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Angel Ruin #1
The Shadows that Listen
DISCOVER THE ANGELS VS DEMONS DYSTOPIAN ROMANTASY SENSATION
WHO WILL SURVIVE THE NIGHT?
The Shadows that Listen is an unputdownable dystopian romantasy with a delicious slow burn romance, from debut author Louisa Carmody. Perfect for fans of Crescent City and Shadowhunters.
It's been five years since the world was brought to its knees by an immortal war. Daemons crawled from the depths of hell and the sky bled gold as the angels arrived. Humanity thought it was saved, but the angels did not come to protect us.
Amara is a human warrior working for the Angel Intelligence Agency. She spends her days searching for those who don't make it home after curfew. But when her boyfriend Jeremy goes missing, she decides to venture into the shadows to bring him back. Even if it means death.
Nathaniel is an archangel tasked with leading the destruction of humanity, for which he cares little. He doesn't have time to protect little humans running around in the dark, especially those who stab him in the stomach.
But Nathaniel and Amara will soon realise they share a foe, one that lurks in the shadows and stalks them from the skies. She might long to kill him, but Amara knows that having an angel at her side is the only way to find the man she loves.
The shadows lengthen. They listen. Who will survive the night?
See why readers are obsessed with The Shadows That Listen:
"The slow burn will they won't they romance was torture." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I refused to go to sleep because I couldn't stop reading!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"This book got me out of a reading slump, I read it in two days and can't stop thinking about it." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
WHO WILL SURVIVE THE NIGHT?
The Shadows that Listen is an unputdownable dystopian romantasy with a delicious slow burn romance, from debut author Louisa Carmody. Perfect for fans of Crescent City and Shadowhunters.
It's been five years since the world was brought to its knees by an immortal war. Daemons crawled from the depths of hell and the sky bled gold as the angels arrived. Humanity thought it was saved, but the angels did not come to protect us.
Amara is a human warrior working for the Angel Intelligence Agency. She spends her days searching for those who don't make it home after curfew. But when her boyfriend Jeremy goes missing, she decides to venture into the shadows to bring him back. Even if it means death.
Nathaniel is an archangel tasked with leading the destruction of humanity, for which he cares little. He doesn't have time to protect little humans running around in the dark, especially those who stab him in the stomach.
But Nathaniel and Amara will soon realise they share a foe, one that lurks in the shadows and stalks them from the skies. She might long to kill him, but Amara knows that having an angel at her side is the only way to find the man she loves.
The shadows lengthen. They listen. Who will survive the night?
See why readers are obsessed with The Shadows That Listen:
"The slow burn will they won't they romance was torture." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I refused to go to sleep because I couldn't stop reading!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"This book got me out of a reading slump, I read it in two days and can't stop thinking about it." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
459 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 18, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 536 reviews
April 6, 2025
DNFed 29%.
The premise was so good, reminds me so much of Susan Ee’s Angelfall series which I LOVED.
However.
The writing just isn’t good. And by writing, I don’t mean the line level. It was decent enough, a lot of repetitions not caught and blocky, repetitive sentences the same length at times that made it monotone but the wrtiting was bad in two crucial areas:
The characters psychological acuity. For instance, a person who has never been to space needs to show a bit of wonder and fear the first time going there, and not confidence for it to make sense if we are to believe the character has never been to space, right?
An angel who believes and call humans insects, needs to treat them as such until they learn better, right?
I just didn’t not believe the reactions, behavior and actions most of the time from the characters. They lack psychological acuity.
For example, an IMMORTAL ARCHANGEL who sees humans as INSECTS, yet he immediately smirks, laughed, is amused and leans in to whisper flirtily in her ear? Why? It seems more likely he would be cold and calculated, not behave like a cocky fratboy. His character was the most two dimensional and everytime he behaved like 22 year old Chad, it took me out of the story.
The dialogue is also very info-dumpy, over-explanatory. Like Afriel when our FMC meets him at the club. And he could have just said “I’m his second”. That’s all the info we need, as readers, layers of inuedos and meanings are there. Yet the dialogue continues where and the clunkyness is heavy as he reiterates what sounds like background info dump while speaking to a human he sees as an instect, and we are to believe, an immortal angel warrior sounds like a robot regurgitating backstory of the mmc. It’s so… clunky. And as a reader we can tell the author did not trust us to understand underlying context.
And the fmc is sort of dumb and a lot of their actions are illogical.
Maybe I’ll try again but I can get past bad line level writing if the characters feel fleshed out and 3D. They did not and it could have used a lot more rounds of edits to take away and remove the over explanation and add more plausible reactions from the characters in tuned with their backgrounds but I think the author lacked that eye as their actions doesn’t make sense with how the author tried to portray them, hence the unbeliveability.
Sorry, I just can’t continue with a story where I can’t believe the characters and they don’t feel real
The premise was so good, reminds me so much of Susan Ee’s Angelfall series which I LOVED.
However.
The writing just isn’t good. And by writing, I don’t mean the line level. It was decent enough, a lot of repetitions not caught and blocky, repetitive sentences the same length at times that made it monotone but the wrtiting was bad in two crucial areas:
The characters psychological acuity. For instance, a person who has never been to space needs to show a bit of wonder and fear the first time going there, and not confidence for it to make sense if we are to believe the character has never been to space, right?
An angel who believes and call humans insects, needs to treat them as such until they learn better, right?
I just didn’t not believe the reactions, behavior and actions most of the time from the characters. They lack psychological acuity.
For example, an IMMORTAL ARCHANGEL who sees humans as INSECTS, yet he immediately smirks, laughed, is amused and leans in to whisper flirtily in her ear? Why? It seems more likely he would be cold and calculated, not behave like a cocky fratboy. His character was the most two dimensional and everytime he behaved like 22 year old Chad, it took me out of the story.
The dialogue is also very info-dumpy, over-explanatory. Like Afriel when our FMC meets him at the club. And he could have just said “I’m his second”. That’s all the info we need, as readers, layers of inuedos and meanings are there. Yet the dialogue continues where and the clunkyness is heavy as he reiterates what sounds like background info dump while speaking to a human he sees as an instect, and we are to believe, an immortal angel warrior sounds like a robot regurgitating backstory of the mmc. It’s so… clunky. And as a reader we can tell the author did not trust us to understand underlying context.
And the fmc is sort of dumb and a lot of their actions are illogical.
Maybe I’ll try again but I can get past bad line level writing if the characters feel fleshed out and 3D. They did not and it could have used a lot more rounds of edits to take away and remove the over explanation and add more plausible reactions from the characters in tuned with their backgrounds but I think the author lacked that eye as their actions doesn’t make sense with how the author tried to portray them, hence the unbeliveability.
Sorry, I just can’t continue with a story where I can’t believe the characters and they don’t feel real
May 18, 2026
This read like fanfiction.
A dystopian where nights are for the war between heaven and hell. If a human was out after lockdown, they become fair game.
Amara is an agent of Angel Intelligence Agency. When her perfect boyfriend goes missing (like literally the most wonderful, best person ever), Amara stays out past the lockdown and ends up forging an unwelcome and tentative alliance with an archangel.
She’s spunky, fearless, and not like other girls.
He’s cold, vengeful, and morally grey.
The writing was just too cheesy for me. This is supposed to be an adult novel, but you’re hit with:
But Xavier’s smile has always had a hold on me: boyish, charming and cheeky all at once. He could make anyone melt. His forest-green eyes that are shielded by heavy lashes, and contrasted so beautifully by his brandy skin, have won the hearts of many.
How many cliches can you fit in one description?
Another example of ‘she’s not like other girls and needs you and everyone else to know that’:
“You have to stop giving him compliments, or one day I swear that pretty head of his will explode.” Layla can’t really help it, though; it’s just who she is. She’s sweet, she’s kind, she’s compassionate. She’s likely to die in the field. It’s a realisation that dawns on her as quickly as it does me. I know it by the vacant look that casts over her eyes.
It’s trying to catch that 2000s/2010s charm where supernatural, angel, and dystopian romances were the obsession. I just couldn’t get past the writing style.
Dnf at 33%.
Physical arc gifted by Orbit.
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A dystopian where nights are for the war between heaven and hell. If a human was out after lockdown, they become fair game.
Amara is an agent of Angel Intelligence Agency. When her perfect boyfriend goes missing (like literally the most wonderful, best person ever), Amara stays out past the lockdown and ends up forging an unwelcome and tentative alliance with an archangel.
She’s spunky, fearless, and not like other girls.
He’s cold, vengeful, and morally grey.
The writing was just too cheesy for me. This is supposed to be an adult novel, but you’re hit with:
But Xavier’s smile has always had a hold on me: boyish, charming and cheeky all at once. He could make anyone melt. His forest-green eyes that are shielded by heavy lashes, and contrasted so beautifully by his brandy skin, have won the hearts of many.
How many cliches can you fit in one description?
Another example of ‘she’s not like other girls and needs you and everyone else to know that’:
“You have to stop giving him compliments, or one day I swear that pretty head of his will explode.” Layla can’t really help it, though; it’s just who she is. She’s sweet, she’s kind, she’s compassionate. She’s likely to die in the field. It’s a realisation that dawns on her as quickly as it does me. I know it by the vacant look that casts over her eyes.
It’s trying to catch that 2000s/2010s charm where supernatural, angel, and dystopian romances were the obsession. I just couldn’t get past the writing style.
Dnf at 33%.
Physical arc gifted by Orbit.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
February 26, 2025
ANGELS DEMONS MILLENNIAL CORE
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🫑 (ONLY KISSING)
-Urban fantasy 🏙️
-Enemies to reluctant allies to… 👀
-SLOW burn & yearning ❤️🔥
-Angel/demon warfare 🪽
-Twists, turns, secrets & betrayal 💔
“Then may I ask why you have your hand wrapped around my throat, and my arm pinned to the tree?”
“Perhaps this is how I like my women.”
What in the actual fuck did Louisa put in this book because I ATE IT UP.
This was serving all the Hush Hush, Fallen, Mortal Instruments, 2010s vibes, but the story was still so unique, well thought out, and planned.
What I loved:
🪽 This story was AMAZING. It was action packed, it had tense moments, emotional moments, and it all flowed really well.
🪽 Louisa isn’t scared to rip your heart out lol. That’s all I’ll say on the matter.
🪽 All the characters were 10/10, even very minor side characters were fleshed out; they all had their own unique personalities and stories.
🪽 This is a proper SLOW BURN. If you prefer your romantasy books with low/no spice but want more of a focus on the emotional aspects of the relationship, THIS BOOK.
What I didn’t love:
🪽 The writing wasn’t without its flaws, and there was repetitiveness for things like “his lip twitched”, “he smirked”, like the man was doing a lot of lip twitching, lip quivering and smirking. But I think a new editor for book 2 should be able to fix that. IT WAS SUCH A SMALL THING.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🫑 (ONLY KISSING)
-Urban fantasy 🏙️
-Enemies to reluctant allies to… 👀
-SLOW burn & yearning ❤️🔥
-Angel/demon warfare 🪽
-Twists, turns, secrets & betrayal 💔
“Then may I ask why you have your hand wrapped around my throat, and my arm pinned to the tree?”
“Perhaps this is how I like my women.”
What in the actual fuck did Louisa put in this book because I ATE IT UP.
This was serving all the Hush Hush, Fallen, Mortal Instruments, 2010s vibes, but the story was still so unique, well thought out, and planned.
What I loved:
🪽 This story was AMAZING. It was action packed, it had tense moments, emotional moments, and it all flowed really well.
🪽 Louisa isn’t scared to rip your heart out lol. That’s all I’ll say on the matter.
🪽 All the characters were 10/10, even very minor side characters were fleshed out; they all had their own unique personalities and stories.
🪽 This is a proper SLOW BURN. If you prefer your romantasy books with low/no spice but want more of a focus on the emotional aspects of the relationship, THIS BOOK.
What I didn’t love:
🪽 The writing wasn’t without its flaws, and there was repetitiveness for things like “his lip twitched”, “he smirked”, like the man was doing a lot of lip twitching, lip quivering and smirking. But I think a new editor for book 2 should be able to fix that. IT WAS SUCH A SMALL THING.
June 18, 2026
This book revived my love of all those classic noughties/2010s dystopian, urban fantasy/romances. It was fun, fast-paced and nostalgic, but also refreshing. The characters in this are well executed. Nathaniel and Amara both have flaws and inner conflicts they're battling that give them a depth and relatability that makes them seem so real. You can't help but to care and root for them and the dynamic and development between them was delicious. A GENUINE slow-burn!
The plot was action-packed and interesting and though it wasn't necessarily surprising, I was along for the ride and loving it. I'm excited for where this is going and I need book two now, please. A killer when this isn't even published until August. Also, after reading the bonus chapter, I'm keeping fingers AND toes crossed for more Nathaniel pov in the next book. It did take until between 15%/20% to really grip me, and I nailed where the plot was taking us from the beginning so it was a bit predictable, but not necessarily less compelling for it. Overall I had a great time.
The plot was action-packed and interesting and though it wasn't necessarily surprising, I was along for the ride and loving it. I'm excited for where this is going and I need book two now, please. A killer when this isn't even published until August. Also, after reading the bonus chapter, I'm keeping fingers AND toes crossed for more Nathaniel pov in the next book. It did take until between 15%/20% to really grip me, and I nailed where the plot was taking us from the beginning so it was a bit predictable, but not necessarily less compelling for it. Overall I had a great time.
December 1, 2024
If you’ve been missing urban fantasy vibes specifically with angels then this book is about to be your new favorite!
Oh my god there are so many amazing aspects of this book! It’s the perfect blend of romance and action! And the banter and tension between the characters has me giggling and swooning!
I can’t wait for book 2!!
Oh my god there are so many amazing aspects of this book! It’s the perfect blend of romance and action! And the banter and tension between the characters has me giggling and swooning!
I can’t wait for book 2!!
June 25, 2026
Review of uncorrected proof from NetGalley
NOOOO. I wanted to love this book with all my heart. I went in with such high expectations and absolutely loved the premise, wanted some angels & demons, and urban fantasy. But this was not it.
My biggest issue with this book is the marketing. This is NOT a slow burn enemies to lovers. If you’re flirting within the first few interactions, it’s not slow burn. And if you’re teaming up after the first interaction, it’s not enemies to lovers. This really set me off for the rest of the book :/
I was really holding out for the big “twists” at the end, hoping against hope that I would be surprised but I wasn’t… I guessed what Amara was pretty early on, and wasn’t all that surprised to find out about Jeremy either. Also her whole “I’ll team up with you and then I’ll kill you” thing to the archangel felt so stupid I was like girl pls we all know you’re going to fuck him this is so unserious. I’m just very sad I didn’t love this :(
I’m giving it two stars because I JUST wanted to love it so bad. It definitely did give crescent city with angels at times, so kudos for that, I guess?
NOOOO. I wanted to love this book with all my heart. I went in with such high expectations and absolutely loved the premise, wanted some angels & demons, and urban fantasy. But this was not it.
My biggest issue with this book is the marketing. This is NOT a slow burn enemies to lovers. If you’re flirting within the first few interactions, it’s not slow burn. And if you’re teaming up after the first interaction, it’s not enemies to lovers. This really set me off for the rest of the book :/
I was really holding out for the big “twists” at the end, hoping against hope that I would be surprised but I wasn’t… I guessed what Amara was pretty early on, and wasn’t all that surprised to find out about Jeremy either. Also her whole “I’ll team up with you and then I’ll kill you” thing to the archangel felt so stupid I was like girl pls we all know you’re going to fuck him this is so unserious. I’m just very sad I didn’t love this :(
I’m giving it two stars because I JUST wanted to love it so bad. It definitely did give crescent city with angels at times, so kudos for that, I guess?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2025
Absolutely worth the read!! I couldn’t put it down and I loved the urban fantasy vibes. Cannot wait to get more from this author!
June 18, 2026
I was drawn in by the premise but found the execution really disappointing. The writing felt YA, and there was no slow burn or chemistry between the characters. Amara the FMC is extremely frustrating and arrogant. She claims “I turned out perfect without a single flaw” — yet possesses zero critical thinking skills. Humans with demon blood? No questions. Meat on a planet that hasn’t produced meat in years? No questions.
At the beginning, we’re told that Amara doesn’t want to marry her boyfriend Jeremy. Yet once he’s taken, Amara spends the entire book trying to convince the reader that she loves Jeremy and can’t imagine her life without him. Amara meets Nathaniel the archangel and they embark on a quest to find Jeremy. Moments after meeting, they create pet names for each other — bird boy and slayer — which made me continually cringe. The dialogue between them felt very reminiscent of teenagers, even though Amara is 27 and Nathaniel is 500 (why are they ALWAYS 500? Pick a new number, I beg).
The pair flirted, shared touches, and rapidly developed feelings for each other over 4-5 days. Amara is constantly trying to convince us of how much she "LOVES” Jeremy, while teasing and poking Nathaniel. The emotional cheating in this book was EXTREMELY icky. In one scene, Nathaniel asked Amara if she needed a hand in the shower and advised that he’d be more likely to rescue her upon hearing her moan. My jaw dropped! I could not find a reason to root for these two while Amara had a boyfriend the ENTIRE time. How are people ok with this? The storyline would have worked much better if Jeremy was her brother instead.
I think the world building was quite limited, however I did enjoy the sprinkles of angel lore. I found it bizarre that the Angel Intelligence Agency possessed absolutely zero information on the angels or demons. Perhaps, consider changing the company name? The plot twists were very predictable, from the identity of people, to the bond, and memories. If it were not for my buddy read with Bel, I would have dnf this book and will not be continuing the series. P.S. This is not comparable to Crescent City or The Mortal Instruments.
Thank you Hachette Australia for the arc 🖤
At the beginning, we’re told that Amara doesn’t want to marry her boyfriend Jeremy. Yet once he’s taken, Amara spends the entire book trying to convince the reader that she loves Jeremy and can’t imagine her life without him. Amara meets Nathaniel the archangel and they embark on a quest to find Jeremy. Moments after meeting, they create pet names for each other — bird boy and slayer — which made me continually cringe. The dialogue between them felt very reminiscent of teenagers, even though Amara is 27 and Nathaniel is 500 (why are they ALWAYS 500? Pick a new number, I beg).
The pair flirted, shared touches, and rapidly developed feelings for each other over 4-5 days. Amara is constantly trying to convince us of how much she "LOVES” Jeremy, while teasing and poking Nathaniel. The emotional cheating in this book was EXTREMELY icky. In one scene, Nathaniel asked Amara if she needed a hand in the shower and advised that he’d be more likely to rescue her upon hearing her moan. My jaw dropped! I could not find a reason to root for these two while Amara had a boyfriend the ENTIRE time. How are people ok with this? The storyline would have worked much better if Jeremy was her brother instead.
I think the world building was quite limited, however I did enjoy the sprinkles of angel lore. I found it bizarre that the Angel Intelligence Agency possessed absolutely zero information on the angels or demons. Perhaps, consider changing the company name? The plot twists were very predictable, from the identity of people, to the bond, and memories. If it were not for my buddy read with Bel, I would have dnf this book and will not be continuing the series. P.S. This is not comparable to Crescent City or The Mortal Instruments.
Thank you Hachette Australia for the arc 🖤
March 9, 2026
Wow, what a great read - this is dystopian vibes - angels and daemons. A lot of banter and angst and just great writing.
This is set in a world ravaged by a war between angels and daemons - where humanity was the collateral of that conflict. But unlike most stories, the angels in this story can be just as lethal and cruel as the daemons. Amara is a human, working as a soldier she tries to track down the numerous people that go missing every night as a result of angels/daemons. But she is limited by the strict curfews set in place by an agreement with the angels - and if you are out after curfew you are likely never coming back. But for the past 2 years she’s made a comfortable life for herself with her boyfriend even while in lockdown. Until one day, he doesn’t come home by curfew. Desperate she decides to go out and look for him. Instead she finds a lethal archangel who’s willing to spare her and make a deal. Together they will work to find a dangerous fallen angel and Amara’s boyfriend.
This is set in a world ravaged by a war between angels and daemons - where humanity was the collateral of that conflict. But unlike most stories, the angels in this story can be just as lethal and cruel as the daemons. Amara is a human, working as a soldier she tries to track down the numerous people that go missing every night as a result of angels/daemons. But she is limited by the strict curfews set in place by an agreement with the angels - and if you are out after curfew you are likely never coming back. But for the past 2 years she’s made a comfortable life for herself with her boyfriend even while in lockdown. Until one day, he doesn’t come home by curfew. Desperate she decides to go out and look for him. Instead she finds a lethal archangel who’s willing to spare her and make a deal. Together they will work to find a dangerous fallen angel and Amara’s boyfriend.
February 23, 2025
‘Just one more chapter.’ Is what happened here.
I I just stalked the authors socials after reading because I need updates on THE NEXT BOOK ASAP PLEASE!! & I actually saw it described as a hint of ‘Crescent City, The Mortal Instruments & Hush Hush’ - the fact I am currently reading the CC series & Hush Hush series as well & have read the Mortal Instruments (which btw is my fav SH world series) - this is 100% that vibe!!👏🏽
This was incredible for a first debut novel. I was hooked. Super easy to read. I was second guessing myself a lot & then I was like ‘HUH’ & gasped!!!
Post apocalyptic dystopian world - my favourite time of reading genre/books & this defiantly hit the bar for me🤌
I was sitting at a 4/4.5 star then the last 20% of this book made it a 5 star read for me. I was going through all the emotions & I just had to finish it. It’s once of those you won’t want to put down.
Yeah i’m obsessed. Congrats to this beauty👏🏽🩷
I I just stalked the authors socials after reading because I need updates on THE NEXT BOOK ASAP PLEASE!! & I actually saw it described as a hint of ‘Crescent City, The Mortal Instruments & Hush Hush’ - the fact I am currently reading the CC series & Hush Hush series as well & have read the Mortal Instruments (which btw is my fav SH world series) - this is 100% that vibe!!👏🏽
This was incredible for a first debut novel. I was hooked. Super easy to read. I was second guessing myself a lot & then I was like ‘HUH’ & gasped!!!
Post apocalyptic dystopian world - my favourite time of reading genre/books & this defiantly hit the bar for me🤌
I was sitting at a 4/4.5 star then the last 20% of this book made it a 5 star read for me. I was going through all the emotions & I just had to finish it. It’s once of those you won’t want to put down.
Yeah i’m obsessed. Congrats to this beauty👏🏽🩷
December 19, 2024
I received an ARC of this by the author. Thank you so much.
THIS IS THE BOOK OF 2025
5/5⭐️
I haven’t read a book like this in a long time. It’s a combination of dystopian and fantasy and it took me back fifteen years ago when I began reading this genre. Louisa has done an incredible job of storytelling, writing complex characters and settings. The plot was magnificent and it all flowed so well. I only wished there was more romance, as it’s quite slow burn, but something to look forward to in book 2! The slow burn made want to throw my kindle to the other side of the room! It was devastatingly beautiful. 💗
THIS IS THE BOOK OF 2025
5/5⭐️
I haven’t read a book like this in a long time. It’s a combination of dystopian and fantasy and it took me back fifteen years ago when I began reading this genre. Louisa has done an incredible job of storytelling, writing complex characters and settings. The plot was magnificent and it all flowed so well. I only wished there was more romance, as it’s quite slow burn, but something to look forward to in book 2! The slow burn made want to throw my kindle to the other side of the room! It was devastatingly beautiful. 💗
April 1, 2026
I decided to read The Shadows That Listen because of its comparison to Angelfall by Susan Ee. Unfortunately, it misses the mark due to underdeveloped worldbuilding and a lack of chemistry between the FMC and MMC.
Readers are introduced to the world through the FMC’s experience of nightly lockdowns meant to protect humans from the ongoing war between angels and demons. She works as an agent for the Angel Intelligence Agency, but for an organization with such a name they seem to know remarkably little about the angels, demons, or the world since their arrival. This lack of information becomes one of the most frustrating aspects of the novel.
The romance also falls flat. There is little to no chemistry between the FMC and MMC. In what appears to be an attempt to differentiate the story from Angelfall, Carmody has the FMC’s boyfriend be kidnapped instead of a sibling. However, this choice undercuts the romantic tension, as the developing relationship between the FMC and MMC veers uncomfortably close to emotional infidelity despite the FMC repeatedly questioning her existing relationship.
Although the FMC is written as an older character, her voice does not reflect this. Instead, she comes across as an inexperienced young adult who is in over her head. While this could have worked as a character trait, it clashes with her portrayal as highly competent. Despite having only two years of training, no field experience, and a primarily desk-based role, she consistently performs at an implausibly high level.
I ultimately rated the novel three stars rather than two because the twist at the ending was genuinely surprising and well-executed. Without my frustrations with worldbuilding and the FMC’s characterization, I would have enjoyed the book much more.
Overall, The Shadows That Listen had an intriguing premise and a strong final twist, but it ultimately fell flat due to weak worldbuilding and a developing relationship with little to no chemistry. While it may still appeal to readers who enjoy angel/demon conflicts, those looking for rich worldbuilding and compelling romance may find it lacking.
Readers are introduced to the world through the FMC’s experience of nightly lockdowns meant to protect humans from the ongoing war between angels and demons. She works as an agent for the Angel Intelligence Agency, but for an organization with such a name they seem to know remarkably little about the angels, demons, or the world since their arrival. This lack of information becomes one of the most frustrating aspects of the novel.
The romance also falls flat. There is little to no chemistry between the FMC and MMC. In what appears to be an attempt to differentiate the story from Angelfall, Carmody has the FMC’s boyfriend be kidnapped instead of a sibling. However, this choice undercuts the romantic tension, as the developing relationship between the FMC and MMC veers uncomfortably close to emotional infidelity despite the FMC repeatedly questioning her existing relationship.
Although the FMC is written as an older character, her voice does not reflect this. Instead, she comes across as an inexperienced young adult who is in over her head. While this could have worked as a character trait, it clashes with her portrayal as highly competent. Despite having only two years of training, no field experience, and a primarily desk-based role, she consistently performs at an implausibly high level.
I ultimately rated the novel three stars rather than two because the twist at the ending was genuinely surprising and well-executed. Without my frustrations with worldbuilding and the FMC’s characterization, I would have enjoyed the book much more.
Overall, The Shadows That Listen had an intriguing premise and a strong final twist, but it ultimately fell flat due to weak worldbuilding and a developing relationship with little to no chemistry. While it may still appeal to readers who enjoy angel/demon conflicts, those looking for rich worldbuilding and compelling romance may find it lacking.
May 30, 2026
I was lucky enough to snag an ARC of this, and honestly, thank god, because I’ve been screechin' with excitement since I read the synopsis. If you’re like me and your brain has approximately 47 tabs open at once, consider this your sign to clear your schedule. I inhaled this in two sittings.
I’m not here to write a literary thesis. I’m here for the vibes, and the vibes were very much giving a mix of the Grinch smirk and surprised Pikachu.
I was so emotionally invested in Amara and Nathaniel that by the end, I felt personally victimised by the fact that there wasn't a sequel already waiting for me.
I wish there was more lore for me to devour, the depth would've really helped me connect with the characters more. I wanted more of the world and its history. Like give me the full Lord of the Rings level deep dive. But the chemistry between the leads carried me through. If you’re a sucker for a FMC who can hold her own and a MMC who is basically a "golden retriever with a dark secret" archetype, you’re going to have a good time and stay.
Thank you Netgalley for this copy 🖤
*Editing to say I'm so glad this book has blown up. It was so fun and I'm still thinking of it a month later.
I’m not here to write a literary thesis. I’m here for the vibes, and the vibes were very much giving a mix of the Grinch smirk and surprised Pikachu.
I was so emotionally invested in Amara and Nathaniel that by the end, I felt personally victimised by the fact that there wasn't a sequel already waiting for me.
I wish there was more lore for me to devour, the depth would've really helped me connect with the characters more. I wanted more of the world and its history. Like give me the full Lord of the Rings level deep dive. But the chemistry between the leads carried me through. If you’re a sucker for a FMC who can hold her own and a MMC who is basically a "golden retriever with a dark secret" archetype, you’re going to have a good time and stay.
Thank you Netgalley for this copy 🖤
*Editing to say I'm so glad this book has blown up. It was so fun and I'm still thinking of it a month later.
April 27, 2026
If you’re into Angels, Demons, and a military style dystopian, you’ve come to the right place.
TSTL is fun, fast paced, and a suuuuper slow burn. Packed with enemies to lovers, hidden revelations, a FMC who carries a bit of weight to her character, and a decent amount of fleshed out side characters.
I loved how Carmody wrote Amara’s character, being put into the adoption/fostering system and how that moulded her and her very prevalent attachment issues, it’s sad but so true with adoptees. Amara is ready to die for the cause and her friends and she’s completely at peace with it, sad but in a nice way? 🤷🏻♂️
A very solid plot with no downtime makes for a very fun read.
The pacing was really good, so easy to lose yourself in and easily digestible, short chapters are always a plus for me!
There’s a *gasp* moment that I genuinely did not see coming at all and makes me want to read the sequel all the more! 🫨🫨
I’m a sucker for lore and I would love to know more of the Angels and Demons so fingers crossed we get that! 🤞🏻
Thank you to Orbit for the early copy! 🫶🏻
TSTL is fun, fast paced, and a suuuuper slow burn. Packed with enemies to lovers, hidden revelations, a FMC who carries a bit of weight to her character, and a decent amount of fleshed out side characters.
I loved how Carmody wrote Amara’s character, being put into the adoption/fostering system and how that moulded her and her very prevalent attachment issues, it’s sad but so true with adoptees. Amara is ready to die for the cause and her friends and she’s completely at peace with it, sad but in a nice way? 🤷🏻♂️
A very solid plot with no downtime makes for a very fun read.
The pacing was really good, so easy to lose yourself in and easily digestible, short chapters are always a plus for me!
There’s a *gasp* moment that I genuinely did not see coming at all and makes me want to read the sequel all the more! 🫨🫨
I’m a sucker for lore and I would love to know more of the Angels and Demons so fingers crossed we get that! 🤞🏻
Thank you to Orbit for the early copy! 🫶🏻
June 20, 2026
Apocalypse on Earth, and humans are just collateral damage.
Angels and demons are at war, and Amaris, a truly badass FMC, is trying to save the people she loves while being drawn in by Nathanael, archangel extraordinaire, whose interest in her is… not exactly subtle, the experienced reader can make an educated guess early on.
He’s very much fighting his fate, which adds tension. No scent description, but his pug-like snores were oddly adorable.
Solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read with a strong heroine.
Angels and demons are at war, and Amaris, a truly badass FMC, is trying to save the people she loves while being drawn in by Nathanael, archangel extraordinaire, whose interest in her is… not exactly subtle, the experienced reader can make an educated guess early on.
He’s very much fighting his fate, which adds tension. No scent description, but his pug-like snores were oddly adorable.
Solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read with a strong heroine.
January 18, 2025
This had me hooked from the very first page! Every chapter left me wanting more, and I couldn’t put it down. The twists kept me guessing, and the story was so vivid and gripping that it’s still stuck in my head. Can’t wait for the next one!
April 26, 2025
4.5
I need time to think about that book. I have feeling that i just watched tv show about angels, humans and apocalypse. I like how author built the plot, we have many plot twists (some of them predictable, some no, but still good). FMC reminds me of Buffy or more like Cordelia and MMC reminds me of Damon from Vampire Diaries. Don't ask me why, I just feel it haha
Tropes
- angel/deamon/human war;
- dystopian vibes;
- one bed;
- 'that`s my girl';
- badass FMC;
- enemies to lovers to enemies?
- you can trust no one
Anyway, it was captivating and I def gonna read second book
I need time to think about that book. I have feeling that i just watched tv show about angels, humans and apocalypse. I like how author built the plot, we have many plot twists (some of them predictable, some no, but still good). FMC reminds me of Buffy or more like Cordelia and MMC reminds me of Damon from Vampire Diaries. Don't ask me why, I just feel it haha
Tropes
- angel/deamon/human war;
- dystopian vibes;
- one bed;
- 'that`s my girl';
- badass FMC;
- enemies to lovers to enemies?
- you can trust no one
Anyway, it was captivating and I def gonna read second book
July 8, 2026
Wow! I was not expecting that. The twist and turns of this book were crazy. I liked how humans are against the angels in the books. It was such a unique concept. I also like the friendships between Amara and Xavier and the witty banter between Amara and Nathaniel. Amara is a fun character and I like how she is so sure of herself throughout the book.
May 26, 2025
★★★☆ I wanted to give this 5 stars so bad, but multiple things drove me crazy, so we'll have to settle for a 3.5.
Spice: 🫑
🎵 Theme Song: "Darkside" - Bring Me The Horizon
🗡 Post-apocalyptic world
🗡 Angels/Archangels vs demons
🗡 Fierce female warrior
🗡 Enemies to reluctant allies to...👀
🗡 Fate vs free will
📖 Plot Overview
Amara is a warrior in the Angel Intelligence Agency, where heaven has turned earth into collateral damage in a war between angels and demons. When her boyfriend Jeremy vanishes without a trace, she breaks curfew to search for him—and runs straight into the Archangel Nathaniel. Instead of smiting her on sight, he... pairs up with her? Yep. Cue an unlikely alliance between an elite archangel and a human warrior as they unravel a much bigger mystery that may change the fate of the world.
But there are secrets between them, and what they uncover might burn the whole world down.
⚔️ Characters
Amara (FMC): Fierce, mouthy, and not here to be saved. She's a badass warrior who refuses to be underestimated—even by literal archangels. I loved her confidence, her refusal to be silenced, and how she throws herself into danger, as if fear is just a concept.
Nathaniel (MMC): Broody archangel energy, powerful and intimidating, but I wanted more. The build-up didn’t quite reach the intensity I hoped for, and the chemistry felt more like a flicker than a blaze. Give me more moments that represent this quote!!!
⚔️ World-Building
- Post-apocalyptic setting with angels/demons was so up my alley
- Strong atmosphere—gritty, haunting, and cinematic. Felt like a movie in my head.
♥️ What I Loved
✔️ Amara is that girl. She had fight, fire, and a set of sharp blades.
✔️ The enemies-to-allies energy was fun, and I was hyped to see where their relationship would go.
✔️ The banter was so fun. Found myself kicking my feet
✔️ I love any story when a female is kicking demon @$$
💔 What I Didn’t Like
✖️ Repetitive language (how many times can someone twitch or smirk?)
✖️ The ending felt... meh. No big payoff - ending felt a little rushed
✖️ Missed opportunities! I wanted a big underdog arc or shock-value twist to punch me in the chest.
✖️ The romance wasn’t romancing. There wasn’t enough yearning, angst, or build-up, and no payoff.
✖️ There are more - read my spoilers if you want to know.
📝 Overall Thoughts
The Shadows That Listen is one of those books that had everything I love—angels, a fierce FMC, post-apocalyptic vibes, and reluctant allies—but stumbled right at the finish line. It should have been a 5-star read. The world was there, the writing had its moments, and Amara is the kind of character I cheer for in every scene.
But some missed opportunities, repetitive phrasing, lack of emotional build-up in the romance, and a "meh" ending knocked it down to 3.5 stars. I’ll still read the sequel (because I’m curious and mildly invested), but I hope the next book delivers the emotional stakes, twists, and payoffs I know this series is capable of.
If you like angels, urban fantasy, and badass heroines with sharp mouths and sharper blades, check this out.
⚠️ Hidden Spoiler Rant
Spice: 🫑
🎵 Theme Song: "Darkside" - Bring Me The Horizon
🗡 Post-apocalyptic world
🗡 Angels/Archangels vs demons
🗡 Fierce female warrior
🗡 Enemies to reluctant allies to...👀
🗡 Fate vs free will
📖 Plot Overview
Amara is a warrior in the Angel Intelligence Agency, where heaven has turned earth into collateral damage in a war between angels and demons. When her boyfriend Jeremy vanishes without a trace, she breaks curfew to search for him—and runs straight into the Archangel Nathaniel. Instead of smiting her on sight, he... pairs up with her? Yep. Cue an unlikely alliance between an elite archangel and a human warrior as they unravel a much bigger mystery that may change the fate of the world.
But there are secrets between them, and what they uncover might burn the whole world down.
⚔️ Characters
Amara (FMC): Fierce, mouthy, and not here to be saved. She's a badass warrior who refuses to be underestimated—even by literal archangels. I loved her confidence, her refusal to be silenced, and how she throws herself into danger, as if fear is just a concept.
Nathaniel (MMC): Broody archangel energy, powerful and intimidating, but I wanted more. The build-up didn’t quite reach the intensity I hoped for, and the chemistry felt more like a flicker than a blaze. Give me more moments that represent this quote!!!
“I think that you want someone who challenges you. You want something that you have to fight for, someone who’s going to keep you on your toes. You want someone who would crawl from the grave back to you.”
⚔️ World-Building
- Post-apocalyptic setting with angels/demons was so up my alley
- Strong atmosphere—gritty, haunting, and cinematic. Felt like a movie in my head.
♥️ What I Loved
✔️ Amara is that girl. She had fight, fire, and a set of sharp blades.
✔️ The enemies-to-allies energy was fun, and I was hyped to see where their relationship would go.
✔️ The banter was so fun. Found myself kicking my feet
✔️ I love any story when a female is kicking demon @$$
💔 What I Didn’t Like
✖️ Repetitive language (how many times can someone twitch or smirk?)
✖️ The ending felt... meh. No big payoff - ending felt a little rushed
✖️ Missed opportunities! I wanted a big underdog arc or shock-value twist to punch me in the chest.
✖️ The romance wasn’t romancing. There wasn’t enough yearning, angst, or build-up, and no payoff.
✖️ There are more - read my spoilers if you want to know.
📝 Overall Thoughts
The Shadows That Listen is one of those books that had everything I love—angels, a fierce FMC, post-apocalyptic vibes, and reluctant allies—but stumbled right at the finish line. It should have been a 5-star read. The world was there, the writing had its moments, and Amara is the kind of character I cheer for in every scene.
But some missed opportunities, repetitive phrasing, lack of emotional build-up in the romance, and a "meh" ending knocked it down to 3.5 stars. I’ll still read the sequel (because I’m curious and mildly invested), but I hope the next book delivers the emotional stakes, twists, and payoffs I know this series is capable of.
If you like angels, urban fantasy, and badass heroines with sharp mouths and sharper blades, check this out.
⚠️ Hidden Spoiler Rant
Did Not Finish
May 25, 2026DNF at 57%.
I wanted MORE from this.
I think my expectations were a little high ‘cause this literally has all the things I love—
Dystopian.
Angels and Demons.
Urban Fantasy, and just in comparison to a lot of my favorite UFs, it just wasn’t giving what needed to be gave for me.
The writing was just not for me though. It got very repetitive (enough w/ fuckin’ Jeremy already), and a lot of the time it had my cringing.
The chemistry between the MCs was also giving me absolutely nothing, and the jokes felt soooo 🌽
“I know you don’t want to hear this but I need to say it. If it were up to me, I’d choose you. Over him, over anyone, any day.” “I know, X. I love you too.” I open my eyes and end the call. “Goodbye, Xavier.”
Honestly, I wish it had more Xavier lol. But like, overall I just needed more of a connection and more depth w/ everyone.
And these lines right here? ⤵️
I liked these 🫶🏽
If we’re gonna give shitty vibes, which we LOVE, I need it to be taken allllll the way there lmfao.
“No. Poison takes too long. I’d have to spend too much time listening to your witty jokes before you die.”
“You will only slow me down if you become tired.”
Overall, this has potential, and is probably good to some, but I feel like I have just read too many great Dystopians / Urban Fantasy’s in comparison.
I wanted MORE from this.
I think my expectations were a little high ‘cause this literally has all the things I love—
Dystopian.
Angels and Demons.
Urban Fantasy, and just in comparison to a lot of my favorite UFs, it just wasn’t giving what needed to be gave for me.
The writing was just not for me though. It got very repetitive (enough w/ fuckin’ Jeremy already), and a lot of the time it had my cringing.
The chemistry between the MCs was also giving me absolutely nothing, and the jokes felt soooo 🌽
“I know you don’t want to hear this but I need to say it. If it were up to me, I’d choose you. Over him, over anyone, any day.” “I know, X. I love you too.” I open my eyes and end the call. “Goodbye, Xavier.”
Honestly, I wish it had more Xavier lol. But like, overall I just needed more of a connection and more depth w/ everyone.
And these lines right here? ⤵️
I liked these 🫶🏽
If we’re gonna give shitty vibes, which we LOVE, I need it to be taken allllll the way there lmfao.
“No. Poison takes too long. I’d have to spend too much time listening to your witty jokes before you die.”
“You will only slow me down if you become tired.”
Overall, this has potential, and is probably good to some, but I feel like I have just read too many great Dystopians / Urban Fantasy’s in comparison.
December 2, 2024
THIS BOOK IS NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL 1/9/25. I was fortunate enough to be an arc reader and wanted to post my review before ADHD led me to forgetting.
I’m not an in-depth, analyze every sentence type of reader. I read for the pure entertainment of it, and I don’t have the energy to go any deeper than that. That said, if a book keeps me interested and caring about characters, I’m happy with it. I COULD NOT stop reading this, and was incredibly sad when I finished it. Because I had no more of it to read. I finished it in a day.
It had twists, but they weren’t necessarily punch you in the gut and ruin you twists. There were subtle hints leading up to it that makes you question, then question your questioning. I pray there is more coming with this world Louisa has built, because I need it.
There were some things I wish we got a little more detail on - maybe a little more details of the daemons, the war, a little more build to Amara’s relationship before - well, no spoilers. I guess some would call it world building? Still, not mad at it.
I feel she did a wonderful job building tension with Amara and Nathaniel. Their banter was fun, and the tension build killed me. I wanted more of them. From them. 🤷🏻♀️ also why I pray there’s more to this world. I’ll read it again, for sure, and it will be added to my collection. I’m a sucker for a badass FMC and a badass MMC who has a growing weakness for the girl.
I’m not an in-depth, analyze every sentence type of reader. I read for the pure entertainment of it, and I don’t have the energy to go any deeper than that. That said, if a book keeps me interested and caring about characters, I’m happy with it. I COULD NOT stop reading this, and was incredibly sad when I finished it. Because I had no more of it to read. I finished it in a day.
It had twists, but they weren’t necessarily punch you in the gut and ruin you twists. There were subtle hints leading up to it that makes you question, then question your questioning. I pray there is more coming with this world Louisa has built, because I need it.
There were some things I wish we got a little more detail on - maybe a little more details of the daemons, the war, a little more build to Amara’s relationship before - well, no spoilers. I guess some would call it world building? Still, not mad at it.
I feel she did a wonderful job building tension with Amara and Nathaniel. Their banter was fun, and the tension build killed me. I wanted more of them. From them. 🤷🏻♀️ also why I pray there’s more to this world. I’ll read it again, for sure, and it will be added to my collection. I’m a sucker for a badass FMC and a badass MMC who has a growing weakness for the girl.
January 21, 2025
Predictable…with an insufferable FMC.
I think the overall goal was to have a really strong FMC, but honestly it was bringing a lot of male energy. The book was also written with a fast chain of events popping off, and I think the author is trying to have all these different twists that you don’t see coming…but I saw them coming.
The author said she took 8 years to write this? I honestly can’t understand how this book would take that long. Went in with high hopes but didn’t like it at all.
I think the overall goal was to have a really strong FMC, but honestly it was bringing a lot of male energy. The book was also written with a fast chain of events popping off, and I think the author is trying to have all these different twists that you don’t see coming…but I saw them coming.
The author said she took 8 years to write this? I honestly can’t understand how this book would take that long. Went in with high hopes but didn’t like it at all.
March 15, 2025
Seriously blown away, I almost can’t believe this is a debut novel.
The Shadows that Listen is a book about humans, Angels, Daemons, and more. It’s action-packed, gritty, suspenseful, romantic, and twisty. I guessed the ending early on but I was still surprised but it and didn’t get it exactly right. I can’t wait to see where this series goes and where this author goes with her talent.
The Shadows that Listen is a book about humans, Angels, Daemons, and more. It’s action-packed, gritty, suspenseful, romantic, and twisty. I guessed the ending early on but I was still surprised but it and didn’t get it exactly right. I can’t wait to see where this series goes and where this author goes with her talent.
June 28, 2025
Eight years? 😬 Reminded me of Fourth Wing for all the rough-like-a-first-draft reasons.
But I will give this a 1.5 for the story's concept.
But I will give this a 1.5 for the story's concept.
June 27, 2026
The Shadows That Listen is an angels vs daemons dystopian fantasy with humans caught in the dead center of a war started by the immortals. I was immediately drawn in by the rich world building, multi-dimensional characters, and suspense at the end of every chapter. We meet our lovable FMC Amara Jones, who is a soldier retired to an office job that works to find missing people admist the threat of the angels and daemons. Amara’s life is turned upside down when her boyfriend doesn’t return before curfew and becomes one of the very people she works to find. So she does what any girlfriend would do, she breaks curfew and braves the night to find the man she loves, or so she thinks.
Amara is an exceptionally fierce protagonist whose strength extends far beyond her abilities. While she is burdened by her own secrets and personal struggles, her compassion remains evident even amidst the brutality of war. Her wit shines throughout the novel, and her internal monologue often had me giggling. Watching her grow and evolve over the course of the story was one of my favorite aspects of the book. In contrast, the male protagonist is broody and mysterious. He and Amara begin as true enemies, and the tension between them creates a dynamic that captivated me from the moment they first crossed paths.
The narrative is a brilliant blend of mystery and psyhological depth, making it near impossible to put down. The twists in this book had me GASPING and running to my DMs to message Ellie and Kathleen. I am so glad that I was able to discuss this book with you both, or I surely would’ve gone crazy.
What truly sets this book apart is its exploration of themes like trust, betrayal, and what it means to be human. Among a world of immortal beings, is humanity a weakness or a strength?
The ending of this book had me feeling all the emotions. I cannot wait for everybody to get their hands on this amazing story. I will be waiting patiently for the book two!!
Thank you endlessly to Orbit for this stunning ARC 🖤
Amara is an exceptionally fierce protagonist whose strength extends far beyond her abilities. While she is burdened by her own secrets and personal struggles, her compassion remains evident even amidst the brutality of war. Her wit shines throughout the novel, and her internal monologue often had me giggling. Watching her grow and evolve over the course of the story was one of my favorite aspects of the book. In contrast, the male protagonist is broody and mysterious. He and Amara begin as true enemies, and the tension between them creates a dynamic that captivated me from the moment they first crossed paths.
The narrative is a brilliant blend of mystery and psyhological depth, making it near impossible to put down. The twists in this book had me GASPING and running to my DMs to message Ellie and Kathleen. I am so glad that I was able to discuss this book with you both, or I surely would’ve gone crazy.
What truly sets this book apart is its exploration of themes like trust, betrayal, and what it means to be human. Among a world of immortal beings, is humanity a weakness or a strength?
The ending of this book had me feeling all the emotions. I cannot wait for everybody to get their hands on this amazing story. I will be waiting patiently for the book two!!
Thank you endlessly to Orbit for this stunning ARC 🖤
June 2, 2026
3.5 stars
The Shadows that Listen is an urban fantasy/dystopia with 2010s vibes and a lot of action. A strong debut, I can see why it was picked up for trad publishing.
Firstly, I liked that angels were not the comforting saviours like you see in a lot of stories. It reminded me a lot of Supernatural in that sense where the angels are ‘dicks’ (in Dean Winchester’s words). Humans are once again the collateral in a war between angels and daemons - and neither side cares about them. This was what initially drew me to the novel as I was craving an urban style fantasy reminiscent of Crescent City and I do think if you liked CC, you will enjoy this series.
Amara, our FMC, made some very frustrating choices. The book is solely told from her pov. She’s a classic fantasy heroine - sassy, driven, courageous. I wish we had more of her backstory at the start but this makes sense at the end of the book as does her slow burn with the archangel Nathanial. I hope we get his pov in the next book as I think the story telling would benefit from that.
I found the pacing to be a bit slow at the start and it dipped a bit in the middle, but there were a lot of action scenes to keep the story moving. In terms of world building, I thought this was done well on the whole but I was still left with a lot of questions that I hope are answered in the sequel. I was able to easily visualise the daemons and world from the descriptions. There was a bit of an info dump at the beginning and I don’t feel like we know a lot about why the daemons appeared 5 years ago or what they and the angels were doing before that.
I’d recommend to fans of other urban fantasy/dystopian series and I look forward to continuing the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC.
The Shadows that Listen is an urban fantasy/dystopia with 2010s vibes and a lot of action. A strong debut, I can see why it was picked up for trad publishing.
Firstly, I liked that angels were not the comforting saviours like you see in a lot of stories. It reminded me a lot of Supernatural in that sense where the angels are ‘dicks’ (in Dean Winchester’s words). Humans are once again the collateral in a war between angels and daemons - and neither side cares about them. This was what initially drew me to the novel as I was craving an urban style fantasy reminiscent of Crescent City and I do think if you liked CC, you will enjoy this series.
Amara, our FMC, made some very frustrating choices. The book is solely told from her pov. She’s a classic fantasy heroine - sassy, driven, courageous. I wish we had more of her backstory at the start but this makes sense at the end of the book as does her slow burn with the archangel Nathanial. I hope we get his pov in the next book as I think the story telling would benefit from that.
I found the pacing to be a bit slow at the start and it dipped a bit in the middle, but there were a lot of action scenes to keep the story moving. In terms of world building, I thought this was done well on the whole but I was still left with a lot of questions that I hope are answered in the sequel. I was able to easily visualise the daemons and world from the descriptions. There was a bit of an info dump at the beginning and I don’t feel like we know a lot about why the daemons appeared 5 years ago or what they and the angels were doing before that.
I’d recommend to fans of other urban fantasy/dystopian series and I look forward to continuing the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC.
July 11, 2026
ARC Review: The Shadows That Listen by @louisacarmodybooks published by @hachetteaus @littlebrownbookgroup_uk
Release date: 18 August 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I am so glad this book was picked up for trad publishing, what a fabulous debut! Now can I please have book 2 please and thank you?
Five years ago the ground opened up and daemons came forth to destroy humans. At the same time, angels also appeared in the sky and humanity thought they were saved. They were wrong. Not only did the angels kill daemons but they also killed humans just as easily. Now two years later, humans are losing the war and must abide by a strict curfew to never be out at night, otherwise they could be killed by either species.
Our FMC Amara is a human soldier, trained to fight daemons and find missing humans. When her partner dies not come home before curfew Anaya decides to set out at dark to find him. Here she meets our MMC Archangel Nathaniel and from there our story truly begins.
This was a wild ride. Fast paced and action packed, I did not want to put this book down. This book really took me back to the era of Human x Angel books we had such as Fallen and Hush, Hush but more bloodier and the angels were the ones we should not trust. While I guessed one of the twists, I did not guess the other and I love that. Cannot wait to see how this trilogy plays out.
Release date: 18 August 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I am so glad this book was picked up for trad publishing, what a fabulous debut! Now can I please have book 2 please and thank you?
Five years ago the ground opened up and daemons came forth to destroy humans. At the same time, angels also appeared in the sky and humanity thought they were saved. They were wrong. Not only did the angels kill daemons but they also killed humans just as easily. Now two years later, humans are losing the war and must abide by a strict curfew to never be out at night, otherwise they could be killed by either species.
Our FMC Amara is a human soldier, trained to fight daemons and find missing humans. When her partner dies not come home before curfew Anaya decides to set out at dark to find him. Here she meets our MMC Archangel Nathaniel and from there our story truly begins.
This was a wild ride. Fast paced and action packed, I did not want to put this book down. This book really took me back to the era of Human x Angel books we had such as Fallen and Hush, Hush but more bloodier and the angels were the ones we should not trust. While I guessed one of the twists, I did not guess the other and I love that. Cannot wait to see how this trilogy plays out.
April 7, 2025
4,75⭐
April 28, 2026
Wow this was a journey and I loved every second of it! Lots of twists and turns and craziness that made for an excellent plot - also truly amazing pacing and that ending was so so good!!!! I need book 2 asap 🙂↕️
Thank you so much to Orbit for the proof!
Thank you so much to Orbit for the proof!
June 5, 2026
I feel a little conflicted about this book. On one hand, I really liked the urban atmosphere, even though I wanted a little bit more of it. I also liked the universe, there aren’t many romantasy or fantasy books about angels and it felt refreshing. It was also relatively well-paced and I wasn’t bored when I was reading it. On the other hand… the characters fell flat for me. Amara was the most interesting of them all, which was a relief because she’s the main character. The male characters, though, were not really to my liking. Nathaniel was too mocking sometimes, it really annoyed me. I wish we had more of the relationship between Amara and Xavier. And the romantic plot felt a tiny bit icky to me, because Amara is still in a relationship of her own when she met Nathaniel. It rubbed me the wrong way to watch their relationship develop so quickly. This was definitely not a slow-burn, the attraction is instant. There was a reveal at the end that I didn’t like very much, but other than that I could read the sequel, so I guess it wasn’t that bad. I just feel a little… let down. But it was still an enjoyable read overall and I would recommend it if you’re looking for a romantasy to binge-read.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
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