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War on Darkness #1
Darkness Defined
Alexi is ecstatic when he receives an invitation to enroll in Arminius University, though he worries about what reception he'll receive from the other students. The premiere, secret supernatural school enrolls creatures of many kinds, but he'll be among the first Shadow Demons to be openly welcomed. Alexi’s not looking for love, just the freedom to be himself.
Matt’s been on his own for as long as he can remember. Abandoned at birth, freedom from the foster system is the first thing on his mind in the morning and the last thing he thinks about at night. When he’s whisked away to attend an exclusive class at a strange school full of weird creatures, attaining his longed-for freedom becomes a matter of surviving long enough to reach it.
Being roommates with the teacher’s pet is less than ideal in Matt’s mind, but Alexi makes him feel seen. Despite Matt’s standoffish attitude, Alexi is determined to win him over. Matt's the only one who treats him like a person rather than a threat. When they stumble across an ancient mystery that challenges their tenuous friendship, will it bring them closer together or tear them apart forever?
Matt’s been on his own for as long as he can remember. Abandoned at birth, freedom from the foster system is the first thing on his mind in the morning and the last thing he thinks about at night. When he’s whisked away to attend an exclusive class at a strange school full of weird creatures, attaining his longed-for freedom becomes a matter of surviving long enough to reach it.
Being roommates with the teacher’s pet is less than ideal in Matt’s mind, but Alexi makes him feel seen. Despite Matt’s standoffish attitude, Alexi is determined to win him over. Matt's the only one who treats him like a person rather than a threat. When they stumble across an ancient mystery that challenges their tenuous friendship, will it bring them closer together or tear them apart forever?
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2022
81 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
S. Bolanos
18 books22 followersSam Bolanos (she/they) is a genderqueer author and founder of Chaotic Neutral Press LLC. They believe in love, equality, and the Oxford comma. When not playing with her three dogs, who you can follow on Instagram @austendogs, or spending time with her incredible husband, she’s probably agonizing over edits or escaping into her latest fantasy.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 19, 2023
4.5 stars rated up to 5 ⭐️ stars because of the amazing story, plot, character combo - which holds so much potential as this is even only book 1!This book is amazing I am soooo excited for the next instalment!!
June 7, 2022
Would be great for young adults
An easy read with a good plot and great characters. Love a book about magic. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series.
An easy read with a good plot and great characters. Love a book about magic. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series.
June 20, 2022
Fun supernatural YA/NA m/m story
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2022
I really enjoyed this YA/NA supernatural story. There is some really interesting world building, which is always important to me. Two main characters with intricate and real personalities. Some sweetness. Some angst. And an intriguing plot arc that will definitely see me picking up the next in series!
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2022
I really enjoyed this YA/NA supernatural story. There is some really interesting world building, which is always important to me. Two main characters with intricate and real personalities. Some sweetness. Some angst. And an intriguing plot arc that will definitely see me picking up the next in series!
February 6, 2023
3.75 for world building
3.5 for character development (it was SLOW in the beginning and then a little overly extreme towards the end)
2.5 for overall plot. While I enjoyed this story, I felt like I spent the first 3rd watching as it tried to figure out what it wanted to be. There were several scenes that felt unnecessary or poorly structured and things didn't really find a natural rhythm until almost 60% through the book
4 for the romance; it was really sweet, but it felt a bit too much like the central focus in later chapters. There's some clear world building going on that should have gotten a little more attention.
3.5 for character development (it was SLOW in the beginning and then a little overly extreme towards the end)
2.5 for overall plot. While I enjoyed this story, I felt like I spent the first 3rd watching as it tried to figure out what it wanted to be. There were several scenes that felt unnecessary or poorly structured and things didn't really find a natural rhythm until almost 60% through the book
4 for the romance; it was really sweet, but it felt a bit too much like the central focus in later chapters. There's some clear world building going on that should have gotten a little more attention.
June 15, 2025
This was surprisingly cute 💕 - not what I expected with paranormal romance.
I really liked the characters and world building, and there are a few plot points I'm excited to see where they go in the next book.
This is very much a character- driven story - nothing action- wise really happens. The romance stays at a PG/pg13 level and was sweet, which I appreciate for characters who are 17- 18.
I really liked the characters and world building, and there are a few plot points I'm excited to see where they go in the next book.
This is very much a character- driven story - nothing action- wise really happens. The romance stays at a PG/pg13 level and was sweet, which I appreciate for characters who are 17- 18.
September 1, 2024
This is my first book I'm reading by this author and I will absolutely be reading more. Wow. I am wonderfully impressed with the characterizations in this book, as well as the lore of this world! I hope we'll get more of it in book two (I expect we will!). S Bolanos also has that je ne sais quois in their writing, that x-factor that just shines through. The prose was a true joy to read. I appreciated the complexity of the two MMCs, loved that we have dual-POV, and enjoyed the world as well! While it was not incredibly in depth, Bolanos does a brilliant job with balancing the amount of world-building needed by giving just enough to bring the world to life without bogging the story down. This first book of the duology focuses more on the relationship that develops between Alexi and Matt, but based on the blurb for the sequel, the overarching plotline is going to really pick up in the second book and I can't wait!
Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Definitely! And I'm keen to read the next book as well!
See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book
CHARACTERS: Alexi and Matt both truly shine. I absolutely love the equality between the two characters. I read so much Achillean romance that it's easy to spot trends, re: the taller one has alpha energy, for example, but none of that is the case here. Each of them have strengths and weaknesses that fit so well together. Even though there's instant attraction for one of them, the issues they grapple with are so real world, despite being supernatural beings. I absolutely adored that. I love when all the stereotypes are thrown out the window. I love that there are no preconceived notions in the characters (even if the characters have them about each other). All in all, a truly fascinating duo!
PLOT: The plot mainly focuses on Matt and Alexi meeting at this supernatural school where they are going to finally learn how to harness their powers. We follow the two of them as they figure out what they mean to each other and how to survive on a wholly academic level without being kicked out. We learn a little bit more about a mystery involving Alexi's favorite book and watch a truly fascinating bi-awakening moment with one of the characters that truly felt so realistic. Book one focuses on the two of them going from enemies-to-friends-to-lovers and from what I can tell, the sequel will then kick off some external conflicts now that they are together. I can't wait!
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.
4/5: high. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to be as drawn in as I was. But Matt and Alexi are truly such compelling characters that I found myself far more drawn in and emotionally connected than I'd expected!
CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?
95%. As mentioned, book one appears to focus on their relationship, so it ends after a good moment in terms of their relationship. Overall, it felt to me like I was then waiting for the big climactic events now that they were together. However, I think that is all going to happen in book two. All in all, I'm content mostly because book one wraps up well and sets us up for book two!
Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Definitely! And I'm keen to read the next book as well!
See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book
CHARACTERS: Alexi and Matt both truly shine. I absolutely love the equality between the two characters. I read so much Achillean romance that it's easy to spot trends, re: the taller one has alpha energy, for example, but none of that is the case here. Each of them have strengths and weaknesses that fit so well together. Even though there's instant attraction for one of them, the issues they grapple with are so real world, despite being supernatural beings. I absolutely adored that. I love when all the stereotypes are thrown out the window. I love that there are no preconceived notions in the characters (even if the characters have them about each other). All in all, a truly fascinating duo!
PLOT: The plot mainly focuses on Matt and Alexi meeting at this supernatural school where they are going to finally learn how to harness their powers. We follow the two of them as they figure out what they mean to each other and how to survive on a wholly academic level without being kicked out. We learn a little bit more about a mystery involving Alexi's favorite book and watch a truly fascinating bi-awakening moment with one of the characters that truly felt so realistic. Book one focuses on the two of them going from enemies-to-friends-to-lovers and from what I can tell, the sequel will then kick off some external conflicts now that they are together. I can't wait!
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.
4/5: high. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to be as drawn in as I was. But Matt and Alexi are truly such compelling characters that I found myself far more drawn in and emotionally connected than I'd expected!
CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?
95%. As mentioned, book one appears to focus on their relationship, so it ends after a good moment in terms of their relationship. Overall, it felt to me like I was then waiting for the big climactic events now that they were together. However, I think that is all going to happen in book two. All in all, I'm content mostly because book one wraps up well and sets us up for book two!
October 23, 2022
ABSOLUTELY LOVVVEEEE
It's not just a quick "bam I'm in love, let's screw, happily ever after" or "I'm full of trauma, but I fall in love and bam no more trauma".
It's deep routed mystery into their entire forsaken world as Shadow Demons, it's knowledge into what it's like being not only an outlasted demon that's on the brink of extinctions but it's a GAY demon. So that's a big two-for-one kind of shabang. They start as friends like it's SUPOSSED to be, friends, fun and light. It has such a perfect depiction on what it's like for someone coming out too! Love that! Because coming out and admitted that your a little different than the average straight Joe is hard and agonizing, confusing and down-right scary! And we get that here! Honest to God its one of the BEST LEGTBQIA+ books I've ever read. I usually don't leave good commentary on any book, but this one deserves that and more! Poor Alexi though just makes it seem like a hit and miss crush bc, but Matt pulls all of us in and opens our eyes to what it means to accept your sexuality and try to figure out how to live with it.
It's not just a quick "bam I'm in love, let's screw, happily ever after" or "I'm full of trauma, but I fall in love and bam no more trauma".
It's deep routed mystery into their entire forsaken world as Shadow Demons, it's knowledge into what it's like being not only an outlasted demon that's on the brink of extinctions but it's a GAY demon. So that's a big two-for-one kind of shabang. They start as friends like it's SUPOSSED to be, friends, fun and light. It has such a perfect depiction on what it's like for someone coming out too! Love that! Because coming out and admitted that your a little different than the average straight Joe is hard and agonizing, confusing and down-right scary! And we get that here! Honest to God its one of the BEST LEGTBQIA+ books I've ever read. I usually don't leave good commentary on any book, but this one deserves that and more! Poor Alexi though just makes it seem like a hit and miss crush bc, but Matt pulls all of us in and opens our eyes to what it means to accept your sexuality and try to figure out how to live with it.
March 9, 2023
Teenage drama and love and... teenage everything is so much more annoying than the adult version. Don't ask me why. Though maybe it is kind of obvious. Adult romance may have very similar problems - miscommunication, fear of abandonment or being hurt... outside forces interfering, once in a while... and it wasn't, thank all that's holy, teenage in that "curfew, parental disapproval or restrictions" kind of annoying. But it was annoying - annoyingly dramatic and tragic and Matt was supposed to be a jadded foster kid and... where exactly did his first personality disappear to?
But mostly, it was the teenage aspect of it all that turned this... otherwise fairly simple romance about two new roommates (and school mates) turning friends (with a side of lust) into more of a *sigh* book than a *yes* book. If that makes sense.
I will continue and hope the unnecessary "he doesn't want me", "can't even say gay out loud" will go away now that... things progressed. The shadow demon system and world is nice and I am looking forward to seeing where this story can take us.
But mostly, it was the teenage aspect of it all that turned this... otherwise fairly simple romance about two new roommates (and school mates) turning friends (with a side of lust) into more of a *sigh* book than a *yes* book. If that makes sense.
I will continue and hope the unnecessary "he doesn't want me", "can't even say gay out loud" will go away now that... things progressed. The shadow demon system and world is nice and I am looking forward to seeing where this story can take us.
September 11, 2022
*chants* Gimmie more queer fantasy YA books! I loved the start of this duology/series. Can’t wait to see where the darkness leads Matt and Alex
just-cannot-finish
October 24, 2022DNF very early on. Don’t think I made it past the length of the sample.
January 29, 2024
Audiobook - excellent narration. I really enjoyed the world building and depth of the MCs. Just a bit frustrating sometimes how often they kept trying to convince themselves not to want the other.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews