A review by ohgodsash
What Lies Within Masks & Shadows by Nicolle May

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

- Slow-burn | Touch her and die | Found Family | Who did this to him?

My fav quotes:

• “Power is simply not given, it is earned.”
• “Flowers still grow after forest fires. How could I not believe that we can, too?”

For a debut book/series, this was very well written! You get a feel all round with every single character and the world building and it being very descriptive was well done. Easy to imagine and get lost in it. I did find the start of it a bit slow for my liking which is why I didn’t give it a full five stars but it’s not hard to move past it.

I have a special love for Alora and Garrik. What they went through was really rough (which is why I definitely recommend checking trigger warnings, it is DARK DARK!) but having them work together through their past to move forward to their futures is so inspiring. Their slow burn literally BURNS! 🥵 The side characters, Thalon, Jade and Aiden… how I wish I could shake them off the book and have them become my best friends. They’re bad asses. Even Eldacar with his massive magical library.. I feel as if we can relate a lot more to him with how nerdy we bookish people are with our own in our houses. 💖 Him saying that books are his weapons.. I felt that. This book had me in my feels, tears were definitely shed and I cannot wait until the next book releases. 

ALSO! I appreciate the fact that it has a page of pronounciation bc I struggle immensely with that. My first annotation actually is about this. And the way this book warns on which chapter it has its trigger warnings?! More dark romantasies should do this. Forever a fan of yours, Nicolle. Until next time. ✨