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Shadows so Cruel
by Liv Zander
Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?
You'll experience a feral, cathartic release through intense angst and a hard-won polyamorous HEA that defies traditional romance norms.
Synopsis
More painful than love… are the secrets that bind and divide us. Adrift in a sky shadowed by war, We seek, we ache, Searching for the woman who fled us. We shattered her heart, but she unfurled her feathers, Our sweetheart, our little dove, Escaping our talons on pure white wings. One of us soars over battlements, Haunted by past mistakes, Vowing never to repeat them. The other storms through walls of stone and hatred, Eager to destroy the shackles of his past, Determined to shackle her to him instead. Forever. Loyalties are torn. Friendships are tested. Among the chaos, one claim stands irrefutably: We will get her back. She will be ours. Come home to us, white Raven. Shadows so Cruel is a full-length dark fantasy romance novel, and book two in the Court of Ravens duet. The two-part story features two morally gray raven shifters, a young woman at the mercy of their shadows, and a HEA. This world contains dark elements, violence, and themes some may find disturbing. Readers can find more detailed information on the author's website. What this book doesn't contain is a hero - because villains do it better. And two do it better than one…
At a Glance
4.03 ★ GoodreadsTop TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.
MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.
Book Details
Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.
4.03 ★
Page CountHow long the commitment is.
482 pages
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.
2023
Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?
Dark Romance
PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.
WHY CHOOSE / REVERSE HAREM
POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).
First Person
Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.
Slow Burn
CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.
spoiler
AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.
AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.
Yes
FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.
Standard
NarratorThe voice in your ears.
Shaina Summerville|Tor Thom|Tommy Fuller
Narrator Count
Multiple
TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.
Mood & Vibe
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