What do you think?
Rate this book
Music in the Shadows
The Pied Piper Meets The Cruel Prince and Throne Of Glass in this Dark Fairy-Tale Retelling Romantasy
In a world where magical creatures like the fae are thought extinct, arena warrior Morana is forced to become the bodyguard of the cunning, ruthless, egotistical and let’s not forget, achingly handsome prince of Apollo. Morana would rather be in the arena instead of guarding a prince whose arrogance makes her want to put a blade to his throat, but refusal isn’t an option. One wrong move and her found family pays the price.
Yet as the threats against Prince Adrion escalate, Morana finds herself growing closer to him, their reluctant alliance turning into something neither of them can ignore. These dangerous encounters also force her to use her suppressed powers to help them escape impossible situations and though her purpose is to protect him, her greatest challenge resides in accepting her identity and facing a truth she’s long denied. For years, Morana convinced herself she is nothing but a warrior, but as shadows obey her call, the truth resurfaces. She is the last being of her kind, sworn enemy to the Kingdom of Apollo.
Morana has fought beside the prince, bled for him, even loved him. But if Prince Adrion learns what she truly is, will he see the warrior who saved his life- or the monster he was raised to destroy?
In a world where magical creatures like the fae are thought extinct, arena warrior Morana is forced to become the bodyguard of the cunning, ruthless, egotistical and let’s not forget, achingly handsome prince of Apollo. Morana would rather be in the arena instead of guarding a prince whose arrogance makes her want to put a blade to his throat, but refusal isn’t an option. One wrong move and her found family pays the price.
Yet as the threats against Prince Adrion escalate, Morana finds herself growing closer to him, their reluctant alliance turning into something neither of them can ignore. These dangerous encounters also force her to use her suppressed powers to help them escape impossible situations and though her purpose is to protect him, her greatest challenge resides in accepting her identity and facing a truth she’s long denied. For years, Morana convinced herself she is nothing but a warrior, but as shadows obey her call, the truth resurfaces. She is the last being of her kind, sworn enemy to the Kingdom of Apollo.
Morana has fought beside the prince, bled for him, even loved him. But if Prince Adrion learns what she truly is, will he see the warrior who saved his life- or the monster he was raised to destroy?
464 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2026
34 people are currently reading
1477 people want to read
About the author
Shweta Kistan
1 book51 followersHello my dear Royal Apollans and Duvessan Darklings,
My name is Shweta and my first books ever written was spicy fan fiction and smutty werewolf books on Wattpad that would never see the light of day— what will see the light of day however is my debut dark romantasy retelling called MUSIC IN THE SHADOWS.
Be prepared to tumble into the world of Terran where Light is Evil and Darkness is the Cunning Savior. ;)
My name is Shweta and my first books ever written was spicy fan fiction and smutty werewolf books on Wattpad that would never see the light of day— what will see the light of day however is my debut dark romantasy retelling called MUSIC IN THE SHADOWS.
Be prepared to tumble into the world of Terran where Light is Evil and Darkness is the Cunning Savior. ;)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
Did not finish
November 25, 2025Though I am DNFing at 40%, I still want to thank the author for providing me with this ARC. I’m not going to rate this book since I am not finishing it, but I will share my thoughts. & if the premise of this books sounds interesting, I do encourage you to give it a try. As this is an ARC, many things could be revised/improved upon before release.
PROS
- There is clearly an interesting story in here & a lot going on. I presume this is a series & there is a lot to explore.
- I was sold by the character art the author used in her marketing. Good character art is often very helpful/encouraging & I did like it quite a bit.
CONS
- I believe this needs another round or two of serious editing as the writing was consistently quite clunky & the sentences often repetitive. This is something I noticed as early as chapter 1 & was consistent in basically every page. I got to a point I was saying sentences aloud to my husband to ask if they made sense or if I was getting in my head. Both clarity & brevity I think we missing a lot of the time.
- I am not a stickler for grammar or spelling issues in an ARC at all, but I will say the formatting made it hard to follow who was talking sometimes during conversational scenes.
- The world building was off. Things would be referenced that hadn’t been explained yet, so I would go back a few pages to see if I had missed it only to find it was explained paragraphs or pages after it was introduced. Sometime it felt like neither show nor tell, & that was difficult to follow.
- Dialogue felt extremely unnatural & almost robotic for some characters.
- The romantic feelings seemingly came out of nowhere. There was basically no build up to these moments & they felt unearned. There may be reasoning for this later in the book I just won’t know, but it was jarring.
Like I said, I encourage you to still give this read a try if the premise sounds interesting. It not being right for me doesn’t mean you won’t love it.
PROS
- There is clearly an interesting story in here & a lot going on. I presume this is a series & there is a lot to explore.
- I was sold by the character art the author used in her marketing. Good character art is often very helpful/encouraging & I did like it quite a bit.
CONS
- I believe this needs another round or two of serious editing as the writing was consistently quite clunky & the sentences often repetitive. This is something I noticed as early as chapter 1 & was consistent in basically every page. I got to a point I was saying sentences aloud to my husband to ask if they made sense or if I was getting in my head. Both clarity & brevity I think we missing a lot of the time.
- I am not a stickler for grammar or spelling issues in an ARC at all, but I will say the formatting made it hard to follow who was talking sometimes during conversational scenes.
- The world building was off. Things would be referenced that hadn’t been explained yet, so I would go back a few pages to see if I had missed it only to find it was explained paragraphs or pages after it was introduced. Sometime it felt like neither show nor tell, & that was difficult to follow.
- Dialogue felt extremely unnatural & almost robotic for some characters.
- The romantic feelings seemingly came out of nowhere. There was basically no build up to these moments & they felt unearned. There may be reasoning for this later in the book I just won’t know, but it was jarring.
Like I said, I encourage you to still give this read a try if the premise sounds interesting. It not being right for me doesn’t mean you won’t love it.
November 3, 2025
omg. just finished my ARC of Shadows of Apollo and 😭🔥 hands down my FAVORITE read of 2025. like… i legit read it in ONE sitting. couldn’t. put. it. down.
morana?? absolute queen 👑
adrion?? arrogant, ruthless, gorgeous disaster i wanna punch AND kiss 😩💘
the tension?? unreal 😭🔥
the shadow violin scenes?? cinematic af 🎻🖤
vampires, necromancers, fae lore, betrayal, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers — this book ate and left no crumbs 🍽️✨
and THAT ENDING??? 😭😭😭
i’m emotionally wrecked. i need book 2 like YESTERDAY.
morana?? absolute queen 👑
adrion?? arrogant, ruthless, gorgeous disaster i wanna punch AND kiss 😩💘
the tension?? unreal 😭🔥
the shadow violin scenes?? cinematic af 🎻🖤
vampires, necromancers, fae lore, betrayal, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers — this book ate and left no crumbs 🍽️✨
and THAT ENDING??? 😭😭😭
i’m emotionally wrecked. i need book 2 like YESTERDAY.
Review of advance copy received from Author
“𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵, 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥.”
This book is honestly… a whole experience. It starts slow — I won’t lie about that — because the opening is a lot of history, myth, and lineage politics. And I’m not a history-class girlie. But the MOMENT the first meet-cute happens? The pace SNAPS to life, and suddenly I’m obsessed.
At its core, the story is about power, perception, and the illusion of righteousness — the way the privileged label themselves as “pure” and everyone else as “tainted.” We see kingdoms built on ego, prejudice, and centuries-old holy superiority. And right in the middle of that is a girl the world fears… and a prince who finally learns how blind he’s been.
Morana is such a standout. She’s gentle-hearted, but shadows cling to her — literally and figuratively. She fights her own darkness every day, refusing to let it shape who she becomes. She’s a warrior, a performer, a girl with trauma she tries to outrun, and someone who cares so deeply she’d burn for the people she loves.
Adrion, our Apollon prince with silver hair and amber-red eyes? Whew. He starts as the guy who wants to spite his father by choosing the worst possible warrior… and instead ends up choosing the only person who could unravel him completely. He hides his insecurities behind arrogance, charm, and that “I don’t need a bodyguard” energy — because he’s the one Apollon royal with barely any magic. That insecurity shapes everything he does.
The tension between them? *𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘧'𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴*
The stolen glances. The brush of hands. The territorial streak he keeps trying (and failing) to hide. The way he calls her “pretty warrior.” The way jealousy eats him alive anytime another man so much as looks at her.
And the quotes? Insanity. “𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘈𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮.” — right before he kisses her in front of Ezra? I fell to my KNEES.
Then later: “𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘧 𝘪’𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
HELLO???? Sir??? Who allowed you to speak like that?
The worldbuilding is rich — kingdoms torn by rebellion, creatures mutated from ancient darkness, and a prophecy wrapped in cosmic wrongness. And Morana… she is not who she thinks she is. Her power is dangerous, divine, and absolutely not supposed to exist.
The necromancer sequence? Peak cinema. Morana playing that violin as her fire answered her — it gave me CHILLS. That’s the moment you realize her story is bigger than fate, bigger than the goddess’ blessing, bigger than the world’s prejudice.
And Adrion? He is DONE FOR. The man would be such an ass to her, but also be so caring when she’s injured, “𝘛𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘐 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶.” Boy. Oh boy.
By the time the book hits its cliffhanger, I was screaming. Actually screaming. Book two cannot come soon enough.
Final thoughts:
✨ Immaculate worldbuilding
✨ Slow start but worth every second
✨ Characters who evolve dramatically
✨ A romance that goes from “this is punishment” to “I would burn the world for you”
✨ A heroine who is destiny-touched, dangerous, and deeply human
I ate this UP.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Just saw a reel where Prince Adrion says, " 𝘐'𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯… 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘔𝘠 𝘞𝘖𝘔𝘈𝘕.” I screamed. Kicked my legs. Signed up for the ARC before my soul returned to my body.
Can’t wait to read this absolute menace of a man. 👑🖤
This book is honestly… a whole experience. It starts slow — I won’t lie about that — because the opening is a lot of history, myth, and lineage politics. And I’m not a history-class girlie. But the MOMENT the first meet-cute happens? The pace SNAPS to life, and suddenly I’m obsessed.
At its core, the story is about power, perception, and the illusion of righteousness — the way the privileged label themselves as “pure” and everyone else as “tainted.” We see kingdoms built on ego, prejudice, and centuries-old holy superiority. And right in the middle of that is a girl the world fears… and a prince who finally learns how blind he’s been.
Morana is such a standout. She’s gentle-hearted, but shadows cling to her — literally and figuratively. She fights her own darkness every day, refusing to let it shape who she becomes. She’s a warrior, a performer, a girl with trauma she tries to outrun, and someone who cares so deeply she’d burn for the people she loves.
Adrion, our Apollon prince with silver hair and amber-red eyes? Whew. He starts as the guy who wants to spite his father by choosing the worst possible warrior… and instead ends up choosing the only person who could unravel him completely. He hides his insecurities behind arrogance, charm, and that “I don’t need a bodyguard” energy — because he’s the one Apollon royal with barely any magic. That insecurity shapes everything he does.
The tension between them? *𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘧'𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴*
The stolen glances. The brush of hands. The territorial streak he keeps trying (and failing) to hide. The way he calls her “pretty warrior.” The way jealousy eats him alive anytime another man so much as looks at her.
And the quotes? Insanity. “𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘈𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮.” — right before he kisses her in front of Ezra? I fell to my KNEES.
Then later: “𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘧 𝘪’𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
HELLO???? Sir??? Who allowed you to speak like that?
The worldbuilding is rich — kingdoms torn by rebellion, creatures mutated from ancient darkness, and a prophecy wrapped in cosmic wrongness. And Morana… she is not who she thinks she is. Her power is dangerous, divine, and absolutely not supposed to exist.
The necromancer sequence? Peak cinema. Morana playing that violin as her fire answered her — it gave me CHILLS. That’s the moment you realize her story is bigger than fate, bigger than the goddess’ blessing, bigger than the world’s prejudice.
And Adrion? He is DONE FOR. The man would be such an ass to her, but also be so caring when she’s injured, “𝘛𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘐 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶.” Boy. Oh boy.
By the time the book hits its cliffhanger, I was screaming. Actually screaming. Book two cannot come soon enough.
Final thoughts:
✨ Immaculate worldbuilding
✨ Slow start but worth every second
✨ Characters who evolve dramatically
✨ A romance that goes from “this is punishment” to “I would burn the world for you”
✨ A heroine who is destiny-touched, dangerous, and deeply human
I ate this UP.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Just saw a reel where Prince Adrion says, " 𝘐'𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯… 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘔𝘠 𝘞𝘖𝘔𝘈𝘕.” I screamed. Kicked my legs. Signed up for the ARC before my soul returned to my body.
Can’t wait to read this absolute menace of a man. 👑🖤
November 9, 2025
My first time being an ARC reader and omg…
Music in the shadows absolutely blew me away!
This book is a dark, magical, enemies-to-lovers masterpiece. It’s full of tension, twists, and characters that will drive you insane (in the best way).
Morana and Adrion? Obsessed. He might’ve been a jerk at first, but I was hooked by the end. The spice is light, but the story? Chefs kiss 👌🏻
I need book two immediately!
Music in the shadows absolutely blew me away!
This book is a dark, magical, enemies-to-lovers masterpiece. It’s full of tension, twists, and characters that will drive you insane (in the best way).
Morana and Adrion? Obsessed. He might’ve been a jerk at first, but I was hooked by the end. The spice is light, but the story? Chefs kiss 👌🏻
I need book two immediately!
December 24, 2025
I am the author, so yes. This rating is very biased! I just want to express how grateful and appreciative I am for your interest in MUSIC IN THE SHADOWS and that I deeply hope you are able to find yourself within the struggles and darkness that our dear Morana battles.
This story is for the silent rebels and for those who find peace in darkness rather than light.
This story is for the silent rebels and for those who find peace in darkness rather than light.
August 22, 2025
I read this book when it was still in its early drafts and I LOVE IT!!!! Can’t wait to get my official copy and reread 🌌
Read
September 17, 2025Just saw a reel
Fell in love with the story blurb and the character
Applied for the Arc
Really wish I get one ♥️
Fell in love with the story blurb and the character
Applied for the Arc
Really wish I get one ♥️
November 9, 2025
My rating would be 2.5, rounded to 3. I appreciate the chance to read this eARC. The artwork was originally what drew me into it, followed by the description of Morana. I really struggled with this one because I wanted to be able to give it a glowing review.
Here is what I liked about Music in the Shadows:
✧ It doesn’t waste time, the pace is fairly fast. There is a lot of action and it doesn’t shy away from death or gore.
✧ I really enjoyed Inanov and Red as side characters. I also immediately found Diavelo to be the more alluring character described. Morana is a close second.
✧ I think the FMC being the bodyguard and the MMC being the royal is super fun. I especially like that he doesn’t have much in terms of magical powers.
✧ I felt the best moments were when nothing romantic was being pushed. The “romantic” aspects of the book felt poorly written, whereas the fight scenes or friendships between the FMC and others flowed more naturally.
✧ The snippets of information we got at the beginning of each chapter through redacted publications or letters were also well-written and fun. I like information to be revealed that way, breadcrumbed.
✧ The very end was interesting and did set things up nicely for book two. I actually think book two could be better than book one based on how things ended. I think the ideas here are great and remind me of some similarities to ACOTAR, it’s the execution that is falling a bit flat. I wish I could have been drawn in to really adore Adrion throughout, it would have made the payoff more dramatic.
These are the things that made it difficult to read:
✦ The grammatical errors were everywhere. I myself can’t claim to be perfect when it comes to comma placement etc, but it was heavily effecting the flow of the writing. This is an ARC, so I am hopeful that with thorough editing it can be saved. There were many incomplete sentences, past and present tense in the same sentence, misused words like “condor” instead of “candor”, and so on. I had to reread sentences often. Unfortunately commas do shape a lot of a story.
“Let’s eat, Grandma!” is very different from “Let’s eat Grandma!”
✦ The sprinkle of incest was weird to me.
✦ I disliked Adrion from the jump, which I don’t think was the intended reaction we are meant to have upon first reading it.
✦ There are three main scene where some spice is involved, and all three are interrupted by the same character. I felt very repetitive.
✦ Some of the motivations/actions for characters just didn’t add up to me. For instance; Morana throws a golden spear and kills an assassin that was going to murder the evil king…why? At this point in the story she thinks that Adrion would be a just ruler and they had discussed that when his dad died he would step up. She hates the king. She is only the bodyguard to the prince, so she didn’t even have to do that.
✦ There is no resolution whatsoever with Elijah because of how his storyline wraps up. That threw me way off.
Here is what I liked about Music in the Shadows:
✧ It doesn’t waste time, the pace is fairly fast. There is a lot of action and it doesn’t shy away from death or gore.
✧ I really enjoyed Inanov and Red as side characters. I also immediately found Diavelo to be the more alluring character described. Morana is a close second.
✧ I think the FMC being the bodyguard and the MMC being the royal is super fun. I especially like that he doesn’t have much in terms of magical powers.
✧ I felt the best moments were when nothing romantic was being pushed. The “romantic” aspects of the book felt poorly written, whereas the fight scenes or friendships between the FMC and others flowed more naturally.
✧ The snippets of information we got at the beginning of each chapter through redacted publications or letters were also well-written and fun. I like information to be revealed that way, breadcrumbed.
✧ The very end was interesting and did set things up nicely for book two. I actually think book two could be better than book one based on how things ended. I think the ideas here are great and remind me of some similarities to ACOTAR, it’s the execution that is falling a bit flat. I wish I could have been drawn in to really adore Adrion throughout, it would have made the payoff more dramatic.
These are the things that made it difficult to read:
✦ The grammatical errors were everywhere. I myself can’t claim to be perfect when it comes to comma placement etc, but it was heavily effecting the flow of the writing. This is an ARC, so I am hopeful that with thorough editing it can be saved. There were many incomplete sentences, past and present tense in the same sentence, misused words like “condor” instead of “candor”, and so on. I had to reread sentences often. Unfortunately commas do shape a lot of a story.
“Let’s eat, Grandma!” is very different from “Let’s eat Grandma!”
✦ The sprinkle of incest was weird to me.
✦ I disliked Adrion from the jump, which I don’t think was the intended reaction we are meant to have upon first reading it.
✦ There are three main scene where some spice is involved, and all three are interrupted by the same character. I felt very repetitive.
✦ Some of the motivations/actions for characters just didn’t add up to me. For instance; Morana throws a golden spear and kills an assassin that was going to murder the evil king…why? At this point in the story she thinks that Adrion would be a just ruler and they had discussed that when his dad died he would step up. She hates the king. She is only the bodyguard to the prince, so she didn’t even have to do that.
✦ There is no resolution whatsoever with Elijah because of how his storyline wraps up. That threw me way off.
November 25, 2025
It was hauntingly beautiful. The suspense, violence, shadows, romance and the back and forth were perfect.
Run run to this book!!!
Run run to this book!!!
February 27, 2026
4⭐️!!! Thank you so much to the author for providing an ARC of Music in the shadows!
I went in this book with little to no informations except the beautiful artwork the author shared AND I WAS SUPRISINGLY IMPRESSED BY HOW GOOD THIS BOOK IS! oh im going to need EVERYONE to read it because this is going to be a love triangle (and we know how much i hate those) THAT IM SO BEHIND! I need book2 immediately because that epilogue? CRIMINALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Morona, MY GIRL. I love a female protagonist who has her head on her shoulders, doesnt take dump decisions and is just absolutely fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine in everything she is.
Prince Adrion? meh, he was overprotective in some ways but also distant in others and that back and forth gave me the ick.
Diavelo? 🫦🫦🫦🫦
OKAY NOW GO PICK THIS BOOK AND COME CHAT W/ME💘
I went in this book with little to no informations except the beautiful artwork the author shared AND I WAS SUPRISINGLY IMPRESSED BY HOW GOOD THIS BOOK IS! oh im going to need EVERYONE to read it because this is going to be a love triangle (and we know how much i hate those) THAT IM SO BEHIND! I need book2 immediately because that epilogue? CRIMINALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Morona, MY GIRL. I love a female protagonist who has her head on her shoulders, doesnt take dump decisions and is just absolutely fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine in everything she is.
Prince Adrion? meh, he was overprotective in some ways but also distant in others and that back and forth gave me the ick.
Diavelo? 🫦🫦🫦🫦
OKAY NOW GO PICK THIS BOOK AND COME CHAT W/ME💘
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5★ 𝕸𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖈 𝕴𝖓 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕾𝖍𝖆𝖉𝖔𝖜𝖘 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤
☆♬○♩●♪✧♩
★ "𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔... 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘... 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆... 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒍𝒚... 𝑾𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒄,"
★
★
♩✧♪●♩○♬☆
The amazing, powerful feeling, THE THRILL of having your expectations GREATLY exceeded.
O
M
G
I knew, I definitely knew back then when I first saw the cover of this book on threads, that I needed to read this. And I'm sooooo glad for it.
I mean, holy sh!t! That ending, those characters, the narrative (or narratives), the classic darkness vs light element here...impeccable.
I just couldn't stop reading. What a solid debut story, with so many places to know, creatures and magic. And the fighting scenes?! So cinematographic, so well described that I could perfectly picture them all in my head. Like I was actually seeing it! THE ADRENALINE! AH! It's a very long journey where we can see a lot of Terran and the kingdoms in it.
I already have my favourite character, and I'm so excited to see what's next for her and her... personal mission :)
★ "𝐴𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔𝒉𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑠. 𝑇𝒉𝑒 𝑄𝑢𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠𝒉𝑒𝑑 𝒉𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑."
Uf, I cried so hard with that 😭 barely 16% and my heart was already broken.
So, let's say I can see the future and I know there will be a lot of revenge, betrayals, kingdoms in war and monsters.
So, DEFINITELY DYING FOR BOOK 2!!
And of course I'm making a playlist. An amazing playlist. Some Paganini songs, maybe 🤔 All drama, tragedy and rage. And the song for the Agni Kai too!
Okay, don't mind me, it's just me getting a little too excited 🤣✨
A huge thank you, always, to the wonderful author, Shweta Kistan, for the arc copy! I'm beyond obsessed!
☆♬○♩●♪✧♩
★ "𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔... 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘... 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆... 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒍𝒚... 𝑾𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒄,"
★
★
♩✧♪●♩○♬☆
The amazing, powerful feeling, THE THRILL of having your expectations GREATLY exceeded.
O
M
G
I knew, I definitely knew back then when I first saw the cover of this book on threads, that I needed to read this. And I'm sooooo glad for it.
I mean, holy sh!t! That ending, those characters, the narrative (or narratives), the classic darkness vs light element here...impeccable.
I just couldn't stop reading. What a solid debut story, with so many places to know, creatures and magic. And the fighting scenes?! So cinematographic, so well described that I could perfectly picture them all in my head. Like I was actually seeing it! THE ADRENALINE! AH! It's a very long journey where we can see a lot of Terran and the kingdoms in it.
I already have my favourite character, and I'm so excited to see what's next for her and her... personal mission :)
★ "𝐴𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔𝒉𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑠. 𝑇𝒉𝑒 𝑄𝑢𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠𝒉𝑒𝑑 𝒉𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑."
Uf, I cried so hard with that 😭 barely 16% and my heart was already broken.
So, let's say I can see the future and I know there will be a lot of revenge, betrayals, kingdoms in war and monsters.
So, DEFINITELY DYING FOR BOOK 2!!
And of course I'm making a playlist. An amazing playlist. Some Paganini songs, maybe 🤔 All drama, tragedy and rage. And the song for the Agni Kai too!
Okay, don't mind me, it's just me getting a little too excited 🤣✨
A huge thank you, always, to the wonderful author, Shweta Kistan, for the arc copy! I'm beyond obsessed!
November 9, 2025
Thank you to the author for this ARC and the chance to read it early!
What an incredible debut! I was hooked from the very first page. This story has everything I love in a romantasy—rich world-building, emotional depth, and a few unexpected twists that kept it feeling fresh and unique. The pacing flowed beautifully, pulling me along like I was being guided through the journey myself.
Morana is such a fearless, resilient heroine—haunted by her past yet determined to find strength in the family she’s built for herself. And then there’s the prince—the one man she should hate—who decides he’s going to claim her for his own.
Secrets keep unraveling, alliances shift, and by the end, I was completely breathless. Our broody prince isn’t done making ruthless choices, and that green-eyed demon? I just know he’s hiding something big. And that ending?! Let’s just say I’m already counting down to their next meeting.
What an incredible debut! I was hooked from the very first page. This story has everything I love in a romantasy—rich world-building, emotional depth, and a few unexpected twists that kept it feeling fresh and unique. The pacing flowed beautifully, pulling me along like I was being guided through the journey myself.
Morana is such a fearless, resilient heroine—haunted by her past yet determined to find strength in the family she’s built for herself. And then there’s the prince—the one man she should hate—who decides he’s going to claim her for his own.
Secrets keep unraveling, alliances shift, and by the end, I was completely breathless. Our broody prince isn’t done making ruthless choices, and that green-eyed demon? I just know he’s hiding something big. And that ending?! Let’s just say I’m already counting down to their next meeting.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC received by author for an honest review.
It took me a few chapters to really get into this one, but once I was hooked, I was fully immersed until the very end. And that epilogue? Jeez… I can’t wait for book two, to get answers to all my questions. 😱
This is a captivating enemies to lovers, dark romantasy packed with magic, tension and more twists than I could keep up with. The pacing was spot on, the world building was rich but never overwhelming, and the characters? Interesting and just a little bit chaotic. The plot is twisty enough to keep you flipping pages way past your bedtime.
Mor, our FMC, or better yet: Shadow Mommy. Is strong, resilient and her magical violin/music ability is so unique and refreshing. I absolutely loved following her journey.
Adrion, our MMC, is definitely intriguing… even if he did annoy the hell out of me at times (yeah, yeah....arrest me🤷🏼♀️😄). But honestly? I’m even more intrigued by a certain green-eyed demon. I need more of that energy in my life, please and thank you.🫣👀
If you’re after a dark, magical, twisty romantasy with an unforgettable FMC, high stakes and an ending that will leave you desperate for the next book, add this to your TBR.
I highly recommend it 👌🏼☺️
It took me a few chapters to really get into this one, but once I was hooked, I was fully immersed until the very end. And that epilogue? Jeez… I can’t wait for book two, to get answers to all my questions. 😱
This is a captivating enemies to lovers, dark romantasy packed with magic, tension and more twists than I could keep up with. The pacing was spot on, the world building was rich but never overwhelming, and the characters? Interesting and just a little bit chaotic. The plot is twisty enough to keep you flipping pages way past your bedtime.
Mor, our FMC, or better yet: Shadow Mommy. Is strong, resilient and her magical violin/music ability is so unique and refreshing. I absolutely loved following her journey.
Adrion, our MMC, is definitely intriguing… even if he did annoy the hell out of me at times (yeah, yeah....arrest me🤷🏼♀️😄). But honestly? I’m even more intrigued by a certain green-eyed demon. I need more of that energy in my life, please and thank you.🫣👀
If you’re after a dark, magical, twisty romantasy with an unforgettable FMC, high stakes and an ending that will leave you desperate for the next book, add this to your TBR.
I highly recommend it 👌🏼☺️
Review of advance copy received from Author
Title: Music In The Shadows
Author: Shweta Kristan
Synopsis: In a world where magical creatures like the fae are thought extinct, arena warrior Morana is forced to become the bodyguard of the cunning, ruthless, egotistical and let’s not forget, achingly handsome prince of Apollo. Morana would rather be in the arena instead of guarding a prince whose arrogance makes her want to put a blade to his throat, but refusal isn’t an option. One wrong move and her found family pays the price.
Yet as the threats against Prince Adrion escalate, Morana finds herself growing closer to him, their reluctant alliance turning into something neither of them can ignore. These dangerous encounters also force her to use her suppressed powers to help them escape impossible situations and though her purpose is to protect him, her greatest challenge resides in accepting her identity and facing a truth she’s long denied. For years, Morana convinced herself she is nothing but a warrior, but as shadows obey her call, the truth resurfaces. She is the last being of her kind, sworn enemy to the Kingdom of Apollo.
Morana has fought beside the prince, bled for him, even loved him. But if Prince Adrion learns what she truly is, will he see the warrior who saved his life- or the monster he was raised to destroy?
Review: What a story this author has begun to show! I loved Morana and Adrion! The chemistry was coming right off the page! The world is very interesting and I want to know more about it! I’m unwell after that ending! I could not predict what was unraveled! Please give me book two now!
Thank you so much to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!
Author: Shweta Kristan
Synopsis: In a world where magical creatures like the fae are thought extinct, arena warrior Morana is forced to become the bodyguard of the cunning, ruthless, egotistical and let’s not forget, achingly handsome prince of Apollo. Morana would rather be in the arena instead of guarding a prince whose arrogance makes her want to put a blade to his throat, but refusal isn’t an option. One wrong move and her found family pays the price.
Yet as the threats against Prince Adrion escalate, Morana finds herself growing closer to him, their reluctant alliance turning into something neither of them can ignore. These dangerous encounters also force her to use her suppressed powers to help them escape impossible situations and though her purpose is to protect him, her greatest challenge resides in accepting her identity and facing a truth she’s long denied. For years, Morana convinced herself she is nothing but a warrior, but as shadows obey her call, the truth resurfaces. She is the last being of her kind, sworn enemy to the Kingdom of Apollo.
Morana has fought beside the prince, bled for him, even loved him. But if Prince Adrion learns what she truly is, will he see the warrior who saved his life- or the monster he was raised to destroy?
Review: What a story this author has begun to show! I loved Morana and Adrion! The chemistry was coming right off the page! The world is very interesting and I want to know more about it! I’m unwell after that ending! I could not predict what was unraveled! Please give me book two now!
Thank you so much to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!
December 10, 2025
I got an ARC for this book, and I thank the author for the opportunity!
I would rate this book 3,75⭐️ I really did enjoy it, I think the story and plot has a lot of potential and I believe that as soon as it is out a lot of readers will devour this.
The magic system was quite interesting and original, this idea with the violin was great I really liked that.
I will say though that sometimes I’d be confused because, obviously I read the ARC so at some points there were mistakes in the sentences or some sentences would sound a bit off so it tended to throw me off kinda but of course I know that those mistakes, errors and so on will be revised before the publishing date so that’ll be fine then !
Coming back to the story itself, I think we would have needed maybe a bit more depth to Adrion and Mor’s relationship (because sometimes it seemed liked their feelings and attraction was kind of sudden). I still liked their dynamic though and the pace was good.
Now though, what was that ending ?! My jaw fucking dropped, there’s no way I would have predicted that ending, I felt like something was off at the end but shit I didn’t expect that and I’m kinda mad for THAT particular chapter, now I can’t wait for retribution 😮💨
The epilogue had me reeling as well, I need to know what’s gonna happen next 🥲
I would rate this book 3,75⭐️ I really did enjoy it, I think the story and plot has a lot of potential and I believe that as soon as it is out a lot of readers will devour this.
The magic system was quite interesting and original, this idea with the violin was great I really liked that.
I will say though that sometimes I’d be confused because, obviously I read the ARC so at some points there were mistakes in the sentences or some sentences would sound a bit off so it tended to throw me off kinda but of course I know that those mistakes, errors and so on will be revised before the publishing date so that’ll be fine then !
Coming back to the story itself, I think we would have needed maybe a bit more depth to Adrion and Mor’s relationship (because sometimes it seemed liked their feelings and attraction was kind of sudden). I still liked their dynamic though and the pace was good.
Now though, what was that ending ?! My jaw fucking dropped, there’s no way I would have predicted that ending, I felt like something was off at the end but shit I didn’t expect that and I’m kinda mad for THAT particular chapter, now I can’t wait for retribution 😮💨
The epilogue had me reeling as well, I need to know what’s gonna happen next 🥲
February 16, 2026
This instantly had me absolutely hooked. The arena had so many interesting characters and dynamics. I liked how the story was fast paced but didn’t feel rushed. And the little information dumbs that were in the beginning of each chapter were nice to get. The dynamic between Morana and Adrion was so fun to read. The bantering was well done and kept me interested. I liked how natural the friendships felt and how it really made you feel connected to these characters. I was drawn in by the beautiful artwork and the unique trope of she’s the bodyguard to a fae prince and that didn’t disappoint. The ending has left me lost on what to do!
Now. This is where I get real honest and nit-picky.
I did like the dynamic between Adrion and Morana. However. The romance aspect felt like it just popped up. There wasn’t any real build up for it and the “I need to stay away” and “don’t touch what’s mine” from Adrion gave me whiplash. I honestly felt the tiny moments between Morano and Inanov felt more natural than her with the prince. And the constant Inanov interrupting when things got spicy. Got annoying real fast.
It also didn’t make sense to me why Morana would save the King. It’d make sense if the Prince had been the target. But I would have thought she’d let the assassin kill, or attempt to kill, the King.
And while I usually love multi POVs. The chapters in Adrion’s POV switched to Morana’s without any indication. It got really confusing.
I’ve seen other reviews that pointed out the grammar errors and while I never noticed them (though take that with a grain of salt as I’m terrible with grammar myself and never notice those errors) it is something a lot of others noticed along with comma placement.
Overall.. I did enjoy the book up to when they reached Apollo. After that things just got confusing and weird. I will most likely read book 2 regardless though.
Now. This is where I get real honest and nit-picky.
I did like the dynamic between Adrion and Morana. However. The romance aspect felt like it just popped up. There wasn’t any real build up for it and the “I need to stay away” and “don’t touch what’s mine” from Adrion gave me whiplash. I honestly felt the tiny moments between Morano and Inanov felt more natural than her with the prince. And the constant Inanov interrupting when things got spicy. Got annoying real fast.
It also didn’t make sense to me why Morana would save the King. It’d make sense if the Prince had been the target. But I would have thought she’d let the assassin kill, or attempt to kill, the King.
And while I usually love multi POVs. The chapters in Adrion’s POV switched to Morana’s without any indication. It got really confusing.
I’ve seen other reviews that pointed out the grammar errors and while I never noticed them (though take that with a grain of salt as I’m terrible with grammar myself and never notice those errors) it is something a lot of others noticed along with comma placement.
Overall.. I did enjoy the book up to when they reached Apollo. After that things just got confusing and weird. I will most likely read book 2 regardless though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2025
Music in the Shadows, a book as mysterious as its title. I don’t even know how to put to words how brilliantly written this book is. The story follows Morana, a warrior performer with dark secrets and an even darker past and Adrion , the crowned prince of the Apollon line who struggles to prove his place in his father’s cruel world. After an encounter between the two, Adrion takes Morana as his personal bodyguard and the two go on a mission to bring the kingdom under Apollons single rule. But the secrets they keep will eventually be both of their undoing.
How can a book reveal the least but keep you hooked nonetheless? I feel like the author has enchanted these pages so well that the questions don’t matter because the storyline is that good. The yearning, the flirting, the cunning way of revealing nothing but somehow everything keeps the reader enthralled. We have so many possible love interests besides the obvious one. We have a bomb dropping end that makes you scream wait WHAT?? I can’t wait to see how this story unfolds!!
How can a book reveal the least but keep you hooked nonetheless? I feel like the author has enchanted these pages so well that the questions don’t matter because the storyline is that good. The yearning, the flirting, the cunning way of revealing nothing but somehow everything keeps the reader enthralled. We have so many possible love interests besides the obvious one. We have a bomb dropping end that makes you scream wait WHAT?? I can’t wait to see how this story unfolds!!
February 15, 2026
Spice 0.3 🌶️
Story 4.5 ⭐️
Music In The Shadows by Shweta Kristan is a romantasy debut that has delivered a very interesting and unique story. Right from the prologue there is so much intrigue and world-building.
Starts pretty slow and goes into a fast pace. The world-building is rich, the magic system is unique and some of it is based on music.
Morana, is a strong FMC, Gladiator, who becomes our MMC Bodyguard. She is a warrior, a performer, outrunning from trauma, however, she is ready to burn the world down for the people whom she cares for.
Th MMC Adrion, if you know me I’m a sucker for a white/silver hair man and add red eyes to him and I’m in love, but on top of that i think his arc will be the most satisfying of this series.
The tension between them…. I need more!!! The whole book I was like come on just let it happen!!!
One thing I want to say is that I got this book in the early phase, and I’m happy to hear it got a few more editing rounds since then and is updated, my only issue was the change from first person to third person in different POVs that made the flow of the story a little choppy.
The book ends on a massive cliffhanger so be advised! Coz I wanted to scream “where is the rest?” I can't wait for book two!
Thank you so much for this ARC, my opinion is my own.
Story 4.5 ⭐️
Music In The Shadows by Shweta Kristan is a romantasy debut that has delivered a very interesting and unique story. Right from the prologue there is so much intrigue and world-building.
Starts pretty slow and goes into a fast pace. The world-building is rich, the magic system is unique and some of it is based on music.
Morana, is a strong FMC, Gladiator, who becomes our MMC Bodyguard. She is a warrior, a performer, outrunning from trauma, however, she is ready to burn the world down for the people whom she cares for.
Th MMC Adrion, if you know me I’m a sucker for a white/silver hair man and add red eyes to him and I’m in love, but on top of that i think his arc will be the most satisfying of this series.
The tension between them…. I need more!!! The whole book I was like come on just let it happen!!!
One thing I want to say is that I got this book in the early phase, and I’m happy to hear it got a few more editing rounds since then and is updated, my only issue was the change from first person to third person in different POVs that made the flow of the story a little choppy.
The book ends on a massive cliffhanger so be advised! Coz I wanted to scream “where is the rest?” I can't wait for book two!
Thank you so much for this ARC, my opinion is my own.
November 8, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
This was an arc read that releases on February 13th, 2026🖤
The first thing I want to say is… was it *really* necessary to make me cry in chapter 54? That was so sad. Also, the epilogue?! I need a second book right now. I am not well.
Music in the Shadow is a captivating, enemies to lovers, dark romantasy filled with magic, twists and tension that will leave you unable to turn the page fast enough. Honestly, the epilogue shocked me.
The tension, the yearning!
Fair warning, It does have open spice, which I would rate as a 1.5, as there was only a few scenes with it and I feel like it didn’t go into too much detail.
Morana and Adrion are just perfect. He did really get on my nerves in the beginning whenever he decided to act like a jerk, but he grew on me and I love them together. Overall, Music in the Shadows was a really fun and captivating experience, and one that I will definitely be recommending
to friends.
This was an arc read that releases on February 13th, 2026🖤
The first thing I want to say is… was it *really* necessary to make me cry in chapter 54? That was so sad. Also, the epilogue?! I need a second book right now. I am not well.
Music in the Shadow is a captivating, enemies to lovers, dark romantasy filled with magic, twists and tension that will leave you unable to turn the page fast enough. Honestly, the epilogue shocked me.
The tension, the yearning!
Fair warning, It does have open spice, which I would rate as a 1.5, as there was only a few scenes with it and I feel like it didn’t go into too much detail.
Morana and Adrion are just perfect. He did really get on my nerves in the beginning whenever he decided to act like a jerk, but he grew on me and I love them together. Overall, Music in the Shadows was a really fun and captivating experience, and one that I will definitely be recommending
to friends.
November 6, 2025
Ok this book was amazing!
My favorite parts: the FMC was a badass, the enemies to lovers was impeccable, the story was thrilling, and the cliffhanger has me so excited for more! I loved how it was just different enough from the typical gothic Romantasy that I felt like I was getting something entirely new.
Why didn’t it get that 5th star? Well for one, I am incredibly stingy with my 5 star ratings and this book was close but there were a couple things that made it a 4 star read. The biggest thing was punctuation because nothing irks me more than when the flow gets choppy because the commas are weird.
Overall, I loved this book and I’m really eager to have more of the story. Special thanks to the author for giving me a chance to read this amazing ARC!
My favorite parts: the FMC was a badass, the enemies to lovers was impeccable, the story was thrilling, and the cliffhanger has me so excited for more! I loved how it was just different enough from the typical gothic Romantasy that I felt like I was getting something entirely new.
Why didn’t it get that 5th star? Well for one, I am incredibly stingy with my 5 star ratings and this book was close but there were a couple things that made it a 4 star read. The biggest thing was punctuation because nothing irks me more than when the flow gets choppy because the commas are weird.
Overall, I loved this book and I’m really eager to have more of the story. Special thanks to the author for giving me a chance to read this amazing ARC!
December 1, 2025
‘What have you done?” Morvin gasped out, unable to believe his very eyes. The sound of metal being drawn out rang through the air and loud shouts echoed through the stone walls.
The ground vibrated and shook with power. “Carnage,” I breathed out against my violin and the shadows were pleased. They lunged for their supper that awaited.’
Music In the Shadows was so enthralling, I had to take my own violin out for this review. I was first drawn to this story by reading about a morally grey/black FMC who could use her violin to wield shadows to cause carnage and destruction. What I got- was so much more. This story is so beautifully written, so raw, so poignant and brimming with feminine rage. The lore/ fantasy present in this story was so unique that I found myself being transported (think pied piper meets game of thrones meets TOG?). The world building is so unique and I love how the roles are reversed with Morana (our FMC) as the warrior protector of Adrion (the MMC), as he is a Fae with little to no power. I realized halfway through reading this story that I related so much to Mor, as I am sure so many women can-hiding who they really are, denying the true power that they possess and enduring how men underestimate them. I was captivated, watching Mor come into her power, stop denying who she was and succumbing to the darkness inside herself to survive. This is also a story about found family, about how blood isn’t the only way a family is formed, it is also forged in fire through the oaths we take to protect and care for those who are not of us. Of how we will nurture those relationships and sometimes, sacrifice ourselves for the people who mean the most. And the epilogue, that ending- holy hells- I CANNOT WAIT FOR BOOK 2!!! At the end of the day, no one is coming to save you, get up. And my oh my, does Morana ever get up. I love a story where a woman doesn’t need to be saved, but does the saving 🎻🗡️❤️🔥
The ground vibrated and shook with power. “Carnage,” I breathed out against my violin and the shadows were pleased. They lunged for their supper that awaited.’
Music In the Shadows was so enthralling, I had to take my own violin out for this review. I was first drawn to this story by reading about a morally grey/black FMC who could use her violin to wield shadows to cause carnage and destruction. What I got- was so much more. This story is so beautifully written, so raw, so poignant and brimming with feminine rage. The lore/ fantasy present in this story was so unique that I found myself being transported (think pied piper meets game of thrones meets TOG?). The world building is so unique and I love how the roles are reversed with Morana (our FMC) as the warrior protector of Adrion (the MMC), as he is a Fae with little to no power. I realized halfway through reading this story that I related so much to Mor, as I am sure so many women can-hiding who they really are, denying the true power that they possess and enduring how men underestimate them. I was captivated, watching Mor come into her power, stop denying who she was and succumbing to the darkness inside herself to survive. This is also a story about found family, about how blood isn’t the only way a family is formed, it is also forged in fire through the oaths we take to protect and care for those who are not of us. Of how we will nurture those relationships and sometimes, sacrifice ourselves for the people who mean the most. And the epilogue, that ending- holy hells- I CANNOT WAIT FOR BOOK 2!!! At the end of the day, no one is coming to save you, get up. And my oh my, does Morana ever get up. I love a story where a woman doesn’t need to be saved, but does the saving 🎻🗡️❤️🔥
November 4, 2025
OH. MY. GODS.
This book will have you biting your lip, clenching your thighs, or anxiously turning the pages. It will have you in a spiral, being pulled in all directions feeling everything that happens!
The FMC Morana is an unknown but fiercely determined entity that has made sure to never be underestimated even with the secrets hidden in the shadows, the smoke of her mind. The MMC Adrion is cocky, arrogant, overbearingly testy but so drool worthy at the same time. Colliding into each other's worlds by mere means of convenience on his end and what feels like enslavement on hers, they are bonded to see this quest and forced proximity through even when things start heating up. Keeping herself under control, secrets and memories locked away and forgotten (or moreso to not acknowledge the truth in them), a steamy and budding game of want blossoms between Morana and Adrion. Failing to keep each other at a distance no matter the efforts, they blissfully disregard all the reasons why NOT to do it and fall into the push and pull of their cravings and desires.
The quest finally ending has them returning to the realities that they can and never will be more than Prince and Royal Guard. Secrets are deadly and at risk of exposure and Morana being the key in this grand scheme of things will have to face her past and risk losing what her heart has begun to yearn for. Darkness plunges into their worlds and has them now staring each other down on opposite ends of a different, unexpected truth, opposite edges of a sword that they never wanted. Only time will tell what will be for Morana and Adrion as they navigate the turn of events.
I cannot wait for the next book to get my answers!
This book will have you biting your lip, clenching your thighs, or anxiously turning the pages. It will have you in a spiral, being pulled in all directions feeling everything that happens!
The FMC Morana is an unknown but fiercely determined entity that has made sure to never be underestimated even with the secrets hidden in the shadows, the smoke of her mind. The MMC Adrion is cocky, arrogant, overbearingly testy but so drool worthy at the same time. Colliding into each other's worlds by mere means of convenience on his end and what feels like enslavement on hers, they are bonded to see this quest and forced proximity through even when things start heating up. Keeping herself under control, secrets and memories locked away and forgotten (or moreso to not acknowledge the truth in them), a steamy and budding game of want blossoms between Morana and Adrion. Failing to keep each other at a distance no matter the efforts, they blissfully disregard all the reasons why NOT to do it and fall into the push and pull of their cravings and desires.
The quest finally ending has them returning to the realities that they can and never will be more than Prince and Royal Guard. Secrets are deadly and at risk of exposure and Morana being the key in this grand scheme of things will have to face her past and risk losing what her heart has begun to yearn for. Darkness plunges into their worlds and has them now staring each other down on opposite ends of a different, unexpected truth, opposite edges of a sword that they never wanted. Only time will tell what will be for Morana and Adrion as they navigate the turn of events.
I cannot wait for the next book to get my answers!
January 7, 2026
First up a HUGE thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC for review in return for honest feedback. 2.5 stars rounded up.
I haven't been this torn on a review for a while! I was interested as soon as I saw that this book was described as a mix between The Cruel Prince and Throne of Glass, while being a twist on the Pied Piper.
The world is interesting, well-fleshed out (and set up to continue to be so) and wholly original. Morana and Adrion, our leads from two sides of warring nations, are both interesting and complicated. I enjoyed their juicy banter and tension, and their individual plots stood up by themselves without the romance.
That said, I found the actual writing could have been a lot tighter. There was a fair amount of "tell not do", as well as some glaring grammatical errors throughout (acknowledging that this is an ARC copy!). There were also times where the character's actions felt out of place, like how did Morana get away with such petulant comments to the prince before they had even built a rapport? Why was Red so deliriously innocent, despite growing up in a brothel? Why did Morana spend her life's savings and much of her effort, for years, trying to save Red and his sister, only to see him as an annoyance thereafter?
I do believe a lot of this could be tightened in a final round or two of copywriting, which I hope happens as the story and characters underneath are strong. I look forward to seeing the finished copy.
I haven't been this torn on a review for a while! I was interested as soon as I saw that this book was described as a mix between The Cruel Prince and Throne of Glass, while being a twist on the Pied Piper.
The world is interesting, well-fleshed out (and set up to continue to be so) and wholly original. Morana and Adrion, our leads from two sides of warring nations, are both interesting and complicated. I enjoyed their juicy banter and tension, and their individual plots stood up by themselves without the romance.
That said, I found the actual writing could have been a lot tighter. There was a fair amount of "tell not do", as well as some glaring grammatical errors throughout (acknowledging that this is an ARC copy!). There were also times where the character's actions felt out of place, like how did Morana get away with such petulant comments to the prince before they had even built a rapport? Why was Red so deliriously innocent, despite growing up in a brothel? Why did Morana spend her life's savings and much of her effort, for years, trying to save Red and his sister, only to see him as an annoyance thereafter?
I do believe a lot of this could be tightened in a final round or two of copywriting, which I hope happens as the story and characters underneath are strong. I look forward to seeing the finished copy.
November 21, 2025
Reading Music in the shadows feels like finding a secret playlist hidden behind a bookshelf—mysterious, magical, and weirdly addictive. The author doesn’t just write words; she sneaks little emotional ninjas into your heart when you least expect it. Every chapter feels like a track on an emotional album. Some songs make you nod your head like yessss, some make you squint because the truth hit too hard, and some make you stare into the void like you’re in a slow-mo movie montage. There isnt a second that I was bored while reading this.. Morana is the kind of character who makes you go “wow, I would not mess with her” — but also “wow, I honestly feel for her.” She’s badass and vulnerable in all the right ways. The FMC's magic being tied to music makes her feel romantic and powerful, and her hidden identity gives her a tragic edge that hooks you in. I would definitely recommend! Also, I NEED book two nowww!!!!
November 18, 2025
Your story was so good! I love it! I felt the emotions so much . You have such a gift with your words . I can’t wait for you to publish the book in physical form because it’s truly an artistic masterpiece. You did so well in the dynamics and I am eagerly anticipating more when you do . 💕 yall read this book! It hits all of her tropes and more !
February 28, 2026
—2.5 stars—
“When lost souls meet, fate is sealed.”
A fantasy romance inspired in part by the legend of the pied piper, Music In The Shadows tells the tale of a fae prince, and the performer-turned-bodyguard who is ordered to accompany him. Unfortunately, i think this one of those instances where the concept outstripped the execution, at least in my opinion. From the blurb, art, and various teaser quotes i’d seen, this sounded amazing, and i’m genuinely sad i didn’t enjoy it as much as i anticipated.
In regard to the fantasy part of the novel, some parts of the worldbuilding felt fuzzy and underdeveloped. While i liked certain elements and concepts, i felt like new things were being introduced, and without having enough revelant information about them, they just didn’t have the same impact. The method of using small ‘extracts’ to start each chapter and bulk out the worldbuilding is a good one, but here it just felt far too much tell over show.
The mmc, Adrian, didn’t really appeal to me. I know he’s meant to be arrogant and unlikable, but he didn’t seem to have further depth than the aforementioned traits and wanting to be a better ruler than his father.
On the other hand, I liked the fmc Morana’s point of view and character more, but to be quite honest, i thought her friendlier interactions with Red and Izanov were superior to any romantic budding relationship.
In a similar vein, i didn’t really feel the chemistry or connection between the two main characters. Their relationship seemed to move very fast, and i thought how they were interrupted every time they moved onto more intimate relations was repetitive, and an overused plot device. Part of me wonders if the next book in the series will switch direction slightly, but i guess we will just have to wait and see.
All in all, this ended up not being the book for me, but if you love morally grey fmcs and the royal x bodyguard trope, Magic In The Shadows might be perfect for you!
(many thanks to Shweta Kistan for this digital ARC! all thoughts and opinions are my own.)
“When lost souls meet, fate is sealed.”
A fantasy romance inspired in part by the legend of the pied piper, Music In The Shadows tells the tale of a fae prince, and the performer-turned-bodyguard who is ordered to accompany him. Unfortunately, i think this one of those instances where the concept outstripped the execution, at least in my opinion. From the blurb, art, and various teaser quotes i’d seen, this sounded amazing, and i’m genuinely sad i didn’t enjoy it as much as i anticipated.
In regard to the fantasy part of the novel, some parts of the worldbuilding felt fuzzy and underdeveloped. While i liked certain elements and concepts, i felt like new things were being introduced, and without having enough revelant information about them, they just didn’t have the same impact. The method of using small ‘extracts’ to start each chapter and bulk out the worldbuilding is a good one, but here it just felt far too much tell over show.
The mmc, Adrian, didn’t really appeal to me. I know he’s meant to be arrogant and unlikable, but he didn’t seem to have further depth than the aforementioned traits and wanting to be a better ruler than his father.
On the other hand, I liked the fmc Morana’s point of view and character more, but to be quite honest, i thought her friendlier interactions with Red and Izanov were superior to any romantic budding relationship.
In a similar vein, i didn’t really feel the chemistry or connection between the two main characters. Their relationship seemed to move very fast, and i thought how they were interrupted every time they moved onto more intimate relations was repetitive, and an overused plot device. Part of me wonders if the next book in the series will switch direction slightly, but i guess we will just have to wait and see.
All in all, this ended up not being the book for me, but if you love morally grey fmcs and the royal x bodyguard trope, Magic In The Shadows might be perfect for you!
(many thanks to Shweta Kistan for this digital ARC! all thoughts and opinions are my own.)
February 11, 2026
3.5 stars
A dark pied piper retelling.
Morana is an arena warrior in a show that travels showcasing magic and might in an kingdom where most magic is thought to be gone. She's embraced this role for herself with her companions that serve as family after an incident took hers away.
Prince Adrion, of the kingdom of Apollo, chooses her to be his royal bodyguard. OF COURSE he is ridiculously handsome but also sharp with his tongue, guarded, and known to be ruthless.
High stakes, intimate moments draw them closer but the world they live in with the choices made and the secrets they have between leads to a push-pull war within each of them.
Morana is actively fighting her past... separating herself as wholly as she can. She fights the shadows within to deny who she is to herself and keep the secret from the world... including the prince she has grown rather fond of.
I enjoyed a lot of this book. I enjoyed the different creatures, the shadows that obey music, and most of the general plot. My favorite characters were side characters, Red and Diavelo.
Prince Adrion as a character is one that I would typically really enjoy and I think I still would if it was without the component of the romance. He acts a certain way, wears a mask of sorts, to achieve a goal.
Morana is a good character, too. Her magic is fascinating and how her identity will play into upcoming books makes me want to read.
Their romance maybe should have been entirely left for a future book.
It just feels like there's a lot going on but we don't really know much.
The last 10% had me fully wrapped up in the book and the epilogue definitely has me intrigued enough to pick up the next book.
Overall, it's a book I'm glad I read. I think there will certainly be people out there that have an absolute blast reading it!
I received an eARC and these thoughts are my own.
A dark pied piper retelling.
Morana is an arena warrior in a show that travels showcasing magic and might in an kingdom where most magic is thought to be gone. She's embraced this role for herself with her companions that serve as family after an incident took hers away.
Prince Adrion, of the kingdom of Apollo, chooses her to be his royal bodyguard. OF COURSE he is ridiculously handsome but also sharp with his tongue, guarded, and known to be ruthless.
High stakes, intimate moments draw them closer but the world they live in with the choices made and the secrets they have between leads to a push-pull war within each of them.
Morana is actively fighting her past... separating herself as wholly as she can. She fights the shadows within to deny who she is to herself and keep the secret from the world... including the prince she has grown rather fond of.
I enjoyed a lot of this book. I enjoyed the different creatures, the shadows that obey music, and most of the general plot. My favorite characters were side characters, Red and Diavelo.
Prince Adrion as a character is one that I would typically really enjoy and I think I still would if it was without the component of the romance. He acts a certain way, wears a mask of sorts, to achieve a goal.
Morana is a good character, too. Her magic is fascinating and how her identity will play into upcoming books makes me want to read.
Their romance maybe should have been entirely left for a future book.
It just feels like there's a lot going on but we don't really know much.
The last 10% had me fully wrapped up in the book and the epilogue definitely has me intrigued enough to pick up the next book.
Overall, it's a book I'm glad I read. I think there will certainly be people out there that have an absolute blast reading it!
I received an eARC and these thoughts are my own.
February 5, 2026
LOVED THIS BOOK SOOOO MUCH!!
5/5 ⭐️
Morana, one of the best arena warriors Fala has, is forced to act as the personal bodyguard of Prince Adrion an egotistical, self assured, arrogant bastard. She harbours a secret, dark past that can’t see the day of light because not only her life would be at stake, but also the lives of her arena family and her loved ones.
Prince Adrion is under a lot of pressure, he needs to complete his quest or his sister will reign his land with terror and darkness, he is almost powerless and can’t let others see his weaknesses. But when a beautiful bodyguard comes into the mix maybe he will stat to see things differently.
THIS BOOK AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I can’t believe I already finished it, now I need more. MORANA IS THE BEST, MY QUEEN, I will stand by her and defend her forever. Adrion UF I have mixed feelings towards him, so for not spoiling anything I’m just going to say I need to know more about him and see what he’ll do from now on. He has potential though.
The storyline and world building of this book was PERFECT, in my opinion it had everything I look for in a book. THE END… I am decidedly NOT well and REALLY need to know what will happen next. MY GIRL, she needs a break.
Also I can’t wait for seeing the reunion of Morana and her arena family, they need each other so much, specially right now. AND I NEED TO TALK ABOUT HIM!!! IYKYK 😏😏😏
Anyway go and read this book so we can scream about it on my dms 🙂↕️
Love you all and happy reading 💋💋
5/5 ⭐️
Morana, one of the best arena warriors Fala has, is forced to act as the personal bodyguard of Prince Adrion an egotistical, self assured, arrogant bastard. She harbours a secret, dark past that can’t see the day of light because not only her life would be at stake, but also the lives of her arena family and her loved ones.
Prince Adrion is under a lot of pressure, he needs to complete his quest or his sister will reign his land with terror and darkness, he is almost powerless and can’t let others see his weaknesses. But when a beautiful bodyguard comes into the mix maybe he will stat to see things differently.
THIS BOOK AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I can’t believe I already finished it, now I need more. MORANA IS THE BEST, MY QUEEN, I will stand by her and defend her forever. Adrion UF I have mixed feelings towards him, so for not spoiling anything I’m just going to say I need to know more about him and see what he’ll do from now on. He has potential though.
The storyline and world building of this book was PERFECT, in my opinion it had everything I look for in a book. THE END… I am decidedly NOT well and REALLY need to know what will happen next. MY GIRL, she needs a break.
Also I can’t wait for seeing the reunion of Morana and her arena family, they need each other so much, specially right now. AND I NEED TO TALK ABOUT HIM!!! IYKYK 😏😏😏
Anyway go and read this book so we can scream about it on my dms 🙂↕️
Love you all and happy reading 💋💋
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Thank you so much for sending this ARC to me, Shweta.
Okay, so this book left me with a lot of thoughts, and honestly, I didn’t expect a dark romantasy inspired by the Pied Piper to pull me in the way it did.
One of its strongest elements is the worldbuilding. The setting feels rich and layered, with dark fantasy vibes, magic, kingdoms, and underlying conflicts that make the world feel alive and full of potential. Even without diving deeply into every detail, you can sense there’s a lot of lore waiting to be explored, and it definitely made me curious about what else this world has to offer.
The central romance between Adrion and Morana adds tension and emotional stakes to the story. Adrion comes across as arrogant, intense and guarded (kinda hated him at first), while Morana feels strong, determined, and very much in control, fitting for her role as his guardian. As a couple, I think their chemistry will likely depend on the reader; for me, some moments sparked, while others felt like they could have used more build-up.
What held me back at times was the reading flow. Certain phrases and ideas are repeated for emphasis, but the repetition occasionally feels unnecessary and slows the pacing. Some stylistic choices also make parts of the prose denser than expected.
Still, Music in the Shadows has a compelling world and a promising central relationship. With tighter editing, this is a book I’d be interested in rereading. And I’d definitely be curious to continue the story in a sequel.
Spanish review: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUj8EKwjG...
Thank you so much for sending this ARC to me, Shweta.
Okay, so this book left me with a lot of thoughts, and honestly, I didn’t expect a dark romantasy inspired by the Pied Piper to pull me in the way it did.
One of its strongest elements is the worldbuilding. The setting feels rich and layered, with dark fantasy vibes, magic, kingdoms, and underlying conflicts that make the world feel alive and full of potential. Even without diving deeply into every detail, you can sense there’s a lot of lore waiting to be explored, and it definitely made me curious about what else this world has to offer.
The central romance between Adrion and Morana adds tension and emotional stakes to the story. Adrion comes across as arrogant, intense and guarded (kinda hated him at first), while Morana feels strong, determined, and very much in control, fitting for her role as his guardian. As a couple, I think their chemistry will likely depend on the reader; for me, some moments sparked, while others felt like they could have used more build-up.
What held me back at times was the reading flow. Certain phrases and ideas are repeated for emphasis, but the repetition occasionally feels unnecessary and slows the pacing. Some stylistic choices also make parts of the prose denser than expected.
Still, Music in the Shadows has a compelling world and a promising central relationship. With tighter editing, this is a book I’d be interested in rereading. And I’d definitely be curious to continue the story in a sequel.
Spanish review: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUj8EKwjG...
February 19, 2026
✨️4.5 Stars rounded up✨️
I received an ARC of Music In The Shadows from the author.
This is probably the first review I'm writing with a spoiler tag because that ending was great.
Firstly, I hate being that person, but this reminded me of my first reading of ACOTAR (in the best way possible). I never was a fan of Tamlin being the MMC, and was hoping the MMC would change in later books, and they did!
The MMC in this book is Adrion, and I don't think I really rooted for him. The sexual tension between him and Morana were written well, but I fail to see why he was so instantly obsessed with her. The love story was pretty non-existent as I really didn't see any instances of Adrion falling for her. He would just ogle her and become jealous like a child.
If anything, I was hoping anyone else would catch Mor's eye. I was a fan of Ezra, vampyre king, Diavelo, and even Inanov. I've been reading a lot of lovers-to-enemies and super slow burns where we get a red herring romance and I'm enjoying it.
I'm hoping after the events of this book, it firmly establishes the enemies territory between Mor and Adrion and the real MMC is Diavelo. Adrion really showed his ass at the end and should not be forgiven. Men are so dumb.
The POV with the Princess also reminded me of Azula. I love an irredeemable villainess. Plus, the inevitable family reunion is going to be chaotic.
Thank you so much, Shweta Kistan, for letting me read this, and I can't wait for the second book.
I received an ARC of Music In The Shadows from the author.
This is probably the first review I'm writing with a spoiler tag because that ending was great.
Firstly, I hate being that person, but this reminded me of my first reading of ACOTAR (in the best way possible). I never was a fan of Tamlin being the MMC, and was hoping the MMC would change in later books, and they did!
The MMC in this book is Adrion, and I don't think I really rooted for him. The sexual tension between him and Morana were written well, but I fail to see why he was so instantly obsessed with her. The love story was pretty non-existent as I really didn't see any instances of Adrion falling for her. He would just ogle her and become jealous like a child.
If anything, I was hoping anyone else would catch Mor's eye. I was a fan of Ezra, vampyre king, Diavelo, and even Inanov. I've been reading a lot of lovers-to-enemies and super slow burns where we get a red herring romance and I'm enjoying it.
I'm hoping after the events of this book, it firmly establishes the enemies territory between Mor and Adrion and the real MMC is Diavelo. Adrion really showed his ass at the end and should not be forgiven. Men are so dumb.
The POV with the Princess also reminded me of Azula. I love an irredeemable villainess. Plus, the inevitable family reunion is going to be chaotic.
Thank you so much, Shweta Kistan, for letting me read this, and I can't wait for the second book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews