Stunning photo by @lenna_sro_books
Hello everyone!
It is the 5th and final day of this months readalong! I can’t believe how quickly that has gone! However, you still have until March 30th to enter the little giveaway we have going (see day 3)!
I have really loved this readalong and chatting to you all in the comments has been so fun! I really hope you enjoyed the book!
I hope you’re ready for an explosive ending!
Today we’re reading Chapters 24 – the end!
Please be warned, the following will include spoilers for The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller! Read only if you’ve finished the book!
-!SPOILERS!-
Alessandra is quick thinking and feigns ignorance over the fact the Hektor is dead. This does not look good for her though, there’s a lot of evidence that points towards Alessandra as the murderer.
Omg Kallias pardoned her just like that! He even finds it funny that she murdered Hektor! What a perfect pairing they really are!
Ohhh so they think the ball may be where the killer strikes next! It is the perfect setting! Ahh I need to know who it is!
The ball and Alessandra’s dress sounds wonderful! I wish I could attend!
But Alessandra barely steps into the ball before being confronted by her father who wants her to leave with him and marry Rhouben!
Yesss she’s managed to get rid of him! I think he’s finally realised that he should have listened to her more before dismissing her ideas!
Finally Rhoda invites Galen to dance and makes her intentions with him clear! It was adorable that he still wanted to wait on her even when she’d invited him to the ball as a guest.
Alright I need Kallias to approach Alessandra already!
I’m so glad that they’re all having fun but I’m so on edge that someone is going to attack!
Yay Kallias has finally asked her to dance and revealed that he’d been distancing himself so he wouldn’t make a stupid mistake.
Ahhhh he’s proposing in front of everyone and a second throne has been brought in! She’s really going to be Queen!
Oh no it’s the little girl from the club and Kallias’ glass has been poisoned! Vasco was the one who proposed a toast so it must be him! Alessandra needs to get the girl away so Kallias’ shadows can heal him!
Ahh Lady Zervos and Vasco were in it together, trying to kill the King! But why, I understand she would be mad at his father but why Kallias? Her hatred must run very deep.
OMG he kissed her, he touched her and can no longer use his shadows around her! He fully trusts her and would rather be vulnerable to threats than be without her!
“I’m tired of living a shadowed life” I am here for this whole speech!!!
Finally there is nothing between them holding them back and I’m so happy about it!
What does Vasco mean that Kallias’ parents weren’t who he thought they were?? And he wasn’t supposed to be King? And Lady Zervas is saying she isn’t the murderer? I’m so confused what is going on? And if she isn’t in on it then the murderer could still be at large and Kallias isn’t protect by his shadows…
I love how quick he is to help people and how he doesn’t judge at all! He offers to make Galen a Lord so that his relationship with Rhoda will be easier and more accepted!
Oh no what is happening?? She’s being treated like a prisoner being taken to the King! The poison!!! She better think of something fast! He knows she’s killed in the past though so might not believe anything she has to say!
No no no he has to believe her intentions have changed this can’t be happening!
And now Alessandra believes she has no other options but to be with Leandros instead.
OH MY GOD LEANDROS!!
Is he really Kallias’ brother? But why fake his death all those years ago?
Oh wow the Leandros, or Xanthos, didn’t possess the shadows so the previous King was embarrassed by him and left him for dead! Thats so savage!
People really should stop underestimating Alessandra! I can’t believe she just killed him!
But even after saving his life, Alessandra still leaves the palace and is alone again 🙁 ughh Chrysantha really is the worst!
Helllooo Kallias! Alessandra obviously assumes he’s here to take her to be killed but no, he can’t stand to be away from her and wants her back at the palace, with him, as his queen.
Any one else crying? Just me? I’m so happy they’re together again and happy!!
Thank you so much for joining this readalong and I really hope you enjoyed this book!
I want to hear all your thoughts on the book so let me know in the comments and we hope to see you for the next readalong!
Love,
Amy
No, you are not alone. I’m crying too!
So much feels! I’m so sad that the book ended, but I’m also happy.
I really enjoyed it, after all was so hard put it down. I loved the characters, expecially our protagonists. I will miss them so much!
I think I’m not going to accept Leandros’s plotwist… I didn’t see it! I really thought that he was a real friend, a good man. And he would have been, if his father hadn’t neglected him. I really can’t understand. It was really only embarrassment? Xanthos was his first child, the baby he had with his lovely queen. Why so much hate toward him? Poor boy.
The end melted my heart. Aww!
Thanks for choosing The Shadows Between Us. it has become one of my favorite books!
Also thanks for the companionship during this readalong! I really enjoyed it!
I hope I will join again soon!
I did not expect that from Leandros either! What a shock! I’m so, so happy you enjoyed it, its also become one of my favourite books! We’ll hopefully see you for another readalong soon!
I enjoyed this book so much, and I’m very surprised that I managed to stick to the read-along plan (with the book being exactly what I craved)! It was totally fun and romantic and ah, Alessandra was such an amazing and different heroine. Finally, a badass female who is unlike every other badass heroine I’ve read about!
I really wish this was a series… maybe then we could have spent more time on Alessandra’s own family, get even more background on why Alessandra hated her sister so much, how Alessandra as a 15-year-old actually managed to have it in herself to kill Hektor and all that. But seriously, this stand-alone is amazing, the pacing was nice, the main characters were well-developed, those little details helped the story come alive, and how I LOVED the conversations. They felt so very natural. And the ending, the ENDING!!! I was like “Aaah, that’s it?” and then the bomb came … and I just: “WOAH”! I need more of this world and these characters, so sad it’s over ;(
I’m so so glad you enjoyed it!! The ending was insane!
I loved this story it ended way too quickly for me! I can’t believe he just pardoned her like that it was amazing. I was so sad when he found the poison but glad she uncovered the truth and they got together in the end. She’ll make an amazing queen! I loved that there was a theme of female sexual empowerment throughout that was amazing and very modern
I was so shook when he found the poison but I’m so glad he learned the truth! Yess we love female empowerment!
Ahh I loved this book! I’m really glad Alessandra and Kallius got to be together at the end, even though she’d originally planned to murder him! I did feel it was perhaps a bit predictable at times, but I still really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the twist with Leandros. I had a feeling he was too good to be true, but wouldn’t have guessed the truth that he was Kallius’s brother! I’m happy that Kallius decided not to live without touching people and in the shadows all the time, that sounds a very lonely way to live. Thanks for hosting the read along! 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed the readalong! I had the best time hosting it! Hopefully see you again soon!
Yeah the shadows really were a curse for him in the end. No one can stay alone forever.
I’m afraid I didn’t enjoy these last chapters as well as I did the rest of the book.
I got anoyed with Alessandra hoe mad she got at Kallias for being pissed……come on, she wanted to kill him!! I just didn’t believe it anymore ?
I really like the scene where Kallias bursts out laughing after finding out about Hector, not how a normal person would react xD and then there is the scene where they are bathing, naked! And the guards are too distracted to notice the masked bandit. (Well, who wouldn’t be?)
She did not hesitate killing Xanthos at all, I mean he was going to kill Kallias! So I totally get her, if my love was threatened I would probably do the same thing.
I find the ending really touching, how Alessandra admits that her intentions was to kill him only to see him as her equal instead, words Kallias himself used earlier.
Demodocus is of course my favourite (kidding, one of them) and Kallias was intriguing from the moment we saw him.
Yess same here! Kallias bursting out because she killed Hector. I didn’t expect that ?
Oh boy, oh my, I loved this book ? it destroyed me in both a good and a bad way!
I liked Leandros a lot, but I started to suspect that something about him was not quite right when he reached Alessandra as soon as she took the little girl outside. However I totally didn’t see it coming that he was Kallias’ brother! Funny because we were given all the elements to figure it out, but personally I was too cought up with the romance to notice ?
And THAT happy ending! I love both Alessandra and Kallias, my precious slytherin couple ?
This book is 5 stars worthy in my opinion. I can’t wait for Tricia next book, it sounds amazing too!
Wow I loved that ending. I couldnt stop reading and actually finished this book in two dats. But wrote down my thoughts for every day of the readalong so I could still participate ?. I did suspect something was up with Leandros. BUT NEVER THIS! Aaaaaaaah. That was so unexpected and I love it.
I like Kallias so much. He just accepts and loves Alessandra even though she murdered someone. And Alessandra understand why Kallias makes the choices he makes. They are so great together. I love the ending and how they came back together. Yaaaaas now I just want more ? can’t we just have a sequel on how they will rule the world together now?
I must have been crazy when I thought that a standalone for such a story was a good idea like c’mon girl, you’ve been tripping!
I loved how the story ended, even though I suspected Leandros from mid-book I never would have imagined him turning up as the supposed-to-be-dead brother. Oh, family feuds ?!
I wish there was at least another book on how Alessandra and Kallias start to rule together with him being vulnerable and all that but hey maybe in the future?? I’m looking at you Tricia!! ?
It was so fun participating in the readalong and actually being involved in expressing my opinion and share it with all of you! I will definitely join again when I’ll be able to purchase another box!
Oh it was so good! I love this book!
Kallias is totaly fine with Alessandra killing Hector. Hes proposing her and making her queen.
Oh my god it was so nerve wrecking. Kallias drinking the poison. And Alessandra bringing the little girl far away so that he can heal. At that point it was suspicious that Leandros was there. I knew he told the little girl to lie!
Oh this damn poison! Alessandra should have thrown it away. Now shes leaving ? but she saves Kallias! I didn’t expect Leandros to be his brother.
He shouldn’t underestimate Alessandra.
And Kallias should stop her from leaving!
But there is a happy end! Thank good!
OMG, Leandros, what the hell?! I was so surprised that he is Kallias brother. I really like how Alessandra and Kallias change. She from selfish girl who wants the power to caring young woman. He from shadow king to man in love. Really enjoyed this book!
I was a but surprised and a lot entertained by the King’s reaction to her being a murderess. I was not really surprised over Leandros being the behind the recent attempts on the King’s life. I had suspected him a lot more ever since he was left alone with the little girl BUT was not expecting him to be the brother or to have killed the previous King and Queen or for him to have been nearly murdered by his own father.
I knew my bad feelings about Leandros ware right his brother… dam I mean poor him for getting beaten like that but that revenge over the throne not cool
I was literally soo happy though all the scenes with Alessandra and Kallias but than that poison bottle I was like how can you not believe her that she loves you after all of that. That was heartbreaking
Alessandra was such a bad-ass over the entire book but killing for him now that’s love
I really liked this book a nice story full of thrilling moments when you just had to say no oh no what now. Good pick Fairyloot
Ugh I’m so torn on how I feel about this book! I think my major issue is that a lot of the things Alessandra was really worried about/took up a lot of her time ended up not really being a big deal. So first we had Myron causing all sorts of issues and threatening to expose that Alessandra wasn’t a virgin. So she worries and schemes and goes through so much and then it turns out Kallias wouldn’t have really cared if that secret got out. Then we have Hektor’s father trying to find his son’s murderer and Alessandra is so worried about that and it takes up a good amount of book time. Only it ends up not mattering at all. Kallias just doesn’t care. On the one hand the scene was funny when he started laughing that she killed Hektor but on the other hand it just feels like such a waste of time. So much just didn’t matter and she spent so much of this book worrying over nothing. I did really love the relationship between Alessandra and Kallias. They were perfect for each other. I was also very shocked that Leandros was actually Kallias’s brother! I didn’t see that coming at all. He did start to feel a little fishy but I thought maybe he was just scheming with his father or something.
Good points! I didn’t really thought about that but you’re right! I thought Hektor’s death would play a bigger role since it was the opening scene.
But is this not also the same in real life. People worrying about so many things, which in the end turn out that you did not have to be worried about. She did not know how Kallias would react to these kind of things, because she was not like the good daughter. Especially the murder, no one here would have guessed that Kallias would have just laughed and pardoned her. I think her worries make her realistic. It would have been strange if she already knew how Kallias would react, after all she did never trust anyone before.
Thank you so so much for this read-a-long! I loved it so much!
I was right about Leandros but never would have thought that he is actually Kallias’ brother!!!! Whaaaaaat???
I love the dynamic between Kallias and Alessandra. Her character development is amazing! And they finally touched and kissed and…oh so sweet! Tricia’s writing style is so unique and just perfect! But I do have some difficulties imagining the dresses Alessandra’s wearing. The big plot twist that Kallias finds the poison and sends her away was a bit too obvious for my taste but it was okay. It was an awesome read and I enjoyed it a lot.
What an amazing book <3
I really really loved it and it was such an amazing read, the characters were so differend and I absolutely adored them for it.
I did not see that last twist (with leandros) coming (always happy when that happens, I've gotten far to good at guessing things), so glad we got a happy ending.
Thank you so much for another amazin readalong
Omg I am happy too that they are finally together.
After Lady Zervas said she was not the culprit I knew it was Leandros. He was the only one who could tell the girl what she had to say. Besides how should that girl have known what Lady Zervas was wearing all the balls before. However the twist with Leandros being Kallias brother was unexpected. I really wished for him to be his friend. However I am glad Alessandra now realized she loves Kallias more than power. That she just wanted someone to acknowledge her and love her.
It was really obvious that the poison would give her trouble. Of course Kallias was hurt, but then he did exactly that what Alessandra feared the most. He sent her away. I felt bad for her. This is why I was really happy when he came for her and that letter in the end was so cute.
Now they will not be lonely anymore.
But he really has some questionable morals. Everyone else was sentenced to death for murder, but he just pardons Alessandra, because he likes her. He even thought it was funny that she killed Hektor. He just does whatever he likes as a king. Also just giving someone a title, because he wants to. Again this makes me remember what kind of man he actually is and that we atcually should not sympathize with him.
Besides it was mentioned several times, that his subjects suffer from high taxes and war. Most are poor, while he and the nobles are rich.
It was funny that she manages to save Rhouben from a marrage twice.
All in all I loved the book. I always love character driven stories like this one. All the characters acted fitting to her backstory and personality. And although the friendship and romance was a bit fast, it never felt rushed for me. It just felt like two people meeting and being on the same wavelenght. I think it was cute. Sometimes it was a bit easy to forsee what will be happing, but even then the author manages to suprise us (example: Leandros being Kallias brother) I also always love an intelligent main character. There was not much world building, but in my opinion that was not necessary in this story. Like mentioned before she focused on the characters and all we got to know we learned and saw with them.Sometime I thought she described the dresses too much, but because it was written from Alessandra view it still fits, because this was what her interested, what she really would have looked at like that.
So for me this was a 5 star book. If not for this readalong I would have probably read all on one day.
It was also a lot of fun writing these comments and reading all of the theories and ideas by others. Thank you for this great book pick, I am glad I got this box and will continue with them, even if English is not my native language and I actually almost only read in my native language.
See you in the next readalong. Greetings.
This was so easy to finish! I couldn’t believe that Kallias just laughed off what happened with Hector, but it kind of proves how similar and perfect they are for each other! I’ve loved all the descriptions of her outfits throughout the book and her dress for the ball was no exception.
I had a feeling the poison in the wardrobe was going to bite her in the butt ?
I didn’t see the twist of Leandros actually being Xanthos, but I had a feeling he might be involved with Vasco and the previous King and Queen’s deaths and so glad Kallias went to fetch Alessandra because they really seemed to understand and accept each other
Loved the book, I wish it wouldn’t be a standalone! I’d gladly read a couple of books of these two. 🙂