I devoured this book! I absolutely loved this romantasy. I was obsessed with the magic, romance, forbidden love, politics, spice, danger. It was all written so well and had me gripped from beginning to end! It's a must read!

This book had me hooked right from the start! Beautifully written and wonderfully unique. Can’t wait for book 2!

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash is everything I want in a fantasy read, dark, immersive, and completely addictive. From the first page, the worldbuilding pulled me in, full of danger, intrigue, and just enough magic to keep me hooked. J.F. Johns has a way of painting a setting that feels cinematic while still grounding it in raw, emotional character moments. The characters themselves are the heart of the story. Complex, flawed, and unforgettable, they make every twist and turn hit harder because you care. The balance of action, romance, and political intrigue is spot on, there’s never a dull moment, but it also knows when to slow down and let the emotional weight sink in. What stood out most was how seamless the writing felt. It’s descriptive without being heavy, fast-paced without losing detail, and completely binge-worthy. By the time I turned the last page, I already knew I needed more from this series.

This book had a simple premise and thorough but simple world-building. There was nothing overly new or original about the story or the world. I was in fact, very hesitant to start when I saw a simple map with such unoriginal titles as "Kingdom of Fire".

Somehow though, the story itself and in particular the build of the characters, eventually had me hooked. I found the story very readable and found some of the characters so endearing that I was able to forgive the initial lack of originality.

The overly descriptive and poetic language also settled down after a few chapters and I was able to immerse myself in the book.

I would continue this series and enjoyed the brutality with which the author dealt with a few characters and storylines which promises an interesting continuation.

This book is for fans of romantasy who may be sick of the overused shadow daddy trope and are looking for a more original MMC.

it was actually really good. I didnt have very high expectations of this book but it had definitely surpassed them.
side note: the cover art? MUAH amazing

Okay so I liked this book!! This was a slow burn romance with a lot of different fantasy aspects rolled into one. I liked the found family and the friendships that were forged in this book. The banter between the cast of characters was great. Besides the slight pacing issues, I enjoyed this, and I am interested in what the next book will bring!

I really liked the story, I did find it a bit long but thankfully It was all worth it. I think the multi POV really works to show the grandness of the conflicts in the story as well as making the different relationships more tangible.

Sadly there is a problem with the main couple. The romance is not very well developed. There is a great excuse as to why Ash is not talking to Mal and you even feel for the guy in his struggle, but then this keeps dragging in the same manner and they barely are in any scenes together much less in an environment where they have to interact. Then they go from 0 to a 10 to a 1000.
I would’ve liked to see different attempts from Ash to communicate and create a connection with Mal, maybe letters or something that didn’t require him to talk. I did like how the dynamic between Mal and Ash went differently than what I thought it would at the beginning. It honestly looked like Mal was going to eat Ash alive. But still, their romance fell flat. They say they love each other but I never felt it true. They were lacking a lot of emotional connection for that. And while they started to develop it it just felt too late in the story if anything.

Meanwhile, there was another couple that stole the show completely and that was Alina and Kai. Even though they weren't the protagonists they are my favorite couple and my favorite characters. I enjoyed their personalities so much throughout the story, that it literally hurt Kai’s absence at the thick of the book by the end. These two have my heart and while it is great that Alina is starting to choose life for her own, it was really sad when she didn’t leave with Kai. I adore their scenes since they show their chemistry fully. I really hope to see them again and preferably together. To me, they saved the book since I was getting nothing from the main couple.

Loved that Mal had a loving family so she seemed a bit whiny about being different, not belonging and being the fourth daughter. I get it, it’s weird, it hasn’t happened before but let’s move on, mostly everyone was loving and accepting in her family. I got tired of reading about it.

A little detail that I liked was them eating rotted food. It’s not that important to the story but still I think it’s a nice touch. It makes their differences with the fire kingdom more stark and gives them more personality.

Loved the big cast and the friendships that were formed, mostly Wren and Kage. I had high hopes for them and thought they were perfect for each other, but then I got the memo. It’s not going to happen, but at least they are good for each other.

Since there are so many POV’s I was dying for Kai’s or Heaven’s POV for the trip going home because I’m sure there was an interrogation about Kai and Alina and I really wanted to see the two oldest interact. But I was left with nothing.

That last 15-20% was explosive. I did not see that coming the way it did. Definitely caught most of the foreshadowing in the story so some events didn’t shock me but the big one was out of everything that I could have thought throughout the story.

I do have to mention that by the end I was a bit lost. Was it a good or a bad thing having broken the course? My bets are on: it was good but now we are screwed.

All in all, with the things I have mentioned that didn't work for me, I enjoyed the story. I do want to see what my favorite characters are going to go through to get a happy ending, which hopefully they do.

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash — J.F. Johns

🔥🖤 If you love Fourth Wing, The Bridge Kingdom, or Serpent & Dove then RUN, don’t walk.

Mal Blackburn is supposed to be the bride who ends a century-old feud… except her plan is to stab the fire prince and break a witch’s curse. Instead she gets slow-burned by enemies, dragons, court poison, and secrets that smell like ash. This is dark romantasy at its finest: vivid worldbuilding, pulse-tight tension, and an enemies→maybe-lovers that actually earns the heat.

What hit me most: the writing. Gorgeous, atmospheric, often lyrical and I had goosebumps on more than one page. The politics and multiple POVs build a living, dangerous world, and Mal? She’s messy, cunning, and unforgettable. Also: dragons. And witches. And a curse that will haunt your dreams. 🐉✨

Perfect if you want:
• Enemies-to-lovers slow burn 🔥
• Court intrigue & betrayal 👑
• Dark magic & witchy revenge 🌒
• Dragon energy + high stakes ⚔️

Minor note: pacing leans deliberate (it’s dense worldbuilding), but it’s worth it because payoff is SO satisfying.

Have you read it yet? Tell me who you’re rooting for. 👀

#AKingdomOfShadowAndAsh #JFJohns #Romantasy #DarkFantasy #EnemiesToLovers #SlowBurn #WitchesAndDragons #Bookstagram #BookTok #FantasyBooks #TBR #MustRead #BookishCommunity

I throughly found this book so enjoyable.
It pulled me in from the start. Dragons- yes please,
slow burn romance - yes! A strong & awesome FMC yes!!
The world bulling for each of the kingdoms was great, I could picture it all in mind.
Thank you so much for an arc copy of this book

Rating/Recommend:
4⭐️/2.5🌶️/yes

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this book! It was an easy read for me and I loved the magic/court systems. I always love a badass powerful FMC. I enjoyed the POV changes I haven’t read anything like it since the TOG series.
I will be reading the next books. I can’t wait to read what happens next.

Tropes:
- Multiple POV
- Enemies to Lovers
- Forced/Arranged Marriage
- Slow Burn
- Intricate Magic System
- Court Politics
- Magical Creatures & Beings

CW:
- Adult only read
- A few minimally descriptive open door scenes.

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash by J.F. Johns is a gripping and atmospheric fantasy filled with dark secrets, fierce heroines, and unexpected twists. The world-building is immersive, blending magic and mystery in a way that keeps you turning the pages. The characters are well-developed, especially the strong female lead, and the tension between light and dark makes for a compelling read. Perfect for fans of dark fantasy with a hint of romance! I really loved it!

Very much a romantasy because the romance was romancing, and the world building was great. . If you can tolerate slower build‑ups and enjoy being immersed in lore even when the plot treads water sometimes, this book will likely be worth your time.

This was a work of art. I loved the world building, the character, the plot, the aesthetic.

I highly recommend this book.

While A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash takes inspiration from many beloved fantasy series, and there were moments I found enjoyable, overall it didn’t fully work for me.

The pacing felt uneven, with transitions between chapters often feeling abrupt and disjointed. The world-building, while clearly aiming for a dark and atmospheric tone, came across as dry and gloomy, which made it hard for me to stay engaged. Whenever I set the book down, I struggled to feel motivated to pick it back up.

The cast of characters is large—normally something I enjoy—but I found most of them underdeveloped and difficult to connect with. Kai was perhaps the most compelling of the group, but overall, I wanted more emotional depth and distinctiveness from the ensemble. The naming conventions for kingdoms and houses (Kingdom of Fire, Kingdom of Darkness, House of Flames, House of Shadows) also felt a bit on-the-nose and less appealing to me as a more seasoned fantasy reader.

At one point, I did consider putting the book down, but I ultimately pushed through to finish it. While this one wasn’t a great fit for me personally, I can see it appealing to readers looking for a darker, trope-heavy fantasy with a large cast and multiple kingdoms at play.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book. From the very start, the story pulled me in and didn’t let go.

Mal was such an enjoyable character to follow, and I really loved how the author handled the multiple POVs, giving each character their own voice and depth without ever losing the flow of the story.


Slow burn romance? Yes. A strong and compelling main female character? Absolutely. Dragons? Of course!

The blend of all these elements worked so well, keeping me hooked right through to the end.

What stood out most for me was the worldbuilding. The different kingdoms were fascinating to explore and felt refreshing for the genre, adding richness and intrigue to the plot while still being easy to follow.

This was such an engaging and addictive fantasy read, and I would 100% recommend it to anyone who loves immersive worlds, strong characters, and a touch of slow-burn tension.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC.

The story follows Mal Blackburn as she has to marry a prince from another kingdom in order to bring true peace between the kingdoms. However, she has to kill him in order to break a curse.

I think the writing was decent but tended to be superfluous. The story and world building was weak but that's what made it entertaining at times. For example, there's a nation called the Desert Kingdom ruled by the house of sand and they speak the language "Sandhii" which I thought was pretty funny. The other kingdoms follow this same naming convention making it hard to take this world serious. The depiction of the desert folk felt orientalistic, with the only characters from there following the exotic sexy seducer archetype. Also their language was pretty weird, most of the time it's like a misspelled version of English but then they have words like karash and rasghita, which seem to be real words in Arabic and Hindu respectively (based on a quick google). My favorite word though is "Sandhalla" which the princesses say when introducing themselves, absolutely hilarious.

I have more issues with the world building but that would take too long. I cant say I would recommend this but I appreciate I was given this opportunity to read the ARC from NetGalley

I had o idea this book will be good. I'm happy I picked it up. I'm itching to give spoilers. Will definitely recommend

Thank you so much to Jazmin F. Johns for sending an ARC my way through NetGalley, I am beyond grateful. Here's my honest review:

oh. my. gods.
oh, my GODS.

If I could, I would give it 6 stars. A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash went straight to my favourite reads of 2025.

I will start with the ONLY point that bothered me a little : the title. There's way too many Kingdoms and Courts of this and that, and I feel like that books deserves a less common title, honestly even a simple "Shadow and Ash" would've felt less common.

That said, oh dear, how I devoured it. I LOVE me a good romantasy, and this one was absolutely perfect in my eyes. A real good slow burn? Yes please. Interesting and imperfect characters? Yes please. HORNS, DRAGONS, WYVERNS??? YES PLEASE.

What a start of a story... war, love, despair, rage, a curse? Such a great recipe. Jazmin guides us through a magical words of eight kingdoms, all of them with different gifts, animals, gods, allies, all of them under the threat of a looming curse. I have loved her writing, the descriptions, the flow of every sentence, the rhythm. I haven't been bored one bit.

I knew from the start that I would love Mal and god did she not disappointed. I have loved reading about her, her siblings, her ennemies, her thoughts and fears, her doubts. I have loved knowing more about said siblings, following them and their thoughts, as well as following characters from other kingdoms that quickly became main characters to the story too.

The different inside battles the characters are going through were so interesting, even if at some point I really went "is he really bothered that much about that???" and then with a little thinking, I tried to put myself into his shoes and yes, I assume it must be hard to live with that. (staying spoiler free here)

The characters development is very well done. And all the stakes.. what is the curse? how to break it? is there going to be an other war? We get a lot of clues dropped here and there during the story that really guides us to kind of guess what is and will be happening if you're paying attention, and this was also very well done.

I loved all of them so much, I'm super excited about reading more.

Thanks again for the ARC, I had the greatest time.

A Kingdom of Shadow & Ash
by J. F. Johns

This book is exactly why I signed up for NetGalley—to stumble across hidden gems like this.

It’s beautifully written, carefully edited, and clearly crafted with the kind of love and care that every great story deserves. This is a book that respects its reader.

✨ The world-building: vivid, immersive, and so well-done that I could see the kingdoms and landscapes unfolding in my mind like a film.

✨ The characters: Mal is handed a difficult fate (an arranged marriage) and quickly finds herself swept into something far bigger. The love interest? Beautifully imperfect—and all the more lovable for it.

✨ The siblings: honestly, their subplot is so strong it sometimes rivals Mal & Ash’s arc, giving us multiple threads of story we haven’t really seen since the Throne of Glass era.

✨ The plot: layered, gripping, and clearly brimming with more secrets still to come. And that ending? Let’s just say I didn’t even pause before diving straight into Book Two.

This book is screamingly underhyped, and it deserves so much more attention. If you’re a fantasy or romantasy reader (especially if you’re on Booktok or Bookstagram), this one’s begging for your love.

Okay I have to say I didnt expect to like this so much. This story pulled me in right away with its darkly atmospheric writing and layered characters. The gothic tone blends beautifully with the fantasy elements, creating a world that feels both eerie and enchanting. At the center is Mal Blackburn, whose arranged marriage to a neighboring prince is only the surface of a much deeper story—one filled with hidden secrets and an urgent mission she cannot ignore.