What do you think?
Rate this book
The Seeker and the Shade
An intense, compelling fantasy novel for young adults and old – enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn, first love, soul mates, and good versus evil feature in this story of a battle against the darkness, both from within and without...
Inexperienced but determined, Connie is desperate to become a caster to save her village from the deadly Shade.
Arrogant and privileged, Jasper is everything she detests. He intends to become a seeker like his father before him, and he has no time for a no-hoper like Connie.
Thrown together at Blackwood, Connie and Jasper are pledged to each other as caster and seeker, learning to light the oath lamps and conquer the Shade, as well as their mutual dislike... but could the undeniable connection that flickers between them become an unbreakable bond? Their lives depend on it, for the vows are failing, the Shade is advancing, and only those with the strongest conviction will survive.
Inexperienced but determined, Connie is desperate to become a caster to save her village from the deadly Shade.
Arrogant and privileged, Jasper is everything she detests. He intends to become a seeker like his father before him, and he has no time for a no-hoper like Connie.
Thrown together at Blackwood, Connie and Jasper are pledged to each other as caster and seeker, learning to light the oath lamps and conquer the Shade, as well as their mutual dislike... but could the undeniable connection that flickers between them become an unbreakable bond? Their lives depend on it, for the vows are failing, the Shade is advancing, and only those with the strongest conviction will survive.
- GenresYoung Adult
400 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2026
About the author
Ellen Osborne
1 book2 followersEllen grew up on the border of the moors and still misses them. As a child, she spent a lot of time writing long, rambling stories, which somehow over the years have evolved into proper books. These days she lives in Bristol in the UK with her young family and you can find her writing around the edges of life.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 6, 2026
╭₊˚๑ 4.8 ⭑﹕🏛₊˚੭
┆ ⤿ ₊˚ started: 22/01/26
┆ ⤿ ₊˚ finished: 06/02/26
‧₊˚ ┊ connie and jasper playlist𓂃🎧
⤿ supercut - lorde
⤿ i wanna be yours - arctic monkeys
⤿ better in the dark - jordana, tv girl
𓍢ִ໋☕️⊹˙⋆ quotes
‧˚✉️ ୭ ˚. ❛but there he was, climbing onto a mat himself - by the far wall, where they wouldn't be spotted easily - to do it all over again. for connie grayson.❜
‧˚💭 ୭ ˚. ❛ connie's slight smirk, when she found something amusing, that apparently sent some kind of tsunami of triumph through him, if it happened to be him that made her laugh. connie's relentless passion. connie deep in thought. connie's eyes, a deep shade of brown, almost overwhelmingly arresting and curious. connie's smell. her body, soft and still beside his, sending an energy thrumming through him that he'd kind of felt before, but never really felt before, not like this, not like her.❜
𓍢ִ໋🕰⊹˙⋆ summary ࿐ . ｡˚ ° ⊹ ˚.
the seeker and the shade by ellen osborne follows connie grayson and jasper howard, as they began their education within the prestigious college, blackwood, where they train to defend their homelands against the shade; a paranormal entity that swallows the light and attacks people with spectres, deceased soldiers who have been possessed by the shade and are puppeteered by its malicious ways. to defend against the shade, the school appoints pairs: one seeker (the brains of the operations) and one caster (the light). when connie and jasper are paired together, they quickly realise that they are polar opposites. however, when blackwood becomes threatened, the two are forced to work through their differences to protect their public and families.
𓍢ִ໋⏳⊹˙⋆ thoughts ࿐ . ｡˚ ° ⊹ ˚.
this book was given to me pre-release to give my honest thoughts on. sort of like an ARC, but also not really lol. I really enjoyed this: the story was a unique concept I hadn't seen before, which is always refreshing, and the relationship dynamic was perfect - not too fast, but also not so slow I was bored. however, it was labeled as an 'enemies to lovers' when given to me, but they were never really enemies to begin with; more just unfriendly acquaintances.
connie entered blackwood extremely underprepared and a little naive I thought. it sort of irritated me how she just rushed into it without really a good reason and then realised she wasn't exactly cut out for it. I loved connie's friendships with tristan and marianne, and also the bond between jasper and connie, even prior to their romance.
overall, this book not only captivated me, but surprised me. I definitely did not expect it to be this enjoyable, which was obviously a pleasant surprise. this book is out on may 14 2026, and is the author's debut novel. (for a debut this is amazing) I definitely reccomend reading it after its publishing!
┆ ⤿ ₊˚ started: 22/01/26
┆ ⤿ ₊˚ finished: 06/02/26
‧₊˚ ┊ connie and jasper playlist𓂃🎧
⤿ supercut - lorde
⤿ i wanna be yours - arctic monkeys
⤿ better in the dark - jordana, tv girl
𓍢ִ໋☕️⊹˙⋆ quotes
‧˚✉️ ୭ ˚. ❛but there he was, climbing onto a mat himself - by the far wall, where they wouldn't be spotted easily - to do it all over again. for connie grayson.❜
‧˚💭 ୭ ˚. ❛ connie's slight smirk, when she found something amusing, that apparently sent some kind of tsunami of triumph through him, if it happened to be him that made her laugh. connie's relentless passion. connie deep in thought. connie's eyes, a deep shade of brown, almost overwhelmingly arresting and curious. connie's smell. her body, soft and still beside his, sending an energy thrumming through him that he'd kind of felt before, but never really felt before, not like this, not like her.❜
𓍢ִ໋🕰⊹˙⋆ summary ࿐ . ｡˚ ° ⊹ ˚.
the seeker and the shade by ellen osborne follows connie grayson and jasper howard, as they began their education within the prestigious college, blackwood, where they train to defend their homelands against the shade; a paranormal entity that swallows the light and attacks people with spectres, deceased soldiers who have been possessed by the shade and are puppeteered by its malicious ways. to defend against the shade, the school appoints pairs: one seeker (the brains of the operations) and one caster (the light). when connie and jasper are paired together, they quickly realise that they are polar opposites. however, when blackwood becomes threatened, the two are forced to work through their differences to protect their public and families.
𓍢ִ໋⏳⊹˙⋆ thoughts ࿐ . ｡˚ ° ⊹ ˚.
this book was given to me pre-release to give my honest thoughts on. sort of like an ARC, but also not really lol. I really enjoyed this: the story was a unique concept I hadn't seen before, which is always refreshing, and the relationship dynamic was perfect - not too fast, but also not so slow I was bored. however, it was labeled as an 'enemies to lovers' when given to me, but they were never really enemies to begin with; more just unfriendly acquaintances.
connie entered blackwood extremely underprepared and a little naive I thought. it sort of irritated me how she just rushed into it without really a good reason and then realised she wasn't exactly cut out for it. I loved connie's friendships with tristan and marianne, and also the bond between jasper and connie, even prior to their romance.
overall, this book not only captivated me, but surprised me. I definitely did not expect it to be this enjoyable, which was obviously a pleasant surprise. this book is out on may 14 2026, and is the author's debut novel. (for a debut this is amazing) I definitely reccomend reading it after its publishing!
May 26, 2026
I really enjoyed this book! It gave similar vibes to Fourth Wing (but without the spice) and I would recommend to anyone in need of a new fantasy realm to explore. I loved the world building in this and how this world was revealed to the reader. The characters were great and I will feel sad to be without them now - I want more!
June 20, 2026
4⭐️
If you love Harry Potter, you'll enjoy this one. The story gives off that same eerie, dark atmosphere right before the dementors show up. At least that's how I imagined it.
Granted, the worldbuilding could've been better, but the suspense was so good, it had me hooked! I also love the friendship and the unwavering trust the characters develop for one another throughout the story.
This a YA fantasy sort-of dystopian novel set in a country(not named?) on the brink of being consumed by a supernatural force called the Shade. 🕶
The Shade breaks technology, swallows light, create illusions and create and control deadly spectres. People have died because of it and honestly, how does one survive in a world consumed by darkness?
Blackwood soldiers (made up of Casters and Seekers) have tried to combat this threat by using Oath lamps which can only be lit with vows. So far, this method is working but only barely.
After losing her only friend, Isobel, to the Shade, our FMC Connie Grayson becomes desperate to enroll at Blackwood and train as a Caster.
Our MMC Jasper Howard, on the other hand, is enrolling at Blackwood out of sense of duty, following the footsteps of his family. Having a head start in training, he expects to become a Seeker.
Here's the thing, though. Blackwood Soldiers work in pairs. One caster and one seeker. What happens when Connie and Jasper pass the enrollment trials but don't get the roles they want? The tension grows when they are assigned to each other as pairs.
Ooohoo~
Personally, I would pass out after every training session if Connie were my partner and I had to become the Caster in our two-person team. Her heart is in the right place, but she stresses me out.
I do wish I'd learned more about how the Shade came to be.
A little bit more clarity on the magic system and its origins would've made this whole book a perfect YA fantasy. That said, I still enjoyed it.
If you love Harry Potter, you'll enjoy this one. The story gives off that same eerie, dark atmosphere right before the dementors show up. At least that's how I imagined it.
Granted, the worldbuilding could've been better, but the suspense was so good, it had me hooked! I also love the friendship and the unwavering trust the characters develop for one another throughout the story.
This a YA fantasy sort-of dystopian novel set in a country(not named?) on the brink of being consumed by a supernatural force called the Shade. 🕶
The Shade breaks technology, swallows light, create illusions and create and control deadly spectres. People have died because of it and honestly, how does one survive in a world consumed by darkness?
Blackwood soldiers (made up of Casters and Seekers) have tried to combat this threat by using Oath lamps which can only be lit with vows. So far, this method is working but only barely.
After losing her only friend, Isobel, to the Shade, our FMC Connie Grayson becomes desperate to enroll at Blackwood and train as a Caster.
Our MMC Jasper Howard, on the other hand, is enrolling at Blackwood out of sense of duty, following the footsteps of his family. Having a head start in training, he expects to become a Seeker.
Here's the thing, though. Blackwood Soldiers work in pairs. One caster and one seeker. What happens when Connie and Jasper pass the enrollment trials but don't get the roles they want? The tension grows when they are assigned to each other as pairs.
Ooohoo~
Personally, I would pass out after every training session if Connie were my partner and I had to become the Caster in our two-person team. Her heart is in the right place, but she stresses me out.
I do wish I'd learned more about how the Shade came to be.
A little bit more clarity on the magic system and its origins would've made this whole book a perfect YA fantasy. That said, I still enjoyed it.
May 28, 2026
i had a lot of trouble getting involved with this story because of the world building and the magic, both that i found confusing and poorly developed.
the story is set in a magic military academy where students are trained to combat shade, a dark entity that consumes the territory. the students are divided into pairs: a caster, who creates light, and a seeker, who acts as an anchor and soldier. the protagonists, jasper and connie, end up being designated to functions they didn't expect: jasper, who trained his whole life to be a seeker, ends as a caster, and connie, who doesn't have much ability in fighting, becomes a seeker.
my main problem is that the book doesn't establish its own rules clearly. it's not clear what the shade is, how it works, or how it can be combated. the dynamic between caster and seeker is also pretty abstract: the magic depends on a promise between the two, but that's never really concretely developed to support the entire magic system. everything is pretty conceptual, which really makes it hard to follow the action sequences.
with this fragile world building, vague descriptions of the ambiance, and less-than-interesting exposition solutions, i think the romance between jasper and connie would compensate -- but no. the relationship is slow to develop, and when it finally has more space in the narrative, i didn't feel like they had a strong enough foundation to support the emotional intensity the book is trying to reach.
the overall plot ends up sounding predictable and too close to other recent fantasies (including Riftborne by Lennox and Grenwich, which i also found weak).
the story is set in a magic military academy where students are trained to combat shade, a dark entity that consumes the territory. the students are divided into pairs: a caster, who creates light, and a seeker, who acts as an anchor and soldier. the protagonists, jasper and connie, end up being designated to functions they didn't expect: jasper, who trained his whole life to be a seeker, ends as a caster, and connie, who doesn't have much ability in fighting, becomes a seeker.
my main problem is that the book doesn't establish its own rules clearly. it's not clear what the shade is, how it works, or how it can be combated. the dynamic between caster and seeker is also pretty abstract: the magic depends on a promise between the two, but that's never really concretely developed to support the entire magic system. everything is pretty conceptual, which really makes it hard to follow the action sequences.
with this fragile world building, vague descriptions of the ambiance, and less-than-interesting exposition solutions, i think the romance between jasper and connie would compensate -- but no. the relationship is slow to develop, and when it finally has more space in the narrative, i didn't feel like they had a strong enough foundation to support the emotional intensity the book is trying to reach.
the overall plot ends up sounding predictable and too close to other recent fantasies (including Riftborne by Lennox and Grenwich, which i also found weak).
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was an enjoyable book! Thanks to the publisher for giving it to Waterstones book club early
I really enjoyed the concept of the darkness taking over and creatures being inside. It definitely ups the ante of not being scared of the dark and actually whats in it.
I love the concept of the Oath lamps too and to light them you actually have to have the passion and intent and how the Light can always help beat the darkness.
I liked Connie as our FMC. She's fiery and knows what she wants and won't let anyone get in her way to achieve it. She's fiercely loyal to her friends and family.
I was on and off with my feelings about Jasper. Sometimes he was nice and sometimes he was an ass. But by the end I loved him he was so passionate and loyal.
I do wish the end battle would have been a bit more nail biting it just seemed to be over very quickly. The relationship between Connie and Jasper was cute going from an unwanted pairing to reluctant friends to lover however the relationship was a teensy bit underdeveloped.
All in all a really enjoyable read
I really enjoyed the concept of the darkness taking over and creatures being inside. It definitely ups the ante of not being scared of the dark and actually whats in it.
I love the concept of the Oath lamps too and to light them you actually have to have the passion and intent and how the Light can always help beat the darkness.
I liked Connie as our FMC. She's fiery and knows what she wants and won't let anyone get in her way to achieve it. She's fiercely loyal to her friends and family.
I was on and off with my feelings about Jasper. Sometimes he was nice and sometimes he was an ass. But by the end I loved him he was so passionate and loyal.
I do wish the end battle would have been a bit more nail biting it just seemed to be over very quickly. The relationship between Connie and Jasper was cute going from an unwanted pairing to reluctant friends to lover however the relationship was a teensy bit underdeveloped.
All in all a really enjoyable read
Review of advance copy received from Author
This world was built with meticulous craft. And filled with extraordinary characters. Ellen Osborne's The Seeker and the Shade has a delicious slow burn, with the central characters unfurling before our eyes and before each other. There's action, romance, magic and so much darkness. It's a cliché but I couldn't put it down - The Seeker and the Shade simply wouldn't let me go. A dynamic debut by an author sure to show us many more wondrous worlds.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A poignant story about a very real battle between the dark and all the terrors it holds and the light, the fragile holding on to hope, truth and loyalty which beset us all. This remarkable story works on many different levels. It's characters are realistic if a little too self-aware, and their arc from doubt and disdain to courage and conviction is a joy to read.
This is a dramatic and uplifting tale of magic and friendship in the darkest places.
This is a dramatic and uplifting tale of magic and friendship in the darkest places.
May 24, 2026
Five stars. I couldn't put this book down. It's a beautifully written, vividly realised page-turner with strong characters, a thrumming plot, and a deep undercurrent. I laughed and cried in multiple places and loved the lyricism of the prose. Strongly recommend, and can't wait for the next title from Ellen Osborne
June 13, 2026
They rlly saved the world with the power of love and friendship having known each other for like a month.
Icl I still don't actually understand the world at all, like I dont even know what sort of time period its set in because phones exist and people can move around whilst on the phone but nobody has mobile phones? Also the magic system was just not properly explained. I did enjoy it tho :)
Icl I still don't actually understand the world at all, like I dont even know what sort of time period its set in because phones exist and people can move around whilst on the phone but nobody has mobile phones? Also the magic system was just not properly explained. I did enjoy it tho :)
February 8, 2026
Superb YA dystopian fiction!
You can read my full review here: https://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home...
You can read my full review here: https://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home...
February 24, 2026
I love this story beginning to end, action packed from the get go and throughout, and a slow born enemies to loves, what’s not to love
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I wanted to enjoy this so much more. Insufficient pay off to the romantic relationship and a rushed ending.
May 19, 2026
I absolutely loved the book and couldn’t put it down. Excellent plot and compelling characters. I can’t wait for Ellen’s next book.
May 29, 2026
Loved this book. The writing is deft, the “shade” is genuinely chilling, and it’s a page-turner, too. I can’t wait to see what the author produces next.
June 2, 2026
SO FLIPPING GOOD I have never devoured a book with more intent than I have this one. Oh my days, PLEASE read it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I enjoyed this. YA dystopia in a bit of a fantasy setting. Some intriguing ideas
May 21, 2026
What my book club thought of it:
"An updated Pride and Prejudice meets Harry Potter with vibes of Hunger Games."
"The battle between light and dark is almost biblical."
"It had me reading non-stop."
"Something I would inhale at any age! It has everything you want in a YA fantasy: magic school, hatred at first sight, cool worldbuilding. I really enjoyed the journey."
"Great characters and fun swordplay."
"I will be seeking out the sequel."
"An updated Pride and Prejudice meets Harry Potter with vibes of Hunger Games."
"The battle between light and dark is almost biblical."
"It had me reading non-stop."
"Something I would inhale at any age! It has everything you want in a YA fantasy: magic school, hatred at first sight, cool worldbuilding. I really enjoyed the journey."
"Great characters and fun swordplay."
"I will be seeking out the sequel."
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews