Thank you NetGalley for an ARC!

This was a truly captivating journey. Loved that we got so know the side characters too and follow their journey. I truly gasped a few this during this read and shed a few tears.

The storyline is build around a curse/prophecy and who doesn’t love that??

Just the prologue got me hooked straight away and just love how we get glimpse of the past with each chapters.

I can’t wait to go back in to this world and see where the author will take us!

I was so intrigued by this book because I have never read a fantasy book about wyverians or drakonians. In fact, all of the kingdoms were so fascinating and unique to me! We get wyverians, drakonians, wolverians, phoenixians, witches and fae.
There are multiple different POVs which can be confusing at times because there are no headings to tell you who is speaking. Mal and Kai are definitely my favourite characters and I love their relationship as siblings. Although, I love Ash’s character too because he is a refreshing MMC. Some of the relationships like between Kai and Alina felt rushed but I think for the most part the chemistry felt believable. I will be recommending this book!

This was just an okay book for me! I like the plot and it was very easy to follow, but the writing threw me off a bit. I’m okay with multiple POVs, but some chapters were a bit confusing at first trying to figure out who was speaking. This could easily be fixed with headers of the character’s names! Some of the writing was also very basic and didn’t go into too much detail and there were some run ons. For instance, I could have used a bit more background on the world building/magic system - We kind of got thrown into it and i wouldn’t have minded a little bit of an info dump at the beginning to truly understand the world & the houses.

Overall a 3 star read for me! Really loved the male MMC

What attracted me to this book initially was the cover, it is BEAUTIFUL. Once I started reading I was hooked and loved the multiple POVs. My favourite trope is enemies to lovers, and I especially love it in a fantasy novel. Mal and Ash are easily likeable characters, and I found myself deeply immersed in their story, but Kai is an absolute stand out for me, such a great character! I loved the world building, Tabitha’s diaries at the beginning of the chapters, the kingdoms, the magic, the whole VIBE is immaculate, spooky and magical. I cannot wait for the next one!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and J.F Johns for this ARC!

This is a decent read, but there’s a lot to take in. The story is easy to follow, it has a unique world to dive into, and includes some of the tried and tested tropes.

Multiple POVs are generally not my style, I find myself invested in a set of characters and I get fed up when the focus shifts - this is personal preference and isn’t reflected in my rating of this story.

Very interesting. FMC gives me maleficent crossed with Manon Blackbeak vibes. Love the character classifications. That's a new one for me. The beginning started a bit slow but then gradually builds. The author tends to be a bit "fluffy" with words which could be simplified a bit, but otherwise a solid story. I'm looking forward to seeing where this author goes into future publications.

an easy 5/5 for me. the writing was fantastic and descriptive it was like you were right there inside the book!

If you are looking for a new gripping fantasy series, this book is your girl! I DEVOURED this book, and it hit so many marks for me. the writing was so beautifully descriptive, it felt like the scenes were being painted into my mind. There were so many POWERFUL but relatable characters that I fell in love with. I normally struggle with multiple POV books but in this one it felt seemless. I loved how each POV added so much nuance to the characters and added further depth to the plot. ALSO THAT ENDING 🤯!! I could go on and on, but at the end of the day, this book has quickly gone into my top reads of the year (if not all time) and I cannot wait to see where this series goes!

This book is about feeling. The author weaves words in a way that leaves you feeling the character, their emotions, the scenes, and the past. You are tied into their struggles and their questions. I enjoyed the story and the world building. It will be interesting to see how it further enfolds in the next book.

SPOILERS BELOW:
Given the feeling created by the author, at times those overtook the story. At times I felt confused about how events were happening. I wish more details had been put into describing the battle scenes as the characters actions felt a bit lost. So as many words went into describing the characters feelings and outlook that the descriptions of places or events felt rushed. It felt like a letdown given how beautiful most of the writing was.

I did not like how the story was through all characters POV. You spend so much time in their heads and their feelings that the switch between characters felt confusing. At first I thought I had missed the headers in chapters indicating which character the chapter was about until I realized about 8 chapters in that the POV was for all characters not just Mal.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I liked this book much more than I thought I would, don’t get me wrong, any story that starts with a curse is likely to be a fave, but I cannot wait for book 2 of this series.

I did find some of the points to be predictable, but I read a lot of fantasy: I liked that the characters grew, and even changed their minds throughout the story. Can’t wait for more.

Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I hadn’t read any of J.F.Johns previous books so I was not sure what to expect but her descriptive writing and world building quickly drew me in. The plot is an enemies to lovers romtasy and told from multiple POVs, set in a world where the eight kingdoms have not spoken for 100 years after the war in which the Kingdom of Witches was destroyed. Mal our female protagonist finds herself in arranged marriage to Ash the Prince of the Fire Kingdom in a bid to unite the Kingdom of Darkness and the Kingdom of Fire. Ash has a reputation for being cruel.

A curse has been laid upon the land and as our dark heroine discovers she is the chosen one who must break it by stabbing the Prince of the Fire Kingdom through the heart. Mal as she comes to get to know Ash discovers his quiet demeanour hides his stutter and he is not cruel at all. I delighted in reading about his smouldering glances and jealousy particularly when she was interacting with the Prince of the Kingdom of Phoenix’s. Ash is not indifferent to his new wife at all and neither is she to him.

Mal and Ash are both put through the wringer in this book but sometimes you have to break to rise out of the ashes as something even stronger. Mal is something of an anomaly in her kingdom, she is the fourth child of her parents in a land where only 3 children are born to the rulers and even more so as she has witches eyes. I won’t give any spoilers in this review as you have to read the book to discover what happens next, I promise you won’t regret it.

Of course I couldn’t leave Mal’s brother Kai out of this review, I loved his interactions with Alina and I really can’t wait to read what happens next for them. I love them as a couple, the chemistry between them positively sizzled.

What a cliff hanger this books ends on, truthfully I did not see any of the twists coming. I find myself eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.

The joy of this novel is how the author weaves a continuous web of intrigue. No sooner is one mystery solved, another rises in its place to carry the plot forward in a new interesting direction.
I wasn't expecting such a unique and exciting world from this story. When I initially saw the book, I assumed it would be very much the same as the other "court intrigue" romantasy novels around at the moment. I was wrong, happily so!
Each character is enjoyable and engaging, although I found it strange that the protagonists mentioned in the blurb were barely mentioned for large parts of the narrative. The slow burn was SLOW for the first 60% of the book, leading me to feel disengaged with their love story. I wanted to know them better!
The final climactic scenes were overwhelmingly chaotic in a good way and left me racing towards the end. I will 100% be reading the next in the series.
Highly reccomended for those who love complex plots, beautiful world building, fast paced action and unpredictable curses.

★★★★¾ A Breathtaking Dark Fantasy That Will Haunt Your Dreams

There are books that simply tell a story, and then there are books that consume you whole. "Kingdom of Shadow and Ash" by J.F. Johns firmly belongs in the latter category. From the moment you see that haunting cover - with its ethereal play of light and darkness, the ghostly crown, and those wisps of shadow that seem to move when you're not looking - you know you're in for something special.

This dark fantasy is a masterclass in atmosphere. Johns weaves a world where shadows aren't just the absence of light, but entities with their own terrible purpose. The kingdom at the heart of this tale feels ancient and lived-in, with a magic system that's both intricate and terrifyingly consequential. Every spell cast, every shadow manipulated comes with a price that will make you question whether power is truly worth its cost.

The characters are a revelation. Our protagonist (who I won't name to avoid even the smallest spoiler) is brilliantly crafted - morally complex, deeply flawed, and utterly captivating. The supporting cast is equally well-drawn, each with their own secrets and motivations that unfold like a deadly flower blooming in moonlight. The relationships are messy, complicated, and achingly real, even in this fantasy setting.

Johns' prose is gorgeous without being purple, dark without being gratuitous. The pacing is relentless - I lost sleep over this book, telling myself "just one more chapter" until the sun came up. The political intrigue is as sharp as any blade, and the magic scenes are choreographed with such vivid detail that you'll feel the shadows crawling up your own arms.

What keeps this from a perfect five stars? A couple of minor worldbuilding elements could have used more explanation, and there's one subplot that doesn't quite reach its full potential. But these are such small quibbles in what is otherwise a stunning achievement in dark fantasy.

This book is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout who are ready to venture into even darker territories. It's for readers who like their fantasy with sharp teeth and a beating heart, who don't mind checking under their bed for shadows before they sleep.

Fair warning: the ending will leave you breathless and immediately reaching for the next book. "Kingdom of Shadow and Ash" isn't just a story - it's an experience that will follow you like a shadow long after you turn the last page.

Content note: Recommended for mature readers due to dark themes and intensity.

3.25⭐️

Dragons, wyverns, witches, brooding males? Count me in. This book had such fun elements and I felt was still able to keep things unique.
Mal Blackburn, the fmc was everything you want in a fmc. She was strong and independent without being insufferably so. Mal was a fourth born wyverian royal, her siblings had already filled the kingdoms roles of the heir, the warrior, and the truth-bearer. She was “an anomaly, a child that should never have existed”. Mal was left with nothing that was meant only for her. Mal had to spend her life being watched, judged and whispered about by her own people for being different. After being approached by her father the king and feeling like she is the expendable one of her siblings she agrees to an oath marriage to the fire prince Ash Acheron to unite the kingdoms in hopes of preventing a war.

Overall I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to continuing the series! I did struggle a bit with the writing style as it was third person and following 6+ different characters. It had a lot of jumping around between characters and I honestly felt that the two main characters Mal and Ash had little presence in the book until about 60%. The first 60% I felt that Kai (Mal’s older brother) and Alina (Ash’s sister) were the main characters. Mal and Ash had very little interaction until they were already married- partially due to Ash’s stutter and fear of being judged as a king who can’t speak clearly. Their chemistry did feel a little rushed to make up that time that was lost. I did like their connection but would really love to see more depth from them. It was a slower build up in the first 70% of the book but the last 30% felt very action packed and kept me turning the page for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and J.F. Johns for allowing me to read the eARC of this book.

I've officially found my new fantasy romance obsession series!! This just gripped me from the beginning, I loved the lore and history in this and felt it wove together so well. I loved that there was a bigger character pool than a lot of series with interlacing politics, it made for such tense reading and plot twists I never saw coming. I loved the range of characters in this and the different magical/mythical beings in this made for a twists which makes this feel fresh and exciting, I'm so excited for book 2 already!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

All I can say is woah—this was absolutely amazing! I loved the insane amount of detail in every part of the book. The different lands, the characters, the storylines—it was all so well crafted. And the story of Tabitha woven throughout the main plot was so fun!

All the characters were incredibly well written, and some truly surprised me by the end. I especially loved all the princes and princesses, how different each land was, and the unique animals tied to them.

Mal was such a strong character! I loved how unapologetically herself she was from the beginning. Even when her views clashed with others, she didn’t back down—she just did her own thing, and I loved that so much.

When Ash was first introduced, I totally expected the typical “prince” character—but he turned out to be so different! His stutter and the way he slowly opened up to Mal made me really fall in love with him.

I seriously can’t wait for the next part. I need it right now!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Independent publisher for my arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

"A Kingdom of shadow and ash" is the first in a series that contains all the popular BookTok tropes that you could ask for: enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance, court intrigue, and dark magic. It's a perfect read for Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros fans! Unfortunately, if you're expecting great storytelling, character work, and world-building, this may be a bit of a miss. I can see why someone else would really enjoy this, but I can't turn my brain off enough to be okay with just tropes.

This isn't a book for me and I acknowledge that but I just can't get passed the weak foundations.

A story I think that will really progress when we get book two. The reveal of the ending and associated people or magic was what kept the story moving along. The main characters were very interesting, but the surrounding characters all fell a little flat in my mind. I think when book two comes out and I’m with the characters for longer than I will start building connections!

First of all, I'm not a huge fan of the AI-style cover, but the story itself gave me strong Throne of Glass vibes: witches, fae, dragons, wyverns, court intrigue, and plenty of scheming.

The plot was intriguing, though the world-building could use a bit more depth. That said, the magic system was cool and fairly well explained. I especially loved the excerpts from Tabitha at the beginning of each chapter - they added a nice layer of context to events from a hundred years ago.

The romance felt organic and well-written, even if a bit rushed at times. I really liked both Mal and Ash. And Alina and Kai? Absolutely lovely - I wish we’d gotten more of them!

The third-person narration with multiple POVs was handled smoothly, and it made the story even more engaging for me.

And that huge cliffhanger at the end? I'm definitely eager for book two!

Overall, I liked this book. I thought that the concept was interesting and the initial couple of chapters really hooked me.

I think the strongest parts of this book are the characters and the plot. All of our main characters were interesting and by the end, I felt like I knew them. The more prominent side characters, like Wren, had their own unique quirks and served the story in a way that made sense. By far, the most interesting character is Mal, followed closely by Alina. The plot was typical, forced marriage/imminent war. But the ending did throw some twists my way that I did not see coming at all. The last ~15% of the book is crazy I loved every second of it.

Maybe the most interesting thing to me about this book is that we follow multiple love stories/couples. While I enjoyed Mal and Ash, our main couple, I was more captivated by the secondary romance. Now, while I this aspect was interesting I think it takes away in terms of pacing. The first and last ~15% were very engaging to me, but the middle section felt like it dragged at times. I think that because we were following multiple love interests, the plot progression slowed significantly.

Now, the biggest issue I had with this book was the believability of the romance (and the rotten food, but I digress). I did not buy the switch from hate to love between Mal and Ash. It felt a little like a light switch being flipped, we didn’t get a whole lot of the in between phase which I think is really crucial to love a hate-to-love romance.

While this was not my favorite book, I think it is a good escape and would be ideal for people who want to get away from a world so different from our own.