reading. In addition, we jump time a lot so there are moments where you are basically told what happens but don't read it happening. So be forewarned and go in managing your expectations. This definitely feels more dark romance than a fantasy and its only 280 pages, so a lot has to happen in that short amount of time.
That being said, this book kept throwing me for a loop and I need to know more ASAP. I LOVEEDD the tension between Dane and Seraphine and the mystery of what is happening had me devouring this book. At first, I thought the idea of the school to learn how to be a human was odd, but I quickly loved the plot line and all the side characters. They all had unique personalities, and it was fun to read their interactions. The spicy scenes were captivating, and I am a sucker for a Shadow Daddy. 🙌🙌🙌
Safe to say, I will be picking up the next book when it is released and can't wait to find out what happens.
#Dark Romance
#Bully Romance
#Shadow Daddy
That being said, this book kept throwing me for a loop and I need to know more ASAP. I LOVEEDD the tension between Dane and Seraphine and the mystery of what is happening had me devouring this book. At first, I thought the idea of the school to learn how to be a human was odd, but I quickly loved the plot line and all the side characters. They all had unique personalities, and it was fun to read their interactions. The spicy scenes were captivating, and I am a sucker for a Shadow Daddy. 🙌🙌🙌
Safe to say, I will be picking up the next book when it is released and can't wait to find out what happens.
#Dark Romance
#Bully Romance
#Shadow Daddy
December 12, 2024
“𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞?”
“𝐅𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐲-𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧.”
Plot:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars!
Spice level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I would highly recommend reading!
Cursed soulmates where one is doomed to die and be reincarnated and the other lives hundreds of years waiting for her and falling in love with her in all her 57 lifetimes, even in lifetimes she doesn't remember or choose him 💔
I've been waiting forever!! Leigh Rivers actually has no idea the sound I let out when I found out Dane and Sera were finally going to be published. I first read them on wattpad after discovering Leigh from EOD trilogy, only to find out they had been put on hold! But rereading them gave me such a buzz and made me realize how much I truly miss them!
Sera is literally stuck on a island castle at Quarrierton Academy with immortal monsters from other realms after she was kidnapped and placed there, and she doesn't know why? All she knows is that these immortals are practicing to "become more human" so they can blend into humans on Earth as their realms are destroyed.
“I could kill you right here, and no one will know.”
“Are you going to kill me?”
“I’m undecided.”
Enter Dane, Heir to the Shadow Realm. Dane truly despises Sera because she's a "weak and pathetic human" and Sera can't stand his ass because he's a bully and constantly tells her how much he wants to kill her! So nothing better to do than to pair them up for their classes where they have to do some "tasks" better intimately understand each other, as all humans do...
“You have to try to control your thoughts around me. I might get the wrong idea. Desperate for task four? Desperate to have my fingers inside you?”
The back and forth banter between the two is sooo good. Literally fighting one minute and eating each other's faces the next, all for the sake of the "tasks." But there's an unknown past between them, from hundreds of years ago that Sera still has yet to discover and understand. There's this curse that begins to appear on her body. These random vivid dreams and memories that she begins to have. The need to be close and protect Dane at all times which she can't seem to explain! Almost as if someone else has taken over her life 👀
“I want to hurt you.”
“And I want to kiss you.”
But ofc there was a cliffy! Can't wait to see how Leigh Rivers continues their story! Knowing her....she'll probably make them suffer 💔
“𝐅𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐲-𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧.”
Plot:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars!
Spice level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I would highly recommend reading!
Cursed soulmates where one is doomed to die and be reincarnated and the other lives hundreds of years waiting for her and falling in love with her in all her 57 lifetimes, even in lifetimes she doesn't remember or choose him 💔
I've been waiting forever!! Leigh Rivers actually has no idea the sound I let out when I found out Dane and Sera were finally going to be published. I first read them on wattpad after discovering Leigh from EOD trilogy, only to find out they had been put on hold! But rereading them gave me such a buzz and made me realize how much I truly miss them!
Sera is literally stuck on a island castle at Quarrierton Academy with immortal monsters from other realms after she was kidnapped and placed there, and she doesn't know why? All she knows is that these immortals are practicing to "become more human" so they can blend into humans on Earth as their realms are destroyed.
“I could kill you right here, and no one will know.”
“Are you going to kill me?”
“I’m undecided.”
Enter Dane, Heir to the Shadow Realm. Dane truly despises Sera because she's a "weak and pathetic human" and Sera can't stand his ass because he's a bully and constantly tells her how much he wants to kill her! So nothing better to do than to pair them up for their classes where they have to do some "tasks" better intimately understand each other, as all humans do...
“You have to try to control your thoughts around me. I might get the wrong idea. Desperate for task four? Desperate to have my fingers inside you?”
The back and forth banter between the two is sooo good. Literally fighting one minute and eating each other's faces the next, all for the sake of the "tasks." But there's an unknown past between them, from hundreds of years ago that Sera still has yet to discover and understand. There's this curse that begins to appear on her body. These random vivid dreams and memories that she begins to have. The need to be close and protect Dane at all times which she can't seem to explain! Almost as if someone else has taken over her life 👀
“I want to hurt you.”
“And I want to kiss you.”
But ofc there was a cliffy! Can't wait to see how Leigh Rivers continues their story! Knowing her....she'll probably make them suffer 💔
December 10, 2024
obsessed is an understatement!! there is nothing leigh rivers can't do because a fantasy?! That was literally so freaking good?! I'm at a loss for words.
Dane is literally an asshole but after learn a few key things, I JUST WANT TO HUG HIM 😩🥺 No where in my mind when I started this book did I think I was gonna be sad my chest might hurt from being sad yet I stand corrected because like WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!?!
I have so many answers, so many questions, and SO many theories honestly I can't begin to put into words how excited I am for the next book!
Honorable mentions to the shadow play in this book because when I tell y'all that shit was hot?! 🥵🥵 Jaw on the floor, clutching my pearls! So so good.
Leigh ate this up and left about no crumbs on the plate. She said y'all want enemies to lovers? Slow burn? Fantasy? SAY NO MORE. and she delivered this masterpiece ✨
Dane is literally an asshole but after learn a few key things, I JUST WANT TO HUG HIM 😩🥺 No where in my mind when I started this book did I think I was gonna be sad my chest might hurt from being sad yet I stand corrected because like WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!?!
I have so many answers, so many questions, and SO many theories honestly I can't begin to put into words how excited I am for the next book!
Honorable mentions to the shadow play in this book because when I tell y'all that shit was hot?! 🥵🥵 Jaw on the floor, clutching my pearls! So so good.
Leigh ate this up and left about no crumbs on the plate. She said y'all want enemies to lovers? Slow burn? Fantasy? SAY NO MORE. and she delivered this masterpiece ✨
July 26, 2025
I ate this up in 24 hours!!! I love this world Leigh has created and these characters and their banter are chef’s kiss🤌🏼 obsessed and needing book 2 ASAP
December 13, 2024
I enjoyed some parts of the book, but there were a lot of plot holes.
October 15, 2025
5 ⭐️ | 4 🌶️
Oh. My. God. Books like this are exactly why I got back into reading!! What a rideeeee!!! I cannot WAIT for book 2!!!
Oh. My. God. Books like this are exactly why I got back into reading!! What a rideeeee!!! I cannot WAIT for book 2!!!
December 15, 2024
“You think I don’t know you? I’m fucking haunted by you.”
HOLY SH*TTTTTT do I need book 2 right now and f*cking answers😭😭. I need more immediately!!! Especially regarding Dane’s 🍆 tattoo…. Like excuse meeeee how are you not going to tell me what it means, could it be a name of a queen👀
I love a good brain f*ck and trying to pin everything together as I read more and more was THE BEST. My brain definitely got gang banged and received no answers… no even ONE😭
Sera and Dane’s banter was top tier and no one can do it like Leigh Rivers. I was nonstop blushing and cracking up this book has it all. AND THE TASK?!?!?! Brought the spice was all needed🥵
HOLY SH*TTTTTT do I need book 2 right now and f*cking answers😭😭. I need more immediately!!! Especially regarding Dane’s 🍆 tattoo…. Like excuse meeeee how are you not going to tell me what it means, could it be a name of a queen👀
I love a good brain f*ck and trying to pin everything together as I read more and more was THE BEST. My brain definitely got gang banged and received no answers… no even ONE😭
Sera and Dane’s banter was top tier and no one can do it like Leigh Rivers. I was nonstop blushing and cracking up this book has it all. AND THE TASK?!?!?! Brought the spice was all needed🥵
December 12, 2024
academic setting // shadow daddy // bul!y // cursed lovers // mind reading - SAY LESS. I am OBSESSED. At first I was like what is going on with this plot.. because everything was so abrupt, then I didn’t care because that MMC is 😮💨.. THENNN I was like wait a minute there is so much going on and so much I need to knowwwww. Anyway finished it in a day. So. Ya I need book 2. That cliffhanger had me gasping for that kiss.
December 23, 2024
Okay like smutty notebook but with shadow prince and powers….. I love a bully romance so this was such a treat
September 2, 2025
BUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
December 15, 2024
when leigh announced this it immediately became one of my most anticipated reads of the year !!! ugh i love myself a dark fantasy and to see leigh jump into this genre is EVERYTHING 🖤 absolutely love her mind and her writing
dark fantasy romance, single pov in 1st person, realms, human + immortal shadow daddy, academia setting, cursed lovers, slow burn with spicy lessons/tasks, enemies to lovers, bully, degradation, mind reading, flashbacks, cliffhanger
“death to her, death to all”
from the prologue alone i was immediately HOOKED 😍 literally on the edge of my seat all the way until the end. tension between dane and seraphine 🫦
seraphine used to live a normal life until she got snatched away to an academy full of immortal beings learning how to become and act more human before they enter the mortal realm. everyone there hates humans and she became a target just by breathing 😭 this poor girl had to endure all the side eyes and whispers but she’s still one of the strongest to ever step foot in there. it takes such a huge turn when secrets and dark pasts starts creeping up. she’s beginning to see things and experience things she never knew existed.
shadow daddy prince dane can degrade me any day and i’d say “please and thank you” 🧎🏻♀️ mans gave me whiplash with the things he said to and about seraphine 😭 the bully really came out and had me thinking if this man felt anything for the girl LOL !! but when he literally said “look at her or touch her and you die” i literally SCREAMED 😩 the way i fell for this man and his shadows ?!?? i’d gladly sit there and let him do unspeakable things.
after that ending … MY HEART DROPPED 😔 i need more omg. i can already tell this series will be taking over my whole life. and i’m so excited for what’s to come !!
🌶️
dark fantasy romance, single pov in 1st person, realms, human + immortal shadow daddy, academia setting, cursed lovers, slow burn with spicy lessons/tasks, enemies to lovers, bully, degradation, mind reading, flashbacks, cliffhanger
“death to her, death to all”
from the prologue alone i was immediately HOOKED 😍 literally on the edge of my seat all the way until the end. tension between dane and seraphine 🫦
seraphine used to live a normal life until she got snatched away to an academy full of immortal beings learning how to become and act more human before they enter the mortal realm. everyone there hates humans and she became a target just by breathing 😭 this poor girl had to endure all the side eyes and whispers but she’s still one of the strongest to ever step foot in there. it takes such a huge turn when secrets and dark pasts starts creeping up. she’s beginning to see things and experience things she never knew existed.
shadow daddy prince dane can degrade me any day and i’d say “please and thank you” 🧎🏻♀️ mans gave me whiplash with the things he said to and about seraphine 😭 the bully really came out and had me thinking if this man felt anything for the girl LOL !! but when he literally said “look at her or touch her and you die” i literally SCREAMED 😩 the way i fell for this man and his shadows ?!?? i’d gladly sit there and let him do unspeakable things.
after that ending … MY HEART DROPPED 😔 i need more omg. i can already tell this series will be taking over my whole life. and i’m so excited for what’s to come !!
🌶️
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