Taken by Shadows

The Four Corner Crowns #1

by Genevieve Addison

Imogen needs answers and she's finally willing to search the Four Corners for them. Growing up as the only fae in her tiny village, she’s never belonged. But just as she sets out to discover the truth about her past she makes a small mistake in a local trading town that will cost her, wreathing her journey in a darkness she could never have anticipated…

When she refuses to cooperate after being attacked, she is taken by a dark stranger of immense power for the secret she carries.

Held captive in a foreign city until she gives up her secret, Imogen soon understands the only way to free herself from the literal shadow bonds her abductor is all too fond of holding her with is to bargain with him.

But behind the glittering fae lights of her new confines, something much darker is stirring. And the male who abducted her has secrets of his own that she can’t help wondering about…

But when he is arrested and thrown in a cage, Imogen is given the key to release him, if she chooses.

But can she protect her secret and her heart?

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fae, Slow Burn, Magic, Fake Dating

462 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 25, 2026

About the author

Genevieve is from Dublin, Ireland and lives with her husband, Craig. Their three cats, Piper, Caspian and Demerzel.
When she’s not writing to calm her anxiety or staying up too late on caffeine (likely boosting her anxiety) you’ll probably find her in her local pole studio or at the cinema.

Reviews

[ChipmunksandDandelion (Cinnamon&Pine) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes all you need is a shadow daddy who smells of orange blossoms, amber and bergamot.

Adopted magicless fae Imogen sets off along the southern coast in search of her family, only to be attacked three times in the span of two days. At some point, I wanted to remind her that those who deliberately venture into danger are, unsurprisingly, likely to find it. Her level of naivety was a bit exasperating, but thankfully it did not stay that way.

Her gradual development from horrifyingly naive to only slightly naive is genuinely enjoyable to follow. Her determination to uncover her origins is relatable, her reluctance to jeopardize the safety of the family who raised her is admirable, and her growing feelings for Kaedian inevitable.

Speaking of Kaedian, he is the quintessential shadow fae with daddy issues who smells of orange blossoms, amber and bergamot. I regret absolutely nothing about falling for yet another morally grey man. Some tropes simply work every single time for me.

This was a captivating romantasy that ticked all my favorite boxes without feeling old. The romance, the tension, and the promise of a much larger story kept me turning the pages. I am really thankful, that the ending is not a brutal cliffhanger, I need a break from those, it leaves more than enough open issues and unanswered questions to make me impatient for the sequel.

Now the only remaining question is, where is book two, and how long do I have to wait?

Thanks to the author for an e-arc, all opinions are my own.

[Jennifer W · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

I’d say this was a 3.75 ⭐️ for me!

I really enjoyed the world and that the story started off in a fast pace. I was very intrigued and it was even suspenseful when so much happened in the beginning 🤭

Loved the kidnap trope of this story and when I say this is slow burn I mean SLOW BURN. Omg, it really built the tension between Imogen and Kaed 🙈 I very much enjoyed him, I definitely have something for the tortured, self-hating MMC who doesn’t believe he deserves good things 😅 and he’s a shadow daddy… say less 🖤

But around halfway through it started to be a bit slow for me, imo there were a little too much research for certain things that made the story move too slowly. Then towards the end it took off again and I liked the changes we got to see in some of the characters 🥰 I’m also very curious about how the story will continue due to the information that was revealed in the end!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc! 💕

[FictionallyJess · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up

Taken by Shadows pulled me in right away with its immersive writing, mysterious world, and a powerless fae heroine who was raised by humans in a remote mountain town. I really enjoyed following Imogen as she ventured out into the world and began uncovering more about her past and where she came from.

And then there’s Kaed. 🤭 A mysterious fae lord with shadow wings who abducts her, makes a bargain with her, and eventually enters into a fake relationship with her? The setup was SO fun. Their banter and tension were definitely a highlight, and I really enjoyed the slow-burn progression of their relationship as they gradually got to know and trust each other.

The found family was another favorite for me. I loved the side characters, especially Gavrin, who brought some much-needed humor to the story. There were also plenty of secrets and little mysteries that kept me theorizing about what was really going on.

The middle of the book did feel a little slower than I would have preferred, but the character relationships, mysteries, and later developments kept me invested. And that ending! 🥹 I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes next, especially as the world expands and we learn more about Imogen’s past and abilities.

Overall, Taken by Shadows was an enjoyable romantasy with a fun slow-burn romance, found family, hidden identities, and plenty of secrets to uncover. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next!

[Kayla.bookish26 · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Imogen went looking for answers and ended up with Kaed. Not quite the trip she planned. 😂🖤 Their back and forth was so good and watching that distrust slowly turn into something more had me invested. The slow burn really made me wait, but there was plenty going on with her past to keep me curious. I loved that her story wasn’t just about finding out where she came from but finding people she could belong with too. Definitely picking up book two!

🖤 Shadow Daddy
🖤 He Abducts Her
🖤 Forced Proximity
🖤 Fake Relationship
🖤 Slow Burn
🖤 Found Family
🖤 Hidden Identities

Stay bookish. Keep it wicked. 🖤
Yours between the pages,
Kayla📚

[✨ Jenny ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Genevieve Addison and her PR team for sending me the ARC.

This was an enjoyable read that pulled me in. this was more romance forward, a true romantasy. Imogen has always felt like she doesn’t belong and watching her set out to uncover the truth about her mysterious past and only to find herself taken captive by a dark and powerful stranger, made for such an intriguing setup. who doesn’t love a morally grey shadow daddy whos mysterious with secrets of his own! the yearning between them was so palpable and the lust they had for each other came through even with minimal spice i was fully invested in every interaction. the magic system was easy to follow and the world building was simple but kept me engaged throughout. i did wish there was a little more depth to the world, however it was enough to set the tone and now that Imogen is beginning to discover what she truly is i am so excited to see what book two brings!

[Chelsea Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book?! You need it on your radar 🚨
.
.
.
This was such a fantastic story. Our FMC Imogen is from this small town and is one of the only fae who live there and the people do not like or trust her. She tries to leave town but gets saved and abducted at the same time and is taken to a city where fae and humans live together. Our MMC Kaed has shadow magic and piercings and is a little grumpy at times. However, he needs Imogene to tell him the location of the stones she has recovered. But she won’t give up the location at the expense of safety for her adoptive human family. Lots of tension between this couple and a slow burn that I loved!!

This story was so much fun to read. It is packed with action, tension, slow burn….like for real, found family, and so much more! I loved some of the history we got of the lands and what happened a little before the war and after. I can’t wait to learn more about Imogen’s heritage. She feels like she doesn’t belong with the fae because she has no magic, but she also feels she doesn’t belong with the humans because of her fae looks. There were so many good tropes in this story and I loved the side characters, especially Audrie. And that revelation at the end 😳?!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ ┇ Bookstagram ┇ BookTok

This was such a fun Romantasy! This pulled me in right away. There’s action, mystery, found family, kidnapping, slow burn, and a fascinating fae world.

Imogen is a magicless fae who was abandoned as a baby and raised by a human family. She’s always felt like she doesn’t truly belong anywhere—too fae for the humans and too human for the fae. She sets off on a journey to uncover the truth about her past and find answers about her real family. I really enjoyed watching her learn more about her heritage and come into her own throughout the story. She’s stubborn, determined, and fiercely loyal, especially when it comes to protecting the people she loves.

And then there’s Kaedian… I just love a broody, mysterious, possessive Shadow Daddy! He finds Imogen during her journey and discovers that she possesses faebane, something extremely rare and highly sought after. So, naturally, he abducts her to find out where she got it. The tension between these two was SO good, and when I say this is a slow burn, I mean SLOW BURN. The kidnapping trope only added to the tension, and I loved watching their relationship slowly develop as they got to know each other.

I also really enjoyed the world-building and learning about the history of the lands, the war, and the fae. The story did slow down a bit for me around the halfway point, especially with some of the research that made the pacing drag. But the story picked back up toward the end, and I loved everything that was revealed.

Overall, a fantastic start with a unique world, great tension, and a shadow daddy I was very happy to meet.

‧₊˚✧𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽✧˚₊‧

➳❥ Book 1 / Romantasy
➳❥ Shadow Daddy
➳❥ He Abducts Her
➳❥ Forced Proximity
➳❥ Fake Relationship
➳❥ Morally Grey MMC
➳❥ Slow Burn

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝓕𝓪𝓿 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽t𝓮𝓼

“All you have to do is behave, and I'll release you. Just ask.”
“I would never ask you-“
“Most females beg, in fact.”

“What do you want to call me?”
“Bastard would do.”

“Kaed was everything I wanted to taste and everything I shouldn't.”

“Once I've tasted you, I wouldn't be able to stop.”

“You can fight me for eternity, until the sands of forever and never meet. Until the Crown Oaks are ash on the wind. But I won't stop protecting you.”

[Nena Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute 5+ star read!! Thank you to author for allowing me to read and review. I absolutely loved Imogen and her love for her sister. I felt for Imogen so much. Needing to find where she came from and why she was left, and loving her sister and her unborn child, leaving her blanket for the baby to have a peice of her was so sweet. Amd wowsa what a shadow daddy... mmm... This book was extremely well written with loveable characters that I can't stop thinking about. The world building is incredible. I cant wait to read more from this author, I highly recommend this book

[Kiki · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.7/5 Stars

Thank you to Genevieve Addison for providing me with an ARC of Taken by Shadows and the opportunity to read and review it before its release. As always, this review reflects my honest opinions and was not influenced by receiving an advance copy.

Taken by Shadows was such an enjoyable read! While I was definitely frustrated by some of the FMC’s decisions in the beginning, I found myself becoming more and more invested as the story progressed.

The pacing was solid throughout—I’d call it medium-paced. The middle slowed down a bit for me, but that could also be because I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately.

The characters were easily one of my favorite parts of this book. I loved both the main cast and the side characters, but Audrie completely stole the show for me. She quickly became one of my favorite side characters.

Genevieve Addison’s writing style was exactly what I look for. It wasn’t overly descriptive, but it also wasn’t so simple that the world lacked depth. The balance between world-building, character development, emotional depth, and relationships was incredibly well done.

The magic system and world-building were fantastic. The magic is easy to understand without feeling simplistic, and there’s a rich history behind everything. I also loved the mystery surrounding both the FMC’s and MMC’s backgrounds. The clues are sprinkled throughout the story, so paying attention to the little details definitely pays off.

A few things kept this from being a five-star read, but they’re mostly personal preferences. I would’ve loved multiple POVs instead of only following the FMC and found myself wanting the FMC to embrace a slightly more morally gray side at times.

The romance was another highlight for me. I loved the banter, the chemistry, and the slow burn between the characters. Their relationship developed naturally over time and never felt forced, which made every interaction between them even more enjoyable.

And can we talk about the spice? It completely caught me off guard—in the best way. It wasn’t the spiciest book I’ve ever read, but it was definitely spicy enough that I found myself subtly hiding my phone from the people around me while reading. The scenes were absolute perfection.

Overall, this was a fantastic start to the series. Between the engaging world, memorable characters, intriguing mysteries, compelling romance, and perfectly executed spice, I’m excited to see where the next book takes these characters.

[Jenny (jenny.still.reads) Westermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Genevieve Addison for giving me the opportunity to ARC read this book. This is my opinion.

In Taken by Shadows Imogen goes on a journey to find out more about her parents. Having grown up as a Fae in a human foster family, she believed her parents left her because she had no magic. “All fae are born with magic in their blood … except me.”

The humans in her hometown don’t trust Fae due to a war that took place before Imogen was born, so she has lived on the edge of society her whole life. With her foster sister being pregnant, she decides that it’s time to leave her childhood home. On her journey she happens upon a dark stranger, who then abducts her.

Imogen, the FMC, a Fae without magic is on the search for her heritage and with that for herself. Never having fit in in the human village she grew up in, she needs to find out where she comes from. I liked how mature Gen handled all the stuff that she stumbled upon on her journey, her stubbornness and how fierce she was. Even in the face of her dark captor she wasn’t afraid of him. When she slapped him, I loved her!

Kaed, the MMC, is protective, possessive and mysterious. The perfect combination and add some shadows to it. Add some very lovable side characters to the found family and some forced proximity to the plot and you have me hooked.

This book is soooooo good. I was annoyed by everything that kept me from reading because I just wanted to stay in this fantastic world. The ending is totally beautiful - I love it. ♥️


How this book made me feel

👀😰😅🫠😵‍💫🤯🥵🤣🤨😖🥺😡😱😮‍💨♥️

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW OF ADVANCED READER COPY FROM AUTHOR

I was lucky enough to be selected as an ARC reader for this debut novel by Genevieve Addison.

Immediate notes:

- The world building is incredible - there was no stone left unturned and I had no questions about possible gaps in information/context. The world building was high level and I’m looking forward to that continuing in book 2 🤩

- YEARNING - we love a yearning MMC, but I didn’t expect a yearning FMC and I have to say I personally loved it. It made the FMC vulnerable and was an addition to the much loved yearning trope.

- Likeable characters - I loved almost all the characters in this book (aside from a select few who were of course the unlikeable villains). The main circle of characters each brought something different to the group, and there was a great balance of characters’ personalities.

Overall I’m giving this book 5 🌟 - very much looking forward to the next instalment 👏🏻

[Kerri-louise Whitham Your_bookish_fantasy · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

**𝓝𝓞 𝓢𝓟𝓞𝓘𝓛𝓔𝓡𝓢**
⚜️𝔻𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 𝕠𝕗- Taken by Shadows by Genevieve Addison

𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 whimsy words PR 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰, 𝐢𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.

⚜️ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤-
(out of 5 stars, my rating scale is at the end)
* 📚 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
🌡️ Spice MF 🌶️🫑 / 5 - passion, dirty talk, kissing and touching/playing, but it doesn’t progress much further… yet. 👀 -𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑠
* Which books have I also given this same rating? (𝑠𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑦𝑙𝑒𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛)
5⭐️ Fourth wing / Bound by inked flame / Anathama / The Lies of Lena / Of silver and Curses
4.5⭐️ Bitten / The Female / Quicksilver / Bride / Lights Out / A Bargain so Bloody
4⭐️ ACOTAR/ Spellcaster / One Dark Window / From Blood and Ash / Phantasma / Butcher & Blackbird
3⭐️We Who Will Die / The Wolf King / Daughter of No Worlds / The Ex Hex


⚜️𝕂𝕖𝕪 𝕀𝕟𝕗𝕠:
* Genre- Fantasy Romance
* 📖 462 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
* 𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 solo 𝗣𝗢𝗩
* 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲- August 25, 2026
* 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 or 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 driven?𝒜 ℳ𝒾𝓍
* 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 & 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗻𝗼- series unknown, book 1
* 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 on 𝗞𝗨? ✅𝒴ℯ𝓈
* 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗲- 𝓂ℯ𝒹𝒾𝓊𝓂
* 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? ❌ Not particularly. I remembered the characters much more easily than the actual events of the plot whenever I put the book down.
* 𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? (Disability, plus size, mental health etc...)❌
* ℳℴℴ𝒹𝓈; 𝑀𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠, 𝑅𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐, 𝑀𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙, 𝑇𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒, 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝐸𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙
* 𝒟𝒾𝒹 𝒾 ℯ𝓃𝒿ℴ𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈?✅
* 𝒲𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓃ℯ𝓍𝓉 𝒷ℴℴ𝓀 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓈ℯ𝓇𝒾ℯ𝓈?✅
* 𝒲ℴ𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 ℯ𝓁𝓈ℯ 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽ℴ𝓇?✅
* 𝖂𝖍𝖔 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖎 𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖔? Readers who love traditional romantasy, shadow daddies, hidden powers, royal secrets, slow-burn yearning, forced proximity and books where half the fun is trying to work out who the hell is lying.


⚜️𝕊ℙ𝔼ℂ𝕀𝔼𝕊 𝕀ℕ 𝕊𝕋𝕆ℝ𝕐:
💋𝐻𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑠
🧙‍♀️𝔚𝔦𝔱𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔰
🧝‍♀️𝔽𝕒𝕖

⚜️𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕤:
🔥𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧
🥵𝒟𝒾𝓇𝓉𝓎 𝒯𝒶𝓁𝓀
💘ᖴᗩKᗴ ᗪᗩTIᑎᘜ
🫦Oᴘᴘᴏsɪᴛᴇs Aᴛᴛʀᴀᴄᴛ
🗡 𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨
💋𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸ℯ 𝒾𝓃𝒸𝓇ℯ𝒶𝓈ℯ𝓈 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 ℯ𝒶𝒸𝒽 𝒷ℴℴ𝓀
🌡𝕐𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝔸𝕟𝕘𝕤𝕥, 𝕋𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟
🧩 Forced Proximity
💋 Passion without full payoff… yet


⚜️𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊
⚜️ℋℯ𝒾𝓇 𝓉ℴ 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓉𝒽𝓇ℴ𝓃ℯ
👑 Commoner x Royalty
😈 Shadow Daddy
💈 ᗷᗩᑎTᗴᖇ
🧬 Hidden / Unknown Powers
🤫 Secrets & Betrayals
🔮 Mysteries
🪧 Political Intrigue
🎭 Hidden Identities / He’s Not All He Seems
🧸 𝐹𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦
🧩 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒚
🔒 He Kidnaps Her
☠️𝕋𝕠𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕...
💘 Fake Relationship
🔥 Slow Burn
🔺 Rival Love Interests
📚 GIANT LIBRARY!
🧨𝕊𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕪 𝔽𝕄ℂ


✨ TᕼᗴᗰᗴՏ ✨
Identity • Belonging • Family • Power • Trust • Loyalty • Self-discovery • Secrets • Political power • Finding where you belong

📝Cliff Notes Review-
This was a strange one because there was actually a lot happening, yet whenever I put it down to get something done I wasn’t desperate to pick it back up. Worse, when I eventually did, I’d regularly have to remind myself what the bloody book was about and what everyone was currently doing. 😂 I almost DNF’d at around 15%, but I’m glad I stuck with it because there is a genuinely intriguing story underneath that disconnect.

There are mysteries, political intrigue, unknown powers, family secrets, rival love interests and several different subplots ticking away at once. Trying to figure out who the mysterious villain actually was definitely helped keep me reading. Unfortunately, despite everything happening, the story itself just didn’t have that addictive “one more chapter and THEN I’ll do the washing” quality for me.

Where the book really shines is its characters. Their individual arcs, friendships, rivalries and romantic relationships felt believable, and I became considerably more invested in them than I did the actual plot. The character growth was probably my favourite part of the book.

The writing itself is beautiful, although sometimes perhaps too whimsical and descriptive for its own good. There are some gorgeous descriptions and beautifully constructed passages, but occasionally I found myself skim-reading through all the decorative language just to discover what the character’s actual thought, intention or plan was. Pretty prose is lovely, but once I’m digging through it looking for the point, we’ve got a problem. 😂

“Once I've tasted you, I wouldn't be able to stop.”

😥 𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕟𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤?
The easiest way I can explain it is that I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but I didn’t particularly care when I wasn’t. There was no magnetic pull dragging me back into the story.

For a book containing this many mysteries, secrets, subplots and revelations, I shouldn’t have needed to remind myself what was happening every time I returned to it. I nearly DNF’d early on, and although I’m glad I persevered, it never became completely immersive for me.

 “All you have to do is behave, and I'll release you. Just ask.”
“I would never ask you-“
“Most females beg, in fact.”

🌍 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘:
The foundations are really promising. We have fae, shadow magic, royalty, political intrigue, hidden histories and plenty of questions surrounding both Imogen and Kaed. There is enough worldbuilding to understand what’s happening while deliberately leaving mysteries for later books.

Genevieve Addison can write some genuinely beautiful prose. The descriptions can be almost lyrical, and there were plenty of little details I enjoyed simply for the way they were written. Unfortunately, that occasionally worked against the pacing. Some thoughts and descriptions became so elaborate that I’d find myself scanning ahead looking for the actual conclusion of the thought.

The pacing was also uneven for me. There are bursts where the mysteries and danger push everything forward nicely, but other sections slowed considerably. That’s probably why a book containing so many moving pieces somehow still failed to become addictive.

“What do you want to call me?”
“Bastard would do.”

🧝‍♂️ ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤:
This is where the book won me over. Imogen’s journey from a magicless fae who doesn’t entirely belong in either world into someone beginning to uncover her identity and potential gives her a satisfying character arc. I didn’t always connect with her internal monologue, but I enjoyed watching her grow.

Kaed delivers exactly what the packaging promises: mysterious morally-grey royal, shadow powers, hidden motives and enough emotional baggage to fill that giant library. 😂 Their relationship is a genuine slow burn, with plenty of yearning, attraction and tension rather than immediately jumping into bed together.

But the friendships and side characters deserve just as much credit. The best friends, rivals and competing love interests weren’t simply furniture arranged around the main couple. Their relationships developed alongside the central story, and I cared about what happened to them.

“Kaed was everything I wanted to taste and everything I shouldn't.”

⏳ 𝕎𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕚 𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕠𝕣 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕?
Recommend? Yes, to the right reader. If those tropes above are your romantasy catnip, there’s plenty here to enjoy.

Re-read? Yes, but with a condition. I’ll probably reread it immediately before book two because I already know I’ll have forgotten too many of the details by then. I wouldn’t pick it up again purely because I fancied experiencing the story another time. And I think that distinction says quite a lot.

“You can fight me for eternity, until the sands of forever and never meet. Until the Crown Oaks are ash on the wind. But I won't stop protecting you.”

🪧𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
Taken by Shadows has all the ingredients of a romantasy I should have inhaled: a gorgeous cover, shadow daddy, kidnapping, forced proximity, hidden powers, royalty, fake relationship, rival love interests, mysteries, found family and, most importantly, A GIANT LIBRARY. 📚🖤

And yet… I didn’t inhale it.

I enjoyed it. I don’t regret reading it. The characters were strong, the mysteries kept me curious and I’m genuinely interested in discovering where the larger story goes. But it never got its claws quite deep enough into me. When I closed the book, I could happily leave it closed.

So this lands at ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 for me: I’m glad I read it, I’ll continue the series and I’d recommend it to the right romantasy reader, but I wanted more.

𝐹𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠;

𝕋𝕚𝕜𝕋𝕠𝕜
https://www.tiktok.com/@your_bookish_...

IᑎՏTᗩ
https://www.instagram.com/your_bookis...

 

***********************

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕊𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕤:
⭐️ DNF

⭐️⭐️
I managed to finish it but it was rubbish. I won't keep a physical copy and won't recommend it, but  it's a shame as the plot could have made a good book in another author's hands

⭐️⭐️.5
It was OK. I wish I didn't start this one as it didn't do it for me as I struggled to read it. It had an interesting premise that fell flat but I had to see what happened in the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don't regret reading it, and I will read the next one, but this one did have a few flaws. [These could be repetitive writing, gaps or plot holes, better character growth or world building, areas needing more detail]
Generally, the book lacked depth and became confusing. The plot resonated with me even though it annoyed me on the whole.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I'm glad I read it. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to the right people, but I wanted more! Sadly, it's easily forgettable with a few issues I just couldn't overlook/get past.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Good book! I loved it, but... I needed more! I really did enjoy it, but it had a few parts that needed more detail or added history/background or lore. But that's because the story or characters were memorable, and the plot was strong with brilliant twists. I would re-read if I needed to catch up for the next book and would recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Great book! I truly wish the story had been thought about more, or the author had been given more time as this book is so close to brilliance! I will likely read again and will definitely be recommending it to all!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WOW! Absolutely amazing book! Well written with great characters and a plot so memorable that it will stay with me. I will definitely read this again, I will be recommending it and sharing it with the whole world! Also- I NEED A PHYSICAL COPY!

🔥⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🔥
This is my God level tier. The book must be perfectly memorable. Even after reading 50+ more books, I will remember character names and emotions along with the plot. If there is a special edition, then I need to own it! If there is a conversation on books- I'm talking about this!

 SPICE SCALE:
🌶️– segsual language and a little on-page action / fade to black

🌶️🌶️– a lot of segsual language and some on-page open door action, may be occurring a couple of times

🌶️🌶️🌶️– a lot of explicit action and dirty talk, occurring frequently with 2/3 lurvers

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – super graphic and explicit, occurring 4 or more times, can be more grey and taboo themed.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – Kinks and Fet!shism, explicit and super graphic. It is likely to be tushy play, toys, playrooms, and more

[Mrs.MorallyGrayReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welp… THAT was not the ending I was expecting. I’m going to riot. I need answers, and I’m definitely going to need some more chili peppers next time.

Taken by the Shadows was a fun, well-paced romantasy packed with yearning, flirting, banter, mystery, and one painfully slow burn. I LOVE a slow burn, but this one takes the cake. The tension kept building and building, and I already know book two is going to be WILD.

The plot had me intrigued from the beginning, and I really enjoyed the mystery woven throughout the story. The side characters were incredibly likable too, which made the world that much more fun to get lost in.

Imogen is headstrong, stubborn, and made some choices that had me frustrated, but what saved her character for me was her self-awareness. Her actions eventually come full circle, and she recognizes that her decisions have consequences. I can appreciate a flawed FMC when she actually owns those flaws.

Kaed, the MMC, is special. That is all I’m going to say. I just want to hug him, love him, and protect him at all costs.

Overall, this was such a fun read, and I absolutely whipped through it. That ending has me desperate to know what happens next, and after THAT slow burn, book two better bring the heat.

If you love fae romantasy, painfully delicious slow burns, yearning, banter, mystery, and characters you’ll quickly get attached to, I definitely recommend picking this one up.

[BlueWaterLily · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review: I was given an advanced copy of this book by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Out now.

Overall, I enjoyed this romantasy. It had everything I'm looking for in this genre: immersive world-building, interesting characters, a steamy romance, and plot that kept me engaged.

I liked the protagonist, Imogen. She was had an interesting backstory and I liked her character development. I was a bit confused at times about her motivations and why she made certain choices but she was a likeable character. I liked the romance, but I wish it was a little more slowburn.

I wish the premise of the story was a little bit stronger. At the beginning, it was reliant on Imogen withholding key information, but once the story properly started, I started to enjoy it.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book when it's released, especially after that ending. Thank you to the author for sending me this ARC.

[Lina · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

✨ 4.5/5 ⭐ | Taken by Shadows by Genevieve Addison 🖤

My first read with the Are You Afraid of the Dark Book Club 📖🖤

ACOTAR girlies, I think I've found another shadow daddy for us! 👀🔥

I genuinely enjoyed this romantasy debut! The premise had me intrigued, the chemistry between Imogen and Kaed was delicious, and can we PLEASE appreciate a strong FMC who isn't afraid to stand her ground?!

🖤 Morally grey shadow daddy
✨ Fake dating
🔥 Slow burn
⚔️ Strong FMC
🌙 Magic, secrets & intrigue

The world Genevieve has created has so much potential, and I'm excited to see where this story takes us next!

A solid 4.5 stars from me! 💜

A big thank you to the Are You Afraid of the Dark Book Club for letting me be part of it! Looking forward to more reads with you all! 🖤

📖 Have you read this one yet, or is it going straight onto your TBR?

[Amolee Patel · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I liked many things about this! It started with a really fun premise. As a girl who is forever a sucker for a tortured, brooding but snarky shadow daddy, I loved the MMC and his introduction(s) to our FMC. The story has lovable side characters, an imperfect, slightly lost FMC, a compelling mystery and political intrigue, with a big bad we haven’t even met yet. The vibes are dark and mysterious, and I thought the world-building in this story was so interesting. I think it just fell a little flat for me in parts where the pacing slowed down, and the FMC’s internal monologue got a little repetitive. I DO think it set up a WHOLE LOT for book 2 (going to Hayden? Meeting the Fae King? Finding a Fae witch?) though, so I will definitely be continuing!

[Michelle Robichaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, thank you for trusting me with your ARC!

What can I even say about this one? Other than 🤩 🤯

I really enjoyed reading this incredible book! It had a little bit of everything in it! My fav tropes, a phenomenal plot, characters who are great, slooooow burn, a dark and broody MMC and FMC who is finding herself (don’t we all feel like that at some point) I loved it! And the cliffhanger ending.. I might die! I need to know what happens..

It kept me on the edge of my seat and really packed a punch the last 25%

TROPES

⛓he abdűcts her
💖forced proximity
🩶morally grey MMC💜hidden identities
🖤shadows > ropes
✨intrigue
❤fake relationship
🌶spice
🔥slow burn

[Jen N · Rating 4 out of 5]

eARC Review 3.75 stars (rounded up on the rating)

This book had the fun romance and banter you expect for a romantasy story. I enjoyed the story and I can see how the author is building up for the next book. Which I do intend to read.

The MMC Kaed I like alot more then the FMC. His actions made sense and I thought his character was well put together.

The FMC Imogen, I could not connect with at all. She was all over the place, her decisions did not line up and her behavior in the story just fell flat. I could not see much character growth in her.

I love the found family that is one of my favorite tropes recently.

Overall, I am looking forward to see where the author takes the next book.

[shut.up.moms.reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great debut novel! Thank you to Genevieve Addison and Whimsy Words PR for the review copy in exchange for a voluntary review. Imogen is the only fae in her village and when she finally goes to discover her past she ends up being kidnapped by a shadow fae who wants her secrets but he has some hidden secrets too. The world building with rules for the magic system was well developed and organically revealed. The chemistry and banter in this book is fantastic. I loved the tension between Imogen and Kaed. Will they? Won’t they? They will and it is a delicious slow burn with spice. Kaed is a fantastic addition to the shadow daddy MMCs. He is possessive, cocky and will kill anyone that touches Imogen. I absolutely loved it. The ending was so good. I can’t wait for more. Tropes: he kidnaps her, Touch her and ☠️, slow burn with spice, forced proximity, fake relationship, and shadow ropes. You have to read this book!

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an enjoyable read! The writing was authentic, intriguing and really pulled you in from the start.

The character development with the FMC Imogen was exciting and the taut tension between herself and Kaed was so frustrating but gripping, it was a constant tease! Honestly a real slow burn and I loved it.

You’re introduced to some loveable characters along the way as well as some not so likeable ones and it’s really set the stage for the next part of Imogen’s journey of self discovery

[Katriona · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world building was immersive, I was sympathetic for Imogen from the beginning.
Imogen is a black sheep, lost & looking to fit in & Kaed is trying to fight something bigger than himself.
The plot was clear, a lot of building & then when you think we’re getting to the point, there’s a twist, and we build again.
Some of the points I managed to work out before the FMC & some of those really weren’t difficult. She reminded me of Feyre in the first ACOTAR BOOK.
Overall I enjoyed this read & hope read the conclusion soon.

[Lorraine · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This was an online bookclub pick for this month, my first read of Genevieve Addison. Whilst I did find parts of the story a little slow, my overall feelings on this book were positive. I feel like book two is really going to be awesome and I can’t wait to read it!

[Isabella Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖈𝖆𝖓 𝖋𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 𝖒𝖊 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖊𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖞, 𝖚𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖑 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖓𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝖒𝖊𝖊𝖙. 𝖀𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖑 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕮𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖓 𝕺𝖆𝖐𝖘 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖆𝖘𝖍 𝖔𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖓𝖉. 𝕭𝖚𝖙 𝕴 𝖜𝖔𝖓'𝖙 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖕 𝖕𝖗𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖞𝖔𝖚.”

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️ 2/5

VARIETY, PEOPLE. VARIETY. 💅🏻😂

Contrary to what my reading history may suggest, I don’t exclusively survive on mafia men, morally black psychopaths and dark masked stalkers who should absolutely be the subject of a Dateline episode.

Sometimes…

I READ ROMANTASY. ✨🧚🏻‍♀️

Not as much as mafia and dark romance, obviously.

I’m adventurous, not a completely different person.

😂

And apparently all you have to do to lure me over to the fantasy section is whisper…

“Shadow Daddy.”

👁️👄👁️

You have my attention.

Taken by Shadows by Genevieve Addison — 4 ⭐️

Genevieve is a new-to-me author, and this was SUCH a fun introduction to her writing.

We’ve got fae.

Magic.

Secrets.

Forced proximity.

Abduction.

Fake relationship.

Slow burn.

Morally gray MMC.

SHADOW BONDAGE.

………

I’m sorry.

You can just lead with that next time.

🧎🏻‍♀️😂

Our FMC, Imogen, has spent her entire life knowing she doesn’t quite belong.

She’s fae, but she was adopted and raised in a tiny village where she’s basically the only one of her kind.

She doesn’t have magic.

She doesn’t know where she came from.

She has QUESTIONS.

So naturally, she decides it’s finally time to leave home and search for answers about her biological family.

Which I support.

Love the independence.

Love the journey of self-discovery.

One tiny issue…

THIS WOMAN HAS THE SURVIVAL INSTINCTS OF A TODDLER IN A PARKING LOT.

😭😂

Imogen.

Baby.

PLEASE.

She gets attacked THREE TIMES IN TWO DAYS.

THREE.

At some point I wanted to crawl into my Kindle and hand this woman a pamphlet titled:

Situational Awareness: A Beginner’s Guide.

😂

Because there’s innocent…

There’s sheltered…

And then there’s Imogen walking directly toward danger like:

“I wonder what’s over there?”

GIRL.

DEATH. PROBABLY.

TURN AROUND. 😭

Her naivety definitely frustrated me in the beginning.

But thankfully…

SHE GROWS.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

And I actually really enjoyed watching that progression.

She goes from horrifyingly naive to…

Slightly less horrifyingly naive.

😂

PROGRESS IS PROGRESS.

But underneath that sheltered exterior, Imogen has a backbone.

She’s determined to find out where she came from, but she’s equally determined not to put the family who raised her in danger.

And when she’s attacked and refuses to give up the secret she’s carrying?

Well…

That’s when HE enters the chat.

KAEDIAN.

🧎🏻‍♀️🖤

Oh look.

Another morally gray fictional man for me to make terrible decisions over.

SHOCKING.

Kaedian is powerful.

Dark.

Mysterious.

Fae.

Morally gray.

Has daddy issues.

Can control shadows.

AND ABDUCTS HER.

🚩

Okay.

And then he starts using literal shadow bonds to restrain her.

………

🚩?

👀

I’m going to need everyone to mind their own business.

THIS IS A JUDGMENT-FREE SPACE.

😂🧎🏻‍♀️

Because apparently we’ve unlocked another extremely predictable weakness of mine:

Men who can manipulate shadows.

Why are shadow daddies ALWAYS hot?!

Someone explain the science.

Give a morally gray man some darkness swirling around his hands and suddenly I’m like:

Maybe the kidnapping had context.

😭😂

And THEN Genevieve tells me this man smells like…

Orange blossoms. Amber. Bergamot.

Ma’am.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

😩

Because apparently my standards have now evolved beyond:

Is he dangerous?

Is he obsessed?

Would he k!ll for her?

Now we’re including:

Does the morally gray shadow daddy smell expensive?

💅🏻😂

And Kaedian apparently DOES.

The chemistry between Imogen and Kaedian was exactly what I want from this kind of romantasy.

Because he ABDUCTED HER.

So please…

Don’t have them making googly eyes at each other fourteen pages later.

MAKE THEM WORK FOR IT.

👏🏻

And we get the slow burn.

We get the forced proximity.

We get the distrust.

We get the bargaining.

We get Imogen trying to understand this extremely powerful male who clearly knows more than he’s telling her.

And gradually…

Those lines start blurring.

👀

Because Kaedian has secrets.

Imogen has secrets.

Everyone apparently has f*cking secrets.

And meanwhile something much bigger and darker is happening around them.

Then the dynamic FLIPS.

Because eventually Kaedian—the man who abducted HER—is arrested and thrown into a cage.

And Imogen?

HAS THE KEY.

😏

Ohhhh.

How the turn tables.

😂👏🏻

Because now SHE gets to decide.

Walk away?

Protect herself?

Keep her secrets?

Or free the dangerous shadow daddy who kidnapped her and somehow managed to worm his morally gray a$$ into her feelings along the way?

Personally…

I’d free him.

But we’ve already established that I should never be consulted about fictional risk assessment.

🧎🏻‍♀️😂

What I really enjoyed about this story was that while it uses a lot of recognizable romantasy tropes, it didn’t feel like I was reading the exact same book I’ve read fifteen times before.

Because listen…

The romantasy formula is FORMULA-ING lately.

Fae.

Mysterious powers.

Morally gray man.

Enemies-ish to lovers.

Someone has wings.

Someone has shadows.

Someone is secretly royalty.

😂

And I LOVE those things.

Obviously.

But you still have to make me CARE about your version of them.

Genevieve did.

The world was interesting without giving me a 47-page history lesson before anything happened.

The mystery surrounding Imogen’s origins kept me curious.

Kaedian’s secrets kept me suspicious.

And the larger conflict unfolding in the background gave me enough unanswered questions that I NEED to know where this story is going.

But most importantly…

THE ROMANCE ROMANCED.

😩✨

Slow burn will either have me feral or make me want to throw my Kindle across the room.

There is no middle ground.

This one had enough tension to keep me invested without making me scream:

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD JUST TOUCH EACH OTHER.

😂

And can we PLEASE discuss the fact that this doesn’t end on some absolutely VIOLENT cliffhanger?!

THANK YOU.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Authors lately have apparently decided the appropriate way to end every fantasy book is:

Someone dies.

Someone betrays everyone.

Someone discovers they’re secretly the queen of something.

A war begins.

THE END.

And then I’m supposed to wait eighteen months?!

ABSOLUTELY NOT. 😭

Taken by Shadows leaves plenty unanswered.

There’s clearly MUCH more story coming.

I have theories.

I have questions.

I need answers.

But I wasn’t left staring at my Kindle contemplating whether launching it directly into drywall would be covered by my warranty.

WE LOVE THAT. 😂

This was such a solid 4-star romantasy for me and a really strong first experience with Genevieve Addison.

Was Imogen’s naivety occasionally testing my last nerve?

Yes.

Did I eventually forgive her?

Also yes.

Because her growth throughout the story made it worth sticking with her.

And Kaedian?

Well.

He’s a morally gray shadow daddy with issues who smells like orange blossoms, amber and bergamot.

I WAS NEVER GOING TO WIN THAT BATTLE.

🧎🏻‍♀️

If you love romantasy, fae, morally gray MMCs, shadow daddies, forced proximity, abduction, fake relationships, slow burns, mysterious heroines, secret pasts and magical men who could absolutely ruin your life but smell phenomenal while doing it…

Add this one to your list. ✨🖤

4 ⭐️

And look at me!

No mafia.

No hockey.

No serial k!llers.

No masked stalkers.

Just a completely reasonable fantasy romance about a powerful man abducting a woman and restraining her with magical shadows.

…

PERSONAL GROWTH. 💅🏻😭😂

Now…

Genevieve.

WHERE THE F*CK IS BOOK TWO?!

Because I have questions.

And more importantly…

I NEED MY SHADOW DADDY BACK. 🧎🏻‍♀️🖤✨

[Zehra__reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I absolutely flew through Taken by Shadows! Genevieve's writing style is gorgeous - it pulled me into the story so effortlessly that I didn't want to put it down. It felt immersive, like I was walking alongside the characters and had an addicting quality. The story had the perfect balance of tension, emotion, and intrigue, and I loved slowly uncovering all the secrets.

I enjoyed Imogen's character arc and absolutely loved Kaed. He can do no wrong in my book. I appreciated the side characters and how they brought the story together.

Genevieve promised slow burn and did she deliver!! The burn was worth the wait.

Then came that ending... I genuinely didn't see the twist coming, and it completely changed the way I looked at everything that came before it.

There were a couple of moments where I wanted the pacing to move just a little quicker. But overall, this was such an immersive read, and now I need to know what happens next!

[Cristy Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taken by Shadows is incredibly scrumptious. The writing is impeccable, as is the storyline. You will immediately fall in love with the FMC as she is strong willed, a fighter, and confident.

Genevieve also gives us one of the best MMC who is utterly delicious. I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves a good Romantasy, but be warned…. this one is addictive and you will be reeling at the cliffhanger. It’s perfect and will leave you begging for book 2.

[Jessica · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

After recently returning to my favourite fantasy world (containing a certain War College), and subsequently re-reading its entire series; it was crucial for me to peruse further books with shadow daddies. Enter a book from an Irish author that I've heard exceptional reviews about and the shadow daddy that I've been informed countless times was missing from my life.

Our FMC is a magic-less fae raised by humans, called Imogen. Never truly feeling like she belonged, she ventures out on a mission to uncover the truth about her real family. Imogen begins as terribly naive, not perceiving the intricacies of how anything functions outside of her home. Consequently, she struggles to understand how she is expected to survive investigating by herself when so many people are opposed to her kind. The inner drive to undoubtedly belong is a driving force for everyone and the manner in which it's composed is ingenious. You empathise with Imogen needing to discover her truth. Courtesy of Imogen, Genevieve provides us with a beautiful message: just because you look different, it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you or that you don't truly belong somewhere. Imogen was such a captivating character, I adored how she was expressed at every point throughout this book. From her naive beginnings to maturing slowly in confidence, she is surrounded by the family she may have not wanted, but undeniably deserved. Without a doubt, Imogen is a stand out FMC, I eagerly await seeing what book 2 holds in store for her.

The morally grey shadow daddy I was sorely missing from my life arrives in the shape of Kaedian, our stories MMC. He is pompous, condescending, arrogant, and only desires to serve the King in any way that protects himself. However, looks can be deceiving. Through Kaedian, Genevieve teaches us: no matter what people think they know about you, they will never understand the full scope of the truth. Discovering the horrors that Kaedian experienced at the hands of his own family was torturous. Whenever we received a breadcrumb of information, my heart grieved for him. Up until we delved into the truth of his past, I didn't believe it would be too horrific. Alas, I was sorely mistaken. My heart broke and I shed several tears. The relationship between Kaedian and Imogen was the one I cherished most. They originated as true enemies, scrutinising each other with disdain. As the plot advances they gingerly begin to tolerate each other as friends and co-conspirators to a grander scheme. Towards the latter half of the book, it transforms again into infatuation with passion simmering just underneath the surface. I adore the slow-burn romance trope, in this book it was written perfectly! I'm enthusiastic to see how their relationship develops in book 2.

Out of all of the side characters that are featured, Gavrin was my favourite. A mighty, powerful, intensely dedicated fae male with the humour of a jester. On numerous occasions I found myself laughing at whatever he was saying. He was the ideal comic relief for everyone during all the apprehensive and precarious situations. He was indeed the finest person Kaedian could have acquired in his life. In their interest of Kaedian's life and happiness, it was crucial for him to have Gavrin as a close friend and ally.

I wish the pacing maintained itself throughout the entire story. On occasion, around the middle of the book, it started to slow down. The characters consumed a great deal of time researching information; it completely stalled the momentum of the story. I'm mindful that matters shouldn't be occurring constantly. However, when multiple back-to-back chapters are centered on researching in the library, it tended to feel a touch repetitive. Thankfully, it didn't occur for too many chapters, the pace improved towards the end.

Overall, I throughly adored this book. The characters, plot, world-building, and the magic; everything was painstakingly crafted by Genevieve to utter flawlessness. Everytime I attempted to halt my reading, I thought to myself, "just one more chapter." We all know how that goes... With the seemingly open ending, featuring some damming information, I'm desperate to know what transpires next. I'm ecstatic and eagerly anticipating the arrival of book 2 in The Four Corner Crowns series!

[Why Choose Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes all you need is a shadow daddy who smells of orange blossoms, amber and bergamot.

Taken by Shadows is a romantasy packed with fae, magic, political intrigue, secrets, kidnapping, forced proximity and a very mysterious MMC. Basically, all the things that normally have me happily ignoring my responsibilities.

Our FMC Imogen is sweet, stubborn and, at times, spectacularly naive. There were definitely moments where I wanted to shake her and ask what the fuck she was thinking, but considering how sheltered she's been, I could understand why she made some of the decisions she did.

I really enjoyed watching her grow throughout the book. She starts off knowing very little about the wider world and gradually becomes much more confident in herself and what she wants.

And then our MMC Kaed.

Mysterious, broody, morally grey and blessed with shadow magic. Obviously I was going to like him.

He's difficult to read at first, but I enjoyed slowly getting to know him and figuring out what was going on behind that very controlled exterior. His banter with Imogen was also one of my favourite things about the book.

Imogen leaves her small village to search for answers about her past and discover where she comes from. Unfortunately, her journey doesn't exactly go according to plan.

After finding herself in increasingly dangerous situations, Imogen is eventually kidnapped by Kaed and taken to a foreign city. He wants the secret she's carrying, while Imogen has absolutely no intention of simply handing it over.

As they spend more time together, their situation develops into something considerably more complicated, involving forced proximity, a fake relationship, political intrigue, hidden identities, secrets and shifting loyalties.

Alongside the romance, there's a larger mystery surrounding Imogen's past and the powers she may possess, as well as the history and politics of the fae world. There are also rival love interests, found family and plenty of questions about who can actually be trusted.

The story gradually builds towards a series of reveals and twists, with the final chapters bringing quite a few things to light.

There was a lot about this book that I really enjoyed. The worldbuilding is detailed and immersive, the characters are well developed and there were enough mysteries and secrets to keep me interested in finding out what was actually going on.

The writing is also beautiful. Genevieve Anderson clearly has a talent for creating atmosphere, and there were plenty of passages I highlighted simply because I loved the way they were written. Although, occasionally, I did find myself skimming through some of the more elaborate descriptions because I was ready for the story to get on with it. 😂

My biggest issue was the romance. I **knew** this was going to be a slow burn, so that wasn't a surprise. I just didn't realise quite how fucking slow it was going to be. 😂

There is a ridiculous amount of tension and yearning between Imogen and Kaed, but the actual progression is very limited for a large part of the book. Usually, I'm perfectly happy to suffer through a slow burn when the payoff makes it worthwhile, but here I found myself wanting more of the actual relationship rather than watching them continually circle around each other.

The pacing was also a little uneven for me, with some sections feeling slower than others, and the descriptive writing occasionally added to that.

That ultimately brought this down to three stars for me. I enjoyed the book, liked the characters and thought the world was really interesting, but the romance is such a big part of the story that the lack of progression did affect my overall enjoyment.

I am still interested in continuing the series, though. There are enough unanswered questions and loose threads that I'm curious to see where Genevieve Anderson takes it next.
The book contains themes of kidnapping, captivity, threats, violence, blood, death, grief, manipulation, coercion and darker fantasy themes.

[୨୧○• Erin •○୨୧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advanced reader copy sent by the Author.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 stars

What to expect:
He abducts her • forced proximity • morally grey mmc • hidden identities • shadow ropes • intrigue •fake relationship • slow burn • found family •

I loved this book. It was such an easy book to binge and stay up way too late. If you're a fan of intriguing plots, secrets, betrayals, yearning and a hot mmc with shadows then this is perfect for you.

We follow our FMC Imogen, growing up she is the only fae in her little village and she felt like she never belonged. She needs to find out the truth about her past, so she sets off to find answers.
But her journey is not an easy one and she faces quite a few obstacles along the way, including being captured and taken to a foreign city until she decides to cooperate and tell them what they want to know.
How long will Imogen be able to keep her secret?

I really enjoyed Imogens character growth throughout this book. She really starts off not knowing much about the Fae and who she is. But along the way she really starts to come into herself. She starts questioning everything. She is extremely stubborn she won't back down and just give people what they want even if it scares her. 👏🏽
She does make some choices that I was like no... why.. this isn't going to end well. 🫣

Our MMC Kaedian, this man... 🥵🔥wow! I loved his character; he is mysterious and broody. You can tell he's been through it, and it has really shaped him into who he is today and why he makes the decisions he does. When you break through that rough exterior, he can be very sweet, I love his nickname for Imogen. He is extremely protective and possessive. And gets himself into trouble over it. What a man! 🫠 10/10

Don't get me started with the yearning and chemistry between these too holy moly.... I was eating this up! It's a slow burn, we get to experience the development of the feelings with yearning, the added tension from the forced proximity, and the fake relationship... the restraint they both show. Fantastic! Spicy scenes were great, loved the use of his magic in some scenes...!!

"Trust me peach, Youve never met anyone like me before."

The worldbuilding was outstanding, the Author covers everything with such detail. I knew everything I needed to know at that time, it was so easy to follow along. Very immersive, I could picture everything very easily.
I loved learning about the history and the vibe from the war. Feeding us little bits of information to put together.

The plot was interesting, I wouldn't say fast paced but honestly the perfect pace for this book. We got political intrigue, betrayals, so many secrets and plot twists. A good amount of action scenes with high stakes.

Some fantastic side characters, I loved Audrie. She was such a lovely kind and supportive friend to Imogen. Gavrin was the loyal sidekick for Kaed, and their banter was great. 👏🏽

Wow the ending was packed full of plot twists and reveals, I didn't see coming. I thought I might have an idea, but I was wrong 🤣 and I loved that, this book does make you question everything.

Cannot wait to continue this series in the next book...I have questions that need answering 😉

Highly recommend this one.

Thank you so much to the Author for sending me a copy of your book. 🩷

[PsBookRealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm leaning more towards 3.75 stars, but I'm rounding up. ⭐

Okay, first of all, I was really happy to be part of the ARC team for Taken by Shadows. I fell in love with the character art on Genevieve's Instagram, so I'd definitely recommend checking that out!

I love reviewing indie authors' books and helping promote them, but this is still an entirely honest review. :)

The plot
Imogen is Fae. A Fae with no magic. She never really felt like she belonged, as she grew up around humans. So one day, she decides to leave the small city she grew up in to learn more about her origins, find out who her parents might have been, and what happened to them after they left her with humans.
But on her journey, she's attacked by humans and ends up being saved by a group of Fae. The thing is, she has something they're very interested in, so they take her captive, and Imogen ends up striking a bargain with their leader.

My thoughts
Honestly, I had kind of a hard time with our FMC. She's obnoxiously cocky, does the exact opposite of what's she's told, and keeps getting herself into trouble — and all of that can sometimes be cool! But I don't know... with her in these scenarios, I just became annoyed by her. 😅
She's in her 20s and I'm in my 30s with kids, and I just felt like she behaved like one. But maybe that's just how people in their 20s are? 😂

I needed to get past 50–60% before I really became invested. Usually, I enjoy worldbuilding, character banter, and things slowly developing as the characters get to know each other and we get a better understanding of the world. But here, I was mostly left with the feeling that not much was really happening.
I also don't quite understand Imogen's logic sometimes. She wants to find her parents, but she doesn't ask any of the Fae about anything related to them? I mean, what's the risk in asking? You have to start somewhere, so I didn't really understand why she kept that to herself for so long. There's a lot of focus on her wanting to protect her "current" human family.
I also found it a little odd that she wanted to look for mentions of Faebane in the library instead of being like, "Hey, we can travel around and see if I can find something for you! And then I can look for my family at the same time!" I mean... win-win, right? 😂 But that's just me.

BUT this may sound negative, but we're all different, so what doesn't work for me might still work perfectly for you!
AND during the last 40%, I felt like we started connecting more with the MMC, who I actually like a lot. I still don't quite understand his interest in Imogen, but I feel like he's a classic shadow daddy with a big heart (for those he cares about) and a hell of a lot of trauma. Just how we like them! 🖤

But from here on, things really start to pick up, with political intrigue unfolding and our protagonists slowly putting the pieces of the puzzle together.
I found quite a few things predictable, but we still have pieces of the puzzle missing and some loose ends, so I'm definitely still invested in continuing the series and seeing how the story unfolds.

SO OVERALL
It was a pleasant read, and if you like these tropes, you should definitely consider giving this one a try:

- Political intrigue
- Fake relationship
- Secrets and manipulation
- Shadow daddy
- Hidden identity

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Genevieve Addison and Whimsywords PR For this ARC💜✨️

This book felt like one of those romantasy books that reminded me why I fell in love with the genre in the first place. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the vibes were absolutely perfect.

I did guess a few twists and turns, so eventually I got a little cocky and became way too sure of myself. But towards the end of the book, a few things genuinely shocked me. Those last few chapters were a wild ride for sure🥵

While this book brought back all the feelings I’ve had while reading a few other romantasies, I thought most of it felt very unique. The way the magic worked, how Imogen's secrets played a role, the politics... it was all so well done and so interesting.

Our darling girlie, the FMC, Imogen, is so precious. When she went off on Kaed for not appreciating beauty??? I loved her. She is so smart and so kind, but oh loooord, was she naive??? There were times when I wanted to yell at the poor girl. But honestly, it felt fitting considering her background. She’s spent her entire life in that tiny village and never really had any friends, so her being naive and trusting people too easily actually makes sense within the story and her background. Doesn’t mean I didn’t want to shake her at times, because oh lord, she really kept me on my toes.

The MMC, Kaed, took me a while to get to know. He felt unattainable, distant, and hard to read. Although I never really saw him as ruthless or mean (and I don’t think our FMC did either?), I just couldn’t quite figure him out. Their banter was so enjoyable, with just the right amount of bite without ever becoming too cutthroat. And the tension??? Delicious.
This is sloooooow burn. And when I finally thought we were getting a kiss, we were INTERRUPTED! Goosshhh. The tension, the banter, it was sizzling.

This book is SO well done. The writing is beautiful, and the setting is described so well that I genuinely feel like I’m there. The characters are written so well, too, and in a way that makes their choices and actions understandable. Even when I wanted to scream at them, I could understand why they acted the way they did.

And the author, Genevieve, is fantastic. Oh my god, her writing is right up my alley. I highlighted SO many paragraphs and I bet other people would find some of them weird because they don’t really tell us anything about the plot. It’s just such beautiful, magical, dreamy prose. Love it!

I feel like this book is just the beginning (hehe, it is...). We only got a glimpse of what this world and story have to offer, and I already have SO many questions and theories. I’m also fully preparing myself for heartbreak in the next few books because I just know it’s coming.