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A review by reneec1
What Hunts Inside the Shadows by Harper L. Woods
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
What Hunts inside the Shadows is all travel, returning on the exact route Estrella took throughout What Lies behind the Veil. The prologue gives Caelum’s POV from when the veil fell, which gave good insight. Then, Chapter 1 picks up right after the end of the first book.
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
This book had more spice than I prefer, (although I know a lot of people love it! I wish I would have realized that there would be so many scenes) and I often thought it was unnecessary to the plot. I’m also not a fan of how this series romanticizes sex in front of an audience.
Plot:
I liked it overall, but there was sooo much travel that it got a little repetitive, especially when that was so much of the first book. I’m not a huge fan of extended travel in books. It did help with world-building, and I feel like I understand their world much better than I did after the first book.
I think it was pretty obvious that Estrella was going to accept Caldris as her mate but I still liked reading about the journey.
I’ve seen a lot of reviews saying that Estrella was too whiny at the beginning of the book, but I actually appreciated that part. She had just found out that Caelum was actually Caldris, and I’m really glad she didn’t just automatically accept him for it. To me, that would have felt too shallow. I appreciated the inner turmoil it caused her as she adjusted to this entire new life.
Characters:
Estrella- I find her actions/struggles pretty relatable and I like her as a FMC.
Caldris- I’m so torn on him, but I think that’s the point. It still grosses me out when he calls Estrella Little One. I think My Star is cute.
Fallon- I really liked her and wish she could have been a little more important in this book. I think she is going to be much more significant in the next one.
Imelda- I loved Imelda and Fallon’s relationship and again, wish there had been more of her and think it would have easily worked with the back story we learn about.
Wild Hunt: I loved and hated them at the same time, which again, I think was the idea.
Comparisons:
I’ve read so many reviews saying this series is similar to FBAA, but haven’t read it. I think it’s really similar to ACOTAR with morally grey Rhys/Caldris and them being better than the persona they give out (which I’m expecting to see more of in the next book), but in my eyes, Estrella’s story is a little more like Arlin’s than Fayre’s.
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
This book had more spice than I prefer, (although I know a lot of people love it! I wish I would have realized that there would be so many scenes) and I often thought it was unnecessary to the plot. I’m also not a fan of how this series romanticizes
Plot:
I liked it overall, but there was sooo much travel that it got a little repetitive, especially when that was so much of the first book. I’m not a huge fan of extended travel in books. It did help with world-building, and I feel like I understand their world much better than I did after the first book.
I think it was pretty obvious that
I’ve seen a lot of reviews saying that Estrella was too whiny at the beginning of the book, but I actually appreciated that part. She had just found out that Caelum was actually Caldris, and I’m really glad she didn’t just automatically accept him for it. To me, that would have felt too shallow. I appreciated the inner turmoil it caused her as she adjusted to this entire new life.
Characters:
Estrella- I find her actions/struggles pretty relatable and I like her as a FMC.
Caldris- I’m so torn on him, but I think that’s the point. It still grosses me out when he calls Estrella Little One. I think My Star is cute.
Fallon- I really liked her and wish she could have been a little more important in this book. I think she is going to be much more significant in the next one.
Imelda- I loved Imelda and Fallon’s relationship and again, wish there had been more of her and think it would have easily worked with the back story we learn about.
Wild Hunt: I loved and hated them at the same time, which again, I think was the idea.
Comparisons:
I’ve read so many reviews saying this series is similar to FBAA, but haven’t read it. I think it’s really similar to ACOTAR with morally grey Rhys/Caldris and them being better than the persona they give out (which I’m expecting to see more of in the next book), but in my eyes, Estrella’s story is a little more like Arlin’s than Fayre’s.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Gaslighting