A ghost and a vampire fall in love and the result is one of the most tender, succinct, and heartbreaking explorations of grief in a story that I have ever read. It has been a long time since I last read a book that made me feel so much emotion. A Tale for the Shadows explores the different ways in which grief affects those around us-and how to cope with it. This was an instant 5 star read for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

I loved this story. I was pulled in by the magic realism of the world. The characters were so loveable. The FMC knew her flaws and she changed for the better. She is ghost and she falls in love with a vampire. It's not traditional, but it's a beautiful companionship. He has a cat too. What's not to like?

I enjoyed the adventure they took together, to be together forever. The side characters were well executed also. It gave me Nettle & Bone vibes. So if you're into T. Kingfishers work, you might like this read. An unlikely found family who have each other's backs.

There is no spice in this, but it didn't need it. There was plenty of emotion, especially towards the end. I shed a couple of tears.

This is a story of people getting a second chance after death. It explores grief, death, love and loss. I would say it's focus is more aligned to this, than it is of fantasy. It's worth noting before reading. It is more character driven than plot.

Trigger warnings include but aren't limited to, death, death of a child, gore, blood, terminal illness, murder, gaslighting and grief.

Enjoy

Senka was murdered by the man she loved and trapped as a spirit. Until Silas, a vampire, burned down her cabin and she was freed. They pursue justice - aided by a cat...

A terrific supernatural fantasy. Love the ghost and vampire interwine. It's romantic, dark and magical.
A very refreshing story.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it

A ghost, a vampire and their adorable cat fighting shitty vampires and humans (alongside discussions about grief) is not a book I thought I needed to read but I definitely liked the experience.

I do have to preface it by saying that this is one of those books that you have to suspend your disbelief for and just let the theme of the book get to you. There were parts of the plot that felt a bit too convenient in favour of the main characters but by that point, I was invested in them enough to take it for what it is. It would have been better for the main story being told to have maybe another nuanced subplot or have the two main plot threads interweave a bit more rather than have them solved one after the other.

I did enjoy the characters of Senka and Silas and the overarching plot outside of the story (iykyk). But Luna and Shadow definitely my favourites.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of A Tale for the Shadows.

This book is such a refreshing and masterfully woven story. Joyce Sherry takes familiar supernatural lore and creates something that feels entirely new. The dynamic between a murdered ghost and a weary vampire is the perfect engine for a story that is equal parts a quest for justice, a dark romance, and a tale of a truly unique found family. The narrative is sharp, witty, and full of heart, avoiding tired tropes and instead giving us characters who feel complex and lived-in, even in their afterlives. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention Luna, a cat who proves to be one of the story's most vital and endearing characters. If you love supernatural stories with genuine emotional weight, compelling mysteries, and characters you will fiercely root for, you need to read this.

A Tale for the Shadows by Joyce Sherry is such a good story. I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic.

First, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for approving my request to read an advanced copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

SECOND: THE CAT!

That needed a line all of its own. This cat might be the most realistic and adorable cat I've ever seen in print. The little 'prrp's and 'mrrow's and sniffs were an absolute highlight of this book and it has made me even more determined to adopt a cat of my own. Little Luna is the real star of this book!

But also, I guess the rest of the book was great too... even if it wasn't quite as cute as Luna the 23rd.

I really loved the premise: a ghost and a vampire help each other get the revenge they need and kill her murderer and his maker who is trying to kill him first. Senka and Silas were so good together and he was a stark contrast to the absolute stain on the fabric of the world that was Kenny.

(One tiny negative I'll get out of the way here, the number of names starting with S left me occasionally confused, but I'm not very good with names starting with the same letter, even in real life.)

The slow growth from partners in revenge to romance was really well done and it felt realistic enough that I could really imagine it in my head - I appreciated the time taken to get that right around what was also quite a full plotline. You've got the cool use of the book being a story told to a sick kid (very Princess Bride vibes which I loved) and two revenge plots alongside a romance and even some mini backstories to side characters. It's impressive this fit into a book that was less than 400 pages tbh.

The action was described really well so it was easy to visualise and I didn't get lost in it, each character felt like their own person and not just some flat copy-paste versions of each other, and I will repeat that THE CAT was the highlight of the book for me. I sent multiple highlighted portions in images to friends to show off the cuteness, and they all agreed it was adorable and well-written as a cat.

I can't really fault this book, this was one of the most easy 5 stars I have given so far this year. I recommend it to everyone.

Das Buch hat mir wirklich gut gefallen! Die Geschichte war spannend und gut geschrieben, die Charaktere wirkten lebendig und glaubwürdig. Der Schreibstil war angenehm zu lesen, und ich konnte gut in die Handlung eintauchen.
Ein paar kleine Längen oder Punkte, die mir nicht ganz zugesagt haben, gab es zwar, aber insgesamt ist es ein sehr empfehlenswertes Buch. Ich würde es auf jeden Fall weiterempfehlen – fast perfekt!

Simple plot of revenge, adventure and fighting to survive with love and companionship to depend on.
Deep characters. A ghost that struggles with loneliness finds a family of other ghosts who have found their reasons of existence. A vampire with barely any will to live, fighting his maker finds in Senka a reason to live. Any more about these wonderful characters would be a spoiler.

The style of storytelling is rarely seen in western literature and brings a soothing and somber blanket to the heavy subjects the story deals in. There are a lot of triggers from grief to child murder, so the undertones of positivity brought in through the side characters is deeply satisfying and soothing after a heavy doze of loss, gore, death and killing. While their is justice, there also a certain moral ambiguity in a couple places. The various characters scattered around Senka and Silas bring a message of living with love and friendship but the whole 'love' part between Senka and Silas did not sit well with me. It wasn't central to the story, so I would have liked for their bond to keep growing without verbal confirmation. It is a beautiful bond nonetheless.

I expected to read it slowly but the author was a magician of pacing and tension, and pulled me through each page with surprising ease.

It is a ghost adventure in a shell but the pearl inside is the message of moving on with life after the departed has..... departed.

Add this to your Fall TBR! The ghost & vampire vibes were everything I wanted in an excellent fall read. It was grim and beautiful in the best ways.

We follow our main character, Senka, who is unexpectedly killed by her husband and becomes a ghost trapped in a cabin. In her ghostly state she meets a vampire, Silas, and together they work together to explore why she was murdered. On this journey they meet an incredible cast of characters of other ghosts, humans, vampires, and a very loveable cat. The structure of this book reminded me of The Princess Bride, because it contained a story within a story. While the plot was reminiscent of the Disney movie Susie Q.

The way that the story is told had me flipping the pages! Highly recommend. Silas's character is amazing. I loved the way the author explored death through the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Joyce Sherry, and Taylor Street Press for allowing me the opportunity to read this in advance.

This was absolutely stunning.


I thought this was very much going to be a “vengeful ghost kills her killer” style story with more action and not a lot of depth, but I was very wrong.

This was absolutely captivating. Silas was such a well natured and empathetic character with so much good in him. And his relationships with the Lunas was adorable.

Senka was every woman. Naive about her love. But seeing her blossom after death into something more than she ever was? Perfection.

There was not a single part of this I didn’t love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Taylor street press for allowing me to read this amazing story!

A Tale for the Shadows blends themes of crime, justice, death and love with the supernatural to create a unique story that will stay with you long after the final page.

Whilst the narrative began slowly and disoriented, it began to flourish with the development of villains and minor characters, whose presence in the story provides emotive scenes of hope, warmth and suspense. In hindsight, the disoriented nature of the beginning chapters lends to the feelings of the main character, Senka, who navigates a new existence after death.

Banter dialogue felt a little young at times, which didn't quite suit the overarching tone of the book. This led to some skimming of conversation to get back to the plot.

There is a diverse representation of characters in the book which adds to each individual character's depth, delving into cultural background and shaping their lives. This certainly lent itself to allowing minor characters to stand out, noting that Mrs. Wang and Luna very quickly became personal favourites.

The plotting and action from the main characters at first seemed too packed for a shorter book, making the book as a whole seem more like connected short stories as opposed to a cohesive story.

Overall, this book is a very enjoyable and easy read with touching themes that leave a lasting impression.

I really enjoyed A Tale for the Shadows by Joyce Sherry! I was genuinely torn between giving this 4 or 5 stars, it came so close to being a 5-star read. In the end, I settled on 4 because, while it was emotional and beautifully written, it didn’t quite push me over that edge into a truly unforgettable read.

There’s a lot of ground covered in this book, and Joyce Sherry manages to handle it all in such an engaging and fluid way. The story weaves together emotion, grief, and love. It is all all wrapped in an atmosphere that feels both haunting and tender. I found myself completely drawn in as the pieces of the story slowly unfolded.

One thing I found a little hard to pin down was the exact timing of the story, it’s not immediately clear what time period everything is set in. However, I didn’t find this to be a major issue. The story still feels relevant and impactful, and the emotional weight and themes transcend any specific era.

I also really appreciated how the dual storylines were written. Two tales unfolding side by side, each with its own tension, tone, and emotional pull, yet seamlessly woven together, it’s not something I’ve seen done this effectively before.

And then there’s the story of Senka and Silas, which is absolutely beautiful. Their bond, heartbreak, and hope are portrayed with such tenderness and care. It’s the kind of story that stays with you long after the final page.

A Tale for the Shadows is emotional, layered, and deeply atmospheric. It’s a story about loss, love, and finding light even in the darkest corners and I thoroughly enjoyed every part of it.

✨ Thank you to Taylor Street Press for the eARC copy!

Absolutely loved this book. I really enjoyed the reading of it in a way that I was not expecting. The world was richly written, and the characters were unique. I loved the found family in the graveyard, and the way the characters came together. The storytelling portion of the story, the scenes in the hospital, were so well done. Even when I started to know what was coming, I still enjoyed the reading. It was a beautiful concept.

A Tale for the Shadows is a beautiful book about love, darkness, revenge, and new beginnings. It doesn’t take long before it sucks you in and enthralls you with lovable supernatural characters, a love story that is just so sweet, and explorations of grief in its many forms.

The beginning took a second for me to get into, largely because I struggled with some of the dialogue. But this does improve as the characters develop more.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and even shed a few tears towards the end.

Thank you, Netgalley and Taylor Street Press for the chance to read and review this ARC!

I was immediately pulled into this story. The mix of ghost lore, vampire mythology, and emotional healing gave this book such a unique atmosphere, and I found myself completely hooked from the first chapter.
Senka is such a compelling protagonist — a murdered woman trapped in the place where she died, still carrying the weight of her past. Her journey from restless ghost to someone fighting for justice was beautifully done. And Silas? The perfect blend of ancient, weary, and quietly protective. Their dynamic is slow, hesitant, and tender in a way that makes you really root for them, even with all the darkness surrounding their pasts.
The worldbuilding is rich without being overwhelming, and I loved the mix of danger, mystery, and found-family moments — especially Luna the twenty-third, who absolutely stole every scene she was in. The blend of romance, supernatural elements, and emotional depth worked so well.
The pacing kept me invested, and even when things got intense, the story never lost its heart. It gave me vibes similar to The Dead Romantics with a darker edge, mixed with the atmospheric tension of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Overall, this is a beautifully haunting, darkly romantic tale about second chances, confronting your past, and choosing love—even after death. I really enjoyed it, and I’m excited to see what comes next from this author.