Awakening Shadows Sydney Hawthorn

Whispering Shadows ♥ Sydney Hawthorn ♥ The Navarre Chronicles #2

Published June 2021 ♥ Lilac Daggers Press LLC

Book One Review : Discover Awakening Shadows: A Tale of Magic and Warfare

Book Three Review : Rising Shadows: Unleashing the Dark Powers

Why You Should Be Reading The Navarre Chronicles [ blog post ]

❥ The Prophecy

” And he, dark and immortal, shall rise thrice from the shadows to thrive; his eternal glory and power unleashed once more. Mortals shall slave for him, Gods shall fear him. Pain, torture, and destruction in his wake. But she, the blessed mortal, who resembles the darkest embers of the sun shall be his purity and imprisoner; the last of three to be the key. For she holds in her soul the capacity to feed him or destroy him, her bloodline his everlasting salvation. With diligence and patience, she may learn, guided by great warriors to achieve her royal fate. The slumbering waters of light bend to her will, the warriors follow her command, the first of six united in the elements of power. And only she may command the supremacy to push the shadows back into their dungeon of eternal darkness. “

Whispering Shadows Review

Minor Spoilers

Whispering Shadows is the second installment in Sydney Hawthorn’s The Navarre Chronicles and it is just as good, if not better than, Awakening Shadows. I imagine Hawthorn’s work area looking a lot like the Charlie Day meme from Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Also, the theme from the Legend of Zelda is playing.

Whispering Shadows picks up right where Awakening Shadows ends. Our dear Evalyn has managed to get off Narcio Island. I love Evalyn, in fact, there isn’t a character I don’t like. Each and every one of them is unique and interesting. The growth that they have all gone through over the course of two books has truly been amazing to read.

Some of them are barely the same character at the end of book two than at the start of book one.

All of the puzzle pieces in this intricate tale are falling into place, while the puzzle is simultaneously getting bigger. Revelations and plot twists are taking us on a wild ride spanning centuries. Our dear Evalyn finds herself in the company of Witches and most, if not all of the mystery surrounding her tragic past is revealed as she opens up to her new friends.

Ezra and her Elites are a great addition, opening up the world Hawthorn has created beyond Mortal, Fae & Demon.

Speaking of Demons, Aeron’s shadows are hard at work spreading darkness through Navarre and the Witch Coven’s are not immune. With word of darkness spreading through the coven, Maya and Jensen leave Quinn & company to investigate. Brining the Witches & Evalyn into the fold.

Whispering Shadows follows the same format as Awakening Shadows. Each chapter from a different character’s viewpoint. We don’t hear much from Maya in Whispering Shadows. Our boy Jenson on the other hand has a lot going on. We knew that he is Demi-Fae, but after an encounter with one of the Witches, Jenson learns that he is the descendant of a very powerful Healer.

There are a lot of “blocked memories/power” type tropes happening in Navarre. Or so it seems, & normally this would bother me. How can you have ten characters with six of them having blocked, sleeping or dormant powers? Powers popping up left right and center, discovered right when they are needed. But it works in Hawthorn’s story. Hawthorn doesn’t just give her character’s powers because it’s easy or convenient for the plot.

& none of them just know how to use their powers. They have to work at it & practice. They fail and they try again.

One thing I really love about Hawthorn’s tale is all the little things tieing it together. Seemingly tiny insignificant details mean something. Clues to both the history and future of her characters. Even though we are reading just a small fraction, a snapshot of time, her story takes place over centuries.

And for Goddess Sake – I want to know more about those centuries.

The first Demon Wars, the Second Demon Wars. What the Fae have been hiding all these years. The Goddess & The Twelve.

Aeron & his children.

Our OG Squad also makes some new friends on their journey to Raenya. One of which just happens to be Quinn’s aunt and acquaintance of Fallon. More puzzle pieces click into place when Fallon removes the blocks he had put on Quinn as a child. Confirming Quinn’s royal heritage and unlocking his true magical potential. Joseline continues to spend her time training her little heart.

Joseline, our little Chosen One, our Goddess. She is no longer the naive girl leaving the confines of her palace for the first time. She is growing stronger and more powerful by the day, but so are her weaknesses. Joseline basically has a power hissy fit anytime someone so much as lays a finger on Quinn. Will either one of them make it to the end of Hawthorn’s tale alive?

The ending of Whispering Shadows is just the beginning of the story…

The dark, soulless eyes of the shadowy nightmare met Eva’s the same moment her mothers did.

When you choose to accept it doesn’t make it the truth. It was true to begin with.

Death, it seemed, followed her everywhere, a dark horror she couldn’t escape from.

The demons anguished cry slowly faded, the darkness dimming until all that remained was a thin fog shimmering with pale, golden light.

Her hands glowed lilac, a thin layer prickling his skin; cool like a kiss of hushed wind spreading through his bones.

There was no light in his eyes, the blue-green iris rimmed with black, the darkness threatening to spill onto his pale skin.

❥ Sydney Hawthorn : Goodreads ♥ Webpage ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter

❥ Purchase : Amazon

❥ Book One Review : Discover Awakening Shadows: A Tale of Magic and Warfare

❥ Book Three Review : Rising Shadows: Unleashing the Dark Powers

❥ Why You Should Be Reading The Navarre Chronicles [ blog post ]