Author: Demi Warrki

Series: Obsidian Academy

First Published: 28 October 2024

“Perhaps being different isn’t a burden – perhaps it’s my greatest gift.”

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. Thank you so much to Demi for sending a copy my way!

My goals for the next four years are

Survive life at Obsidian Academy.

Successfully summon a Shadow—a manifestation of my magic.

And follow in the footsteps of my famous father as a Protector in service to the realm.

Blending into my role should be easy enough, right?

Wrong.

In a world where Protectors like me are divided into Predators and Preys—each with unique affinities—I’m struck by strange occurrences that seem to only affect me. And while I attempt to uncover that mystery, I learn I yield a special power that’s practically unheard of, one people fear might repeat an unstable history.

I have the ability to summon two Shadows.

In my quest for truth, I must rely on unexpected allies—Vaughn Harper, the arrogant jerk. Kai Clarke, the enigma. And Simon Blake, my instructor—whose true intentions towards me may not be as clear as they seem.

Together, we race against time to uncover the secrets hidden within the Darkness. But are we already too late?

I had so much fun reading Secrets and Shadows. It is a fantastic start to a new series. And that ending? I have so many questions. No, seriously, I have all the questions. I need the sequel, stat!

Lilith Knight hopes to follow in her father’s footsteps to become a Protector and help save the realm from the Rouges. The students of Obsidian Academy have specialised affinities based on whether their Shadow is a Predator or Prey. However, Lilith’s Shadowing doesn’t go to plan and leaves her fending for her life. She can summon both a Predator and Prey shadow, which means she is The Dual. Lilith struggles to find answers outside of folklore and must form an unlikely alliance with Vaughn, Simon, and Kai. The trio are fourth-year students who are part of Operation Nightfall, an elite and secret task force that works with the headmistress to keep the school safe from the Rouges. Lilith is curious whether trusting the trio will help or lead to her downfall.

I am fascinated by this magic system and hope to see more of it as the series progresses. The Shadows are an incredible spirit animal which is the manifestation of their primary magic ability. Depending on which animal chooses you – think the threshing in Fourth Wing – will determine if you are a Predator or Prey. Those with a Predator are the protectors, guards, and military of the world and the Prey are healers. This magic system and world strive for balance to avoid chaos. No spoilers here, but I have so many questions about this ability, thanks to that final scene. I am so excited to get more for this world. I am also looking forward to seeing more of their classes. So far, we’ve got a lot of training montages – which we love – but I’m interested to see what other magic their shadows help them manifest.

My heart goes out to Lilith. She’s already trying her best to fit in at her new school and find her place, and then she turns out to be the mythical bringer of doom. I appreciate that we get to see how much she struggles, especially when it feels like she has no support system. Thank God for Tony, her newfound friend, who refuses to let her face this alone despite Lilith wanting to protect him from the fallout. There is a sinister undertone to the fear everyone has about her two shadows. Tensions are brewing, and it feels like a fine line between name-calling and physical harm. I think what we know about the dual abilities and the war with the Rouges is a lie, and I am excited to see how this plays out.

Vaughn, Simon, and Kai are the school’s most powerful Predators. The headmistress has recruited them to join the elite and secret task force to help protect the school. Vaughn is our flirty, arrogant bad boy who loves to ruffle feathers, especially if he gets Lilith all hot and bothered. Simon is the calmest of the group. He’s responsible for training the first years in self-defence and has become Lilith’s mentor and a safe space. He gives cinnamon roll vibes and I adore him. And then we have Kai, our shadow daddy. His magic has manifested in the way he can shadow walk. He is the silent, broody guy of the group. I get the feeling that he has a dark past, which the headmistress uses to her advantage so he can be the assassin of the group. I can’t wait to learn more about him; I feel it will give us insight into the broader political landscape.

The romance is slowly developing. I’m enjoying the different dynamics we get from the guys. We have a fated mate bond with one of the guys. I have my fingers crossed that mate bonds form with the other two as this series goes on because, otherwise, I’m unsure how the relationship dynamic will play out.

I have many thoughts and theories about what will happen next—sidebar; thank you to my partner for listening while I talked through all of them. I am dying to get to the sequel. If you want a paranormal romance with a witchy vibe, a why-choose romance, and a magical school setting, I highly recommend Secrets and Shadows.