I absolutely devoured this book and loved every moment of it. Jinx was such a fascinating character, fierce, clever, and mysterious as a Shadebound. I loved how unique she was, and her story felt fresh and addictive from the start. Death was another favorite. And the Unknown? I am so intrigued and desperate to find out more about this mysterious stalker. The supernatural elements were perfect, and all the dark intrigue that made the world feel alive. Zayden was also unforgettable, with just the right mix of danger and charm, and his interactions with Jinx gave the story so much spark. So many good characters. The pacing was perfect for a first book in a series. The cliffhanger at the end left me desperate for book two. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving a honest review

In this book we follow Jinx, a shadebound paying penance for avenging her sister's death. She gets sent to Mors academy which is essentially a prison with her brother, and reuniting with an old friend and an old flame. The rivalries and punishments in this book go beyond what your typical fantasy romance would entail and really delves into the more dark, gothic vibes.

What a ride!

So many good, addictive things in this book. Our stabby FMC sentenced to 100 years in a dark, gloomy military academy/prison, a mysterious stalker and conversations with Death inside her head, a desire for revenge on her sister's murderer.

Great gothic elements, shadow magic, shifters, witches, sirens, seers and hot men we don't have to choose between. I would have loved to have read this 200 pages more,but the ending gliffhanger was brilliant. I can't wait for the next part to see if my ideas of ​​who is part of the harem comes true.

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the review copy.

In this book we follow Jinx, a shadebound paying penance for avenging her sisters death. She gets sent to mors academy which is essentially a prison with her brother, and reuniting with an old friend and an old flame. The rivalries and punishments in this book go beyond what your typical fantasy romance would entail and really delves into the more dark, gothic vibes.
At first Jinx is unlikeable. How can you like someone who hates emotion? That’s a hard thing to push through. But as the book goes on you can see her unravel and really start to expose more of herself to the world which is nice.
The plot itself doesnt have much happening. There’s lots of plot set up, mystery and questions but not a lot that is actually leading us from point A to point B.
This is a “reverse harem” but that doesn’t actually even come close to happening in this first book. It definitely is a slow burn, dark academia bully vibe. Wednesday meets Sabrina.

Thank you to NetGalley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for sending me an ARC of this book. This is a dark, slow burn, gothic dark academia read. It took me a while to get into this book. I enjoyed it, but it felt like it didn’t suck me in right from the start. Our main character Jinx is a grumpy, morally grey heroine. She grew on me as the story went on because at first I was like oh girl you’re just mad at the entire world, but she grew on me. Not only does this book have slow burn romance elements, this also has found family. I enjoyed the found family aspect, getting to know some of the other characters and seeing where they come in to play in the story.

Shadebound is dark, deliciously twisted, and utterly addictive — the kind of book that makes you say “just one more chapter” until it’s suddenly 2 a.m.

From the opening pages, Jinx Draconis grabbed me and refused to let go. A grumpy, morally grey heroine sentenced to a brutal academy that forges killers out of criminals, Jinx isn’t here to be redeemed. She’s here for revenge — and maybe, reluctantly, to protect her brother. The academy itself is brilliantly gothic: part prison, part school, perched on a cliffside where monsters are trained to be fought and students aren’t guaranteed to survive. Add in a murder mystery tied to Jinx’s past and you have tension layered on tension.

This book blends everything I love in a romantasy: dark academia atmosphere, wicked humour, found family vibes twisted through with betrayal, and a heroine who feels like Wednesday Addams went to a deadly magical academy. It’s fast and full of edge-of-your-seat suspense, with a reverse harem setup that promises so much delicious slow-burn angst to come.

Shadebound is perfect for fans of Zodiac Academy, Psycho Shifters, and anyone who loves their fantasy romance equal parts brutal, gothic, and addictive. I’m already looking forward to book two!

I want to first thank the author for letting me read this book. But, I really try to get into this book. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for me because I didn’t like the characters and the plot.