Sleeping with Shadows Fantasy Occult Horror Fairytale
FyreSyde Publishing
September 22, 2020
349
When Ash stepped into her office, Callie never thought the Fae who nabbed her heart held a secret darker than his soul!
Once The King of Nightmares, Ashe lost everything when he was betrayed. Released from prison, he's got one goal: Stay Free. To make that happen he'll have to rescue the girl who stole his crown while saving the court he'd rather see burn. But he can't do it alone. He needs Callie.
Abused, neglected, and finally shunned by The Court of Light, Callie is done with court politics. It's just too damned bad Ashe doesn't care. He's arrogant, manipulative, and dangerous. Everything she's been taught to fear. It would be so easy to hate him, but the sadness in his gaze calls to her heart, and his touch awakens her own darkness. She has never wanted anyone more.
Callie is Ashe's darkest desire, but to earn his freedom and prevent the destruction of humanity, she must embrace the destiny that will keep them apart. But is the safety of the world worth losing the kind of love he's only dreamed of?
Available at Amazon.
Reviewed by Sylvia Reddom
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
You will find yourself shifting along with this read as it takes you between the two worlds: one of King Shayne, the King of Dark traversing worlds to find his benefactors and to quench his enemies. He uses all the players he can find in his indebtedness, including Ashe (mythical Sandman, son of Sleeping Beauty Rosamund, the Cursed).
Ashe in turn is sent on a mission to recruit whomever (and whatever) is needed to gain control over and return Daina, The Bloodkyn Queen to Shayne’s realm or control.This means enlisting Callie (Half-breed Gananagh) actually, Cassanadra Lovel – mediator of five branches of very diverse bloodkyn (of all different cultures). She really should know who her true father is, and Shayne needs to know also.From humans like Callie’s dear friend Char and Fear Deaegs she meets along her path, Callie has a lot on her mind – not to mention helping to plan a human wedding, to boot.
You are taken between the worlds of light and dark, humans, faes and sprites (think butterflies with powers beyond your imagination).
Throw in a beautiful description of cityscapes and countryside, and along with that comes the King Shayne’s near adopted daughter Bella-Sarah, once love of Ashe (or user), now assassin turned watchdog. Scary forests are guarded by the so called Black Dogs or Cu-Dorchades, and sprites who guard and assist like Mickle (he says it sounds like Pickle) who is assigned to Ashe
There is a fair length of time spent describing sexual tendencies of each of the groups, language which is lightly written to lead you along, and a sometimes vague path that pulls you through page by page. Just when you might think you have a part of it figured out, a new twist is thrown into the mix.
Some things are left unresolved, which leads me to believe there is more coming in the history of each character and a lot more of each of them in the future – in war, in love (can they fall in love, really?) and in hate. These worlds, while entwined when it is convenient to the King or Queen, are impacted by the human side of their worlds in which they try to survive and must evolve to continue their long lives.
Can that really all be dependent on a mere 40 year old Callie who isn’t sure if she was really born of the Light or the Dark?
Enter this world at your own risk – as you will soon be hooked. Warning: hold on to your hat as the whirlwinds which surround these Faes, Sprites Humans and Bloodkyn can make you swoon, fall asleep, and wake up wondering if you dreamt it all.
There is much to commend in this book, however, at times, the lengthy descriptions and large number of characters in the cast pulled me out of the story. The author might want to consider introducing the characters to the reader a few at a time and paring down the descriptions to keep the pace moving and the reader on a clearer path with multiple story lines. This could be a challenging read for someone new to the genre. Even for a seasoned reader like me, there were moments when I had to review a few sections to be sure I knew who was doing what and to whom.