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Descent into Darkness #1
The Light That Blinds Us
When consumed by shadow, even the faintest light can be blinding... After a childhood haunted by disturbing hallucinations of the Shadow Man, Alexis Michaels’s only comfort is the blue amulet he’s had since before he can remember. Now, the visions have gone, and Alexis craves a normal life. But when a trip to Stonehenge unites him with three other teens carrying similar gems, normality is abandoned when they are plunged into a hidden world of power-wielding Elementals, and told they are the chosen ones, destined to save the world from an eternal night. Trained by legends and guided by heroes, Alexis and his companions must venture on a perilous quest, facing tests of love, loss, and loyalty. But a dark past plagues Alexis as they prepare to defeat an adversary more ominous than they could imagine, and a looming secret sets to corrupt the mission, their lives, and his mind. A high-stakes, speculative romance, which masterfully weaves themes of mental health, psychosis, and found family.
448 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 2024
267 people are currently reading
12316 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 530 reviews
April 4, 2024
Such a brilliant, flavourful debut.
Andy has created such a lush world, full of stakes, life, and tension. It feels nostalgic and fresh all at once, blending the best elements of Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Fantastic Four, spawning a unique YA fantasy story. Truly enjoyed every single page.
Andy has created such a lush world, full of stakes, life, and tension. It feels nostalgic and fresh all at once, blending the best elements of Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Fantastic Four, spawning a unique YA fantasy story. Truly enjoyed every single page.
May 1, 2024
I think this book deserves 5⭐️ for the YA audience
(4⭐️ for me as a adult reader)
When I was 13-17 this is exactly the type of book I would pick up from the library!
Its the perfect YA magical adventure story! It was very nostalgic for me and reminded me why I fell in love with the fantasy genre to begin with!
I also think if you’re new to fantasy this is the perfect entry level as its elemental magic so easy to understand, fast paced quests, 4 main characters so not overwhelming, easy to picture magical beasts like dragon, phoenix etc
Banter, found family, romance, quests everything we love in YA fantasy!
(4⭐️ for me as a adult reader)
When I was 13-17 this is exactly the type of book I would pick up from the library!
Its the perfect YA magical adventure story! It was very nostalgic for me and reminded me why I fell in love with the fantasy genre to begin with!
I also think if you’re new to fantasy this is the perfect entry level as its elemental magic so easy to understand, fast paced quests, 4 main characters so not overwhelming, easy to picture magical beasts like dragon, phoenix etc
Banter, found family, romance, quests everything we love in YA fantasy!
October 24, 2024
I’ve followed the author’s journey on socials, and I really really wanted to love this book, but it was just so painfully boring and a bit amateurish? I did like the chapter titles, very academia core, so it gets a star for that.
Or maybe I’m just looking for any excuse not to give it a 1 star rating.
Or maybe I’m just looking for any excuse not to give it a 1 star rating.
October 28, 2024
⭑ ⭑ ⭒ ⭒ ⭒
1.5 generous stars
♰ Oh my god, can we literally talk about how TikTok authors exaggerate their books so much to the point that it becomes absurd? 💀💀
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ If you follow this author on TikTok you see them quote some things or say some things about this book,and I just thought “Oh my god, this book is probably one of the best things to ever exist.” Just for you to come and read the book, and then it’s like, “what the hell is this?”😭
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ I saw the same thing with Ann Liang’s A Song to drown Rivers. She posted a TikTok and said some toe-curling things about the book. But I came and read it, and I’m not getting the same thing at all. Like it literally wasn’t anything like what she said 💀
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ I don’t understand why this is being done—because if you set expectations for your book so high, and then readers come and don’t get what you promised, we’re going to hate it. Like, why would you set yourself up like that?😐
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ This book was so childish. It read like something a 9-, 10-, 11-, or probably 12-year-old would enjoy. I’m actually so disappointed, I literally rushed to read it immediately I saw his TikTok , just to get this juvenile, childish content.
But kudos to the author. Congratulations on writing their first book, I guess—just that it wasn’t for me.
1.5 generous stars
♰ Oh my god, can we literally talk about how TikTok authors exaggerate their books so much to the point that it becomes absurd? 💀💀
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ If you follow this author on TikTok you see them quote some things or say some things about this book,and I just thought “Oh my god, this book is probably one of the best things to ever exist.” Just for you to come and read the book, and then it’s like, “what the hell is this?”😭
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ I saw the same thing with Ann Liang’s A Song to drown Rivers. She posted a TikTok and said some toe-curling things about the book. But I came and read it, and I’m not getting the same thing at all. Like it literally wasn’t anything like what she said 💀
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ I don’t understand why this is being done—because if you set expectations for your book so high, and then readers come and don’t get what you promised, we’re going to hate it. Like, why would you set yourself up like that?😐
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ This book was so childish. It read like something a 9-, 10-, 11-, or probably 12-year-old would enjoy. I’m actually so disappointed, I literally rushed to read it immediately I saw his TikTok , just to get this juvenile, childish content.
But kudos to the author. Congratulations on writing their first book, I guess—just that it wasn’t for me.
April 6, 2024
Fate leads four teenagers to Stonehenge to transport them to a world where magic is real. To fulfil the Prophecy of Light and Darkness as the Children of the Elements: the four of them, with their Elemental powers are destined to destroy Mortem and the Darkness. Water, fire, wind, earth.
Together, they must quest to find the four lost gems.
’Isn't this the part in the movie where you scream at the characters to not go down the hallway that likely leads to hell?"And then they go anyway, don't they?' Alexis replied with a shrug. 'There's no other option.'
Whilst the start read a lot older and I was impressed with the insight, language, and knowledge, after the prologue, the book reads younger.
It is very reminiscent of younger YA quest-type stories and I think it will gain a lot of traction in school libraries!
I did love the definitions of words at the start of each chapter. Such beautiful words I had no awareness of that perfectly explains something and foreshadows the forthcoming chapter.
I also loved the character illustrations- they are gorgeous!
It reminded me of Akarnae by Lynette Noni, and I think it would find fans amongst readers of Percy Jackson!
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for providing me an arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
Together, they must quest to find the four lost gems.
’Isn't this the part in the movie where you scream at the characters to not go down the hallway that likely leads to hell?"And then they go anyway, don't they?' Alexis replied with a shrug. 'There's no other option.'
Whilst the start read a lot older and I was impressed with the insight, language, and knowledge, after the prologue, the book reads younger.
It is very reminiscent of younger YA quest-type stories and I think it will gain a lot of traction in school libraries!
I did love the definitions of words at the start of each chapter. Such beautiful words I had no awareness of that perfectly explains something and foreshadows the forthcoming chapter.
I also loved the character illustrations- they are gorgeous!
It reminded me of Akarnae by Lynette Noni, and I think it would find fans amongst readers of Percy Jackson!
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for providing me an arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
June 9, 2024
I feel like 12 year old me might have loved this, 22 year old me wasn’t so sure what to think…
(I feel like I’d have enjoyed this book far more if I hadn’t read the second half as an audiobook)
also they only trained for one week for an epic quest??? from being normal teenagers to suddenly fully trained for a huge quest felt quite ridiculous
(I feel like I’d have enjoyed this book far more if I hadn’t read the second half as an audiobook)
also they only trained for one week for an epic quest??? from being normal teenagers to suddenly fully trained for a huge quest felt quite ridiculous
May 5, 2024
I wanted to love this book; I follow the author on Instagram. This was all description action and it was very boring. It felt very juvenile. That’s about all I’ll say. Sorry, Andy :(
May 28, 2024
The plot was good but it was so poorly executed it was so so bad like I was getting bored but the plot had potential it was written for children fr not really YA I’d say like 10-12 years
July 12, 2024
i'm probably one of the few people here who are actually in the target audience this book is meant for......but uh, can't say i loved it. young me(>13yo) loved fantasy and quests and percy jackson was my holy grail, but now i'm older(<15yo) i'm a lot more cynical (or picky??) about these.
this is a classic ya. questing, magic, friendships, light romance. which is why i picked it up. caeli's complaints are real af, okay?? and the bickering XD istg that's one thing the author did right. my fave was when they were going through a portal and alexis goes "is the portal stable" and caeli replies "as stable as your mental health" 💀💀
but on the other hand. the language. nobody speaks like that. who tf says "i'll burn brightly" or "i'm a book written in a language you can't understand". WHO. and the timing??? what happened there. please. time skip 4 weeks of training in which they started from zilch, managed to disarm highly trained persons then spent like 2 - 3 days questing.
and legit the quest was SO EASY they didn't even need to work hard finding those gems. they knew the locations. it went: follow magical artifact → get gem → fight enemies. and the fact that the mc's found the gems consecutively, and didn't even rest?? do y'all know what death from exhaustion is???
and the thing is, it's classic ya. which means that the plot is pretty much predictable. wayyy less fun; i expected the plot twists bruh.
i did note how the location of the gems corresponded to the ethnicity of the characters. also, a question about valentina bc i've never heard of a surname lì before? a more common one would be lǐ(李), in a different tone. dk if it's deliberate or a mistake?
this is a classic ya. questing, magic, friendships, light romance. which is why i picked it up. caeli's complaints are real af, okay?? and the bickering XD istg that's one thing the author did right. my fave was when they were going through a portal and alexis goes "is the portal stable" and caeli replies "as stable as your mental health" 💀💀
but on the other hand. the language. nobody speaks like that. who tf says "i'll burn brightly" or "i'm a book written in a language you can't understand". WHO. and the timing??? what happened there. please. time skip 4 weeks of training in which they started from zilch, managed to disarm highly trained persons then spent like 2 - 3 days questing.
and legit the quest was SO EASY they didn't even need to work hard finding those gems. they knew the locations. it went: follow magical artifact → get gem → fight enemies. and the fact that the mc's found the gems consecutively, and didn't even rest?? do y'all know what death from exhaustion is???
and the thing is, it's classic ya. which means that the plot is pretty much predictable. wayyy less fun; i expected the plot twists bruh.
i did note how the location of the gems corresponded to the ethnicity of the characters. also, a question about valentina bc i've never heard of a surname lì before? a more common one would be lǐ(李), in a different tone. dk if it's deliberate or a mistake?
May 15, 2024
This was an amazing read! One of the best YAs out there. If I was a teenager this would definitely be a 5 ⭐️ for me!
The only reason this is not a 5⭐️ for me it’s because I was expecting a huge twist at the end that did not happen, maybe in the next book?
I am still very excited for the next book and to see how this epic adventure will end💙
The only reason this is not a 5⭐️ for me it’s because I was expecting a huge twist at the end that did not happen, maybe in the next book?
I am still very excited for the next book and to see how this epic adventure will end💙
February 23, 2026
Quatre jeunes qui possèdent les pouvoirs des éléments et qui doivent combattre un gros pas fin et récupérer des pierres aux quatre coins de la planète.
Honnêtement c’était bien bon et vraiment plein d’action. Les personnages sont intéressants. Je crois bien que je vais lire la suite.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ : Beaucoup aimé
Honnêtement c’était bien bon et vraiment plein d’action. Les personnages sont intéressants. Je crois bien que je vais lire la suite.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ : Beaucoup aimé
July 9, 2024
ꕀ﹒🌊 〈3 stars 〉𖦹 ya fantasy
now playing —— the prophecy by taylor swift ↻
⌗ After a childhood haunted by the hallucinations of the Shadow Man, Alexis now only finds comfort in the blue amulet he wears. That is not until a school trip to Stonehenge where he unites with 3 other teens who wears similar amulets, do they dragged with him to the hidden world of the Elementals and gets told that they are The Chosen Ones. After being trained with their powers, they get sent onto a quest where they must fight Creatures to retrieve gems to defeat an adversary more ominous than they could imagine.
⌗ this is for : the ones who love found family, elemental magic, quests and themes of mental health in books! 🫶🏻
i started this book because i needed to fill the void that is me missing pjo and this looked like the perfect book to read! this book had such a strong start, you get right into the premise of Alexis as a kid, trying to drown his therapist. with that opening line you just have to know what led for that to happen.
but weirdly in this book, i thought that it gripped my attention in the beginning, but then it fell very flat as it goes on. all the relationships felt very instant and there weren’t enough building for stuff such as learning about powers or the relationships between characters; i loved reading about alexis’s and demi’s relationship at the start but then as it goes on, i just didn’t feel the chemistry anymore. same goes for the friendships too, like there was a part where it said that these 2 characters are best friends, and i just thought ‘are they really though?’ i just didn’t see enough moments of them to the point where i would say that they really ARE best friends.
this would have been alot better if it wasn’t a ‘romantasy’ and solely focused on the adventure and platonic relationships these characters have, like for example the way rick riordan wrote percy jackson; focusing on the friendships, adventure, and coming of age aspect to it. i feel that that is the foundation of a good found family for these type of books.
i thought that the main character alexis is not really an interesting character, i can’t really see anything that stands out in his personality; he felt more of an observer in the many parts of this book, rather than taking part in the conversations/actions.
and it’s a fast paced book, but it’s fast paced in a way where you feel like you didn’t have the time to get attached to the characters, i could see that the author tried to make us attached to them, but i just didn’t really feel anything. also, i found some lines a bit cringe/cheesy and the fact that the 4 main characters are called ‘the alpha team’ please😭. but i love the settings in this book! and the way that they have to fight creatures to retrieve the gems, i feel like that’s such a fun premise and the plot of this book would be something that would be so fun to write, and i loved the art of the characters in the beginning!
i wanted to say that i admire the author’s passion for this book so much, the fact that he’s been writing this for give or take 10 years is craazyyy. and as an aspiring psych major (🤭) i like the way he slipped in some things he learned from being an assistant psychologist in this book with the mental health themes! i can definitely tell he loves these characters with his whole heart, but unfortunately i think the way he conveyed the story still needs to be improved to deliver the heart and soul that he has for these characters to us readers :) i would still recommend this book, i think the plot is something alot of people who love ya fantasy books would enjoy 🤍
彡🌊 finished 7/7/24 𖦹 .. ✶
now playing —— the prophecy by taylor swift ↻
⌗ After a childhood haunted by the hallucinations of the Shadow Man, Alexis now only finds comfort in the blue amulet he wears. That is not until a school trip to Stonehenge where he unites with 3 other teens who wears similar amulets, do they dragged with him to the hidden world of the Elementals and gets told that they are The Chosen Ones. After being trained with their powers, they get sent onto a quest where they must fight Creatures to retrieve gems to defeat an adversary more ominous than they could imagine.
⌗ this is for : the ones who love found family, elemental magic, quests and themes of mental health in books! 🫶🏻
❛ It had taken him years, but he now knew with certainty that he was more than his past and greater than his pain. ❜
i started this book because i needed to fill the void that is me missing pjo and this looked like the perfect book to read! this book had such a strong start, you get right into the premise of Alexis as a kid, trying to drown his therapist. with that opening line you just have to know what led for that to happen.
❛ I didn’t come this far just to come this far❜
but weirdly in this book, i thought that it gripped my attention in the beginning, but then it fell very flat as it goes on. all the relationships felt very instant and there weren’t enough building for stuff such as learning about powers or the relationships between characters; i loved reading about alexis’s and demi’s relationship at the start but then as it goes on, i just didn’t feel the chemistry anymore. same goes for the friendships too, like there was a part where it said that these 2 characters are best friends, and i just thought ‘are they really though?’ i just didn’t see enough moments of them to the point where i would say that they really ARE best friends.
this would have been alot better if it wasn’t a ‘romantasy’ and solely focused on the adventure and platonic relationships these characters have, like for example the way rick riordan wrote percy jackson; focusing on the friendships, adventure, and coming of age aspect to it. i feel that that is the foundation of a good found family for these type of books.
❛ Alexis realised, for the first time in his life, that even the darkness of his nightmare would be swept away by the rising light. That it always had, he had just failed to appreciate it.❜
i thought that the main character alexis is not really an interesting character, i can’t really see anything that stands out in his personality; he felt more of an observer in the many parts of this book, rather than taking part in the conversations/actions.
and it’s a fast paced book, but it’s fast paced in a way where you feel like you didn’t have the time to get attached to the characters, i could see that the author tried to make us attached to them, but i just didn’t really feel anything. also, i found some lines a bit cringe/cheesy and the fact that the 4 main characters are called ‘the alpha team’ please😭. but i love the settings in this book! and the way that they have to fight creatures to retrieve the gems, i feel like that’s such a fun premise and the plot of this book would be something that would be so fun to write, and i loved the art of the characters in the beginning!
❛ For 13-year-old me. We did it.❜
i wanted to say that i admire the author’s passion for this book so much, the fact that he’s been writing this for give or take 10 years is craazyyy. and as an aspiring psych major (🤭) i like the way he slipped in some things he learned from being an assistant psychologist in this book with the mental health themes! i can definitely tell he loves these characters with his whole heart, but unfortunately i think the way he conveyed the story still needs to be improved to deliver the heart and soul that he has for these characters to us readers :) i would still recommend this book, i think the plot is something alot of people who love ya fantasy books would enjoy 🤍
彡🌊 finished 7/7/24 𖦹 .. ✶
April 26, 2024
4.5 stars
I was so lucky to receive an Arc of this.
In this YA fantasy we follow Alexis, a kid who struggled with hallucinations for most of his life. While on a school trip Alexis and his best friend Demi meet 2 other teens with similar amulets to their own. Together they uncover a secret haven where they’ll train to complete a quest. This book is broken up into 4 parts and each part is better than the last. There was so much action and adventure. There were funny scenes and emotional ones. We get some very beautiful quotes sprinkled throughout. Some tropes would include: found family(the best), slow burn, friends to lovers(almost 👀), “touch her and die(different wording, same vibe), epic quest, chosen one, and elemental magic.
I was so lucky to receive an Arc of this.
In this YA fantasy we follow Alexis, a kid who struggled with hallucinations for most of his life. While on a school trip Alexis and his best friend Demi meet 2 other teens with similar amulets to their own. Together they uncover a secret haven where they’ll train to complete a quest. This book is broken up into 4 parts and each part is better than the last. There was so much action and adventure. There were funny scenes and emotional ones. We get some very beautiful quotes sprinkled throughout. Some tropes would include: found family(the best), slow burn, friends to lovers(almost 👀), “touch her and die(different wording, same vibe), epic quest, chosen one, and elemental magic.
May 4, 2024
Unfortunately this book was not for me - if I had been younger, then possibly.
The first 20-30% of the book was good. The character art was beautiful and the backstory for Alexis was really good. However, I found the other characters to be bland, we didnt get to hear a backstory from them and so I felt I couldn’t connect with them at all.
Some of the book was entirely unbelievable which made me roll my eyes at times - for example, the low amount of training the elementals got before going off in search of the gems.
I also found this book to be quite rushed and although others may see it as adventure packed, it was too fast for me.
The first 20-30% of the book was good. The character art was beautiful and the backstory for Alexis was really good. However, I found the other characters to be bland, we didnt get to hear a backstory from them and so I felt I couldn’t connect with them at all.
Some of the book was entirely unbelievable which made me roll my eyes at times - for example, the low amount of training the elementals got before going off in search of the gems.
I also found this book to be quite rushed and although others may see it as adventure packed, it was too fast for me.
May 6, 2024
I’m really surprised by this book. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did and thought it would be a bit of a slow burner. There was so much action and it was well paced. I loved the magical systems that were in this and I liked all of the main characters.
January 18, 2023
*Provided copy as a beta reader in exchange for an honest review.
I would rate this 4.5 overall, because there is still room for improvement before the book is published.
But this book deserves to be read by everyone. I am obsessed with this book already, and I can't wait for this book to come out! So excited for the rest of the world to read this epic story!
—-------------------------------
Characters
I am attached to every single one of the 4 main characters. Love the diversity of the personalities.
I like that the book focuses not just on the group as a whole but also on individuals and their growth throughout the journey. I also love the different relationships the author portrays between the four. The subtle undertone of love and different friendship dynamics between different pairs in the group adds the perfect amount of complexity. From the little intimate moments to the random dumb jokes that make my eyes roll, loved it all. The characters’ conversations are so real, and the dialogue just emphasizes their varying personalities. Definitely a strong group of friends that are ride or die till the end.
—-------------------------------
PLOT
The plot was very well written and thought out.
The Begining
From the character development to the world-building. Readers are quickly drawn into Alexis’ world in the beginning. The prologue and first few chapters did really well on setting the groundwork of who Alexis is as a character, while simultaneously introducing new characters and this new world of Elementals. I love how the readers learn alongside the characters about the Elemental world. The author does an amazing job of answering all possible questions a reader may have, either through the characters themselves asking the questions, author descriptions, or characters explaining things that might have been on the reader's mind. Usually, world-building can be boring and hard to get through. But this book was very well-written, in that the beginning was clearly written, fast-paced, and dives right into the world with beautiful descriptions that every reader can envision.
It was fast-paced without sacrificing the clarity and quality of the writing. The story was very clear and easy to comprehend.
—-------------------------------
The Journey
Each chapter was clearly VERY thought out, every chapter had a purpose.
Loved the gradual increase in action from the beginning, to the training phase, to the quests.
The chapters where they are training was clever in that the reader was learning along with the characters about their powers, the Elemental world, and the mission, while still having enough action to keep the reader’s attention.
The chapters where the Elementals were on their individual quests were my favorite part! The detailed descriptions of the locations, The Woman, The Creatures, and even the death of the Creatures were beautiful and captivating. So much character development with each quest, physically with their powers but also mentally. I loved it!
There was also really well-written foreshadowing. Loved the creativity of the different ways their powers could be used and of course the world-play with each elemental power.
There were little twists at every quest that kept the quests interesting at a whole other level. Definitely an emotional rollercoaster, but I love rollercoasters haha, and would definitely read this again.
I can't wait for the next book!
I would rate this 4.5 overall, because there is still room for improvement before the book is published.
But this book deserves to be read by everyone. I am obsessed with this book already, and I can't wait for this book to come out! So excited for the rest of the world to read this epic story!
—-------------------------------
Characters
I am attached to every single one of the 4 main characters. Love the diversity of the personalities.
I like that the book focuses not just on the group as a whole but also on individuals and their growth throughout the journey. I also love the different relationships the author portrays between the four. The subtle undertone of love and different friendship dynamics between different pairs in the group adds the perfect amount of complexity. From the little intimate moments to the random dumb jokes that make my eyes roll, loved it all. The characters’ conversations are so real, and the dialogue just emphasizes their varying personalities. Definitely a strong group of friends that are ride or die till the end.
—-------------------------------
PLOT
The plot was very well written and thought out.
The Begining
From the character development to the world-building. Readers are quickly drawn into Alexis’ world in the beginning. The prologue and first few chapters did really well on setting the groundwork of who Alexis is as a character, while simultaneously introducing new characters and this new world of Elementals. I love how the readers learn alongside the characters about the Elemental world. The author does an amazing job of answering all possible questions a reader may have, either through the characters themselves asking the questions, author descriptions, or characters explaining things that might have been on the reader's mind. Usually, world-building can be boring and hard to get through. But this book was very well-written, in that the beginning was clearly written, fast-paced, and dives right into the world with beautiful descriptions that every reader can envision.
It was fast-paced without sacrificing the clarity and quality of the writing. The story was very clear and easy to comprehend.
—-------------------------------
The Journey
Each chapter was clearly VERY thought out, every chapter had a purpose.
Loved the gradual increase in action from the beginning, to the training phase, to the quests.
The chapters where they are training was clever in that the reader was learning along with the characters about their powers, the Elemental world, and the mission, while still having enough action to keep the reader’s attention.
The chapters where the Elementals were on their individual quests were my favorite part! The detailed descriptions of the locations, The Woman, The Creatures, and even the death of the Creatures were beautiful and captivating. So much character development with each quest, physically with their powers but also mentally. I loved it!
There was also really well-written foreshadowing. Loved the creativity of the different ways their powers could be used and of course the world-play with each elemental power.
There were little twists at every quest that kept the quests interesting at a whole other level. Definitely an emotional rollercoaster, but I love rollercoasters haha, and would definitely read this again.
I can't wait for the next book!
June 21, 2024
I don’t ever write reviews, but I just want to say this felt like book written by a teenager trying to sound mature. It was one of the slowest reads I ever had 🥲
The only reason I finished it was because I am troubled and can’t leave a book unfinished.
The only reason I finished it was because I am troubled and can’t leave a book unfinished.
June 11, 2024
I'm surprised to see this book getting such good reviews. I bought it as I liked the premise and then realised I knew the author from Instagram.
The book reads like the author decided on certain quotes to build the book around, like "you don't know me, I'm like a book in a language you can't read", or "I'll drown you in your own blood". The plot was so incoherent, even the MC forgot about his adoptive parents and all of them were fine just never seeing their families?
I will say that there was a lot of potential in conversations that were written, but every time something could have been revealed, there would be a distraction or a diversion and it was incredibly frustrating.
I felt very little towards the characters and so many of the decisions from the "adults" made little to no sense. There was not enough world building, but the dialogue was so cringe inducing, I'm amazed I finished it.
I can see a younger audience enjoying this, but it's not YA.
It also borrowed incessantly from other books/media-
such as imprinting being the imperious curse from Harry Potter and Haven Academy/auras - straight out of RWBY. There were so many tropes it became annoying.
The motto, "I didn't come this far just to come this far" had potential, but he consistently forgot about his actual family who taught him that, and in my copy of the book, when he says it at the climax, it's even got a word missing.
I'm quite disappointed as I really wanted to like it, I've always enjoyed the chosen one stuff with elemental magic and with the addition of Stonehenge also, but this was not written well.
The book reads like the author decided on certain quotes to build the book around, like "you don't know me, I'm like a book in a language you can't read", or "I'll drown you in your own blood". The plot was so incoherent, even the MC forgot about his adoptive parents and all of them were fine just never seeing their families?
I will say that there was a lot of potential in conversations that were written, but every time something could have been revealed, there would be a distraction or a diversion and it was incredibly frustrating.
I felt very little towards the characters and so many of the decisions from the "adults" made little to no sense. There was not enough world building, but the dialogue was so cringe inducing, I'm amazed I finished it.
I can see a younger audience enjoying this, but it's not YA.
It also borrowed incessantly from other books/media-
such as imprinting being the imperious curse from Harry Potter and Haven Academy/auras - straight out of RWBY. There were so many tropes it became annoying.
The motto, "I didn't come this far just to come this far" had potential, but he consistently forgot about his actual family who taught him that, and in my copy of the book, when he says it at the climax, it's even got a word missing.
I'm quite disappointed as I really wanted to like it, I've always enjoyed the chosen one stuff with elemental magic and with the addition of Stonehenge also, but this was not written well.
April 8, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
I’ll start this review off by saying if I was thirteen, I would have absolutely adored this and ate it up!
I really enjoyed the first 50% of the book – getting to know the characters and the worldbuilding. I thought it was written excellently and a part of me wishes the whole book could have been set in the Haven because it was just so fascinating to me and it felt like such a great place for a book to be set. Unfortunately, I found the second half of the book really rushed through the story and I found myself drifting a little whilst I was reading, because everything just happened so quickly and I couldn’t keep up.
The writing was fantastic though, and I think this book will go down excellently with the target audience. I think it has the potential to become a beloved series by the younger side of the young adult genre (ages 12-14). I genuinely think Andy Darcy Theo has something great on his hands and I hope the rest of the series lives up to this first book!
I’ll start this review off by saying if I was thirteen, I would have absolutely adored this and ate it up!
I really enjoyed the first 50% of the book – getting to know the characters and the worldbuilding. I thought it was written excellently and a part of me wishes the whole book could have been set in the Haven because it was just so fascinating to me and it felt like such a great place for a book to be set. Unfortunately, I found the second half of the book really rushed through the story and I found myself drifting a little whilst I was reading, because everything just happened so quickly and I couldn’t keep up.
The writing was fantastic though, and I think this book will go down excellently with the target audience. I think it has the potential to become a beloved series by the younger side of the young adult genre (ages 12-14). I genuinely think Andy Darcy Theo has something great on his hands and I hope the rest of the series lives up to this first book!
August 18, 2024
DNF
I honestly couldnt get through the book at all and im not really a DNF person, but this crossed my boundaries. The story felt incredibly fast paced and the 4 of them became friends so quickly?? All I really liked was the magical elements and how they came to be.
Most of the writing felt off, perhaps its not my style
If it wasnt tagged as YA, I'd reccomend it to tweens.
I honestly couldnt get through the book at all and im not really a DNF person, but this crossed my boundaries. The story felt incredibly fast paced and the 4 of them became friends so quickly?? All I really liked was the magical elements and how they came to be.
Most of the writing felt off, perhaps its not my style
If it wasnt tagged as YA, I'd reccomend it to tweens.
December 28, 2024
Толкова, ТОЛКОВА много ми хареса тази книга, че ми става истински тъжно да я приключа и да опитам да изляза от този вълшебен и завладяващ свят! Не знам какво ще правя до април, докато излезе втората (или по-късно? Асеневци?) ...
January 22, 2026
This book by Andy Darcy Theo is a dark, atmospheric opening to the Descend into Darkness series, blending prophecy, power, and moral ambiguity. The story follows Alexis, whose supposed destiny draws them into a dangerous web of belief and control, shaped by the influences of Blaise, Demi, and Caeli.
The novel thrives on mood and character tension rather than constant action, examining how conviction can become corruption and how “light” can be just as destructive as darkness. Blaise’s charismatic menace is a standout, while the strained relationships heighten the sense of inevitable descent.
As a first instalment, it focuses on laying thematic foundations rather than resolution, with Book 2 poised to deepen the consequences of Alexis’s choices and push the series into far darker territory.
Bleak, slow-burn, and unsettling, this is a strong start if you enjoy morally grey fantasy and psychological descent. I am looking forward to Book 2.
The novel thrives on mood and character tension rather than constant action, examining how conviction can become corruption and how “light” can be just as destructive as darkness. Blaise’s charismatic menace is a standout, while the strained relationships heighten the sense of inevitable descent.
As a first instalment, it focuses on laying thematic foundations rather than resolution, with Book 2 poised to deepen the consequences of Alexis’s choices and push the series into far darker territory.
Bleak, slow-burn, and unsettling, this is a strong start if you enjoy morally grey fantasy and psychological descent. I am looking forward to Book 2.
December 11, 2024
3⭐️
It was an addictive read, the characters were endearing.
BUT the whole book was too simple. The quest was resolved in a snap. The plot twists were predictable.
The exchanges between the characters are very childish.
My review of this book is very mixed, since I enjoyed following the characters but was bored at the same time.
It was an addictive read, the characters were endearing.
BUT the whole book was too simple. The quest was resolved in a snap. The plot twists were predictable.
The exchanges between the characters are very childish.
My review of this book is very mixed, since I enjoyed following the characters but was bored at the same time.
October 14, 2024
I wanted to love this one, I really did. I’d been following the author’s journey of writing the book for a while now, and was really excited to be given the ARC for it, but it just fell flat somehow. Maybe my issue is that I’m starting to find lots of young adult fantasy reads to be trite due to my bulk consumption of them, but this one felt even more predictable than usual.
Firstly the things I enjoyed about the book; the fast moving pace, and the mental health representation (something that needs to be featured far more frequently in fantasy novels).
And then the things I didn’t enjoy; the world building that was somehow overly convenient, whilst still having a remarkable amount of holes in it. (The main characters all clone themselves to have their clone live their normal life, while they run off and save the world with about a month's worth of training, and that is somehow deemed totally plausible?) For a book marketed as YA it felt more like a middle grade read, and I feel like I would’ve enjoyed it more if it had been marketed as such, because then some of the formulaic plot and childish dialogue would have felt justifiable.
Ultimately a fun read, that could have been a lot better with some more consistent worldbuilding and less plot armour.
A big thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Firstly the things I enjoyed about the book; the fast moving pace, and the mental health representation (something that needs to be featured far more frequently in fantasy novels).
And then the things I didn’t enjoy; the world building that was somehow overly convenient, whilst still having a remarkable amount of holes in it. (The main characters all clone themselves to have their clone live their normal life, while they run off and save the world with about a month's worth of training, and that is somehow deemed totally plausible?) For a book marketed as YA it felt more like a middle grade read, and I feel like I would’ve enjoyed it more if it had been marketed as such, because then some of the formulaic plot and childish dialogue would have felt justifiable.
Ultimately a fun read, that could have been a lot better with some more consistent worldbuilding and less plot armour.
A big thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 25, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
Fate brings four teenagers to Stonehenge.
Together they get transported to a place where magic exists and soon they learn that they are in fact the Children of the Elements: water, fire, wind and earth.
Together they embark on a quest to find the four lost gems that’ll give them full access to their elemental powers and will help them to fulfil the Prophecy of Light and Darkness.
“ If we spend our whole lives obsessed with what other people think of us, we’ll be too scared to do anything. I’m not living like that. I’ll burn brightly, whether they are there to see it or not. “
“ I didn’t come this far just to come this far. “
33 year old me loved this adventure as much as 14/15 year old me would have.
This book is the perfect YA adventure, a perfect starting point if you’re looking into start reading fantasy. Not too overwhelming, easy world building and characters, not many magical creatures.
I love how at the beginning of each chapter the author gives us a single world with its origin and meaning that somehow is related to what you’re about to read.
I’m usually not a big fan of cliffhanger endings but on this occasion I’ll pardon the author as it leaves the story open to what I think will be a massive plot twist.
I cannot wait to continue this adventure.
Thank you Andy Darcy Theo (and 13 year old you) for reminding me of why I fell in love with fantasy in the first place. You definitely did it 💙
Fate brings four teenagers to Stonehenge.
Together they get transported to a place where magic exists and soon they learn that they are in fact the Children of the Elements: water, fire, wind and earth.
Together they embark on a quest to find the four lost gems that’ll give them full access to their elemental powers and will help them to fulfil the Prophecy of Light and Darkness.
“ If we spend our whole lives obsessed with what other people think of us, we’ll be too scared to do anything. I’m not living like that. I’ll burn brightly, whether they are there to see it or not. “
“ I didn’t come this far just to come this far. “
33 year old me loved this adventure as much as 14/15 year old me would have.
This book is the perfect YA adventure, a perfect starting point if you’re looking into start reading fantasy. Not too overwhelming, easy world building and characters, not many magical creatures.
I love how at the beginning of each chapter the author gives us a single world with its origin and meaning that somehow is related to what you’re about to read.
I’m usually not a big fan of cliffhanger endings but on this occasion I’ll pardon the author as it leaves the story open to what I think will be a massive plot twist.
I cannot wait to continue this adventure.
Thank you Andy Darcy Theo (and 13 year old you) for reminding me of why I fell in love with fantasy in the first place. You definitely did it 💙
July 8, 2024
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews...
The basis for the story is interesting and seems like a winning formula—there's mysterious and suddenly discovered powers, found family, slow-burn romance, a big bad that's obviously evil but also set up to be nuanced and challenge our notions of our protagonist. I did enjoy plenty of things about the book, especially the action sequences and the relationship between the four main characters. However, you can tell this is Andy Darcy Theo's first book, and I really think a few more rounds of edits would have benefitted the story a lot.
First of all, the world building happens way too fast and is often told rather than shown. The main characters hardly react to this world as they learn about it as well, instead immediately agreeing to be cloned (??) so that their alters can go back to live their old lives and they can start training to save the world. There's no buildup, no ebb and flow with the pacing of how the world is shown to us, no mysteries left to wonder about in terms of how things work or why certain things exist. There also are a lot of things that feel included for convenience or just because Theo thought they seemed cool but that removed me from the story because they just don't make sense or are too easy. Each of the four elementals has this giant, inconceivable room with their element in it, which seems cool but is revealed too matter-of-factly, without much wonder, and it left me thinking where the hell did all these resources come from, how did they actually build this place, what are the limitations and full capabilities of all these powers? Add to this the weird cloning thing, the fact that there are hundreds of elemental children but we don't really know like what their powers are or what they're learning here or where their parents are, etc, and it just felt like there was almost too much in the world and it made it feel less real. It kind of felt like when you play a game as a child and your friend keeps adding capabilities to what their powers are that conveniently allow them to tackle any situation and overpower you.
I also found the development of the villains lacking in a way that feeds into this same previous point—it feels more like an idea for a character than a real one. Take the prime antagonist that's living with the elementals initially. The elementals have a cringe-worthy initial interaction where this villain says the most cliche, evil bullshit and Alexis comes up with this extremely cringey one-line zinger where he does a play on the guy's name (I can't even remember it now), and it just felt so contrived. We also have the shadow army or whatever it's called that try to attack them at the end with the caricature-y leader, and I just overall did not believe these characters or feel they were really brought to life. Again, they seem more included for convenience, to create conflict, than they are to be real people. To his credit, I do think he does something interesting with the big bad, and there's potential to really explore that nuance in his motivations.
My final big issue was the timeline—why does the main quest for this book happen in the span of like 1-2 days? And then they act like they've been gone for years. It's just an odd choice that pulls you out of the story when you realize how fast all of this has happened and how quickly they were able to go on these intense missions and recover plus have all of these major developments happen with characters that really should have taken a lot longer.
Ultimately, there is something compelling here, but it feels like it's still in the rough draft stages. I'm not sure I'll read the next one, but I support Theo and hope this is just the beginning of his journey as an author because he's got some really great ideas!
The basis for the story is interesting and seems like a winning formula—there's mysterious and suddenly discovered powers, found family, slow-burn romance, a big bad that's obviously evil but also set up to be nuanced and challenge our notions of our protagonist. I did enjoy plenty of things about the book, especially the action sequences and the relationship between the four main characters. However, you can tell this is Andy Darcy Theo's first book, and I really think a few more rounds of edits would have benefitted the story a lot.
First of all, the world building happens way too fast and is often told rather than shown. The main characters hardly react to this world as they learn about it as well, instead immediately agreeing to be cloned (??) so that their alters can go back to live their old lives and they can start training to save the world. There's no buildup, no ebb and flow with the pacing of how the world is shown to us, no mysteries left to wonder about in terms of how things work or why certain things exist. There also are a lot of things that feel included for convenience or just because Theo thought they seemed cool but that removed me from the story because they just don't make sense or are too easy. Each of the four elementals has this giant, inconceivable room with their element in it, which seems cool but is revealed too matter-of-factly, without much wonder, and it left me thinking where the hell did all these resources come from, how did they actually build this place, what are the limitations and full capabilities of all these powers? Add to this the weird cloning thing, the fact that there are hundreds of elemental children but we don't really know like what their powers are or what they're learning here or where their parents are, etc, and it just felt like there was almost too much in the world and it made it feel less real. It kind of felt like when you play a game as a child and your friend keeps adding capabilities to what their powers are that conveniently allow them to tackle any situation and overpower you.
I also found the development of the villains lacking in a way that feeds into this same previous point—it feels more like an idea for a character than a real one. Take the prime antagonist that's living with the elementals initially. The elementals have a cringe-worthy initial interaction where this villain says the most cliche, evil bullshit and Alexis comes up with this extremely cringey one-line zinger where he does a play on the guy's name (I can't even remember it now), and it just felt so contrived. We also have the shadow army or whatever it's called that try to attack them at the end with the caricature-y leader, and I just overall did not believe these characters or feel they were really brought to life. Again, they seem more included for convenience, to create conflict, than they are to be real people. To his credit, I do think he does something interesting with the big bad, and there's potential to really explore that nuance in his motivations.
My final big issue was the timeline—why does the main quest for this book happen in the span of like 1-2 days? And then they act like they've been gone for years. It's just an odd choice that pulls you out of the story when you realize how fast all of this has happened and how quickly they were able to go on these intense missions and recover plus have all of these major developments happen with characters that really should have taken a lot longer.
Ultimately, there is something compelling here, but it feels like it's still in the rough draft stages. I'm not sure I'll read the next one, but I support Theo and hope this is just the beginning of his journey as an author because he's got some really great ideas!
April 25, 2024
✨ NetGalley ARC Review ✨
Release Date: 25th April 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5 / 5
📚 The Light That Blinds Us is Percy Jackson meets the Fantastic Four. Alexis Childhood is haunted by hallucinations of the Shadow Man the only thing that brings him comfort is a blue amulet he's had since before he could remember. His visions are now gone.
But a school trip to Stonehenge changes everything. He is united with three other teens who have similar amulets and they are plunged into a hidden world of powerful elementals. There is more to Alexis dark past as they venture on a quest to save the world facing tests of love, loss and loyalty.
📖 Review:
I absolutely loved this, I enjoyed every second and I wish I had had this book growing up. This is a fast-paced rollercoaster of a book and I didn't wanna get off.
Firstly I adore how mental-health is weaved throughout this book. It was handled with care and respect, you can tell Andy has put alot into this representation. And it was done so well.
I loved the characters, they were well-freshed out. Each character felt like individuals and they had fantastic chemistry and banter.
The world building was excellent and I had a real sense of where we were and the plot was so twisty and fun. I was hooked from the prologue. It's exactly the kind of YA I love. There was something so nostalgic in reading this. I can't wait to read the next book.
Release Date: 25th April 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5 / 5
📚 The Light That Blinds Us is Percy Jackson meets the Fantastic Four. Alexis Childhood is haunted by hallucinations of the Shadow Man the only thing that brings him comfort is a blue amulet he's had since before he could remember. His visions are now gone.
But a school trip to Stonehenge changes everything. He is united with three other teens who have similar amulets and they are plunged into a hidden world of powerful elementals. There is more to Alexis dark past as they venture on a quest to save the world facing tests of love, loss and loyalty.
📖 Review:
I absolutely loved this, I enjoyed every second and I wish I had had this book growing up. This is a fast-paced rollercoaster of a book and I didn't wanna get off.
Firstly I adore how mental-health is weaved throughout this book. It was handled with care and respect, you can tell Andy has put alot into this representation. And it was done so well.
I loved the characters, they were well-freshed out. Each character felt like individuals and they had fantastic chemistry and banter.
The world building was excellent and I had a real sense of where we were and the plot was so twisty and fun. I was hooked from the prologue. It's exactly the kind of YA I love. There was something so nostalgic in reading this. I can't wait to read the next book.
October 4, 2024
On like a critical level I honestly found a few flaws in this book. The magic system was under explained (how is portalling an element?) (Why are there randomly some fairies?) (Is there a difference between an Elemental and a Witch?). The worldbuilding was lacking, especially around the High Order. Characters occasionally learned information that was seemingly very important or consequential only at convenient times. If Sinner was so powerful, why were they not warned of him from the start? Shouldn't the Children of the Elements have been given a run down of Mortems forces and what to expect? Also, WHY can he resist the power of the elements? Etc. There were notably a few copy editing mistakes as well. I also noticed a plot hole where an elemental saw through Caelis invisible shield and another time when they didn't. So things didn't line up all the time.
It was hard not to compare it to Dark Rise/Dark Heir because a lot of the themes and story felt similar, and I know which one I enjoyed more at the end of the day.
THAT BEING SAID. Despite that, I honestly liked it quite a bit for what it was. Enough to try the next one when it releases. One thing that does come across is the authors love for his characters, and it shined through.
It was hard not to compare it to Dark Rise/Dark Heir because a lot of the themes and story felt similar, and I know which one I enjoyed more at the end of the day.
THAT BEING SAID. Despite that, I honestly liked it quite a bit for what it was. Enough to try the next one when it releases. One thing that does come across is the authors love for his characters, and it shined through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2024
Four teenagers come together by fate and are transported to a haven where they train for a quest to defeat the darkness threatening the world.
I was really excited for this, followed the journey of the book being released. I was confused by the editing, felt it let it down.
There were some plot holes that felt unnecessary, and too obviously just setting up a series rather than tying up book one.
The overall plot had some in my opinion glaring holes, they have a week to train to go on a quest, and at the end of the week there is a celebration because they are now trained and ready!?
The constant ‘I will tell you everything’ and then absolutely nothing is revealed.
I liked the psychology, it gave the characters more depth and meaning, and felt more relatable.
I was really excited for this, followed the journey of the book being released. I was confused by the editing, felt it let it down.
There were some plot holes that felt unnecessary, and too obviously just setting up a series rather than tying up book one.
The overall plot had some in my opinion glaring holes, they have a week to train to go on a quest, and at the end of the week there is a celebration because they are now trained and ready!?
The constant ‘I will tell you everything’ and then absolutely nothing is revealed.
I liked the psychology, it gave the characters more depth and meaning, and felt more relatable.
February 22, 2025
Took a while to get through this one, mainly because I was in a slump when I started it but really enjoyed it and I liked the characters. I think at times the characters felt a little immature but i suppose it is a YA book. The plot was predictable for me at times but again still enjoyed it. I think it set up well for the next book so can’t wait to read it and have high hopes! I just wish this would have been published when i was 13; I would have loved it.
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