A review by bookjournalboss
A Deal with the Shadow King by Anya J Cosgrove

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

What a way to kick off a new series… 

This was my first Anya J Cosgrove novel and after reading it, I know it won't be my last. This book was so good. It's a great way to kick off a brand new series. 

Penelope (Nell) is forced to live in the land of Faerie when her father makes a secret deal with the Shadow King Damian. Her time is torn between two worlds in an effort to fulfill the details of their bet. Only she's not allowed to know exactly what that entails. She must learn to use her magic while navigating a drastically different world than where she comes from. 

So many secrets and mysteries surround every element of the shadow court and the fae world as a whole. She must work her way up through training, learning about facing nightmares, dreams, and fantasies. Nell is torn between the world of the shadow court and the world where her sister still remains. 

She grows closer to the other mortals with magic training in the fae world. That's especially true for the dark knight One and his brothers. But she still struggles with what exactly the king wants with her and when things will take a turn. The action, detail, and chemistry was perfect. 

This book was amazing. I absolutely loved it. The world building was so good with lots of twists and turns and well thought out facets. So much that I did not even see coming. I'm so excited to see where this series goes with the next book. I can't wait. 

AUDIOBOOK UPDATE: This was a re-read for me and I fell in love with this world all over again. The narrators did such a good job. Literally the only thing that could have made it even better would be if it was done in duet because that's my favorite way to listen. But they did great with the dual style. Of course the voice of Anthony Palmini for Damian was perfect. And the soft British accent from Lilly Drake was exactly what was needed for Nell. Loved it! 
🔥🔥