Shadows So Cruel: Court of Ravens, Book 2

I loved this series! You do have to read the first book first! This story takes for a dark ride in the unique world created. The character growth is brilliant. If you are a crier like me, bring your tissues. It is full of so many emotions. Read the trigger warnings!! If you can handle the dark, this is a great book.

The first one blew my mind with the creativity.It’s a great story. I love the raven shifters and the world the author made. I skimmed a little on this one. My biggest complaint this time was everyone seemed to say “hmm?” like every other paragraph. It was getting annoying how often it was said.Once I noticed it, I couldn’t stop noticing it.The end was not as good as I had hoped it would be either but overall it was a unique story and an enjoyable read.

Well I didn't expect this book to cause me to burst into tears while waiting in a parking lot for my kid to get out of school but here we are! And no I won't say why. I don't do spoilers.So here is my review: the book picks up immediately after where the previous book ends. Our girl has had her heart shattered by both of the men she loves and in the midst of all that impossible to contain pain it's revealed she's a Raven. A rare white Raven at that. Our story picks up there, with her flying towards home, desperate and hurt and confused.I won't get into the premise of the rest of the story because I have found this series is really best to enter blind. There are a lot of twists and turns and unexpected revelations and those things are meant to shock you. What I will say is we get to see a lot of character growth along the way to a happily ever after.Like book one, this is dark, with triggering contact not limited to violence, gore, sexual assault, murder etc... most of it is pretty graphic. If you are triggered by these things consider your mental health before diving into this story. It has some rough moments.Beyond that it's well written, smart, fun, beautiful, tragic and full of magic and adventure. This author has a phenomenal grasp of the written language and the fantasy romance genre. And her spicy scenes are definitely some of the most spicy I have read. I look forward to more books by this author. I could go for another one based in this world of Ravens. The way she makes them shift into a whole group of actual ravens is such a unique and fantastic take on the concept of shifting. It would be so sad not to be able to see more of it.

This duet was definitely one of the absolute best erotic fantasy series ever! It was stimulating, thrilling, suspenseful, and such an emotional rollercoaster. I laughed and bawled, moaned and shrieked! The character development, the ability to articulate the many kinds of moments shared, just brava this was excellent!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫(4.5)🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️ (4.5)Dark Fantasy Romance/ MFM 🎧📖✨“My love is not gentle, or tender, or easy. But it is real, grown from hate and pain deep inside a chest sullied by shadows. It is cutting and biting, leaving behind scars as unfading as my love for you.” His warm lips scathed my jawline.“And once we are gone from this earth, I will continue to love you among the stars. I will be the night, the darkest patch of sky around you, just to ensure that everyone can see how you sparkle. And once your light starts fading, I will take you into my black embrace, and that is where I will love you beyond death.”✨This book, these characters……this author…she utterly broke me, tore me to absolute shreds, all while filling my heart with more love than I thought possible this week 💔 The way I sobbed, it was not a pretty sight.I am going to need some time to process this one fully, time to let that ending mend my heart, and definitely time to re-read this amazingly beautiful, and devastating story all over again.✨Liv Zander did not hold back in Shadows So Cruel, book two, in her Court of Ravens duology. I absolutely loved it 🖤 This books is still full of plot, the dark elements we have come to know in this world, spice, tension, and all with so much added swoon.If we have chatted in the last couple of months, then you know that I have been raving about book one in this series, Feathers So Vicious! I can not recommend both of these stories enough! They are both available on KU and audio. I listened to this book on audio as I read along. Check CW/TW my friends

And there is so much pain here.Although a different pain that in the first part.Less physical. More emotional."That was where we met, between our scars - naked, vulnerable, and all lies stripped away. It made us real, the feelings between us tangible, in a way that no farce, no deception ever could."This is the second book in the Raven's Court duet and the conclusion to the story of Galantia, Malyr and Sebian. If you haven't read the first part, then go start there because this book picks up exactly where the first left us all off reeling.."Whatever this thing is between us three," he said, "it's not going to keep either one of us from loving you right."This book broke my heart.Those pieces Liv wanted Galantia to shatter into through Malyr? Well, Galantia's character turned out to be a lot more resilient than everyone thought, and so instead - Liv shattered me.Shadows so cruel? No, Liv Zander so cruel."Hear me, Galantia. No matter where you go, no matter what form you take, I will find you. You cannot outrun me. You cannot outfly me. Every path you tread, be it north, east, south, or west, I will chase after because... you... are... mine."Epic is the word that comes to mind. An epic conclusion to a heart-wrenching tale of hate, love, fate, and pain. So much pain.All the world building in the first book, the context woven into the action has paid off as we now know everything we need to be able to just dive into the adventure and let the story take us through the serpentines of its harrowing journey, full of profound sadness and deep scars, overpowering loss and burning betrayal, an all redeeming selfless love and some of the bittersweet torments it has to offer."Deception and truth aren't always adversaries." He grabbed me by the throat once more, crowding me with his body, his lips trailing along my jawline. "Deception's most profound irony is how it can make the realest of truths look like the greatest deceits."There is no point going into too much detail, because if you have read the first part, you know what it's all about. If you enjoyed it, you'll read this book regardless of any reviews, and if you didn't like it - then why are you still here?"If you confuse a beast for a pet easily commanded off, chances are, you will get yourself bit."This tale is dark and gritty. It's raw and twisted. It takes you on a rollercoaster where every peak dips into a trough deeper than any of the ones before. The thrills are gripping, the feelings feel real, the tragedy excruciatingly moving. And the heat so searing it will scorch you to a heap of ash on top of your bedding."Do you hear me, sweetheart? Right here, between us, you are so very loved."I remember saying in my review of the first half that me re-reading this story very much depends on how it ends. I got both books on KU like so many others: I read, I review, I return.But after I finished reading this one, I went and bought it instead. Such was the hold this trio had on me."The commitment to us: three souls connected by fate, friendship, and the feelings we harboured for each other."I know now I absolutely will read this again, I just have to wait long enough to forget the bittersweet pain. The Endless Ache for what never was. Never could have been."I might not be able to bond myself to you, but I want you to know that I'm yours until the end... whenever that might be. I will forever treasure you. I will forever provide for you. I will forever fly with you. I will forever care for you."Because I burned with the same agonising hate Malyr felt for his oppressors. I held my breath watching Sebian recount how he lost his beloved fated mate, his sadness profound. I ached as every injustice Galantia endured also imprinted on me. I longed for the promised happily ever after, only to never get it - not quite. I knew this wasn't in the cards because fate simply wouldn't have it.Well.. Liv wouldn't have it. That foreboding feeling was following me since the first book like the sword of Damocles.."The illusion of choice is a comforting lie that we succumb to while fate guides our every step. Trust me. I tried to avoid fate for years, only for it to end up in my arms."And yet, in the end, it was the best possible outcome they would ever be able to get. With all the intricacies of the politics of war, the fate, the bonds between fated mates, and the unwritten rules of shadow magic.. I knew this was the best ending for all of them. Because despite the jarring conclusion being heart-rending all on its own, the alternatives were all so much worse.And I knew. I knew it was coming too, I even put the book down for a few days to ready myself for it steeling my nerves. But it was no use. I cried anyway."My love is not gentle, or tender, or easy. But it is real, grown from hate and pain deep inside a chest sullied by shadows. It is cutting and biting, leaving behind scars as unfading as my love for you." His warm lips scathed my jawline. "And once we are gone from this earth, I will continue to love you among the stars. I will be the night, the darkest patch of sky around you, just to ensure that everyone can see how you sparkle. And once your light starts fading, I will take you into my black embrace, and that is where I will love you beyond death."Hell, I am crying again now recounting all of it, just trying to put it into words!And really, this is the biggest compliment because not many stories have such an impact on me these days. It is a testament to the authors outstanding writing skills, her ability to draft a world cruel but still alluring and with intriguing history, a complex web of politics and relationships and human interactions, characters broken beyond measure yet still relatable. Loveable."Only the deepest love was capable of bringing about the deepest pain." Love and pain. Truth and lies. Light and dark. Fate and choice. None of them were adversaries; none of them could exist without the other. Together, they were life."

I don’t really have words for this book…The author promised a HEA with two love interests but kills off one of them near the end!What was the point of this book?

After devouring Feathers So Vicious (book 1) and with that ending (IYKYK) I was absolutely hanging on to read Shadows So Cruel, I’ve been sitting on this one for a couple of weeks because I just needed time to process 😂.Shadows So Cruel was quite different to what I envisioned- it was sweeter and much less dark (it still is dark so as always- check those CW’s). It delivered on an emotional level that I was not expecting- or prepared for.It picks up right where FSV left it, and we don’t have to wait long to find the answers to all of the questions (and there was many 😂). I really enjoyed watching Galantia come into her own and I loved the little trio dynamic going on between them. Both Malyr & Sebian continue to be morally grey, but we see a softer side unravel for Malyr. And when I say he has ALL the lines, I mean it. He went from being the biggest a-hole to a swoony male (still dominating AF). Sebian continues to be the book boyfriend we all want and with every “sweetheart” I broke down a little more.Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t all happy love stories. There were still quite a few moments nooooooooo, whhhyyyy? Along with some very intense and graphic scenes. I shed some tears. I grinned. I was on the edge of my bed (because who reads in a seat?!).And finally, the ending. Without leaving too much of a spoiler… this technically has a HEA. However. And this is important. I was broken, and instead of the ending putting my heart back together, I more felt like it was patched up with some scraps of duct tape. My chest hurt. As in I had actual physical pain.

Now I have to be honest here, I very nearly didn’t read these books. It all sounded a bit too dark for my taste.I am so glad I decided to start to read and see how they developed fully prepared to deal with disappointed.I didn’t have to. What a brilliant tale. It is dark in places but as part of the plot rather than just plonked in to fill the pages.I have to admit the second book had me sobbing at one point.These books dealt with some very dark themes but they are a tale of redemption and the power of love over hate.Well written, an intelligent plot, well written characters, one of the best books (x2) I have read for some time.

I really loved book one in the series, but in my opinion book two was completely unnecessary, you could shorten this whole book to under a hundred pages and intertwine into book one, making book one EPIC!