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Shadows and Shade #1
Shadows and Shade
Shade’s life is pretty ordinary as an indentured servant working in the isolated lands for Lord Martin, a master who is anything but kind. Until one day when the deliciously handsome Elorsin brothers arrive, save her life, and drag her into the forest from which only scary crap ever comes out of.
Commander Pax can’t deny that something about Shade calls to him.
Killian thinks a mere mortal won’t survive long in the world of the Silvari, a race that’s gifted with strength and powers that Shade has never seen before.
Roarke thinks she’s cute and would make a good pet.
But her biggest problem is Seth – who thinks she’s the perfect tool to help him play a prank on their enemies... without his commander knowing.
A prank which goes incredibly wrong, forcing them to learn to live with each other. Respect each other, value each other, and ultimately, love each other despite the well-known fact that mortal and Silvari pairings only end in one way – death.
Whilst battling the rules of their world and figuring out how Shade can fit into their warrior quartet, they must also survive the wicked ruler who’s slowly sucking the life from their realm, destroying the ruling hierarchy, and burning the magic from their protective borders.
Let’s not forget Seth’s crazy stalker ex-girlfriend who’s trying to eliminate her competition – Shade. What match is a mortal against an Elite warrior who will stop at nothing to kill her?
In Shadows and Shade, book 1, Shade and her Elorsins need to stay alive long enough to get out of the White Castle and track down a Potion Master who just might be able to release them from the invisible force that constantly threatens to end Shade’s life.
This is a fantasy series with a slow-burn why-choose romance, meaning Shade will not have to pick between her men, and both the emotional and physical relationships take time to develop. While the relationships are extremely important, the content is also dedicated to creating a detailed world that is filled with characters who will grow, change, and work their way into readers’ hearts.
Books 1-3 are slow burn. Starting with book 4, the series will build to a medium burn. Currently, there is no mm or mmfmm content projected for this series.
There will be spin-off books, bonus material, extra chapters and a variety of content (some of which is very much adult) which will be available through the Facebook group and the authors other platforms. Check out her website, or her Facebook group, for more information.
Commander Pax can’t deny that something about Shade calls to him.
Killian thinks a mere mortal won’t survive long in the world of the Silvari, a race that’s gifted with strength and powers that Shade has never seen before.
Roarke thinks she’s cute and would make a good pet.
But her biggest problem is Seth – who thinks she’s the perfect tool to help him play a prank on their enemies... without his commander knowing.
A prank which goes incredibly wrong, forcing them to learn to live with each other. Respect each other, value each other, and ultimately, love each other despite the well-known fact that mortal and Silvari pairings only end in one way – death.
Whilst battling the rules of their world and figuring out how Shade can fit into their warrior quartet, they must also survive the wicked ruler who’s slowly sucking the life from their realm, destroying the ruling hierarchy, and burning the magic from their protective borders.
Let’s not forget Seth’s crazy stalker ex-girlfriend who’s trying to eliminate her competition – Shade. What match is a mortal against an Elite warrior who will stop at nothing to kill her?
In Shadows and Shade, book 1, Shade and her Elorsins need to stay alive long enough to get out of the White Castle and track down a Potion Master who just might be able to release them from the invisible force that constantly threatens to end Shade’s life.
This is a fantasy series with a slow-burn why-choose romance, meaning Shade will not have to pick between her men, and both the emotional and physical relationships take time to develop. While the relationships are extremely important, the content is also dedicated to creating a detailed world that is filled with characters who will grow, change, and work their way into readers’ hearts.
Books 1-3 are slow burn. Starting with book 4, the series will build to a medium burn. Currently, there is no mm or mmfmm content projected for this series.
There will be spin-off books, bonus material, extra chapters and a variety of content (some of which is very much adult) which will be available through the Facebook group and the authors other platforms. Check out her website, or her Facebook group, for more information.
Unknown Binding
First published August 10, 2019
685 people are currently reading
1629 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Cashure
26 books294 followersHey guys, I'm an Australian who loves all things PNR and Reverse Harem. I also love good food, better bourbon, and great company. If I could have one wish it would be the gift of organization as I seem to be bound by chaos. My books range from YA to dark fantasy so please check the blurbs when picking your next fiction addiction.
Join me on social media, including Instagram, Tiktok, the facebook fan group Amanda Cashure's Wolves and on Discord. I live and breathe fantasy, hosting everything from live writing sessions where you can lurk in the manuscript as I type to having characters takeover the group and entertain you all in their unique ways. See my website for links! I can't wait to meet you.
Join me on social media, including Instagram, Tiktok, the facebook fan group Amanda Cashure's Wolves and on Discord. I live and breathe fantasy, hosting everything from live writing sessions where you can lurk in the manuscript as I type to having characters takeover the group and entertain you all in their unique ways. See my website for links! I can't wait to meet you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
December 19, 2019
I picked up this book because I saw a review say its similar to Trickery by Jane Washington. I typically won't read it based on that but almost all the books I've been reading has been crap so I decided to pick it up.
This book has a lot of potential, it can be a very good series because this wasn't it. This book goes nowhere. Shade is a servant in the mortal world, she is obtained by four guys from another realm. I say obtained because they took her from one master to a castle where she has to work for 50 years. Thing is Shade starts to play pranks on them by dumping food in their shoes and things like that. I didn't really get that, I didn't feel like their relationship was like that. I feel like the author tried to make her like Willa, all clumsy and sneaky but still likable but she failed woefully. She just got on my nerves.
Of course something is wrong in the realm, people are after the guys and Shade is somehow in the middle of it. We know all that at about 40% onto the book, after that nothing happens. Just the same recycled near death experience for Shade and the guys all warning each other to stay away from her.
I got the next book already because I'm curious . I hope things get tighten up in the next book.
This book has a lot of potential, it can be a very good series because this wasn't it. This book goes nowhere. Shade is a servant in the mortal world, she is obtained by four guys from another realm. I say obtained because they took her from one master to a castle where she has to work for 50 years. Thing is Shade starts to play pranks on them by dumping food in their shoes and things like that. I didn't really get that, I didn't feel like their relationship was like that. I feel like the author tried to make her like Willa, all clumsy and sneaky but still likable but she failed woefully. She just got on my nerves.
Of course something is wrong in the realm, people are after the guys and Shade is somehow in the middle of it. We know all that at about 40% onto the book, after that nothing happens. Just the same recycled near death experience for Shade and the guys all warning each other to stay away from her.
I got the next book already because I'm curious . I hope things get tighten up in the next book.
November 6, 2020
100% obsessed.
Book one:
Okay, so here's the deal. I'll start this this off with saying that this is the weakest book in the series but still A LOT of fun and an excellent set up for the series as a whole. I read the reviews thinking this was going to be a borderline word-for-word copy of Curse of the Gods but oh boy, I am so glad that I decided to read this anyway because it is not that at all. (Don't get me wrong, Curse of the Gods is fine but not nearly as well developed as the Shadows and Shade universe.) It's clear that Curse of the Gods was an influence for this author but I definitely think Cashure's series is its own thing.
The story begins with our female main character, Shade, in a precarious situation living at the whims of a cruel Manor Lord when we meet our 4 main male characters, One-Pax, Two-Seth, Three-Rourke, and Four-Killian. I really enjoyed that this wasn't an instalove situation. Yes, there is an immediate connection between Shade and the men, but it mostly stems from curiosity and not attraction. Shade is a young slave/servant, aka "soot", and has only known one type of life, albeit a horrible one, but nevertheless a life she knows how to deal with. After some turn of events, Shade is forcibly removed from the Manor and on her way to a realm she knows only through stories. Her ability to manage such a drastic change in scenery and status in life is done through a lot of ridiculous humor and sheer will. Shade is brought to the White Castle and put to work as a servant. The men were well intentioned with this decision but ultimately short sighted about the consequences Shade would face. The way Shade and her men end up being stuck together is very creative and suspenseful. I couldn't wait to keep reading.
Shade is young and quite silly. Normally this would get on my nerves, but Shade's naivety and behavior is much more realistic than those of you who say she's just like Willa from Curse of the Gods. In my opinion, the most important difference between these characters is that Shade actually grows as a person, where Willa does not. Shade makes decisions later throughout this series that she would not have done at the beginning because she learns and adapts from the experiences she's been thrown into. I laughed out loud by some of Shade's antics and appreciated that she stood up for herself even when every odd was stacked against her. She recognizes that she's not the strongest or fastest but does what she can to live her best life even when it seems impossible to everyone around her. I love Shade's thought process and her round-about logic.
This book is from Shade's point of view and sets up the foundation of the relationship forged between her and the men. The story can move a little slow at times, but everything is important, even if it might not feel like it, so the pace never bothered me. Like I said, this book is a great set up for the series as a whole and definitely deserves to be reread. I don't want to give anything away so I will just end by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book (obviously). Cashure's writing is thoughtful and maintains a level of sophistication that can be lacking in the RH community.
TL;DR: This is kind of like Curse of the Gods but not really and tbh this is way better.
Book one:
Okay, so here's the deal. I'll start this this off with saying that this is the weakest book in the series but still A LOT of fun and an excellent set up for the series as a whole. I read the reviews thinking this was going to be a borderline word-for-word copy of Curse of the Gods but oh boy, I am so glad that I decided to read this anyway because it is not that at all. (Don't get me wrong, Curse of the Gods is fine but not nearly as well developed as the Shadows and Shade universe.) It's clear that Curse of the Gods was an influence for this author but I definitely think Cashure's series is its own thing.
The story begins with our female main character, Shade, in a precarious situation living at the whims of a cruel Manor Lord when we meet our 4 main male characters, One-Pax, Two-Seth, Three-Rourke, and Four-Killian. I really enjoyed that this wasn't an instalove situation. Yes, there is an immediate connection between Shade and the men, but it mostly stems from curiosity and not attraction. Shade is a young slave/servant, aka "soot", and has only known one type of life, albeit a horrible one, but nevertheless a life she knows how to deal with. After some turn of events, Shade is forcibly removed from the Manor and on her way to a realm she knows only through stories. Her ability to manage such a drastic change in scenery and status in life is done through a lot of ridiculous humor and sheer will. Shade is brought to the White Castle and put to work as a servant. The men were well intentioned with this decision but ultimately short sighted about the consequences Shade would face. The way Shade and her men end up being stuck together is very creative and suspenseful. I couldn't wait to keep reading.
Shade is young and quite silly. Normally this would get on my nerves, but Shade's naivety and behavior is much more realistic than those of you who say she's just like Willa from Curse of the Gods. In my opinion, the most important difference between these characters is that Shade actually grows as a person, where Willa does not. Shade makes decisions later throughout this series that she would not have done at the beginning because she learns and adapts from the experiences she's been thrown into. I laughed out loud by some of Shade's antics and appreciated that she stood up for herself even when every odd was stacked against her. She recognizes that she's not the strongest or fastest but does what she can to live her best life even when it seems impossible to everyone around her. I love Shade's thought process and her round-about logic.
This book is from Shade's point of view and sets up the foundation of the relationship forged between her and the men. The story can move a little slow at times, but everything is important, even if it might not feel like it, so the pace never bothered me. Like I said, this book is a great set up for the series as a whole and definitely deserves to be reread. I don't want to give anything away so I will just end by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book (obviously). Cashure's writing is thoughtful and maintains a level of sophistication that can be lacking in the RH community.
TL;DR: This is kind of like Curse of the Gods but not really and tbh this is way better.
August 14, 2019
This is actually really good. The setting is unique, the plot is unique, the world building is also unique.
All characters are well thought and fleshed out.
Main character is also enjoyable, a good dose of level headedness, self preservation, and run away mouth.
The only things I didn't enjoy as much were there were a few odd inconsistencies in regards to the romantic aspects (which there wasn't too much in this particular book) and the plot.
And,
Here's the kicker though. But I feel like this is only temporary, as more will be explained in the second book.
Despite those things though, it's still interesting. Definitely going to read the 2nd when it comes out.
All characters are well thought and fleshed out.
Main character is also enjoyable, a good dose of level headedness, self preservation, and run away mouth.
The only things I didn't enjoy as much were there were a few odd inconsistencies in regards to the romantic aspects (which there wasn't too much in this particular book) and the plot.
And,
Here's the kicker though. But I feel like this is only temporary, as more will be explained in the second book.
Despite those things though, it's still interesting. Definitely going to read the 2nd when it comes out.
May 2, 2020
3.5 stars
July 15, 2022
Update: I have now read this book 3 times, and it still makes me just as happy.
Hilarious and amazing.
Yes she nicknames the men One, Two, Three and Four. Yes the humour is very similar to Four Psychos, but that’s basically where the similarities end. The men are great, the world building is great, and it’s well written. I’m pretty chuckin’ excited about this great find.
Hilarious and amazing.
Yes she nicknames the men One, Two, Three and Four. Yes the humour is very similar to Four Psychos, but that’s basically where the similarities end. The men are great, the world building is great, and it’s well written. I’m pretty chuckin’ excited about this great find.
January 6, 2020
I liked it. Bit of a mixed bag. Its one of those ones where you can tell there is heavy inspiration or influence. Picked it up because I was told it was like COTG and it was but original as well. From the intro it felt like 4 psychos meets the Cheshire cat, from there the inspiration starts to show.
Four guys with different powers/seeds Pax, Seth, Roarke and Killian. Also known as 1,2 ,3 and 4 with pack mentality . Shade is strong, full of mischief and afraid of men. I’m hoping the next book will branch out more and become its own, also that Logan dies a very painful death. I did like the groups’ possessiveness and scent issue. Favourite character was Killian, although Pax was growing on me by the end. Looking forward to reading the next one.
Four guys with different powers/seeds Pax, Seth, Roarke and Killian. Also known as 1,2 ,3 and 4 with pack mentality . Shade is strong, full of mischief and afraid of men. I’m hoping the next book will branch out more and become its own, also that Logan dies a very painful death. I did like the groups’ possessiveness and scent issue. Favourite character was Killian, although Pax was growing on me by the end. Looking forward to reading the next one.
December 18, 2019
4 stars
Pretty similar to Jane Washington's Curse of the Gods series but different enough to still be an enjoyable read without feeling like a clone.
The author also did acknowledge that CotG was an inspiration for the book.
That said I loved the CotG series and I'm not gonna complain about something that's great as well.
Pretty similar to Jane Washington's Curse of the Gods series but different enough to still be an enjoyable read without feeling like a clone.
The author also did acknowledge that CotG was an inspiration for the book.
That said I loved the CotG series and I'm not gonna complain about something that's great as well.
September 10, 2019
First of all I would not classify this as young adult... there’s just no way. Yeah there’s no smutty scenes or anything but this is NA for sure, NA can be tasteful it doesn’t mean NSFW and when I think YA I think Eragon or something where it’s all about the adventure and the romance is holding hands not
Second, this book was amazing. My heart was crushed when I finished it in one day and realized I would have to wait over a week for the second to be published and then (hopefully?) a month between the third and fourth
The world building was great, I think there could have been some more explanation at the beginning because it felt very rushed into just saying what the types of people were without stopping to explain why and it took me til at least halfway through the book to really get a hang of it. Like the Seeds, that was really confusing, I felt like I missed a prologue or something (and speaking of prologue I went back and re read that and it made sense after the first few chapters..)
The characters were great, I really loved her numbering them that was cute, and Shade! Oh gosh she is a perfect MC, she has a mind of her own and later down the book I just wanted to re read things because I was like “OH! Thaaaat’s why”
I am (im)patiently waiting the next release!
This was amazing!
Second, this book was amazing. My heart was crushed when I finished it in one day and realized I would have to wait over a week for the second to be published and then (hopefully?) a month between the third and fourth
The world building was great, I think there could have been some more explanation at the beginning because it felt very rushed into just saying what the types of people were without stopping to explain why and it took me til at least halfway through the book to really get a hang of it. Like the Seeds, that was really confusing, I felt like I missed a prologue or something (and speaking of prologue I went back and re read that and it made sense after the first few chapters..)
The characters were great, I really loved her numbering them that was cute, and Shade! Oh gosh she is a perfect MC, she has a mind of her own and later down the book I just wanted to re read things because I was like “OH! Thaaaat’s why”
I am (im)patiently waiting the next release!
This was amazing!
December 2, 2021
Interesting premise BUT I know that the author is a huge fan of The Curse Of Gods series by Jane Washington and Jaymin Eve, and sadly the similarities are too much for my liking. This book is kind of a lesser version of Trickery but nor as funny or as good. Shade is not Willa and I get the feeling that the author wanted her to be.
This series has still tons of potential but it was hard not to compare this two books tbh, it’s slight off-putting.
This series has still tons of potential but it was hard not to compare this two books tbh, it’s slight off-putting.
January 16, 2021
First half was 4 stars, but the second half was 5 stars! This world was a bit confusing for a while, like I was thrown into a story without much explanation. But that’s how Shade felt too and what she went through. Also, I wasn’t thrilled with how everyone (including our four guys) disregarded and looked down on her as a servant and as a mortal. I got used to it and got over it as I read though. And by the middle of the book her situation changes and by the end her status even changes. And in later books we see those same scenes from the men’s POV and while they were a bit condescending, they truly felt the need to rescue her from her previous situation and then to distance her from themselves as they were headed deep into danger to try to regain their crown. So, from her POV they rescue/kidnap her from her home/slavery, drag her into a strange, foreign realm, and then throw her into indentured servitude. From their POV, they saved her, they’ve got her close by so they can satisfy their inner urge to see her safe, and well, she’s mortal, a servant is pretty much the only station she can hold in their world... if she can even survive their world.
This is a medieval-age world (castles, horses, swords). The magic system is like nothing I’ve ever read before, and I’m not entirely sure I’ve fully grasped it yet. The best analogy for this world is that it’s similar to the mortal world sharing a border with the fae world. She’s from the mortal world and the guys are from the other part (Silva). There’s a physical barrier/mist of sorts between worlds. The mortals only have myths of monsters beyond the border and don’t know there’s a whole kingdom there. The Silva can live for over a thousand years. Something split the world about 800 years ago, so the long-lived Silva fully remember and understand it, while the mortals barely have a few legends from many generations past.
The synopsis is a bit misleading. The guys are following a prophecy when they visit a mortal lord’s manor. They think they’re looking for a statue of a bird that he has. It’s not until later, when they realize they’re stuck with her, that they remember she jokingly introduced herself as a pheasant, instead of a peasant (prophecies are tricky like that). When they see her (a servant of this asshole of a lord) chained to a post and about to be beaten, they stop him and take her with them. I’m not even sure they know why they do it, cause they really don’t seem to care for a while. They dump her in with other servants and go on about their business. It’s a while later that their paths cross a few times and the guys start to act very subtly territorial around her. And then even later when an accident magically binds her to a 50 foot radius of them. By the end, their enemies begin to notice that they’ve adopted a mortal and, since she’s their weak spot, they start to target her. All this while the guys are trying to take down the current ruler who killed the previous ruler—their mom (they were all adopted, so they’re not blood related).
By the end of the book the guys are adorably possessive of her since they’ve adopted her into their pack and they are violent in their need to protect her. Their alpha leader gives off the impression that he’d rather she not be there since she’s a weakness and they have such larger concerns. But he also can’t deny his instincts to call her “mine”. Unfortunately intimate relations between their kind and a mortal always ends in death for the mortal (their power pulls from their partners, so with her not having any power of her own to pull with as well, she would just be drained), so it’s all hands off. Well, mostly hands off. By the end there’s some sweet cuddling since the guys act a bit like a wolf pack and they like their scent on her. They’re trying to keep things innocent, but there’s a lot of attraction simmering.
On to book two!!! .... Pretty sure I’m not getting much sleep tonight. 😁 📚 (Edit: I didn’t get sleep for the next few nights as I tore through the whole series!)
This is a medieval-age world (castles, horses, swords). The magic system is like nothing I’ve ever read before, and I’m not entirely sure I’ve fully grasped it yet. The best analogy for this world is that it’s similar to the mortal world sharing a border with the fae world. She’s from the mortal world and the guys are from the other part (Silva). There’s a physical barrier/mist of sorts between worlds. The mortals only have myths of monsters beyond the border and don’t know there’s a whole kingdom there. The Silva can live for over a thousand years. Something split the world about 800 years ago, so the long-lived Silva fully remember and understand it, while the mortals barely have a few legends from many generations past.
The synopsis is a bit misleading. The guys are following a prophecy when they visit a mortal lord’s manor. They think they’re looking for a statue of a bird that he has. It’s not until later, when they realize they’re stuck with her, that they remember she jokingly introduced herself as a pheasant, instead of a peasant (prophecies are tricky like that). When they see her (a servant of this asshole of a lord) chained to a post and about to be beaten, they stop him and take her with them. I’m not even sure they know why they do it, cause they really don’t seem to care for a while. They dump her in with other servants and go on about their business. It’s a while later that their paths cross a few times and the guys start to act very subtly territorial around her. And then even later when an accident magically binds her to a 50 foot radius of them. By the end, their enemies begin to notice that they’ve adopted a mortal and, since she’s their weak spot, they start to target her. All this while the guys are trying to take down the current ruler who killed the previous ruler—their mom (they were all adopted, so they’re not blood related).
By the end of the book the guys are adorably possessive of her since they’ve adopted her into their pack and they are violent in their need to protect her. Their alpha leader gives off the impression that he’d rather she not be there since she’s a weakness and they have such larger concerns. But he also can’t deny his instincts to call her “mine”. Unfortunately intimate relations between their kind and a mortal always ends in death for the mortal (their power pulls from their partners, so with her not having any power of her own to pull with as well, she would just be drained), so it’s all hands off. Well, mostly hands off. By the end there’s some sweet cuddling since the guys act a bit like a wolf pack and they like their scent on her. They’re trying to keep things innocent, but there’s a lot of attraction simmering.
On to book two!!! .... Pretty sure I’m not getting much sleep tonight. 😁 📚 (Edit: I didn’t get sleep for the next few nights as I tore through the whole series!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2020
This series seems to have a lot of potential, and if you can get past the first book, (I am on the second) I think it’s worth digging into as a fantasy RH. I did, however, struggle with this book. First, it’s long—a lot longer than most RH novels—and for a beginning installment lacked all of the things you’d typically expect:
1) steady, sensible world-building (enough to get you going, not too much so it feels like an info-dump)
2) main character introductions (yes we meet them, but we meet the guys all at the same time, not by name (she calls them “one, two, three, and four...” *GROOOAAN*) and we only—somewhat randomly—come to understand who they are in the larger context of the world building).
3) a big, overarching struggle (the goal/quest/journey in a fantasy novel—whether small, for that one installment, or large, for the entire series)
4) a sense of what the fuck is going on.
5) a plot
So, yeah, not a lot happens. I mean, the description pretty much tells you what happens in this entire novel. The side-dressings to Shade’s capture and supposed attachment to the guys are a lot of very murky descriptions about how the fantasy world works: ruling councils and lineages, murders and conquests, black and white castles, grimms (these are never explained and are pretty important to the plot), the Veil (also important—not explained), the Queen (who lives in the Veil?). Basically none of this is fleshed out, so we trip along, following Shade’s own lack of knowledge (not her fault, she’s kept in the dark most of this book about everything) and eagerly snapping up the knowledge breadcrumbs the guys deign to give.
In spite of the guys—I do like Shade. She’s plucky and stands up for herself, even when she is 100% out of her depth, a mortal, and for all intents of purposes should have died about 200 times this book. She’s not too stupid to live, but just...determined. And she’s been beaten down enough as a slave/servant (in her past) to know when to roll over, tuck in, and take the kicks being aimed her way. I appreciate that the author doesn’t focus on her looks really at all, except for a few times here or there that the guys give her shit for, uh...being attractive? Like that’s her fault? Anyways, all the “gazing” is left for the guys, seen through Shade, who walks around like that tongue-emoji as she watches them change, fight, and basically exist. Let’s remember that she’s 18. So I’ll forgive her for that.
Anyways, there were a lot of annoyances in this book, and it just went on and on (much like this review...sorry about that). Lots of useless descriptions about where exactly characters are standing, the position of the room, the feeling of this or that..which took away from the action or dialogue or things generally moving forward. It’s written in present tense (for a fantasy! *grasps pearls*), which annoyed the crap out of me.
I’m on the second book now, and it’s about 100% better. There’s plot, there’s action, there’s less useless description. The author has found her swing. So if you can get past the aforementioned issues, dig in.
1) steady, sensible world-building (enough to get you going, not too much so it feels like an info-dump)
2) main character introductions (yes we meet them, but we meet the guys all at the same time, not by name (she calls them “one, two, three, and four...” *GROOOAAN*) and we only—somewhat randomly—come to understand who they are in the larger context of the world building).
3) a big, overarching struggle (the goal/quest/journey in a fantasy novel—whether small, for that one installment, or large, for the entire series)
4) a sense of what the fuck is going on.
5) a plot
So, yeah, not a lot happens. I mean, the description pretty much tells you what happens in this entire novel. The side-dressings to Shade’s capture and supposed attachment to the guys are a lot of very murky descriptions about how the fantasy world works: ruling councils and lineages, murders and conquests, black and white castles, grimms (these are never explained and are pretty important to the plot), the Veil (also important—not explained), the Queen (who lives in the Veil?). Basically none of this is fleshed out, so we trip along, following Shade’s own lack of knowledge (not her fault, she’s kept in the dark most of this book about everything) and eagerly snapping up the knowledge breadcrumbs the guys deign to give.
In spite of the guys—I do like Shade. She’s plucky and stands up for herself, even when she is 100% out of her depth, a mortal, and for all intents of purposes should have died about 200 times this book. She’s not too stupid to live, but just...determined. And she’s been beaten down enough as a slave/servant (in her past) to know when to roll over, tuck in, and take the kicks being aimed her way. I appreciate that the author doesn’t focus on her looks really at all, except for a few times here or there that the guys give her shit for, uh...being attractive? Like that’s her fault? Anyways, all the “gazing” is left for the guys, seen through Shade, who walks around like that tongue-emoji as she watches them change, fight, and basically exist. Let’s remember that she’s 18. So I’ll forgive her for that.
Anyways, there were a lot of annoyances in this book, and it just went on and on (much like this review...sorry about that). Lots of useless descriptions about where exactly characters are standing, the position of the room, the feeling of this or that..which took away from the action or dialogue or things generally moving forward. It’s written in present tense (for a fantasy! *grasps pearls*), which annoyed the crap out of me.
I’m on the second book now, and it’s about 100% better. There’s plot, there’s action, there’s less useless description. The author has found her swing. So if you can get past the aforementioned issues, dig in.
August 4, 2022
At first, I couldn't stop noticing all the similarities this book has to
But then I asked around I learned that the author is a huge fan of the Curse of the Gods series and this sort of started out as fanfiction in a sense. So I decided to look at all the similarities as Easter Eggs and just enjoy finding them (and I found a lot of them)
I did enjoy this re-creation of Trickery. Our Heroine Shade starts out as a slave in a manor on the moral plain until 4 very un-mortal guys show up and "rescue" her only to drop her into an even worse form of servitude at the castle-academy-training grounds where they attend with all the other powerful seeds like them. Hijinks ensue and she ends up trapped in a magical bubble that centers around the four guys.
Now, this magical bubble is supposed to have some rules to it. For instance, she can't be so many paces away from the main group of guys, and if one walks away the bubble stays with the larger group of 3 (they didn't test splitting up into groups of two for some reason). They tested this at the beginning and those are the supposed guidelines that were not followed throughout the book. On many occasions, she is able to go off with just one of the guys to go to the showers or bathroom or one of the guys stayed behind with her while the other 3 rode off on their horses. For some reason, the bubble stayed with one guy on these occasions when it was clearly stated that the bubble rules should not have worked that way. The author didn't give any explanation for the rule change or even brought attention to it. It just was. I hate when an author doesn't follow the rules of the world they created it's distracting.
Throughout the book, we get snippets of overheard conversations from the guys where they talk about having more answers to the mystery that is Shade. Like, who she is, where she was born, what un-mortal-like powers she might or might not have. But we only get unfished thoughts and out-of-context clues that mostly go unanswered. Hopefully, it will all start to make sense in future books.
In the end, we watch Shade and guys 1 through 4 ride away from white castle (yes the academy is actually called white castle I'm guessing the author has a taste for weird square burgers along with the COTG series) and into the forest to go find a potions master who may be able to help pop the bubble around Shade.
But then I asked around I learned that the author is a huge fan of the Curse of the Gods series and this sort of started out as fanfiction in a sense. So I decided to look at all the similarities as Easter Eggs and just enjoy finding them (and I found a lot of them)
I did enjoy this re-creation of Trickery. Our Heroine Shade starts out as a slave in a manor on the moral plain until 4 very un-mortal guys show up and "rescue" her only to drop her into an even worse form of servitude at the castle-academy-training grounds where they attend with all the other powerful seeds like them. Hijinks ensue and she ends up trapped in a magical bubble that centers around the four guys.
Now, this magical bubble is supposed to have some rules to it. For instance, she can't be so many paces away from the main group of guys, and if one walks away the bubble stays with the larger group of 3 (they didn't test splitting up into groups of two for some reason). They tested this at the beginning and those are the supposed guidelines that were not followed throughout the book. On many occasions, she is able to go off with just one of the guys to go to the showers or bathroom or one of the guys stayed behind with her while the other 3 rode off on their horses. For some reason, the bubble stayed with one guy on these occasions when it was clearly stated that the bubble rules should not have worked that way. The author didn't give any explanation for the rule change or even brought attention to it. It just was. I hate when an author doesn't follow the rules of the world they created it's distracting.
Throughout the book, we get snippets of overheard conversations from the guys where they talk about having more answers to the mystery that is Shade. Like, who she is, where she was born, what un-mortal-like powers she might or might not have. But we only get unfished thoughts and out-of-context clues that mostly go unanswered. Hopefully, it will all start to make sense in future books.
In the end, we watch Shade and guys 1 through 4 ride away from white castle (yes the academy is actually called white castle I'm guessing the author has a taste for weird square burgers along with the COTG series) and into the forest to go find a potions master who may be able to help pop the bubble around Shade.
June 29, 2019
Holy cow you guys. I cannot say enough about this amazing book! It will definitely make you think about bubbles completely different! It is one of the few books I do not have a favorite character in. I love Killian and Roake. This is a MUST READ!
December 23, 2022
2 Stars. I was very interested in the beginning and didn't even care it was basically the same story as the Curse of the Gods series. This book could have just been about 50 pages and gave me the same kind of story. There was way too much useless filler. There was absolutely no development until the last 20 pages and that's only if you consider that development. There were no answers to questions, only slight hints that are revealed. No wonder this series is 8 books long. The characters fell flat for me as well. There is nothing interesting about the FMC, just the same old "not like other girls" personality. She didn't really even help with anything and still assumed everything was about her. Lastly, this wasn't even a slow burn. The harem didn't care for the FMC in the beginning at all besides just playing around with her. Then all of a sudden they start being obsessed with her. There was basically little to no development between the no feelings and obsession. The whole "no touching her" pact was also very annoying. I wanted to get into this series but I really feel like it might just be a waste of time.
January 11, 2022
Solid
I really enjoyed this YA tale, though it did lose one star as some of the political content was confusing and had to be read a couple times. Might just be me though. Otherwise, this was a solid fantasy RH that excels at the slow-burn while building the mystery of who Shade is and why she might be important. I felt a slight similarity to Curse of The Gods and The Power of Five, but more like an homage rather than a copy. And seriously, who wouldn’t want to tip their hat at those tales? This does that, but still stands apart.
Pros:
- She’s Funny!
- The guys are actually easy to differentiate.
- New world.
- Only YA thing about this is the lack of sex and violence, the actual writing pattern and thoughts are adult.
- Feels almost obvious.... but is it?
Cons:
- Some parts are disjointed or confusing.
I really enjoyed this YA tale, though it did lose one star as some of the political content was confusing and had to be read a couple times. Might just be me though. Otherwise, this was a solid fantasy RH that excels at the slow-burn while building the mystery of who Shade is and why she might be important. I felt a slight similarity to Curse of The Gods and The Power of Five, but more like an homage rather than a copy. And seriously, who wouldn’t want to tip their hat at those tales? This does that, but still stands apart.
Pros:
- She’s Funny!
- The guys are actually easy to differentiate.
- New world.
- Only YA thing about this is the lack of sex and violence, the actual writing pattern and thoughts are adult.
- Feels almost obvious.... but is it?
Cons:
- Some parts are disjointed or confusing.
July 3, 2020
To be honest, I didn't expect too much as I started reading because this series is supposedly too similar to another rh series and the h is said to do pranks that don't make sense.
Well... I was at first also reminded of that other series, but this story and these characters are quite different from it. I really loved everything about this series - a rollercoaster of emotions, which I love - and can't wait to read more :)
Well... I was at first also reminded of that other series, but this story and these characters are quite different from it. I really loved everything about this series - a rollercoaster of emotions, which I love - and can't wait to read more :)
lost-interest
November 7, 2021It didn’t make a lot of sense. I’d often read a paragraph, stop, and then have to read it again to see if any of those sentences actually said something. Very strange.
December 2, 2021
Rating : 5/5 ... this was a really fun read
Review in french : cliquez ici
Review in english : Full disclosure, I read this book a long time ago. But I finally decided to review it because I really liked it.
Our FMC, Shade, is a slave with a lot of personality (maybe a little too much for her own safety). One day, she meets the Elorsin brothers who save/kidnap her (yes ... it depends on the point of view) to bring her back with them in their world.
Why read this series ? This fantasy series is simply hilarious. The Elorsin brothers are broody and Shade is a disaster waiting to happen ... If you are looking for a deep and serious read, this is not for you.
FYI, this series is a reverse harem but it's very slow so there are very few sexy moments until the 4th book I believe. Personally, I appreciate the author taking her time to develop the characters.
The series is still ongoing by the way.
Review in french : cliquez ici
Review in english : Full disclosure, I read this book a long time ago. But I finally decided to review it because I really liked it.
Our FMC, Shade, is a slave with a lot of personality (maybe a little too much for her own safety). One day, she meets the Elorsin brothers who save/kidnap her (yes ... it depends on the point of view) to bring her back with them in their world.
Why read this series ? This fantasy series is simply hilarious. The Elorsin brothers are broody and Shade is a disaster waiting to happen ... If you are looking for a deep and serious read, this is not for you.
FYI, this series is a reverse harem but it's very slow so there are very few sexy moments until the 4th book I believe. Personally, I appreciate the author taking her time to develop the characters.
The series is still ongoing by the way.
February 3, 2022
3.5
Pretty good but I wasn't very invested in the story and it had a hard time holding my interest.
Pretty good but I wasn't very invested in the story and it had a hard time holding my interest.
May 1, 2020
Different but not
I totally expected this book to be a bit different than it was. But it’s still great and a fantasy as well. I saw the bread crumbs where Shade is concerned and I have some ideas on who or where she came from. I actually felt like this book had a bunch of similarities to Curse of the Gods.
At first I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t full of facts about this world, or universe. I wasn’t sure how this would play out with the guys and Shade. But the writing is done well, and the hints here and there make it become less frustrating over time. Because in the beginning I was as clueless as Shade. But like her, I gained some info. I’m definitely interested to see where this goes. Wish I had the boys povs though.
I totally expected this book to be a bit different than it was. But it’s still great and a fantasy as well. I saw the bread crumbs where Shade is concerned and I have some ideas on who or where she came from. I actually felt like this book had a bunch of similarities to Curse of the Gods.
At first I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t full of facts about this world, or universe. I wasn’t sure how this would play out with the guys and Shade. But the writing is done well, and the hints here and there make it become less frustrating over time. Because in the beginning I was as clueless as Shade. But like her, I gained some info. I’m definitely interested to see where this goes. Wish I had the boys povs though.
June 29, 2019
This story is wonderful. Shade is an indentured servant who is ‘saved’ by four men. She is whisked away from one life of service, only to be put into service in a very dangerous and foreign environment.
I enjoyed the dialogue between characters, the intrigue of the castle and the unique peril that Shade finds herself in.
Shade herself is a strong, sassy character thrown into a sink or swim situation. I love her attitude of doing what she needs to in order to survive.
The men are all strong, set in their ways, and very dangerous to Shade’s life.
Reading, you are left to wonder if they actually ‘helped’ her by taking her away.
Different but oh so enjoyable.
I enjoyed the dialogue between characters, the intrigue of the castle and the unique peril that Shade finds herself in.
Shade herself is a strong, sassy character thrown into a sink or swim situation. I love her attitude of doing what she needs to in order to survive.
The men are all strong, set in their ways, and very dangerous to Shade’s life.
Reading, you are left to wonder if they actually ‘helped’ her by taking her away.
Different but oh so enjoyable.
August 4, 2019
Supernatural and Mortal worlds collide in this book. Shade's (the MFC) life has always been in service to the Lord who is brutal in his treatment of her until 4 men turn up - Pax, Killian, Roarke and Seth. They take her away from there but where they take her to is not exactly a better place to be. Shade struggles to find her way in a new world with new people as well as with the 4 guys to. I loved Shades sharp wit and some of her one-liners cracked me up. As well as her conversations with the guys. Such a fantastic read i raced through it in one day. Couldnt put it down
July 19, 2020
So good!
What I love most about this one is that the relationships are evolving and you gain all this insight as to the why and how's if it all. Of course you have your main characters, but there are some new ones that seep in and bring "more" with them. There are fun angst of course which Amanda is amazing at providing. In this book you get to know the Elorsin more and if you weren't already in love with them, you will be now!
What I love most about this one is that the relationships are evolving and you gain all this insight as to the why and how's if it all. Of course you have your main characters, but there are some new ones that seep in and bring "more" with them. There are fun angst of course which Amanda is amazing at providing. In this book you get to know the Elorsin more and if you weren't already in love with them, you will be now!
October 10, 2019
I saw this recommended on social media page so I thought I would try it. I am really enjoying it, I like the characters and the storyline
I have only given it three stars as it is extremely similar to the curse of the gods series, so much so that it keeps popping into my mind while I am reading. That Said, I am going to read book two as it has captured my interest, and I want to see what happens next but I admit I have mixed feelings about it
I have only given it three stars as it is extremely similar to the curse of the gods series, so much so that it keeps popping into my mind while I am reading. That Said, I am going to read book two as it has captured my interest, and I want to see what happens next but I admit I have mixed feelings about it
November 3, 2021
I started reading and couldn’t put it down. Shade is a servant with an abusive master, but she does what she can to protect the other servants and herself. She suddenly finds herself in a whole new world, with four guys who don’t quite know what to make of her. Parts of this story reminded me of the Curse of the Gods series, which is one of my favorites. This is a slow burn, and I can’t wait to see how their relationships develop!
January 22, 2021
*3.5
Solid start. I like the threads it is pulling from and am interested to find out how it is all weaved together. So far very slow burn as the romance doesn't come in too much in this entry, but each of the love interests have very different feels that I appreciate. I'm hoping that book 2 will develop everything even further to keep me engaged and reading.
Solid start. I like the threads it is pulling from and am interested to find out how it is all weaved together. So far very slow burn as the romance doesn't come in too much in this entry, but each of the love interests have very different feels that I appreciate. I'm hoping that book 2 will develop everything even further to keep me engaged and reading.
September 13, 2019
Not the same old story.
A wonderful book with characters that I can't get enough of. Lots of ups, downs and twists. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and eagerly await the next in the series.
A wonderful book with characters that I can't get enough of. Lots of ups, downs and twists. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and eagerly await the next in the series.
August 13, 2019
Awesome!
I couldn't put it down! The characters are engaging and interesting. The storyline is so good! It does remind me just a little of the curse of the gods series in some aspects but overall so good!
I couldn't put it down! The characters are engaging and interesting. The storyline is so good! It does remind me just a little of the curse of the gods series in some aspects but overall so good!
March 20, 2020
it was kind of slow at the beginning of the book but it got better later on. At first i kind of didn´t like the characters, but they grew on me. It´s like a mix of curse of the god and power of five a lil
June 29, 2019
This book is simply amazing. You'll laugh your tush off and want to smack a few heads. This is an absolute must read!
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