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Red Society #1
Shadows Dark and Deadly
Slowly freezing in the snow and a knife to the gut are two awful ways to die.
And Cerise would very much like to avoid both. A mysterious man steps from the shadows with an offer of food, a bed, and a roof over her head. The catch? She'll have to become his assassin apprentice. Her hands are already stained with the blood of five men. What's a little more?
But training to be an assassin isn’t easy and learning to control her magic even less. To complicate things, Cerise can’t fight her attraction to her mentor, Keir, or his charming best friend, Damara. It wouldn't be a problem if she wasn't a dirty street rat. Well, that and society isn't ready for two women to be together.
Everything heats up as an arsonist stalks the streets. His targets? Brothel owners and Cerise's aunt is at the top of his list. Can Cerise get strong enough to help Keir hunt him down or will her aunt become another tragic death that haunts her nightmares?
Shadows Dark and Deadly is the first book in the dark and steamy Red Society series. It's perfect for fans who love character driven stories, rich world building, tortured shadow daddies, deadly assassins, angst and banter in equal measure, and sizzling why choose romances (MF and FF pairings).
This book is for adults 18 and over. It features mature language, graphic violence, dark themes, and explicit content. Reader discretion is advised. For a complete list of content warnings, check the author’s website.
And Cerise would very much like to avoid both. A mysterious man steps from the shadows with an offer of food, a bed, and a roof over her head. The catch? She'll have to become his assassin apprentice. Her hands are already stained with the blood of five men. What's a little more?
But training to be an assassin isn’t easy and learning to control her magic even less. To complicate things, Cerise can’t fight her attraction to her mentor, Keir, or his charming best friend, Damara. It wouldn't be a problem if she wasn't a dirty street rat. Well, that and society isn't ready for two women to be together.
Everything heats up as an arsonist stalks the streets. His targets? Brothel owners and Cerise's aunt is at the top of his list. Can Cerise get strong enough to help Keir hunt him down or will her aunt become another tragic death that haunts her nightmares?
Shadows Dark and Deadly is the first book in the dark and steamy Red Society series. It's perfect for fans who love character driven stories, rich world building, tortured shadow daddies, deadly assassins, angst and banter in equal measure, and sizzling why choose romances (MF and FF pairings).
This book is for adults 18 and over. It features mature language, graphic violence, dark themes, and explicit content. Reader discretion is advised. For a complete list of content warnings, check the author’s website.
545 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2024
1 person is currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Marie Johnson
1 book5 followersHello hello! I’m Andi Marie and I’m a nonbinary (they/them) disaster bi writing steamy queer romantasy riddled with angst and darkness. Some may say I’m three frogs in a trench coat but don’t believe those baseless rumors. When I’m not hiding in the basement writing my little stories, you’ll find me hiding in the basement playing video games, drawing maps or watching anime.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 19, 2024
Definitely READ THIS BOOK! 🤭🤩 I was sucked in from the very first chapter. This novel is written in first person POV- limited to Cerise the FMC. She was such a fun character for me to read. Without getting to spoilery, Cerise is a true survivor: she adapts, and fights to survive any way she can which I find so admirable and relatable. Many of the characters deal with different types of traumas and social pressures that they have to deal with along with the actual events occurring in the book. What I really loved about this book was not only the variety of amazing characters but also how Rich and Vivid the world felt.
The cover, to me, felt cold and dark, and tbh this cover has TONS of symbolism that will make sense once you read it; but, I didn’t expect the setting and characters to be so warm and vibrant which was such a lovely surprise!
Shadows Dark & Deadly has some amazing things going on and is clearly the first book in a series, but also has a very satisfying conclusion that also left me excited for the next book.
Themes:
🗡️ Assassin Training
🗡️ Dealig with Trauma
🗡️ Human sexuality
🗡️ Relationships, Friendship & Healing
🗡️ Action
🗡️ Lots of cool MAGIC!
Shadow Magic (Shadow Daddy anyone? 👀)
🗡️ Romance
🗡️ Intrigue, Mystery, Suspense
🗡️ Gods & Goddesses
And, these are more vibes:
💗 Steampunk
💗 Fantasy
💗 Beautiful & Rich world
💗 Dresses! 💗🤩😭
💗 Yummy Food
🔥 Spicy moments while maintaining good plot and story
🌈 LGBTQ themes and relationships
❤️🩹 Mental Health
Overall, I’ve read LOTS of books this year and this has made it to my Top 5! Go and get yourself a copy and find a comfy spot to BINGE this book! 💗💗💗💗
The cover, to me, felt cold and dark, and tbh this cover has TONS of symbolism that will make sense once you read it; but, I didn’t expect the setting and characters to be so warm and vibrant which was such a lovely surprise!
Shadows Dark & Deadly has some amazing things going on and is clearly the first book in a series, but also has a very satisfying conclusion that also left me excited for the next book.
Themes:
🗡️ Assassin Training
🗡️ Dealig with Trauma
🗡️ Human sexuality
🗡️ Relationships, Friendship & Healing
🗡️ Action
🗡️ Lots of cool MAGIC!
Shadow Magic (Shadow Daddy anyone? 👀)
🗡️ Romance
🗡️ Intrigue, Mystery, Suspense
🗡️ Gods & Goddesses
And, these are more vibes:
💗 Steampunk
💗 Fantasy
💗 Beautiful & Rich world
💗 Dresses! 💗🤩😭
💗 Yummy Food
🔥 Spicy moments while maintaining good plot and story
🌈 LGBTQ themes and relationships
❤️🩹 Mental Health
Overall, I’ve read LOTS of books this year and this has made it to my Top 5! Go and get yourself a copy and find a comfy spot to BINGE this book! 💗💗💗💗
November 20, 2024
I suck at writing detailed reviews when I like a book, and I loved this one. It has such an indepth world that is very clearly well thought out. I loved the different powers and can't wait to dive even deeper into Cerise's shadow walker abilities. This book is definitely an introduction into the characters and the world, which means it is a little on the slow side. I didn't mind did slow build knowing that there's more to get into as the series progresses.
The relationship between Cerise and Keir was very heartfelt and hot. The way they couldn't keep their hands off of each other was fun, but the way the author was able to incorporate both of their traumas in a tactful and emotional way made it even better. This is supposed to be a why choose, but we only get a small dosing of the FF relationship between Cerise and Damara. I actually liked the fact that the story mostly focused on Cerise and Keir.
There's a lot more to see and learn and get sucked into as the series continues and I'm very excited to see what happens next. Shadows Dark and Deadly only scratches the surface.
The relationship between Cerise and Keir was very heartfelt and hot. The way they couldn't keep their hands off of each other was fun, but the way the author was able to incorporate both of their traumas in a tactful and emotional way made it even better. This is supposed to be a why choose, but we only get a small dosing of the FF relationship between Cerise and Damara. I actually liked the fact that the story mostly focused on Cerise and Keir.
There's a lot more to see and learn and get sucked into as the series continues and I'm very excited to see what happens next. Shadows Dark and Deadly only scratches the surface.
September 18, 2025
Love love love this book
Ugh, how I wish I was Cerise. She's so strong and cool and badass. And her developing relationships are perfect for her. My bi heart swoons onto the chaise with her as (almost!) everything I want to happen, does. I was almost gritting my teeth waiting for her to heal and little sprinkles of spice kept me going. And my anticipation for book 2 is fierce. And the world building! Fantasy Victorian *chef's kiss* Thank you, I'll have some more, please!! #BringBackYearning
Ugh, how I wish I was Cerise. She's so strong and cool and badass. And her developing relationships are perfect for her. My bi heart swoons onto the chaise with her as (almost!) everything I want to happen, does. I was almost gritting my teeth waiting for her to heal and little sprinkles of spice kept me going. And my anticipation for book 2 is fierce. And the world building! Fantasy Victorian *chef's kiss* Thank you, I'll have some more, please!! #BringBackYearning
September 4, 2025
Excellent read! Really nice balance of dark/brooding and horny, deep interpersonal relationships and a rich magical world with deep lore hinted at. Action packed (both types of action ;D ), interesting, and a really good start to what could be a rich and deep series. Looking forward to the next book.
November 26, 2024
I'm genuinely surprised this book has few reviews! I was fortunate enough to be recommended this by a friend and I loved it! It felt like I was absorbed in the world, completely taken aback by how immersive it was with it's story, magic, tropes, and overall concept. Highly recommend!!
June 14, 2024
I adored this book. Everything about it was just chef's kiss. I loved the language, the pacing, the plot, the dialogues, the interactions between the characters and the intricacy of their relationships. The subtle humour at times, and the overall darkness were both so well done.
This is not a book for the faint of heart. It has some very dark themes and the characters are an assassin in training who had watched her parents get murdered in front of her as a child (like batman) and the assassin who trains her who has his own crosses to bear, though very little of that is revealed in this. Murder Batman as the book is called by the author, is certainly a fitting moniker.
Cerise is an orphan who was brought up by her aunt, a madam of a brothel. When she was of age, her aunt throws her out since she can't afford to keep someone who isn't earning her keep. To add to it, Cerise is half Mostrian and looks it and is subject to bigoted and racist comments from the Lieurenese people she lives among. Not to speak of the fact that she's bisexual and growing up in a brothel has no qualms about seeking lovers, and her acceptance in society is even trickier.
Enter Keir, the charming assassin who wants to train Cerise because she's a shadowwalker like him, a mage who can manipulate shadows and turn to shadow themselves. He's part of an emperor sanctioned assassin's guild called the Red Society and wants to recruit Cerise after he has seen her use her powers to kill a man who attempts to assault her. Cerise, out in the streets with no one to turn to and no way of getting a job due to her Mostrian nationality, is only too glad to turn her skills from petty thieving and murder to something that actually gets her a roof over her head and three meals a day. Or more. Depending on the day.
Keir has his own motives in training Cerise, but even though he's secretive, he's also vulnerable and charismatic. They fall for each other like a ton of bricks, but dance around it due to Cerise's fear that she's only going to drag Keir down and his realisation of her fears. Cerise is also having feelings for Keir's best friend, Damara, who is a noblewoman, and though Damara reciprocates Cerise's feelings, their being together is not an accepted thing in their society especially with Damara's status.
Add in an arsonist targeting brothels including that of Cerise's aunt's, a deadly fever that has Cerise lose access to her magic, and the mysterious fate of Keir's last apprentice, the stage is set for a plot that has so many twists and turns it leaves you breathless. It slows down at times to let you catch a break before taking you along for the ride again at breakneck speeds.
This is an extremely well crafted and well written books with very real, relatable characters. They're all very flawed, but very very human.
If you love gaslamp fantasies, victorian seeming settings, disaster bis pining for each other, mysteries and lots of magic and spice, this is exactly the book for you.
This is not a book for the faint of heart. It has some very dark themes and the characters are an assassin in training who had watched her parents get murdered in front of her as a child (like batman) and the assassin who trains her who has his own crosses to bear, though very little of that is revealed in this. Murder Batman as the book is called by the author, is certainly a fitting moniker.
Cerise is an orphan who was brought up by her aunt, a madam of a brothel. When she was of age, her aunt throws her out since she can't afford to keep someone who isn't earning her keep. To add to it, Cerise is half Mostrian and looks it and is subject to bigoted and racist comments from the Lieurenese people she lives among. Not to speak of the fact that she's bisexual and growing up in a brothel has no qualms about seeking lovers, and her acceptance in society is even trickier.
Enter Keir, the charming assassin who wants to train Cerise because she's a shadowwalker like him, a mage who can manipulate shadows and turn to shadow themselves. He's part of an emperor sanctioned assassin's guild called the Red Society and wants to recruit Cerise after he has seen her use her powers to kill a man who attempts to assault her. Cerise, out in the streets with no one to turn to and no way of getting a job due to her Mostrian nationality, is only too glad to turn her skills from petty thieving and murder to something that actually gets her a roof over her head and three meals a day. Or more. Depending on the day.
Keir has his own motives in training Cerise, but even though he's secretive, he's also vulnerable and charismatic. They fall for each other like a ton of bricks, but dance around it due to Cerise's fear that she's only going to drag Keir down and his realisation of her fears. Cerise is also having feelings for Keir's best friend, Damara, who is a noblewoman, and though Damara reciprocates Cerise's feelings, their being together is not an accepted thing in their society especially with Damara's status.
Add in an arsonist targeting brothels including that of Cerise's aunt's, a deadly fever that has Cerise lose access to her magic, and the mysterious fate of Keir's last apprentice, the stage is set for a plot that has so many twists and turns it leaves you breathless. It slows down at times to let you catch a break before taking you along for the ride again at breakneck speeds.
This is an extremely well crafted and well written books with very real, relatable characters. They're all very flawed, but very very human.
If you love gaslamp fantasies, victorian seeming settings, disaster bis pining for each other, mysteries and lots of magic and spice, this is exactly the book for you.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews