Rating - ****/5
Spice - 1
This book was great! Lots of turns and twists and even had me in tears at some points. The story between Tyran and Wren was predictable in some aspect but still amazing.

The book was beautifully written and well thought out. The plot was also fantastic. The end was finished open ended so I am uncertain if there will be a second book in the future.

I like a little more spice in my books. This was definitely of the YA variety but great nonetheless. I would definitely recommend this book to all fantasy readers and it is also safe for all teens. I would however give caution to some scary aspects ex: different creatures and undead warriors.

4.4 rounded down to 4/5.

"The Shadows of Wren" by Jen Bliton invites readers into the enchanting world of Caldumn, a realm of magic and mystery. Fans of
Sorcery of Thorns will love this book as it weaves a captivating tale filled with vivid world-building and an intriguing magic system.

The story unfolds as the southern towns of Caldumn face an ominous threat – their libraries are burned, and ancient texts stolen by an unknown force. In the midst of this conflict, Wren, a nineteen-year-old Mage, becomes an unexpected key player. The narrative takes readers on a journey that goes beyond Wren's peaceful life, forming an unlikely alliance between different magical beings.

The characters, particularly Wren and Tyran, are well-crafted, and the dynamics between them add depth to the narrative. While the romance aspect develops quickly, the novel manages to maintain a sense of intrigue and anticipation. The drama surrounding Wren and Tyran could have explored additional obstacles to enrich their relationship further.

One of the book's strengths lies in its world-building. The author paints a vivid picture of Caldumn, immersing readers in its magical landscapes and diverse magical beings. The magic system is well thought out and adds an additional layer of fascination to the story.

"Shadows of Wren" is a fast-paced read, perfect for a cozy day or the onset of fall. It keeps the pages turning with a compelling plot that combines elements of fantasy, magic, and adventure. As a debut novel, Jen Bliton demonstrates impressive storytelling and leaves readers eagerly anticipating what comes next.

In conclusion, "The Shadows of Wren" is a must-read for fans of magical fantasy. With its enchanting world, well-developed characters, and an engaging plot, it establishes Jen Bliton as a promising new voice in the fantasy genre.

Outlier alert! First, let me say that the world building was exactly what I desire from a fantasy novel. And the cover is beautiful. What I couldn’t suspend reality for was the insta-love. That trope doesn’t ever work for me.

This fantasy book was so enjoyable. The magic system was very well done. And it had me hooked from the beginning. The romance was amazing. Would highly recommend!

I loved this book!
The story is told with such finesse and has a lovely storyline that makes you care for the characters and mourn when there is a loss of even the background characters. I read a lot and this is up there as one of the more beautiful books I have read recently, and I have read A LOT!
The story follows a young woman with powers and has known that there is something more within her. Very few know of this unknown power within her as it can be dangerous for others to find out. On a mission with her father and their troops, she gets separated and finds herself face to face with a necromancer, a breed that her father has hated and used to instill fear in her so she never mingles with their kind. After their unexpected meeting, they see each other again and realize that he also has the same power running through him.
They begin training with each other to determine the true strength of their power and how to wield it safely and it's a good thing they did because soon they will be face to face with Rhonin, his father.
The battle ensues for an obelisk that holds great power and can be unleashed using the power they both hold.
I can't tell you anymore without giving away a beautiful ending.
Please read it and I hope you enjoy it!

Shadows of Wren follows a mage. After a series of fires, she goes on a quest to find the culprits behind it.

On the journey she meets Tyran a necromancer. They have a strange connection that arises between them. This connection draws them together. This connection draws them together and they unite forces to save the kingdom.

"This was a good short book to read. I did like the characters and the story. The story kept me engaged and wanting more."

There's nothing like a magical read about a forbidden love of two young adults who hold a special magic to fight against an evil, dark power to save their lands.

Shadows of Wren is a nice fantasy read that is the start of great world building. Through the series, I can see the character developing some strong main female characters based on how her past will shape her to continue to fight for her land to be peaceful.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for providing this copy! I really enjoyed this! It was a quick read full of magic, world building and dialogue.

The Shadows of Wren follows the FMC Wren and Tyran. It's an absolutely delightful read about young love, adventure, and with the two main characters being a mage and necromancer it's naturally riddled with magic.

The relationship arc between Wren and Tyran was beautifully developed. The story is fascinatingly dark (for YA) and cozy all at the same time.

As a huge lover of all books fantasy, I loved the intricate and beautiful world-building and the magic system the author created. However, I do think there were times that the plot suffered as a result of too much focus on location descriptions which didn't necessarily relate to the plot. That being said, sometimes when there are multiple books in a series intended it helps to clearly set up the world early on. I don't know if other books in this world are in the works, but it certainly holds a lot of promise.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Jen Bliton for giving me a copy of this book.

If you love Sorcery of Thorns, you will also love this book. This is a quick read full of magics. It also has a wonderful world building and magic system.

I really enjoyed reading this. I can't wait to get a hand on the next book.

I loved this book! It had magic, mages, and shadow users that were so well written by Bliton. She does a fantastic job introducing you into the world of Shadows of Wren, making it an easy transition where you can understand the world fairly quickly.

I loved the magic aspect of this book & really enjoyed how well done it was! It's dark but cozy, something I didn't know I needed until I got it. Can't wait to read more!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

It had the potential to be an exciting and engaging story, but unfortunately, it falls short on several fronts. The novel explores a fantasy world of mystery, intrigue, and romance, but it struggles to fully immerse the reader due to issues with character development, the believability of the romance, and the overall pacing of the narrative.

One of the major drawbacks of the book is the underdeveloped characters. The protagonist's motivations and inner struggles were only surface-level, leaving me feeling disconnected from her journey. The supporting characters are equally one-dimensional, making it challenging to care about their fates or understand their roles in the story.

The romance aspect of the plot feels contrived and unconvincing. The chemistry between the characters is barely there, and their interactions often come across as forced. As a result, it's hard to root for the romantic relationship, which is a letdown in a genre where a well-developed connection can greatly enhance the reading experience.

Action scenes, which should have injected excitement and tension into the narrative, are disappointingly scarce. When they do occur, they lack the intensity and detail needed to grip the reader. A lack of well-crafted action sequences makes the story feel stagnant and uneventful, failing to maintain my interest.

Additionally, the story's pacing is problematic. Parts of the narrative feel choppy and disjointed, making it difficult to follow the plot and stay engaged. The uneven pacing contributes to the overall sense of sluggishness, and it becomes a struggle to stay invested in the story.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐧
After decades of peace within the land, a town comes under attack, and their libraries are burned and ancient texts stolen by an ominous force. An unlikely alliance between two different kinds of magic is formed when Wren finds herself in the middle of a conflict that will take her away from the peaceful life she’s always known.

Along her journey, she encounters Tyran, whose necromancer magic is not widely trusted. Together they learn they share a deeper ancient magic that has long since disappeared. With the help of all magic kinds, they must unite the twins to save their lands, and themselves, while the threat of the kingdom looms.

A read that is equally dark as it is cosy filled with witty banter and exceptional characters. A young adult fantasy that epically blends adventure, romance and intrigue within the pages of this book. Prepare yourself for a book that will sweep you away into a world filled with magic.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘑𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘑𝘦𝘯 𝘉𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘯

The Shadows of Wren is an easy fantasy read that tells the story of Wren, a mage used to a peaceful life, and Tyran, a mysterious necromancer she encounters in the forest. It focuses on their romance and the journey they face to save their lands, and is filled with magic, conflict, and adventure that is sure to captivate readers.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me.

I loved the magic system and world-building. I am a big fantasy reader, and this story contained aspects that I love to see in my books. Because of the level of detail put into these areas, however, the characters felt two-dimensional against the intricate backdrop of their world. As a side, I did enjoy the diversity of the characters which is an important feature to me as a queer reader.

I was not the biggest fan of the romance between the two MCs. I don’t particularly enjoy instalove, so I didn't feel attached to the relationship that Wren and Tyran shared. The lack of development in their relationship led to a lack of interest on my part.

The pacing and balance of the book was arguably my biggest issue. In addition to the pacing of the relationship between the MCs, there seemed to be a lack of balance between world-building and plot. It worked in favour of the world, which was intricate and beautiful, but it resulted in more time spent on scenes that weren’t as relevant to the overarching plot, and less spent on scenes that were more important to the story.

Overall, I can see how this book would work for a lot of people, and I am sad to say that I am not one of them. The Shadows of Wren does hold a lot of promise, and I look forward to seeing what else this author puts out.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!

The Shadows Of Wren was an easy and interesting read. It is the first book in this fantasy romance series and I will surely continue reading the series. I feel like the story and the characters will progress more in the following books, as well the relationships between them. What I was lacking was more of the side characters, more of understanding and connecting with them. At time they seemed too one-dimentional. I don't mind that the relationship between MCs isn't an enemies to lovers story but rather an instalove, mainly because MMC, Taryn, is such a sweetheart and truly the best thing about this book. Can't wait to see where the story takes us next. The book doesn't end on a cliffhanger but it's clear there are bigger conflicts coming.

The story is interesting, following various characters and following their development and growth. The theme of the story keeps the reader captive. However, I find that some passages "drag on" a bit while, in others, everything happens too quickly, almost without the reader having time to absorb all the details of the story. Overall, the book is easy to read and written in such a way that the reader wants to get to the end and see where the characters end up. I'll give it 3.5
I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.

After decades of peace within the lands of Caldumn ruled by the Red Kingdom, the southern towns have come under attack. Their libraries burned and ancient texts stolen by an ominous force. An unlikely alliance between two magic kinds is formed when Wren, a nineteen-year-old Mage, finds herself in the middle of a conflict that will take her outside of the peaceful life she’s known.

Excellent YA fantasy. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I think the premise and tropes were really enjoyable but some sections are a bit overwritten. I would also say the prose needs a little cleaning up but otherwise this is an enjoyable read! Tightened up it would be 4⭐️

This story has found family, soul mates and star cross lovers tropes. It revolves around Wren and her shadow magic which leads to a uncanny connection with Taryn, who is from the enemy group.

The main plot is decent, my problem was with the unnecessary info dump. There was writing about the description of mundane days which don’t serve in moving the plot forward and very less of the actual story, Honestly, if you strip the story of the heavy detail and leave only dialogue it probably will fit in 10 pages.
The relationship between the different characters was also not felt at all, not only between wren and Taryn even with the side characters absolutely no chemistry.

Wren, a mage whose life revolves around the library in her village that safeguards the vast knowledge of magic. However, her world is turned upside down as a series of mysterious fires consume the libraries in the Red Kingdom. Fueled by determination, she embarks on a quest to unveil the culprits behind this unforgivable act.

Along the way, Wren crosses paths with Tyran, a necromancer, and a peculiar connection arises through their unique magical abilities. Their magnetic attraction draws them together, prompting them to unite forces with the noble goal of saving the kingdom from the arsonists. Their romance is far from a straightforward affair, as it's entangled with the complexities of their mission, the stark differences between their people, and the looming shadow of prejudice.

“The Shadows of Wren” by Jen Bliton is a really good book to read. I liked the characters and story, and it kept me wanting to read more. I did think the book was on the slower side. I wished for a bit more tension in the romance between Wren and Tyran, as well as stronger resistance from other characters against their relationship, considering the prevailing prejudices. I did like the book though and would like to read more of it in the future. 4 out of 5 stars.