Castle of Dusk and Shadows

Product Information

This was a nice, easy read. I enjoyed the Victorian/fae aspect and I thought that had been really well done, however I wasn't the greatest fan of Elle, the main character. She wasn't the worst FMC I've read about, but she definitely wasn't the greatest. I thought her dedication to her family and uncovering the truth was very well done, and were good characteristics for her. I also enjoyed her quirkiness about the contrast of the Victorian-styled human realm and the "impropriety" of the Fae realm. The comment about her not even showing anyone her ankle before had me giggling. Otherwise, she was just.... meh to me. I also wasn't a fan of how Fitz was portrayed as instantly falling in love with her.... I am more of the slow-burn type girl so when Fitz was the first to declare his feelings for Elle it had thrown me for a bit. (10/2023) But Elle has a plan to change their fate. For she knows that ghosts wander Ashwood Forest until the royal family sends them into the afterlife. Ghosts that can be returned to life. And she’s determined to save her father from his premature death. Elle and her family are subject to a deal with the Fae Queen after her father dies. A long time ago, her parents had agreed to allow their eldest daughter, Grace, to marry the Fae crown Prince, Fitz. Over the years, Elle and her father studied magic in secret, trying to uncover a way for them to help Grace escape her fate, to no avail. After the sudden death of her Father, a messenger from the Fae Queen arrives, informing the family that they must attend the Ashwood castle, home of the Fae, for the remainder of their human lives. But Elle has a plan to change their fate. For she knows that ghosts wander Ashwood Forest until the royal family sends them into the afterlife. Ghosts that can be returned to life. And she's determined to save her father from his premature death.

Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Librarians Group is the official group for requesting additions or updates to the catalog, including: In ‘Castle of Dusk and Shadows,’ you’ll immerse yourself in a world of bloodthirsty fae and vengeful ghosts as Elle navigates a kingdom of monsters and tragic secrets. Along the way, you’ll learn:How Elle’s father dies, forcing Elle to take her sister’s place and marry Prince Fitz to steal his power This retelling of Pride & Prejudice with a dash of mystery, is an interesting approach to “retelling” a classic. The plot, aside from the murders, was more of a direct retelling than an “inspired-by” story. I was hoping for more original content, more like Pride & Prejudice & Zombies or To Travel the Stars, but this mostly just dresses the original characters in new clothes and slightly different names/circumstances, and then literally retells the original plot… (well, the movie adaptation plot at least). I actually enjoyed this so much, and I'm devastated we don't get more of Fitz and Elle 😭 I just want to see what the rest of their life is like, ugh.

When I tell you I devoured this book, I devoured it! Castle of Dusk and Shadows is not my normal fae fantasy read where all the "dark and dangerous" fae are actually...dark and dangerous. This book, however, was different. Although we definitely do have some very good fae, there are others that want nothing more than to kill. I knew going into this book that it was a loose Pride and Prejudice retelling but I forgot until I was halfway through the book which caused me to get a little impatient with the pace of Elle's thinking...that was until I realized that this followed the storyline of P&P very loosely. Silly me, totally my fault... I'm not super familiar with the story of Sabrina, which inspired this one, but I love how this book felt like a brand-new fairytale. Romantic, magical...the kind that has you swooning and rooting for true love. Pride and Prejudice meets Gothic fae fantasy in this loose retelling, full of plenty of romantic tension (not spice).Taking her sister’s place, Elle marries Prince Fitz to steal his power. But in a world of bloodthirsty fae and vengeful ghosts, being a mortal comes with constant risks. As Elle navigates a kingdom of monsters and tragic secrets, she realizes she might not survive to save her family. The story is ridiculously repetitive in so many ways. Felt like the author was trying to hit the word count on an essay. PDF / EPUB File Name: Castle_of_Dusk_and_Shadows_-_Rachel_L_Schade.pdf, Castle_of_Dusk_and_Shadows_-_Rachel_L_Schade.epub I think my enjoyment of this book is down to the author's excellent plotting skills. The plot had some nice twists and revelations, and even if I saw a couple coming, the emotion of those scenes was engaging. The pacing in this book is great with a good balance between action and character-driven scenes as well, which is hard to pull off, honestly. And the key to her salvation might be her arrogant, cold husband—the one she’d planned to rob and abandon. If only she can trust him.

This was a fun, engaging fantasy with a romantic subplot. To be clear, the writing wasn't perfect, the characterization wasn't novel or in-depth, but nevertheless, the book held my attention and was so engrossing that I devoured it in a couple days.This would be a great book to read in the fall because it has all of the spooky vibes with the haunted forest and castle, but of course any time is a good time for spooky-ness!! I cannot wait to see what else Rachel pulls from this world! It is just so interesting and I know there are so many more amazing stories to tell with these brutal fae and scrappy heroines 😆 If you know me, you know I'm all about the "Pride and Prejudice" vibes. I am slowly making my way through the book (I say slowly just because I'm a somewhat distracted reader these days), and of course the 1995 movie is sometimes the only thing I need to watch. I've begun to suspect that retellings are something I like the idea of more than the actual execution - I think what I really want is what the kids call "fan fiction" - so I was pleased to find that I thoroughly enjoyed this. The key to her salvation might be her arrogant, cold husband—the one she'd planned to rob and abandon. If only she can trust him. I loved this book! For one, it was fun having a broody, sort-of-grumpy fae who WASN'T really morally grey but was actually more of a "do-gooder," cinnamon roll type. It was also nice seeing a first love interest who (mild spoiler) isn't someone you end the book completely despising. You just accept that the main character moved on and found a love more suitable. Refreshing changes, for sure!