Super unique fantasy novel that feels brand new to the genre. I appreciate that there is rep for the LGTBQ community and was excited to read something new and fun. I got a little bogged down with some of the backstory and lore, but again, credit for being fresh and new and not the same fae storyline over and over again.

Favre sacrificed her wings for love, but the goddess Thana sacrificed that love for power. Favre never forgave the loss, and Thana's choice led to living in eternal night. One thousand years later, Leyla is the crown princess of a vampire nation. Her best friend is captured during an attack on the capital, so Leyla travels to Nekros, the island of the dead. The closer she gets, however, she risks awakening an ancient evil.

There are two timelines in this book, which is the first half of a duology. One timeline is that of Favre and Thana's life together in the wake of Thana seizing the throne. The nobility among gods looked down on Favre, so they eventually go to the world of mortals. Now a vampire, Thana declares herself queen and kicks off a war lasting nearly a thousand years. The other timeline follows Leyla the vampire princess, Najja who can see the dead and is capable of foretelling the future, as well as Favre trying to get back to Thana, who was betrayed by her daughter and proclaimed dead to vampires.

The book took me a bit to get into because there's so much going on at once. This steep entry might be off-putting to some readers. The traditional fantasy story of rescuing Leyla's best friend from the dangerous creatures is fairly straightforward, and Najja is pulled along with her due to the visions she had and the duty to her family to see fate through, even if the current vampire queen has condemned her people for that very gift. The alternate storyline in that timeline is slower, with fewer clues, so we see less of Favre initially. More of her is seen in the past, leading up to Thana's choice and those who followed her to the mortal world.

The majority of the book follows Leyla's journey, so her chapters and Najja's feel the most relatable. They journey together and learn about the kingdom as well as each other, and their arc is pretty obvious from the start. Side characters come and go, and the book feels short. The finale felt flat and unfinished, mostly because there's a second half to this story. I won't spoil it, but there's a distinct need for that second book to finish the overall story.

It's a super interesting premise but couldn't hook me. The changes in timeline and POV happened so fast and at times unclear. For now it's a DNF, but I may pick back up at a later date.

Angels. Gods. Vampires. Seers. Loved this take on a vampire origin story! Favre suffered so much for the people in her life. She was the epitome of staying and sacrificing for that toxic relationship. Can’t wait to see what book 2 has in store for Leyla and Najja.

Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Ancient Gods, vampire queens and princesses, and mythical seers made this one an interesting ride. I loved the characters, world, and preface of the story. What I did NOT love was that I stayed confused the entire book as to who was telling their story and who was who. But overall, the story was good and kept my interest. I was gifted an ALC of this book by NetGalley and the publisher and these opinions are my own. 3.5⭐️, if the characters weren’t so confusing to keep straight between chapters, this would’ve easily been a 4⭐️.

Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell is a captivating Black sapphic vampire romance that delves into the complexities of sacrifice for love. This lush and intoxicating novel seamlessly weaves together tender romance with unexpected twists, creating a dark and thrilling reading experience.

She had to take control of her own destiny. She had to act now.

Where Shadows Meet is the first part of a duology where readers are introduced to a fantasy world of humans, vampires, and gods. This would be great as a primer for upper young adult readers you'd want to bridge to adult high fantasy, this had all those elements on a more toned down scale. The beginning, especially before the story actually starts with the family tree and glossary of characters could feel a little overwhelming, my advice, glance over it and then come back after you've read half and look it over again as the names and their positions will be more recognizable and stick with you more. The story follows three point-of-views, Favre, Najja, and Leyla. They each come from different backgrounds but their stories weave together and through their povs, the world building is created.

I see death. And it sees me. The dead whisper in my ears, tormenting me.

The fantasy setting land is one year into a peace treaty that has vampires mining gold in exchange for humans giving their blood. Previously, vampires and humans had been fighting for a thousand years after a god, Thana and her partner Favre, left the Heavenly Realm for the human one. Thana had killed her father, from a sword forged from Favre's ripped off wings blood, after he refused to let Thana marry Favre. This action caused Thana to become the first vampire and she was banished from the Heavenly Realm, Favre and a few other gods going with her. The humans didn't like Thana just setting herself up as queen and the war started. Favre's character brings a lot of themes about selfishness, sacrifice, and emotional abuse in romantic and familial relationships. Her povs jump from the past to show her building romance with Thana and what happened as they came to earth and then the present as Favre breaks from an imprisonment imposed on her and her bid to free Thana. You'll get most of the outer whole lay of the story from her.

“Sometimes the only way to find out the truth is to go along for the journey. Have faith. Believe. Trust in yourself.”

Najja is the second pov character we meet and her povs are all from the present. She's a yamaja, a messenger of fate, she has visions of death and can see and hear the dead. She fears her powers and doesn't like how her people have been regulated to an island after her great-great-grandmother delivered a vision to the vampire queen that she didn't like. Najja has issues of never feeling good enough and living up to the pedestal she puts her sister on, along with grief from losing her mother. When Reapers attack her home, her sister tells Najja that she had a vision that Najja must help the vampire princess, this sends Najja reluctantly running from her home to the capitol to find the princess.

“It’s not so simple as us being the bad guys and them being good. Maybe once it was like that, centuries ago, but war means atrocities have been committed on both sides. It’s now up to us, the present generation, to acknowledge our past while also healing the scars that remain.”

This leads to us meeting our final main character, the vampire princess Leyla. Leyla is the heir and as her mother has a very advanced sickness, she knows she'll be getting the crown soon, even if she feels wholly unprepared for it. Leyla's that sheltered naive but earnest character that has felt beaten down by her mother and suffers from chronic pain that also works to make her feel not good enough. When she's exploring the town with her bestfriend Danai, Reapers attack and end up taking Danai, while Najja shows up to protect Leyla. This leads to Najja and Leyla starting a small road journey at the halfway point to go and rescue Danai from the land of the dead.

“I’m glad you’re here with me. We’re here and we’re surviving and maybe, for tonight, that’s enough.”

A lot of this first duology book was getting to know our three main characters, as we spent time in their heads, some of the soliloquies did go on long enough to slow the pace down, but I didn't really feel that way until the beginning second half as I thought some of Favre's feelings were retread one too many times. This is a story, though, that I think is worth investing in the time, it's moving parts might not seem to fit together at first but I thought as it went on it was pretty smooth how the author worked to slowly bring them together. Najja's there to try and protect Leyla and not allow one of the outcomes of fate, the one Favre wants to bring on, freeing Thana. There's the destructive romance between Favre and Thana and then the building one between Najja and Leyla. I did think Najja and Leyla's emotions and romance was rushed and I wasn't a total believer in it but the second book in the series could build on those emotions.

I’m forced to watch as she rows away, toward the island where souls go at their end, to the place where shadows meet.

This obviously ends on a cliffhanger, the ending of this dances into horror, which I enjoyed, but the rush of the events happening felt a little jarring after the majority of the book's pace was more slow moving. The worldbuilding was less about the physical setting and more about the social and cultural structuring of society and how that emotionally impacts individuals. There was also a lot of working in mythology, fairytales, and folklore that I enjoyed and will have you saying, I recognize that every so often. The characters fit an upper young adult classification and if you go in expecting a high fantasy primer feel, you'll enjoy this one. The combined elements of vampires, humans, and gods, how this was structured to weave the three main characters together, young adult emotional themes working through, and at times richness to the writing, made this intriguingly enjoyable.

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