So, I found a new Upper YA High Fantasy series to binge read. It’s all I’ve been doing for like the last week and a half or so. It was totally on a whim too and definitely not on my TBR.

And get this – there are SEVEN books.

SEVEN.

Which means there’s no shortage of story to get lost in.

I’m currently on book 5, and since there are so many of them, I’m opting to do mini reviews for each book. So, in this post, I’ll be reviewing the first two books in the series Daughter of Shades and Visions of Fate. Make sure you check this series out – it’s just getting better and better.

Enter the world of The Venatrix Chronicles, where deadly spirits lurk in the shadows, good and evil wage eternal war, and secrets threaten to tear a kingdom apart. If you love kick-butt heroines, slow-burn romance, breathtaking action, and stories that leave you with a book hangover for days after you finish . . . you need to discover this dark and deadly series. Prepare to turn pages late into the night!

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Title: Daughter of Shades

Author: Sylvia Mercedes

Pub. Date: July 28, 2019

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

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A huntress with no past. A rival with a secret.
A kingdom’s fate hangs in the balance . . .

Ayleth and her shade move as one, ever hungry for the hunt. Under her mentor’s tight control, she fears her memories are being stolen. Now nineteen, apprenticed for as long as she can remember to the mysterious Holy Order, she longs to rise in the ranks and banish untamed spirits for the prophesied Golden Prince.

When shadowy threats descend on the crown, Ayleth seizes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prove her worth in open competition. Seeking to win the prince’s favor and escape her scheming mentor, she resolves to hold her own against Terryn, a handsome, arrogant opponent who may be more than a match for her untested powers.

But as the two rivals follow a trail beyond the Great Barrier and confront legendary evil, the stolen secrets of Ayleth’s past may return to haunt her . . .

Can Ayleth win the trial and reclaim her true self? Can she even survive her first day?

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This will be a spoiler free review. I listened to the audiobook via Audible.

Tbh, I’m struggling to remember what happened in this book. Not because it wasn’t good – but because I’ve been absolutely inhaling this series. All the events have kind of started running together.

I will say that I wasn’t immediately hooked. I was interested and had my fingers crossed that I’d get to the point where I didn’t want to put the book down. I also was completely wrong in who I thought the love interest was going to be – and knowing what I know now, 5 books in, I’m so glad I was wrong.

I really like Ayleth. She kind of reminds me of Aelin form TOG and Reille from Blade and Rose. Maybe not as intense, but just as willing to take risks and chances and hope they pay off. And she takes risks, and she takes chances and she’s a badass. She’s not infallible and often finds herself in a world of trouble, but she’s resourceful.

Then there’s Terryn. What a moody man. I love him. I knew he was going to be a new favorite Brooding Book Boyfriend from the moment I met him. He’s just so “I can’t allow myself to be happy” and it makes part of me want to hug him and the other part to shake him and knock some sense into him. He’s more of the perfectionist, calculated, methodical risk taker. He’s kind of no nonsense, stick to the rules – until he starts listening to his heart over his head.

I also really love the world Sylvia created – the Goddess and the saints, how magic is tied to Shades – “demonic” beings that can bond with a person and grant them abilities. Everything really just comes to life in your mind and you get sucked in.

When Ayleth and Terryn team up, that’s when I was absolutely hooked. Their relationship and chemistry are fantastic. Thoroughly enjoyable even when they’re getting on each other’s nerves.

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Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo, this romantic fantasy adventure will leave you hungry for more.

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Title: Visions of Fate

Author: Sylvia Mercedes

Pub. Date: August 29, 2019

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

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The hunt is on.
But who is the hunter and who is the hunted?

Ayleth and Terryn survived the Witchwood, but they’re no closer to solving the mystery of the dead shade hunter. In their quest for answers, they discover that a witch has escaped through the Great Barrier and is leaving a trail of corpses in her wake.

A murderous witch is only one of Ayleth’s problems, however. Terryn, her infuriating and intriguing rival, will give his all to win their competition. And Kephan, their Outpost Master, conceals more than one dangerous secret.

Worst of all, while pursuing a lead, Ayleth finds herself on the hunt for a three-year-old girl . . . a girl possessed by a unique and powerful shade.

Suddenly, Ayleth must question the teachings of her Holy Order. Is it always right to kill humans possessed by shades? Even a child?

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This will be a spoiler free review. I listened to the audiobook via Audible.

There was no waiting to get sucked into this book. It picks up right where the first one leaves off and Ayleth feels like an outsider, like she has to take five steps for Terryn’s every single one. There seems to be a budding attraction that she stuffs down. Relationships between Venatrix’s and Venator’s is forbidden (so, yes, there’s forbidden/frowned upon romance!) but that doesn’t stop the rogue thought from crossing minds. Between the two of them, they’ve got the “I like you, but I wish I didn’t like you” thing going on and it’s fantastic.

A little – I just want you to kiss already – but super enjoyable. It’s all made better by the tension and dislike for each other that they both share.

A lot happens in this book. Beliefs are tested and relationships strained. There seems to be something much bigger happening and Ayleth and Terryn decide it’s up to them to try and stop it…but what happens when you don’t fully trust the person who is supposed to have your back? Things are happening and it’s only a matter of time before things start to crumble.

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Have you read this series? If so, let me know! If you haven’t and you’re looking for something to just get lost in, pick this series up!