This is an ARC review. I want to thank J.F Johns and Independent for allowing me the chance to read this book ahead of release day! While I am not usually a person who loves third person, this book truly sucked me in from the beginning. And the ending has me hooked to know how on earth Mal’s parents even got together. The tension that built between Mal and Ash after their arranged marriage was everything. Knowing that Mal was predestined to kill her husband only to find it isn’t as easy of a task as we all thought. The Cruel Prince wasn’t cruel at all which only made it all that much. I loved Ash as a future king who is finding his way with his stuffer/lack of ability to speak socially. This book as a whole, felt more like a fantasy with sides of romantasy and I am here for all of it! Speaking of sides, the side characters love story development and the way their stories are all connected, brought another dimension to the plot line that was just chef’s kiss. This was the best book one to bring us into the world of The Eight Kingdoms.

All I wanted to do….was read this book. Wow. When I tell you this book captivated me right from the start. It is everything I could want in a fantasy book. Compelling story lines and characters, plot twists, and cliffhangers. This was beautifully done.

This is an electrifying fantasy novel that combines political intrigue, dark magic, and complex characters in a way that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Set in a world where kingdoms are ruled by ancient, often sinister forces, the novel offers a rich tapestry of themes, from loyalty and betrayal to power struggles and personal sacrifice.
I'm trying not to be lunatic while writing this because I'm still confused by the different characters in 3rd POV since reading 3rd POV usually take more than half of my brain function.
the world building is fantastic, the author has created a world that feels alive and full of history. The novel’s pacing strikes a solid balance between fast-moving action and slower, more introspective moments.
The trope here we get arranged married and enemy to lovers, is a must read for fans of dark fantasy, some may find certain plot points predictable, especially if they’re familiar with the fantasy genre.
Overall I enjoy the book.

3.5 ⭐️

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash is an action-packed fantasy that follows Mal Blackburn as she unpacks the truth behind an old curse amid her betrothal to the Fire Prince, Ash Acheron.

For starters, the cover of this book is a quick attention grabber. It has a stellar prologue and world concept. I love the kingdoms and their associated creatures. This book checks all the boxes for a romantasy read: powerful FMC, morally grey men, magic, supernatural creatures, stunning settings, kingdoms, conflict, fighting, loss, love, etc. All things considered, it’s a great book and really easy to get into.

I went with 3.75 ⭐️ because as great a story as it is, it felt so rushed. There was minimal explanation for a lot of the events, characters fell into dramatic, deep love overnight, and everything seemed to be measured in extremes. A variation of the word “shatter” was used PERSISTENTLY. There were a LOT of characters & POVs. I think it took away from the main plot and came across slightly two dimensional. So while it IS a good plot, it just felt a little cookie cutter for me at times.

This is definitely a good read for romantasy lovers. And despite my own opinions on the writing style, I think I am invested enough in the story that I’ll be keeping an eye out for the sequel, and maybe even picking up the other series by J.F. Johns.

BIG thank you to NetGalley and J.F. Johns for sharing this ARC copy with me. I’m looking forward to the sequel!!

Thank you to Netgalley.com for providing me with an ARC of this title.

Mal, a princess from the kingdom of darkness is forced into an arranged marriage to Ash, a prince from the kingdom of fire. Their union is supposed to bring peace and unite all of the kingdoms against the witches but a prophecy is foretold that one of them must kill the other to break the curse set by the witches.

I really liked Mal as the FMC. She was fierce, determined, unapologetic in herself and powerful. She is the 4th born child (which is unheard of) so it was clear from the start that she was different. I enjoyed reading about her coming to terms with her power and I can't wait to see her development in the next book.

It took me a while to get into the book. I was struggling to envisage the world other than the castles. It needed more world building but hopefully that will come in the next book. Once we got to the wedding, I became more engaged with the story.

The multiple POV's became a bit much at times. Sometimes I couldn't tell who we were reading about at first. I wasn't keen on reading the slang when it came to Wren either.

I really wanted more tension and yearning between Ash & Mal. There was a total lack of communication throughout most of the book with very few scenes between them. At the 60% mark they are all of a sudden romantically together and in love. It felt forced. There was more tension between Alina and Kai!

The ending was enjoyable. It was chaotic but there were twists, turns and betrayals. I liked the cliffhanger. This book seems like it's a good setup for the rest of the series.

Definitely grabbed me from the beginning. I couldn't stop reading til the end. I just had to finish to find out what happened!

I was intrigued with this story, and how it starts with the beginning of revenge for the loss of love. And as the story unfolds it really digs it's hook in you to keep reading. Fire and shadow clashing like waves. I loved the world that was created. It was enjoyed.

I wish there was more an explanation of the actual world and magic. Along with the certain houses and what the people there look like. They’re are some explanations but not enough. For example they mentioned in passing that it’s always night time. Does that mean there’s never a day and it’s always dark Same with the rooted food thing. Do they only eat rotten food what’s the point of food then?

The world building needed more help and more detail. There was a bunch of random things thrown in, and the reader is expected to just figure it out instead of it being explained properly. The third person POV took some time to get used to, but to add to the chaos there’s multiple POV’s that the stories told through, which also made it confusing to attach to the main character

This was listed under New adult, but it’s deff more YA. Spice is 1/5 at best

And this is just me being really really nitpicky, but I felt like there was too many descriptive words. Like everything doesn’t need to have this elaborate description leading up to it. a sword can just be a sword. It doesn’t have to be a gleaming, glistening molting thing. My point being every time a sword has mentioned it doesn’t have to be this exuberant trail of words.

Now why the 3 stars and not lower…well the ending kind of hooked me so I’ll be speed reading book 2 when it comes

Mal and Ash’s story completely captivated me from the very beginning. I absolutely loved how open and honest it was – how she is the shadow and he is the fire. Their dynamic is intense, emotional, and compelling, and following their journey together was such a highlight. The book truly had me hooked from the first to the last page.

What I also really appreciated was that the story doesn’t just focus on Mal and Ash, but also gives us deeper insight into Mal’s siblings – Haven, Kage, and Kai – as well as Ash’s sister, Alina. Their individual paths are woven beautifully into the main plot. Alina’s inner struggle between loyalty to her family and her desire for freedom felt incredibly real and heartbreaking. The different Characteristics of Kai, Kage, Haven and Mal, their differences and their love for one another was captivating.

The various storylines are skillfully intertwined and come together in a powerful and satisfying way. Despite the complexity of the world and its layered structure, I never once felt lost – in fact, every page pulled me in deeper.

The writing style is absolutely stunning – vivid, emotional, and clear. And best of all, there wasn’t a single character I didn’t love. This book created such a rich and immersive world with a truly gripping story.

I’m beyond excited for the second part of Kingdom of Gods and can’t wait to dive back into this universe. Without a doubt, one of my top reads of the year!

Thank you Netgalley for this opportunity to read A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash. The world building and writing was very captivating. I was sucked into this amazing world and couldn't put it down. The twists and turns kept me on my toes.

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash offered an enchanting blend of romance and fantasy, making it an engaging romantasy read. The feminist undertones woven through the narrative—brought to life by a compelling, strong-willed FMC—were truly chef's kiss. The sheltered princess archetype, infused with defiance and sharp opinions, gave this book its unique and refreshing vibe.

While the enemies-to-lovers premise is a beloved trope, it felt slightly unconvincing here. The immediate and undeniable attraction between the characters lessened the tension one would expect from such dynamics. Despite this, the story’s pacing was excellent and kept me hooked from start to finish. The world-building struck a perfect balance—immersive yet not overwhelming—making the setting vivid and accessible.

A few parts of the story were admittedly confusing, as if certain details had been glossed over or missed entirely. However, the inclusion of prophecies added layers of intrigue and kept me eagerly piecing together the mysteries throughout the tale.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

DNF @ 20%-ish

The cover and chapter art is stunning! This beautiful cover drew me in—would the story keep me? Honestly, it could have, but the execution just didn’t land for me.

There were a few things that made it hard to stay immersed. One moment a character is thigh-deep in water, and the next she’s stumbling through cobbled streets? No transition, just bam, new setting.

World-building felt pretty light overall, especially for a fantasy setup. There were so many beautiful words used to describe the House of Shadow castle… but I still don’t know what it actually looks like. What are the characters wearing? Can I have a bit more than just “a grey dress”? What does the area around the castle and city smell like? It was hard to get lost in the world or feel any atmosphere. And weirdly, some physical descriptions came through as dialogue between characters, which made me think I missed something earlier (Mal’s horns, for example).

I also don’t understand the rotting food—was that symbolic? Literal? I’m confused. Maybe it’s explained later, but it was mentioned enough times early on that I expected some clarity.

The character naming/introductions also felt inconsistent. The FMC was introduced with her full name, then other characters were introduced with just first names. Then later, we got her full name randomly again? Don’t assume we remember all the character names of each house listed at the beginning either.

The main storyline is about marrying the House of Flames prince, but that doesn’t even happen until about 17% in—around 80 pages. That’s a long setup. We got Kai and Aline’s POVs before even meeting the MMC, which was frustrating. I just wanted to skip those chapters. Also, I personally would’ve preferred the FMC or MMC POV when the FMC first arrived at the Fire Kingdom.

Writing-wise, it’s clear the author still has some editing to do. Overuse of commas, em dashes, and the word “that” made reading feel choppy.

Some sentences were so confusing to read, I did go back to read again. Sometimes, less is more. Like this one:
“Because if she—a princess with cursed eyes, a girl who should have never been—could be the one to save them all… Then maybe—just maybe—she would not be the monster she had always feared.”

That could easily be tightened to:

“Because if a princess with cursed eyes could be the one to save them all… then maybe, she would not be the monster she had always feared she was.”

There’s definitely potential here, and I might revisit this later if the author does some polishing. But as it stands, it’s just not working for me right now.

I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. The premise seemed interesting at first, but the execution fell flat. The relationship between the two main characters, who were supposedly enemies, felt unbelievable. What bothered me the most was how the entire tension between them was built around a misunderstanding of one character’s shy personality. It was frustrating and repetitive, and it didn’t feel genuine. The whole "enemies-to-lovers" dynamic felt contrived rather than earned. Instead of real, compelling conflict, it felt like a miscommunication trope that just kept dragging on without adding any depth to the story.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to review this book.

While I enjoyed the plot and the characters of the book, I feel like I couldn’t fully understand and connect with what was happening at times. I personally believe it’s due to being in third person which is something I don’t often read.

The atmosphere and the storyline the author has created is incredible and draws you in. I will be willing to give this book another go to fully understand in third person but from a first read, it did take me a few attempts to get going as I had to keep flipping back a few pages.

Rating is 3.5

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book has a rich, intriguing world and an ambitious story, but I did find it a little hard to follow in the beginning. There’s a lot going on early on—characters, lore, and shifting dynamics—which made it a bit tough to get fully grounded.

Once I got into the flow of the story, though, I started to appreciate the depth and stakes. There's definite potential here for fans of dark fantasy and layered worldbuilding. I’m curious to see how the series develops from here.

I have to say this book was SO GOOD!!! i mean do i wish the book would have been longer so certain character dynamics and relationships and also histories could have been explored? definitely.
BUT nontheless i had a very good time reading it. the world and magic system and the gods and everything was something i have never read about before so that was amazing, i also loved how there were constantly plot twists happening and the ending? did not see that coming!
i will definitely be looking forward to reading book 2 of this series!
thank you again so much for letting me read this Arc

Mal had one goal, and it's to end the curse. She is expected to stab the cruel prince in the heart to do so. I was all for her goals to save everyone but I didn't expect to fall in love with so many characters! This book definitely peeked my interest with its cover and had its hooks in me faster than I realized. I like that there's multiple pov and every character is unique. This book kept me on my toes, it brought laughter and almost had me breaking out in a tearful moment. I definitely would like to read book 2!

Dark magic, wyverns, forbidden love, political scheming, and an explosive plot—A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash is a dark, addictive fantasy that swept me away from the very first page.

I absolutely LOVED it. Every single box was ticked—dark, addictive magic? Check. Murder, betrayal, and political games? Check. Romance, spice, danger, and DRAGONS? CHECK.

We follow Mal Blackburn, fourthborn daughter of the Kingdom of Darkness, who’s been sent to marry the Fire Prince to unite the kingdoms. But Mal’s true mission? Kill the prince, break a long-forgotten curse, and save her people from a dark, forgotten fate. But naturally, nothing goes to plan—and the stakes only get deadlier.

Mal was a strong, sharp, compelling lead. She's calculating, powerful, and unapologetically fierce—exactly the kind of main character I love. Her internal struggle between loyalty, duty, and love had me hooked, and I need to see how she evolves throughout the series.

The world itself is packed with magic and mayhem—wyverns, dragons, giant wolves, ancient curses, and warring kingdoms. As soon as the wyverns showed up in the opening chapters, I was completely hooked. This world is alive with court intrigue, rebellion, hidden magic, and dark secrets. This book balances brutality and beauty so well—there’s gore, drama, and tension, but also sharp humour, fierce loyalty, and soft moments that sneak up and wreck you. I was enraptured from start to finish.

And the ending? Absolutely brutal. I won’t spoil it, but just know that the twists and emotional gut-punches will leave you dying for the next book. A Kingdom of Sand and Ice can’t come soon enough!

I have to say, I honestly preferred Kai and Alina’s romance over the main couple. Their story had so much intensity and emotional pull. Kai, Mal’s loyal and brooding brother, helps Alina unlock a fire inside her — one that’s been buried beneath her royal status and the suffocating expectations placed on her. He doesn’t just fall for her; he sees her, challenges her, and helps her realise that she doesn’t have to be defined by duty or her family’s plans – she can choose herself. Alina’s journey of self-discovery and strength is one I can’t wait to see unfold in the next book—especially after that bombshell ending. She’ll be out for revenge, and I am so here for it.

If you love:
• Strong, badass heroines
• Enemies-to-lovers romance
• Forbidden love
• Sibling bonds and complicated family dynamics
• Magical creatures, ancient curses, and dragons
• Court politics & high-stakes betrayal
...you’re going to be obsessed.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC—this was an unforgettable ride and easily one of my top reads of the year.

Okay okay, I’ve just finished this book and I have no words…

This book follows the story of several families who each rule a kingdom and each kingdom has a fantasy element for example, our FMC Mal, is a wyvarian so she has horns and rides a wyvern, our MMC Ash is a drakarian who has horns and rides dragons etc. this world the author has created is amazing and vast, we have fae, desert folk, and wolvarians to name a few. Even though there is a lot of information to take in, I did not find it overwhelming and I thought the author did an amazing job and explaining the magic systems and the kingdoms.
Our FMC Mal is a relatable soul with some emotional damage, she has features that aren’t normal of her kind and some mysterious powers that she hides. She is sent off to the Drakarian world to marry the Fire Prince Ash, to secure an alliance between the kingdoms.
The build up to the wedding is filled with Mal being an independent stabby girl and Ash hiding his own insecurities, whilst we learn more about the brothers of Mal and about Ash’s sister.
In a classic romantasy enemies to lovers, Mal and Ash are married and end up smutting and loving each other. However…
There is a cure on the kingdoms which basically mean Mal has to kill Ash…
And… there’s evil witches returning…

This story has me in a CHOKEHOLD. I loved the slower start to the book with the subplots of Mal and Ash’s family surrounding the main characters own plot line.
The last 20% had me gasping, the author DID NOT hold back on the heart wrenching scenes let me tell you!
I loved this book, I am GAGGING for book two and this book isn’t even released yet 😭😭

Thanks to NetGalley ❤️

Thank you to the author and publishers for allowing me an ARC via NetGalley!!

This book is the *epitome* of slow burn and I LOVE it. The relationship building was amazing and my favourite trope is enemies to lovers (if you can’t tell). This also encompasses tropes of forced marriage, forced proximity, courts, and magic which are all of my favourite things!!
Each character is unique and different, and we’re given a lot of back story and context to them which I really enjoyed.
The world building was incredible too, and I loveeee a strong FMC. My favourite part of it was about 75% in when MMC is completed awed and floored by FMC (it’s hard to describe without spoiling!). Anyone who knows me knows I love a strong FMC and Mal is so completely different to other FMCs I’ve read about. She is wild, unrestrained, and completely unhinged in the best way, and her character really made me feel empowered as a woman. There was some queer representation in this too which made me squeal!
The spice level is also perfect and really well paced. The relationships felt very genuine - they weren’t perfect fairy tale romances, they were realistic and this book explored the intricacies of love and loyalty.
At times the pacing did feel off; the first 20% or so was very slow, and although I now appreciate how much it added to the story, you only feel that way when you get to the end. Then lots of things happen in the last 20% which felt a bit rushed, and sometimes the book was hard to following the various different gods and such.
But overall I really did enjoy this book and I will be eagerly awaiting the second 👀


Rating: 4/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)