When I read the description, the concept of the novel really grasped me and made me eager to read. It seemed like a cool, new fantasy world with a sapphic romance.

But a lot of the novel just fell flat to me.

I enjoyed the romance between Lope and Ofelia, but there were moments that also just infuriated me. I wanted to love them more, but I think that also comes with the plot that fell flat for me. The beginning of their story made me love them, but the lack of true development in their relationship and in the characterization made me have doubts.

I wish there had been a bit more of world-building. I’m typically someone who doesn’t like too much of it, but there always needs to be a good amount, especially in a fantasy world. I felt still lost trying to understand the world because we didn’t get enough information from the get-go.

The ending of the novel simply was anticlimactic to me. There was a pretty good build-up, but the ending was simply too short and simple. I think it would’ve given the novel more if there had been more to the ending. It all happened too fast, and the ending just needed more to it.

Overall, it was an interesting concept, but I wish it had been executed differently and fleshed out more. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Catherine Bakewell is the queen of cozy fantasy. Where Shadows Bloom, like Flowerheart, is cozy, lighthearted, and sweet. The setting is as lush as the writing. The plot was overall predictable, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, you don't want your cozy fantasy to be twisty and harrowing. The romance was sweet, but the poems interspersed throughout the story seemed slapped on the page without any real work (in other words, the poems were not good). It wasn't my favorite, but I will definitely continue reading whatever Bakewell publishes!

I absolutely adored this book. Cath created a wonderful, wonderful story that has struck deep within me and made me tear up many times. In this story, I saw myself, my love, my feeling of being and love.

“True love changes you. It leaves a mark upon you. Even if no one can see it.”

This story is filled with love; it contains shadows, royals, family, sacrifice, poetry, dancing, fighting and sorrow, but above all, it contains so very much love.

I would like to thank Netgalley and especially Catherine Bakewell for this experience, and of course, allowing me to have it before its full release into the world. May this flower bloom in many hearts.

The very first thing I need to say about Where Shadows Bloom is how gorgeous the cover is. Catherine Bakewell’s covers never disappoint. Sadly, I don’t know who the artist is, but hats off to them. This is easily my favourite cover of the year so far.

The biggest negative I have to say about Where Shadows Bloom is how long it took me to get invested in the story. The first half of this book is extremely slow. I can appreciate the world building as this fairytale-esque world is interesting, but it took a lot longer to read this book than I expected.

The only comment I have that could be viewed as negative is how convenient the ending is. I liked the twist on your typical happily ever after, but I imagine some people will not be happy with it. I wouldn’t say it’s a ‘deus ex machina’ ending, but the resolution does come about fairly easily and the main problem of the story is fixed quickly. Personally, I liked the lower stakes, but if you’re looking for an action packed book, Where Shadows Bloom isn’t for you.

I’m a big fan of fantasy books set at court and Where Shadows Bloom was definitely an interesting one. I do, however, feel like this world was a little underdeveloped. From the get-go you get an uneasy feeling surrounding Le Château Enchanté, but this isn’t explored enough for my liking. There were definitely creepy and mysterious vibes, especially when Ofelia finds out surprising information about her mother, but these could have been drawn out more. A ‘gods-blessed’ immortal king, who you can instantly tell something is up with, was a great story line though.

Ofelia had a naivety to her that added to the overall whimsy of Where Shadows Bloom. She was very quick to trust, which often landed her in trouble, but her development is done pretty well. She starts out the book thinking only of herself but grows to the point of not thinking twice before sacrificing herself. I wouldn’t call her a perfect character, not in the slightest, but her self absorbed nature becomes more forgiving when you realise how coddled she’s been her whole life.

Lope on the other hand was great throughout the entire book. I loved that her chapters started with a short poem and her narrative was just better written. She manages to find beauty in the worst of situations but that doesn't stop her from being realistic. Having her thoughts grounded in realism was the perfect balance to Ofelia’s chapters that were mostly filled with life at court.

I wanted to love the romance but it felt half baked. Ofelia and Lope spend a lot of this book apart so you don’t really have reason to root for them. From the very first chapters you learn that they both have feelings for each other. I don’t think this helped. Flashbacks to any day they spent together in the last five years would have done the romance a world of favours. Don’t get me wrong, I did like them together – I will always champion sapphic books.

Overall, I did enjoy Where Shadows Bloom but nowhere near as much as I thought I would. I actually think the plot would have benefitted from a sequel book so the conflict, resolution and romance didn’t feel so rushed.

Rating: 3.5/5

This is a book where the main character makes or breaks the book. Ofelia was adorable, but naive in a way that was often perplexing, and it worked very well for her character arc but I think some readers will soon tire of it. It's written in dual POV, and I often enjoyed Lopes POVs more as she's a lot more grounded and realistic about the situation, but Ofelia is sweet and I did like the romance between the two.

This book is set in a world overrun by shadows, a type of monster that attacks at night and consumes people. Ofelia is a young noblewoman who lives with her mother on an estate protected by knights, among them Lope. They live an isolated life away from the court, where Ofelia wants to go, but her mother at first doesn't.

Le Chateau Enchante is the King's castle where most nobles live, and the only place free from shadows. Ofelia and Lope arrive after her mother went first and then went radio silent, and there's a lot of weird shit going on. There's no war in Ba Sing Se level of weird. People at the court vehemently deny the shadows exist, talking about them is not permitted. There's parties literally every night and attendance is mandatory. There's some weird places people are not allowed to go.

Personally, I'd take my chances with the shadows.

But Ofelia is instantly enchanted by all the beauty and the cognitive dissonance is strong here. Whenever she sees something weird, she immediately justifies and explains it to herself to keep up the facade that everything's perfect. It's kind of her coping mechanism after living so isolated on her estate, she imagines herself living in a fairy tale and it's cute but she's also ignoring some glaring red flags.

Lope on the other hand is more grounded, and she immediately clocks something's not right here. She's convinced the shadows emerge from in/around the chateau and spill into the world from there, and as a knight who's been fighting them for a long time, she wants nothing more than to figure out a way to stop the shadows from spilling into the world in the first place. She's also a poet, which I thought was a nice detail, and there's lots of lines of poetry she wrote in the book. I generally enjoyed her POVs more because they were a bit more plot heavy and a bit less ignoring all the weirdness, but the book is a good balance between the two.

I think the beautiful aesthetic combined with some dark hidden truths worked very well here, and while Ofelia's naivety is a definite flaw, her being romantic and hopeful is also a strength she can use. The book also has some Orpheus/Eurydice myth elements towards the end which I thought was an interesting take on the story.
It seems to be marketed as somewhat of a cozy fantasy, and I'd say it's not that. Stakes are definitely high, but it does use some of that aesthetic, and in part, its a facade, but it also remains true that Ofelia is just genuinely like that.

Would recommend this book to people who enjoy breaking through that facade in a creepy court setting, and do not mind an extremely naive main character.

This is a light and whimsical read, with lush worldbuilding and poetry sprinkled throughout. I loved the character of Lope, an orphan knight who renamed herself after a poet and spends her time writing her own poetry. Lope is stoic, dependable, but secretly romantic and passionate. I was less a fan of the object of her affection, Ofelia. Ofelia was bubbly to Lope’s pragmatism, making them decent foils in some ways. But I did struggle with how selfish she seemed at times, how willing she was to believe people she just met over her best friend of 5 years just because she wanted to be in luxury so badly. Ofelia is nobility who tries to understand the power dynamic but never seems to get there. Still, I enjoyed the ending, especially with it’s redemption and transformation of a surprising character.

This book is so dreamy and was giving me Orpheus and Eurydice vibes! Lope’s poems were swoon worthy and I enjoyed Ofelia’s character development! Definitely recommend giving this lovely book a read!!

Where Shadows Bloom by Catherine Bakewell is an excellent upper middle grade to young adult read. The pacing was handled exceptionally well and character motivations were easy to follow. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for other works by this author.

Where Shadows Bloom by Catherine Blakewell is a captivating and poetic tribute to true love, friendship, and the essence of being human.

Set in a magical world filled with gleaming gold and enchanting soirées, where fame and power reign, Ophelia and Lope embark on a journey to first find Ophelia’s mother, then to unveil the secrets lurking in the shadows, where real monsters await. Like true, dangerous, life-drinking monsters.

The author beautifully illustrates the evolving dynamics of friendship, the blossoming of romance, and the sacrifices we willingly make for those we cherish. This novel ignites a desire to delve deeper into the lives of its characters. As Ofelia and Lope navigate the challenges at Le Château, the unfolding truths bring their love to the forefront, while family bonds and the presence of magic enrich the storyline, adding layers of intrigue and excitement.

I wholeheartedly recommend this enchanting read to anyone who delights in knights, poetry, hidden mysteries, and a world woven with shadows. Absolutely beautiful, lyrical and filled with yearning!

Thank you for the author, fiercereads and netgalley for the Arc!

3.5⭐. Thank you NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC.

I feel like this is such an apt time to read WSB given that Wicked the movie is still on my brain. If you haven't recovered from the bittersweet moment of two friends parting during Defying Gravity, this will be up your alley. You have the privileged upper-class girl in Ofelia torn between the safety & comfort offered by the King and her love for the knight Lope, who is uncovering the horrific conspiracy behind the King. Only this time, there's no subtext and you get all the delicious on-page sapphic yearning ... and declarations of romantic love.

The downside of WSB is that I had to hang on to the midway point for things to get VERY interesting for me. Nonetheless, once I reached the second half, I devoured the plot. Author Catherine Bakewell's prose fits the overall lovely fairytale vibe. Ofelia of course undergoes the most character development: while she might not have behaved maliciously, her ignorance and initial decision to choose a Comfortable Lie over the Harsh Truth were detriment to her character. I do find Ofelia's growth incredibly satisfying—how she went from never thinking to ask Lope, who is in a subordinate position to her, what the latter truly wanted, to undertaking an incredibly selfless act that would be of no benefit to her but to others. Coupled with Lope's own growth of pushing past her default setting of being subservient to the nobility, I grew to adore these two girls.

I could see some readers possibly finding the ending too convenient, too good to be true. But to me it's like a comforting alternative to the HEA we'll never get in Wicked.

This is the kind of young adult book that I wanted when I was younger. The characters make mistakes but learn from them; the plot is mysterious and engaging; and the world building is brilliantly done. This book is plenty sweet, with a darker undertone and has lots of yearning between two well matched characters.

The knight and her lady is one of my favourite pairings in books, and I’m so glad that it’s reappearing in 2025. Lope is serious, where Ofelia is whimsical. And Ofelia is determined, when Lope is shortsighted. I love how balanced their relationship is, and the way that they work together. It was incredibly touching whenever they defended each other, especially in tense situations.

The wider plot of this book is incredibly well written, with the right amount of mystery and intrigue. The blend of high society culture, and the fear surrounding the shadows made a fast paced book, and it all fits together beautifully. I loved every minute of this, and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to read it early!

Thank you to the publisher for this arc! All thoughts are my own

I loved this authors first book, Flowerheart, even though I felt like it read more middle grade than YA. I went into this one hoping for a more YA feel, but it still felt incredibly young. Which isn’t a bad thing! I think this would be perfect for a 12/13 year old girl to read, and I love how there are sapphic stories that read so accessibly for children to get into.

With that said, the setting and Ofelia both felt underdeveloped- I couldn’t really tell where we were in the world and I never grew to like Ofelia like I did Lope. I struggled to be immersed enough to read this for more than a couple of chapters at a time, thus it took me a while to get through this. If I went into this expecting something younger, I think it would’ve been better for me, and both of these characters being younger (13 or so) would’ve made the character progression and plot make more sense as well.

Where Shadows Bloom is a whimsical and romantic fantasy that transported me to a spellbinding castle that hides dangers and secrets behind its glittery facade. The setting is enchanting and really adds to the fairytale vibes that I got from the story. This book also had huge amounts of pining and is definitely romance heavy. The Characters develop and grow throughout the story and seeing some of the characters mature and change for the better was incredibly satisfying. This book felt like a mixture of a lot of different things I really love and it definitely worked for me. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a cute romance with heartwarming characters, and a world you can just fall into and be swept away.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

it was a pretty good romantasy, i was in love with the romance right from the beginning, friends to lovers has always been my favorite trope and for it to be sapphic just add the cherry on top, i really enjoyed the plot and writing.

This was a great read with an interesting concept. We follow a female knight, Lope, who is trained to fight shadow monsters and has sworn to protect the daughter of the estate she is a knight for, Ofelia. The love the two girls have for each other is so sweet, and I love how we get to read both of their POVs to understand how they feel for one another. This book is full of whimsy, mysteries, betrayal, and the ending was quite unexpected but in a positive way.

This is a great sapphic romance full of mutual pining that takes place in a more fairy tale type of setting especially with their being the relationship between a knight and nobility.

Thank you NetGalley, Cat Bakewell, and HarperCollins for the arc copy!

Once agian Bakewell takes us to a lush fantasy world- this time one where myserious shadows have appeared to torment the people of the kingdom. Ofelia's mother used to live at the palace- the only place in the country that is safe from the shadows, but left for myserious reasons. When their home is no longer safe she returned to to palace to beg for a place to stay, but word of her arrival never reaches Ofelia. With her dearest friend and protector, the knight Lope, Ofelia goes to the palace to find her mother. But the perfect safe haven is not quite as perfect as it seems...

The star of this book is Lope, She's the model of a perfect knight- chiverlry, sapphic pinning, love poetry... She is brave and honest and doesn't fall for the trappings of the court. Ofelia... is difficult. She is delightful, but completely out of touch with reality (something caused by growing up on fairytales and not a lot of human interaction). The two chatacters together have great chemetry and I loved watching their friendship develop into more.

This book is darker than Bakewell's previous novel, but just as lush. A solid YA romantasy.

Catherine Bakewell's sophomore YA novel is a whimsical take on a modern fairytale. Ofelia has dreamed of living in the court, Le Château Enchanté, her mother was raised in, and she almost convinces her mother to return, before she disappears. While, Lope is a knight for Ofelia's family, but she has more passion for poetry than fighting. The two embark to Le Château to find Ofelia's mother and discover all the secrets she's been hiding.

This book is an ode to friendship, fairytales, and fighting the shadows hiding in the corners and behind faces.

I enjoyed reading this book quite a bit. I really loved Ofelia and Lope's characters at the beginning, although Ofelia's actions and choices did seem to be a little too naive towards the middle and the end of the book. I didn't really see as much character growth as I would have wanted or expected from her based on the events of the book, and she seemed selfish to me both in the beginning and at the end.
I wish that there had been more development in the world building. I really enjoyed the aspects of world building that were present in the book, but it felt like there was a lot that could have been expanded upon throughout. I did enjoy the end of the book, and I liked the writing style throughout the book as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy!

This book was so wonderful! The cozy vibes and love were truly captivating to read about. I loved the mythology and mystery aspects.

Countess Ofelia and her knight, Lope, have lived their lives isolated in Ofelia's mother's countryside estate, pining for each other in silence. When the attacks from the creatures known as "Shadows' grow too bold, Ofelia's mother goes to plead for sanctuary from Le Chateau - the one place where Shadows don't live, and that Ofelia's mother has begged her to stay away from. However, when Ofelia's mother doesn't return with the king's answer, Ofelia and Lope must journey to Le Chateau to seek both sanctuary and answers, testing their courage and their love.

Things I loved:
- the world building and the descriptions! This book was lush - everything was very decadent and I was enchanted by how colorful and vibrant it was!
- Lope: I found Lope to be very relatable, and I identified strongly with her motives, her purpose, and her story. I thought she had a great head on her shoulders and I was just taken with her.

Things I didn't love:
- Ofelia: I found her naivety to be frustrating rather than understandable. At first, I got where she was coming from, but over the course of the book, her "ostrich sticking its head in the sand" got to be annoying, especially when Lope was being very sensible by comparison. I also found her to be very hypocritical - she was willing to believe and do anything to get what she wanted, but judged it in others.

Overall, very pretty book!