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Beneath the Shadows of Starlight
SHE THOUGHT MAGIC WAS A MYTH.
Until it answered her.
For twenty years, Lyra Alerain has lived beyond the Veil, believing kingdoms, wielders, and monsters existed only in forgotten stories.
Then one brutal night changes everything.
An ancient power awakens beneath her skin. A world she never knew existed comes looking for her. And the legendary Arcane Sanctum opens its gates to a girl who was never supposed to exist.
Thrown into a realm divided by elemental magic, Lyra must learn to wield a power she barely understands while surviving deadly trials and a Sanctum steeped in secrets older than the kingdoms themselves. But the deeper she ventures into this new world, the less its history begins to make sense and the more questions emerge about why she was hidden from it in the first place.
Then there's Kieran Nyxara.
The Sanctum's most feared shadow wielder.
Mysterious. Dangerous. Impossible to trust.
He knows the darkness better than anyone, and somehow, he always seems to know more about Lyra than he should. Yet the closer she gets to him, the harder it becomes to separate everything she has been taught to fear from the man standing in front of her.
And Kieran isn't the only one keeping secrets.
Something ancient is stirring beyond the Veil. Forgotten histories are beginning to surface. And Lyra is discovering that the power awakening inside her may be connected to something the world tried very hard to bury.
Because some powers were buried by history.
Some names were meant to be forgotten.
And somewhere beyond the Veil, the darkness has been waiting for the last star to rise.
Until it answered her.
For twenty years, Lyra Alerain has lived beyond the Veil, believing kingdoms, wielders, and monsters existed only in forgotten stories.
Then one brutal night changes everything.
An ancient power awakens beneath her skin. A world she never knew existed comes looking for her. And the legendary Arcane Sanctum opens its gates to a girl who was never supposed to exist.
Thrown into a realm divided by elemental magic, Lyra must learn to wield a power she barely understands while surviving deadly trials and a Sanctum steeped in secrets older than the kingdoms themselves. But the deeper she ventures into this new world, the less its history begins to make sense and the more questions emerge about why she was hidden from it in the first place.
Then there's Kieran Nyxara.
The Sanctum's most feared shadow wielder.
Mysterious. Dangerous. Impossible to trust.
He knows the darkness better than anyone, and somehow, he always seems to know more about Lyra than he should. Yet the closer she gets to him, the harder it becomes to separate everything she has been taught to fear from the man standing in front of her.
And Kieran isn't the only one keeping secrets.
Something ancient is stirring beyond the Veil. Forgotten histories are beginning to surface. And Lyra is discovering that the power awakening inside her may be connected to something the world tried very hard to bury.
Because some powers were buried by history.
Some names were meant to be forgotten.
And somewhere beyond the Veil, the darkness has been waiting for the last star to rise.
905 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 2, 2026
I came here from TikTok and accidentally binged the entire book 😭 I was HOOKED. The magic, found family, betrayals, and the tension between Lyra and Kieran??? Sooo good! I also got way more attached to the side characters than I was prepared for. And that ending?? I need book 2 immediately because WHAT WAS THAT?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2026
i NEED book 2 rnnnnnn
September 8, 2026
reallyyyyy really loved this one! the very unique world and magic system, lovable supporting characters, and direct dialogue-heavy style of writing made for a great read and i will be heavily anticipating the next one
September 9, 2026
wow!!!!!!
fantastic!!! I was expecting a book about magic and good v evil and some romantic tension but this was SO good! 900 pages flew by, very well written!
fantastic!!! I was expecting a book about magic and good v evil and some romantic tension but this was SO good! 900 pages flew by, very well written!
September 13, 2026
I genuinely don’t know how this book has not gone completely viral yet.
I am a romance girl through and through. Give me an emotionally damaged man, unbearable tension, pining, devastating angst, and enough chemistry to make me forget I have responsibilities, and I am a happy woman. 😂 So when I say that I went into Beneath the Shadows of Starlight expecting to primarily fall in love with the romance and the characters, but somehow ended up completely consumed by the entire world, I mean that as one of the highest compliments I can possibly give a book.
This is now my number one read of all time.
Going into this book, I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. But Emily R. Andrews absolutely stunned me with the way she builds this world. There is something incredibly special about being dropped into a world that feels enormous and complex without the author feeling the need to stop every five seconds and explain every tiny detail. The worldbuilding is immersive without becoming overwhelming. I never found myself skimming pages of exposition or feeling like I was being handed a textbook disguised as a fantasy novel. Instead, I felt like I was discovering the world alongside Lyra, and somehow that made everything feel so much more real.
The world is divided between humans and a magical realm known as the Veil, where people possess elemental abilities. Lyra believes she is an ordinary human girl until a devastating event causes something inside her to awaken, forcing her into an entirely different world and eventually to a school where she must learn to understand and control her powers.
And THAT is where things get delicious.
Because then we meet Kieran.
A professor of shadows.
A literal shadow daddy.
I rest my case. 😂
But what I loved most about Lyra and Kieran wasn’t simply the romance. It was watching these characters develop individually and together. Lyra’s journey is so much more than discovering that she has powers. She goes through trauma, fear, loss, anger, and transformation, and watching her slowly become this incredibly powerful version of herself was one of my favorite parts of the entire story. She doesn’t simply become powerful because the plot needs her to. You feel what she has endured shaping the person she becomes.
And the side characters?! Give me all of them.
Lyra’s friends brought so much life to the story, and their loyalty to one another made their relationships feel genuine rather than like convenient friendships thrown in to give the FMC people to talk to. I became invested in them. I wanted to know more about them. I wanted more of their stories.
And then there is Neseryn.
I absolutely adore a female antagonist who makes me want to simultaneously hate her, fear her, understand her, and know EVERYTHING about her. Neseryn is intimidating, fascinating, and feels like there is so much more beneath the surface. She isn’t simply there to be an obstacle for Lyra. There is a depth to her that made me desperate to understand her motivations and history, and I genuinely hope we get even more of her in the future.
The elemental magic system, the Veil, the school, the characters, the relationships, the history and mythology behind everything… it all felt like pieces of a much larger story, and somehow Emily managed to give me enough information to understand the world without stripping away its mystery.
And then there is the ending.
That fucking cliffhanger.
I genuinely thought I had started figuring out what was happening. I had theories. I felt clever. I was putting pieces together like I knew something.
I did not know shit. 😂
Emily Andrews blindsided me with the final revelations, and the information we get at the end completely changed the way I was looking at everything I had just read. It was the kind of ending that made me immediately want to go back through the book and look at everything differently.
This book surprised me in the best possible way.
I expected to love the romance.
I expected to become attached to the characters.
I did not expect to become completely obsessed with the world itself.
Emily R. Andrews has created a story that feels immersive, atmospheric, emotional, mysterious, and genuinely difficult to put down. The characters have depth. The world has history. The magic feels intriguing. The relationships matter. The antagonists are compelling. And the story constantly made me want to know what was hiding just beneath the surface.
There are books you enjoy.
There are books you recommend.
And then there are books that make you sit there afterward thinking, “What the hell am I supposed to read now?”
Beneath the Shadows of Starlight is that book for me.
I am honestly shocked this hasn’t exploded across the romance/fantasy community yet because Emily Andrews deserves to have this book in front of so many more readers.
If you love immersive fantasy, elemental magic, found family, powerful character development, complicated villains, delicious tension, and a certain very hot professor of shadows… please read this book.
Emily, you absolutely fucking nailed it. 🖤✨
I am a romance girl through and through. Give me an emotionally damaged man, unbearable tension, pining, devastating angst, and enough chemistry to make me forget I have responsibilities, and I am a happy woman. 😂 So when I say that I went into Beneath the Shadows of Starlight expecting to primarily fall in love with the romance and the characters, but somehow ended up completely consumed by the entire world, I mean that as one of the highest compliments I can possibly give a book.
This is now my number one read of all time.
Going into this book, I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. But Emily R. Andrews absolutely stunned me with the way she builds this world. There is something incredibly special about being dropped into a world that feels enormous and complex without the author feeling the need to stop every five seconds and explain every tiny detail. The worldbuilding is immersive without becoming overwhelming. I never found myself skimming pages of exposition or feeling like I was being handed a textbook disguised as a fantasy novel. Instead, I felt like I was discovering the world alongside Lyra, and somehow that made everything feel so much more real.
The world is divided between humans and a magical realm known as the Veil, where people possess elemental abilities. Lyra believes she is an ordinary human girl until a devastating event causes something inside her to awaken, forcing her into an entirely different world and eventually to a school where she must learn to understand and control her powers.
And THAT is where things get delicious.
Because then we meet Kieran.
A professor of shadows.
A literal shadow daddy.
I rest my case. 😂
But what I loved most about Lyra and Kieran wasn’t simply the romance. It was watching these characters develop individually and together. Lyra’s journey is so much more than discovering that she has powers. She goes through trauma, fear, loss, anger, and transformation, and watching her slowly become this incredibly powerful version of herself was one of my favorite parts of the entire story. She doesn’t simply become powerful because the plot needs her to. You feel what she has endured shaping the person she becomes.
And the side characters?! Give me all of them.
Lyra’s friends brought so much life to the story, and their loyalty to one another made their relationships feel genuine rather than like convenient friendships thrown in to give the FMC people to talk to. I became invested in them. I wanted to know more about them. I wanted more of their stories.
And then there is Neseryn.
I absolutely adore a female antagonist who makes me want to simultaneously hate her, fear her, understand her, and know EVERYTHING about her. Neseryn is intimidating, fascinating, and feels like there is so much more beneath the surface. She isn’t simply there to be an obstacle for Lyra. There is a depth to her that made me desperate to understand her motivations and history, and I genuinely hope we get even more of her in the future.
The elemental magic system, the Veil, the school, the characters, the relationships, the history and mythology behind everything… it all felt like pieces of a much larger story, and somehow Emily managed to give me enough information to understand the world without stripping away its mystery.
And then there is the ending.
That fucking cliffhanger.
I genuinely thought I had started figuring out what was happening. I had theories. I felt clever. I was putting pieces together like I knew something.
I did not know shit. 😂
Emily Andrews blindsided me with the final revelations, and the information we get at the end completely changed the way I was looking at everything I had just read. It was the kind of ending that made me immediately want to go back through the book and look at everything differently.
This book surprised me in the best possible way.
I expected to love the romance.
I expected to become attached to the characters.
I did not expect to become completely obsessed with the world itself.
Emily R. Andrews has created a story that feels immersive, atmospheric, emotional, mysterious, and genuinely difficult to put down. The characters have depth. The world has history. The magic feels intriguing. The relationships matter. The antagonists are compelling. And the story constantly made me want to know what was hiding just beneath the surface.
There are books you enjoy.
There are books you recommend.
And then there are books that make you sit there afterward thinking, “What the hell am I supposed to read now?”
Beneath the Shadows of Starlight is that book for me.
I am honestly shocked this hasn’t exploded across the romance/fantasy community yet because Emily Andrews deserves to have this book in front of so many more readers.
If you love immersive fantasy, elemental magic, found family, powerful character development, complicated villains, delicious tension, and a certain very hot professor of shadows… please read this book.
Emily, you absolutely fucking nailed it. 🖤✨
October 25, 2026
25% in and I can’t stand the fmc.
October 11, 2026
Okay I’m so glad I didn’t let the mixed reviews scare me away from this one because WHAT??? 😭 I swear some of the things people complained about were literally my favorite parts lol. I’ve seen people say there’s too much dialogue, that the pacing is too fast or too slow, that the worldbuilding is amazing or confusing. I personally had no trouble following anything and actually loved how much the characters interacted. It made them feel like actual people instead of just characters there to move the plot along. And the found family??? I LOVE THEM. Kieran had me giggling one minute and wanting to fight him the next. Lyra actually felt like a real person who makes mistakes and doesn’t always know what she’s doing, which I appreciated. And don’t even get me started on Neseryn because I have QUESTIONS.
I also don’t really understand the complaints about too much happening because it’s a 500+ page fantasy and the first book in a six-book series?? I WANT the lore, the drama, the complicated relationships, all of it lol. Is it perfect? No, but I’ve read plenty of traditionally published books with worse writing that people rave about. I was genuinely invested from beginning to end and that ending had me staring at my wall like an idiot. 😂 Obviously everyone has different tastes but I’m convinced some of us just want completely different things out of fantasy books, and that’s fine. Personally, I ate this up. Already impatient for book two.
I also don’t really understand the complaints about too much happening because it’s a 500+ page fantasy and the first book in a six-book series?? I WANT the lore, the drama, the complicated relationships, all of it lol. Is it perfect? No, but I’ve read plenty of traditionally published books with worse writing that people rave about. I was genuinely invested from beginning to end and that ending had me staring at my wall like an idiot. 😂 Obviously everyone has different tastes but I’m convinced some of us just want completely different things out of fantasy books, and that’s fine. Personally, I ate this up. Already impatient for book two.
October 3, 2026
I devoured this book. My cousin recommended it to me and all I can say is wow. I thought she was overhyping it but once I started it I couldn’t stop. It was a little slow at first but the pacing picked up along the way. I understand this is the first book in the series so a lot of framework was laid out and somethings weren’t answered or explained too much but I’m excited to read the next book and see where it takes us. The world building for being the first book was phenomenal as well as the attachments to the characters, I felt like I was in Edenlo’s square as it was ruined by the fire and the wraiths, the grief of the fmc was conveyed so beautifully (& my heart still aches), I did notice that character descriptions were a little lacking some more than others but I didn’t mind too much bc it allows you to kind of make your own idea of them, but again maybe it’s one of the things that will be explored more as the series goes on. The overall plot was intriguing in regards to the identities of certain characters, and that ending had me closing the book before I made it to the last line bc I needed time to process it. I will say the FMC did get on my nerves a little bit lol mostly in the way she handled the MMC lying to her which was one of the reasons this was a 4 star for me, but overall this was great for a debut and I will be on my way to preorder book 2!
October 7, 2026
The world and magic system in this one is good!
You know those books where the plot builds and changes, but eventually gets lost with too many turns? So much going on that you lose track of what is happening?This was NOT that. So many books I have read lose the plot so easily, especially fantasy. This one was successful in the story developing but making sense! Truly appreciate that.
You know those books where the plot builds and changes, but eventually gets lost with too many turns? So much going on that you lose track of what is happening?This was NOT that. So many books I have read lose the plot so easily, especially fantasy. This one was successful in the story developing but making sense! Truly appreciate that.
September 25, 2026
I loved the beginning and then it just dragged. The short one to three word sentences they had in their dialogue was grating and felt unnatural. And then the conversations would go in circles saying the same things over and over. The mmc would keep important information from her she’d get mad. He wouldn’t apologize and she’d just get over it until it happened again. I can’t tell you how many times I read “No. You don’t get to do that” only to do that again and again and he literally never apologized so why did she expect him to change ever? This book was just too dang long. The pacing was wack I felt like I was getting overwhelmed sometimes and bored to tears sometimes. So disappointing after a pretty good start. I did DNF I just couldn’t waste another couple of hours when I was not enjoying it.
October 2, 2026
This book could have been great.
Requires major editing. Parts dragged, there were loads of repeated phrases and there were times I could not discern who was speaking. I also found the character description lacking and the world building could have been better. I will read the next one with the hopes that some improvements are made.
Found the FMC to be a bit insufferable.
Requires major editing. Parts dragged, there were loads of repeated phrases and there were times I could not discern who was speaking. I also found the character description lacking and the world building could have been better. I will read the next one with the hopes that some improvements are made.
Found the FMC to be a bit insufferable.
September 27, 2026
Unfortuntly the three worded sentences and not knowing who was talking annoyed me too much for me to continue. On a side note, also found 'I dont know' and 'thats not what I asked' used so many times. Nothing wrong with that but just noticed it.
September 17, 2026
I really enjoyed this one. It definitely makes you work for some of the answers, which I actually liked honestly. Lyra gets to the Sanctum and is basically immediately thrown into the Crucible with no clue what she’s doing and I was like ??? 😭 but it really shows how cutthroat that place is. They do not care that she’s new, and it made sense that they were trying to push her to make her magic manifest.
And then the later Crucible scene with all the different versions of herself??? EPIC. Probably one of the best book scenes I’ve read in a while. I felt like I was watching a movie. Some of the worldbuilding isn’t explored as much as I wanted and there were things with the research and Codex that I had to really pay attention to, but it’s book one of six so I have a feeling a lot of it is going to click later.
The relationship was also way more of a slow burn than I expected lol. I kept waiting for them to FINALLY kiss and it took forever, but I liked that it wasn’t insta-love. And don’t even get me started on the actual 🌶️ scenes when we finally got them… the dome of shadows and an entire sky??? The Starfall??? He might be my new favorite shadow daddy lol.
The friendships felt really real and the grief was written SO well. You actually feel the loss throughout the book instead of everyone just moving on. And the reveal about Vareena’s father and Lyra’s parents absolutely got me. “You killed the daughter of the man who saved me.” That was CRUEL and I need the next book because I have way too many questions now lol.
And then the later Crucible scene with all the different versions of herself??? EPIC. Probably one of the best book scenes I’ve read in a while. I felt like I was watching a movie. Some of the worldbuilding isn’t explored as much as I wanted and there were things with the research and Codex that I had to really pay attention to, but it’s book one of six so I have a feeling a lot of it is going to click later.
The relationship was also way more of a slow burn than I expected lol. I kept waiting for them to FINALLY kiss and it took forever, but I liked that it wasn’t insta-love. And don’t even get me started on the actual 🌶️ scenes when we finally got them… the dome of shadows and an entire sky??? The Starfall??? He might be my new favorite shadow daddy lol.
The friendships felt really real and the grief was written SO well. You actually feel the loss throughout the book instead of everyone just moving on. And the reveal about Vareena’s father and Lyra’s parents absolutely got me. “You killed the daughter of the man who saved me.” That was CRUEL and I need the next book because I have way too many questions now lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2026
I really liked this! It took me a little bit to get into because there’s A LOT happening, but once I got attached to everyone it was over for me lol.
Dax was probably one of my favorites, especially with Neseryn. That woman is straight up cruel to him sometimes and he’s basically like okay?? But what I loved more was that him liking her never suddenly made him forget Lyra was his friend. He could care about Neseryn and still be angry about the things she did to Lyra, without acting like one somehow cancelled out the other. I wasn’t expecting their dynamic to have that much weight behind it and now I need to know where THAT is going.
And Vareena and Raiden, I think what hurts the most is that they just didn’t get enough time. There wasn’t some huge perfect ending for them. They were just starting to have something real and then it was gone. Watching Raiden afterward actually broke my heart.
Kieran had me going back and forth the entire book because sir PLEASE just communicate for once in your life 🤣 and the ending definitely made that worse.
I do wish we got more of certain parts of the world, which is mostly why I’m at 4 stars, but there are more books so I’m not too worried about it yet. I genuinely cannot wait for the next book
Dax was probably one of my favorites, especially with Neseryn. That woman is straight up cruel to him sometimes and he’s basically like okay?? But what I loved more was that him liking her never suddenly made him forget Lyra was his friend. He could care about Neseryn and still be angry about the things she did to Lyra, without acting like one somehow cancelled out the other. I wasn’t expecting their dynamic to have that much weight behind it and now I need to know where THAT is going.
And Vareena and Raiden, I think what hurts the most is that they just didn’t get enough time. There wasn’t some huge perfect ending for them. They were just starting to have something real and then it was gone. Watching Raiden afterward actually broke my heart.
Kieran had me going back and forth the entire book because sir PLEASE just communicate for once in your life 🤣 and the ending definitely made that worse.
I do wish we got more of certain parts of the world, which is mostly why I’m at 4 stars, but there are more books so I’m not too worried about it yet. I genuinely cannot wait for the next book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2026
The writing was not good. The characters spoke max three word sentences to eachother. It was very repetitive. Too bad, I think the story could have been good.
September 16, 2026
I think this was an amazing first release from this author. I absolutely loved the story, the characters had me hooked and the world building before her powers get activated is something else. I could see and understand the village so clearly.
I did find though once she went to the sanctum that a lot of how that part of the world worked were never really explained, I understood that she was naive to it all, but when I came time for her to fight in the crucible for the first time, it just never really explained the purpose. She didn’t question it at all and was just kinda going with it, which threw me off since all of a sudden she’s having to fight this badass chick when she’s had basically no training. I found that happened a few times later on when they started researching too, concepts and stuff about the world would come up and I’d have to fill in the gaps and figure it out on my own. It was something I was able to get past but it just took me out of the story momentarily when all of as sudden there was just this new thing now that wasn’t mentioned previously. So that’s why only 4 stars from me. Overall an amazing book and the plot twist at the end completely blew my mind. Im excited to see where book 2 takes us, I’ll be not so patiently waiting its release.
I did find though once she went to the sanctum that a lot of how that part of the world worked were never really explained, I understood that she was naive to it all, but when I came time for her to fight in the crucible for the first time, it just never really explained the purpose. She didn’t question it at all and was just kinda going with it, which threw me off since all of a sudden she’s having to fight this badass chick when she’s had basically no training. I found that happened a few times later on when they started researching too, concepts and stuff about the world would come up and I’d have to fill in the gaps and figure it out on my own. It was something I was able to get past but it just took me out of the story momentarily when all of as sudden there was just this new thing now that wasn’t mentioned previously. So that’s why only 4 stars from me. Overall an amazing book and the plot twist at the end completely blew my mind. Im excited to see where book 2 takes us, I’ll be not so patiently waiting its release.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2026
okay I genuinely did not expect to get this attached 😭 I went into this for the magic and romance and somehow ended up emotionally invested in literally EVERYONE. Lyra and Kieran’s tension had me losing my mind, but the found family is what really got me. I love when side characters actually feel like real people instead of just existing to move the main couple’s story along, and this book did that SO well. Raiden and Vareena especially had my whole heart and I’m still mad about it 🥲
The magic system was probably one of my favorite parts too. Each type of magic actually feels different, and the more we learned about Lyra and what she can do, the more questions I had. Also??? NESERYN??? I knew there was more going on with that her but I was NOT prepared for the reveal. There is a lot of worldbuilding in the beginning and this is definitely a LONG fantasy, but once everything started coming together I was completely sucked in. By the end I was flying through it.
And that ending was actually disrespectful. I need book 2 immediately because you cannot just leave me there 😭
The magic system was probably one of my favorite parts too. Each type of magic actually feels different, and the more we learned about Lyra and what she can do, the more questions I had. Also??? NESERYN??? I knew there was more going on with that her but I was NOT prepared for the reveal. There is a lot of worldbuilding in the beginning and this is definitely a LONG fantasy, but once everything started coming together I was completely sucked in. By the end I was flying through it.
And that ending was actually disrespectful. I need book 2 immediately because you cannot just leave me there 😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2026
Spoilers ahead
I have a lot of thoughts about this book, so bear with me.
First, I went into this knowing absolutely nothing about the author. I’d seen the book mentioned a couple of times and thought the premise sounded interesting. After finishing it, I checked Goodreads and was genuinely surprised by how divided the reviews were.
I can see where some of the criticism comes from, particularly regarding the pacing, but I disagree with quite a bit of it.
The beginning is interesting because we’re discovering everything alongside Lyra. She has spent her entire life believing magic doesn’t exist, and suddenly she’s expected to navigate a world with its own history, politics, prejudices, and rules. I appreciated that she didn’t immediately adjust to everything. She questions people, makes assumptions, trusts the wrong things, and occasionally makes decisions that frustrated me. But I would much rather read about an imperfect character than one who somehow knows exactly what to do in every situation.
The magic system was probably my favorite aspect. The distinction between Light and Shadow, the implications of forbidden magic, and the history surrounding the different kingdoms gave the story a lot more substance than I initially expected. I especially enjoyed the sense that the version of history these characters have been taught isn’t necessarily the truth.
Kieran was an interesting character for me because I didn’t always like him. He’s protective, but that protectiveness can become controlling, and I appreciated that the story didn’t make him an entirely uncomplicated romantic lead. His relationship with Lyra has chemistry, but there’s also genuine conflict between them. I’m interested in seeing whether he actually learns from that.
The supporting cast deserves recognition too. Dax brought some much-needed warmth and humor, Lidia was consistently entertaining, and Neseryn is probably the character I’m most curious about going forward. There are clearly things happening beneath the surface with her, and I have a feeling we’ve only scratched the surface of her story.
Vareena’s storyline was heartbreaking. I won’t spoil anything, but that was the point where I realized just how invested I’d become in these characters.
As for the pacing, I actually think the book has two very different strengths and weaknesses. The quieter sections allow the relationships and mysteries to develop, which I enjoyed, but there are moments where significant developments happen close together and could have benefited from a little more breathing room. Some dialogue could also have been trimmed without losing much. Neither issue was enough to take me out of the story.
One criticism I’ve seen repeatedly is that too much remains unresolved. Personally, I thought the book established several interesting conflicts while providing enough revelations to make the ending satisfying in its own way. I don’t expect the first installment of a longer fantasy series to explain its entire mythology, but I do expect it to give me reasons to continue. This absolutely did.
I also disagree with the idea that nothing happens. There’s a difference between a story being driven primarily by action and one being driven by discovery, relationships, and uncovering information. This book has elements of both, even if the balance won’t appeal to everyone.
What ultimately earned it five stars for me wasn’t that every chapter was flawless. It was that I genuinely cared about what happened. I wanted to understand the world, I looked forward to the interactions between the characters, and I was still thinking about certain revelations days after finishing. I think this is a very promising debut, and I’m particularly interested in seeing how the author’s writing develops alongside the story. There’s clearly a much larger narrative being established here.
The mixed reviews make sense to an extent because I can see this appealing more to readers who enjoy character-heavy fantasy, complicated relationships, and long-running mysteries. But I also think some readers are dismissing its strengths because the storytelling isn’t structured exactly how they prefer. For me, it worked. I loved the world, became attached to the characters, and finished the book genuinely excited about what comes next.
I have a lot of thoughts about this book, so bear with me.
First, I went into this knowing absolutely nothing about the author. I’d seen the book mentioned a couple of times and thought the premise sounded interesting. After finishing it, I checked Goodreads and was genuinely surprised by how divided the reviews were.
I can see where some of the criticism comes from, particularly regarding the pacing, but I disagree with quite a bit of it.
The beginning is interesting because we’re discovering everything alongside Lyra. She has spent her entire life believing magic doesn’t exist, and suddenly she’s expected to navigate a world with its own history, politics, prejudices, and rules. I appreciated that she didn’t immediately adjust to everything. She questions people, makes assumptions, trusts the wrong things, and occasionally makes decisions that frustrated me. But I would much rather read about an imperfect character than one who somehow knows exactly what to do in every situation.
The magic system was probably my favorite aspect. The distinction between Light and Shadow, the implications of forbidden magic, and the history surrounding the different kingdoms gave the story a lot more substance than I initially expected. I especially enjoyed the sense that the version of history these characters have been taught isn’t necessarily the truth.
Kieran was an interesting character for me because I didn’t always like him. He’s protective, but that protectiveness can become controlling, and I appreciated that the story didn’t make him an entirely uncomplicated romantic lead. His relationship with Lyra has chemistry, but there’s also genuine conflict between them. I’m interested in seeing whether he actually learns from that.
The supporting cast deserves recognition too. Dax brought some much-needed warmth and humor, Lidia was consistently entertaining, and Neseryn is probably the character I’m most curious about going forward. There are clearly things happening beneath the surface with her, and I have a feeling we’ve only scratched the surface of her story.
Vareena’s storyline was heartbreaking. I won’t spoil anything, but that was the point where I realized just how invested I’d become in these characters.
As for the pacing, I actually think the book has two very different strengths and weaknesses. The quieter sections allow the relationships and mysteries to develop, which I enjoyed, but there are moments where significant developments happen close together and could have benefited from a little more breathing room. Some dialogue could also have been trimmed without losing much. Neither issue was enough to take me out of the story.
One criticism I’ve seen repeatedly is that too much remains unresolved. Personally, I thought the book established several interesting conflicts while providing enough revelations to make the ending satisfying in its own way. I don’t expect the first installment of a longer fantasy series to explain its entire mythology, but I do expect it to give me reasons to continue. This absolutely did.
I also disagree with the idea that nothing happens. There’s a difference between a story being driven primarily by action and one being driven by discovery, relationships, and uncovering information. This book has elements of both, even if the balance won’t appeal to everyone.
What ultimately earned it five stars for me wasn’t that every chapter was flawless. It was that I genuinely cared about what happened. I wanted to understand the world, I looked forward to the interactions between the characters, and I was still thinking about certain revelations days after finishing. I think this is a very promising debut, and I’m particularly interested in seeing how the author’s writing develops alongside the story. There’s clearly a much larger narrative being established here.
The mixed reviews make sense to an extent because I can see this appealing more to readers who enjoy character-heavy fantasy, complicated relationships, and long-running mysteries. But I also think some readers are dismissing its strengths because the storytelling isn’t structured exactly how they prefer. For me, it worked. I loved the world, became attached to the characters, and finished the book genuinely excited about what comes next.
November 2, 2026
I’m sorry but some of these one-star reviews are genuinely sending me 😭
Because how are we complaining about unanswered questions, hidden secrets, characters researching mysteries, and a cliffhanger in BOOK ONE of a SIX BOOK fantasy series??? Like babe, what exactly did you think the other five books were going to be about? 💀
And saying nothing happened while proceeding to list everything that happened is actually hilarious.
Anyway, can we talk about how GOOD the actual story is??? The magic system, the different kingdoms, the political secrets, the forbidden magic, the history that’s clearly been buried for a reason??? There’s so much to unpack and I LOVE that we don’t have all the answers yet. The little details that seem insignificant now but you just KNOW are going to matter later??? THAT is what makes me excited for the rest of the series.
And the CHARACTERS. I’m sorry but the found family alone deserves its own appreciation post. Dax is genuinely one of my favorite characters, Lidia’s attitude kills me, and Kieran??? That man had me laughing, blushing, and wanting to throw my Kindle across the room. Lyra isn’t some perfectly polished heroine who magically knows everything five minutes after discovering an entirely different world exists. She’s confused, stubborn, emotional, makes questionable decisions, and actually has room to GROW. Imagine that.
Also, the complaint that the characters spend too much time talking and interacting while simultaneously claiming they have no personalities??? Pick a struggle PLEASE. Their friendships, arguments, banter, and quieter moments are literally what made me care about them. Not every single conversation needs to involve someone dying or a kingdom falling to be important.
And VAREENA??? I’m still emotionally recovering, thanks. 💔 The way this book builds these relationships just to absolutely destroy you is criminal. The Solstice, the secrets surrounding Neseryn, the tension between Lyra and Kieran, the betrayals??? I was INVESTED.
Also, calling the ending predictable because it has a cliffhanger is wild. It’s a continuing fantasy series, not a standalone.
Is the book perfect? No. Could certain things have been tightened up? Sure. But acting like a story is badly written simply because it doesn’t immediately explain every mystery or resolve every character arc is certainly an opinion.
I’ve read traditionally published fantasy books that took three books to answer questions introduced in chapter one, and nobody acted like the author personally offended them by having a long-term plot. 😂
The worldbuilding was genuinely fascinating, the magic felt unique, the relationships were messy in the best way, and the emotional moments HIT. I loved that the story wasn’t afraid to take its time with the characters while still leaving me with a million theories.
And honestly? The fact that some people are complaining about the exact things other readers are praising just proves how subjective reading really is.
Personally, give me the complicated lore, the morally questionable decisions, the slow unraveling of secrets, the emotionally damaged characters, the found family, and ALL the unanswered questions.
I don’t want everything handed to me in book one. I want a story that makes me desperate to pick up book two.
And this one absolutely did. 🤷♀️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Because how are we complaining about unanswered questions, hidden secrets, characters researching mysteries, and a cliffhanger in BOOK ONE of a SIX BOOK fantasy series??? Like babe, what exactly did you think the other five books were going to be about? 💀
And saying nothing happened while proceeding to list everything that happened is actually hilarious.
Anyway, can we talk about how GOOD the actual story is??? The magic system, the different kingdoms, the political secrets, the forbidden magic, the history that’s clearly been buried for a reason??? There’s so much to unpack and I LOVE that we don’t have all the answers yet. The little details that seem insignificant now but you just KNOW are going to matter later??? THAT is what makes me excited for the rest of the series.
And the CHARACTERS. I’m sorry but the found family alone deserves its own appreciation post. Dax is genuinely one of my favorite characters, Lidia’s attitude kills me, and Kieran??? That man had me laughing, blushing, and wanting to throw my Kindle across the room. Lyra isn’t some perfectly polished heroine who magically knows everything five minutes after discovering an entirely different world exists. She’s confused, stubborn, emotional, makes questionable decisions, and actually has room to GROW. Imagine that.
Also, the complaint that the characters spend too much time talking and interacting while simultaneously claiming they have no personalities??? Pick a struggle PLEASE. Their friendships, arguments, banter, and quieter moments are literally what made me care about them. Not every single conversation needs to involve someone dying or a kingdom falling to be important.
And VAREENA??? I’m still emotionally recovering, thanks. 💔 The way this book builds these relationships just to absolutely destroy you is criminal. The Solstice, the secrets surrounding Neseryn, the tension between Lyra and Kieran, the betrayals??? I was INVESTED.
Also, calling the ending predictable because it has a cliffhanger is wild. It’s a continuing fantasy series, not a standalone.
Is the book perfect? No. Could certain things have been tightened up? Sure. But acting like a story is badly written simply because it doesn’t immediately explain every mystery or resolve every character arc is certainly an opinion.
I’ve read traditionally published fantasy books that took three books to answer questions introduced in chapter one, and nobody acted like the author personally offended them by having a long-term plot. 😂
The worldbuilding was genuinely fascinating, the magic felt unique, the relationships were messy in the best way, and the emotional moments HIT. I loved that the story wasn’t afraid to take its time with the characters while still leaving me with a million theories.
And honestly? The fact that some people are complaining about the exact things other readers are praising just proves how subjective reading really is.
Personally, give me the complicated lore, the morally questionable decisions, the slow unraveling of secrets, the emotionally damaged characters, the found family, and ALL the unanswered questions.
I don’t want everything handed to me in book one. I want a story that makes me desperate to pick up book two.
And this one absolutely did. 🤷♀️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 2, 2026
This is one of the worst books I've read in a long time. It's sad because the premise was so promising, but I truly cannot overstate how terrible the writing is. I thought about DNFing after the first 25% and the only reason I finished was to write this review.
***very mild spoilers ahead***
The entire book also dragged on for SOOOOOOOO long. With how little actually happened, it could've been a quarter of the length. The basic premise is that the FMC has something traumatic happen, realizes her entire life is a lie, gets whisked off across a magical veil (that never comes up again) to a magical school that allegedly thinks for itself (think Hogwarts-esque) and is built on what I think was supposed to be ley lines of the different magic branches' powers (though that's never explained). Here she discovers she has not one but two (shock! the second one is forbidden!) types of magic and only the broody shadow instructor can help her learn the second one. At this point in the book, the number of fantasy/romance stereotypes that are just shoved in becomes apparent. From this point on, the main characters spend their every waking moment in different archives trying to figure out how different information has been hidden. Are they skipping class so they can spend all their time in dusty archives? There are mentions that they are, but no consequences, so who really knows! Everything leads up to a ball where bad things happen, and secrets get revealed, but none of it packs an emotional impact because none of the characters are dimensional enough to actually care about. And in true romantasy fashion, it ends on a "cliffhanger."
This book was multi-POV, but there was no true narration from any character, and the different POVs didn't add any additional insight into the characters' mindsets. The entire book could've been written in 3rd person, and it wouldn't change anything about what the reader learns. What little insight you did get felt forced, and both the fmc and the mmc were boring and one-dimensional. It felt like the author was telling you who each character was without providing the characters with experiences to back up those statements.
The dialogue was short and stilted, and honestly didn't add anything to the story most of the time. Even worse, the pacing of the dialogue was really hard to follow, and there were weird time gaps just thrown into the middle of scenes. More than once, I found myself having to go back a few paragraphs just to figure out where (and why) the story changed.
Moral of the story, I really wanted to like it but I can't recommend anyone waste their time :(
***very mild spoilers ahead***
The entire book also dragged on for SOOOOOOOO long. With how little actually happened, it could've been a quarter of the length. The basic premise is that the FMC has something traumatic happen, realizes her entire life is a lie, gets whisked off across a magical veil (that never comes up again) to a magical school that allegedly thinks for itself (think Hogwarts-esque) and is built on what I think was supposed to be ley lines of the different magic branches' powers (though that's never explained). Here she discovers she has not one but two (shock! the second one is forbidden!) types of magic and only the broody shadow instructor can help her learn the second one. At this point in the book, the number of fantasy/romance stereotypes that are just shoved in becomes apparent. From this point on, the main characters spend their every waking moment in different archives trying to figure out how different information has been hidden. Are they skipping class so they can spend all their time in dusty archives? There are mentions that they are, but no consequences, so who really knows! Everything leads up to a ball where bad things happen, and secrets get revealed, but none of it packs an emotional impact because none of the characters are dimensional enough to actually care about. And in true romantasy fashion, it ends on a "cliffhanger."
This book was multi-POV, but there was no true narration from any character, and the different POVs didn't add any additional insight into the characters' mindsets. The entire book could've been written in 3rd person, and it wouldn't change anything about what the reader learns. What little insight you did get felt forced, and both the fmc and the mmc were boring and one-dimensional. It felt like the author was telling you who each character was without providing the characters with experiences to back up those statements.
The dialogue was short and stilted, and honestly didn't add anything to the story most of the time. Even worse, the pacing of the dialogue was really hard to follow, and there were weird time gaps just thrown into the middle of scenes. More than once, I found myself having to go back a few paragraphs just to figure out where (and why) the story changed.
Moral of the story, I really wanted to like it but I can't recommend anyone waste their time :(
Did Not Finish
November 3, 2026DNF at 31% — For Now
This isn’t a bad book by any means, but unfortunately, it just hasn’t been able to hold my attention.
The beginning was emotionally intense, with loss, heartbreak, and plenty of drama. Despite that, I struggled to become invested in the characters or the story itself. There’s nothing inherently wrong with either; I just haven’t felt that connection that makes me eager to pick a book back up.
I’ve actually set this one aside a couple of times and returned to it, hoping it would draw me in, but at 31%, I’m still struggling.
I’m leaving this one unrated because I don’t think it’s fair to judge a book I haven’t finished, especially when my lack of interest may simply come down to personal preference or reading mood.
For now, I’m marking it as DNF, but I may revisit it someday when I’m more in the mood for a slower-developing story.
This isn’t a bad book by any means, but unfortunately, it just hasn’t been able to hold my attention.
The beginning was emotionally intense, with loss, heartbreak, and plenty of drama. Despite that, I struggled to become invested in the characters or the story itself. There’s nothing inherently wrong with either; I just haven’t felt that connection that makes me eager to pick a book back up.
I’ve actually set this one aside a couple of times and returned to it, hoping it would draw me in, but at 31%, I’m still struggling.
I’m leaving this one unrated because I don’t think it’s fair to judge a book I haven’t finished, especially when my lack of interest may simply come down to personal preference or reading mood.
For now, I’m marking it as DNF, but I may revisit it someday when I’m more in the mood for a slower-developing story.
October 11, 2026
Was really looking forward to reading this book as I looked at a lot of the reviews however the book is badly written . You can’t make out who is speaking and when and get lost. The story line itself was not bad but felt the book was rushed and so much was added so quickly that I felt slightly whiplashed by the end. Hoping book two will be better written.
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