{Courts of Aetheria Review} Crown of Light and Shadow by G. K. DeRosa

Crown of Light and Shadows by G. K. DeRosa
Series: Court of Aetheria #1, Court of Aetheria
Published by Mystic Rose Press on June 18th, 2024
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal
Buy on Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, Amazon Australia, Storygraph
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Welcome to the Courts of Aetheria...

On the day of my twentieth birthday, a brutally handsome Shadow Fae darkens my doorway and whisks me away to an elite Fae academy. The problem is I’m not Fae, and I certainly don’t have any magical powers.

Despite this, I’m thrust into a realm where magic is as vital as breath and far more dangerous.

Thrown into an academy teeming with powerful Fae, I must navigate the treacherous waters of magical education, summon my dormant powers and battle merciless fellow students to prepare to face the rival Arcanum Citadel across the river. Home to the treacherous Shadow Fae, the end of the year battle determines our fate.

More dangerous still is the mysterious connection with my ruthless, enigmatic Shadow Fae professor. As he begrudgingly mentors me in the ways of Light magic, our growing relationship becomes a forbidden attraction that neither of us can deny.

As my powers unfurl and the boundary between light and dark blurs, a deeper threat emerges: a secret prophecy that could ignite war. The shaky peace between the courts trembles, and I'm faced with a choice that could alter the fate of our realm.

The drums of war thunder across a divided kingdom, and I stand at the precipice, the key to averting a bloodbath—or igniting an all-consuming fire.

I received Crown of Light and Shadows for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Dive into a world of mystery, deep pulverizing darkness, and a confounding light in the first book in the Courts of Aetheria series by G. K. DeRosa! Welcome to the story of Aelia, a Kin (human-looking), and her journey from Feywood to the Conservatory of Luce in the Court of Ethereal Light. For twenty years, Aelia thought she possessed no power like the Light Fae were known to have. It turns out she might be wrong when Professor Reign from the Conservatory of Luce shows up on her doorstep on her twentieth birthday. Thus, the love/hate relationship between teacher and student began.

Over the course of the story, Aelia is challenged on levels she never dreamed of. From manipulating light to receiving a bonded creature she learns to speak with telepathically, each task becomes more difficult. Reign is at her side, giving her extra lessons, not only because she is his student who might be part of a prophecy about a race that was eradicated over two hundred years ago, but also because he can’t stay away. With secondary characters made up of Aelia’s roommate, Rue, teammates, professors, and even a king, DeRosa builds a fantasy world the likes of no other.

On the other side of the Lumino River lies the Court of Umbral Shadows. While the Court of Ethereal Light currently has a peace treaty, that agreement could crumble at any moment. Reign is originally from the Court of Umbral Shadows and does have shadow powers (IYKYK), he was cast out from his home and forced to seek out the object of the prophecy of the Child of Twilight.

I felt an immediate connection to Aelia. While I don’t carry any magic, I know what it is like to be scared and unsure of the future while putting up a front of stability for others. Aelia’s steadfast dedication to her adopted father, Aiden, tugged at my heartstrings as I’m missing my own father. Then enters tall, devastatingly dark, and handsome Reign and I was a goner. He has the hallmarks of the tortured hero who longs for the forbidden fruit. The story is action packed with a very slow burn and a tiny bit of spice. Aelia and Reign, along with a cast of just as complicated characters, make the Court of Ethereal Light your new favorite fantasy destination.

I’m not sure how many books are planned for this series, but based on DeRosa’s previous series, we might be experiencing the trials of Aelia for a very long while. I, for one, will be first in line for each one.