My official blurb for this book, as sent to the editor: A radiant enemies-to-lovers romance, set in a magical world that glitters . . . and fractures. When a bandit queen captures a flirtatious prince and holds him for ransom, the two must question everything they thought they understood about the other. The bond they build could change everything. With this standalone romantic fantasy, Tanaz Bhathena delivers.

[NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, my NetGalley feedback is not a blurb or endorsement. If a publisher wishes to use any part of my comments for promotional purposes, please contact me or my agent via email. I would prefer not to include star ratings but NetGalley won't let me post without one, so all will be 5 stars.]

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillian for the E-Arc!
If you want world-building and lore this is the book for you. The world and the atmosphere is so well done and detailed. Everything is explained extremely well, and it's easy to follow. Politics and magic systems can be a little bit more complicated to write about, but this author did a fantastic job of making it fun creative and understandable. I absolutely loved for Roshan and cannot wait for more by this author and hopefully more in this universe.

Of Light and Shadow is a story of vengence, love, and finding your place in the world. Here we follow our two characters Roshan and Navin. Roshan is the famed Shadow Bandit and leader of the Shadow Clan. In their home valley which has turned from the bountiful pastoral place it was before to a desolate province, the Shadow Bandit and her clan fight against the injustices and Blood Tithes of the local governor. Doing everything from raiding his warehouses to his trading barges. It is through one of these raids that Roshan meets the second heir and spare, Prince Navin. At first they care little for another, but as their time together grows Roshan begins to see that there is more to Prince Navin than his noble titles and Navin finds that the world may not work the way that he always believed.

This was such a pleasant surprise of a book. Weaving an interesting lore amidst well developed characters, Tanaz Bhathena tells an enchanting and hopeful story of two people uniting against an injustice. Roshan was a capable woman and led her clan well, but it was only once Navin came into the mix that she began to see what it was she truly wanted to achieve and how to do it. Navin was a great reluctant hero who finds his purpose as the story goes on. The supporting characters were excellent as well.

I thought the lore around the different locations and races was really interesting, but I would've like to see a bit more of it. Especially the Pashu people who are apparently humans combined with various animals. I also would've liked a clearer picture of the few characters from that race that we did meet. Sometimes I found the images were disparate with one another and at times I wasn't really sure what I should've been imagining. I ended up defaulting to a version similar to the Khajit and Argonians from the Elder Scrolls. Which worked okay for me overall, but would perhaps not for others.

I also would've liked for the action to be a bit more that, active. There was a lot of sitting around talking, but it did work okay as the conversations themselves were active. I also would've liked for the villain itself to be present as it was a very far off villain. I am not saying that I needed to see them every second, but a bit more of a threat would've been welcomed. This is truly me nit picking as the majority of the book worked so well even with these few things. Ultimately I think its what makes this different from other stories that I've read recently.

I definitely recommend giving this one a read. Please be mindful of some content warnings for torture, mutilation, and I do think there was a moment of implied rape. These things are not gratuitous and serve as a real portrayal of a province being kept under an iron fist and greed.

Anything this author writes I'm going to pick up and read, that being said this book is filled with magic, romance, and action packed! There might be somethings throughout that would surprise me that this book would be labeled as young adult, and reading as an ebook the glossary is in the back, which not a complaint, just would've been nicer to have it in the front. That being said this book was magic and fantasy and a beautifully woven story that pulls you in and lets you enjoy all of the story. The author is fantastic at storytelling and worldbuilding which is a huge feat all of it's own but then you add in the outstanding characters and this book will sweep you off your feet. It's an epic stand alone with a rich story that is just wonderful.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

A unique and captivating story. Roshan and Navin are both very likable characters. Roshan is a strong female role model who has the strength to lead and the compassion to heal. Navin, while being a bit of a party guy, has some deep layers of emotion and caring. You will hope for some justice for the people who are being wronged by the powerful and rich. The story also weaves in the injustices felt by the minorities making this fantasy very applicable to our world. I believe readers will enjoy this book and its unique story.

This book was solid from begining to end! The plot was fun and the world building gave me just enough to keep me satisfied without oversaturating the story. The character, especially the FMC where enjoyable and has incredible growth.

Of Light and Shadow is such a fun fantasy from Tanaz Bhathena! The found family, politics, magic system, and character dynamics were super interesting to follow. This book gave me all the Sholay vibes, hinted at by Tanaz about one of the side characters in this book being like Gabbar Singh. This book is definitely grittier and slightly more upper-YA than The Wrath of Ambar duology, but all fans of an enemies to lovers fantasy with found family and a Robin Hood-esque main character will love Of Light and Shadow. If Tanaz has any more fantasies in the works, I can't wait to read them next! Overall, I'd give this 4.25 stars rounded up.

Roshan and Navin are magic. This was easily one of my favorite YA reads of the year.

(Full review to come soon.)

Thank you, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), for allowing me to read Of Light and Shadow early!

I enjoyed this novel, but not as much as I thought, sadly.

I wanted to enjoy this but was overly unimpressed with the relationships, the dynamic, and the plot felt convoluted.

this was a beautifully done magic novel, it had all the elements of what I was hoping for. It had a great plot going on and that it was well written. I was invested in what was happening and going through this story. The characters were what I was hoping for and though they worked for this universe. Tanaz Bhathena has a great style and I look forward to more from the author.

"Navin couldn’t believe he was talking to Farhad. Upright, uptight Farhad, whom Navin had often, derisively, called too noble for his own good. “Surely exceptions are made if the people of a subah are being oppressed! The subedar’s job is to govern them, not crush them under his heel. Also, you’re the yuvraj of Jwala. Where’s your sense of justice?”