I got this book as an Arc - This is my personal review

The writing style is magnificent!

“enemies” to lovers but more put like put together by Ash’s mother to break the curse she ought her son to break, but it was actually Mal who was the chosen one.
Chosen by the Gods, or much so created by a god.
Arranged oath marriage, only they started seeing eachother, for who they really were and fell, hard.

Plot was plotting, loved every curve and loophole that was in the story, can’t wait to discover more of this series!
Romantasy done right!

Add this to your TBR!
Second book in the series is coming up, can’t wait to see how everything is going to develop.
The epilogue gave me chills

(EN) I loved this book so much and I hope that some italian publisher will find this title!.
Why I loved it?Well..
I love strong female character and this book is full of them.
You can find dragons, wyverns and a lot of magical beasts, one for each reign.
You will suffer, but you'll also laugh thanks to the amazing people you will meet during the narrations.

I can't wait to read the next one!

(IT)
Ho amato veramente tanto questo libro e spero che qualche casa editrice lo trovi e lo pubblichi perchè secondo me merita veramente.
Perchè mi è piaciuto? Beh..
Amo i personaggi femminili forti e questo libro ne è pieno.
Potrete trovare draghi, viverne e un sacco di altre creature magiche, ognuna tipica per il suo regno di appartenenza.
Soffrirete leggere, ma riderete anche grazie ai personaggi meravigliosi che incontrerete durante la narrazione.

Non vedo l'ora di leggere il seguito

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash is a captivating dark fantasy that seamlessly blends magic, political intrigue, and forbidden love into a richly imagined world. J.F. Johns delivers a story full of tension, emotion, and beautifully drawn characters that linger long after the final page.

From the start, I found myself completely drawn into the romance—not just the main one, but especially the love story between Kai and Alina In fact, I almost loved the secondary characters more than the leads. Their emotional depth, chemistry, and the stakes surrounding their relationship felt so raw and real that I was rooting for them even more intensely. Their arc brought a layer of vulnerability and passion to the book that truly captured me.

That’s not to say Mal's storyline isn’t engaging—it absolutely is. Mal is a complex, morally torn character navigating a world ruled by shadows and secrets. Johns does a fantastic job of creating an atmosphere that’s both haunting and mesmerizing, with danger lurking in every corner and political games that keep you guessing.

The romance is a slow burn, but once it ignites, it’s emotionally satisfying and layered with nuance. For fans of enemies-to-lovers or forbidden attraction, there’s plenty to enjoy here. The prose is evocative, the pacing well-balanced, and the worldbuilding immersive without ever feeling overwhelming

Overall, A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash is a beautifully written, emotionally rich fantasy that will especially resonate with readers who crave character-driven stories with strong romantic subplots. It’s the kind of book that makes you ache, hope, and hold your breath.

Thank you so much NetGalley for gifting me this ARC. The cover is absolutely stunning and was originally the thing that drew me in.

Firstly, Mal Blackburn? What a strong and feisty woman. A strong FMC that was awe inspiring, but absolutely lethal. The world building and character development made this book incredible to read and would definitely recommend. Potentially a bit too fast paced that felt skimmed over but that's a minor thing in comparison to the rest of the story.

I cannot wait to buy this book and will definitely be part of the bookclub

🌟4.5
🌶️1.5

I'll be reading more by this author I'm sure!

✨Romantasy // Fantasy Romance
✨Enemies to lovers
✨Great banter, fierce sassy FMC and lovable side characters
✨Mental health rep
✨Slow burn romance 🔥 // some minimal spice
✨Secrets, court intrigue, dark magics and prophecies
✨World building with magic and magical creatures
✨Arranged marriage, forced proximity, polical alliance/murderous intentions
✨Found family

Side note: Amazing book cover! <3

Mal was a kick ass FMC, with her unique looks, powers, and big ambitions, though the side characters won the story for me! There were so many great and interesting side characters all worthy of their own story. Very entertaining, great world building, and characters. I'm keen to see what happens next with this author.

” I do not mind starting another Great War for you, princess.”

x

Features :
●A bad ass fmc
●Wyverns and dragons along with plenty of other creatures
●hot sand sisters
●an overly chatty side character you'll love
●broody mmc

This story is set in a land with 8 kingdoms who all rule separately but in harmony with each other. That is untill 100 years ago. When a witch and a drakonian fell in love, but happiness was never in their cards. In their downfall, a cure was cast. Now, 100 years later, time is almost up.

This story has multiple povs but is focused on events circling Mal. Mal is a 4th born child in the wyverian house. Born with purple eyes, she is an anomaly and kept away from most of the kingdom. That is until she becomes betrothed to the drakonian prince Ash. All tales paint him as a cruel prince who, by all accounts, will make Mal suffer in their marriage. But with the impending fulfillment of the curse, she will have kill him to save herself and the kingdoms.

Some of my favorite quotes are;

"He is my husband. I shall sit on him however it pleases me."

"It's not babysitting. It's kidnapping."

"They do not have a way of saying I love you. Instead, they say waa kair janta. Which means we fall together."

"The Kingdom of Shadow and Ash" by J.F. Jones is an absolute triumph! This book isn't just a read; it's an immersive, heart-pounding journey that completely swept me away. Earning a resounding 5 out of 5 stars, it's everything I could want in a New Adult Fantasy Romance and more.

What immediately grabbed me and held me captive was the exquisite enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Mal and Ash. The tension between them is palpable from their very first interaction, building with every barbed word and stolen glance. Their journey from adversaries bound by duty to something far deeper and more dangerous is incredibly well-executed, filled with irresistible banter and undeniable chemistry. It's the kind of slow-burn romance that keeps you utterly enthralled.

Beyond the scorching romance, the magic system in this world is truly epic and captivating. It's rich, imaginative, and seamlessly woven into the fabric of the story, making the powers of these characters feel both ancient and incredibly potent. J.F. Jones masterfully unveils its depths and dangers, making it a pivotal force in the unfolding plot.

The plot itself is a masterpiece of intrigue and suspense. Set against a backdrop of ancient feuds, hidden curses, and courtly betrayal, the story is packed with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. The pacing is relentless and utterly addictive, making it impossible to put down. Every chapter is a step further into a world brimming with secrets, where loyalties are constantly tested and the stakes are impossibly high.

If you're searching for a book that delivers on every front – from a sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance and an epic magic system to a gripping plot – then look no further. "The Kingdom of Shadow and Ash" is a must-read that will leave you breathless and desperate for the next installment in the Kingdom of Gods series!

8 kingdoms stuck in dispute and fear after a great war 100 years prior and a curse with an impending end. Mal Blackburn and Ash Archeron are arranged to be married to unite kingdoms. However, Mal's intentions are not to fall for the Fire prince.

The writing was very vivid and immersive allowing me to get lost in the world building and the characters. The pacing seemed a bit slow, personally, at times. I really enjoyed the romance, however the romance between the two main characters felt a little bit rushed and out of know where; a little bit more building upon their connection would have really strengthened their dynamic. I did really like the FMC and her strong independence and will.
The multiple POV's were easy to follow and I was not confused at any points. I was allowed to connected to several characters and able to learn about the different kingdoms. The magic system/curse felt very detailed and well-thought out.
The ending... I was not expecting that! The last 10% I was turning those pages!

I was very impressed by this book and would definitely pick up book two!

Thank you to J.F Johns for the ARC copy!

Overall, this was an entertaining read with likable characters and an interesting magic system. As an animal lover, I loved that most realms had an association with an animal. The FMC Mal Blackburn was refreshing strong and decisive, and I often found myself relating and rooting for her throughout. The fun part of this book is by the end you feel you have it all figured out where the next books will go, until you don't. I found myself teetering on the edge of a near cliffhanger waiting for Book 2.

This was a romantasy book I enjoyed.

It’s a good book with multiple points of view and tells the tale of 8 kingdoms (?) that were once peaceful.

It’s a good story. It’s entertaining and kept me engaged.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash is fast-paced fantasy with just the right mix of danger, darkness, and romantic chaos. J.F. Johns gives us a world on the edge of collapse, where every alliance is fragile and every choice feels like a trap.

The protagonist is fierce and haunted, navigating betrayal, shifting loyalties, and ancient magic with grit and vulnerability. It’s a ride full of secrets and slow-burn tension, perfect for fans of morally gray characters and twist-filled plots. An addicting start to what promises to be a powerful series.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
3.5/5 Stars
(All for Kai & Alina)

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
☯︎ Enemies To Lovers
𓅇 Prophecy
☯︎ Chosen Ones
𓅇 Unknown Heritage
☯︎ Strange Birth & Eyes
𓅇 Arranged Marriage
☯︎ Forbidden Romance
𓅇 Better Side Character Then Main Character

𓂃🖊Notes and Highlights-

ˋ°•*⁀➷” Let them all believe I am the villain of this tale. As long as they are safe, I do not mind being the truest monster of them all.”

ˋ°•*⁀➷”‘Remember one thing, princess,’ he murmured into her hair, his voice barely a whisper. ‘You are the fiercest woman I have ever met. And I shall never forget you for that alone.’”

ˋ°•*⁀➷” Do not be afraid. I won’t let anything hurt you.”

ˋ°•*⁀➷” I do not mind starting another Great War for you, princess.”

ˋ°•*⁀➷” It would be a sin to touch her. A sacrilege to let her go.”

💭Thoughts-
My only thought during this is why is Kai and Alina’s romance not the actual main romance going on. They were literally the only real reason I kept reading this book. The fmc and mmc did not deserve their role as main characters at all in my opinion. This book may have been focused on Mal and Ash, but they were never the true characters of this story.

📝Characters-

𓆩🖤𓆪 Mal-
Honestly, she was so mid and just such a basic bad A** fmc that anything she actually did or didn’t do did not even phase me. Like oh my gosh you’re this super special person?!? Like so what! Get over yourself girl.

𓆩❤️‍🔥𓆪 Ash-
I actually did not mind him and liked how he showcased how main characters can have anxiety and panic attacks too.

✰ Kai-
This was the Kai that I wished was in Powerless because he was the same exact way as the other, but more unhinged and thus way more fun to read about.

💅🏻 Alina-
I just loved the emotional growth we saw with her and how she became such a girl boss in this book as time went on. Like yas queen, you go and beat them all, girl!

📜🪶Kage-
He was the perfect little nerd and the perfect supporting character to the real main characters. Kai and Alina.

🐺 Wren-
Wren, Wren, Wren, you were just so much fun to read about! The way your brain thinks is so unique and fun to read about and experience!

Now Playing:

⊹ ࣪ ˖Morally Grey By April Jai˖࣪ ⊹
0:01 ❍─────── 4:28
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇ 1000%
(In Honor Of Kai & Alina)

(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

Overall, this gave me all the elements I look for in a Romantasy. I loved Mal’s bold, protective spirit and the layered multiple POVs. The romance had tension, but I wanted more spice.

A dark, magical fantasy that reminded me why I love the genre. Can’t wait for A Kingdom of Sand and Ice!

One of my favourite Romantasy books so far this year 💞💞
Give me dark magic and forbidden love and I’m all here for it I absolutely devoured this book in a few days and I couldn’t get enough. I couldn’t put it down.

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏*STANDING OVATION*👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

This isn’t your average romantasy! It’s layered, intense, and full of slow-burn tension that is slow delcious.

A Kingdom of Ash and Shadow completely surprised me in the best way! The multi-POV style, the enemies-to-lovers/marriage of convenience arc, and the political magic system all hit perfectly. The final 10% had me breathless. If you’re craving a dark fantasy romance with secrets, curses, and a fierce heroine. Highly recommend to add this to your list.

'A marriage meant to heal an ancient rift, to bind two kingdoms that had despised one another for generations.'

Set in a world that is made up of eight Kingdoms, consisting of the Kingdoms of: Darkness, Fire, Fauna, Light, Ice, Air, Sand, and Magic. A Kingdom of Shadow & Ash is described as an enemies to lovers romance, featuring an arranged marriage supposed to unite the Kingdom of Darkness and the Kingdom of Fire which have long hated each other, in order to build an alliance against their common enemy the witches and warlocks of the Kingdom of Magic. This story features, magical creatures, mystery, a curse that threatens to doom the world, and an uprising of the oppressed, solidifying it as not just any other 'romantasy book' in my overall ranking.

First of all, I want to thank J.F. Johns and Netgalley for the EARC in exchange for an honest review. Despite this, all of the opinions and remarks in this review are my own and they haven't been altered of swayed in any way.

To start off, I immediately requested this ARC the second I finished reading the description because it sounded right up my alley, and I'm not annoyed to say I was correct in that assumption. I really enjoyed this book. The characters felt real and the dynamics between them didn't feel forced at all. The way Mal and Ash didn't immediately fall in love with each other (whilst they were essentially strangers to each other) was a good thing as it allowed the romance to be a slowburn with tension (although it could've had more). The set up of the world, whilst it may be stereotypical for a romantasy book, felt new and original as all of the kingdoms were properly introduced and seemed like an important part of the plot.

The writing style really fits well for a fantasy book set in a world with magic and mythical creatures. Instead of just calling things what they are, Johns crafts sentences full of whimsy to show and not tell what is going on in the Eight Kingdoms. Instead of just simply saying that Mal really doesn't like Ash when they first meet, she says: "His devilish smirk haunted her, a silent mockery that infuriated her more than if he had spoken outright. He had refused to answer her questions, had toyed wither patience as though she were some game for his amusement. The thought of being shackled to such a man, of enduring a lifetime bound to his silence made her stomach twist in revulsion." And she also includes the most perfect description of unrequited love/not knowing how the person you love feels towards you, with: "Sometimes loving someone else is so painful that you feel like you cannot breathe. just looking at them and knowing that they are yours and you are theirs is the most beautiful feeling in the world. But when you do not know how they feel, it is suffocating. All you want is to confess your love, to feel their skin against yours and yet, the fear of their rejection is like a blade piercing through your heart. Love is torturous./ But what would we be without it?"

One of the main plot points is that Mal and Ash are prophesied to have to kill each other because of a curse that has been placed on the lands by a witch called Tabitha Wysteria after her lover was murdered. For the most part, only Mal is aware of this fact and does plot to kill her husband both before and after the wedding, but Ash doesn't have a clue about this prophecy until it is revealed to him after they are already married. Ultimately, both characters decide that they would rather let the world end than live a second without the other. Johns writes on Mal's decision by saying, "She could not kill him./ The thought was a stone lodged in her throat, an undeniable truth she had come to accept. No matter how many times she tried to steel herself, no matter how many nights she spent convincing herself that this was the only way, the answer remained the same. She would not, could not, plunge a dagger into Ash Acheon's heart. She would face the curse instead. She would greet it with open arms, let it carve it's wrath into her bones, let it take everything if it must."

Out of all the characters, surprisingly my favourite was Kai Blackburn. You may be wondering who Kai Blackburn is as the main MMC's name is Ash Acheon, but he is the older, slightly rebellious brother of Mal. Not only does he essentially say to someone that is harassing his love interest that if he dares lay a hand on her again that he will cut him up into pieces and feed him to his wyvern when he is done, he is also there as a shoulder for Mal to lean on when she needs someone to talk to (going as far as saying to her that he'd kill Ash if he laid a hand on her, alliance be damned). I do wish there was more of him in this book and that he didn't have to leave to accompany his older sister back to their homeland, but nevertheless, I am excited to see what the author is going to do with his character in the rest of the series.

Even though Kai was my overall favourite, I still loved Ash (despite the fact he is a blonde). Ash seems to be a massive greenflag on every level. From the beginning he makes it clear that he will never disrespect Mal or make her change in order to fit in with the customs of the much more conservative and strict Kingdom of Fire. His wedding present for her is one of the most heartwarming gestures I've read in a while and actually had my eyes tearing up with how sweet it was. Also through the character of Ash, Johns describes what it's like to live with debilitating anxiety and the trials and tribulations people with it face in their everyday lives, such as the anger at ourselves for not being able to have a casual conversation like all of the other people around us, and how you can feel so alone because you know lots of people will not understand why we are the way we are and even make fun of us because of this.

My main critiques on this book are that whilst it may be described as an enemy to lovers romance, to me it didn't really come across as that. The relationship between Mal and Ash seemed more like strangers who had believed bad rumours about each other and were then proved wrong when they actually got to know each other properly. The other thing that I didn't really like was the reveal at the end as it sort of just confused me and came out of nowhere, although listening to Dynasty by MIIA during the last few minutes did enhance the atmosphere this scene created and made all of the reveals more dramatic.

Overall, I give A Kingdom of Shadows and Ash 4.5 stars!

This book was absolutely phenomenal. It took me a little bit of reading to get into because the writing is very visually descriptive. However, once I got into it I honestly couldn’t stop. This is a “read until 2am because I can’t put it down” kind of book.

The characters are very well written, especially the females who are all unique and enchanting in their own way (Wren!).

The world building was excellent although I did find myself getting confused between the kingdoms and the houses. I loved that they all differed according to the weather/climate (Kingdom of Ice, Kingdom of Fire, Kingdom of Darkness etc) and the fact that they all had differing looks and attire it was such a cool element to learn about.

The last 100 pages blew me away… I was teetering on a 4/4.5 star rating but the last 50 pages specifically were fantastic.

Can’t wait to read book 2, I just hope it has MAJOR Alina/Kai storylines!!

Started out interesting and good, then the writing fell flat for me and the pacing too slow. The premise felt unique and interesting, but it became too YA in the writing style for me and then I struggled to connect to the characters. I felt like there were too many povs, I don’t mind multiple but then they need longer chapters for me to be able to get into that specific pov.

After the Eight Kingdoms went to war, because of a broken marriage contract, ending with the destruction of the witches kingdom, the seven kingdoms left have a tense relationship. This book follows Mal, the fourth born to the throne of the Kingdom of Shadows and based on what history says, she should not have been born. She gets offered the opportunity to go to the fire kingdom to marry the fire prince, known for being cruel and malicious, to mend the relationship between the two kingdoms. However, there is a prophecy that states the way to end the curse is to kill the fire prince and Mal sets out to do just that.

*DNF at 10%
10% This feels like a very standard Romantasy at the moment. Like there’s nothing special that grabs my attention. It feels very basic. I also think there is too much time and back and forth conversations between Mal and Kai before she goes to the fire kingdom. It felt unnecessary since we know Mal goes to marry the fire prince anyway. There is also a weird tension between Kai and Mal. It almost feels incestuous. There isn’t anything pushing me to want to continue. I like faster paced books and the fact that it takes over 10% to get to the advertised plot is a little too slow for me. Nothing is really explained in this book. I don’t know what the curse is, why everyone is eating rotten fruit, what rumors have been spread about the fire prince that makes everyone hate and fear him, etc. i think I should have a better understanding of the book and be more invested at 10%. I might come back later when I am in a better headspace to read this book, but I don’t think it’s for me at the moment.

Thank you to NetGalley and to J.F. John's for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

This book was incredibly well done - the writing was fantastic, the darkness, the magic, the wyverns (I'm obsessed), the political schemes, forbidden love, and the way that this book just flowed was simply incredible. This kingdom, this entire world, is so vivid - the way that the author writes just brings it all to life with vivid and colorful descriptions which made it easy to feel as I was there also. I FELT the emotions, I felt the challenges, it was so beautiful.

An issue that I see with a lot of romantasy books as of late is either this over the top, impossible to follow, world building - where it's intense and there's very little room left over for real character development. OR you read the books where the characters are explored in great detail but the magical system and world is left with more holes that aren't filled. However, neither was the case here - the world building is engaging and creative, the magic of it all was really explored and it all just felt so rich. I loved the multiple points of view as well and each character was so well developed and they had such beautiful voices all their own - it was really nice being able to get inside each of their heads.

The one tiny "negative" I had was just on the pacing - some of it didn't feel very smooth and coherent. There was also a bit of a rush at the end and either I would have liked to have more pages to have it drawn out a bit more with the same detail as the rest of the book - and I know - a reader wanting more pages on a 550+ page book?? That's a bit controversial I know but this is just one of the books I feel like I want even more from. I can't wait to see what comes next in the seres though - that's for sure!