Duskshade

by Madison Patershuk, Ebony Dobson

706 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 28, 2026

Reviews

[Becky Whittingham]

Thank you to NerdFam for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the hardest books I’ve rated because I genuinely think there’s a fantastic story hiding inside it.

The opening completely hooked me. Weird therapist? Strange magic? I was instantly intrigued and desperate to know what was going on. The world is unique, the mysteries are compelling, and I loved slowly piecing everything together. Kane also completely intrigued me - I was very happy when my interest shifted away from Nick (he gave me the ick from the beginning)

My biggest issue was the pacing.

This book is long (Kingdom of Ash long), and unfortunately it really feels its length. There are so many repeated training sessions, day-to-day routines and descriptive scenes that, for me, didn’t move the story forward. I found myself skim reading large sections because I just wanted to get back to the plot.

Around 58% in, I realised very little of the main story had actually progressed, which was frustrating because the ideas themselves are genuinely brilliant. Then, right at around 80% onwards, everything suddenly came alive and I actually started to enjoy it a lot more.

That’s what makes this such a difficult review. The plot itself is really interesting, but I honestly think a much tighter edit could transform this into something incredible. There is easily several hundred pages that could be condensed without losing any of the heart of the story.

The ending definitely left me saying, “What on earth was that?” and I’ll be curious to see where the story goes next but I really need these books to be shorter.

If you love extremely detailed, slow-burn epic fantasy with lots of world-building, you’ll probably have a better experience than I did. Personally, I wanted the fantastic story to reach its big moments much sooner.

[The Dark Heart Library]

World building. Slow Burn. Fae. Struggling but fierce fmc.

The creative world building this book gives is top tier. However, an emotional /internal struggle with too many descriptive feelings about each situation loses me in a Romantasy book. I prefer the action to depict feelings and give depth. The story was interesting and fun…but similar to other reviews, I did think it was slightly too long!

I could see this being very popular in certain audiences and I would still love to check out more books in the future from both of these authors!

Thank you to the Nerd Fam for this gifted ARC.

[✨ Jenny ✨]

Thank you so much to Nerd Fam for sending me this ARC.

This book started off slow, and I tried to get into it but at around 30% I found myself feeling disconnected to the FMC. I really wanted to like it. The writing was descriptive, but it wasn't for me. Thank you again for the opportunity to let me read this.

[Dana McCoy]

ARC Review
Thank you to the Nerd Fam for the gifted book!

This book right here reignited my love for Fantasy books. She’s a long one but the world building, the character development, and the YEARNING made it impossible to put down. It’s enemies to lovers in the most slow burn amazing way. The tension between our FMC and one of the MMC’s is exquisite torture for you dear reader BUT fits the story really well. There are spots where it’s hard to tell immediately who is speaking due to the writing style, but other than that I have no notes. I hope a lot of people dive into this world because I selfishly needed the sequel yesterday.

For fans of: Fantasy, Found Family, Slow Burn Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, and a broody silver haired MMC

[Gabbyreadsss]

First thing first I would like to say thank you to The Nerd Fam for this arc! I liked the concept of this book and the idea of being from a different world while living in our reality. Ophelia the fmc is relatable in sense of showing mental health representation from anxiety to panic attacks but I fear I had some issues with the story in whole. As I was reading in the beginning I felt myself going back and forth reading the same sentences because I would get confused on which world she was in, and which life she was living.. However as i progressed and the sprites and fae came into I was struck with intrigue and loved seeing Ophelia’s strength grow and her introduction to Kane 🤭

[Aarjavi]

Dnf

[Lauren Head]

The world-building, character development, and THE YEARNING made this long read completely impossible to put down. The enemies-to-lovers romance is slow-burn perfection, with tension between our FMC and one of the MMCs that is absolutely exquisite torture. Every agonizing moment was worth it! Aside from a few moments where it was difficult to tell who was speaking, the book was great.

[Evie Oliva]

Leaving this unrated because I don't want to judge the book on how much of it I read.

I will say that there were a few sticking points that I couldn't ignore that stuck in my craw and left me deciding to put this down. First of all, the mention of the Aurora Borealis in London. I had to check but this is a rare occurrence and the lead says she'd watch them from the roof when she was a kid, as in this was a usual thing she did. Not accurate so it bugged me a little but kept reading.

Another is the transition between scenes and the way time moves. An entire afternoon, night and a whole day passed in the span of a few sentences and I thought I had a page missing from the book because wasn't she just over here? It left me feeling disconnected from the lead and what was going on in the book.

Finally, the issue with the therapist. There's a suggestion of a mutual crush between doctor and patient that just made me feel very meh about the situation. I know a lot of people who have needed to seek helps from therapists and the idea that the lead has continued her care with this doctor while cataloging his tiny reactions that prove he's interested in her just felt unfortunate. I feel like it could have been some other kind of almost authority figure if that was the vibe the book was going for. With a therapist, it felt too much like it could swerve into direct manipulation of the patient, maybe even has, so I decided to stop reading.

I got to the 10% mark and still didn't feel connected to the story and it depresses me to say that. I hope this book finds the readers that will love it but unfortunately, that reader is not me.

[Samantha]

Thank you, NetGalley, Madison Patershuk, and Ebony Dobson for the ARC of Duskshade in exchange for my review. My opinions are my own.

Duskshade is about Ophelia, a scientist from Earth who is swept away to a different world through a portal ("Well") in Ireland. She's accompanied by her cat, Mo, her best friend, Pip, and her therapist-turned-boyfriend, Nick. Pip is actually from this new world, and so is her cat (who is not a cat). Ophelia must train with King Kane and his inner circle of sorts. She learns about the King's lost love, who Ophelia apparently resembles, and discovers her own powers and purpose.

What I liked: I thought the initial concept was really interesting. There were great moments that stood out. Pip and Tilly, Sabine and Ophelia, and even Ophelia and Kane had some sweet moments. Mo was probably my favorite. The descriptions were also done well once the characters left Earth.

What I didn't like: If you're going to set your story in London, actually study the place. This story could have been anywhere. It certainly wasn't London. This book was way too long, repetitive, and sometimes contradictory. The side characters were more interesting than Ophelia. Was Kane supposed to be her love interest? It was obvious who Ophelia really was, so why was she so surprised at the end? And the beginning with her therapist? Ick. Time also doesn't seem to exist. There are times to slow down and times to speed up; I felt like this story sped up and slowed down in the wrong places.

[Jade Taylor]

*3.5 stars

Firstly, a huge thank you to the authors and Booksprout for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest and spoiler-free review! 📚

From the very first page, this book opens with a mystery that I’m hooked into finding the answers for! There is such an incredible story and fantasy world created here with some wonderfully thought out characters to get attached to. Whilst at first I couldn’t put the book down, the length of this book does seem to be its downfall as the story lost its pacing and momentum throughout the middle section of it (I think this was from a mix of getting lost in multiple ideas that didn’t all fit or certain scenes feeling repetitive). However! From the 75% mark until the end of the book, this all picks up again and I found myself hooked back in! (Which honestly made it incredibly difficult for me to decide between rating this book as a 3.5 or a 4 star) ⭐️

If you love a slowww burn with forced proximity, animal side kicks and an FMC that grows into her power… then this is absolutely for you! 💪🏼

What an absolutely strong start for the sisters and co-authors debut! I am super excited to see where Madison and Ebony go from here and very much look forward to the next book in the Duskshade Chronicles! 🌅

[Paige Wuerdemann]

Thank you to NerdFam for the advanced copy of Duskshade by Madison Patershuk. All thoughts are my own.

I'll admit the premise of the book had me hooked, but unfortunately I think it fell flat for me. This book had so much potential to be better than what it was and I think it was primarily due to the pacing of the book. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy a longer book. The problem I have is when it is long and the story drags on. A lot of times I found things to be repetitive and almost unnecessary with it not contributing to the advancement of the story.

I did find myself disinterested at points because of the way that some characters were developed. With Ophelia being a scientist and having such an analytic nature, it felt flat for her not to questions the things that were happening. Also the romance between Nick and Ophelia felt weird to me (and I don't mind a good doctor falling for the patient type vibe). It didn't give the romance vibe that was needed between them and instant red flags popped up for Nick and I wanted him to disappear.

Unfortunately for me I don't think I'll need continuing with this series if there are more books. It's sad when I found the secondary characters more entertaining than the main ones.

[Karine]

Thank you to The Nerd Fam, the authors, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Duskshade is an immersive and creative portal fantasy that blends science, magic, mental health, and an intensely slow-burn romance into a story that feels ambitious and emotionally grounded. The fantasy world gave me Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, and The NeverEnding Story vibes, with lush landscapes, portal magic, unicorns, strange creatures, and lovable animal companions.

Ophelia was an intriguing protagonist. She has clearly been through a lot, but she never feels overly self-pitying or passive. I especially appreciated the way the story explores mental health and connects it meaningfully to her emotional journey.

My main issue was the disconnect between Ophelia’s scientific, analytical nature and how easily she adapts to the impossible. Considering how strongly her rationality is established, I expected her to question her circumstances more deeply.

The book also could have benefited from tighter editing, as it felt longer than necessary.

Despite the slow pacing at times, I enjoyed watching the story unfold and would be curious to continue.

[PlotTwistsWithRackel]

Duskshade was such a fun fantasy read! I loved the magical world, found family, and especially the slow-burn romance—the tension and yearning were SO good. 🔥

It did feel a little long in some places, but I was invested enough that I wanted to keep going. And that ending?! 😭 You cannot leave me like that! Definitely ready for the next book.

[Emily (ofpagesandink)]

I received an eARC from The Nerd Fam in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted book.

I really, really gave this a go because I could see the dream between the lines. I could see how much of themselves they put into this book. But at 30% of a 700+ book that was just not working, I had to call it. I can't, in good consciousness, give it an official rating because I did not finish it. But I can share my thoughts.

What I liked: I do think the premise has promise. Otherwise, no one would sign up to read it. I do think a lot of the characters have heart and charm that makes you love them. I think the world building was also promising.

What did it in:
- The MCs were not characters that had heart and charm that makes you love them. Nick feels off. I kept waiting for the moment he would be revealed to be the antagonist or break her heart or something. Not sure if that comes later, but it doesn't happen 30% in. Ophelia is supposed to be a scientist, questioning things that aren't facts or things she sees with her own eyes. But implicitly believes everything these complete strangers say in a fantastical world that relies on magic (anima) to the point that when Pip finally explains things to her (not in full mind you) he uses science to do so. But she doesn't question where Nick is or if he's alright until days later. She doesn't ask how anima works or why she suddenly has heterochromia, several inches of height, darker hair, or why everyone is referencing her as if they've known her for years and not several days. Based on other reviews, I assume it takes the character the entire book to figure out who she is when the readers figure it out the minute Pip complains to her in her house in the human world at the beginning of the story, who she's supposed to be. Or at least, you start to figure it out as the pieces are laid in front of you and their conversation in the hall in the Fae lands? That said enough to me. I didn't finish it so I could be very wrong but based on other reviews, I think it's safe to say I'm right. Not to mention the fact that she's referred to as a human in some scenes but fae in others or told to run a shifter course, but isn't told she's a shifter? Is she a shifter?
- It's confusing as hell when Pip is explaining why he was gone for a year in his early 20's, but the significance of it isn't questioned or explained. The whole time you're trying to piece together how he's lived a whole other life in this other world when he and Ophelia met when they were 10. The author's also drop the nicknames "Dove" and "Dragon" in there casually, but "Dragon" throws you off so bad and then when it's explained it's not any better. And his thing with Tilly? If my husband disappeared and reappeared, sure I'd be pissed, but I wouldn't be assaulting him, I would be clinging to him for dear life.
- The pacing is entirely off. Some scenes last a whole chapter and others last a few sentences. There are moments referenced that really should've had more lead up or visibility, while others are sped through completely. Especially at the beginning. We go through an entire week in a few paragraphs and therapy lasted 10 minutes. At the point I left off at, she had been trying to get close to Kane after talking to Nick about dating soon? But time has clearly passed between these moments, too.
- Some of the dialogue is... weird. For example: There's a scene her first morning in the castle where she goes to answer the door and finds Killian there shirtless and he says something about high fae not liking exposed skin so early in the morning. Followed by a comment about his wife reminding him of that. Several questions. Who complained about him being shirtless? If his wife reminded him why did it take getting to her door for him to put a shirt on? Who's the high fae he's referencing because she's a human? Also he calls her Phee. It's her first full day at the castle, and he calls her Phee.

My feelings about this book is this: It was born out of fantasies the author(s) had about living in a fantasy world that they decided to write a book about, but struggled to put themselves in the place of the reader and understanding what they would want to know or need to know when they would want to or need to know it. The dedication is absolutely sweet and speaks to me as a fantasy lover and reader and I can see just how much of themselves has been placed into this book, but it needs more development to be the epic adventure story they want it to be. There is so much promise here. It just needs polishing.

[Belinda Smith]

I had been so excited to dive into Duskshade because the premise sounded incredibly unique. 🌿✨ A scientist from Earth falling through a mysterious portal in Ireland into another world? Add magical creatures, ancient mysteries, lost loves, and a cat companion, and I was completely sold.

Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t work for me. 💔

Ophelia is swept into another realm alongside her cat, Mo, her best friend Pip, and her therapist-turned-boyfriend Nick. As she trains with King Kane and his inner circle, she slowly uncovers the truth about her powers, her connection to this strange world, and why she bears an uncanny resemblance to Kane’s lost love. On paper, it sounded fascinating. In reality, it felt far longer than it needed to be.

There were definitely moments I genuinely enjoyed. 🌙 Pip and Tilly were delightful, Sabine was one of the more memorable characters, and I actually liked the interactions between Ophelia and Kane. But the true star of this book was Mo. 🐈 I would happily read an entire book from Mo’s perspective.

Once the story left Earth, the world-building became much stronger. 🌌 The fantasy landscapes were vividly described, and I could picture the magical world far more easily than London, which oddly never felt like London at all. It honestly could have been any city.

My biggest issue was the pacing. ⏳ The story constantly slowed down when it needed momentum and rushed through moments that deserved more attention. The same conversations and emotional beats kept repeating, making the book feel much longer than it actually needed to be. By the final reveal, I wasn’t surprised in the slightest because it had been telegraphed so early that I spent most of the book waiting for Ophelia to catch up.

The side characters were honestly far more interesting than the main character. 🌿 Their stories, personalities, and relationships kept my attention far more than Ophelia herself, and I often wished the focus had shifted to them instead.

The romance was, unfortunately, the hardest part for me. 😬 Nick being Ophelia’s therapist for over a year before becoming her boyfriend immediately made me uncomfortable. The imbalance of power was impossible for me to ignore, especially since he continued slipping into therapist mode even after they started dating. Instead of feeling romantic, it left me questioning every interaction between them. I really tried to push past it because I wanted to enjoy the fantasy elements, but I never could.

By the end, I found myself skimming repetitive scenes and reading almost exclusively for Mo and the occasional intriguing fantasy mystery. 🐾✨ I kept hoping the story would finally click for me, but unfortunately, it never did.

This book includes:
✨ Portal Fantasy
👑 Mysterious King
🌌 Magical Alternate World
🔮 Hidden Powers
🐈 Animal Companion (the best character!)
👯‍♀️ Friendship & Found Family
💔 Fated Past Connections
⚔️ Training & Self-Discovery
🌿 Ancient Magic & Prophecy

Overall, I loved the concept far more than the execution. There were flashes of a really compelling fantasy story hidden beneath the repetition, uneven pacing, and a romance that simply wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Madison Patershuk, Ebony Dobson, and The Nerd Fam for providing me with an ARC. 💜

[Rallie]

Thank you to The Nerd Fam for gifting me this eARC, the review and opinions are my own.

I wanted to DNF this book at 24 pages.
Out of desire to give an ARC a fair shot, I gave it to 100 (technically 103 but who's counting). And I feel that was a very gracious choice, because it's terrible. Here is a tip to anyone planning to write a book set in a place they are not from/where they have not lived for a substantial period of time - GET SOMEBODY WHO IS FROM THERE TO GO THROUGH YOUR BOOK. Because why am I reading a woman from London eating burgers and fries, driving a truck in London, eating guacamole and chips at the regular pub they go to, etc etc. And if you're going to write a main character who is a scientist, you may wish to consult basic websites to learn that "growing up regularly watching the aurora borealis from the roof of her house" - in London - is just simply not a thing (like you can literally just google "aurora borealis in London" and it'll give you plenty of information).

So really, from all this, I wonder - why did the Canadian authors feel the need to have their setting tied directly to London or the UK at all? You'll be unsurprised to hear that Ophelia travels to Ireland to begin her fantastical magical adventure (because it's very important that we continue to fetishize Ireland as a mystical magical land). So why not set the beginning of the book in Canada where not only do they have average everyday things correct (trucks and fries and such), you can justify seeing an aurora borealis with more frequency (although certainly not every night in a major city e.g. Toronto...).

I also wonder about the choice to make Ophelia's love interest her therapist of over a year (a therapist out here prescribing drugs, I don't know if it's different in the UK but at least in the US you gotta be a psychiatrist for that mess). Like - for a year, he's been trying to break through her cracks while assuming she's "playing hard to get". They're flirty flirty in her appointment, then at the pub he ✨protects✨ her, and it's very masculine and hot and he finally gives in, and it's so hot and wow she's "had boyfriends before, but nothing had ever felt this consuming."

Like, girl.

THAT'S BECAUSE HE'S BEEN GROOMING YOU.

I could go on and on about this, but I feel as though adding "yes, they start dating; yes, she finds a different therapist; yes, he continues to do therapy at her on their dates..." should clear most of that up. With a final addendum that her friend only has a problem with her dating him because he's "too safe".

Which is just a bananas take.

My commitment to read at least 103 pages took me up to the mystical magical isekai moment we were waiting for in Ireland, and I considered reading a little further just to see if there was anything good there but honestly? I don't care. When your protagonist leaves her cat in her truck (she did that!!! she does it regularly!!!), I just don't care.

[Autumn ۶ৎ]

˗ˏˋ 4 ★ ˎˊ˗

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!

── .✦ ── .✦ ── .✦ ──.✦ ── .✦ ── .✦ ──.✦ ── .✦ ── .✦ ──.✦ ── .✦ ── .✦ ── .✦ ──

This was a really fun read overall! If you want a book that gives off alice in wonderland vibes x romantasy, I think you would have a great time with this.

There are many things I loved about this book, one of them being the really eerie, mysterious feeling that definitely set a good tone for the story.

Our FMC, Ophelia, is also super relatable, which I find very nice. She goes through so many things mentally, emotionally, and physically that shape her into she has become. I find her very inspiring because no matter what she goes through, she does not let her head win, no matter how hard it is. Her character development is beautiful! She finally realizes that she deserves to take control of her own life, and how deserving she is of her growth. She is funny, whitty, flirtatious, strong minded, and honestly just real. She is someone I can see myself being friends with in real life which I find lovely.

The world building is well done. It has all of the normal things that make you fall in love with your normal fantasy novels, but the authors definitely put a unique spin to it. There are so many creatures that we were introduced to that I did not know where a thing, but I ultimately found really fun and interesting. We have dragons, animal sidekicks, magic users, and much more!

Kane. Need I say more ??? I loved his character! Our typical grumpy, intense, protective, and morally grey MMC that we all know and LOVE. I can't say much more without spoilers lol.

There were just a few things that made this story a tad bit difficult to get through, but nothing so terrible that I couldn't finish. The main thing is the story is redundant at times. I feel as tho the book could have been a bit shorter and we still would not have missed out on anything truly important to the story. The over explanation of things really made it drag on at certain points which ultimately made the book hard to focus on, being that it is over 700 pages long. It made it feel like the pacing was a bit off at times.

I personally did not care for the Therapist X Patient trope. It made me uncomfortable from the jump, but that could simply be my own trauma speaking for me hahaha. Nick was an OK character for me. I just personally could not relate with him, but again.. trauma lmao.

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

𝙆𝙀𝙔 𝙏𝙍𝙊𝙋𝙀𝙎:

˖ 𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙏𝙤 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨
˖ 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚
˖ 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙮 𝙈𝙈𝘾
˖ 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙁𝙈𝘾
˖ 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙭 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩
˖ 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙮
˖ 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖 / 𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝙍𝙚𝙥
˖ 𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 / 𝙎𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝘽𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚
˖ 𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙢
˖ 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙨
˖ 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮
˖ 𝘼𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙄𝙣 𝙒𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙨

[Yoru]

First of all, thanks to TheNerdFam for the ARC !

DNF at 24%

It is very rare that I dnf. I usually try to push through, because there's many time where a book is really good but the start is a bit slow or such, and it's normal imo especially if it's a first book in a series or a standalone as there's the world building and all, which can be a bit long or hard to set sometimes, I get it and got no problem with it.
And from what I have heard, that is the case here.
But it is a 705pages book. 20% is only 141pages, so I do understand that for bigger books only 100~pages is not much... but 168pages (24%) where you are constantly uncomfortable (or almost) and annoyed, it is hard, real hard.

I really tried. Really. Especially as I heard it gets pretty good once she's out of London.

It is quite sloooow, and repetitive. It is 700+ pages book, you gotta use them wisely🥲😭 especially the first 30% of a book is really the most important part to catch the reader's interest.
That it is uncomfortable/annoying/boring/etc here and there in the book for less than 5%, or at the very start? That's not a problem, pretty normal imo.
But that it is uncomfortable and annoying and repetitive for so long at the start, in a 705pages book? The reader feels dejected and as if like the book will never change nor end yk.


After 2% (yep) it was constant fight against myself and unconfortability.
In almost any other profession I might not mind as much but therapist, and anything that touch psychology, might be a bit too hard for me as it is so linked to the mind, the unconscious/concious parts, and the vulnerability of the patient. Ik it's weird but regular doctor x patient? No problem. Therapist/psychologist/psychiatrist x patient ? Nope, I just can't sorry. Probably a me problem. Which is why I really tried my best to push through!
But at some point I was only reading for Mo💜 and the few interesting fantasy 'hallucinations'. But sadly, skipping the romantic pages and skimming through a lot of the repetitive scenes... so around 17% I almost already had my mind set on DNFing but I pushed a bit more, just in case a page catches my attention and leave me reading ... I'm sorry I couldn't arrive to the time of the book where it was like that. Maybe I was only a few pages there... but it felt like I was so faaar away😭 I'm sorry, I tried😞


I think, if you are like me on the patient x mind doctor type of profession, it's definitely not a book for you. It'll leave you too uncomfortable and annoyed to read, like me.
Although, if you are like me on the patient x regular doctor but for all type of doctor including therapist/psychologist/psychiastrist, then I think this book will not bother you. On that at least. I cannot say much for the repetition and slowness of the 24% first percent sadly..

[Ashley]

Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted book

I was so excited to pick this up. The premise immediately grabbed me, and the opening chapters had me convinced I was in for an exciting read. It starts off strong, blending science and fantasy in a way that felt fresh and setting up a world full of mystery, magic, and dangerous possibilities.

The story follows Ophelia, a heliophysicist whose carefully ordered life is turned upside down when she's ripped from the human world into the fae realm of Fenraeis alongside her boyfriend Nick, her best friend, and even her cat. Suddenly hunted by a powerful force and forced into an uneasy alliance with the High King, Kane, Ophelia must navigate an unfamiliar world while uncovering the truth about the strange power awakening within her. It's a fantastic setup that had me hooked from the start.

Unfortunately, once the story entered the fae realm, it started to lose me. I felt like the momentum slowed considerably, and there just wasn't enough story progression to justify the length. I love long fantasy novels with rich world-building, slow-burn, and a payoff that's worth the journey, but this one felt long in a way that never quite paid off for me.

I also struggled with the narrative at times. There were several moments where I genuinely thought I'd skipped a chapter because conversations or events felt disconnected, only to flip back and realize I hadn't missed anything. The major reveal surrounding Ophelia also felt fairly obvious from very early on, so when the twist arrived, it didn't have the impact I think it was intended to. That said, I don't think the concept was the issue. There's a really interesting story here, with an imaginative world and some great ideas. For me, it just needed a tighter edit and stronger pacing to keep the momentum going and fully deliver on the promise of its premise.

☕ Final Verdict
All the ingredients for an epic romantasy, and I can absolutely see why it could have worked, but for me, the execution didn't quite match the strength of the concept and would not be a series I continue at this time. I still think there's a great story in these pages. I just wish it had been delivered in a way that kept me hooked from beginning to end.

[Krista Nicole]

What would you do if you’ve spent your life believing you were crazy from the visions that keep taking over you, but then you fall into a magical world that seems just like them?

You follow the FMC, who’s had a fairly happy life other than these dark visions filled with death that haunt her nightmares. Her therapist has helped her find different meds to cope, and her friends and family do their best to support her but they won’t go away. Until one day on a trip with her best friend and her therapist turned boyfriend, they somehow travel through a portal to another realm, filled with magic and fae, that’s on the brink of collapse. Her cat is suddenly a magical protector, her best friend isn’t human and she’s got powers no human should have that are meant to save the realm. Taken by the king of the land she ended up in, she must work with these new people and learn to control her powers to save them all and have any chance at going back home, even if the longer she stays the less she wants to leave.

I really enjoyed the way the author had the FMC react to being thrown into a new world filled with magic, and it’s similar to how I would react at first with hesitation to trust or really lean into it, and after an escape attempt and then reading and analyzing, she realized she is somewhat stuck with her situation and must adapt. There was an aspect of found family with all those in this new world she encountered that I really liked, especially since so many of the side characters became my favorites. I also was always team king over the boyfriend that came with her that I never really trusted because of how he treated her. There was plenty of tension between her and the king, especially as they spent more time together to learn about her powers and eventually went on missions to find ways to save the realm. That ending had me breathing a small sigh of relief but also laughing and ready for the next book! Overall my rating 4.4/5!

Thanks to the author for the gifted copy, all opinions given are my own!

[Nikki]

Duskshade’s plot has a lot of promise, but the execution fell short for me. I was really intrigued by the initial concept and storyline, but then it became quite repetitive, the pacing was off, and there were continuity issues that had me second guessing and rereading entire chapters because I thought I missed something.

There are several phrases repeated and language inconsistencies throughout. Deadpanning is heavily used throughout the novel for nearly every character in the main group. Colloquialisms are called out as not of the realm but then the Fae King says “capiche” and no one bats an eye. The characters also have too many nicknames and we vacillate among them and some of them are never explained.

At one point a letter to the Queen is read by Ophelia and the Queen’s name is in it explicitly and then in the next chapter has Ophelia finally getting the courage to ask the King what his wife’s name was. It left me questioning if I was misunderstanding what was happening. Ophelia is a Scientist and there’s such emphasis on her analytical mind and researching abilities so I would expect more from her in general to be able to deduce the Queen’s name when it’s right there.

There are so many side characters that we don’t spend a ton of time with, but are used in callbacks and I struggled to remember who is who on several occasions because there aren’t clear reference cues for the reader. It was also difficult at times to pick up on who was speaking and I had to reread passages to decipher the conversation was flowing because a character gesture would be paired with dialog that was not theirs.

I was a bit frustrated with the ending given that there was so much build up and it felt anti-climactic. Yes, some things are answered, but it feels like a lot of what happened is kept from the reader to answer other questions. And I feel like I was left with way more open threads that I should have been given the length of the novel.

Thank you to NerdFam for an advanced copy of Duskshade in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookish Emili Reads]

Madison Patershuk's Duskshade is an immersive fantasy that blends magic, mystery, and adventure into a captivating story. With its atmospheric setting, intriguing plot, and compelling characters, the novel draws readers into a world filled with hidden dangers, ancient secrets, and difficult choices.
One of the book's strongest qualities is its world-building. Patershuk crafts a setting that feels vivid and alive, with a unique magical landscape that invites exploration. The lore and mythology are woven naturally into the story, creating a rich backdrop without overwhelming the narrative. The dark, atmospheric tone adds depth and keeps the sense of mystery alive throughout the novel.
The characters are well developed and easy to invest in. The protagonist's journey is filled with personal challenges, growth, and self-discovery, making their struggles feel meaningful and relatable. The supporting cast adds layers to the story, bringing humor, tension, and emotional complexity to the unfolding events.
The pacing is generally strong, particularly during moments of action and revelation. As secrets come to light and the stakes continue to rise, the story maintains a sense of momentum that keeps readers engaged. The balance between character development, magical intrigue, and adventure is handled effectively.
The reason for the 4-star rating rather than 5 stars is that some sections move more slowly than others, especially when introducing key aspects of the world and its history. Additionally, a few plot twists may feel familiar to experienced fantasy readers. While these elements occasionally lessen the impact of certain moments, they do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
Overall, Duskshade is an enjoyable fantasy that offers immersive world-building, memorable characters, and a compelling blend of magic and mystery. Readers who appreciate atmospheric fantasy adventures with strong emotional threads will find much to enjoy.

[Jess]

Duskshade by Madison Petershuk and Ebony Dobson - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you are looking for a book that will fully immerse you in a fantasy world, then Duskshade is for you.

Duskshade is a portal fantasy where FMC Ophelia finds herself transported to a magical realm and instantly in danger. There are hidden identities, a prophecy, a brooding MMC who burns frustratingly hot and cold and a whole host of magical creatures.

First and foremost, this is a long book. If you are looking for a quick read then this probably isn’t the right book. Duskshade gives you all of those details you so often miss in other stories - seeing friendships develop, witnessing the true struggle of finding and mastering powers and the slowest burn between FMC and MMC. While there is a lot of action and lots of things happen, there were times when the pace slowed down and focused more on the relationships between characters. That being said, I loved learning about the world, the characters and the magic system - it made for brilliant escapism!

While Duskshade hits a LOT of great tropes, found family is probably the one that stands out the most in this book and I really loved the friendships between the characters.

The storyline was perfection - as were the characters. However, it did feel like the book needed a tighter edit. Some of Ophelia’s internal monologue was quite repetitive or unnecessary and the dialogue often left me a bit confused about who was speaking.

Overall, this was a solid read for me - I loved reading Duskshade and being immersed in the world of Fenraeis.

Tropes:
* Portal fantasy
* Found family
* Hidden identity
* Hidden power
* Prophecies
* Magical creatures
* Political intrigue
* Unique magic system
* Brooding MMC
* Bonded creatures

[Stephanie Rhamstine]

Thank you to Nerd Fam for the gifted earc!

I ended up enjoying this one overall, even though I definitely had a few issues with the execution.

One of my favorite parts of the book was Ophelia. She felt like a genuinely relatable heroine, and I appreciated how her struggles with mental health were handled. Watching her grow throughout the story was satisfying because her character development felt natural and well-earned by the time I reached the ending.

The romance was easily the highlight for me. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic delivered exactly what I was hoping for, with plenty of tension, longing, and those irresistible touch her and die moments. I also found myself invested in several of the side characters, which made the world feel more alive.

That said, I do think the book could have benefited from a tighter edit. It often lingered on lengthy descriptions and extensive world history that slowed the momentum more than they added to it. There were also sections that felt repetitive, with information explained multiple times instead of being worked naturally into the story.

The pacing was inconsistent, and there were stretches where I found myself struggling to push through because the story stalled. I also occasionally had trouble following the dialogue, as it wasn't always clear who was speaking, which pulled me out of the moment.

Despite those issues, I still think there's a solid story here. With a bit more tightening, this could have been an even stronger read. If you enjoy fantasy romance with a satisfying enemies-to-lovers romance, emotional character growth, and protective love interests, this one is still worth checking out.

[Lisa Neusse]

Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

The story grabbed me from the very beginning. Ophelia, the FMC, is a scientist who struggled with mental health issues for which she sees a psychologist and eventually develops a relationship with. She is strong, intelligent, independent, and I found her witty and relatable as she went through the many challenges throughout the novel. I liked the storyline and I found the supporting characters to be fun and charming, and they added depth and warmth to the story. You can really see and feel the connections and emotions between the members of her found family. And there is the slowest of slow burns in this book. Like achingly slow! The yearning, tension and chemistry are fantastic. They invested a lot in the world building, which added richness to the story. It was so descriptive and filled with lore and magical elements. At times it slowed down the pacing a bit in some portions. However the ending was a bit rushed for as long as the book is. This left me with several questions that were never resolved. On the whole, I truly enjoyed this and find myself still thinking about the characters. Hoping for book 2 soon!

Tropes and microtropes:
* Love triangle
* (Not quite) enemies-to-lovers
* Forced proximity
* Slow burn
* Fated mates
* Prophecy and awakening powers
* Portal world
* Morally gray shadow daddy
* Found family
* Therapist x patient
* Fae/shifters
* Animal familiars
* Plot twist

[Renee Benavente]

ARC review. 3.5
Quick Overview:
Heliophysicist Ophelia is torn from Earth into the Fae realm of Fenraeis, where she’s hunted by the Crownless, who seeks to enslave her for her awakening ancient magic. To survive, she must become a warrior and form an uneasy alliance with the ruthless High King Kane.

What I Liked:
I enjoyed the overall storyline, and the concept of being pulled into a mystical realm was really intriguing. The friendship between Ophelia and Pip was one of my favorite parts of the book, and I appreciated how their bond developed. The world-building was detailed, and I liked learning about the history of Fenraeis and its people. Kane was also an interesting character—I enjoyed the mystery surrounding him and wanted to learn more.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
While the world-building was impressive, it became a bit too overwhelming at times and often overshadowed the main plot. There were also several moments where the story felt confusing, with information jumping around in a way that made it difficult to follow. I also wished there had been more romance and banter between Kane and Ophelia. Their chemistry showed promise, but just as the tension started to build, it seemed to fade away.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a unique premise and an interesting fantasy world, but it was longer than it needed to be. Tightening the pacing and focusing more on the central plot and character relationships would have made it a stronger read for me.

Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

[Kai]

If you are looking for a book that will completely consume your life, ruin your sleep schedule, and leave you staring at the ceiling at 3:00 AM wondering how a fictional character can have so much power over you, Duskshade is it.

Patershuk and Dobson weave a immersive fantasy world filled with political intrigue, dangerous secrets, and a threat that keeps looming over. The lore is deep without feeling like a tedious info-dump, and the action sequences are cinematic and intense. But let’s be honest, while the plot is fantastic, the character dynamics are what truly steal the show. The side characters are interesting and left me wanting to know more about them without overshadowing Ophelia and the evolving love triangle. Sosa is without a doubt my fav!

Without giving too much away the MMC is the ultimate embodiment of the "shadow daddy" archetype—morally gray, fiercely protective, lethal to everyone else (aside from Ruairi) with a wicked slowburn that had me screaming at the end of the book.

The chemistry between them is absolutely electric. Duskshade masterfully utilizes some of the best tropes in the genre:

Enemies-to-lovers tension that I could practically feel radiating off the pages.

Forced proximity that forces them to rely on each other despite their secrets and past.

The classic "who did this to you?" energy that made my romantasy heart skip a beat.

I am desperate for the next book!! Can't wait to read where their story goes next.

[Megan Gunning]

I don't feel like I just read this book. This is one of those books that immersed me in another world. It transported me on an adventure.

I'll be completely honest in the beginning I was a little overwhelmed by the book being over 900 pages. I was impatient about the fantasy beginning. After the fantasy started I was hooked. I even found myself wishing for more than 900 pages because the world building was so good. I cannot wait to read the next book!

I was so attached to the characters in the story. I loved reading about their histories. They were all so fun to get to know and made me like them so much more.

This is definitely a slow burn. There isn't really any smut. It's one of those books you read for the plot not the spice. However, the romance is definitely not lacking. It has that split your soul in two yearning romance. The love these characters have for eachother is palpable.

My favorite thing in a book is witty banter and this book has plenty. The characters had me laughing, crying, angry, going through every range of emotions. I don't think I was bored once. This quickly became one of my favorite reads of the year. I definitely recommend reading it.

This book is for anyone who has ever felt like they don't belong and for all of us who ever wished we could wake up in a fantasy realm with magical creatures.

[Amy S Wilson]

Thank you nerdfam for sending me this arc to review honestly!

Overall this was a pretty good story. The main fmc ophelia was relatable and covered some mental health issues that would identify with alot of readers. The enemies to lovers was truly done well and I liked alot of the side characters as well. I didnt care for the psyciatraist/patient relationship at the beginning and their relationship throughout the book didnt connect at all for me. The character development of ophelia throughout the book was done really well. The yearning was also done really well. The tension between ophelia and the other mmc was off the charts though. There were a few reasons why I gave it 3 stars. First, the book was overly long. I felt it was way too descriptive at times and went way too far into alot of history of the realm which i felt could have been condensed quite a bit to make the book shorter. A good editing can fix this problem. Also the conversations were confusing at times because you couldn't tell who was saying what. The pacing was a little off and dragged throughout several parts of the book so it was difficult for me to get through the entire book. And lastly some of the way the characters spoke changed sometimes and didn't feel right. But overall, with some heavy editing, I think it has the potential to be a really good book

[Katrina Gilles]

First of all, I want to thank The Nerd Fam and author for an eARC in return for an honest review.

I wanted to love this. The premise sounded good, and I like the idea of a whimsical faerie world, but it just wasn't executed well.

I think the character relationships need to be a bit more of show vs tell. I didnt feel any real connection with either of the MMCs and it felt like the author was telling us how we should fee about them, but it didnt come through.

The FMC just seems to make bad judgements calls about men, and maybe that's on purpose and she will grow by the end of the novel, but the writing just wasnt there for me to want to push through 70% more.


---spoilerish----


I honestly dont know if I am supposed to feel this way, but he first love interest, her therapist seems like a creep and a bad guy. At times I think there is foreshadowing that he will be a bad guy and she just doesn't realize it, but then it also feels like the author wants us to feel torn between the two men. I cannot feel her attachments to the men and I'm not clear on if it should be twisty or not. Her best friend Pip also seems to do a 180 in regards to the therapist and I dont know why he would all of a sudden like him once they got to his native home.

Overall, Im sorry I didnt like this book, it just didnt cut it for me.