Crown of Light and Shadows

Courts of Aetheria, Book 1

By: G.K. DeRosa

Narrated by: Stina Nielsen, Kale Williams

A powerless outcast thrust into a brutal Fae academy. Her ruthless instructor caught between duty and desire. A forbidden love foretold to spark the kingdom's absolute ruin.

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.

I stand at the precipice, the key to averting a bloodbath—or igniting an all-consuming fire.

An epic romantasy must-listen for fans of Fourth Wing and ACOTAR... Get ready to meet your next Shadow Daddy!

This epic fantasy romance series contains steamy enemies to lovers, touch her and I'll unalive you vibes, an age gap, and a smoldering slow burn student/teacher relationship. For mature listeners.

©2024 Mystic Rose Press (P)2025 Podium Audio

Loved this Story

I actually enjoyed this more than Fourth Wing. I’m really excited for book two! i just wish it would’ve been in duet form

Engaging and good. Cliffhanger!

It was interesting and good.. enough unsaid that makes you want to read the next book! Didn’t like the voices though.

Amazing!!

I’ve been in a slump since reading the ACOTAR and Empyrean series, and this book brought me out of it! FYI, it does end on a pretty intense cliffhanger, and the next audiobook isn’t released yet (I got it on my Kindle for now because I HAVE to know what happens next and I can’t be patient), but don’t let that stop you! This story is absolutely amazing!

Perfect!!!

Loved reading this book and now love listening to it ! Can wait for book two!!!

SO FUN & Exciting!!!

Love this series so far & can’t wait to continue the series!!! The readers have made this very FUN to listen to as well!!!

meh

it is a want to be Fourth Wing. I finished it but it was hard to. the writing just isn't there. I got confused so many times as to what I was reading.

The comparison to other books lied.

The summary of this book claimed it was similar to ACOTAR and FW. However, besides the fact that the male character has dark shadows and there’s a dragon in this book, those are the only comparisons. This book did not do it for me and the cliffhanger does not have me excited for the next book at all. Also, why is it that male actor isn't doing all the male voices and the female not doing all the female voices throughout the book? The male actor was incredible btw. He was the only good thing about this book.

Hate the voice actors

The voice actors sound so old I can’t get into it. Wish I could return this one for a refund.

DNF’d at chapter 5

I’m so bored I cannot continue. The female narrator voice is dull and lackluster. It also sounds much much older than the FMC. The book lists there being a male narrator also but I couldn’t find one chapter with him in it so not sure why. This needs to stop happening, some people like me only read books for their duel/duet narration and having two narrators listed as equal contributors is misleading.