Three words.. WOW!! What a fantastic read! It had everything I love in a fantasy! MAgic, Wyverns, forbidden love, plotting.... Incredible!!!!!

¡Qué viaje fue este libro! Me costó un poco al principio—entre el sistema de magia, la cantidad de personajes y los múltiples puntos de vista—pero una vez que agarré ritmo, no pude soltarlo. Este fue mi primer contacto con una historia de fantasía con brujas, y la verdad es que superó mis expectativas.

Algo que me gustó muchísimo es que, aunque está narrado en tercera persona (que no suele ser mi estilo favorito), la alternancia de POVs entre Mal, Ash, Kai, Alina y algunos secundarios más logró mantenerme enganchada todo el tiempo. Sí, en algunos momentos puede resultar un poco confuso con tantos cambios, pero el desarrollo emocional de cada personaje lo justifica bastante.

✨ Lo que más me gustó:

Mal. Una protagonista con todas las letras: decidida, fuerte, con carácter y convicciones. Me encantó que no fuera la típica “princesa víctima”.

Ash. ¡Por fin un MMC que no es el típico “alpha” tóxico! Ash es reservado, dulce en su forma silenciosa, y cuando se abre, ¡ufff! El slow burn entre él y Mal es todo lo que necesitaba.

Kai y Alina. Esta subtrama me atrapó casi tanto como la principal. El nivel de angustia y tensión que manejan estos dos… increíble. Kai es el toque de humor y encanto perfecto.

El mundo. Wyverns, dragones, valquirias, brujas, sombras vivientes… es como si alguien hubiese juntado todos los ingredientes épicos de la fantasía y los hubiese mezclado con precisión. La ambientación está tan bien construida que sentís que podés tocarla.

🔥 Lo que me dejó con ganas de más:

Algunas cosas se resolvieron medio apuradas. El final me dejó con el corazón en la mano, pero sentí que el cierre llegó demasiado rápido o que le faltaron unas 50 páginas más para que todo terminara de asentarse.

El romance entre Mal y Ash, aunque hermoso, pasa de slow burn a intenso en cuestión de páginas. Me hubiera gustado ver un poco más de desarrollo emocional antes de que explote todo.

Algunos huecos en la trama que, aunque no arruinan la experiencia, te dejan con preguntas (¡que espero que se resuelvan en el segundo libro!).

En resumen: si te gusta la fantasía con mucha emoción, personajes con capas, tensión romántica que te deja al borde del abismo y un mundo riquísimo en criaturas y política mágica, este libro te va a encantar. ¿Perfecto? No. ¿Atrapante, conmovedor y adictivo? Totalmente. Ya estoy esperando la segunda parte.

Thank you to NetGalley for sharing an ARC of this title with me. This was an exciting romantasy, with forced marriage, enemies to lovers, “touch her and I’ll kill you” energy that was an overall enjoyable time. The main FMC Mal was empowering to read about, being genuinely herself throughout the entire book - strong, witty, caring - and never apologizing for who she was and where she came from. The authors writing was very descriptive and lush. After I got into the book I bit, I found it easy to vividly picture what the setting was for each scene and also felt like the authors choice of words evoked so many emotions beyond simply describing what was happening or what the characters were feeling. One of my other favorite things was how the various other characters were introduced. The author used the middle chunk of the book to build political intrigue, introduce characters from other kingdoms and in my opinion, made some of those other characters really shine. I expected this book to be about one FMC and MMC, but the character building had me feeling things for other people and other relationships just as much. I will admit that that same middle of the book section was at times a bit boring for me and I would have liked to have even more action throughout the book if possible, but the ending was ultimately well worth the wait! I will definitely be looking to read more from J.F. Johns in the future!

Really enjoyable read! Will definitely look forward to reading book 2. Love the world building and the twists! If you love enemies to lovers you will enjoy this! Thank you for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I will be posting my review to TikTok soon and will tag the author/publisher when I do.

The book started off very strong. I was hooked by the plot and I liked the characters that were being introduced. At 30% it started to drag and I felt like there were pacing issues. They were married by the 50% mark and I felt like that was dragged out way too long, but then they were in love around 80% but I just don’t feel like they had enough interactions or conversations to get to that point. Idk I’m conflicted because I really loved aspects of the story but had moments where I wanted it to move along faster.

I really enjoyed this book! I’d give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars. The world-building was super cool, I loved the idea of the Eight Kingdoms and how each one had its own unique vibe. It wasn’t just one big, generic fantasy world and every kingdom was described differently; That variety made the story feel bigger and more interesting.

The plot had some great twists too. A few I saw coming, but others totally surprised me, especially near the end — which kept things exciting. As for the characters, I really liked Mal and Ash as the main couple. They have a good dynamic, and I’m definitely rooting for them. Alina, though… she kind of got on my nerves. She just felt a little too much at times.

Still, I think the author did a great job setting up the next book, and I’m really looking forward to reading more. I’m hoping this turns into a trilogy (at least), because I’m not ready to leave this world yet.

If you like fantasy with strong world-building, enemies to lovers romance, and some solid twists, this one’s worth checking out!

I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait until the sequel! There was not a single passage in this book that left me disappointed. All the beautifully placed twists and turns had me begging for more in the best possible way. There were heart wrenching moments, but I can’t wait to see where they lead to.

I really really tried to love this book after reading the reviews. However it just wasn’t for me. Too many POVs and too many similar characters to other fantasy books maybe? It’s not you, it’s me.

Holy hell that was insane ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5

It’s been a while since I have read a true five star book and this one was absolutely breathtaking. I shall be begging on my knees for the next book (which thankfully she just released the cover for 👀)

This book is complex and kept me on my toes the entire time. It’s third person POV which I was a little nervous for but it was written beautifully. There is so much going on but it’s all sooooo important to the story line. Also gave me more couples to ship 🤭

Absolutely fantastic story telling and I was gifted an EArc but plan on buying a paperback bc it is 100% worth it and I’ll want to reread before sequel. Soooooo freaking good

A century of silence between kingdoms is shattered when Mal Blackburn, the fourthborn child of darkness, agrees to marry the cruel fire prince. But Mal has no intention of winning his heart—she plans to kill him and end the curse that plagues the lands. As dragons soar and secrets unravel, Mal’s own hidden truths may decide the fate of the eight kingdoms. Dark, atmospheric, and brimming with intrigue, Witch Eyes is a fiery tale of revenge, betrayal, and unexpected redemption.

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read and review this book early.

This book deserves all the stars. It’s my best read of the year. The writing in this book is unmatched with richly detailed worldbuilding and so much to uncover in every chapter. I loved the multi-POV format, and the characters are brilliant! The last 20% of the book completely floored me. It’s nonstop twist after twist, I had to take breaks to take it in. The gasps I gasped.

Perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers, court intrigue, arranged marriage, and century-old curses.

⚠️ Check CWs before you read!

I dnf’d this at 20%. I have absolutely no quarrels with the writing or anything it just wasn’t for me unfortunately! I know some people will love this though.

4.25⭐️ The cover is what initially drew me to this book, and I am so so SO glad I got the opportunity to read it!

Mortals, fae, witches, magic, ancient prophesies and curses, kingdoms on the verge of war, dragons, wyvern, shadow magic, arraigned marriages, secrets and betrayals, court politics… add a slow burn romance… absolutely yes please!

This was such a great read! I was hooked immediately! The writing, although in third person (which I often don’t enjoy as much), was absolutely beautiful! The world-building was perfect in my opinion. There was a substantial amount without being too overwhelming, and it was all described beautifully - Very vivid, atmospheric, and immersive. The character development was good as well. I did find myself getting a little confused at times, or feeling liked I needed to write everything down to remember (lol), but it didn’t hinder the reading experience much. I loved seeing the characters grow in this book, especially the women! We love strong, powerful women realizing and growing into their potential and power, breaking stigmas and standing up for themselves! The FMC Mal Blackburn was such a badass!

The plot was generally steady paced, although around the middle it did get a bit slow, but I’m glad I continued on. The thing that effected the reading experience the most for me was the “transitions”, as sometimes they felt a little abrupt. Since this was third person, this story often jumped around to different characters aside from the MC’s, which in one way I guess I liked so I could see what else was going on, but on the other hand I felt like it also somehow took away from the MC’s and their story. At times I found myself more invested in side character’s and their dynamics, rather than the MC’s which had me kind of confused (ex. Kai and Alina). Don’t get me wrong, I liked that side character’s got their moments, but at times it felt a little too unbalanced in focus. Mal (FMC) and Ash’s (MMC) relationship definitely got more focus closer to the end of the book which I appreciated.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and I read it really quickly! I cannot wait to see how Mal and Ash’s dynamic grows and how everything plot wise plays out because… that ending was WOW! Way to end with a banger! Definitely reading the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the author, J.F. Johns, for the opportunity to read this as an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

—

Overall Ratings ↴
Star: 4.25⭐️/5
Spice: 1-🌶️/5
Emotion: 2💧/5

Tropes / Elements ↴
🖤 Enemies to Lovers (ish)
❤️‍🔥 Arranged Marriage
🖤 Forced Proximity
❤️‍🔥 Strong, badass heroine(s)
🖤 Complicated family dynamics
❤️‍🔥 Magical Kingdoms
🖤 Witches, Fae, and Humans
❤️‍🔥 Court Politics
🖤 High-Stakes
❤️‍🔥 Secrets and Betrayals
🖤 Prophecies and Ancient Curses
❤️‍🔥 Dark Shadow Vibes
🖤 Dragons, Wyvern, and other magical creatures

This book was amazing! It has every magical element that I love and of course the emeries to lovers trope. It kept me engaged and left me wanting more! I will always love when a book writes in and provides multiple POVs. It was a little slow at times but made up for it. Thank you for the ARC and can’t wait for the next one!

This was an amazing romantasy. I loved the writing style and the world building. It was full of some of my favorites like enemies to lovers, slow burn, dark magic, wyverns, and forbidden love, just to name a few. I couldn't put it down. 🩷

This book had so much potential to be a favorite.. dark atmosphere, forbidden love, shadow magic, yearning, all my favorite tropes were present. The world was immersive, and the opening chapters drew me in right away. The writing was very visual, and I could see the scenes clearly, which I loved.

Character-wise, Kai completely stole the show for me. He’s protective, witty, and emotionally layered.. just so boyfriend-coded. His bond with Mal and tension with Alina had me way more invested than the main romance, to be honest.

Mal grew on me slowly, and her arc became more enjoyable toward the end (the shadowwalking scene? chef’s kiss). However, I did feel the story struggled with consistency and pacing. Sometimes transitions were jarring, and certain plot points didn’t fully add up (like… the fire prince skipping his own wedding celebration?). The military setup was vague, and side characters lacked depth, which made the world feel a little too centered around just the royal family.

Also, the book leaned more on telling than showing, which dulled the emotional impact for me. And while the yearning was there, it stayed too surface-level for me to really feel it. Still, there were moments I really enjoyed, and I’d consider reading book two, mostly for Kai (please give him more page time!).

Thank you J.F. Johns and Netgalley for the arc!!!

Title: A Kingdom of Shadow & Ash
Author: J.F. Johns
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Sci-fi and Fantasy
Release: May 31, 2025
My Rating: 4.25

Wow, wow, WOW! Johns has written an beautifully spun romantasy that hit all the marks, and is one of the best books I have read in a long while! Her writing style is perfection and beautifully descriptive - I was hooked within the first few chapters.

This story was filled with twist and turns and heartbreak that I did not see coming at all. Throw in dragons, wyverns, witches and more, it's a great combo! It gave the houses of zodiac academy, game of thrones mixed with the witches from throne of glass. If you like dark magic, political intrigue, a slow burn romance with a tasteful bit of spice all wrapped up in a prophecy then this is a book for you!

The only con is related to the multiple povs - the pov toggles between different characters within the same chapters with no distinction until you are already reading it trying to figure out who is talking. I also was not sure what Wren's accent/ethnicity is from the writing of her dialog. It sounded very hillbilly in my head for some reason which threw me out of the book in her parts.

That all being said DO NOT sleep on this book! I cannot wait until the 2nd one! Thank you to Netgally and J.F.John for sending me an ARC of this book - it was AMAZING 😍

Kingdom of Shadow and Ash by J.F. Johns

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨️ Review ✨️
This novel is a New Adult fantasy romance and the first installment in the Kingdom of Gods series.

Set in a realm where eight kingdoms have been estranged for a century following a devastating war against the witches, the story follows the fourth-born daughter of the Kingdom of Darkness. Born with distinctive purple eyes, a trait associated with witches the daughter is sent to marry a Prince of the Kingdom of Flames, a union intended to end the long-standing feud between their realms.

This novel weaves together themes of enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance, political scheming, and dark magic, creating an immersive tale of love, betrayal, and destiny.

I loved this ARC as it really sucked me in from the first chapter and I found the pacing to be really well done - not to fast or to slow! Would definitely reccomend adding this to your TBR

A kingdom of shadow and ash review

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley and J.F Johns for allowing my to read this arc. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and had me experiencing so many emotions that I felt stunned upon finishing the book.

Overall, I rated the book 4 stars. It made me laugh, pull my hair in stress and numb from the plot twists and gut wrenching events. The book is set around a curse that had divided eight kingdoms all still holding grudges over the war a hundred years before. However, a bridge wants to be created. So the arranged marriage between Mal and Ash is created, and in doing so, bringing kingdoms together. However as they have gathered, lies and prophecies unravel all while the fear of a new war is on the horizon. This book has multiple POV’s, enemies to lovers, unique characters and an even better setting.

J.F John’s has a beautiful writing style that had me attached to the characters almost immediately. I loved Mal and her confidence in herself and love for those close to her. I genuinely loved the way she was presented and rarely saw flaws in her character. As for her betrothed, he was first introduced as a cruel prince. But as his character unraveled and you got to see him more, you saw his struggles in both his responsibilities and his conflicting feelings towards those around him. I enjoyed watching them interact and come to know one another.

However, the remarkable characters don’t stop there. Mal and Ash’s siblings also play key roles in the story and it was refreshing to read. In many books, similar to this, there are often only two main characters and stories to be focused on. The side characters part are briefly mentioned and appreciated. However this wasn’t the case and I am grateful for it. I would have considered some being more of the main characters if it wasn’t for the plot surrounding Mal and Ash slightly more.

There were some parts of the book that didn’t initially enjoy but saw the need for the choice towards the end of the book. One was the heavy world building and the history dump. I found it a bit of a struggle to sit and read the first few chapters just how much information was given straight of the bat. I suggest if you were going to read this book, then sit and push through the first 10% to 20% of the book. I personally feel that it might have been easier to get back into the book when I put it back down. Unfortunately, I hadn’t meaning the first few days of reading it was a struggle. But like I said, it was quite needed when I continued reading.

Despite this, no matter when I picked the book up, I was entertained while reading. Once I passed the 40% mark I was encaptivated and couldn’t put the book down. While reading, you knew something was going to happen that was going to change everything but I had no idea what. I had theories but after finishing the book, I am still gob smacked and need to read the second book.

Overall, I really loved reading this book and will be recommending this book to friends. I just know I am going to be thinking about this book quite a lot and will be keeping an eye out for other works by J.F Johns.

I really enjoyed this read, I think the world created is super interesting and the development of all the characters made it very easy for me to fall into the story. There was clearly alot of history in this story and it felt like a puzzle to put together. This cliffhnager sucks cause i want to read the next book already!! The only thing I wish the book had was when the POV changes, i wish we were told, instead sometimes I felt like i would read the entire page before realising whose eyes I was looking through.