A Touch of Shadows by Jessica Thorne is an enchanting blend of magic, romance, and adventure that completely drew me in. I loved the way Thorne built a vivid, immersive world full of danger and intrigue, while keeping the emotional stakes high. The chemistry between the characters felt electric, and the story’s twists kept me hooked from start to finish. It’s a captivating, swoon-worthy read I didn’t want to end.

Touch of Shadows was a quick, easy-to-read Romantasy that I think would work well for readers who are just dipping their toes into the fantasy genre. The premise had a lot of potential, and I enjoyed the core ideas, but I found myself wishing for more depth in several areas.

The romance leaned heavily on a “love at first sight” connection, which made it hard for me to feel fully invested in the relationship. I wanted to see a more gradual, organic build between the characters rather than an instant supernatural pull. This lack of development also led to some questionable decisions that were tough to rationalize.

The fantasy elements—especially the worldbuilding and magic system—were intriguing but felt underexplored. The villain, while menacing, read more as a caricature than a fully fleshed-out antagonist, and I wished his motivations had been more complex.

That said, the pacing made it a breeze to get through (around 260 pages), and the writing style kept me turning the pages. I think this could be a great pick for someone looking for a low-stakes fantasy romance without a huge cast of characters or a dense magic system. For me, it was enjoyable but not one that will stick with me for long. Thanks so much to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

I was completely swept away by A Touch of Shadows! It has everything I want in a 5-star read: beautiful writing, a vivid world, and characters I couldn’t stop rooting for. Every page pulled me deeper into the story, blending emotion, magic, and intrigue perfectly. An easy 5 stars! I loved every moment! Thank you, NetGalley!

I loved the idea of Wren’s magic being tied to her hair. It’s unique and eerie in the best way. The forest setting felt atmospheric, and there’s plenty of tension between Wren and Finn. But the pacing was uneven, the romance a bit underdeveloped, and the twist didn’t land as hard as it should’ve. A solid, quick fantasy read, just not quite as spellbinding as I hoped.

Touch of Shadows is a dark and immersive fantasy that masterfully blends magic, mystery, and complex characters. The story draws you into a richly imagined world where shadows hold secrets and power comes at a cost. With atmospheric writing and a gripping plot, it explores themes of trust, betrayal, and identity, all wrapped in a slow-building tension that keeps you hooked. Perfect for readers who enjoy layered storytelling with emotional depth and a touch of danger, Touch of Shadows delivers a compelling journey without revealing its twists.

Book: A Touch of Shadows
Author: Jessica Thorne
Series: The Lost Queen, #1
Book Length: 321 Pages
Publisher: Second Sky
Overall Rating: 4 Stars
Blog Rating: 4 Stars

This book centers on MMC whose name is Finn and is a Knight and employed by the kingdom. His main objective is to hunt down witches using shadow magic. However all his training and weapons can’t help him when he is charged by heinous monsters in the forest near Wren’s village.

Wren is the FMC and had to save this braw Knight. She knows it will reveal her hidden magic and put her in jeopardy, however she also finds herself desiring this swoon worthy man. Are these feelings genuine or is it just the shadow magic making her feel this way?

Finn and Wren both are extremely attracted to one another but both know her magic is very dangerous in the dark. He does not believe he was attacked on a wim but was singled out as a target for a specific reason.

Shall Finn and Wren surrender to their true desires for each other, will they destroy their world and everything and everyone they know? Will they ever truly trust each other and open their hearts? Read and find out their fate!

🖤Shadow Magic✔️
🖤Enemies to Lovers✔️
🖤Hunter✔️
🖤Fated Mates✔️
🖤True Love✔️
🖤World Building✔️
🖤Character Building✔️
🖤Magic System✔️
🖤Secrets✔️
🖤Romantasy✔️
🖤Rapunzel Retelling✔️
🖤Slow Burn✔️
🖤Original✔️

This is the first book in the The Lost Queen Series and my first book by this author. I am excited and anxious to see where this story goes. It is an adult Rapunzel retelling with a fun enemies to lovers story with a slow burn romance. This book is more romance than fantasy in my opinion but still a very fun read which I recommend.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Second Sky publishers, and the author Jessica Thorne. I voluntarily agreed to do an honest, fair, review and blog through netgalley. All words, thoughts, ideas are my own.



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This book could have used 20,000 more words of JUST worldbuilding, I had a good time but didn't feel like the world had enough meat on it.

Wanted to love it but it fell short for me. The world building wasn’t what I look for in a fantasy romance but I will say that made the reading a bit easier. It was a good quick read though!

I wanted to love this one, I really did. The premise was intriguing, but the world building overall felt underdeveloped and I had a hard time getting into it. I wish the magic system was more thoroughly explored as well. The insta-love also just didn't do it for me!

A Touch of Shadows is the first book in a new series. I felt like this was a Rapunzel retelling but I didn't see anywhere that actually states that it is. Magic, young girl taken to a far place to live in a tower with a witch. Saves boy from the scary woods and here there is instalove/instalust. This was a fast read and it did keep moving but there are pieces that still need flushed out and maybe that will happen in the second book. Good just not great.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very interesting fantasy novel. I really enjoyed the magic system in this book and loved how different it was. I loved the multiple points of view in the book as it really added a lot to the story as a whole and had me guessing what would happen next. I really loved Wren and Finn, they were such great characters.

A Touch of Shadows pulled me in from the very first page with its atmospheric setting and an intriguing premise centered around forbidden magic, hidden identities, and the power of choice. Wren’s story, rooted in mystery, bound by secrets, and charged with a slow-burning tension, was compelling and refreshingly unique.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Wren and Finn. Their chemistry felt authentic, especially as it grew stronger with each use of Wren’s magic. The magic system itself, tied to Wren’s hair and her identity, was beautifully symbolic and added emotional weight to the story. And as truths about Wren’s past unraveled, I found myself even more invested in how she would rise to face what had been kept from her.

There’s a great balance here between character-driven emotion and external stakes, especially once the threat from Ilanthus becomes clear. The pacing was solid, the writing lyrical without being overdone, and the romance had just the right edge of danger.

A true slow burn!

While the beginning was slow and I think the world could use some additional fleshing out, the mystery, magic and romance were great and kept me not only engaged but eager for more. The ending had an unexpected twist and i’m excited for book 2!

THAT ENDING!?
I need book two like now! I am absolutely obsessed with Finn and Wren. And definitely loved the adventure this book took me on. I would have never guessed any of the twists that were thrown my way and I seriously am so excited to read more.

Overall I really enjoyed this book! The slowburn romance was delicious and the mystery element was wonderful.
The beginning of the book felt slow to me however the payoff was worth it. And while the world building felt like it could be a little more fleshed out, it didn’t detract from the overall story. I am excited to add this book to my personal bookshelf.

A Touch of Shadows is a beautifully written, atmospheric fantasy with a perfect blend of magic, mystery, and slow-burning romance. Jessica Thorne draws readers into a world that’s both haunting and enchanting, with a heroine you’ll root for and secrets that keep you turning the pages. A captivating read from start to finish.

This book embodied a slow burn romance. Tangled lies and truths, love and fear, dark and light. Jessica Thorne captured the adventure of a young woman whose past was unknown to her, her present assumed from the woman who raised her, Elodie. Having lived an outcast most of her life, when Wren met Finn her life was turned on its head. Finn, a member of a group Elodie always told her to avoid, but a man Wren was pulled to by forces she could not comprehend. The lust between them shone through the story from the moment they met. While it simmered at times, their desire for each other was red hot, culminating in a pages-long scene that left the reader desiring to read more about their entanglement. I was very pleased with this book and truly want to know what happens next, as the end of the book leaves a potential disaster hanging in the mind of the reader (AGH cliffhanger!)

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

The story was there but it was more of a light read. I love fantasy books but was disappointed by the lack of depth and complexity that usually engages readers.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
.5🌶️

I’m not gonna lie, the first half of this book was SLOW. Like REEEEEEALLY SLOOOOOOW. It made me consider even dnf’ing around 35%. But I pushed myself to continue and I’m so glad I did 🥹

Man, the story was just so good. There were so many little mysteries that had me intrigued. Wren’s hair? Eloide’s identity? Finn’s family? Nox? Aurum? So many questions.

This was so interesting though!!!! After that slow beginning, it really held my attention and I couldn’t put it down.

I had so many words to say about this book but none of them are doing it any justice so let me just say that I loved it and I’m ready for book 2 🥹

Thank you so much to Forever for the ARC of this book! 🫶🏻