Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power
No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.
But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen – all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?
The Shadows Between Us Review
The Shadows Between Us was the first book I read from Tricia Levenseller and I immediately became a huge fan. She really knows how to start a book and keep you hooked. Just look at the first sentence:
“They’ve never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart. And they never will.”
Alessandra can be described in three words: ambitious, ruthless and cunning. She has a plan:
- Woo the Shadow King.
- Marry Him.
- Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.
I told you she was ambitious. Alessandra will not settle by marrying to a Lord or a Duke. She wouldn’t even settle to become a Queen and rule beside a King. She wants to rule alone.
But there’s a tiny problem: the Shadow King can’t be touched.
How can Alessandra seduce the King if she can’t use her body?
Therefore, the book is a slow burn romance, I mean, you feel the tension between the characters but they can’t do anything about it. Besides, the Shadow King isn’t looking to be married, which complicates things even more for our friend Alessandra.
“You are beautiful,” he continues. “But not so beautiful as to tempt me.”
I loved how the MC was sexually empowered and took control of her situation, as well as encouraging her friends to take control too. She also didn’t have any qualms about showing who she was and what she liked. She didn’t care about how society thought of her.
“Waiting. Not waiting. One lover. A hundred lovers. There should be no judgement either way. A woman is not defined by what she does or doesn‘t do in the bedroom.”
I know The Shadows Between Us was sold as a Slytherin romance, but I’m not quite sure if I agree with this.
I understand that Slytherins are cunning, ambitious and would always do anything to achieve their goals. But they also have highly developed senses of self-preservation, they tend to hesitate before acting, in order to weigh all possible outcomes before deciding what to do.
I really don’t see this quality in Alessandra.
I mean, she killed her first love without really thinking about the consequences. Just because Alessandra and The Shadow King are selfish, doesn’t mean that, if they were part of the wizarding world, they would be put in Slytherin House.
I’m saying this for all those readers that thought this book was about magic, there really isn’t any magic, besides The Shadow King’s “shadows” that protect him; if you’re looking for magic this is not the book. But if you’re looking for a slow-burn romance, female empowerment, friendship and banter, then this is book is perfect for you.
After reading Levenseller’s previous books, I learned that she writes main characters that aren’t afraid to do everything in their power to achieve their goals, usually in a world where women are considered below men. And she shows how her characters can overcome this with banter, knowledge and wits.
Looking for more reviews?
Check out our review of Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor.