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Immortals After Dark #19
Shadow's Heart
In this heart-stopping installment in the New York Times best-selling Immortals After Dark series, a vampire swordswoman and a ruthless sorcerer become inmates in a hellplane prison.
A FALLEN Sheltered Kosmina Daciano has always yearned for adventure. But her first trip to the mortal world turns dark when a foe curses her with bloodlust—ensuring her exile in the sinister dimension of Nightside.
AN OUTLAW For millennia, Silt Harea has flouted the laws of the Lore with all the arrogance of a king, remaining one step ahead of ruination. Yet then a mysterious bounty hunter schemes to capture him, dispatching him straight to hell.
FIGHT TO ESCAPE A DYING In Nightside, Silt clashes with the hunter’s sister, also condemned. Never imagining that she might be the key to his escape—and his future—he vows revenge against her. But Mina is no easy quarry.
Can two doomed immortals survive long enough to salvage a nightmare, turning hatred into love and vengeance into bliss?
A FALLEN Sheltered Kosmina Daciano has always yearned for adventure. But her first trip to the mortal world turns dark when a foe curses her with bloodlust—ensuring her exile in the sinister dimension of Nightside.
AN OUTLAW For millennia, Silt Harea has flouted the laws of the Lore with all the arrogance of a king, remaining one step ahead of ruination. Yet then a mysterious bounty hunter schemes to capture him, dispatching him straight to hell.
FIGHT TO ESCAPE A DYING In Nightside, Silt clashes with the hunter’s sister, also condemned. Never imagining that she might be the key to his escape—and his future—he vows revenge against her. But Mina is no easy quarry.
Can two doomed immortals survive long enough to salvage a nightmare, turning hatred into love and vengeance into bliss?
13 pages, Audible Audio
First published March 4, 2025
386 people are currently reading
2928 people want to read
About the author
Kresley Cole
69 books27.5k followersKresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the young adult Arcana Chronicles series, the erotic Gamemakers series, and five award-winning historical romances.
A master’s grad and former athlete, she has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings.
Her IAD books have been translated into 23 foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, a RWA Hall of Fame induction, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists, in the U.S. and abroad.
Cole lives in Florida with her family. Learn more about Kresley at: www.kresleycole.com & www.thearcanachronicles.com
A master’s grad and former athlete, she has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings.
Her IAD books have been translated into 23 foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, a RWA Hall of Fame induction, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists, in the U.S. and abroad.
Cole lives in Florida with her family. Learn more about Kresley at: www.kresleycole.com & www.thearcanachronicles.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews
October 16, 2024
HOLY. SHIT. That’s all I’ll say.
(I’m Kresley’s PA and I was able to read an early version of the book)
(I’m Kresley’s PA and I was able to read an early version of the book)
January 25, 2025
If Fury doesn’t get pulled out of the ocean in this book, I’m throwing things. Been waiting since damn near the beginning for this plot thread to get pulled!! Lfg!!!
March 10, 2025
Mina beloved sister of Mirceo and the Dacians has been missing from the kingdom of blood and mist for a while now. Come to find out- it’s all her uncle Lothaire’s fault. In an attempt to get her over her terminal shyness he sends her on a mission to a place just outside of New Orleans where the veil between realms is thin and a mysterious tree holds some seriously horny nymphs and satyrs. She agrees because she trusts her uncle, although I have my suspicion said uncle is working with one Auntie Nix on this one.
Sure enough, Mina finds herself infected by a disease that will eventually kill her. And all because she let down her guard watching one instance of transcendent love-making amidst all the boring frolicking that she was tasked to observe during her time of exile.
Boom- she finds herself imprisoned in a zombie hell realm of fire and lava and she’s instantly not alone. An opium addled ex God is there and he’s in withdrawal. Deciding she’s the only one who can save herself, she leaves the cave she woke up in and begins the adventure of finding her way out.
Only the ex god isn’t letting her out of his sights, especially after finding out she’s the key to his revenge against the vampire who landed him this hell hole who just happens to be Mina’s beloved brother Mirceo Daciano.
So in this novel we find familiar territory. A less than heroic hero and a now determined to get away from him heroine in a realm of hell pitted against them. Some of my absolute 5 star reads in this series tread these hell waters- Demon from the Dark being my favorite. I love the "you & me-against-the-world" of it all that seals a bond between a H/h like no other.
However, I never really felt the connection here. I think it’s because once he starts coming out of his addiction, multiple attacks of ghoulies and wendigos from all sides kinda fast forwards them through the bonding part, imo. The fighting together supposedly bonds them, but something didn’t work here when it worked many other times before.
I also felt like the author’s trademark banter forced and not very funny, which makes me sad- I always loved that about her writing.
In the end, a turn of events from a baddie who hides her intentions pits him against her and they end up separated until the very end when she finally wakes up realizing something wasn’t right about how they parted.
As some others have mentioned in their reviews, there are a parade of new characters introduced. I, like them, wished KC would just tie up the stories of some of the ones we already know and care about.
Anyway, better than the last two in the series but still not what it once was.
Sure enough, Mina finds herself infected by a disease that will eventually kill her. And all because she let down her guard watching one instance of transcendent love-making amidst all the boring frolicking that she was tasked to observe during her time of exile.
Boom- she finds herself imprisoned in a zombie hell realm of fire and lava and she’s instantly not alone. An opium addled ex God is there and he’s in withdrawal. Deciding she’s the only one who can save herself, she leaves the cave she woke up in and begins the adventure of finding her way out.
Only the ex god isn’t letting her out of his sights, especially after finding out she’s the key to his revenge against the vampire who landed him this hell hole who just happens to be Mina’s beloved brother Mirceo Daciano.
So in this novel we find familiar territory. A less than heroic hero and a now determined to get away from him heroine in a realm of hell pitted against them. Some of my absolute 5 star reads in this series tread these hell waters- Demon from the Dark being my favorite. I love the "you & me-against-the-world" of it all that seals a bond between a H/h like no other.
However, I never really felt the connection here. I think it’s because once he starts coming out of his addiction, multiple attacks of ghoulies and wendigos from all sides kinda fast forwards them through the bonding part, imo. The fighting together supposedly bonds them, but something didn’t work here when it worked many other times before.
I also felt like the author’s trademark banter forced and not very funny, which makes me sad- I always loved that about her writing.
In the end, a turn of events from a baddie who hides her intentions pits him against her and they end up separated until the very end when she finally wakes up realizing something wasn’t right about how they parted.
As some others have mentioned in their reviews, there are a parade of new characters introduced. I, like them, wished KC would just tie up the stories of some of the ones we already know and care about.
Anyway, better than the last two in the series but still not what it once was.
March 6, 2025
I like the author and I have been following the ‘Immortals After Dark’ series all these years. The series has an interesting overarching plot and characters. Each book has a romance story between two characters and a bit about the overarching plot. Believe me, the author writes a scorching romance. Some of my favorite stories, like Kaderin-Sebastian’s with the tournament and Cade-Holly’s adventurous travel to get a sword, are so exciting that I devoured them in no time and have read multiple times. So, it is sad to have to say that I did not enjoy this book.
So, the 21st installment in the ‘Immortals After Dark’ series, is a romantic story between a male sorcerer who is thousands of years old and a 22-year-old female vampire who are thrown into a hellplane. Mina is more level-headed despite coming from a feuding family and Silt is still suffering from the events in his first 15 or 20-so years of life. The character development feels contrived. The stake or tension was not enough to keep the reader engaged. For example, ‘Pleasure of a Dark Prince’ had an apocalypse, Lucia’s predicament, and a madness to be dealt with. It was handled beautifully there along with the romance. Here in this book, Lothaire’s cameo is a bright spot. Reading about Lothaire is delightful as always. I also liked Mina 2.0, who is sweet, loyal, takes no nonsense and thinks clearly no matter what.
One more gripe. This is the 21st book in the series and there are a lot of plot points and characters from the first 20 books with no resolution in sight, and we are still getting new characters introduced to us. Off the top of my head, there are characters like Nix, Annika, Furie, Cara with her guy who keeps her running, Loa, Balery, Damiano, Deshazior, Heath, Morior team, a new creature in the last novella, etc., In this list there are more than 10 characters, and I am I sure I missed some. Are we going to have to wait for individual books about all of them? At the current speed (3 books in the last 3 years), it will take at least 10 years to get through existing characters alone. And some of these characters are in horrible situations. It would be appreciated if the author could consider the feasibility of incorporating other characters' arcs more than in current books. This romance book format where only 2 characters can be focused on a book is starting to frustrate in this series. I wish it were a format where multiple character POVs could be involved.
Edit: Updated more details in the examples mentioned in the review so it is not vague.
So, the 21st installment in the ‘Immortals After Dark’ series, is a romantic story between a male sorcerer who is thousands of years old and a 22-year-old female vampire who are thrown into a hellplane. Mina is more level-headed despite coming from a feuding family and Silt is still suffering from the events in his first 15 or 20-so years of life. The character development feels contrived. The stake or tension was not enough to keep the reader engaged. For example, ‘Pleasure of a Dark Prince’ had an apocalypse, Lucia’s predicament, and a madness to be dealt with. It was handled beautifully there along with the romance. Here in this book, Lothaire’s cameo is a bright spot. Reading about Lothaire is delightful as always. I also liked Mina 2.0, who is sweet, loyal, takes no nonsense and thinks clearly no matter what.
One more gripe. This is the 21st book in the series and there are a lot of plot points and characters from the first 20 books with no resolution in sight, and we are still getting new characters introduced to us. Off the top of my head, there are characters like Nix, Annika, Furie, Cara with her guy who keeps her running, Loa, Balery, Damiano, Deshazior, Heath, Morior team, a new creature in the last novella, etc., In this list there are more than 10 characters, and I am I sure I missed some. Are we going to have to wait for individual books about all of them? At the current speed (3 books in the last 3 years), it will take at least 10 years to get through existing characters alone. And some of these characters are in horrible situations. It would be appreciated if the author could consider the feasibility of incorporating other characters' arcs more than in current books. This romance book format where only 2 characters can be focused on a book is starting to frustrate in this series. I wish it were a format where multiple character POVs could be involved.
Edit: Updated more details in the examples mentioned in the review so it is not vague.
March 4, 2025
Lothaire alone bumped this up one more star.
April 5, 2025
I don't like the main romance all that much. Mina is a relatable heroine, but I don't like the male lead all that much. Although I do like that the guy is a jerk from time to time and his character is questionable AND that does not bother me, still I don't really like Mina getting together with this guy.
On the other hand, if you like Kristoff and Lothaire, then you wouldn't be disappointed. They have such a lovely and brotherly trip together, even Nix said so. 😁
Plus I am so happy to see the hint of the upcoming Cara the Fair's story, I never thought she will get her own book (maybe).
On the other hand, if you like Kristoff and Lothaire, then you wouldn't be disappointed. They have such a lovely and brotherly trip together, even Nix said so. 😁
Plus I am so happy to see the hint of the upcoming Cara the Fair's story, I never thought she will get her own book (maybe).
March 10, 2025
Spoilers ahead
I'm a long time fan of this series even though it's been a minute, but I was just happy to get a new book in this series.......
We have the unlikely pairing of a sheltered twenty something year old virgin princess and a millennia (he's older than lothaire 😭) old soceri opium addict......whew.
Mina was sent by Lothaire to observe the nymphs, unfortunately she's injured and contracts the vampire plague, with no known cure and a guarantee that soon be a danger to all around her Mina is arrested/kidnapped by gaolers and taken to a prison type realm.....there she meets Adham/Silt who's been on a wanted list for years. While having a friend to help fight the many creatures inhabiting that realm would've been helpful Mina and Adham are instead enemies because he's vowed to kill her beloved brother......the one who was responsible for his capture! Now Mina must not only fight for survival and attempt to escape but she must also kill the sorcerer before he's able to kill her brother.
***********
At first(and still a little at the end 😅) I wasn't pleased with this pairing. Mina was soft and shy, blushing at depravities and curse words. I wasn't a fan of her being paired with an addict who had a harem of 12 and had spent millennia indulging in all manner of sins! Mina in Dacia was soft and shy, in the realm she was a thorough bad ass and a force to be reckoned with! Their enemies phase had me grinning,the banter was awesome. I was really pleased that Mina wasn't a pushover, she'd spent years training with her uncles and brother so she was quite the warrior thankfully.
Adham took a bit for me to warm too but by the time he started having feelings for Mina I liked him well enough. Him refusing to partake of opium or be with other females definitely helped that liking along but I took quite a bit to get over his past.
This is the third (4th if one counts Lothaire) Dacian pairing yet drinking blood is still considered taboo, one would think somebody would've spilled the beans by now!!!
As much as the scenarios of these books have changed they follow a basic plotline that's becoming a little old.
I thought I'd avoided a third act breakup when she admitted that she knew Adham had been lying to her....only for them to escape and him to try to kill Mirceo...... thus ensuring a third act breakup 🙄.
Anyways it was fun being back in this world for a while, I'm thinking a reread of some of my favourites might be in order.
Either Furie(finally) or Cara might be up next?
And who's the mysterious cousin living in Dacia?
I wonder if Nix will have a book? 🤔
*******
No cheating
In the dictionary under manwhore you'll find Adhams name
h was a virgin
We meet him at the beginning with his concubines but don't see any sex or anything between them
He didn't want another female after the h
H was an opium addict
Massive gigantic mind boggling age gap 🤭
I'm a long time fan of this series even though it's been a minute, but I was just happy to get a new book in this series.......
We have the unlikely pairing of a sheltered twenty something year old virgin princess and a millennia (he's older than lothaire 😭) old soceri opium addict......whew.
Mina was sent by Lothaire to observe the nymphs, unfortunately she's injured and contracts the vampire plague, with no known cure and a guarantee that soon be a danger to all around her Mina is arrested/kidnapped by gaolers and taken to a prison type realm.....there she meets Adham/Silt who's been on a wanted list for years. While having a friend to help fight the many creatures inhabiting that realm would've been helpful Mina and Adham are instead enemies because he's vowed to kill her beloved brother......the one who was responsible for his capture! Now Mina must not only fight for survival and attempt to escape but she must also kill the sorcerer before he's able to kill her brother.
***********
At first(and still a little at the end 😅) I wasn't pleased with this pairing. Mina was soft and shy, blushing at depravities and curse words. I wasn't a fan of her being paired with an addict who had a harem of 12 and had spent millennia indulging in all manner of sins! Mina in Dacia was soft and shy, in the realm she was a thorough bad ass and a force to be reckoned with! Their enemies phase had me grinning,the banter was awesome. I was really pleased that Mina wasn't a pushover, she'd spent years training with her uncles and brother so she was quite the warrior thankfully.
Adham took a bit for me to warm too but by the time he started having feelings for Mina I liked him well enough. Him refusing to partake of opium or be with other females definitely helped that liking along but I took quite a bit to get over his past.
This is the third (4th if one counts Lothaire) Dacian pairing yet drinking blood is still considered taboo, one would think somebody would've spilled the beans by now!!!
As much as the scenarios of these books have changed they follow a basic plotline that's becoming a little old.
I thought I'd avoided a third act breakup when she admitted that she knew Adham had been lying to her....only for them to escape and him to try to kill Mirceo...... thus ensuring a third act breakup 🙄.
Anyways it was fun being back in this world for a while, I'm thinking a reread of some of my favourites might be in order.
Either Furie(finally) or Cara might be up next?
And who's the mysterious cousin living in Dacia?
I wonder if Nix will have a book? 🤔
*******
No cheating
In the dictionary under manwhore you'll find Adhams name
h was a virgin
We meet him at the beginning with his concubines but don't see any sex or anything between them
He didn't want another female after the h
H was an opium addict
Massive gigantic mind boggling age gap 🤭
March 9, 2025
March 8, 2025
3.5/5
Wow. THAT’S how you do a fated mates trope. None of that BS where the MC’s like each other BECAUSE they’re mates. There was real emotion, real connection, real feelings. Fated mates should be a bonus in the relationship, not the catalyst, or driving factor.
I liked that Silt’s past was a mystery and it was revealed in snippets, until he, well, told Mina everything. I also very much appreciated that Mina knew what she wanted from her partner before having sex and stuck to it (mostly 😂). She wanted it to be transcendental, divine and my girl wasn’t going to settle for less. It was refreshing to read an FMC who didn’t fold, and spread her legs, as soon as she got wet. I’ve read way too many books where “it’s just sex. It’s just lust. It’s just a one-time thing. Get it out of my system” has been dominant. It’s not a shame to want sex to have more meaning than the physical.
I did feel like after about 50%, things slowed down. I was, honestly, a little bored. And that’s why it’s not 5 stars.
Overall, I wasn’t disappointed. Nïx’s shenanigans are ongoing and I’m very interested to see what’s going to happen. Things seem to be moving (a teeny tiny bit) on the Fury front. And Lothaire. I want to read another book about him. It doesn’t even need to be full length, a novella will do! I loved him so much. I’d forgotten how much, since I read his book, oh, a decade ago 👀.
March 6, 2025
I honest to god did NOT think this would be released on the 4th 😅
Imagine my surprise when I saw it was ACTUALLY released on Instagram.
November 5, 2024
IT’S BEING PUSHED TO MARCH 4, 2025 😭😭😭
NOOOOOO
3.5/5
Wow. THAT’S how you do a fated mates trope. None of that BS where the MC’s like each other BECAUSE they’re mates. There was real emotion, real connection, real feelings. Fated mates should be a bonus in the relationship, not the catalyst, or driving factor.
I liked that Silt’s past was a mystery and it was revealed in snippets, until he, well, told Mina everything. I also very much appreciated that Mina knew what she wanted from her partner before having sex and stuck to it (mostly 😂). She wanted it to be transcendental, divine and my girl wasn’t going to settle for less. It was refreshing to read an FMC who didn’t fold, and spread her legs, as soon as she got wet. I’ve read way too many books where “it’s just sex. It’s just lust. It’s just a one-time thing. Get it out of my system” has been dominant. It’s not a shame to want sex to have more meaning than the physical.
I did feel like after about 50%, things slowed down. I was, honestly, a little bored. And that’s why it’s not 5 stars.
Overall, I wasn’t disappointed. Nïx’s shenanigans are ongoing and I’m very interested to see what’s going to happen. Things seem to be moving (a teeny tiny bit) on the Fury front. And Lothaire. I want to read another book about him. It doesn’t even need to be full length, a novella will do! I loved him so much. I’d forgotten how much, since I read his book, oh, a decade ago 👀.
March 6, 2025
I honest to god did NOT think this would be released on the 4th 😅
Imagine my surprise when I saw it was ACTUALLY released on Instagram.
November 5, 2024
IT’S BEING PUSHED TO MARCH 4, 2025 😭😭😭
NOOOOOO
November 10, 2025
En esta cuenta nos encanta Kresley
Kosmina unas de las pocas vampiras que hay es obligada por su tío Lothaire a salir de su caparazón y experimentar el mundo, por desgracia termina en una cárcel para sobrenaturales donde se encuentra con el hechicero Adam el cual por culpa del hermano de Kosmina está en ese cárcel, por qué lo que ambos son enemigos pero se necesitan para salir de ahí.
Esta historia es intensa como muchas de la autora, Kosmina es todo un amor, creo que ella fue la que me encantó en este libro, como siempre lucha por los que quiere, defiende a capa y espada a su familia y también el como lucho por Adham en algún punto, una reinota.
Adham es muy contrario a Kosmina lo que para mí los complementa mucho, el sufrió mucho a manos de las personas que según debían cuidarlo por lo que es muy desconfiado pero el conocer a Kosmina y vivir tantas experiencias con ella lo hicieron cambiar, ameee.
Pd: Me urge que el siguiente libro sea de Kristoff, por favor Kresley 😭
Kosmina unas de las pocas vampiras que hay es obligada por su tío Lothaire a salir de su caparazón y experimentar el mundo, por desgracia termina en una cárcel para sobrenaturales donde se encuentra con el hechicero Adam el cual por culpa del hermano de Kosmina está en ese cárcel, por qué lo que ambos son enemigos pero se necesitan para salir de ahí.
Esta historia es intensa como muchas de la autora, Kosmina es todo un amor, creo que ella fue la que me encantó en este libro, como siempre lucha por los que quiere, defiende a capa y espada a su familia y también el como lucho por Adham en algún punto, una reinota.
Adham es muy contrario a Kosmina lo que para mí los complementa mucho, el sufrió mucho a manos de las personas que según debían cuidarlo por lo que es muy desconfiado pero el conocer a Kosmina y vivir tantas experiencias con ella lo hicieron cambiar, ameee.
Pd: Me urge que el siguiente libro sea de Kristoff, por favor Kresley 😭
April 12, 2025
Another good entry into one of my all-time favorite pnr reads.
Lothaire makes an appearance, which is always in plus in this long-running series.
Lothaire makes an appearance, which is always in plus in this long-running series.
March 10, 2025
Evren belli, konu belli. Okutuyor kendini.
August 12, 2025
“Nïx’s foresight is exquisite, is it not?” Lothaire mused with excitement. “We are all leaves carried in a stream, and a mad Valkyrie directs the currents.”
It is a truth universally acknowledged that if Kresley Cole writes it and it's Immortals After Dark related, Teela will love it. Guaranteed.
I don't think I've ever loved a book series as much as I do this one. We're literally 21 books in and I genuinely love EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. The reread value is unparalleled (I'm currently in the middle of one right now). The amount of subtle foreshadowing and exquisite world-building in each book blows my freaking mind EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. The emotions. The passion. The tension and high stakes. The way every single character is memorable. Kresley Cole can do no wrong and anyone who ever says otherwise is simply incorrect. I don't make the rules.
Shadow's Heart was worth the extra months of waiting we had to do between the original release date and the one it ended up having. This book is not only one of the tightest, most masterfully paced books Kresley has written in recently memory, this book is also the funniest.
And now for some spoilers ahead, because I don't know how to talk about this book without them. Proceed with caution!
Want to read
December 10, 2024Expected publication December 3, 2024
Change to Expected publication March 4, 2025
Change to Expected publication March 4, 2025
April 8, 2025
Always a good time, when we venture into the Lore.
4 stars
2.5 on the spice scale
4 stars
2.5 on the spice scale
April 11, 2025
I've been following this series for years and it feels like forever since we've gotten a new installment! I was really excited for this release and while there were some good moments that reminded me why I love this series, I just felt like it needed a bit more work
Plot: Dacian princess Kosmina Daciano is dumped in the mortal realm by Lothaire, where she contracts a plague. She's then captured by the Gaolers and put into their prison realm Nightside. There she meets a sorcerer named Silt who's also imprisoned. However, Silt has vowed revenge against her because her brother Mirceo was the one who got him captured. Together they have to find a way to survive.
I do like the premise of the story and the classic enemies-to-lovers setup. However, I feel like the execution could have been better. I felt like there was a lot of exposition in this book: explanations of worldbuilding information, characters talking about how things work, reminders of things that have happened in previous books. It also felt like a lot of major plot points relied on new aspects of the worldbuilding that I don't think was mentioned in previous books, so I always found myself asking, "wait, is that a thing? That can happen?" It could definitely be me just not remembering things or missing things, but for one, is this the first time we're hearing about the Gaolers? Also, plague? Also the Sorceri mates, powers, and mist stuff felt new but I'm not sure. Maybe it's just been a while since I've read one of the books with sorcerer main characters.
It felt a little like Demon from the Dark (Carrow/Malkom), Dark Skye (Thronos/Lanthe) and maybe a little of Pleasure of a Dark Prince (Garreth/Lucia), which are some of my favorites!!! But it just felt like Shadow's Heart was not quite as good, or like the others did it better.
Characters: Unfortunately, I feel like I struggled to feel as invested in the main characters and main romance as I usually feel with IAD books! Like others have mentioned, Mina's transition from shy to very assertive happens in only the first few chapters with a time jump and it feels a little jarring. I really do see the vision for both of the main characters' character arcs, but I just feel like with a little more editing, they would have really shone with their full potential! Because I just didn't feel as invested in them, it was bit harder for me to get through. That being said, there were moments here and there that I saw the chemistry and felt that usual IAD magic and it did make me super nostalgic! I did like getting some cameos from other previous characters.
Even though this wasn't my favorite book in the series, I'm still so sad to to have to wait for the next one because I do love this series and will still read whatever Kresley Cole puts out next!
Plot: Dacian princess Kosmina Daciano is dumped in the mortal realm by Lothaire, where she contracts a plague. She's then captured by the Gaolers and put into their prison realm Nightside. There she meets a sorcerer named Silt who's also imprisoned. However, Silt has vowed revenge against her because her brother Mirceo was the one who got him captured. Together they have to find a way to survive.
I do like the premise of the story and the classic enemies-to-lovers setup. However, I feel like the execution could have been better. I felt like there was a lot of exposition in this book: explanations of worldbuilding information, characters talking about how things work, reminders of things that have happened in previous books. It also felt like a lot of major plot points relied on new aspects of the worldbuilding that I don't think was mentioned in previous books, so I always found myself asking, "wait, is that a thing? That can happen?" It could definitely be me just not remembering things or missing things, but for one, is this the first time we're hearing about the Gaolers? Also, plague? Also the Sorceri mates, powers, and mist stuff felt new but I'm not sure. Maybe it's just been a while since I've read one of the books with sorcerer main characters.
It felt a little like Demon from the Dark (Carrow/Malkom), Dark Skye (Thronos/Lanthe) and maybe a little of Pleasure of a Dark Prince (Garreth/Lucia), which are some of my favorites!!! But it just felt like Shadow's Heart was not quite as good, or like the others did it better.
Characters: Unfortunately, I feel like I struggled to feel as invested in the main characters and main romance as I usually feel with IAD books! Like others have mentioned, Mina's transition from shy to very assertive happens in only the first few chapters with a time jump and it feels a little jarring. I really do see the vision for both of the main characters' character arcs, but I just feel like with a little more editing, they would have really shone with their full potential! Because I just didn't feel as invested in them, it was bit harder for me to get through. That being said, there were moments here and there that I saw the chemistry and felt that usual IAD magic and it did make me super nostalgic! I did like getting some cameos from other previous characters.
Even though this wasn't my favorite book in the series, I'm still so sad to to have to wait for the next one because I do love this series and will still read whatever Kresley Cole puts out next!
December 6, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
Kosmina was a fantastic heroine! She really was everything I could wish for in a heroine. She was smart, strong, kindhearted, reasonable, optimistic, inspiring and so much more. I could go on and on but I think y’all get the point.
The character development of Adham was very satisfying to read about as well.
I loved their romance and I was really invested in their story.
The only reason why this is not a 5 star read for me are the chapters with Lothaire and Kristoff. I feel like they were unnecessary and distracting. They kept on coming and while I was okay with one or two chapters with only them, it started to irritate me after some time. I really enjoyed reading about Lothaire and his Lizvetta a lot in their book and I know he’s a fan favourite but cmon now. Kristoff and Furie is going to happen. I understand. Two or three chapters for that would’ve sufficed. All of those chapters really came down to Lothaire fan service.
Safety:
Kosmina was a fantastic heroine! She really was everything I could wish for in a heroine. She was smart, strong, kindhearted, reasonable, optimistic, inspiring and so much more. I could go on and on but I think y’all get the point.
The character development of Adham was very satisfying to read about as well.
I loved their romance and I was really invested in their story.
The only reason why this is not a 5 star read for me are the chapters with Lothaire and Kristoff. I feel like they were unnecessary and distracting. They kept on coming and while I was okay with one or two chapters with only them, it started to irritate me after some time. I really enjoyed reading about Lothaire and his Lizvetta a lot in their book and I know he’s a fan favourite but cmon now. Kristoff and Furie is going to happen. I understand. Two or three chapters for that would’ve sufficed. All of those chapters really came down to Lothaire fan service.
Safety:
March 4, 2025
„I want to reciprocate. Unfortunately, I won’t be very skillful–not like you were your kiss. You must have practiced on a million females. I can tell.“
„Thanks?“
4.5 rounded up
I’ve been waiting for this book since 2017 when he got introduced in Shadow’s Claim so my expectations were high and although I expected something a bit different, I’m still pretty happy with the outcome
First things first: I was really worried that Lothaire was gonna steal the spotlight because all the advertising was about him and don’t get me wrong, I’m a Lothaire girly but like- let your other characters have the spotlight and maybe try to get people invested in the couple themselves and not in a side character? That being said, him and Kristoff were very funny and I don’t feel like they took away from the main couple, especially because they couldn’t save the day, that was Adham and Mina.
Adham and Mina are hilarious together, their banter is on point and I really loved seeing them slowly change and grow to actually be fond of each other. The enemies to lovers part got resolved pretty naturally in my opinion and I was rooting for them the entire time. The castle stuff was alright, I think, although I do think it dragged on a bit too long. I might change my mind here on a re-read.
Mina had incredibly moments of growth and I really enjoyed her journey. I felt so sorry for her at times and I smiled when she finally became who she was always meant to be. Standing up for herself, getting what she wants, making choices and going through with them, no matter if others don’t agree with it. I do think the plague stuff happened really quickly in the beginning but that was fine. Her opinion on nymphs is also pretty great, so kudos for Mina being a girls girl.
Adham. Oh Adham. He’s like a funnier mix of Malkom and Declan, both characters who I adore with the added bonus that he’s just having the worst weeks of his life and he’s making it everyone’s problem. I do have to say, he’s probably the least sorceri Sorcerer to grace the pages, which I think is pretty sad. Like, it’s explained why he ist he way he is, but I would have liked to have male sorceri who’s a bit more into sorceri culture.
On that note, Kresley putting a (fantasy) middle-eastern guy and the whitest girl to ever be white together in the current political climate is something I really liked seeing.
We also got some nice representation with Enti, Pearl and Xodin. Queer, POC and Poly? More of that please.
Also: Justice for Sequara the three thousand pound scorpion, the only thing Adham cared about before Mina. I didn’t give you the attention you apparently deserved in Shadow’s Claim but you will be missed.
Next up, probably
„Thanks?“
4.5 rounded up
I’ve been waiting for this book since 2017 when he got introduced in Shadow’s Claim so my expectations were high and although I expected something a bit different, I’m still pretty happy with the outcome
First things first: I was really worried that Lothaire was gonna steal the spotlight because all the advertising was about him and don’t get me wrong, I’m a Lothaire girly but like- let your other characters have the spotlight and maybe try to get people invested in the couple themselves and not in a side character? That being said, him and Kristoff were very funny and I don’t feel like they took away from the main couple, especially because they couldn’t save the day, that was Adham and Mina.
Adham and Mina are hilarious together, their banter is on point and I really loved seeing them slowly change and grow to actually be fond of each other. The enemies to lovers part got resolved pretty naturally in my opinion and I was rooting for them the entire time. The castle stuff was alright, I think, although I do think it dragged on a bit too long. I might change my mind here on a re-read.
Mina had incredibly moments of growth and I really enjoyed her journey. I felt so sorry for her at times and I smiled when she finally became who she was always meant to be. Standing up for herself, getting what she wants, making choices and going through with them, no matter if others don’t agree with it. I do think the plague stuff happened really quickly in the beginning but that was fine. Her opinion on nymphs is also pretty great, so kudos for Mina being a girls girl.
Adham. Oh Adham. He’s like a funnier mix of Malkom and Declan, both characters who I adore with the added bonus that he’s just having the worst weeks of his life and he’s making it everyone’s problem. I do have to say, he’s probably the least sorceri Sorcerer to grace the pages, which I think is pretty sad. Like, it’s explained why he ist he way he is, but I would have liked to have male sorceri who’s a bit more into sorceri culture.
On that note, Kresley putting a (fantasy) middle-eastern guy and the whitest girl to ever be white together in the current political climate is something I really liked seeing.
We also got some nice representation with Enti, Pearl and Xodin. Queer, POC and Poly? More of that please.
Also: Justice for Sequara the three thousand pound scorpion, the only thing Adham cared about before Mina. I didn’t give you the attention you apparently deserved in Shadow’s Claim but you will be missed.
Next up, probably
March 20, 2025
Triggers:
Addiction
Fantasy violence / murder / gore / brutality
Scenes:
Fantasies
Kissing
Dry humping
Tension
Fingering
Foreplay
Oral (she receives and he receives)
Bloodletting
MF sex
Notes:
It's been a while since Kresley published these books. The previous novella was nice but I missed the main story. Mostly I'm just hoping that the author finishes the stories before she loses her muse, which means a minimum of two more books to conclude Furie and Nix's books. If she writes more, great. I'll read them.
I'm hoping since we have Kristoff's point of view that his and Furie's book will be next.
I've noticed that this book is a bit more campy than they have been. Less CNC and more banter too. Though the virgin thing is still a trope. Lothaire is less an insane evil mastermind and more of a quirky know it all and Kosmina is interesting. Silt is… OK.
The dialogue in this book is super weird. To the point that it's awkward. Too many over the top phrases. Then she started writing things like “Nod.” …instead of like “He nodded.” So, something has changed with the authors writing to make it much more campy and low stakes than her other books.
Their foes and woes, of course, were defeated by the power of love.
The epilogue insinuates that Cara will have a book and that her mate is Uthyr the dragon shifter. Furie's book has also got to be coming up. Hopefully Kresley's muse for this series is back so that it can be wrapped up.
Addiction
Fantasy violence / murder / gore / brutality
Scenes:
Fantasies
Kissing
Dry humping
Tension
Fingering
Foreplay
Oral (she receives and he receives)
Bloodletting
MF sex
Notes:
It's been a while since Kresley published these books. The previous novella was nice but I missed the main story. Mostly I'm just hoping that the author finishes the stories before she loses her muse, which means a minimum of two more books to conclude Furie and Nix's books. If she writes more, great. I'll read them.
I'm hoping since we have Kristoff's point of view that his and Furie's book will be next.
I've noticed that this book is a bit more campy than they have been. Less CNC and more banter too. Though the virgin thing is still a trope. Lothaire is less an insane evil mastermind and more of a quirky know it all and Kosmina is interesting. Silt is… OK.
The dialogue in this book is super weird. To the point that it's awkward. Too many over the top phrases. Then she started writing things like “Nod.” …instead of like “He nodded.” So, something has changed with the authors writing to make it much more campy and low stakes than her other books.
Their foes and woes, of course, were defeated by the power of love.
The epilogue insinuates that Cara will have a book and that her mate is Uthyr the dragon shifter. Furie's book has also got to be coming up. Hopefully Kresley's muse for this series is back so that it can be wrapped up.
March 8, 2025
I’m a huge Kresley Cole fan, but the past few books (and this one) have not been the same as they once were. It’s disappointing because it’s one of my favorite series but the writing is off, the books lack the tension they once had and the story pacing is flat. I had to DNF
March 11, 2025
3 full of hope ⭐⭐⭐ and lots of prayers for the future of the IAD series.
=> I’m struggling to write a review on this because the book was published 5 days ago and I’m trying reaaally hard NOT to drop spoilers other than the much commented on, heart-attack inducing, eye-flaring TEASERS OVER KRISTOFF AND FURIE’S PROMISED -WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH LONGER- BOOK.
And the teasers in here were relentless.
Kristoff was indeed given entire chapters worth of POV narration.
And he spends time with Lothaire, no less.
By the way, and by all that’s holy. The LAST chapter in here was FIIIIIRE. Courtesy of Nix.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Location: Nightside
Main Characters:
# Princess Kosmina (Mina) of Dacia - vampire
# Silt Harea, King of Sand, the Befouler - sorcerer
Secondary Characters:
Lothaire, Kristoff, Nix, Ellie, Balery, rest of Dacian princelings, and a new Sorceress you’ve never heard off.
PLOT
Let me correct on the blurb.
=> Mina exits Dacia and doesn’t just get “bloodlust.” She gets the plague. The one you know afflicts specifically female vampires and has all but led to their extermination. Clock ticking…
=> The Gaolers - a relatively fresh addition to the IAD Lore universe - minted as the Lore’s law enforcement, grab her and quarantine her to Nightside. The Loreans’ version of jail. And what-do-you-know, the realm is about to go all Krypton.
=> Enter Silt Harea, the Befouler. Real name : (you’ll get to it later on) Adham. Sorcerer, and King of Sand.
There’s a bounty on his head after violating the laws of the Lore and the Gaolers are after him. Mirceo (Mina’s brother) and Caspion (his mate) take up the bounty, grab him, and Silt ends up in Nightside to serve his penance too. Silt vows to the Lore to kill the one responsible for grabbing him (yes, that’s Mirceo) aka complications with Mina, that now wants to protect her brother too from the vow Silt uttered.
=> Mina and Silt start as adversaries, progress as begrudging allies on their common goal to escape Nightside, and …the rest is in the book.
=> Where do Lothaire and Kristoff fit in all this?
Well. Lothaire learns of Mina’s situation and takes Kristoff with him to find Nightside and break her out.
Why was Kristoff with him in the first place? Lothaire is the only one who knew (emphasis on the past tense) Furie's last whereabouts after he dropped her in the ocean to drown for the past 60 years. And in the previous books we saw Lothaire unceremoniously grabbing Kristoff to Dacia.
The shenanigans are nothing sort of delicious, and Kristoff is the one that narrates them where these two are involved.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MY NOTES
=> This was lighthearted, easygoing, humorous, smart and at the same time sexy like some of Kresley Cole’s previous works. It has some delightful banter — not too deep— and touches on some issues on surface level. (Silt's situation for example I don't want to give away too much.)
=> I can't lie, my favorite chapters were the ones where Kristoff and Lothaire took up real estate in the story. Lothaire never disappoints. The wit. The arrogance. The dry humor. Chef's kiss.
And call me biased, but I've been waiting for Furie and Kristoff's story since the first dropped hints some decades ago. Yeah, it's been a loooong time.
=> So. I have bought and read all of the Immortals After Dark series. I am head over heels with this series in general, but I also have opinions... Not necessarily the stupefied fan-girl kind.
If you are familiar with KC’s works, you know exactly at each point of the story how things between the main characters unfold.
Exactly.
I just wish the author broke her formula and gave us a surprise here and there.
Like a plot where the female lead chases the male for a change. Or the couple finds their footing early only to be tragically separated by external forces and working their way to get back together. I’d take anything but … babies. I’m still recovering after Munro.
And this is my PERSONAL ranting about the ROMANCE in "Shadow's Heart":
=> The romance between Mina and Silt did not feel organic. It was somewhat bland and going from point A to B. And IMO it was because of 2 things:
1. The long-standing, 21 IAD books in, romance formula has made the relationship arcs predictable. I say this as big fan of the series. No harsh feelings here, feel free to disagree.
2. Who really Silt Harea was.
Tidbits about his past started dropping way too far into the story. What did he really want? What was his personal voice? Any particular mannerisms or characteristics of a male that’s lived for millennia? Even Lothaire had heard of him and yet I didn’t get anything that jumped out of the page. The characterization wasn't deep enough and in the writing he felt fragmented.
Too bad because Silt had the potential to be a very realistic and well-fleshed character but the writing didn't do him justice here.
I didn’t feel the yearning and the angst as with previous male characters of the IAD installments.
=> In comparison to past IAD male characters that are ruled by their biology,
(- Lykae have the Instinct to identify their mate,
- Vampires have their blooding,
- Demons get their seal broken after attempting,)
this story’s choice to have a Sorcerer as a male lead would have produced a very close to reality result, what with a male that follows his heart and makes a very sober conscious choice to unite with the one he wants as his mate.
But Silt’s character was not fully fledged on page to light this romance on fire.
=> Add the contradicting ideas of "Sorceri don't have fated mates" and "female vampires just know who their mate is," and the situation became too convoluted by the time Silt "recognized" Mina as his fated ON TOP of Mina's requirements for true love.
I was just so confused. The plot had reached the point where the leads had to deepen the romance via declarations, and everything was rushed on.
=> While on paper — Silt being a hedonist vs Mina ruled by cold logic — would have produced a signature KC pairing of the “opposites attract, crash and set the beds on fire,” unfortunately in this story the romance gods did not make magic.
=> Don't get me wrong, Kresley Cole writes some amazing action-driven plots, concocts some serious brain-busting enigmas and gets out of the hottest seats with some eye-popping solutions that keep fans glued to this series for almost 20 years now. ()
Never mind the easter egg delights and the Lore community that the author has built up.
But.
We need fully fledged characters.
We need some closure.
And we need those pairings promised from the days of Old to materialize. It’s been too long.
We're 21 books deep in the IAD. That formula needs some serious shakes and the male lead characters in particular need an in-depth dive to feel distinct from what came before.
IMO, can’t top Lothaire. He broke the moulds.
Or Sebastian’s scholastic fixation.
Or Bowen’s ferocious angst.
Or Conrad’s single-minded devotion.
Or Rydstrom’s walk to the wild side.
Or Garreth’s hunt to the ends of the earth.
I could go on.
And ON...
Because they came before and they all found a place in our hearts.
But we need to feel the magic again to fall in love again with the IAD.
Am I sounding desperate enough? I loooove this series. It's just that this one was not my fav.
3⭐⭐⭐ and Kristoff with Lothaire did some serious heavy lifting here.
Happy Accession!
=> I’m struggling to write a review on this because the book was published 5 days ago and I’m trying reaaally hard NOT to drop spoilers other than the much commented on, heart-attack inducing, eye-flaring TEASERS OVER KRISTOFF AND FURIE’S PROMISED -WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH LONGER- BOOK.
And the teasers in here were relentless.
Kristoff was indeed given entire chapters worth of POV narration.
And he spends time with Lothaire, no less.
By the way, and by all that’s holy. The LAST chapter in here was FIIIIIRE. Courtesy of Nix.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Location: Nightside
Main Characters:
# Princess Kosmina (Mina) of Dacia - vampire
# Silt Harea, King of Sand, the Befouler - sorcerer
Secondary Characters:
Lothaire, Kristoff, Nix, Ellie, Balery, rest of Dacian princelings, and a new Sorceress you’ve never heard off.
PLOT
Let me correct on the blurb.
=> Mina exits Dacia and doesn’t just get “bloodlust.” She gets the plague. The one you know afflicts specifically female vampires and has all but led to their extermination. Clock ticking…
=> The Gaolers - a relatively fresh addition to the IAD Lore universe - minted as the Lore’s law enforcement, grab her and quarantine her to Nightside. The Loreans’ version of jail. And what-do-you-know, the realm is about to go all Krypton.
=> Enter Silt Harea, the Befouler. Real name : (you’ll get to it later on) Adham. Sorcerer, and King of Sand.
There’s a bounty on his head after violating the laws of the Lore and the Gaolers are after him. Mirceo (Mina’s brother) and Caspion (his mate) take up the bounty, grab him, and Silt ends up in Nightside to serve his penance too. Silt vows to the Lore to kill the one responsible for grabbing him (yes, that’s Mirceo) aka complications with Mina, that now wants to protect her brother too from the vow Silt uttered.
=> Mina and Silt start as adversaries, progress as begrudging allies on their common goal to escape Nightside, and …the rest is in the book.
=> Where do Lothaire and Kristoff fit in all this?
Well. Lothaire learns of Mina’s situation and takes Kristoff with him to find Nightside and break her out.
Why was Kristoff with him in the first place? Lothaire is the only one who knew (emphasis on the past tense) Furie's last whereabouts after he dropped her in the ocean to drown for the past 60 years. And in the previous books we saw Lothaire unceremoniously grabbing Kristoff to Dacia.
The shenanigans are nothing sort of delicious, and Kristoff is the one that narrates them where these two are involved.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
MY NOTES
=> This was lighthearted, easygoing, humorous, smart and at the same time sexy like some of Kresley Cole’s previous works. It has some delightful banter — not too deep— and touches on some issues on surface level. (Silt's situation for example I don't want to give away too much.)
=> I can't lie, my favorite chapters were the ones where Kristoff and Lothaire took up real estate in the story. Lothaire never disappoints. The wit. The arrogance. The dry humor. Chef's kiss.
And call me biased, but I've been waiting for Furie and Kristoff's story since the first dropped hints some decades ago. Yeah, it's been a loooong time.
=> So. I have bought and read all of the Immortals After Dark series. I am head over heels with this series in general, but I also have opinions... Not necessarily the stupefied fan-girl kind.
If you are familiar with KC’s works, you know exactly at each point of the story how things between the main characters unfold.
Exactly.
I just wish the author broke her formula and gave us a surprise here and there.
Like a plot where the female lead chases the male for a change. Or the couple finds their footing early only to be tragically separated by external forces and working their way to get back together. I’d take anything but … babies. I’m still recovering after Munro.
And this is my PERSONAL ranting about the ROMANCE in "Shadow's Heart":
=> The romance between Mina and Silt did not feel organic. It was somewhat bland and going from point A to B. And IMO it was because of 2 things:
1. The long-standing, 21 IAD books in, romance formula has made the relationship arcs predictable. I say this as big fan of the series. No harsh feelings here, feel free to disagree.
2. Who really Silt Harea was.
Tidbits about his past started dropping way too far into the story. What did he really want? What was his personal voice? Any particular mannerisms or characteristics of a male that’s lived for millennia? Even Lothaire had heard of him and yet I didn’t get anything that jumped out of the page. The characterization wasn't deep enough and in the writing he felt fragmented.
Too bad because Silt had the potential to be a very realistic and well-fleshed character but the writing didn't do him justice here.
I didn’t feel the yearning and the angst as with previous male characters of the IAD installments.
=> In comparison to past IAD male characters that are ruled by their biology,
(- Lykae have the Instinct to identify their mate,
- Vampires have their blooding,
- Demons get their seal broken after attempting,)
this story’s choice to have a Sorcerer as a male lead would have produced a very close to reality result, what with a male that follows his heart and makes a very sober conscious choice to unite with the one he wants as his mate.
But Silt’s character was not fully fledged on page to light this romance on fire.
=> Add the contradicting ideas of "Sorceri don't have fated mates" and "female vampires just know who their mate is," and the situation became too convoluted by the time Silt "recognized" Mina as his fated ON TOP of Mina's requirements for true love.
I was just so confused. The plot had reached the point where the leads had to deepen the romance via declarations, and everything was rushed on.
=> While on paper — Silt being a hedonist vs Mina ruled by cold logic — would have produced a signature KC pairing of the “opposites attract, crash and set the beds on fire,” unfortunately in this story the romance gods did not make magic.
=> Don't get me wrong, Kresley Cole writes some amazing action-driven plots, concocts some serious brain-busting enigmas and gets out of the hottest seats with some eye-popping solutions that keep fans glued to this series for almost 20 years now. ()
Never mind the easter egg delights and the Lore community that the author has built up.
But.
We need fully fledged characters.
We need some closure.
And we need those pairings promised from the days of Old to materialize. It’s been too long.
We're 21 books deep in the IAD. That formula needs some serious shakes and the male lead characters in particular need an in-depth dive to feel distinct from what came before.
IMO, can’t top Lothaire. He broke the moulds.
Or Sebastian’s scholastic fixation.
Or Bowen’s ferocious angst.
Or Conrad’s single-minded devotion.
Or Rydstrom’s walk to the wild side.
Or Garreth’s hunt to the ends of the earth.
I could go on.
And ON...
Because they came before and they all found a place in our hearts.
But we need to feel the magic again to fall in love again with the IAD.
Am I sounding desperate enough? I loooove this series. It's just that this one was not my fav.
3⭐⭐⭐ and Kristoff with Lothaire did some serious heavy lifting here.
Happy Accession!
March 9, 2025
2.25 - 2.5 stars.
my thoughts:
1) the connection between the H and h felt superficial and largely based on sexual attraction and an undefined "feeling drawing them together". i need more than that in order to feel like they're meant to be together.
2) the hero had slept with thousands and thousands and thousands of women, and the heroine? is a virgin 🙄. i know this is a fantasy romance series, so an immortal man Would have had the time to have a lot of sex. but that's a reason i love this series' vampire heroes - they can't have sex until they meet their fated mate. this hero wasn't a vampire, so he'd been having orgies for thousands of years. coupled with a virgin heroine and i was a bit annoyed.
3) damn, this heroine was a never-ending well of patience and unearned trust. she simply accepted that the hero lied to her a bunch. and she kept running back to him, even when he didn't put in any effort to show his feelings for her. like, even the /hero/ acknowledges at the 90% mark, that he hasn't done anything to earn her trust. and im like... so why tf does she keep giving it to him anyway... im just used to this series having OTT heroes, so this one disappointed me.
anyway. i will forever and always buy this author's books without even blinking, because when she gets it right, she gets it SO RIGHT. this was just not one of those times.
the IAD series contains some of my all-time favorite 5-star reads.
but it's been a while since i truly LOVED a new release in it. the last time was in 2017, when the 17th full-length book was released. this is the 19th full-length book in the series, so it's really only this one and the previous one that didn't quite hit the mark for me. but that means it's been 8 years since i loved a new IAD book... 😭
but it's fine!! im looking forward to reading so many of these characters' stories. im a diehard kresley cole fan, and im so so grateful we're getting new books from her more often now. can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
my thoughts:
1) the connection between the H and h felt superficial and largely based on sexual attraction and an undefined "feeling drawing them together". i need more than that in order to feel like they're meant to be together.
2) the hero had slept with thousands and thousands and thousands of women, and the heroine? is a virgin 🙄. i know this is a fantasy romance series, so an immortal man Would have had the time to have a lot of sex. but that's a reason i love this series' vampire heroes - they can't have sex until they meet their fated mate. this hero wasn't a vampire, so he'd been having orgies for thousands of years. coupled with a virgin heroine and i was a bit annoyed.
3) damn, this heroine was a never-ending well of patience and unearned trust. she simply accepted that the hero lied to her a bunch. and she kept running back to him, even when he didn't put in any effort to show his feelings for her. like, even the /hero/ acknowledges at the 90% mark, that he hasn't done anything to earn her trust. and im like... so why tf does she keep giving it to him anyway... im just used to this series having OTT heroes, so this one disappointed me.
anyway. i will forever and always buy this author's books without even blinking, because when she gets it right, she gets it SO RIGHT. this was just not one of those times.
the IAD series contains some of my all-time favorite 5-star reads.
but it's been a while since i truly LOVED a new release in it. the last time was in 2017, when the 17th full-length book was released. this is the 19th full-length book in the series, so it's really only this one and the previous one that didn't quite hit the mark for me. but that means it's been 8 years since i loved a new IAD book... 😭
but it's fine!! im looking forward to reading so many of these characters' stories. im a diehard kresley cole fan, and im so so grateful we're getting new books from her more often now. can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2025
i’ve been following this series for almost a decade now, and i can say i’ve reread all of the books more than i ever have for any series EVER. i feel like when it comes to kresley cole, i know her style and her ways.
that being said, i feel like her last few books (munro, the witch of halloween, shadows heart) are all good books, but seem to be lacking that kresley charm?? i can’t quite put my finger on it, because as much as i devoured this book, there was still something lacking. the characters were coming off flat, which is so different from kc’s regular strong, unique characters.
usually, all kc books are reread at least 3 times by me, but the last few releases i don’t even think about much compared to earlier works. this story was good, but something about the execution… i don’t even know.
ofc i will also address how this series is now 20+ books long, and we all are anticipating this accession kc is leading up to with all her books. i feel like so far the characters have been really relevant to the plot of the series, but the recent stories do feel like filler characters. at first i assumed we’d be reading about heath that was teased in munro, so hearing we got this silt sorcerer character was unexpected. then as i was reading, i assumed “maybe we’ll be leading up to his story in the next installment” but it looks like urthyr is the next story in the series. or is it kristoff?? one can never tell with kresley.
i will say i hope we start to focus more on these pivotal characters. the primordials, kristoff, heath, furie, NYX!!!!!!! the most exciting chapters in the book were the ones about lothaire and kristoff and then the last chapter with nyx
i wouldn’t call myself disappointed with this book, since i anticipated what it would be like since its characters i don’t particularly care about but still liked, but i hope kresley’s charm returns in future (and hopefully final) installments to this series cause as much as it’s my favorite series and i never want it to end, i really wanna see the finale after so long
that being said, i feel like her last few books (munro, the witch of halloween, shadows heart) are all good books, but seem to be lacking that kresley charm?? i can’t quite put my finger on it, because as much as i devoured this book, there was still something lacking. the characters were coming off flat, which is so different from kc’s regular strong, unique characters.
usually, all kc books are reread at least 3 times by me, but the last few releases i don’t even think about much compared to earlier works. this story was good, but something about the execution… i don’t even know.
ofc i will also address how this series is now 20+ books long, and we all are anticipating this accession kc is leading up to with all her books. i feel like so far the characters have been really relevant to the plot of the series, but the recent stories do feel like filler characters. at first i assumed we’d be reading about heath that was teased in munro, so hearing we got this silt sorcerer character was unexpected. then as i was reading, i assumed “maybe we’ll be leading up to his story in the next installment” but it looks like urthyr is the next story in the series. or is it kristoff?? one can never tell with kresley.
i will say i hope we start to focus more on these pivotal characters. the primordials, kristoff, heath, furie, NYX!!!!!!! the most exciting chapters in the book were the ones about lothaire and kristoff and then the last chapter with nyx
i wouldn’t call myself disappointed with this book, since i anticipated what it would be like since its characters i don’t particularly care about but still liked, but i hope kresley’s charm returns in future (and hopefully final) installments to this series cause as much as it’s my favorite series and i never want it to end, i really wanna see the finale after so long
June 17, 2025
The good news: The Lothaire & Kristoff scenes were delightful and the best part of the book.
The bad news: The Lothaire & Kristoff scenes were delightful and the best part of the book...but they were not the leads of this book.
The bad news: The Lothaire & Kristoff scenes were delightful and the best part of the book...but they were not the leads of this book.
March 6, 2025
Will I continue to read this series? Yes, however I wouldn't put this installment at the top of the series. I think it could benefit from fewer mystical planes of existence being the sole reason the hero and heroine are thrown together. It would also benefit a little if she tied in more characters from previous series.
The ending was also kind of simple. Yes, I like to see happily ever after, but this was a little vanilla and the literal frolicking aspect was a bit too saccharine.
The ending was also kind of simple. Yes, I like to see happily ever after, but this was a little vanilla and the literal frolicking aspect was a bit too saccharine.
April 14, 2025
Good addition to this series but also, I just want more Lothaire. LOL
March 13, 2025
Sigh …it’s hard to write this review but kresley Cole did you write this or did someone else ghost write this? The characters fell way flat to me and I wasn’t invested in their tell not show relationship at all. The only thing that saved this was the use of my favorite second hand characters…and for the love of for stop teasing us with kristoff and furie like I don’t even care anymore you’ve teased us for so long. The relationship between the two main characters was so weak and she just wrote the same plot she’s written four times now. Enomoes to lovers stranded together in a hell plane. We get it. But there was no banter, no yearning, no connection between them whatsoever . And silt??? God what a terrible name was so lame . I’m sorry but being a smoking addicted is never gonna be sexy. Idk and kosmina bored me to tears. Try again kresley Cole .
March 6, 2025
Think this series has run its course….KC in last 2 books wrote FMC’s that I dislike…did not have this much dislike for Mina in previous books…
March 9, 2025
10 години, 20 книги and IAD is still the shit 😌🙌🔝Не си спомням кога за последно романтично фентъзи ме е поглъщало така. Не можех да я оставя 😍 Но що се отнася до тази поредица това не е нищо ново или неочаквано. За момент се бях притеснила за Кресли - Мунро не беше на обичайното ѝ ниво въпреки силния финал, а The Witch Queen of Halloween беше... нека кажен не това, което се надявах да видя. But here she is back in full force and it shows 👑 Предстоят доста интересни времена за Утур и Мориорите, има още какво да се разплита и покрай Кристоф и Фюри, да не говорим, че Лотер има някои доста интересни "гости" в подземията си, които нямам търпение да видя вкарани в шахматната игра на Никс. Лагерите все повече се размиват, създават се нови, изненадващи съюзи, а на хоризонта зрее зловеща опасност, която тегне над всички като невидима миязма. Едни светове рухват, нови се създават, дават се неразрушими клетви и се сключват сделки с дявола - магьосницата Ла Дорада, Кралицата на Злото - чието осребряване сковава от страх сърцата на всички. Кладенецът на Душите клокочи бурно, а валкирията Никс все повече загубва ума си от всичкото взиране в минало, настояще и бъдеще. Ветровете променят посоката си и изходът от войната става тотално непредвидим. Happy Accession everyone!
March 5, 2025
disappointing
Love Kresley Coles previous books— this one the editing seemed off? Introduction of characters didn’t build any depth. Surprised by the quality given the long wait.
Love Kresley Coles previous books— this one the editing seemed off? Introduction of characters didn’t build any depth. Surprised by the quality given the long wait.
May 21, 2025
I had been anticipating this book for a long time and it has been years until it finally got pubbed. Kresley Cole is my favorite author of all time, where I have read Immortals After Dark nearly four times each. I do skip some books, but I know this series better than my own family tree. Shadow's Heart is the Daciano spinoff featuring the secretive royal cousins of Lothaire. This series isn't quite as strong as the main collection, but I'll read anything my gal writes. This book features the youngest female cousin who is a deadly swordswoman yet has never known the carnal touch of a fellow Lorean. I did like certain elements like the fight sequences and the various exotic locales, but it wasn't a perfect book. Silt was a bit of an immortal burnout who was obsessed with Lore's equivalent of ganja. I was so not impressed. Kosmina's virginity was brushed off and she learned the ways of the sausage through creeping at a dryad covey. Okay, pervert.
I did like the majority of my reading experience, although it felt rushed at times. The finale more than made up for the slower sections. I'm so excited for the future books, especially with that major cliffhanger. I love reading about the Morior and the baddies that comprise that group. I'm pleased I finally got my IAD fix, but I'm ready for a main series entry once again. I'm itchin' for another Immortal love story!
I did like the majority of my reading experience, although it felt rushed at times. The finale more than made up for the slower sections. I'm so excited for the future books, especially with that major cliffhanger. I love reading about the Morior and the baddies that comprise that group. I'm pleased I finally got my IAD fix, but I'm ready for a main series entry once again. I'm itchin' for another Immortal love story!
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