What Lies Within Masks & Shadows (Promises of the Marke… (2024)

Sometimes the female lead is just so annoying you want to pull her out of the book and slap her around.

I can’t continue with this, it feels like I’ve been trying to get through this for days and feel like I’ve made little progress and it’s just not enjoyable.

I enjoyed maybe one or two scenes but it feels like the author is
A. Working off a list of tropes
B. Inspired maybe a bit too much by certain characters from a popular series we all know (hint: bat boys).

This book also needed to be cut down maybe by about 300 pages. There is absolutely zero need for this book to be 735 pgs long- all it does is make the story drag, the readers get bored and end up Dnfing.

I feel like this book is a prime example of why people shouldn’t get book recs from tik tok. It’s essentially fast fashion but for books.

I am going to start off by saying that this book probably landed more at a 4.2 spot but the more I think about it the higher the rating could go. Now if you have any trigger warning please look at them before starting this read. This is a dark fantasy romance and not for the faint of heart. Just image ACOTAR but way darker. I loved the magic system and world building. I had a fun time with seeing the character grow and the slow burn that built between the main characters while both fighting their own past. Well done. The angst was incredibly. I did have a few issues with the pacing to some of the story but overall a great start to a series…

Special thank you to Nicolle May for the arc and my honest review 💕

I am *SO* mad…that I finished this book so quickly and now I have to wait for book two. This book was EVERYTHING! I mean, I knew I was going to love this book right off the bat in Chapter 1 when we were given the most colorful description ever of some rotting corpses in an alleyway:

…”these two smelled like a sea of rodents that had boiled in the sun for a week and looked like they were tossed in a stale swamp before being dumped in a city’s worth of defecation.”

Now, I know to some people that might not reel them in, but I swear to god, that’s something I would say, word-for-word that would have people looking at me like I was insane…it’s nice to see I’m not the only one that comes up with the most batshit crazy and disturbingly graphic ways to describe things…I mean, you really get a sense of how friggen disgusting those bodies smell though. Another favorite was this *AMAZING* “apology” from chapter 41,

“I’m shit at apologies. So, unfuck you or whatever.” <—(classic Jade)

Now, this is not your typical fantasy romance story. This *is* a fantasy book, it’s definitely dark, but as the author has marketed it (at least this first book) it’s a “traumance” at the moment…so if you’re looking for insta-love and mass amount of spice, that’s not happening here (the angst is *SO* good though). What *is* happening is an absolutely heartbreaking, but phenomenal journey our two main characters, Alora & Garrik (the Savage Prince), are going through after experiencing years of abuse. Alora suffered a mass amount of assault at the hands of her evil betrothed (the assault isn’t described in detail, you do have a general idea of what’s been done to her…so make sure you check your trigger warnings). Garrik has suffered at the hands of his evil father, the High King (or, sperm donor in this case), the High King’s minions, and one particular serpentine female we still don’t know the name of.

All of our characters are extremely complex individuals that are constantly being haunted by the ghosts of their pasts. They all possess very distinct personalities and behaviors due to the horrific abuses they survived throughout their long lives (that’s right, they’re all centuries old). Alora & Garrik both have vivid, uncontrollable nightmares, Jade has a fear of fire, Garrik can’t stand being touched, etc. Despite these demons, our characters survive and start to thrive as a team and as individuals.

This book is a story about overcoming self doubt, perceived weakness, inner demons, misconceptions, mistrust, finding your power, freedom, redemption, revenge, fighting for what you believe in, opening yourself up to love, letting down your walls, and realizing you are not alone.

This book was absolutely amazing. I never would have guessed this was a debut book, ever. Nicolle May has blown my mind with this heartbreakingly brilliant story. For her to take something so personal and weave it into this story full of shadows and light is beautiful. Stories like this give people hope and that’s something we all need desperately right now.
I cannot wait to see where she takes these characters next!

If you’re a fan of the Lady of Darkness series or Rain of Shadows and Endings by Melissa K. Roehrich, the Shadows & Crowns or Flame & Sparrow duology by S.M. Gaither, The Plated Prisoner series by Raven Kennedy, or the Flesh and Fire series by JLA, I think you’ll really enjoy this book.

I love love love this book and its characters so much and cannot wait for the next book to come out! Nicolle’s characters have made me feel so many things. I have laughed, screamed, cried, and wanted to strangle almost every character at some point!

Alora & Garrik have become one of my favorite book pairings and this story will be in my top reads for the year for sure!
My feelings towards Alora have shifted from devastating heartache from her situation to anger at her attitude towards Garrik to frustration at her denying her own feelings and misplacing blame, to an utter appreciation of her fight to get past her trauma and also help others through theirs. I truly adore the way bits and pieces of her and The Savage Prince’s pasts are introduced throughout the book and help unfold this beautiful story of brokenness and healing.
And Garrik…oh my precious Garrik…the amount of strength and selflessness in this man is unsurpassed. But also the whole “I can’t share my problems with anyone else because they are MY problems” makes me want to shake him so hard!! Watching how he handles Alora and all her layers is beautiful. Seeing how much he gives and gives and how deeply he cares for his people is devastating. This man has my heart in shambles at times and then immediately repairs it with some of the kindest moments.

Throw in the loyalty of Thalon, the humor of Aiden, the abrasiveness of Jade, and the intelligence of Eldacar, and you have a wonderfully dysfunctional family of broken souls trying to help one another mend.

And ohhh boy the way this book ends🫣
I NEED to know what happens next because right now I’m NOT OKAY!! Garrik baby, you better know what you’re doing!

Tropes I loved:
•Enemies to…more than friends/reluctant companions
•Morally gray MMC
•Found family
•Sloooow Burn
•Touch her and die
•Emotional Scars

And let’s hit some of the amazing quotes that I had to save because I’m obsessed with them:

“Crying is not a weakness. It makes you stronger. Sometimes you need to be beaten lower than you have ever been to stand taller than you ever were.”

“Your fight was not fair, and the path ahead will not be easy. Look forward with hope, even if you never forget the pain of the past. You are a survivor. You are not the pain you have suffered.”

“Progress is not linear, Alora. You can survive months without your pain, only to fall and shatter a moment later.”

“Make no mistake, my darling, there is no reality in which I would not return to you.”

If you want to fall in love with a story that makes you feel SO much and draws you in so deep, READ. THIS. BOOK. You won’t regret it!

This book finished me 😭🥺🤧

In a world where magic and danger intertwine, Alora, a sheltered young woman, finds herself trapped in an abusive relationship with her fiancé. The harsh reality of her situation becomes painfully clear, and she knows that escaping his clutches is a matter of life and death. With determination, she secretly saves money, planning to flee to a distant kingdom where she hopes to find safety.

However, fate has other plans for Alora. As she attempts to slip away unnoticed, she stumbles into a chaotic scene. Soldiers are hunting down magic wielders, and Alora, unbeknownst to herself, bears the mark of one. Just when capture seems inevitable, a mysterious and deadly male intervenes. His presence is both terrifying and captivating, and he whisks her away to safety.

As Alora adjusts to her new life, she discovers a hidden world beyond her imagination. She befriends members of Garrik’s inner circle, each with their own secrets and scars. Alora, traumatized by years of abuse, needs time to heal, and her newfound companions show understanding and patience. The dual point of view allows us to delve into Garrik’s mind as well. His past mirrors Alora’s in many ways, but his suffering has been even more profound. He remains perpetually guarded, haunted by memories that threaten to consume him.

Together, Alora and Garrik form an unlikely alliance. Their shared pain and resilience create a bond that transcends fear. As they navigate a treacherous world, they uncover hidden truths, face dangerous adversaries, and find solace in each other’s company.

The slow burn romance is deliciously intense, and the banter between characters is top-tier. But what truly shines is the found family dynamic—the characters feel like home. The action sequences are so realistic and wild!

As a dark fantasy debut, this book is a gem. Just be aware that it delves into heavy themes, so check the triggers before diving in. Highly recommended for dark fantasy lovers.

not gonna lie to you when i saw it had over 600 pages i was reluctant but FROM THE FIRST PAGES I WAS HOOKED GIRL

It had the perfect slow introduction and world building for a new series and let me tell you i absolutely love that

Alora is such a beautiful person inside and out because the girl went through a loooooot of messy things

Garrik is that shadows daddy we all love to read about AND HE IS PATIENT WHEN ARE THEY PATIENT ALMOST NEVER, it would have messed the whole story if it would have been the other way around and im glad nicolle didn’t rushed things over.

Now i also loved the found family, i love the intricacies of the story and those last couple of chapters only made me more excited for the next book I can’t wait

If you’re looking for a new fantasy book to get you hooked then you definitely need to give this one a chance

Thank you Nicolle May for the arc 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

Rtc in a hew hours i need to give this book the review she deserves

I HATE giving low ratings but honestly, I wanted to dnf so so bad. There was HEAVY influence of Acotar, so much that the series is vaguely referenced by the main characters multiple times.

“Humans write such … fascinating books about our kind. Start with these two. Try not to fall in love with the main character. He is a fool. But in this one”—lifting the green, he flipped through its pages—“another Lord of Darkness … well, once you reach chapter forty-eight … I think you would find it rather enjoyable to recreate that chapter,…”

That is a direct quote from the MMC. It was really cringy.

Also, I don’t even truly understand the plot of the book.
Why is the high king chasing down marked ones? Where did the death mark come from? Why don’t all fae have magic? What do the Dragons plan to do once they’ve collected all the mystics?

This book should have had a more dedicated editor as well, the amount of sentences that made no sense or had no context was extremely frustrating.

If the author chooses to read this review, I’m sorry, I’m not trying to be mean. It was a very interesting premise, that could have been great. It just fell really short of its potential.

Giving an extra star because I actually do want to read book 2 to see what happens.

This was….not good. I’m utterly dumbfounded by all the 5-star reviews. I’m giving it a 3 instead of a 2 only because I somehow finished all 730 pages without getting pissed off. There was potential to be sure, but really, nothing made any sense. There was no clear plot and the world-building elements were totally random, just sprinkled in here and there with no purpose of depth. The characters were interesting in the backstory but none of their present decisions made any sense at all. The FMC couldn’t follow a single direction to save her life, literally…she was in constant peril due to straight up stupidity and stubbornness. The ending made my head hurt and now I’m just glad it’s over. I won’t be reading any more of this series.

There is a new shadow daddy in town. What Lies Within Masks and Shadows is a debut fantasy novel and pulls you in from the very beginning. Enemies to lovers, one horse, touch her and die, and morally grey MMC. The tension and banter between Alora and Garrick keeps you reading and I didn’t want it to end. Great plot and world building. The cliffhanger has me counting down the days until the second book. Can’t recommend this book enough.

⭐️3.5
“Wherever there are shadows, I will always be.” -Garrik

Congratulations to Nicolle May on her debut novel!

I LOVE Garrik! Just wait until you meet this Shadow Daddy. The banter between him and the secondary characters were some of my favorite parts. I love the world and unique magic systems. And I can’t wait to read book 2.

“Make no mistake, my darling, there is no reality in which I would not return to you.” -Garrik

“I’m shit at apologies. So, unfuck you or whatever.” -Jade

The pov is written in third person, which I really struggled with! There were many times where I didn’t know which “she, her, he, him” we were even talking about. I caught myself continuously flipping back to see what was going on. This was my biggest struggle.

There is sooo much potential with this book, that I am excited to see where things go. However, many twists were not developed. Sometimes we went from point A to point D (or even F) and I was left wondering how we got there. I needed more development. The flow jumped around a lot, which was frustrating because good things were happening and then we just randomly jumped to something else.

I also could not stand the FMC (Alora) for 90% of the book. I understand ��Truamance,” but the FMC continuously made people suffer who had nothing to do with her trauma. She took these great strides, said she was done making excuses, then did it all over again. She looked unkindly at Garrik, then saw the goodness, then hated him again (many times). Note: he’s been traumatized also and continues to be, where she is no longer actively being abused. But she was constantly hot & cold with him. Purposely hurtful.

As a survivor of DV myself, Alora just did not sit right with me. Once she created victims and used excuses (over and over again), it became a struggle to love her. Also, why didn’t she ever burn Kaine?

I would have liked to have had more spice, though I understand both main characters were working through abuse/trauma. But this was probably the slowest burn I ever read. Maybe 1 🌶️. Maybe?

The cliffhanger at the end seemed poorly developed also. The event was there, then just done.

I read many reviews where people loved this story! And I loved the potential. So maybe it’s just my brain. 🥺
I wish nothing but success for Nicolle and I’m sure book 2 will be even better!

What you get:

🗡️Shadow Daddy
🗡️Slow Burn
🗡️Who Did This To you
🗡️Enemies to Lovers
🗡️One Horse/Inn
🗡️Complex World & Characters
🗡️Facinating Secondary Characters
🗡️Elemental Magic
🗡️Scarred Hero
🗡️Dark Fantasy Truamance
🔥 Did I mention Shadow Daddy😆

“Insult what is mine again and find that my knowledge of pain far exceeds the control of shadow. They will grant you mercy. I will not.” -Garrik

In case you missed it… I love Garrik! Hopefully Alora deserves him in book 2.

This is the longest book I have ever read where…. nothing happens. The whole book alludes to this big battle of the prince against the king, and once you are 95% of the way through the book something big is FINALLY about to happen and…. nothing. It ends on a cliffhanger. We have no knowledge of why the prince went in the cavern with some character who was introduced 3 seconds before and like no other event in the book was a big scene that would suffice for a well rounded story. Also, at many points it is a bit hard to understand whats happening, since the narrator speaks so familiar with the girl you almost forget its not her POV and then when it switches to other characters it takes a minute to realize it switched. And like there are parts where it makes it seem something will happen, like how her hand is cut at the beginning for a bargain to be called upon by a later date, and we literally hear nothing about that for the rest of the book. We never meet the king, even though there are scenes where we only follow the prince. Also the book is like 99% about how both the main characters have trauma they need to overcome. So I guess that was the main plot because they seem to have overcome that by the end. But from the description I thought it would be more action, but the action is pretty much background noise. The writing was good. But when I was 90% thru the book and nothing had happened I knew the ending would be a cliffhanger but I didn’t think it would be disappointing. Also, the prince goes into the cabe or whatever at the end of the book and we know NOTHING and have no context about whats gonna happen, so the cliffhanger is weak because it is like what are we looking forward to? what are we speculating? Felt like it needed 30 more seconds to give us a hint or something to look forward to. I think that maybe the book has high stars because she writes about healing from trama very well, but since I didn’t know that was all the book would be I was disappointed.

“Hello, clever girl” 🫠🫠

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - wait, no…ALL the stars!

This is one of, if not, THE BEST debuts by an author I have ever read! Nicolle May has done it with this first book of her Promises of the Marked series! This book was everything! 🩷🩷🩷

🥀 Enemies to lovers
🥀 Morally Grey/Shadow Daddy MMC
🥀 Strong Fierce FMC
🥀 Touch her and ☠️
🥀 Who did this to her/him
🥀 Knife to throat
🥀 Slow Burn

I have been waiting a long time for this book and I was not disappointed in the least!! “What Lies Within Masks & Shadows” is such a beautifully written journey of darkness and trauma. I was sucked in and hooked from the very first sentence. And on the edge throughout the entire book. The pain and trauma Alora (our FMC) and Garrik (our MMC) go through is unimaginable. I wanted to kick and scream and cry for them. Alora’s journey of finding herself after a life of abuse at the hands of her betrothed is anything but easy. Our Shadow Daddy, Garrik - The Savage Prince has had a tumultuous life at the hands of his High King father; who molded and used him to do his bidding of finding “marked ones” and destroying villages in his hunt. His character is quite complex and not without his own haunting demons. However, with Alora, we see glimpses of his tenderness and vulnerability. We also have some delicious and evil side characters.

The words are beautiful! The story is mesmorizing and complex! The world building is full of vibrancy! I am so extremely sad that this installment has ended…for now! I can’t wait to see where the journey of Alora, Garrik and the Dragons go in the next book. This will most definitely be a book that lingers with me and lives rent free in my head for quite some time!

If you’re on the fence…don’t hesitate! This book is absolutely amazing! 🩷

My reviews rarely ever have spoilers because if I have loved the book, I want the reader to experience everything I did first hand. So, this review will not contain any spoilers.

The character development and world building for me were done exceptionally well. If I cannot clearly imagine a scene playing out or if I don’t feel connected to characters, I will stop reading immediately. This book did those two areas the utmost justice.

The vivid descriptive language was magnificent. I was able to feel everything that was written. You can tell the amount of time Nichole took to make sure this was absolutely perfect before it went out. There were no silly errors, the formatting was great. Overall I cannot fault this book.

My special edition hardback with the amazing art by Mage on Duty showed up this morning. I was waiting to write my review until it showed up. The last piece of the puzzle. It is even more beautiful in person and I highly recommend that you purchase a copy for yourself.

An amazing novel, a beautiful author who takes the time to chat with her readers and a stunning special edition. Five stars all round. Well done Nicholle on your debut. I hope it was everything you wished for.

We get it...everyone needs therapy

I really wanted to like this book, really I did. In short...nothing really happens after the first quarter of the book. The MFC seema tonhave split personality disorder - flips back and forth between "I'm a bad ass bitch who mouths off" to " omg I am so traumatized I am scared of everyone". The flip is so extreme ot doesnt feel like character depth, more like two characters squished into one. Most of the book leaves huge questions unanswered, things that you want to actually know more about are glossed over while the prattling on over trauma and therapy needs is just to much. This is coming from someone who can take a lot of book angst. It was just too much. Wording was often repetitive. If you did a drinking game for a shot everytime you shed "flashed her saphires" or "her saphires flashed" you would be under the table a few chapters in. The world building is also shallow. Big disappointment.

What Lies Within Masks & Shadows by Nicolle May is one of the most beautifully written novels I have ever read. This is truly amazing as it’s a debut novel for the author. It’s emotional, inspiring and an edge-of-your-seat-stay-up-all-night-to-read kind of book. There’s trauma, found family, PTSD, “who put their hands on you”, faeries, and even references to well-known other fairy stories.
The story starts out with Alora living with her abusive fiancé and wanting to escape his terror inducing capabilities. She is a Marked One with white fire powers as a faerie in a world where the High King kills those who are Marked Ones. She is rescued/kidnapped by Garrik who is also known as the Savage Prince due to past sins. Garrik wants to help Marked Ones from his father and lead an eventual resistance against him. Garrik and Alora make a deal that she will live in the army under his command and be one of his Dragons until they reach Dellisaerin. Up to that moment she can decide to leave, but she has to tell Garrik so that he knows it’s safe for her. The plot surrounds their travel and each of their pasts and how it affects them now. Garrik has been forced to be the Savage Prince for several reasons including abuse, torture and sexual assault against him. Alora consistently sees her abusive ex as if nightmare mirage that results in her saying and doing some explosive and hurtful things to those she cares about within the army including Garrik. Garrik has always shown that he’s had some type of feelings for Alora. Alora battles with her fear and hatred of strong men and her own developing feelings of Garrik. There’s little spice in the book but there are some intimate and tension filled moments. The story ends on a cliffhanger of what will happen to Garrik?
My favorite part of this book was the writing. Another reader described it as lyrical and they were spot on. It had me in tears, angry with the characters and happy when they were happy. Not many fantasies with faeries have made me tear up and truly feel the trauma and internal struggle that these characters have. With the descriptions, I felt like I was there along with them. You could see the brightly colored flowers that glowed in the moonlight. You could feel the heat of Alora’s fire when she was being called a princess. The stew is something I will be craving for the next month.
My least favorite thing about this novel was that there is some dual point-of-view and it wasn’t labeled. It was easy to pick up on after a few sentences but I felt like that would have been nice to have. This wasn’t a major issue and honestly the only issue with the story.
This book easily is a five-star book. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and see how these characters grow further. I want to see Alora and Garrik’s relationship grow as they help each other heal. Along with the other things I have said about this bookSince this is Nicolle May’s debut novel, I can only expect great things. If it wasn’t already a five-star book, it would have received an extra star just because of the pronunciation guide and the reference to a certain purple-eyed, big wingspan faerie and the fool.

oh my GOD this book.🫠

I am just, so pleasently surprised and upset and LIVID that it ended like that and I have to WAIT?

I’m not going to lie, this book popped up on my tiktok FYP advertising the plot, and I went “yolo!” and decided to start it. Instinct is a wild thing yall, this book hit so hard.

The characters, the world building, the lessons and the pain all clan together so beautifully. And the fact that this is a debut author, I am expecting such great things for future books. Nicolle May put her ALL into this. I cried, laughed, screamed, all of the above, and am fully expecting this to be BookTok’s next big thing.

It’s perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer Armentrout, Holly Black, etc (think Shadow Daddy. Yeah. I KNOW.)

The only complaint I have from this book is the beginning. It felt fast, a little confusing, and parts seemed a little unnecessary. However, I will contradict that by saying there was a lot that DID matter, and despite what I said, pay attention. I imagine this author is like most romantasy authors I’ve come across. Everything is for a reason. Everything. At some point the plot holes will surley find their page.

To conclude: please read this. You won’t be disappointed. (If you still aren’t convinced, check out the naked hardcover. You’re welcome in advance).

Hot damn I loved this! It was similar to ACOTAR but less spicy and a hell of a lot darker. First of all both main characters have a lot of trauma and I mean a LOT! Which makes them all the more meant for each other. The healing through this book was so touching and hopeful. I loved the side characters they have great personalities and are lovable. The storyline was a little rocky for me, and the writing had me a little confused on what was going on once in a while, but that didn’t really bother me. This is a great start to a series and I can’t wait to see what happens next for all these characters. Highly recommend picking this up!
Give me all the spice for book 2 Nicolle! 😘😘

I received an ARC copy of this book.

What a beautiful, tearful, incredible story. Poor, poor Alora. My little heart ached for her to feel love and gain relief. Her story was so heart wrenching, there was definitely times that I was crying. My little shadow prince Garrik was just the right amount of arrogant, annoying, and rage inducing that he is definitely up on the book boyfriend list now. I am a sucker for enemies to lovers and this did not disappoint. This book was a decent size but I never felt led on or that it was slow paced. Amazing character development and I am definitely excited to see where this goes next.

I am in love with this book, I need everyone to read this.

What Lies Within Masks & Shadows ✨ this beautiful traumance fantasy captivated me right away with the intricate world-building, well-developed characters, and a compelling enemies-to-lovers/slow burning romance. I am INVESTED (and highly protective) of our main characters 🥹. I love them with all my heart and I wish I could articulate that better within this review 💕. (FMC) Alora’s emotional depth, coupled with (MMC) Garrik’s complexity is displayed with such raw emotion that it increasingly deepens the romance within this story (seriously these two had me in my feelings I love them sm and they deserve so much better). I’ve honestly not stopped thinking about this book since I read it and I need book two NOW 😩. This story had many heartbreaking moments (I mean that in the best possible way - it’s made the characters who they are but please read the trigger warnings before reading). Without a single doubt in my mind, this is a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5 story & I am so happy to be on this ride!

“There is a difference between giving up and knowing when you have had enough.”
/
“Flowers still grow after forest fires. How could I not believe that we can, too?”

‘𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑠， 𝐼 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑏𝑒’

Oh wow… read this!! Honestly just read it!! If you’re looking for book that’s not just fantasy but a gut wrenching story of overcoming trauma and finding your inner power and light this is it.

This book is something special, what a debut novel… I was not ready for this magical journey… full of slow burn angst, amazing characters, magic, adventure, trauma and a shadow daddy to rival all shadow daddy’s! I’m telling you… garrik is the one! 🖤

I fell in love with this story from a couple chapters in and have not been able to stop thinking about it 🤯

It follows alora a mystic, she has magic and if the crown finds her she’s dead, but she’s knocking on the door anyway staying with her betrothed. Check the trigger warnings, there is a lot of dark elements in the book. Her journey to recovery is long and angst full! 💔❤️‍🩹

When she meets our savage prince 😍 I adore him 😍 their relationship is such a slow burn but the tension, oh the tension 🥵 This needs to be a slow burn anything else would not fit the story or be true to the characters traumas but I am so here for it! Speaking of garriks demons 😭 they got to me, my heart bleeds for him. I hope they all get what’s coming to them! He’s supposed to evil incarnate for his horrible father but is he really? His redemption arc is just perfect, he’s complete morally grey perfection!

When Alora finds herself drafted into his dragon legion the story unfolds and each bit of plot is offered slowly but at the same time opens up lots of questions which keeps you guessing and leaves this open to be an epic series!! 🙌👌

The relationships developed in this book are authentic, not rushed and honest. I loved reading jade and aloras story, true enemies to understanding and acceptance and ultimately a loose friendship. In fact all of the characters in this book are fleshed out and I want to know more about them all!

Honestly the ending, talk about cliffhanger, the new lore the new questions, god I need book 2 now! I need to know everything is going to be okay… I’m scared!! I need more of alora and Garrik!

5 stars… ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I can’t wait to get the copy for my shelves.

🖤morally grey shadow daddy MMC
🖤fiesty FMC
🖤traumance
🖤slow burn
🖤angsty
🖤one horse
🖤magic and lore

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check trigger warnings before reading this book, if you have any!!**

Excuse me, Miss Ma'am?? This is a DEBUT novel?? No way, I don't believe it! I was completely enamored by this story and I'm already having withdrawals! I honestly think I have found my new Shadow Daddy (hello, Garrik!) and the start of a new favorite series. Sarah J Maas, who? (JK, still love her)

This book had me absolutely hooked from the very first sentence and I had trouble ever putting it down. The world building is amazing, with everything so detailed it was like a movie playing out before my eyes. Elysian's magical system is very interesting and with how it ties in with the political system, it's almost reminiscent of Throne of Glass in a way. The utterly raw emotions of the MMCs, Garrik and Alora, were devastating, and it has you rooting for them throughout the whole story, even if you don't understand some of their actions. Watching (or reading) them try to work through their individual trauma while simultaneously trying to help each other and the rest of the Kingdom was so bittersweet, and I fell in love with both of them. This slow burn happening between them is written exquisitely; it is so refreshing to have a book that doesn't throw characters into a romance that they are far from being ready for! Even the side characters are so beautifully written that you can't help but form a bond with each and every one of them. There is so much character development that takes place throughout this book and it makes me excited to see how Nicolle will take things further in book 2! I am also hoping that we will get a better look into the innerworkings of the High King's palace, and that Garrick and Alora will find the retribution that they deserve!

“Make no mistake, my darling, there is no reality in which I would not return to you.”

I absolutely loved everything about this beautifully written book. The writing is so descriptive that you find yourself immersed but never overwhelmed. You can imagine exactly what the scenery looks like, characters, etc. All of the characters are so well written, each with deep, traumatic pasts and their journey with healing (check the trigger warnings). The relationships built felt authentic. The witty banter and slow burn steam (no spice) between Garrik and Alora, is so good, but what I loved even more was how they grow to support each other.I laughed, cried, held my breath and cheered them on. This is now my favorite book, and I can't wait for the series to continue!

My favorite tropes:
💫 Enemies to lovers-ish
💫 Found family
💫 Touch her and 💀
💫 Hurt/comfort
💫 Shadow Daddy!
💫 Strong FMC

This could have and should have been 400 pages shorter. There is so much filler in this book and it’s amazing how little plot there actually is. The writing is not bad, the bones of the story could be interesting but this needs some serious editing. Also, it’s impressive how naive and uninspiring our fmc is being that she is over 300 YEARS OLD and not 16 like her actions suggest. I should have dnf’d this but was hoping for a redemption that, sadly, never happened.

Wow! I barely have words for this book.. it was amazing. I’m currently crying writing this and I am in shambles. This was an AMAZING story, the main character Alora is a marked one, deeply traumatized by her betrothed, waiting to be free of her prison of life, when the morally grey, savage prince rescues her, blurring the line between monster and savior. The story unfolds of the ventures she goes on to finally be free, all while learning more of herself and the people she is suddenly surrounded by, as she and the others she deems evil, struggle to cope with their trauma and care for their found family. The side characters have suchhh amazing and differing personalities that create this amazing cast of characters and bring so much dimension to the book. Garrik is our morally grey shadow daddy, struggling in silence. Jade is a fierce, angry, witty, strong woman. Aiden brings such a fun, goofy lightness to the group. Eldacar is this incredibly intelligent, sweet, tender book lover. While Thalon brings this strong, wise, deep seated care to the family. The found family and relationships that blossom between them and Alora is just beautiful! I loved seeing each relationship form and change, some even being enemies to friends! Of course we have our wonderful shadow morally grey Garrik who has the biggest heart, with massive wounds that form him into this horrid monster at times, that makes you cringe and sit there hopping he can bring himself out of it. Always shouldering the burden and putting on his strong face, it is heart breaking especially when you learn his story. Aloras growth from the detailed abuse she faces turning into this beautiful flame filled power house is stunning and so empowering! I loved every bit of it. Then to add, the world building is quick and creates an amazing vision especially as you explore through different territories and stories while they venture! The vast amount of magic abilities and different species and faeries is wonderful! I could read an entire book on the different types of faeries and magic wielders + a book on each of the side characters and their stories! Add in enemies to lovers, one bed inn, one horse, traumance, slow burn, 3rd person pov, touch her and die, knife to throat, and just *MUAH* chefs kiss!! It’s so well done!! Also the fear and disgust you feel for the different awful monsters in this book and the horrid king and abusers, just wow! Brings such a dynamic to the book and hooked me in from the start! I was crying, laughing, curling my toes, losing my breath, all throughout the book. And the QUOTES!! Hilarious, inspiring, dark.. WOW! If you haven’t read it, read it asap! If you have read it, read it again.. it’s AMAZING! 10/10 and I cannot wait to see what her next book entails! Nicolle May is definitely an auto buy author now!! ♡ be aware of the trigger warnings and please read them! There are some heavy topics but if you can handle them, it is a beautiful book!

My Rating: 4 Stars

Throne of Glass meets The WItcher and Once Upon a Time

This is considered Dark Romantasy Traumance. Before you read check out the authors trigger warnings.

You can tell that the author, Nicolle May healed through her writing of this book. The pages bleed of the torment and trauma through the journey of her healing magical writing style.

Tropes:
🖤Fantasy “Traumance”
🖤Morally gray MMC
🖤Shadow Daddy
🖤Enemies to lovers
🖤Touch her and become his personal piñata
🖤High stakes rebellion
🖤Who did this to him & her
🖤One horse/ one bed
🖤High Stakes Rebellion
There are very dark themes
🔥 Slow Burn 🔥
✨ You will fall for the villain
✨ The main characters have tortured pasts
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Powerful MFC
✨ There is magic, found familial bonds, and tense relationships
✨ Throne of Glass x The Witcher x Once Upon a Time

MMC: Garrik, the Savage Prince
🖤A powerful shadow daddy
🖤Morally gray
🖤Touch her and 🗡️
🖤Tortured past
Every time Garrik calls Alora ‘clever girl’, I swoon a little.

MFC: Alora
🔥 Has a side of sass and kick@ss
🔥 Tortured Past
🔥 Stronger than she realizes

Alora and Garrik both have been through so much and yet their strength and the journey they go through together is still so inspiring.

Pros: I loved the main characters, and the side characters were also well written and captivating. I feel like the next book might follow more the action and romance storylines since this first installment focused more on the healing journey of their past traumas.

Cons: I wish we got more of one collective "big conflict" instead of conquering many other side conflicts. Her writing style was beautiful, but perhaps a tad too descriptive and flowery for my ADHD brain to follow at times. Perhaps we will get more answers in the next installment for some of the questions that I had whilst reading. I need answers!

Her trigger warning and her afterward are all about self-worth, love and helping those who may be struggling with DV, abuse or self-harming thoughts. It was truly a beautiful addition to the book and reflects the authors true intentions upon writing this healing traumance masterpiece.
𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩.

I went back and forth with myself on whether to give this 4 or 5 stars. So I'm settling 0n 4.5, because the story? Amazing. The characters? Incredible. There was so much depth to both. I also feel like the world building was very cohesive and easy to follow. You know how sometimes authors get a bit carried away with the details and it ends up so drawn out that like, 50% of the book is just world building? Not an issue here. The tension between Garrik and Alora was astounding, like the slow burn was simmeringggg. They both deserve the world and GARRIK MAAAAN YOU DESERVE ALL THE WARMTH EVER.

"Flowers still grow after forest fires. How could I not believe that we can, too?"

The story... oh my stars. It brought me to tears several times. The trials and tribulations (almost) every single character has gone through I feel so many readers from all walks of life will relate to. This book made me want to be a better person. It made me want to advocate for myself more. This is one book that will stick with me for years to come and I CANNOT WAIT for book 2. The more I write the more I'm thinking it deserves 5 stars lol. (totally bumped it up)

This book is perfect for readers who like Raven Kennedy, Jennifer Armentrout, and SJM (that "green book" and chapter 48 reference? Perf)

One of the only issues I had was that sometimes things were a little hard to follow. Then again that could just be me bc I have the attention span of a squirrel lollll. The only other issue being that sometimes the hot and cold, back and forth between Alora and Garrik was a bit much. I totally understand there are volatile emotions involved and there's definitely a lot going on under the radar. But without some context behind why Garrik is so dreamy one moment and acting like a jerk the next, it makes things between them seem.... shallow. And their relationship is anything but.

ANYWAY. Those issues do not retract from how much I enjoyed this book and I will be waiting with bated breath for book 2!

As always, CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS. This books has very heavy themes and is not suitable for everyone. Thankfully Nicolle does a stellar job of listing triggers at the very beginning. She also lists resources for anyone who may need them.

This book is soooo long! I was expecting it to be slow and relatively as usually books like this tend to be full of issues. I can say I was pleasantly surprised. I LOVED this story, and I'm so angry that I have to wait so long for book 2!!! That cliffhanger is a doozy!!

Ok, so now on to my favorite character, the new shadow daddy because he is FIIINNNEE 🥵🥵

“Careful, darling, the darkness”—fingers danced in the air, spreading the whorling shadows around them—“betrays you. They are servants to me. Did you truly believe you could escape the Lord of Darkness? You cannot run from me.”

Alora, ma'am, the fact you didn't immediately submit to him means you are stronger than me because whew 🥵🥵🔥🔥 that is all I have to say! There were fireworks, sparks, tension, and everything in between. The banter between them just hilarious. Alora is much better than me because I would have folded instantly!

Alora herself is amazing. My biggest pet peeve in any book is a weak willed character. Not someone who sees a fine ass man and says well maybe, no, I'm talking about the female characters who have no opinion, no voice, no strength, nothing. Alora is not that! She may have wanted Garrick, but she made him work for it! I love her attitude!

Now, the story is just as good as character development. I didn't feel bored or ready for the story to be over. And for this being over 700 pages, massive props to the author. She built the world well. The magic system was detailed without being overbearing. The plot just *chefs kiss* Bravo and thank you, author, for not making me slog through 700 pages of nothing!

Fav Quotes: “Your fight was not fair, and the path ahead will not be easy. Look forward with hope, even if you never forget the pain of the past. You are a survivor. You are not the pain you have suffered.”

“Your path ahead is not a matter of chance. It is choice. And yours alone. The sun and stars will find you along the way, just as they were always meant to.”

“Wherever there are shadows, I will always be.”

The Deets: Alora, surviving the trauma of an abusive prick with a magic that’s hunted. Garrick, carrying the weight of the entire Kingdom on his shoulders while facing trauma after trauma for the ones he tries to protect. A slew of side characters that complete each other in the best way. All of these make up the incredibly beautiful ride that is this debut book from Nicolle May.

This book made me feel seen in a way that I haven’t felt since A Court of Mist & Fury. The absolutely breathtaking way that the lead characters process their trauma and continue to fight is incredible. It’s so real while at the same time being everything one could crave in a fantasy romance. I can not believe this is a debut novel!

Beyond the beauty of the character development there’s also an intricate fantasy world and story weaving together to leave you burning to go on this journey alongside the characters to see what monsters they’ll encounter next, where they’ll travel, and how they go about battling against the absolutely horrific High King. I can not wait to read Book 2.

I cannot believe this is over. My life has revolved around reading this book every chance I had. I was literally reading while I should’ve been working (if my boss see this, I’m just kidding I would never do that 😉)
This story captivated me from the very first line: “What could be worse than death”, I was hooked. The author does the most wonderful job of weaving an incredible tale of both wonder and fantasy as well as real life traumas and overcoming obstacles.
Alora, our main female character is just so relatable and so easy to love that it hurts. Her story and the way the author wrote about her tortuous past and present makes you really feel everything she went through. Alora is a strong, fierce, resilient woman who is working through her pain making mistakes and trying to learn from them.
She works to find herself and to be reminded that she is brave and that she can get through all the trials and tribulations she has encountered is inspiring.
My shadow daddy, Savage Prince, Garrik, like oh my god swoon. Not only is this dude like hot AF on the outside, he’s literally got a heart of gold (but don’t tell anyone that!). He knows how to center our girl and helps her to realize her true strength and that she may not be ever able to be the old Alora, but the new one who was forged from endless suffering is an even better version of herself. Gah I love him so much!
Their story is magnificently written, a true enemies to friends to maybe lovers soon(?) is captivating and left me hungry for more.
I can’t forget about the wonderful side characters as well. They are all so easy to love and so quick (well most of them, I’m looking at you Jade!) to accept Alora into their pack and continue to help mold her into her best self.
I don’t want to give too much away but you are doing yourself a disservice if you don’t not read this story, it is unique, it’s enchanting, it’s exquisitely written.
I am going to go quietly crawl into a hole while I patiently (not really 🙃🫠) wait for book 2 to come out because that cliffhanger is lethal.
5⭐️