Forbidden love, breathtaking action, and terrifying magic, perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo!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 … 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?
Daughter of Shades is the first breathtaking book in The Venatrix Chronicles YA fantasy series. If you like kick-butt heroines, intriguing worlds of magic, and slow-burn romance then you’ll love Sylvia Mercedes’s action-packed story.
Buy Daughter of Shades today, and journey into a vivid medieval world of honor and deception, rivalry and love, valiant hunters and malevolent spirits from another realm . . .
Praise for Song of Shadows, the prequel to The Venatrix Chronicles:
“I loved the world Sylvia created, especially the magic system, which was unlike anything I’d read before. Can’t wait to read on!” – USA Today Bestselling Author Claire Luana ★★★★★
“Mark my words, Sylvia Mercedes is an author to watch . . . The Venatrix Chronicles is going to be one seriously addicting series.” – L. Danvers, Author of the Fate Abandoned Series ★★★★★
“As a librarian, I would recommend this initial entry to my readers of YA fantasy, particularly fans of Sarah Maas and Cassandra Clare, and on a personal note I’m recommending it to my husband who enjoys Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss.” – Laura Freer, librarian and Goodreads Reviewer ★★★★★
“I loved this book. The story, the world-building (wow the world-building) and the characters. Ms. Mercedes has launched a truly fabulous first book and I want more.” – Emily Ling, Goodreads Reviewer ★★★★★
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This is the first book of Sylvia I have read and I loved it , the world building is fantastic, the story line so original, the characters are amazing, the FMC so believable and easy to fell in love with… Mistery, magic, unexpected twists and turns will keep you turning pages, can’t wait to know what the next book will bring us!!!
From the first page I was hooked. Excellent read. I couldn’t put it down.
A great read. I loved this book from the first page to the last. This read had a great storyline to it. It really made this story so intriqing to me. I loved the story And the Character building as well. This is a great read that I do recommend.
Shauna Joesten
ONE REFRESHING TREAT!!!
One incredible new twist! This is one refreshing spin that captivates from start to finish. An engaging storyline and gripping plot with a multitude of inadvertent circumstances that keep you riveted and total focus on every word. A swirling throng of vexing contingents and a bevy of surprising events launch those swirling emotions bursting into play. Throw in all intrigue, danger and thrilling suspense and you have one intense, page flipping delight. All the trials and tribulations along with the throng of mishaps fuse this baby together spectacularly. The characters are authentic and realistic with such depth and originality its easy to relate. The scenes are written with such realism theres no trouble interpreting each scenario as they play off one another in perfect balance. Remarkable job Sylvia, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
This is a great read! A well written story filled with action, honour, romance, magic and a kick ass heroine all set in an amazing world created by this author! A YA fantasy read that will just grab you and not let you go and I cannot wait to read the next book!
Ayleth had been an apprentice to the order of Evander for as long as she could remember, knowing nothing of her past and tutored by Hollis who Ayleth knew invaded her mind and she hated this. She wanted to run her own outpost to better serve the order, so when a post became vacant against Hollis orders, she left their own post and went to be considered as the replacement. However Melisendis outpost was a challenge all in itself, as it stood as the only security against the Witchwood of Dread Odile, and the barriers had to be kept secure by the venators for fear shades would invade and attack the human communities. She encounters another venator who had been sent to fill the post by the head of the venators of Perrioinion, Fendrel du Glaive himself. Terryn was the most arrogant and entitled venator she had ever met and he seemed to think that the post was his by right. The Golden prince however wanted to give Ayleth a chance, so he gave them a three month trial to serve together and help venator Kephan keep the barrier secure before he would decide who would get to fill the post. Little did she know about the scary adventure beyond the great barrier she and Terryn would embark on, as they enter the Witchwood in search of answers. Who had killed their predecessor? They were forced to fight the Crimson Devils and their powerful magic, and in the end even though supposedly rivals they strived to save each others’ life. I can’t wait to read book 2 as the epilogue left me very curious to what really is going on with Hollis! What does she know that we don’t? What secret is she harbouring about Ayleth’s unknown past?
This is a book you read to root for the heroine and feel delightfully creeped out by the world she lives and works in, much like Garth Nix’s Sabriel. The story really picks up around chapter 6 or 7, and then this becomes a more layered, exciting read. I finished this book looking forward to reading more.
Daughter of Shades was an interesting read/listen, to say the least. Yes, it took me a while to properly get into the book, and I didn’t feel like it properly picked up till about halfway through. But boy am I glad I stuck with it long enough for the story to hook me. I loved the incredible world-building and how magic and music are so intertwined. I loved the use of pipes since I myself love wind instruments. I certainly enjoyed getting to know Ayleth, her adventures, the shade hunts, and how this Venatrix business works. Of course, having the additions of Terryn and the Chosen Prince was perfect since it allowed the story to delve deeper into the complexities of Ayleth’s character, the reason behind the choices she makes, as well as take the story to the next level.
Of course, as much as I enjoyed this story, I also know that a large part of it is thanks to the narrator’s great job. Hers was an excellent performance, bringing to life each of the characters in this book (including the animal ones, like Lorantha, which I ended up liking), as well as the nuances of their emotions (from fear to excitement, to weariness, to sarcasm), it’s all there, and she did it beautifully.
All in all, a great audiobook and a great start to a series that has a lot of promise, and a bit of everything for everyone (fantasy, romance, adventure, magic, etc.) 😉 ~ 4.5 stars
The author took some time to properly introduce us to Ayleth before throwing her into her story. We have a strong, impulsive, headstrong girl who is sure that she is ready to take on the world – just like any other teenager, except that Ayleth has no past and the story (and the title) hints at why. That makes the possible love triangle that may develop (what is it with elite men and overly irreverant feisty females?) something to keep an anticipatory eye out for. Ayleth seems to be an interesting mix of Buffy, Eve Dallas and Nikita mixed with Red Riding Hood. Does that make the men mixes of Angel, Spike, Roarke and Michael?
I absolutely loved this complex, original fantasy with a smart, likable heroine who manages to be strong yet relatable.
The magic system involving shades and their hosts, and the various songs and such used to control them, was wonderfully detailed and well thought out. I loved Ayleth’s relationship with her shade, Laranta! The world-building was fantastic as well, with enough detail to fully immerse the reader without being overwhelming. There are definitely further mysteries to unravel in this world; the seeds of those mysteries are well-planted in this first book, such that when I reached the—satisfying yet definitely to-be-continued….—ending, I immediately reached for the sequel.
I could go on and on about this book, honestly, but I’ll just sum it up by saying if you love your epic fantasy with a great balance of action, mystery, unique magic and lore, and a hint of romance—all starring a totally kick-butt heroine—then Daughter of Shades belongs at the top of your to-be-read pile!
Awesome book, filled with action, grit, and loads of danger. Epic climax. I would highly recommend.
“Daughter of Shades” by Sylvia Mercedes has a fabulous cover and a story to match! This is a fantasy novel with action, an interesting heroine, great world building and a thread of slow burn romance.
Fantastic Fantasy!!
WOW! This is an amazing start to what is sure to be an epic fantasy series. The story was intense and full of suspense, intrigue and action. There are also many little funny moments throughout that made me laugh out loud. The character development is amazing and the world building is terrific and believable. I absolutely loved the main character Ayleth. She is fierce and bad ass. There is nothing that is going to stand in her way to get what she wants. There is also a lot more to her story then we know of right now, which keeps me wanting more. I can’t wait for the next book.
What a fantastic start!! Highly Recommend.
This is the first piece of work I have read by this author, and it certainly will not be the last.
The first thing I have to draw your attention to is the cover. It is a stunner – in my humble opinion – and contains all the elements of the story, including venatrix Ayleth’s shade, Laranta, as a spirit wolf. This cover would’ve had me purchasing the book without even reading the blurb, if I’d seen it in a shop.
The author’s words are very powerful. Indeed, you could almost believe that she has a shade herself… Mercedes builds up the story, slowly – but it’s never boring – firstly with child-like wonder, then adult intrigue, the atmosphere is frighteningly tense and emotionally claustrophobic, with a powder-keg relationship between Ayleth and Terryn. The characters are beautifully written and very expressive. I can’t wait to find out more about Ayleth, Terryn, the Golden Prince, and Hollis in the next book.
I chose this book from a larger selection, then voluntarily read and honestly reviewed it. All opinions are my own.