In a world where creativity births death and beauty summons monsters, Tessonja Odette crafts a darkly seductive tale that explores the price of artistic expression. The Lies that Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette opens in the shadowy underbelly of a city where storytelling is a capital crime, and those who wield creative power must hide in the spaces between light and darkness. This is not the whimsical fae romance readers might expect from the author of Curse of the Wolf King—instead, Odette delivers a mature, blood-soaked fantasy where the line between monster and human blurs with every turned page.
The premise immediately captivates: centuries ago, art gave life to bloodthirsty shadows called Shades, forcing humanity to make a terrible bargain. The Sinless, immortal blood-drinking royals, protect the remnants of civilization beneath domes of light, demanding human sacrifice in return. All creative works—from painting to poetry—are now forbidden, their creators hunted and executed. Into this oppressive landscape steps Inana, a storyteller who risks her life performing illicit fiction for desperate audiences in a place called the Wretched Lair.
A Protagonist Stitched from Shadows
Inana is neither conventional heroine nor simple rebel. She’s a survivor with secrets layered like the stories she tells, her past shrouded in deliberate mystery. The author establishes her with exquisite care, revealing a woman who understands that survival means staying hidden, yet cannot fully suppress her need to create. When Dominic, a fearsome Shadowbane—half-Sinless monster hunter—discovers her illegal performances, Inana faces an ultimatum that propels the narrative forward with relentless momentum: serve him in hunting the very shadows her art might summon, or face the bounty on her head.
What makes Inana compelling is her complexity. She’s pragmatic enough to accept Dominic’s deal while simultaneously plotting his demise. She’s vulnerable yet hardened, creative yet calculating. However, The Lies that Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette occasionally struggles with maintaining consistent characterization during the middle chapters. Inana’s internal monologue sometimes wavers between fierce independence and surprising naivety, creating moments where her decisions feel less organic and more plot-driven.
The Shadow Hunter’s Allure
Dominic emerges as more than the typical brooding anti-hero. As a Shadowbane who has undergone Partial Absolution—a ritual that strips away half his sins—he exists between worlds, neither fully human nor completely Sinless. Odette gives him genuine depth through alternating point-of-view chapters that reveal a man grappling with his own monstrous nature while executing a hunt with mysterious stakes. His relationship with Inana crackles with tension that transcends simple physical attraction, rooted instead in recognition and shared darkness.
The romance builds with aching slowness, which serves the story well. These are two people who have learned not to trust, circling each other with equal parts desire and wariness. When The Lies that Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette finally allows them moments of vulnerability, the payoff feels earned. The intimate scenes are explicit and creatively choreographed, incorporating the shadow magic that defines their world in ways that feel both sensual and thematically resonant.
A World Built on Blood and Light
The world-building deserves particular recognition. Odette constructs a magic system called astrotheurgy that draws on cosmic and divine energies, requiring blood sacrifice to fuel its most powerful manifestations. The Holy Braziers that protect cities demand regular heart sacrifices to maintain their domes of light. This creates a society built on calculated cruelty, where protection comes at the cost of systematic murder, sanctioned by religious and political authority.
The author excels at revealing this world through action and observation rather than exposition dumps. Readers discover the mechanics of Sacred Cities, Protected Villages, and the silver walls that keep Shades at bay through Inana’s lived experience. The gradual unveiling of how art creates shadows—and why the Sinless maintain their grip on power—unfolds with satisfying complexity.
However, the pacing occasionally falters. The middle third of The Lies that Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette meanders as Inana and Dominic’s hunt progresses, with some chase sequences and near-misses feeling repetitive. The plot regains momentum as secrets about both protagonists and their world begin unraveling, but readers accustomed to Odette’s brisker-paced fae romances might find themselves impatient during these stretches.
The Art of Darkness: Prose and Atmosphere
Odette’s prose in this novel adopts a darker, more lyrical quality than her previous work. She writes shadows with visceral intensity, making Shades feel genuinely threatening—not just conceptually dangerous but physically repulsive and terrifying. The descriptions of blood-drinking, shadow manifestation, and the body horror elements carry weight without becoming gratuitous.
Some standout qualities include:
- Atmospheric tension: The contrast between protected domes of light and the shadow-infested darkness beyond creates constant unease
- Thematic depth: Questions of what defines humanity when both creativity and consumption of blood carry monstrous consequences
- Morally complex antagonists: The Sinless and their church represent systematic oppression rather than cartoonish villainy
- Symbolic resonance: Art, shadows, and sin interweave in ways that reward careful reading
Yet the novel’s ambition occasionally exceeds its execution. The supporting cast, while adequately sketched, rarely achieves the depth of the protagonists. Secondary characters like Inana’s fellow performers at the Wretched Lair or the various Sinless nobles feel more functional than fully realized. This is particularly noticeable given how much the plot depends on Inana’s relationships with her community.
Where Light and Shadow Meet
The Lies that Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette distinguishes itself through its willingness to embrace genuine darkness. This is not a sanitized fantasy romance but a story unafraid to explore trauma, addiction (represented through blood dependency), corruption, and rage. The author includes content warnings for good reason—readers should expect violence, blood drinking, body horror, and references to past abuse.
The romance serves the darker fantasy rather than the reverse, a choice that will appeal to readers seeking romantasy with substantial plot beyond the relationship. Those expecting the cozy, lighter tone of Odette’s Fae Flings and Corset Strings series will find themselves in considerably grimmer territory. This represents growth for the author, demonstrating range beyond her established niche.
The ending sets up future installments while providing satisfying resolution to the immediate conflict. Without revealing spoilers, The Lies that Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette concludes with both revelation and transformation, positioning the protagonists for a revenge arc that promises escalation in subsequent books.
The Verdict: Shadows Worth Embracing
This debut entry in a new series showcases Tessonja Odette’s evolution as a writer. While not without flaws—occasional pacing issues, underdeveloped secondary characters, and moments of inconsistent characterization—the novel succeeds in establishing a rich, dark world with compelling leads and genuine stakes. Readers seeking romantasy that prioritizes both plot and passion, darkness and desire, will find much to appreciate.
The book works best for readers who:
- Appreciate morally complex protagonists navigating oppressive systems
- Enjoy fantasy romance with substantial world-building and mythology
- Don’t mind slower burns in favor of character development
- Seek darker, more mature romantasy beyond typical fae court politics
It may disappoint those expecting:
- Light, cozy romance in the vein of Odette’s previous work
- Fast-paced action throughout
- Deeply developed ensemble casts
- Standalone resolution
Recommended for fans of:
- House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas – for the dark urban fantasy elements and forbidden romance
- From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout – for the hero who initially captures the heroine and the slow-burn tension
- Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross – for forbidden art in oppressive regimes
- A Dawn of Onyx by Kate Golden – for monster hunters and dangerous alliances
- Vicious by V.E. Schwab – for morally gray characters embracing their darkness
The Lies that Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette marks a confident step into darker territory for an author known for lighter fare. While it stumbles occasionally, it ultimately delivers a haunting meditation on creativity, monstrosity, and the shadows we carry within ourselves. For readers willing to embrace its darkness, this shadow-soaked romance promises a journey worth taking.
