A review by keepcalmblogon
The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I got approved for The Darkness Within Us on NetGalley and was pleasantly surprised by how much I immediately enjoyed it a little more than The Shadows Between Us. Personally, Chrysantha was a more relatable and likable character than her sister—her desire to be free in the countryside with her books hit home more so than Alessandra’s thirst for power. Although, a favorite subplot of this book was the sisters making amends with each other; I thought that was so lovely and such an important theme for the modern world.

Chrysantha may desire different things from her sister, but she is still a force to be reckoned with! She is about as cutthroat and will do anything to achieve her goals. Watching her reckon with the plight of women in her society, while also learning it doesn’t have to be that way and benefitting from her sister’s law changes, was probably my favorite character development of the story. I did also enjoy seeing Chrysantha discover her own physical tastes and desires and come into her sexuality that way.

Eryx’s character was exciting to learn about, and I liked the mystery subplot of his identity. I’m forever an enemies-to-lovers stan, as well! In the end, this book was 4 stars!