Cover Image: Kingdom of Shadows and Dust

Kingdom of Shadows and Dust

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Member Reviews

Thank you to NetGalley and TrueType Press for allowing me to read Kingdom of Shadows and Dust and share an honest review.

As the king's only daughter, Ava was supposed to be many things; meek, submissive, and above all, silent. While she dreams of fighting alongside the armies of Ankara, she's forced to hide her identity behind a veil..

Kingdom of Shadows and Dust tells the story of Ava, the princess of Ankara, a country at war with the army of the evil Shadow King. Ava dreams of a change and wishes to join the battle, protecting her people, instead of remaining hidden away in her father’s castle.

Upon first reading the synopsis, I was immediately sold and requested a review copy. It just sounded so good! I mean, a princess, wolves, a shadow king, a love triangle?! In my opinion, those are all aspects that could really make the perfect fantasy novel! However, after reading, I have to admit that I feel quite torn about Kingdom of Shadows and Dust. Unfortunately, even thought it was an enjoyable read, the book did not leave me as satisfied and enthusiastic as the synopsis did, as there were quite a few things that bothered me while reading. However, I would like to add here that reading is very much a personal experience and therefore something that might not work for me, may work very well for someone else. However, I would like to remain honest in my review, so I will go on by listing some aspects which I enjoyed about Kingdom of Shadows and Dust and some aspects which were not really my cup of tea.

When I first started reading, I personally quite enjoyed the author’s way of writing. I enjoyed that it was quite easy to read yet still very intriguing. Yet, after a while, I started to feel as if it, primarily the dialogue, was a bit too basic at times (for my liking) and I started to notice quite a few grammar and spelling mistakes popping up, which made the reading a bit less enjoyable for me. I soon noticed that I started paying more attention to the construction of the sentences and to its grammar than to the actual story and dialogue, which I thought to be quite a shame at times. In my opinion, this distracted me a bit from the actual story and caused me to perhaps enjoy it less than I could have.

What I really enjoyed about the book, were the various groups; the Turnskins and the Magus. I truly enjoyed the idea behind them and I thought they were a great introduction to the actual story. I’m primarily referring to the events concerning the Turnskin boy immediately in the beginning of the book as well as the first time the reader gets to meet Ava's Magus friend: Yoann, I thought both were great moments that made for a nice introduction of the book’s world and its various inhabitants. I also enjoyed that there was a supposed tension between the various groups, although I did hope that the tensions would be more focused on and further developed. I was also hoping for more background information on both. I wanted to get to know more of their history, their way of living, their cultures. I think there is a lot of potential there for further exploration.

I also really enjoyed the friendship between Ava and Bridger. It was nice to read about a childhood friendship in a book that doesn’t immediately turn into a romance from page 1, as is often the case in many other YA novels. I especially liked the fun ‘training’ scene between them in chapter 1 or 2. However, sadly, I felt like there wasn’t enough Bridger in the book. I definitely wanted more of his wit! And more of those playful scenes between him and Ava!

Three characters that I really liked were Aldin, Yoann and Ulmer. In my opinion, they were definitely the most interesting, but again here, especially with the latter two, I needed moooore! I wanted to see them more often! I felt like there weren’t a lot of bad or morally grey characters in the book, and for someone (like me) who is a sucker for morally grey characters, I thought that to be a bit of a shame. To me, Ulmer felt like the only villain or true bad guy in the book and I just wish we would’ve gotten to see more from him, more character development, more focus on his reasons behind being the bad guy he is, but it wasn’t really there that much.
I also have to admit that I expected Aldin to be more morally grey than he ended up being. I didn’t expect him to be bad, but I also didn’t expect him to be so sweet to Ava immediately upon meeting her, either. I do have to be honest and admit that the character I probably enjoyed the least was Ava. I think Ava had a lot of interesting aspects, I enjoyed the relationship between her and her little brother (even though I felt like reading more about that) and she very much felt like a bad-ass character to me, especially in the beginning part of the story. However, I have to admit that I had a very difficult time connecting and I found it difficult to understand or recognise her character development. For some reason, I felt like I could never truly figure her out. I felt like I didn’t really get to know her character traits and her train of thought as they seemed to change rather quickly as well. To me, her character did not always feel very consistent and therefore it was hard for me to connect with her and like her as the main character. In addition, even though I quite enjoyed Cassian (even though the readers don’t see him that much), one other thing that bothered me at times was Cassian’s way of speaking. I understand the reasons why it's difficult for him to speak, but I felt like the dialogue for Cassian could have been more than just brief sentences like “Ava back?” and “Ava sad?”.

Some aspects that I did not enjoy that much were the world building as well as the romance.
During the beginning of the story, the reader is told that the ‘Shadow King’s’ army is attacking innocent villages as well as being informed about the war that is going on between Ava’s kingdom and the Shadow King’s kingdom, yet the war never feels fully fleshed out, as well as the various kingdoms. We get to know about the Turnskins, the Magus, some of the reasons behind the bad ‘relationship’ between King Aldin and Ava’s father, but it still felt very flat in my opinion. I wanted to know more about their kingdoms, what do their kingdoms look like? What kind of cultures are there? What do the people look like? And then I’m also referring to the villagers and not just the people inside the royal courts. In what sort of area does the story take place?
I also felt a need for more political tension, more war, between the kingdoms and the various groups. I feel like the book started out really well on this front: the events concerning the Turnskin child, Ava going to war against the Shadow King, getting to know the groups (Turnskins, Magus) that are not truly accepted by the King, etc. However, in my opinion, this very much changed once Ava meets Callan and, in my opinion, there seemed to be a shift, from a focus on the war, the political tensions, the world building, etc. to a focus on the romance in the novel. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m a true sucker for romance in books, especially in fantasy books, and love triangles always excite me, but the romance between Ava and Callan / Aldin didn’t excite me very much. I think this was primarily caused by the romance, especially between Ava and Callan, happening very quickly. It felt like they hadn’t even spent a full day together yet were already madly in love. I truly enjoyed the idea of the bond shared between them, the sort of Sarah J. Maas-like ‘mating bond’, but I did not really enjoy how they immediately seemed to be head over heels in love, only a couple of pages after their first meeting. I know that there are a lot of readers who truly enjoy an insta-love romance, but I’ve personally always had a preference for more of a slowburn romance, so once again, I think it also comes down to personal preference a lot. For me, the romance happened way too quickly and was also a bit way too fluffy. I mean, as a girl who falls in love with pretty much every morally grey fictional prince, I really hoped there would be a more enemies-to-lovers type of romance, with Aldin especially. The synopsis truly made me feel like that was what the story would include, but I felt like Aldin was too sweet from the get go, like Callan was as well in my opinion, and therefore the romance, from both sides just felt too fluffy for my taste. I remember Ava telling Aldin that she felt that the two of them “brought out the worst in each other” and during that moment I was rather confused because I felt like there hadn’t really been many ‘bad’ or ‘enemy-like’ moments between them where the reader was able to see this.

Even though Kingdom of Shadows and Dust contained some aspects that weren’t necessarily my cup of tea, I still consider it to be an entertaining read. A YA novel perfect for fantasy fans with a love for fluffy romances! While reading it was very clear to me that the author had a great time writing this book and her enthusiasm and love for it shows. I will rate Kingdom of Shadows and Dust with a 2.5/5 stars, primarily because of the reasons that I have mentioned above and because I feel like the book has such great potential, but I needed more. I wish Sherry D. Ficklin lots of luck and fun with the release of her book and I hope that many readers will join Ava on her journey, fighting for her kingdom and everyone she loves.

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I really liked the idea this book was following, and did connect with the book but it felt like it was going in a circle. Like they took a lot longer to get to the climax then I think they should.
I think that if your looking to read this you should read this little by little everyday. This isn't the type of book that I at least could one shot read, but it was a great read overall. I don't find the MC dumb and annoying or any of the side characters to be to much or for them to be flat.

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Thank you for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I enjoyed this book, but I wasn't much of a fan of the pacing - every other page something dramatic happened and that even though the 'Shadow King', who has been established to be the big bad villain on several occasions, hardly gets any page time.
Also I expected a more in-depth exploration on Ava's feelings, but not only does she fall in love instantly, but she also apparently forgets about how she felt just a few days ago only to remember and be torn between two men when it's convenient for the plot, or the reader should be reminded of the fact that she's not fully committed to Aldin.

The whole book started off strong and the plot was all over the place, but still interesting and incredibly fast-paced. However the whole insta-love trope isn't a favourite of mine and the fact that every character was quick to change their feelings about someone else didn't exactly help. I'd have loved to explore the inner struggles of Ava more as well as see more of the rest of the characters express their's rather than being told how they do.

Worldbuilding wise there is still a lot to explore and a lot of potential - still not sure how I feel about the ending of the book just now though, might have felt a bit too convenient how everything fell into place.
[posted on review and will be up on bookstagram later today]

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real rating 3.5
This book was very surprising. At first, it was a bit hard for me to get into the story but everything changed once Callan came along. I love romance so when there's romance you hook me immediately.
I think the plot was good and the characters were interesting but I didn't love them. Except for Callan, I think. However, I liked how mature their decisions were, well Ava not that much. I'm a bit conflicted with her. I found her a bit childish and inconsistent. The world-building was also good and you can easily imagine it.
I know many people didn't like the ending but I think it wasn't that bad. At least, it ended like I wanted it to end. But it was a bit rushed. Actually, I think all the romance was a bit rushed.
However, is still a light entertaining fantasy read.
Thanks Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review. This is my honest and voluntarily opinion.

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I received an arc in exchange for an honest review, contains spoilers

Ava is a princess who is protected by the crown and her father, while her only desire is to fight for her kingdom. Her father believes that she needs to stay unseen at the court so that he can sell her to the highest bidder to further the kingdoms political advantages. So of course when her best friend leaves for the front lines of the war she joins him.

This book is a good read, however, there are a few issues I had with it. The dialogue at times read as choppy and not fully developed. The mental dialogue between Callan and Ava was confusing, as it was hard to tell if someone was speaking out loud or not. The writing also didn't feel fully developed, as the character's thoughts seem to change so as to fit the story (ie. Being an outcast in the army and then calling them her friends to Pria). As well, the world building could have been fleshed out more to provide a better experience for the reader. The knowledge provided feels more like a sequel than the first book.

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Thank you Netgalley and TrueType Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm torn with this book, the title and description had my expectations high—but the result was very lackluster and left me with disappointing feelings. From the story plot to character relationships, it was like everything was halfway effort and that there was no commitment to really take anything further or going for an unpopular vision.

<b>What Kingdom of Shadows and Dust is NOT:</b>

Ava is not your typical YA fantasy heroine, but she's also not that interesting either. She wants to be this strong adventurous princess but she's written into her cage of her position and situation. She does go on an adventure, where she meets the other characters, but it serves to crush her ambitions. If you're looking for a grand adventure to go on with Ava, this book is not it. There's a hint for something more going on with her heritage, but Ficklin doesn't do much with it, resulting in a disappointing plot where not that much really happens.

The relationships with the other characters are quick to form, it was almost unbelievable how quick certain relationships moved. It was also too quick for characters to suddenly change their minds, it was too easy overall. The main "villains" aren't even real villains, and the ending is a bit too easy and very anti-climatic.

<b>However, what this book does well:</b>

The usual trope that our heroes are special, the exception, and can break the mold is fairly overused. While the book did leave me disappointed, it was also refreshing to be reading about a character who cannot do what she really wants because of the responsibilities of her title. I think for a young reader that maybe could be a good lesson as they take on responsibilities of being an adult. (But in a book it's fairly dream crushing.)

Surprisingly the love triangle was very well done in my opinion, and I usually hate love triangles with a passion. I liked both love interests, and by the end I was honestly unsure who I really wanted to end up with Ava.

<b>Overall</b>

I found the language of the book just a tad too flowery and it didn't grip me in the beginning nor throughout. By the end I felt what I read was all fluff and no real substance. But I did end up liking the characters, despite the fast relationships, and lacking plot. If there is a sequel hinted in the epilogue, I would still read it for that character's story.

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Ava is a princess that has been hidden for most of her life. She is to be kept away from the lustful court (her father’s words) until she is ready to be sold to the best potential political ally. Of course, Ava is not happy with her boring and sheltered life, she dreams about leaving the palace and helping her people. That’s why, when the occasion arises, she leaves for the front with her best friend, where things don’t really go as planned. Ava meets some Magus and Turnskin (people with the ability to shift), and soon realizes that what she was led to believe about them is quite wrong.

The world-building could be more developed. We know that there are kingdoms at war, that the Magus have magical abilities, but are outsiders, and the Turnskins are shapeshifters, but they are worth nothing according to the king and they live hidden in the woods. There is potential for political moves, complex relationships, and different worlds and cultures, but we don’t really see it, and we don’t have enough backstory about the different groups involved.

The writing felt choppy at times, and the dialogues were not the best. Some characters can share their thoughts through a mental bond, but it was hard sometimes to tell if the characters were talking to each other or communicating through telepathy. The story was easy to follow, but it also lacked some depth (as did the characters). The characters are nice, but everyone is good (except for the few villains) and feels unidimensional. It would have been better is some of the characters were morally grey or at least had more depth. There is a hint of betrayal coming from one character, but it’s swiped away as soon as it appears in the story.

There are also inconsistencies in the plot, and overall, it felt as if the characters' thoughts and feelings shifted to accommodate the plot, rather than the other way around. For example, when she travels with her friends, he keeps her isolated because he does not want anyone to realize who is traveling with them. After an ambush resulting in the death of many soldiers, she refers to the soldiers as "her friends" because the author needs her to go through a personal loss, but she never said a single word to any of them and does not know the name of most of them.

Another issue that I had with this book is the insta-love between Ava and Callan. Their relationship was so fast-paced there was no time for me to process what was happening, and the next thing I know is that she is jealous because he is talking to another girl, and he proclaims his eternal love for her because they are (apparently) mates. It just annoyed me honestly. The whole telepathic part where Callan accidentally projects thoughts such as “she’s really beautiful” or “don’t touch her, she’s not for you”, was not cute. It was weird. And later on, they had whole telepathic conversations while being far away from each other, but it was not cute or sweet, it just made me roll my eyes because everything progressed so fast between them (and I am most definitely NOT a fan of insta-love).

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This story was told from the point of view of Ava a noble princess who craves to be more than just another noble women behind a veil. I quickly connected with Ava and felt that I understood her motivation even though I did not always agree. The story in some ways revolves around an unconventionally love triangle which explores different types of love. My favourite love story featured in Kingdom of Shadows and Dust is that over Ava and her younger brother the heir to the kingdom. I enjoyed the sneak peek into other cultures within the Kingdom of Shadows and Dust universe though sometimes they felt a little rushed and I would like to know more.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read and I definitely recommend this book. I plan to explore more books by Sherry D Ficklin.

Kingdom of Shadows and Dust is released in September 2021!

https://pjsandbooks.wordpress.com/2021/04/27/kingdom-of-shadows-and-dust/

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I have very mixed feelings regarding this book. I very much enjoyed the initial plot and concept and where the story was headed. But for some reason the story ended up not moving forward bur rather stayed in a back and forth cycle for no reason. Throughout the story the things that I liked were paired with things that I did not enjoy.

I really liked the characters, but all of them lacked emotional depth. Ava's character had so much potential but after she acted like a child time after time, her badassness started to fall flat. Also supposedly she did everything for her brother and kingdom, yet throughout the book her actions suggested the opposite. The same is true for all the male characters, and I wanted to like the Shadow King so much.

all the relationships, be it friendship, love, hate etc. felt forced and superficial. None of the realtionships evolved, had substance or made me feel anything. Quite obviously I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters in this book.

The story had so much potential as well. The worldbuilding was great with unique races like the magus and the turnskin. However it lacked the details to sell it. The plot was interesting and got me hooked for like 20% of the book then it went nowhere even though I kept hoping for it to pick up. There were many things happening but all of those scenes were rushed and again lacked detail. It also very much felt as if the writer couldn't decide if she wanted to write a book for teens, young adults or adults.

I believe that with some revision this story would have massive potential but as it was it just wasn't gripping enough and was a near dnf for me.

Thank you for Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

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So, I expected from the cover and the first few chapters a novel about a badass princess fighter who was going to ride into war and be tough and amazing. What I got, was a novel about love and all the different types of love, and you know what? I’m not mad about it. It started with some weirdly formal language that was a bit clunky and hard to get into, but after that fell away into something more readable the story kept drawing me in and I never knew what would happen next. I read this so quickly and liked it much more than I expected. It was more realistic than I expected, about someone changing the future in the way that they had the power to do so; being the princess, sometimes the prize, the barterer the victim, if it served her purpose best. This was an enjoyable and surprising read. Each character had depth and motivations you could understand. The political undertones of the novel that guided decisions made everything feel… real. Basically, I’m impressed. It’s a great YA novel that has an unexpected story to tell.

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Three and a half
This started out as quite a typical YA fantasy with a Princess who felt she should change the world or at the very least her little part of it. Ava is quite spoiled and definitely very headstrong but I did feel that she honestly wanted to do the best for her kingdom and its people. She feels stifled by the way females are perceived and frequently ventures out to spend time away from the palace. Things come to ahead when she clashes with family about the war they are in the midst of and how things need to change so Ava sneaks out to join her best friend as he tries to protect a vulnerable grain store . As battle rages Ava realises they cannot win and as those around her fall she's forced to run but has she ran toward safety or even more danger ?
There's an interesting assortment of characters here and I particularly liked Bridger who has always been Ava's cohort when it comes to mischief although hasten to add theirs is a refreshing platonic relationship. We are introduced to people who possess magic who as the story progresses added much needed levity with their somewhat brazen behaviour. Then of course there are those who can shift into Wolves , a race of people persecuted by not only the King but also the neighbouring Kingdom with whom they are at war. Which brings me to those who attack Ava and this is when the author added a character to test Aca's resolve.
I will say no more but yes there is the almost obligatory love triangle but as this story ended a strange resolution that leads me to wonder how things will progress in the next book. It's left in such a way that as much as I was happy for Ava there are still things in motion that leave at least two characters on a precipice. These are likeable characters in an unfortunate situation and I am intrigued to know what will happen next.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from NetGalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

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I really struggled with the pacing and overall writing style of the book. The premise was interesting and the characters were okay, but ultimately this book just fell flat for me.

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Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my exclusively my own.

I was excited for this book however I was ultimately disappointed by it.

My main issue with this book is the writing itself. I didn’t like the pacing, world building or character development. I found most of the characters to be very one dimensional and so many scenes felt rushed that I couldn’t feel connected to them, their relationships or the world itself.

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This book is about the struggle of following ones own dreams vs doing what they believe is best for their people and those they love who rely on them. There is a lot of inner turmoil. It also deals a lot with the limited role of females in some cultures. “ there is no power in my title, no sway or authority. Being a princess in Ankara is to be silent, unseen, and insubstantial in the world.”

I really enjoyed the dialogue. There is a lot of great, fun banter. I smiled often and even laughter at times.

“Or if I am to be paraded out for your court like a prize pig, perhaps you prefer I hold an apple in my teeth?” He steps forward, closing the space between us and whispering, “Are you afraid we’ll eat you, Princess?” “I’d happily let you devour me, if only I were sure you’d choke on it.”

Ava is such a wonderful character. She is strong, feisty, speaks her mind, and is comfortable with being herself. The chemistry between Ava and every other character was great.

I did enjoy this book a lot, but the ending really frustrated me. It was very rushed. It could have used another hundred pages. I don’t want to give up any spoilers, so I will just say that I didn’t care for the author’s choices at the end.

Some of my favorite quotes:
“I will not fall, Father, of that I am certain. I was born to soar.”
“Your power is your own; it is granted only by you and no one can take it from you.”
“I will always choose love. Hate is a burden I no longer have the strength to carry.”
“Strength doesn’t come at the tip of a sword; it comes from having the courage to make hard choices and the fortitude to carry the consequences.”

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Thank you so much to TrueType Press for providing me with an ARC for an exchange of an honest review.

This was a decent fantasy read. The only thing I knew about it going into the book was that it featured werewolves after reading the cover and I didn’t really have any other expectations otherwise. I liked reading about Ava as a main character--she’s definitely determined, strong-willed, and confident in herself, which I admired. The world building was interesting to read about too and I had fun following Ava on her journey and visiting the various courts while reading this book.

The main thing that I didn’t like about this book was how rushed it felt. If you like books that are fast-paced, you probably will enjoy this book because it felt like I was speeding from scene to scene. I normally do like fast-paced books, but the pace of this book made me feel more confused than excited about what was going to happen next. I think this also affected the relationship between the characters as well, such as Ava and Callan. I had a hard time believing their relationship because of how rushed it felt and because of the insta-love trope.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, medieval-esque fantasy read with interesting world building, I’d recommend reading Kingdom of Shadows and Dust!

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I received this book for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Not was I was expecting. In a great was!! I really enjoyed this and can't wait to read more.

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Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read kingdom of shadows and dust.
Firstly this draws you in from the get go wolf shifters Kings, castles what's not to like, however whilst the story sounds great and the characters are enjoyable the ending was a let down.

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I loved the development of this story, Ava was amazing character and her development was an interesting one. The only reason this isn't a 5 star for me is because of the ending. It disappointed me a bit but i hope the story continues as i feel there is more to be told about these characters and the repercussions of the end.

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This book immediately draws you in right from the start. It always takes me a while to get used to the characters (especially the protagonist) but Ava, who is the protagonist in this book, had brilliant character development. I recommend this book to anybody trying to get back into reading after a while of not. I would read this again as i definitely enjoyed it.

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Kingdom of Shadows and Dust follows Ava, a princess whose kingdom is embroiled in a war with a neighboring kingdom. As Ava becomes more immersed in the war, she finds out that things are not always what they seem, and as she uncovers greed, secrets, and power-hungry motivations, Ava must decide who and what she is fighting for.

Ava wants to be more than just a princess and a political pawn and spends much of the story on a physical, as well as an emotional, journey. She learns so much about herself and what kind of leader she wants to be. She learns what it means to be strong. Above all, she understands that there are many different kinds of love, and all are worthwhile and good. Ava grows and learns so much over the course of the story, and she never loses that fierce determination to help her people.

I’m still not sure how I feel about the love triangle. I like both of Ava’s potential love interests and can totally see her with both. They both have a deep and profound respect for Ava, though one seems to truly love her, which makes sense since he’s Ava’s fated mate. He, like Ava, is willing to sacrifice anything to see her protected and happy. The other potential romance has a lot of chemistry and witty banter and is promising, but it isn’t as deep and strong as the first. It’s interesting to see who Ava chooses as she grapples with staying true to her heart and doing what is best for her brother and her people.

I love some of the other relationships Ava had, including her lovely bond with her younger brother and her long-lasting friendship with her best friend. Ava’s motivation often stems from protecting those she loves, especially her brother, which says a lot about her character and the strength of their love. And I love that she has such a strong relationship with her best friend. They have been so close for so long that they act more like brother and sister than friends, and it’s clear that they love each other (in a totally platonic way). And I think that’s what at the heart of this story – love. What are you willing to sacrifice to protect those you love? Can love conquer all? Is there room in one’s heart for many different loves? Do people show love in different ways?

I do wish there was a bit more world-building, as I found so many aspects of the book really interesting. The story introduces many different kingdoms, lands, people, legends, and magical elements, but they weren’t as vividly described as I had hoped. However, I believe this is the first book in the series, and these elements will probably be developed more in future books.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more by this author. The story is filled with action, romance, political drama, battles, humor, natural disasters, secrets, betrayal, and more. I think readers who enjoy YA fantasy will enjoy Kingdoms of Shadow and Dust. Thanks so much to NetGalley, TrueType Press, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I will post links closer to pub. date.

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