What a lovely story, the pacing was great, Adlai as a character was well realised and believable. The world building was alright but could have been stronger, some aspects were muddy but not in a deliberate way, if felt like the author was a bit lost - Is this a middle eastern type world and are we as the reader supposed to be picturing Aladdin? Is so, why is Adlai golden haired? Not that she cant be, but we need an explanation or it stands out as an error. Also - We have a ceiling fan? But torches? Is there electricity or is it magic? Or is there a water wheel outside turning the fan? Small aspects like this can really take a reader out of the story. It also felt like we raced to the ending at breakneck speed, but got a bit off track and the pace slowed down but the plot end felt rushed.

I would be happy to read more by this author

H. J. Reynolds writes a great story from this type of book, it had everything that I was hoping for in this type of book. The plot was everything that I wanted and enjoyed through the fantasy genre. I thought this was a really well done book and was a great debut overall.

Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations. I love the cover and the premise, but it just doesn't feel finished. The magic system is really cool, but I was confused about the setting. The cover and desert make it seem like it was maybe supposed to be middle eastern inspired, but the main character is described as having gold hair, which doesn't fit. So maybe it's not middle eastern inspired, which is fine. But I also was very unsure about what time period it's in. There is talk of lanterns and torches, but also a ceiling fan? Overall, it just feels like this book needs some heavy editing, not ready to publish in just a couple weeks.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This story was interesting in the sense of that I loved that I manipulating shadows. I've always been a sucker for stuff to do with shadows and the world that H.J. Reynolds created is fascinating. It draws you in right away with the backstory and makes you intensely interested in the main character, Adlai. You get very drawn into the world of shadows and the god of Death and the cast of characters that is created. You want so much more for all of them and the book sets up for a sequel.

A+ book, would read again.

I went into this book with no expectations. I thought the blurb sounded intriguing, but it didn;t really give me much of an idea of what the book would be. I really enjoyed this book. A fast-paced, thrilling read, with a couple of twists and turns that I didn't expect.

Adlai is a wonderful character - she feels very well-rounded, and well fleshed out, and her struggles feel real, and not overblown. Her relationships with the other characters, and her emotions when these shift are a shining part of the book, especially when they shift suddenly and dramatically, like with Pen.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA fiction, fantasy, and a book that will keep you on your toes throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and CamCat Publishing for this arc which will be released to the world on April 9,2024.


Ok I was confused by this book. I found it hard to follow along. I was not engaged by the plot nor really cared for the characters. I do think others will find this a good book but I just found it mediocre.