Yall. This book. THIS BOOK. It was steamy and spicy while still being so plot driven that it had me gripped from page one all the way to the end. The characters were so well developed that I cared about them when I first met them. This book had such great vibes. I wish there was a bit more emphasis on the “circus” that was promised, but I didn’t think it needed it. Just misplaced marketing, I’d say. I cannot wait to purchase a finished copy!

Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my! Okay. So there aren't any lions, tigers, or bears. But my oh my. There is definitely some heat in Aurora Ascher’s Sanctuary of the Shadow. Okay. A lot of heat.

Aurora is a new to me author, and I had no idea what to expect. I was surprised by so much with this story. At the top of the list was how much I loved it.

Sanctuary of the Shadow is a New Adult Fantasy Romance and the first book in the Elemental Emergence series from Entangled Publishing Red Tower Books. This is a forbidden romance, featuring Harrow, the only remaining Seer, and Raith, an incorporeal who’s stuck in his corporeal form and has no memory of who or what he is or his past. The two have this unexplainable connection that draws them to each other. However, their past, immortal queens, and those who do their bidding stand in the way of Harrow and Raith being together. They must decide just who and what to believe while fighting against those who try to control them. The secondary characters of Malaikah, Salizar, Ouro, Darya, Furie, and The Oracle add humor and intrigue to the story.

As I mentioned, Sanctuary of the Shadow surprised me. From my love of the characters to the unexpected passion between Harrow and Raith, to the connections among the characters, to the ending I just couldn’t ask for more. I will be, hopefully, patiently waiting for the next book in the series.

~ Favorite Quote ~

“A promise given is a promise kept.”

Thank you to Red Tower Books for the free advanced reader copy, I had my physical book on pre-order since it was announced because I am a sucker for sprayed edges.

I wanted to love this book so much, but it was only mediocre for me. The world building is spotty, but the premise sounds really interesting. I wasn't loving Harrow and Raith together, although they were interesting at the beginning. Harrow isn't some twenty year old, she's got some gravitas (mental age might be a little different), but she makes some very odd decisions for someone of her supposed age. Raith is both brand new and yet not, and doesn't have all of his memories, which makes his actions difficult to understand as well.

What I did enjoy were a bunch of the side characters, some of the conversations, the magical system, and the descriptions of the world.

The overall vibes of the book weren't really my thing, but it's alright.

The book is absolutely gorgeous and looks fantastic on my shelf.

3 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This one wasn’t a winner for me, though it has so much potential so perhaps a sequel could improve?
The world and concept are really intriguing, I haven’t read a fantasy before with circus type elements. But other than this the writing and plot development didn’t live up to their promise. Pacing was off, and everything was just underdeveloped such that I couldn’t really grab onto anything and care much about the characters.

As a bit different reading material from what I normally read, I enjoyed reading this book. I started slowly, as a part of a read-along and I liked the pacing, writing style, and the magic...well everything. I did predict one of the things connected to the characters and that even gave me the will to read further to see what will happen next until the last page.

Sanctuary of the Shadow, just like the rest of Red Tower Books, took my breath away. I went into the story completely blind and was not disappointed. The characters are brilliant, and the story is full of unexpected twists.

What I loved:
-Multi POV (not just dual)
-The main relationship (CAN WE SALUTE THIS AUTHOR FOR NOT DOING MISCOMMUNICATION TROPE FOR THE WHOLE BOOK?)
-The MC: she actually thinks outside of just herself, and does whatever she can for the one she loves
-Her bestie: I LOVE THE FEMALE BEST FRIEND. She is so fun and honestly the instant a certain spider character popped up I was hoping that these two would have a sort of romance (REALLY CANT WAIT FOE NEXT
BOOK)
-Obviously Raith
-The world: maybe it’s because I’m still somewhat new to fantasy but I haven’t read about a world like this before and love the concept of all the powers and everything

Unfortunately, I had to DNF, I didn't enjoy the writing style, and the instant love without any in-depth knowledge of the characters. I was so excited when I received an Arc but unfortunately wasn't for me.

Really enjoyed this. Love the cover (ordered a sprayed edges copy for myself and for a tiktok giveaway).
The main characters, the overall vibes, and the spice. I liked the female friendships and I would LOVE to see more of the circus aspects in the next books. Will definitely be continuing the series. Thank you so much for the ARC!

World building and Character development need I say more...

This was talked to be a fantasy trifecta read (world, character, spicy) but it fell flat. I am sorry to say this was not the epic or even just a fun fantasy read that I was hoping it to be. The start is very slow, and then with a flip of a switch the story is rushed. I need to either have amazing world building or character development/ growth for me to stay with a story. Harrow and Raith's relationship felt more teenager than not and it's not my jam anymore.

Unfortunately this book fell extremely flat for me. This was on my 2024 TBR and had preordered- after finishing, I went ahead and cancelled due to lack of interest in the finalized copy.

The premise of the book is so promising- a dark carnival, a magic system set up with elemental magical forces, a mysterious MMC that the FMC is drawn to. However.. the book is extremely shallow. Everything is very surface level. The writing itself is very stilted and very juvenile- expect for the spice scenes. As a result the book is very incohesive in terms of the writing caliber. The plot takes place within a week to a week and a half- this includes an escape heist, falling in love, and a third act break-up. As a result, everything is very insta-love and insta-lust and you don’t form any attachment to any characters. There are queens, century long feuds, hybrids, territories, and elemental magic plot points thrown at you but yet nothing is actually fully fleshed out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled for providing me with an eARC of this book.

I really liked the first half of this book and the character development. The world building was also really good however the 2nd half of this book felt extremely rushed to me and didn’t do the story or characters justice. I will read the next book if this series though as I was engaged by the story

Thank you to Entangled and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

The overall story arc is endearing and likeable. However, I found myself wanting MORE - more details, more character development, more world building. I think this book could have been a five star read if there was just MORE of everything I mentioned. I would have loved for the author to explore the main characters (Raith & Harrow) more than what was provided, because I feel like I still don't really know them?

this was a one sitting read for me! If you were an Avatar the Last Airbender fan who also shipped Zutara…. then this one’s for YOU.

we’ve got warring kingdoms & tribes, divided by their elementally based magic, all led by a powerful Queen attuned to that specific element, an assortment of unique and lovable animal-human hybrid side-characters (I’m looking at you Mal and Ouro!), and a sweet, HOT shadow/demon MMC. I was in heaven.

Harrow, our Elemental FMC, is the last of her kind — a Seer of the Water. she’s survived the massacre of her people at the hands of the Fire Queen’s assassin’s, and she’s been hiding with the circus ever since. until she meets a mysterious shadow man with no memories of who his or why he can’t remember anything. Harrow defies all logic (and maybe some severe red flags, but I can’t really blame her when RAITH is the reason) and not only befriends him, but vows to help him recover his identity. she senses that her future is tied to him. she’s never been let down by her Element before, and everything is pointing towards Raith. he, on the other hand, wants nothing more than Harrow’s safety. he’s drawn to her just as much as she’s drawn to him, but he knows he’s no good for her, memories or no. I simply loved watching these two become unable to fight this pull! their chemistry was electric & had me blushingggg and giggling!

although we get plenty of moments of tenderness between Harrow and Raith throughout the story, naturally the forces that be can’t let them live in happiness. the history and tensions throughout the kingdom add nuance to their story in such a fun way. there were moments I wasn’t sure who to trust, and a few where I was biting my nails and worried for our couple! and boy was I not expecting these twists, but thankfully this story ends beautifully for our characters.

This was a pretty fun read. It started slow for me but picked up. I was hoping for more involving the circus. The dual pov was okay but sometimes it was hard to distinguish who it was until a few paragraphs in.
Harrow is the last of her kind, a water seer that is keeping it a secret while working for an elemental circus.
Raith is a tall, dark amd mysterious elemental who has no memories and ends up at the circus Harrow works for. She and him have a connection and plan to escape.
Romance, spice and fated mates for Harrow and Raith.

Thank you Red Tower and Netgalley for providing this ARC for me to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is such a stunning, well written book. If you like romantasy this is the book for you. I was intrigued by the characters from the very beginning and the plot, loaded very well. The world building was tremendous and it’s one of those books that you can’t put down once you read. It’s also a book that I will be recommending to everyone I know.

Sanctuary of the Shadow is the latest novel by Aurora Ascher. When Red Tower revealed this book, the synopsis immediately caught my attention, and the stunning cover and edges were the cherry on top.

This book ticked a lot of the boxes for what I love in a story: magic, a mysterious and powerful male protagonist, the uncovering of difficult truths, a painful past, overcoming the odds heartwarming moments and a spicy romance, add to that a circus setting,

The two main characters, Harrow and Raith, face many challenges from the very beginning of the book. Harrow was orphaned when she was only ten years old. She's an Elemental with magical powers - the last Seer alive. To avoid being killed, she hides in a supernatural circus, posing as a human fortune teller. Meanwhile, Raith wakes up in a desert with no memories or knowledge of who or what he is. Everyone he meets (after waking up) seems to fear and hate him, thinking him an abomination. A group of flesh traders capture and sell him to Salizar, the Fiend Collector, and the circus owner. It is here that Raith and Harrow's paths cross, and their journey begins.

Since I don't want to spoil any details. I'll just say I really enjoyed this book. The story doesn't drag anywhere, and it is engaging from start to finish. The struggles of who to trust, what to believe, the process of learning the magic system and the (painful) past of our main characters were what kept me turning pages one after another. We switch between multiple POVs, and besides our main characters, there are interesting side characters as well - hybrids, oracle, enchanter, elemental queens...

IThe romance and chemistry between Harrow and Raith were also great, with all the spicy and heartwarming and heartbreaking parts. (Raith is the newest addition to my list of book boyfriends for sure.)

If you're looking for your next read or want to add a book to your TBR list and enjoy all the elements I listed above, look no further. Sanctuary of the Shadow is the book for you!

Thank you Entangled and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I found this book disappointing. The writing was awkward, stumbling through the story. Despite the main character being 60 in Elemental years, she felt like a teen. The plot seemed secondary to cringe-worthy spice scenes.

It was marketed as "Avatar: The Last Airbender" vibes, which is very misleading - it only shares the Elemental powers concept and lacks all the story. They also raved about a circus theme - that’s also minimal (about 15% of the book).

The MMC, Raith, has amnesia, as mentioned by Harrow, which kind of renders him childlike. Yet they get the insta-love trope and in comes the spice between them and it made me super uncomfortable with the non-con vibes.

Last is the abysmal world-building and character development. Everything considered - this was a miss for me. As you can see in other reviews, some do enjoy it.

Thanks to Red Tower Books and Entangled Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first time I have read this author, and the blurb for it was really drew me into wanting to read it. Some follow their destiny. Others fall for it. For humans, Salizar’s is a place of mystery and wonder. For Harrow, it’s a place to hide from those who slaughtered her entire clan. A haven where she can disguise both her abilities and who she really is. Until he arrives. He has no recollection of who—or even what—he is. He only knows that he’s a monster, with wings and powerful abilities never seen before. But beneath the layers of rage and isolation, one glimpse into those inky black eyes reveals a soul that calls out to the loneliness in Harrow. And so she chooses him. She is drawn to the mystery of him, her unquenchable need for his kiss. And as powerful enemies align and conspire against them, Harrow knows their only hope is escape. Now, with every secret she unlocks from his past, a shadow from her own whispers free—luring enemies who will stop at nothing to get their final revenge on Harrow. And she’s given them the perfect weapon…because her winged beast is not what he seems. But maybe it’s time they finally learn—neither is she.

So the writing itself is pretty good. I loved the main characters and the things that they are dealing with drew me in and are what kept me reading. Raith is everything in this book and I absolutely loved him. I was iffy about whether I truly liked Harrow, but she did grow on me by the end of the book. Here was my issues with the book, it seems to be more young adult at the beginning. Or at least that was how it felt to me and then all of a sudden there are some seriously spicy scenes that I would in no way call young adult. And they didn't seem to fit the beginning of the book. I also was confused as there wasn't the biggest amount of world building, so I didn't really understand some portions of the book as to what they were talking about because it was never explained or gone into in enough depth to get there. Now on a whole, it wasn't a bad book. I did enjoy reading most of it. And the ending left me intrigued enough to know that I will be reading another book in this world, if there is one.

I received this book as a digital ARC. I really enjoyed the story. It had a fantasy feel with characters who are animal hybrids, or who have magical powers. It is a romantic story about overcoming adversity. I gave it four stars because I would have like to see a little further world development and character background.

3.5 -⭐⭐⭐💫

"I'm thinking that I would do unspeakable things to protect you...and that frightens me."

Sanctuary of the Shadow is the first interconnected standalone novel in the NA Fantasy Romance series, Elemental Races. In this novel we follow Harrow and Raith. Harrow is a fae in hiding, spending her days telling fortunes at a circus. Her clan massacred years ago with only her remaining, she fears her secrets to be revealed. Yet, when a stranger is brought into the circus as the latest (unwilling) attraction she is drawn to him. Secrets are abound as the past, present, and future collide with each day these two choose each other; now the perfect weapon against Harrow may be the most powerful as he is not what he seems, but two can play that game.

The book started with a lot of promise but ultimately I felt the second half was very rushed.

Harrow is an inquisitive character who's compassion and love is felt throughout. Raith is in many ways lost and confused and yet his need to protect and his loyalty stands throughout. I felt their romance was sugary sweet and surface level in many regards but it reminded me of Romeo and Juliet. The instant connection, the need to fight for each other against all odds...and the miscommunication that ensues. Though, this ending is much happier.

The spice in this book is about a 3 spicy pepper out of 5 spicy pepper. The romance is fast burn with spice beginning at around the 30% mark. I will add the characters meet very soon into the novel and the do build a connection over time so the spice made sense. It was well written and I was happy with it. There is a part to the spice/romance that I felt was rushed in the second act after the character reunite but no spoilers - just that I felt more time was needed to rebuilt relationship ties after what happened prior.

"He decided he could go anywhere, do anything, as long as he continued to have those blessings. If he could always be Harrow's protector, he could always find happiness. Maybe that feeling was love after all. What did it matter who he'd once been when he had a new identity now? As far as he was concerned, the past could stay buried."

Now the story and world starts of interesting with the fae queens fighting, the power of the wraiths, and the secrets galore. The first half focused on building the connection and romance between Raith and Harrow which was instant connection. Yet the coming fight fell apart for me. I didn't get the sense of that big moment during the climax and the solution to everything felt like a cop out; in addition to an abrupt fast forward in time that rushed the romance for me. The epilogue is sweet and cosy but I went into this story expecting more world building and intrigue which it never quite delivered.

Overall, I feel if you want a super sweet romance with fantasy vibe this book is good but go in with no expectations except vibes.

Thank you Red Tower for the arc!