I tried to love this book so much
I even read more than 50% of it
Yet it wasn't for me
I think it's the writing style that wasn't my style, I wish I could have loved it because I really love the characters and the aesthetic of the book
Dragons and multi-creature universe where every kingdom has their own race and them getting to know each other throughout the book

But I couldn't finish more of it

Sending my best wishes ♥️♥️

This was such a great read! The world-building is detailed and easy to get lost in, and I loved how every character felt important to the story, not just Mal. The multiple POVs added a lot of depth and kept the plot engaging.

Mal Blackburn is a strong and flawed heroine, and her dynamic with the fire prince had me hooked. The romance is definitely a slow burn, but the tension is worth it. The pacing slowed down a little at times, but overall it worked well to build the story and characters.

If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers, curses, court intrigue, and fantasy with plenty of drama and secrets, this book is definitely worth picking up.

This was such a fun read! The plot was so unique and the world building was chefs kiss! This book will have you wrapped in literally the first chapter. I also appreciate the multiple POVS, I feel like it makes the characters so well developed and you get to really understand their story.
I was utterly obsessed with Alina and Kai 😭

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash by J.F. Johns is a darkly enchanting fantasy romance brimming with danger, betrayal, and slow-burn passion. Mal Blackburn, a girl with witch eyes and a deadly secret, is forced into marriage with the infamous Fire Prince - not to win his heart, but to pierce it. As curses stir, kingdoms clash, and witches rise for revenge, Mal must decide whether her hidden power will doom them all or save them. Perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers, court intrigue, and fiery magic, this story delivers both heart-pounding action and irresistible romance. The cover really drew me in on this one, but I ended up loving the whole story.

Start: August 23, 2025
Finish: August 25, 2025
Stars: 4 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and J. F. Johns for the Arc.
This review is my honest opinion.

“Only when fire breaks through the shadows shall they be forgiven.”

Mal Blackburn can end the curse, but will eye really end it? All this because of a prophecy that would save the kingdoms.

One of the things I liked most about this book was the way the author describes things.I really liked the writing.

I liked to see other pov and other relationships forming.

If I had to choose a favorite character, it would be Kai.

I found this story very interesting with every chapter I passed. I'm super anxious to know the rest of the story, I can't wait for the next book.

The ending was what stuck me the most to know the rest of the story

I need the second book soon.

The prologue had me hooked right away—a witch cursing the land after they killed her husband? Yes please. And then there’s the mysterious child mentioned…

Mal, the FMC, is such a badass. She rides a wyvern, fights like a pro, and has magic with striking purple eyes that mark her as a witch—even though she doesn’t want to be one. Already obsessed.

Then we get the prophecy: the chosen child must kill the cursed child. Mal thinks that’s the Fire Prince, Ash—the guy she’s being forced to marry to unite the Fire and Shadow Kingdoms. Arranged marriage trope? I’m here for it.

Ash at first comes across as shy and kind because of his speech impediment… but then he seems like kind of a knob. Except, you can tell it’s because he’s scared of being vulnerable. He’s such a layered character.

Court secrets. Betrayals. Witches in disguise. Multiple POVs. I couldn’t stop reading. And the romance? Mal thinks he hates her, when in reality he’s just terrified she’ll laugh at his stutter. Then he builds her a room to remind her of home and I melted. My misunderstood king is actually the softest man alive.

And oh my god, that ending. Straight-up Red Wedding vibes. Twists, heartbreak, betrayal—it gutted me.

Honestly, this book was phenomenal. Dark, romantic, twisty, and addictive. Definitely one of my favorites this month.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️

How is no one talking about this book?!

Most underrated read of the year so far, not to mention a beautiful cover too!

I absolutely loved the world the author has created, so unique and sucked me in from the first page and action packed - couldn’t put it down. There were so many unexpected twists I didn’t see coming.

I can't wait for the next book...

<b>Add this one to your list if you like the sound of:</b>
🌹 epic world building
🌹 forbidden magic
🌹 court politics
🌹 sibling/family bonds
🌹 slow burn
🌹 enemies to lovers
🌹 arranged marriage
🌹 mythical creatures - wyverns, dragons & wolves...
🌹 huge twists and a cliffhanger!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash is a romantasy book that follows Mel and the arrange marriage that she is to enter.

The book seemed interesting, however I could not get the feel of it and get really into it. I felt like it took way to long to get to the main point of the story, it was sort of going back and forth on kinda meaningless scenes as well as some of the POVs were not necessary at all and didn’t contribute to the plot.

To be honest it took some time for the story to be somehow enjoyable as the last 1/3 of the book is where the action and everything happens. I am also not a fan of long descriptions and think some of them could have been cut. The characters lack depth, they were kind flat so I could not relate or root for any them as well.

The overall idea of the book and the settings as well as the prophecy is a really good one, so would be great if in book two author would focus more on that as it has potential, just needs some changes.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book!
The worldbuilding and tension were fantastic. The fmc was morally grey and I loved that. The enemies-to-lovers trope was done really well, my favorite trope.

This was a fantastic book! I was completely hooked after a couple of chapters and really enjoyed the various characters we were introduced to.
It was refreshing to have the FMC as the shadow wielding morally grey character!
I struggled a little at times with the way Wren's dialogue was written and found it a bit distracting but overall this book was brilliant and I can't wait to read the next one!

I haven’t read a book this captivating in a long time. The multiple perspectives make the story even more engaging, and the way the author described the characters and the plot was very well done. It’s beautifully written, emotionally gripping, and perfect if you’re trying to get out of a reading slump. I really enjoyed it, I’m already excited for the second book of the series.

The story started off slow but once it got going, it got going. There's a prophecy where the chosen one has to kill the cursed one but who is chosen and who is cursed? Those last 100 pages!?! Things got messy. This is enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, she plans to kill him but things don't always go to plan...

I loved Mal's character growth and I love the way family relationships and dynamics were depicted. There are very strong sibling bonds throughout the different royal families and you could feel the love they have for each other.

The central romantic story does feel like a slow burn at first but then it also felt a little rushed once the connection began. I can't explain more without spoilers so you'll just have to see for yourself. There's also a secondary romantic plot line that actually pays off sooner which was surprising since I thought Mal and Ash were the primary story.

All in all this was a great story and I'm excited for book 2 to be out next month.

I really enjoyed this book! The enemies-to-lovers trope was done so well, and it kept me hooked from beginning to end.

Mel was hands down my favorite character, if there’s ever been a true female shadow daddy, it’s her. I loved every scene she was in. Ash, on the other hand, didn’t quite convince me as much. I found myself wanting more depth and presence from the MMC to balance against Mel’s incredible energy.

That said, the worldbuilding and tension were fantastic, and I’ll definitely be picking up the second book to see where this story goes.

this book was stunning! It was written in a way that had me hooked from the very start! there was so many twist and turns and I couldn't get enough of it! I couldn't stop talking about it with my husband! I cant wait to read the second book!

OH MY GOD!! What a book!

From the very first chapter, I was hooked and I couldn’t put it down. This story has everything I love in a fantasy: political intrigue, curses, revenge, and a slow burn of secrets that kept me on edge the entire time.

I absolutely loved all the characters, but Mal and Ash completely stole my heart. Their dynamic was electric, layered, and full of tension in the best possible way. I’m also so intrigued by Kai and Kage. I can’t wait to learn more about them.

The worldbuilding was absulutely great! With its dangerous landscapes and the constant shadow of witches seeking revenge. It gave me the same thrilling vibes as some of the most popular fantasy series out there, and honestly, this book deserves way more hype.

The end left me desperate for book two—I need it NOW!

Highly, highly recommended for fans of dark fantasy, strong heroines, and stories that keeps you hooked right through to the final line.

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

I devoured this book! The world-building was fantastic and drew me into the story right from the beginning. I couldn't put the book down until I reached the end. The characters were incredibly well-written and developed, and I loved them. I can't wait to read the second book in the series!
Thank you to J.F. Johns and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. I loved the premise, so I had high hopes for this, and it didn’t disappoint! I adored everything from the plot to how it unravelled, the characters, it had me hooked from the beginning 5/5 stars.

I absolutely adored this story. The pacing was great, I could barely put it down after I started. The characters!!! Ah, love them, love them, love them! I liked the slow build romance. And of course all the other dynamics. Usually, I'm a bit concerned when I see a book has multiple POVs but this was really so well done and I enjoyed it big time. I definitely need the next book right here right now.

I have many words to say about this book. The world building was easy to follow and extremely interesting. It’s not often that Wyvern are seen as stronger than Dragons in media now a days so it was an interesting take. The kingdoms and how they were fleshed out was *chefs kiss*. The sentences were strung together like lines from a poem. The plot was easy to follow. I LOVED the side plotlines with the small side romances, and I enjoyed the multi points of views. All of the characters were lovable in their own right. Mal was a fucking badass. I didn’t call the twists which I usually do. Over all I really enjoyed this book!

3.75 stars
3 spice
A Kingdom of Shadows & Ash by J.F.Johns
Kingdom of the Gods # 1
Romantasy

This is a lovely example of why not to judge a cover (or series by its cover). I saw the cover for the second book, which has a different female character, and made a terrible assumption that this was a series of interconnected but separate romantasys in the same world. I took this assumption until ⅔ of the way through the book, when I realized there was WAY too much to resolve in one book. The last 100 pages basically set everything on fire.

Vibes-wise, this book is great. The world is big and interesting. I cared about all the characters. It was cool to see the story unfold from seven (?) perspectives. There are all kinds of different magical creatures and a lot unexplained in the magic system. Enemies-to-lovers, arranged marriage goodness. Multiple relationships are being set up not just the main MMC and FMC. The story carried me through the book, and I was annoyed every time life got in the way of reading this one.

Now that I’m a little removed, I keep noticing things that are either plot holes or intentional because the world is different from ours, but the fact that I can’t tell bothers me. Also, I’m completely fine with a magic system becoming more complex or being unexplained. Still, it’s a pet peeve when it jumps ahead without more references or context set earlier in the story. A popular completed romantasy series does that repeatedly, and it ruined the series for me. That being said, it didn't ruin this book for me; I'm very much looking forward to reading the next one, which comes out on September 1st.