The first book in the Kingdom of Gods series. This is a dark, yet beautifully depicted fantasy romance.

There are eight kingdoms in this fabulous fantasy story, which could become confusing if not for the helpful family trees at the beginning of the book. This offered me a very useful explanation of each kingdom, and the relevant family members within each house. Of course, there is also a helpful map to offer an explanation of the layout of the Kingdom of Gods.

I really enjoyed the richly described world, complex magical system, political intrigue, mysterious curse, strong sibling bonds. As well as the variety characters, including witches, wolves, fae, wyverns, phoenix, shadow companions, serpents, and dragons.

I am keen to read what happens next For Mal Blackburn in A kingdom of Sand and Ice.

I did enjoy this read, and will definitely continue the series. I love that Ash wasn't a "perfect" prince. It's not something we see often, and I was absolutely here for it. I also love that the eye color plays such a huge role in distinguishing different characters from different kingdoms. And I seriously thank the author for not giving them tails. And the ending of this had me shocked. Book two cannot come out fast enough. That being said, I do wish the kingdoms/house names were a little more unique. With all of the other interesting aspects, they seemed pretty basic. I also thought trying to follow more than one relationship arc in the first book was a bit much—the second one could have been drawn out or explored later.

Short Summary:

🩶 Mal Blackburn, the Princess of Darkness, agrees to an arranged marriage to the Fire Prince, Ash, with one goal: kill him and lift the century old curse. But is the prince as awful as the world has made him out to be? Or is there a bigger threat on the horizon?

Best Parts:

🩶 Speech impediment representation
🩶 Cool world
🩶 Great setup for book two

Worst Parts:

🩶 Kingdom/house names
🩶 Too many love angles for one book

This book was Amazing! You have dragons, wyverns, wolves, shadow companions, forbidden love and betrayal just to name a few themes in the book😊

Mal a princess from the Dark Kingdom is thrown into an arranged marriage to break a curse. She is to marry the Fire Prince Ash.

The world building OMG😳 It was literally amazing. I felt like the author did a great job describing the seven Kingdoms that remain! It literally felt like a movie in book form. The book was told in multiple points of view and you could see different relationships forming during Ash and Mal's wedding celebrations. My favorite was Kai and Alina there was something so special about them and I can't wait to see what will happen.

There were so many surprises and discoveries I did not see coming my mind in blown!!! I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you NetGally for this book!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
* Arranged marriage
* Enemies to lovers
* Chosen One Prophecy
* Romantasy

Summary
Nearly 100 years ago a scorned witch cursed the seven remaining kingdoms. Mal believes she is the key to breaking the curse and so is her soon to be husband- she just has to stab him in the heart first. In this slow burn, enemies to lovers romantasy there are many different fantastical creatures working together to figure out exactly what the prophecy means so the kingdoms don’t fall victim to the curse. The twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat and the ending will leave your mouth agape.

My Thoughts
A Kingdom of Shadow & Ash is written in third person and often times I’d forget that it was in third person and to me that is a sign of a good book. Third person POV is my least fav, but when I forget, I know the author has made a book really captivating. The world building and magic system in this book are so top tier for me. I enjoyed the different descriptions and customs of the characters from each kingdom. The characters- main and secondary- had so much depth to them. Lots of characters had their own side stories without it being too confusing and overwhelming, it added to the richness of the main storyline. Then… *gasp* the ending… there was a lot of foreshadowing, but one plot twist i did NOT see coming and I was living for it!! My jaw was on the floor! I was really craving a Romantasy and this really hit all the spots i needed it to hit!! You must add this to your TBR!

This novel is incredible! The writing is beautiful and the world building is deep and immaculate. It's a true dark, epic fantasy romance.

This story focuses on the unprecedented fourth-born daughter of the royal family of the House of Shadows. She is forced into an arranged marriage with the prince of the House of Darkness, her family's century-old enemy. This is the first oath marriage arranged since the war between the 8 kingdoms 100 years ago. We follow Mal and her siblings as they travel to the home of the Drakonians for the wedding celebrations and meet the continent's other royal offspring from every house. Mal's purpose: kill her new husband to break the century-old curse that will destroy the continent. But we find that enemies lurk around every corner and no one can be trusted.

There are so many intricately woven pieces to this story. Every character plays a part in the plot. Future books will expand our relationship with these secondary characters. With so many unique characters, it's even more impressive that the author was able to create multiple POVs that give us insight into seemingly minor characters.

The ending definitely left me ready for book two. Rather than wrapping up this book's plot, the ending showed us how much bigger the story will become. I will endlessly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this early!

ARC Review of A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash
* * * * *
An epic fantasy read filled to the brim with action and romance. A curse of two lovers facing an impossible choice in a world where Gods reign silently, unsure who is friend of foe, and who is really pulling the strings.

Mal was an anomaly that was never meant to happen. Unsure of he purpose in her world, or to her family and kingdom, she accepts her fate to be the one that unites her people with their enemy: the Fire Kingdom.
She is terrified of the union, though she will not show it, especially in front of the prince himself, however she is more overwhelmed by the prophecy that wraps up both of their lives.
One is Chosen.
One is Cursed.
One must die.

Could. Not. Put. It. Down.
I am a glutton for punishment! It was already well past midnight when I picked up this read, but of course, I got sucked in by a great read and now I am sleep deprived.
The writing is descriptive and poetic, the plot wild and full of action, and overflowing with conspiracies and thoughts as the reader tries to guess what is to happen at the end of the novel. Each chapter is filled with personal notes, some sweet while others cryptic and tense, that revolve around the actions of the individual that started the curse and what happens in the introduction to the read.
Multiple POVs, however most are focused on Mal, Ash and Alina.
You have the slow burn between Mal and Ash, their guarded stone faces and bitter jabs making way for their growing love, while Alina starts to gain strength from the stricted woman she into the fighters she wishes to be whilst falling for Kai.
A palace filled with people you want to punch in the face! Traitors, players, liars and just general a-holes.
With the wicked cliffhanger, I am eager for the second read.

I am obsessed with this book, I could NOT put it down!

Mal, a Wyverian princess, will marry Ash, a Drakonian prince, in order to end a century-long feud between their kingdoms and get close enough to him to stab him in the heart and end the curse that falls over their lands. But will she be able to go through with it?

While the plot isn't completely unique, it's different enough that I didn't feel like I'd read iterations of this book 100 times before. The world building was on point with the politics, history, and mythical beasts (we're talking dragons, wyverns, enormous wolves and giant sand serpents). I could picture everything so clearly, it was like I was there.

Now, let's talk about characters. I loved Mal, no notes. She is unapologetically herself and gives zero Fs. Her and Ash have great character development, and I like that they are multifaceted, realistic characters, neither just being a superficial romantic interest. In fact, most of the main and recurring characters were well written.
I really liked Mal and Kai's sibling relationship - lots of sass and humour tied together with unwavering support.

The romance between Mal and Ash felt a little rushed in parts, and I did feel like there was more chemistry between two of the other characters, but it didn't detract from the story for me.

And the ending, omg. Didn't see that coming and perfectly set it up for the second book!

This book gave me everything I wanted and I'm so glad I read it. I can't wait to read it again, and I'm already excited for the second book!

Thanks to J.F. Johns and NetGalley for the ARC!

I really liked this one — like, didn’t expect to be this into it liked it. The world-building? Easy to follow. The magic system? So good. The characters? Obsessed. And let’s be real: I’m usually allergic to books with too many POVs, but somehow this pulled it off. I was invested in everyone’s drama.

The side character chemistry? Elite.
The banter? 10/10.

But the two main characters? Whew. Their romance had all the build-up of a skipped cutscene. One second: nothing. The next: eternal love. I needed more tension, more angst, something—so yeah, that knocked this down a bit for me.

Still... that ENDING???
Unhinged in the best way. I need book 2 immediately or I will simply combust.

The way that the author writes is so beautiful. The descriptions, the characters and the overall world is a 10/10. I’m in love with the forbidden love and the story telling. Amazing book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash is a dark, tension-filled romantasy full of secrets, curses, and slow-burn betrayal. Mal Blackburn is a sharp, determined heroine with her own agenda—and watching her navigate a kingdom of fire, dragons, and dangerous politics was gripping. The setup leans into familiar tropes (forced marriage, enemies to lovers), but the execution feels fresh, especially with Mal’s secret past and the creeping presence of witch magic.

The beginning is a slow build, but once it picks up, it’s addictive. A solid start to a series that promises even more twists, tension, and emotional stakes.

Solid 4.25/5 for this one! With familiar Romantasy/Fantasy tropes all around, Johns' writing style is really compelling. We're provided with an array of characters that move the feast right along and are provided with a well put together twist at the end. An aware reader will be able to see all the hits coming from a mile away, but our cast of characters make each step really enjoyable.

I couldn't put this book down and was so pleased to have found something that read easy, well, and felt substantial without forcing me to "think too hard"-- I could be in the moment with each POV.

Thank you to J.F. Johns and NetGalley for the eARC!

Thanks to the ARC team for an advance copy!

I really loved this book - it's a romantasy-style dark romance, set in a world where there are several kingdoms that have different "races," of sorts. The main characters at the beginning are from one kingdom, the Wyverians - they're human-like characters but with horns, and they have shadow creatures and ride wyverns. Mal, the FMC, is fierce and strong, and she's definitely lovable, but she's always felt a bit different than the rest of her family. She finds out she's betrothed to Ash, the MMC, who's from a different kingdom (the Drakonians). Most of the story entails all of the different kingdoms coming together for the wedding, and the interactions between the kingdoms give Game of Thrones vibes. The relationship has some enemies-to-lovers aspects, and the drama around the gathering of the kingdoms is fun to read.

I do wish that some of the main characters were better fleshed out, and I would say that that could happen at the expense of taking some of the different kingdoms out. This does read like the first of a 5- or 6-book series, but I feel like the characters from different kingdoms each had stereotypical characteristics and were only described at a surface level.

Overall, I loved the book, but I'm totally ok with surface-level fantasy - I'm not the type of reader who gets too caught up in the fantasy details. It's a long book, but worth a read if you like dark fantasy romance with a enemies-to-lovers storyline.

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash
Author: J. F. Johns
Releases May 31, 2025
**************************************************************************This is my honest review of the digital ARC I was given the opportunity to read. I have not been gifted or paid for my opinion or rating of this book.
***************************************************************************
So far this year (2025) I have read 7 different ‘first of an epic romantic fantasy series’ books. Out of those books, A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash was by far the best out of that genre. And out of ALL the books I have read this year, including all different genres, it is one of my favorites. I could NOT put this ARC down the first time I read it and then I read it a second time because I couldn't help myself!

The first quarter of the book kept my focus and interest so well that I read until I absolutely had to put it down and go do real life stuff. Midway through I was on the edge of my seat and acted like an irritable teenager if I got interrupted. And by the last quarter of the book I was holding my breath, completely ignoring real life while hiding so no one could interrupt me!

A Kingdom of Fire and Ash is perfect for anyone who loves epic fantasy where the world has a variety of kingdoms, characters, and mythological creatures. If you love prophecy, court intrigue, secret schemes, hidden identities, revenge, and shocking betrayals, with romance entwined you need to read this book because it has all of it!

The romance in A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash is a mix of arranged marriage, opposites attract, and slow-burn with what I consider door ajar scenes. There is plenty of yearning and angst between more than one couple that will have you on fire!

With all the different character POVs, as well as kingdoms, creatures, secrets, and agendas, etc., I was worried things would get confusing. But the story is written and flows so well that I was able to keep up with all the different aspects. The variety of personalities was perfect and I enjoyed their development and progression throughout the story. You get a sense of character depth with the third person writing and POVs.

When it comes to magic systems in fantasy books, I am not a fan of overly complex and confusing magic. Magic plays a BIG role in the plot A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash but it is not used by most of the characters and what is used is not overly complicated. You don't have to try and figure out complex intricacies about magic being used or by whom it is used before you can even grasp what is going on in the story.

I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I worried, I gasped, I cursed, I kicked my feet. The surprises had me staring at the wall in shock. The secrets and betrayal had me reeling. The romance intensity left me hot under the collar. The characters and their family and friendship bonds had me feeling it all. And the cliffhanger….just, wow! You have been warned! 😉

***************************************************

-Kingdoms of Darkness/House of Shadows/Wyverians
-Kingdom of Fire/House of Flames/Drakonians
-Kingdom of Fauna/House of Wild/Fae
-Kingdom of Light/House of Sun/Phoenixians
-Kingdom of ice/House of Snow/Wolverians
-Kingdom of Air/House of Wings/Valkyrians
-Desert Kingdom/House of Sand/Desert Folk
-Kingdom of Magic/House of Power/Witches & Warlocks
-Kingdoms coming together after a century of separation and rivalry
-a prophecy with multiple versions
-an arranged marriage where she intends to kill him
-a MMC who stutters and an FMC who misunderstands his silence
-opposites attract at first sight but are destined to be apart
-a playful MMC who helps a prim and proper FMC come out of her shell
-broody and reclusive male stuck with wild and chatty female
-unbreakable brother and sister bonds
-reluctant allies
-forced proximity with sweet surprises
-yearning, angst, and steamy romance
-court intrigue and obligations
-meddling kings and queens
-shadow companions
-mythical creatures
-feasts, dances, and a wedding
-varieties of race, orientation, and creed
-secrets and hidden agendas
-shocking lies and betrayal
-torture, trauma, and murder
-intense loss and heartbreak

I enjoyed this book so much! The world-building wasn't overly complicated but was still unique and really pulled me into the story. I liked the differences that were described about all of the different kingdoms, and I could read more stories about each and every one of them because they were so interesting.

Another thing I liked is that the story had multiple different POVs and it wasn't only focused on Mal and Ash. I really grew to love each individual character, and I am looking forward to seeing where things go in future books. There is just so much left to answer! While the book leaves off on a really great spot to pick up again, there were still a lot of things that were tied up where we aren't left hanging which I always appreciate. The pacing was just great overall, and I really loved the characters and the slow burn romance. I can't wait for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an eARC of this book!

'A Kingdom of Shadow & Ash' is perfect for fans of dark magic, enemies to lovers and slow-burn spicy romances.

I honestly think this is some of the best world-building I've come across in a long time. From the politics of the eight kingdoms and the emotional complexities of some of the key characters, I was hooked from the start. I also really enjoyed the way historical context to what was happening in the 'present day' was revealed to the reader as the story developed. The spice was tastefully done, and it served a purpose, e.g. to show the connection between characters. It did take a while to get to any real action, but it was well-worth the wait.

I would like to thank NetGalley and J.F. Johns for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This has the potential to be a really strong romantasy but it just didn't really hit for me. The plot is a tried and tested one and when done well can be fantastic but missed a bit. I've been pondering why I wasn't eating this up but I think its for a few reasons
* written from a third person which just made it that much harder for me to relate to the characters
* the story didn't really get going until a third of the way in
* didn't really believe the romance

Don't get me wrong, it was fine and a relatively quick read but just didn't grip me in the way I was anticipating

✨1.5 stars ✨

’The one risen from the ashes shall unite them all.’

I was approved for this arc on netgalley in exchange for an honest review, so as always here we go;

What to expect in this
* Feud between kingdoms
* Marriage of convenience
* Enemies to lovers
* Wyvern
* Slow burn
* Dark magic
* Curse

Unfortunately, I was just unable to get into this book and had to DNF at 50%. There was a few different things in the book that blocked me from getting the full experience.

I felt with the story telling, it missed that immersive experience of showing the world and instead only told me. It’s one of those things where I prefer the show not tell. The world does sound incredible but I just wasn’t able to feel truly drawn. The book had a quite a few moments where things were being hand fed to you. Once something was revealed, it felt like there was an info dump to try and make sure you knew everything about it.

I do think that this series has a really good opportunity to grow and a really interesting premise so I think that if you’re considering it to definitely try. I’m not the best at writing negative reviews, but I hope I did this with kindness.

Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🩶

Wow! I did not see those twists coming. Thoroughly impressed, will be reading the rest of this series 🤯

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.

Definitely addicted!
Started off a little slow for me, but it really picked up and kept me interested! The world building was amazing and I’m going to obsess over it for awhile. I love when you get multiple point of views in a book, so thank you!!! Adding this in my top 10 favorite romantasies for sure! I need more ASAP!