Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I burned through this duology. Very dark, but saucy fun.
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I struggled a bit with the first book in the Court of Ravens duet—it took a while to find its footing, and things only really clicked for me toward the end. But book two? That was a completely different experience.
Shadows So Cruel drew me in right away. The world-building expanded in interesting ways, the stakes felt real, and the emotional depth of the story hit hard. It finally gave me that “something different” I’d been waiting for in the dark romantasy space.
That said… I was not emotionally prepared. The ending was brutal. I understand that not every story has to have a happy-ever-after for every character, but when you spend an entire book getting attached to a character—only to have them die near the end—it hits like a punch to the gut. It felt like a choice made for shock rather than story, and yes, I cried at 2am, and no, I didn’t enjoy that part.
Still, there’s so much to appreciate here. The way the characters grow, the way difficult themes are handled with care, and the dynamic between the trio at the center of the story. I especially loved how the MFM aspect was written—not overly idealized, but as something messy, evolving, and worth fighting for. It felt realistic and mature, like a true “we’ll make it work” approach rather than a picture-perfect fairytale.
If you're in the mood for an emotionally intense romantasy with high stakes and unforgettable characters, this one’s worth reading—but maybe have tissues ready.
Shadows So Cruel drew me in right away. The world-building expanded in interesting ways, the stakes felt real, and the emotional depth of the story hit hard. It finally gave me that “something different” I’d been waiting for in the dark romantasy space.
That said… I was not emotionally prepared. The ending was brutal. I understand that not every story has to have a happy-ever-after for every character, but when you spend an entire book getting attached to a character—only to have them die near the end—it hits like a punch to the gut. It felt like a choice made for shock rather than story, and yes, I cried at 2am, and no, I didn’t enjoy that part.
Still, there’s so much to appreciate here. The way the characters grow, the way difficult themes are handled with care, and the dynamic between the trio at the center of the story. I especially loved how the MFM aspect was written—not overly idealized, but as something messy, evolving, and worth fighting for. It felt realistic and mature, like a true “we’ll make it work” approach rather than a picture-perfect fairytale.
If you're in the mood for an emotionally intense romantasy with high stakes and unforgettable characters, this one’s worth reading—but maybe have tissues ready.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
Soul crushing is a good way to describe the ending of this series. While the MMC is absolutely morally grey and sometimes gives me the ick, the author still managed to make the story heartfelt. Also, I will be thinking about the magic system for months to come.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced