K. L. Peckenpaugh
Books
Praise
I hesitated to pick up this book because it belongs to a genre I had never tried or thought I would be interested in. Yet once I immersed myself in it, I ended up enjoying it far more than expected and was left wanting more. Peckenpaugh did a phenomenal job with her Romantasy and set the bar pretty damn high for future reads in this genre. You follow the protagonist, Nyathera "Nye" Nighting, through the trials and tribulations of her world and the expectations placed on her. She falls for the one guy she swears she hates, with a twist you will have to read to believe.
Nye is constantly trying to prove herself and show that she is a strong, independent woman who is fully capable of taking care of herself, which she demonstrates many times over. Forced to leave her world, she is introduced to a new one. This world, once only spoken of in fantasy tales passed from parents to children as bedtime stories, turns out to be real. She is chosen by a dragon named Runihura. Adjusting to this new realm is not easy. Her life is slowly explained to her by a charming Demon Prince, Kai, and of course her new best friend, Runihura. Nye becomes immersed in a world that has always existed, at least in fairy tales, and must figure out who she truly is and what her purpose will be.
Tension rises between Kai and Nye as she begins to find herself unable to resist the pull she feels toward him. Their relationship builds slowly until Nye finally gives in, not to her feelings but to her need for connection. By the end she is called upon once again to prove herself and does her best to earn the respect of the demons she finds herself entwined with in the City of Shadows and Nightmares. Some people are less accepting of Nye, such as Alessandra, yet Nye continues to prove she belongs to the demon world and no longer cares for the human one.
Returning to my earlier thoughts on genres I typically would not read, I am not one for the spicy content, but that does not affect my view of a good story that is well written, easy to follow, and an exciting journey from start to finish. I give the book a solid 5 out of 5. It was a great read, an amazing journey, and I am excited for Book 2. The ball is in your court, K. L. Peckenpaugh. May the power of the Gods be on your side.
The City Of Shadows and Nightmares is an epic dark fantasy book that follows the past and present story of Nyathera.
The first part of the book was good, you are able to learn what makes Nye who she is; which overall benefits the rest of the story since it provides a deeper understanding into her personality. I must say that her first love interest had me questioning Nye, I am not sure what she saw in him. But, it was all worth it for the second part of the book. The plot twists were unexpected, the banter and the smut divine. I was captivated by the change in scenery. I had a hard time putting this book down. The Demons were excellent, there are a few surprises that left me gasping.
I just finished The City of Shadows and Nightmares and WOW… what a ride.
From the very first chapter, I was completely hooked. The atmosphere and the tension pulled me in instantly. But about halfway through, everything shifted. New characters, a different direction… and honestly I felt so confused. Like wtf. It felt like I had stepped into an entirely different story, and I had to take a few breaks to process it.
But keep going. Trust me…
As I pushed through, I started to see what the author was doing and by 80%, I was locked back in. The ending?? WTF. I was clutching my pearls. Everything came together in a way that made the journey worth it and left on a cliffhanger anxiously waiting for book 2.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars, no question.
⚠️ Content note: heavy language + spice
🌶️ Spice chapters: 15, 18, 44, 46, 48
Such a good read. Fast Paced.