The Lies that Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette

Author : Tessonja Odette

Book : The Lies that Summon the Night

/Fantasy Romance/

Publication date : February 03, 2026

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Blurb:

From the art of liars, the monsters came…

Ever since art gave life to bloodthirsty shadows, creative works have been forbidden and the talented creators sacrificed to the Sinless—the immortal royals who feast on human blood in return for their protection.

Inana’s secret storytelling nearly got her killed once, and she’ll be damned if she’s ever caught again. With a bounty on her head, she keeps to the city’s dark underbelly where she earns a meager living from thrill-seeking patrons desperate to hear her illicit fiction. Until Dominic, a Shadowbane, catches one of her performances. . .

Dominic is a half-Sinless monster hunter as fearsome as his prey. But to complete his hunt, he needs an artist to summon the shadows . . . he needs Inana. Dominic delivers an ultimatum: serve him or he’ll claim her bounty. When survival is all Inana has left, the choice is clear. At least until she can betray him and leave him for dead.

As their tense alliance leads them into the heart of danger, dark secrets unravel—about each other, their world, and the threats they face. But the greatest risk of all is the desire growing between them. There’s something more sinful than lust at play, and it could bring the world to its knees.

My thoughts:

A dark, gripping atmosphere with an intriguing blend of monsters, where art is the sole reason for their existence, and every artful craft lures them to feed on people.

The story unfolds through two POVS:

- Inana and her storytelling make her an outlaw, and with a bounty on her head, she is forced to make a living day by day with the same craft that risks her life.

- Dominic is a monster hunter with secrets of his own and a different approach from the other Shadowbanes.

Each with their own secret motive, Dominic and Inana are forced to work together, peeling back more secrets that hover between them with each passing day.

I loved how well the hypocrisy of the Sinless was utilised and how the sin of all creative people served as a cover for their deeds. It's definitely food for thought and makes you question who the actual monsters are. The real monsters or the so-proclaimed Sinless?

The romance line in the story was too much, too soon for me, and needed more time for them to know each other and gain some semblance of trust before they reach the attraction.

Nonetheless, this is my personal preference, and the attraction and chemistry between them are alluring and spot on. I loved the push and pull going on.

My personal favourite were Dom's shadows and how much humour and nuance they brought to his character and the overall vibe of the story.

The ending was like a punch to the gut! I didn't expect this at all, and it's such a bold move to venture in this direction. I'm equal parts intrigued and anxious about how things can go from here on.

It made me question everything that transpired between our main characters and whether any of it was real. I have no idea how or if things can be patched in the aftermath.

Definitely will pick up the next instalment with great interest.