The Melody of Shadows: a standalone cozy witchy romantasy

The Witches of Innsbrook

by Viola Nichols

She's a witch hungry for vengeance. He's a kind musician who makes his own magic. There's is a love story that will alter the kingdom.

After years spent rotting in captivity, October "Toby" Riley doesn’t want a life of peace. She wants blood. She leaves her coven to repay the King’s Army for the atrocities committed against witches.

But when she stumbles across a wounded deserter who talks to animals and trees and makes music that is literal magic, she can't bring herself to kill him.

Toby's revenge will wait for no one, especially not the awkward but handsome golden retriever of a deserter. She brings him back to her coven to recover with every intention of leaving him as she pursues her mission of vengeance. But the longer she spends with Miles, the more she questions just how much of her humanity she left in the king's dungeons.

Toby and Miles are inexplicably drawn together as they race against the king's growing destructive power to discover the secrets binding their kingdom. Toby's choices between peace and vengeance, love and solitude, will have consequences that reverberate throug all of Innsbrook.

This fast-paced, cozy adventure is part of a standalone series following the Witches of Innsbrook as they fight against an oppressive king, explore the limits of their magic and the bonds of sisterhood, and find romance along the way.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Magic

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 12, 2025

Reviews

[Allison H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8⭐️ I received this as an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book in The Witches of Innsbrook series. While it is a continuation of the story, it is about a new FMC (Toby) and a new MMC (Miles). This is a quick read and I liked this story, the flow was good and I felt invested in the characters' stories and where they were going. Toby (a witch) is determined to get revenge on those who had held her captive most of her life and Miles (a musician) was taken from his home and forced to serve in the bad king's army.

🔥 Slow-Burn Romance
🔮 Witches aided by other Found magic
🗡 A kingdom at war
❤️ Golden Retriever MMC
🔥 Feisty FMC

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

the Melody of Shadows

3/3.5

A fast-paced sequel with magic, music, and mayhem. This book was interesting and had more of a cozy kind of vibe to it from the previous one.

October or Toby was the main character. She was fierce and determined but also rash and reckless. I like how she grew over the story.

Then there was Miles. I loved him! He was funny and kindhearted even if he was strange. I enjoyed how he found more of his strength in the book but mostly I enjoyed his sunshine personality.

I did enjoy the continuation and the twist with the trees as well.

Tropes to enjoy are opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine, magic, music has power, cozy vibes, and more!

[Alex Lux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC and I was so excited to get back into the stories of the witches or Innsbrook. This story did not disappoint! Watching Toby work through her rage while being balanced by a sentimental music loving man was glorious. You can't help but love Miles, our golden retriever musician MMC. I love seeing how each of the women of the coven are dealing with their shared traumas in different ways and how that relates them to each other. It is a beautiful story with part revenge, part healing, and part cozy romance. This will be a perfect cozy witchy read for upcoming fall days.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a world where men hate and chain powerful women, can a humble bard change things with his music? The answer lies in The Melody of Shadows.

After decades of captivity, the Witches of Innsbruck are free. Now, they simply wish to live out their lives in peace, away from a world that has treated them so cruelly. But October is convinced this is wrong. While she understands as well as the others the trauma they have suffered, she is determined to fight and protect other vulnerable people…starting with the strange young deserter from the King’s army.

Miles was never meant to be a soldier. He is a musician and has no desire to kill. Somehow he accidentally deserts and finds himself in the company of October, a beautiful if troubled witch. Together they decide to fight for the freedom of all, and the safety of their world itself.

This is the second book in a series but it can be read as a standalone. October (Toby) is determined to fight, focused on vengeance. She must learn to not let the darkness of her past control her. Miles feels inadequate, unable to offer anything other than his music. He has to discover it has a magic of its own, able to do far more than he realises. The coven is challenged to shift their focus from their own protected existence to protecting those still at risk.

This is a sweet, very gentle romance with no spice at all. There are some challenging themes, dealing with weaponised misogyny, slavery, PTSD, life after captivity and coming to terms with the cruel acts they were forced to do. This book would be suitable for fans of fantasy of all ages.

[Lutise Minuial · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, it's totally possible to read this book without reading the first one of the Witches of Innsbrook saga : I did it, and nothing was obscure about the characters or the evenements that were mentioned. It rather made me feel like I would gladly read the first book now !

I loved the sorority between the witches, the recognition of their flaws and traumas, and the trust and the love they have for each other. I also loved how music was such an important part of the narration, even if I wasn't certain about the chipmunks at first lmao (iykyk !).

I also loved that the witches weren't bad and deadly women, nor wonderful and extremely powerful women : they were just women with some powers, and they tried to use them for the better good as each of us try to make life better for those we love.

Miles is a MMC like we don't see much, and I loved every aspect of his personnality. I liked Toby a little less because of her stubbornness, but I understand that's part of her character development and she wasn't a bad character at all! I liked the growth of their relationship, even if I found it a little too fast-paced for my liking - but again, it's all because of what I personnally like in books, and not a flaw of the writing : they were very well developped and described.

It was a cute and entertaining story, which open more doors for the next book of the saga. I can't wait to know more about each other of the witches of Innsbrook!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was chosen to be an ARC reader and this is my review:

The melody of shadows was truly such a fun and enjoyable, short read. Toby was such a strong and ambitious female main character, who was willing to sacrifice herself to save those she loved and the women who struggled along side her under the kings reign. she was definitely a flawed character, but what was so great about her was that she was relatable and she had to learn to have patience and rely on others to help her. Then there's miles, poor, sweet, innocent miles. If you're looking for a brute mmc, miles is not your man, but he has a heart of gold and is willing to follow toby to the ends of the world... when they're not running away from each other. Miles has his own character development through this story as well, he goes from being a cowardly, military deserter to being a hero amongst the coven all without raising a blade. He was such a delightful character and a fresh of breath air that really complimented Toby well.
Honestly the story was short and there were some storylines would've liked more follow up on but it was filled with so much adventure and heavy emotions that had you wanting more regardless! I really enjoyed this story and would highly recommend it to anyone looking
for a quick read with a HEA and a heartwarming relationship between both lovers and a found family.

[Rachel Jerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review

I want to start off by saying that I absolutely LOVE Miles. He is kind, brave, and loyal to a fault. I liked Toby, to an extent. I understood her trauma and I felt her constant want for making her world safer. I felt there was a really good premise going, and I was invested in the characters well being.

That being said, there were definitely some issues with time lapses. When Toby, Miles, and Ria were captured Miles chapter mentioned that he had been fed scraps for 7 days. A few chapters later one of the witches mentioned that she had orchestrated a rescue after Ria and Toby hadn't come home after dark. I spent most of the book wondering how far each location was in conjuction to others, and a little more explanation would have been helpful.

I felt like the final battle was way to rushed after being built up to be this huge massive undertaking the entire book. I REALLY didn't like the way miles left at the end, as it had already been explained and accepted by Toby and Miles that they HAD to stick together. The clapping and cheering felt off as well.

I really think the author has something special here, but i think her books need a bit of refinement. I enjoy this world she is building though, and am looking forward to the next book.

[Viktoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5✨️
I'm going to start with the positives, and
that is that I really loved the characters. I
think they were very well done, I loved how
Toby was really fierce and wanted to fight
for what she believed in no matter what it
took. I loved Miles and his adorable golden
retriever personality. He is the goofy,
always happy type of character that you
just can't help but love, and I also feel like
he was a really good match to Toby and
balanced out her personality. They both
made each other better. I also loved the side
characters - the other witches, who were
the found family of Toby. They were really
amazing, and I truly liked how they showed
up for her again and again, despite her
rebelling against their group choices. And of
course, the honorary mention, the cute
animal side kick, Berry.
Now, with that being said, the thing that got
me to lower my rating is the plot itself. And
don't get me wrong, I could see the passion
and idea behind it, I just wasn't a fan of how
it was done. There were a few things that
didn't really make sense to me in relation to
the timeline of some of the events, or Tony's
reaction to Miles' vision near the end, among others. This is why I settled on this rating. However, if you enjoy witchy stories, I think it's still worth reading this book as it's really short and sweet.

Thank you, Viola Nichols, for providing me
this arc to read and review. All opinions are
my own and honest.

[Karidad Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good addition to The Witches of Innsbrook series.

This story is short and medium paced. The author gives us enough action to keep us entertained and a condensed world building to understand each main character. The story is emotionally charged due to themes like abuse, violence and imprisonment. Please be aware of those triggers.

If you read my review of the previous book, you know I wanted to know more about the main character's life, but this story is from two new characters. In this installment we meet the fierce, unapologetic October and the lovable, gentle soul, Miles. The romance is a slow burn with no spice. Their relationship start as allies, moves to friendship and ends as lovers. Their relationship versus the previous book couple felt more genuine and developed. The characters are completely opposites, but complement each other.

I really liked the new elements of magic the author introduced in this installment, they gave a whimsical tone to the story.

Thank you Viola for the opportunity to read the second installment of The Witches of Innsbrook!

[Jennifer L Speidel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the humor in this book. The focus on Toby and the introduction of Miles, was a nice continuation of the story from The Wand of Lore. In a story tackling a difficult topic, being a survivor and working toward recovery within a nurturing community, even a magical one, the humor brought joy back into the story. The characters were well developed and tugged at the heart strings when they made the wrong choices for themselves and their friends. The addition of new magics made the story move quickly. My favorite quote was from Miles early in the book. “But honestly, have you ever met a real woman who bats an eye at the site of blood? My friend told me about the women’s curse, and I nearly died. You all are walking around with all kinds of blood all the time and not thinking twice about it. I’m no girl. If I was, maybe I’d have more of a stomach for war.” I laughed out loud when I read this. The second book in a great series.

[bookasaurushaley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my 21st ARC read, and it was an absolutely magical journey! This is the second book in The Witches of Innsbrook. (It can technically stand alone, but I recommend reading The Wand of Lore first to get a little more of the back story!) I actually enjoyed October (AKA Toby) and Miles story even more than Gwenneth and Vaylor's story! 🫶

Toby is a total badass, and Miles is an absolute sweetheart! If you want to read more, this book comes out tomorrow! 🥳🎉

What to look forward to in this book:

Witchy Romance ✔️
Witch × Musician ✔️
Black Cat × Golden Retriever ✔️
Morally Grey FMC × Cinnamon Roll MMC ✔️
Feminine Rage ✔️
Magical Music ✔️
Magical Trees ✔️
Friends to Lovers ✔️
Super Slow Burn ✔️
Found Family ✔️
Little Furry Companion ✔️
Adventure ✔️

I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book! 😁

[Tqa London · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Such an addictive read! The pacing had me hooked, and I really enjoyed how the story unfolded. That said…

Toby, bless her stubborn little heart, sometimes I wanted to root for her, other times I wanted to hand her a mirror and ask, “Do you hear yourself right now?” But I can’t deny, her revenge was delicious to witness.

Miles is the definition of soft boy energy. He keeps calling himself useless, but honestly? He’s the soul of this book. If you can make friends with a squirrel (I love Berry, he's the cutest!! 🐿️), you’re automatically winning.

Ria really proved herself this time. Brave, loyal, unexpectedly amazing. I would trust her with my life. Rose, however… well, I wouldn’t even trust her to water a plant. 🙃

As for the twin witches? What's going to happen to them? Perhaps I missed it?

Thank you for the ARC opportunity, Viola 💕

[Ina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Melody of Shadows
Viola Nichols

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶

🧙‍♀️🪄 Strong FMC, Fantasy, Witches, Magic, Slow Burn, Adventure

October is a passionate and strong FMC. She's been through a lot and wants her revenge against the King. Miles was a different MMC. He's not strong, brave, or athletic, but you end up liking the guy. I didn't expect Miles to be the MMC. His character brings lightness to the story. I think he balances October out with all her heavy trauma that she's going through. I love the sisterhood of the coven and how they end up showing up in the end.
I enjoyed this book, but it was a bit slow on the romance side for me. You can read this book as a Standalone, but I recommend reading book 1.

Thank you to Viola Nichols for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-Paced, Heartfelt, and Impossible to Put Down!

The Melody of Shadows pulls you in from the first page! Toby, a morally grey but fiercely determined heroine, will stop at nothing to protect others—even if it means sacrificing herself. Miles, the MMC may not be a fighter, but his kindness, loyalty, and heart of gold make him just as powerful in his own way.

Together, they face impossible odds, grow stronger with every challenge, and stand united against a rising army on the wrong side of the war. It’s a quick read, packed with emotion, action, and heart.

Already counting the days until the next book in The Witches of Innsbrook!

[Carissa Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I liked the story. I really liked Miles. It was nice to see the softer side of the MMC’s. Toby had me aggravated through much of the story, I really wanted to love her, but the repeat of thoughts and feelings chapter after chapter had me wishing Ria was the FMC. The action was well done in the beginning of the story but I has hoping for of a more dramatic ending then what I got. I think this story has more potential, the bones are there and I can see where it’s going. Good story, I just wish there was more of more.

[FN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced, and still serves its purpose. Compelling details of the characters - like at times i just feel like slapping the FMC for being impulsive and less considerate of the situation of her covern, there are also times i tried to feel considerate why she became as such as a trauma response of the past. MMC is not your typical fighting violence type, but a soft-hearted and compassionate musician that has his story to fill. The found family element also added the dynamics to the story.

Thank you for the ARC opportunity 🙌

[Mrs Holm Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toby, a determined witch, and Miles, a compassionate musician, join forces to overthrow the wicked King who has relentlessly pursued and exploited witches for his own gain. Driven by her desire for revenge against the injustices faced by her and her coven sisters, Toby often makes impulsive choices. "The Melody of Shadows" is a captivating tale filled with thrilling adventures and unexpected twists as Toby strives to end the captivity and suffering of witches.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book more than the first. It follows a witch named Toby after she and the other witches used to be forced to work for the king. Toby is hell bent on getting revenge and saving other witches. The MMC Miles has no desire to be a solider and just wants to play music. They make an unlikely pair as they figure out how to help with the fight against the king and work out their differences. I like that Miles is a hero without changing who he is.

[Elle and the Haunted Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is:
Slow-Burn Romance
Witches aided by other Found magic
A kingdom at war
Golden Retriever MMC
Feisty FMC

This book was a quick read and I did enjoy this story, the flow was decent and I could invest in the characters' stories. Toby is determined to get revenge on those who had held her captive most of her life and Miles was taken from his home and forced to serve in the bad king's army. There was potential for more in this story but I am excited to see where the next book can go.

[Regan Pontius · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC. Here's what I thought: First off, I would give the book 3.5 ⭐️. What an interesting read! It took me a while to get through the book just cause it felt there were some plot holes at times. It was also slow-paced. I thought the MCs were well-developed.
This book is a continuation from the first book, The Wand of Lore. I definitely recommend reading this book if you've read the previous book.

[Marie Harwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice quick read. Can definitely be read as a standalone or fits perfectly with the series. I honestly hated this FMC, her attitude and stupidity drove me crazy. But I loved the smiley, musical MMC.
"Well, its a foolish plan. You'll die without me."
October (Toby) is fierce and bent on vengeance. When she meets a strange boy who loves music, her life is changed. Will they be able to defeat an army, save captives, and stay alive and free to continue on?

[Valerie Munoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a lover of music and someone who plays instruments as well I really enjoyed this book!! I really like how it all came together and it’s a magical instrument sign me up!! I really like how you get some action from book 1 characters into book 2
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review

[Chapter.whispers.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way book went. It started as the kingship and the battle how to lead it.

The way Toby uses her witch power wisely when needed. Toby has very helping nature and open heart nature.

Miles and his soothing music skills are attraction of the book. Zella twin sister of Tony with Same magical power. I love the friendship and sisterhood between Tony, Zella and Ria.

[Anna ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Witches of Innsbrook. A great story of revenge and love. Toby working through all she went through with a patient, golden retriever, Miles. The timeline jumps a bit. Miles just wants to play music. Toby wants revenge and to save others. The trauma bonds are heavy. Cozy romance. I cannot wait for the next one! 

[Racheal Shanahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This is book 2 in The Witches of Innsbrook series. It is an interconnected stand-alone.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast paced story with some good scenes. Some I do wish had a little more detail. My favorite character was definitely Miles and his cute little chipmunk side kick.

[Katelynn Seaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was better than the first. Toby and Miles team up to taken down the evil king who has hunted down witches for his own gain. I liked that Miles wasn’t a typical hero and was able to stay true to who he was as a person while still saving the day.

[Rebecca Horist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: Was given this as an ARC for review

I flew through this book in about 1hr. It was a light, fast read being under 300pages.
Plot was straightforward but not as much story- it is best you read Book 1 to understand what happened.

I look forward to Book 3!

[kmora_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.75 ⭐️
I received this as an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book was good and definitely kept me engaged! I love a badass fmc who has a taste for revenge 😆 I really liked Miles character as well! This is a perfect short read for this upcoming fall with the witchy vibes 🧙‍♀️🍂☕️

[Marmalade · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5⭐
DNF

Okay I had to DNF this one. The writing style seemed very juvenile to me. I just couldn't read through it. 😩

[Starry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an arc for my honest review, I found the book slightly confusing and too fast paced so it wasn’t for me, but if you want a book to read in one sitting, you should read this