Sadly, I did not get very far into this book. I didn't need to, to know it wasn't for me. It very quickly felt hard to read. I feel like there was too much going on to be such a short book/series and so not much was happening, but information was just being crammed in. Lore, world building, etc, is good but I think that in this case the book was made of puzzle pieces that didn't all fit together. A "simple" vampire novel not weighed down by all this other random stuff would have been better. *Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.*

Favre sacrifices her wings for love, only to be betrayed by Thana, who chooses power over love. This leads to eternal night and their eventual destruction. A thousand years later, Leyla, the crown princess of the malichora, embarks on a perilous journey to the Island of the Dead to rescue her best friend. Leyla is accompanied by Najja, a fierce seer. As Leyla navigates this dangerous path, she risks awakening an ancient evil that could destroy everything she holds dear. Set against the backdrop of a war between vampires, humans, and gods, the story explores themes of loss, self-discovery, and the question of whether we choose our fates or they choose us.

Overall, Where Shadows Meet was an enjoyable read. I appreciated the unique blend of humans, gods, and vampires that Patrice Caldwell introduced. She did an excellent job portraying mental health and grief. I loved the character development of Najja and Leyla, especially as they supported each other. However, I wish there had been more world-building, as some parts of the story were a bit hard to follow.

The pacing felt slow at times, but I pushed through and enjoyed the storyline overall. This book requires your undivided attention to follow the multiple POVs and events. It ended on a cliffhanger, and I'm eager to see what happens in the second book. Overall, I recommend this book, especially for vampire lovers.

Rating: 3/5
Spice: 1/5

Tropes:
LGBTQ Rep
Loss
Self-Discovery
Fate
Self-Sacrifice
Strong FMCs
Multiple POV

Thank you St Martin's Press, NetGalley and Patrice Caldwell for a gifted copy of this arc. All thoughts are my own.

Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell was more than what I expected!
It’s addictive, emotional, heart-wrenching, magical, brilliant and compelling and a story I’d happily return to in the future.
This was an incredibly fun, immersive and engaging read. The cast of characters were fully developed, the plot compelling and the writing comfortable and easy to read. I had such a good time with this one.

I didn't manage to read this one before the book actually came out, but it's one of my most highly anticipated and I can't wait!

I was absolutely fasicnated to read a sapphic vampire novel featuring protagonists of color. With vivid storytelling and lush and romantic worldbuilding, there was no way I was going to be disappointed with this book. There was a lot of details and concept that I feel really enhanced this story and I'm really looking forward to reading more from Patricia Caldwell.

Where Shadows Meet focuses on what is more important: love or power? Different characters are willing to give up one or the other to meet their goals. A Sapphic vampire and goddess story? You have my attention. This is YA, but there are some snippets of spice.

It is an interesting take on vampirism and the logistics of that. The world feels large, and like there is still a lot we don't know about. However, there are a lot of aspects of this book that could make it hard to follow if you can't sit and devour it in only a few sittings (lots of POVs, some time jumping, diary entries). Some of this may be sorted out if the story continues because it could be a case of a book one world building info dump.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

First book in a duology, slow burn romance. BIPOC Queer vampires, sapphic romance, and a world of gods, humans, and vampires at war?? What more do you need to want to read this series? The story follows Favre and Thana first, Favre is the daughter of gods and has wings... which she sacrifices for Thana, a princess trapped by her family to give her powers... which she uses to kill her father and drink her blood, thus bringing a curse upon them both as they've essentially become vampires, can't be in sunlight and must feed on blood. When their powers are threatened, Thana is locked in a curse and Favre is forced to wander alone waiting to find the key to break said curse and awaken her. Then a thousand years go by and there is a war between vampires, humans, and gods.... and we follow three new characters: Layla, the sheltered crown princess of vampires, her best friend, and Najja, a seer who goes to help. All their fates are intertwined and told from past and present, various POVS, and journal entries. This book was not great, like I can see the premise drawing people in and making you curious however, the actual execution and story is lacking. The characters felt barely fleshed out and kind of blended, the story itself was all over the place and not exactly easy to follow, and the whole book just felt boring. I felt myself disconnecting various times and just trying to make it to the end of the book. I unfortunately will not be continuing with this series. I give this book points for having Queer rep and BIPOC romances... but thats all I can really give it points for.

Release Date: April 1, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This was a super interesting premise and fresh take on vampires. There was lots of interesting backstory and world building. I will definitely be recommending this to anyone looking for a quick, YA fantasy read.

I was provided both an ARC and ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this. The audiobook has several narrators, which is helpful as the story is told from Favre, Leyla, and Najja's perspectives. As many of the characters in this book are female and the POVs are female it really helped having a distinct voice as the POVs switched. This doesn't alternate between chapters, though it is mainly told in the present from Najja and Leyla's point of views with sprinklings of the past here and there from Favre's perspective. I also found it helpful to have a copy of the ebook handy as there are lots of characters and new names to keep track of. The ebook also has a handy family tree to look at and an explanation of the vampire bloodlines which are important. The audiobook will come with a PDF of supplemental information, the ALC did not so I don't know what all it contains.

This follows Leyla, a vampire, Crown Princess, and descendant of the original vampire. She tries to live up to her mother's expectations but always seems to fall short. When the capital comes under attack by strange monsters and Leyla's best friend is captured, she vows to save her. Her mother forbids her, but she has chosen to take fate into her own hands this time. Najja is a yamaja and her people are the messengers of fate, and her fate is tied to Leyla in some way. They team up to find Leyla's missing friend and possibly prevent the world from ending. As Leyla and Najja are on their quest, Favre a powerful and old vampire awakens from a long sleep and is determined to awake her true love who has also been asleep for very long time. Favre has sacrificed much for Thana and will continue to sacrifice to awaken her again, even if it ends in destruction.

We get some great info about Thana and Favre's relationship in the past and how the vampire bloodlines/classes came to be. We also get some background on the world and how everything works which I appreciated. Favre is on a mission to awaken her love and will do anything to get her back, but I can see the cracks in the foundation starting to form or atleast I hope I do. I'm hoping Favre comes to her senses about how much she has sacrificed for Thana, and Thana hasn't done much but manipulate and take from those around her. As for Leyla and Najja, their relationship is only just beginning to blossom, and I expect it to develop further as the series progresses. There are some more mature themes, but nothing graphic, gory, or detailed for YA readers who are ready for something on the more mature side of the age range.

I am really looking forward to where this series goes. This does end on a cliffhanger but you could see it coming well in advance. I thought the pacing was good, we got good character development, and I love a good YA fantasy that discusses some bigger topics. This does have trigger warnings so make sure you read the author's note before picking this up, she addresses them there.

Shared this review for the ALC as well!

THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD! Oh my, where do I begin?

This black sapphic vampire slow-burn romance was the perfect start to my April reading. We have three expertly written POV's that usher us into this world where vampires, gods, and humans exist in the same space, definitely giving a different spin on the traditional vampire stories. The relationship that blooms between Layla, Crown Princess of the Vampiric race, and Naja, a Yamaja, was quite precious. They didn't really know what to make of each other because they were clearly on opposite sides of the conflict, making them understandably cautious in their dealings with each other. Slow burns are not usually my go-to choice of trope. However, I enjoyed this one because it made sense, and the moments of awkwardness did not linger long. This cast of women was written with amazing strength and vulnerability. They were young but not childish, and their issues were valid. The ending left me wanting more, in a good way!

World-building top tier
Character-building top tier
Affection on the page top tier
Multiple POV expertly written
Dual timelines written in a manner that was followable and made sense
Vampires, Humans, Fates, and Witches, OH MY!

I had the pleasure of receiving the ALC of this amazing book. Alexis Campbell, Khaya Fraites, and Melinda Sewak, you ladies did a top-notch job with the voice acting! You really added color to this already exciting story.

I had the pleasure of a tandem read/listen experience and it was AMAZING!!


I don't have the words to properly express how good this felt, and I am afraid I will begin to spoil it. This was a good time.

Thank you, Netgalley, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, and Patrice Caldwell for the ARC of this phenomenal book!

I am voluntarily leaving my honest review!

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC.

There wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with this one. Just a lot of info dumping at the beginning (I should have known when there was a giant section with the royal family tree and blood lines) and I was bored and wasn’t interested enough to continue.

You have no idea what I’ve done for love. Just as you have no idea what you may one day do.

Once long ago, a girl named Favre sacrificed her wings for love. Thana, the young goddess she so willingly gave them up for, sacrificed that same love for power. But everything has a cost.

Favre never got over the loss of her wings. And Thana’s choices led to a life of eternal night, and later, their destruction. Favre has bided her time ever since, waiting for the chance to resurrect the girl she loves who turned her into the creature she hates.

Now, a thousand years later, Leyla, the crown princess of a vampire nation, must travel to Nekros, the island of the dead, when her best friend is captured during an attack on her nation’s capital. But nothing is as it seems. The closer she gets to her goal, the more her body seems to work against her, and the more she risks awakening an ancient evil and destroying everything she holds dear.

Set in the aftermath of a war between vampires, humans, and the gods that created them, Patrice Caldwell’s devastatingly romantic fantasy debut, Where Shadows Meet, centers the heart-wrenching pain of loss and the struggle of self-discovery to ask: do we choose our fates, or do our fates choose us?

This book is categorized as young adult literature, and I concur with that classification. If presented to high school students, I believe they would appreciate a new lore of gods and vampires written to reflect them, especially after having to read the classics for school assignments. Consequently, I can literature teachers pairing this with Greek tragedies as a means of demonstrating how they can be reimagined into new and unique. Regarding book itself, the length is, and I believe one would be satisfied with reading this a standalone or as part of the intended duology.

What a mesmerizing debut! Patrice writes a rich, complex fantasy world that blends mythology, romance, and supernatural intrigue. The first in a duology, Where Shadows Meet brings a new spin to the traditional vampire lore while centering on a powerful Black sapphic narrative.

The story spans a thousand-year arc, beginning with the heart-wrenching tale of Favre and Thana – a relationship defined by sacrifice, love, and betrayal. This sets things in motion for the present timeline where we follow Najja, a fierce seer, and Leyla, the malichora crown princess, as they journey to the Island of the Dead to save her best friend.

Patrice excels in crafting complex characters with layered motivations. This story explores fraught familial relationships, especially mother-daughter dynamics, and how to forge your own path once your fate has been decided.

I thought the romance between Leyla and Najja developed a bit too quickly for me and I wasn't a fan of the mini third act conflict between them. I think the relationship would've had a stronger impact if it was more of a slow burn, drawing out some of the confessions into the 2nd book. Because of this, the pacing occasionally felt uneven, particularly during their journey to Nekros. It felt a bit too easy to travel to this island that is something only one person was able to do in a thousand years, so I was expecting a longer and more difficult journey.

All that said, Patrice really sets up a promising foundation for the second book in this duology. I can't wait to see where this story goes. I especially hope we get more insight into Thana's mind, because she is such a fascinating character!

Where Shadows Meet is a captivating story of fate, sacrifice, and the lengths one might go to for love.

Read if you love:
🩸vampire origin
☁️gods and goddesses
🩸sapphic fantasy
☁️fate and destiny
🩸complex mythological narratives

Sapphic vampires, gods, monsters, and an epic journey? That’s a recipe for a fantasy I should have devoured. And while I could definitely see the author’s vision and ambition, this one just didn’t hit for me.

The story was weighed down by heavy info dumping, and I found it difficult to stay grounded in the shifting POVs—it left me feeling more confused than captivated.

That said, I did push through because the potential is there, and I truly hope this series finds the readers who will fall in love with the world the author worked so hard to build.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers, for approving me for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was very excited to dive into this book! The synopsis pulled me in immediately! However, I felt the execution fell flat for me. When I started reading Where Shadows Meet, I was quite confused about what was happening. I thought it would become clearer as I read on, but the info-dumping made it even more complicated to understand. It was overwhelming. It took me a bit longer to finish this book because of this, and by the time I was done, I didn’t remember much. I loved the premise, but unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.

I had a hard time with the world building. It was really heavy and a lot at the beginning. I was lost.

I DNFed at 45%

First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! For a debut, this one was really good! Definitely worth the read!

Only made it about 50% into this one, and I wanted to like it so bad but just couldn’t get into the story!! It has an insanely cool premise and a collection of sick female leads, but the pacing was off and I couldn’t find myself emotionally invested in the storylines. Maybe I’ll pick this one back up in the future!

I want to thank @pncaldwell @stmartinspress for the #gifted e-book and @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2025 for the #gifted audiobook.

This book was truly captivating. I enhanced my reading experience by enjoying it alongside the audiobook for a fully immersive journey.

The narrative centers on Favre, who courageously sacrifices her wings for the love of Thana, a young goddess. However, Thana's choices ultimately lead her to destruction. Now, a thousand years later, Favre is determined to resurrect Thana, willing to go to any lengths to achieve it. Meanwhile, Layla, the princess of the vampire nation, embarks on a quest to find her best friend, risking the awakening of an ancient evil in the process.

As the first installment in an enthralling duology, this book offers a relatively quick yet deeply engaging read. The story unfolds from multiple perspectives and timelines, enriching the backstory of a world inhabited by gods, humans, and vampires. The pacing is steady, the writing flows seamlessly, and it keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The ending delivers a tantalizing cliffhanger that leaves you eager to discover what happens next.

If you're drawn to tales of vampires, gods, and intricate mysteries, this book is a must-read. Be sure to mark your calendars for its release on April 1, 2025!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC of this book.

To start, Where the Shadows Meet is a perfect example of how to do a cliffhanger right. There is some resolution but you know lingering there is going to be a bigger problem- I despise the ones that cut off right at a peak moment leaving you completely in the dark of what is to happen next.

This is a fantasy world with a lot of world building- you do have to accept that you will have no real idea on what is going on for awhile and trust that it will all come together eventually. I enjoyed the historical portion of this and the fact that there does not seem to be a love triangle involved, PHEW

I rounded up from a 3.5 because I loved the representation in this story, the potential in the types of vampires/beings and I am intrigued to know more when the 2nd book in this duology comes out.