“Shadow Legacy” by Colleen Mitchell is a wild ride of family secrets, magical twists, and plenty of drama. Rowan, our main girl, is just trying to figure out who she really is when she stumbles upon a whole mess of hidden truths about her family. Enter Casimir: mysterious, complicated, and definitely not what he seems. Their chemistry? Unstoppable.

Mitchell blends history, magic, and a whole lot of secrets in a way that keeps you hooked. Rowan’s personal journey is real and raw, and Casimir only adds fuel to the fire with his own tangled past. The pacing’s perfect—not too fast, not too slow—and the plot twists will keep you on your toes.

If you’re into books with strong characters, juicy mysteries, and just the right amount of magic, “Shadow Legacy” is a solid pick. It’s fun, it’s deep, and it’ll have you flipping pages faster than you can say "family drama."

In a world where the Brotherhood has stripped women of their rights and power, Rowan is desperate for an escape. Casimir, a mysterious vampire, offers her one. What begins as a search for the truth about Rowan’s heritage soon turns into a journey filled with unexpected alliances, powerful magic, and a bloody battle.

I really enjoyed this book! The author's immersive writing style made it easy to visualize every scene, and the plot kept me engaged from start to finish. Even though I saw some of the twists coming, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I particularly loved the strong feminist themes throughout the story, emphasizing the need for women to reclaim their power. If I had one complaint, it would be that the book wasn’t longer—I would have loved to explore this world even more.

That being said, a few aspects left me wanting more. First, the world-building felt underdeveloped. While the descriptive writing painted vivid images of certain places, I still lacked a clear understanding of how the world functioned—its rulers, its layout, and the magic system. Second, the timeline was unclear. I often found myself wondering how long Rowan and Casimir had been traveling together. Without any clear markers, their relationship felt rushed, making some of Rowan’s emotional reactions seem sudden. Lastly, the dialogue sometimes felt too scripted or formal, lacking the natural flow of real conversations, which made it harder to connect with the characters.

Despite these minor issues, I had a great time reading Shadow Legacy, and I’m excited to see what Colleen writes next. A huge thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! I received this eBook for free, and my review is completely honest.

I was able to read this elsewhere and I truly enjoyed all it had to offer!
Broody banter and magic is what really pulled me into this. I did get a bit of the insta-love feel which in not super fond of but the characters eventually grew in me.
Overall I enjoyed this book!

3.5! Is it possible for an insta love to also have a slow burn? Because I found myself to be surprised at how quickly emotions started to overwhelm the FMC and MMC. It took me awhile to like both of them although I enjoyed their banter, I was confused on the romance itself.

Broody, sarcastic vampires and magic made for an interesting read. The writing is descriptive which helps capture the settings of the book with a few short spicy scenes and a nicely wrapped ending that made me smile!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC ♡

This story started out with fairy tale vibes and I really couldn’t get enough. Girl is saved from the evils of her orphanage and teams up with her hero who is a vampire to find more information about her past. She finds out she has powers etc. I enjoyed reading this book but then my feelings took a turn around about 20 % through the book. I felt like more world building was needed. I also didn’t feel a strong connection the way the mfc did towards any of the characters. I felt like the book was trying to convince me how to feel instead of putting in the work to make me actually feel all the different relationships.

A debut novel from Colleen Mitchell that is a vampire story. Fun new author mixed with fantasy story equaled a win win for me.

Rowen is in a orphanage that is run by the Brotherhood. Casimir, a vampire, mysteriously shows up at the orphanage when the head director gets a bit rough with Rowen. The story just blossoms from there with magic, romance, and adventure. Of course there's hidden family that is found, there's a big war and romance. Written in a time where females were nothing more than dirt, this story is written with excellent female character growth and having them as the main characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Colleen Mitchell for the eversion arc in exchange for my opinion.

3/5⭐️
2/5🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

I have quite a few thoughts on this so buckle in.

Let’s get the glaring problem out of the way, the time line. After reading a few reviews it almost feels like beating a dead horse by commenting on this but what in the hell in the timeline in this book? Even in the first few chapters she wakes up in what is described as afternoon, she eats, gets dressed in a few minutes, and suddenly the sun is setting. It truly only gets worse from there where if you count the times they actually mention sleeping or time passing the timeline of this book is maybe 4-5 days. Which for this not being a fated mates or some sort of destined lovers trope, the insta love is WAY too insta lovey.

For as wonky as the timeline was I did really enjoy the fact Rowan didn’t just stumble into her power and there was actually a training montage of sorts.

Speaking of the insta love, the relationship between Casimir and Rowan is wild. They’re set up great when he saves her and it devolves really quickly from there. For instance, in Chapter 17 they’re having a conversation where Rowan is questioning if he would ever feel like more than a friend with her, when a few chapters before he literally swore a blood oath to her?? And told her prior the intensity and meaning of that.. if that’s not confessing feelings idk what it was supposed to be honestly.

While there was a wide range of side characters I enjoyed, they all felt pretty flat to me other than Marcus. He was… dynamic is the best way to put it with no spoilers lmao. However the conversations that happen with these side characters is where my main issue lies. The dialogue between either mc and them always felt like NPC dialogue. Like an rpg where you interact with NPCs solely to gain pivotal information to the plot of the game and literally nothing else (besides maybe a sliver of tragic backstory). In a book I want so much more depth to characters that they all just felt one dimensional and not as important as they turned out to be.

For as short as this book was, it was good. The writing was really flowery and beautiful and really painted the scene for every chapter, but I wish so desperately there was more world building (the brotherhood is really all we know outside of our main cast), more character backstory, more mundane passing of time scenes to set the timeline, and a higher action point. The twist never really felt like a twist to me, and I wish the stakes were higher.

Shadow Legacy follows Rowan, an orphan turned indentured servant, as she seeks to uncover her mysterious origins and wield newfound power. Readers are immediately thrust into Rowan’s own personal hellscape - Mercy’s Haven Orphanage. The children of Mercy’s Haven, much like most of the Kingdom of Borealia, reside under the watchful eye of the “Institute of the Brotherhood”. Rowan longs to free both herself and the orphans from the Brotherhood’s harmful grasp, but her plans are altered when Casimir, a child of the night, makes an unexpected visit.

Deciding to flee with Casimir, Rowan leaves the orphanage behind only to be thrust into the world of magical beings. With Casimir’s help Rowan uncovers her past. Together, the two forge friendships and face foes. But it’s not long before they find themselves at the center of a brewing battle. As threats loom and tensions rise, Rowan must learn to understand both her power and her heart.

⭐️⭐️ - 2.5/5

I would rate this read 2.5 stars out of 5. I enjoyed this story and think it is a great debut novel! It was very descriptive of both characters and locations, which made it easy to imagine the scenes playing out as I read. I also enjoyed the obvious themes and issues of modern society that were alluded to throughout the book.

That being said, this book left me wanting. I had so many questions regarding the world, characters, and the timeline of events. There is not much information provided about the world, only things mentioned briefly or in passing. (Why and how did the Brotherhood take over? The history of the kingdom? Is there a hierarchy among magical beings? Any special magic systems? Do other beings have anything similar to the Vampire Council?) The characters are interesting, but I would have loved to have had more backstory to understand the connections of, and to form connections with, the characters. (What clan does Rowan belong to? How did Lilith end up with Eamon? Cora and Lilith’s friendship? How do Marcus and Casimir know each other? The necromancer that resulted in Casimir turning?) I was also very confused about the timeline of events because there are no clear markers throughout the story. This made the events feel very rushed and the romantic connection unreasonable. (Time of year? Month?)

Overall, Shadow Legacy is a promising story and I would gladly read Colleen Mitchell’s work again!

(Thank you to Net Galley, Victory Editing, & Colleen Mitchell for this opportunity!)

Thank you so much to Colleen Mitchel and Netgalley for the ARC!

Shadow Legacy follows Rowan, a young woman who lives at an orphanage under a brute, abusive arch patriarch. One night when she is in trouble, Casimir, a handsome and powerful vampire, appears to save her. She escapes with him and they embark in a grand journey to save the world from the tyranny of the Reaper, another powerful vampire who unfairly turns, slaughters, and imprisons the inhabitants of the villages around him. Casimir helps Rowan learn about her birth parents and where she comes from, uncovering a complex past and mysterious powers that Rowan never thought possible.

This book is very fast paced with a lot of action, intrigue, romance, and mystery. I think the overall concept has a lot of potential. The plot line is unique and I love the interesting world-building and variety of settings and characters. I think with a little bit more fleshing out, this would have been a higher rating for me.

Personally, I feel there was a lack of description and build-up. I wish we had more time to see Rowan and Casimir getting to know each other in the beginning with all of the traveling they did together. It felt like we moved so fast from place to place that it was a little jarring and I didn't really get to know them or how their relationship built. There is a lot of telling instead of showing. I also didn't quite understand the setting and the world they were in. Yes, there were many towns and forests and castles but as a reader, I didn't feel like enough time or description was spent on each place for me to really experience it. Why is the world they are in the way it is? Why is there prejudice between certain species? Why were the townspeople so suspicious of strangers? Why did we find the important side characters in the places they were in? The dialogue also felt unnatural at times, and the way characters spoke changes a lot which also added to the difficulty of getting to know them. Sometimes they spoke as if it was from an essay rather than how two people would speak naturally, sometimes they spoke like teenagers, and sometimes like a prophet or something.

I do really think this has potential to be great. I think with just more editing and descriptive writing, making the world and characters a bit more real would elevate Colleen's future novels so much. I do look forward to her releases in the future and I do recommend giving this a try, because it's got backbone but needs a little more fleshing out.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Colleen Mitchell for providing me with an ARC of Shadow Legacy in exchange for my honest review.

Shadow Legacy is a romantasy adventure that takes readers on a journey full of mystery, magic, and memorable characters. Rowan, the fierce and determined protagonist, begins her story in an orphanage until she encounters Casimir, a captivating vampire who saves her from a dire fate. Through their journey together, Rowan uncovers the secrets of her mysterious powers over vampires and pieces together the puzzle of her past.

The world-building in Shadow Legacy is refreshingly straightforward and easy to immerse yourself in. I particularly loved the strong, badass women woven throughout the narrative—Rowan is a standout, but the supporting female characters shine just as brightly. Casimir, with his charm and loyalty, is utterly swoon-worthy, delivering lines like, "Your life seemed more precious than my own," which will undoubtedly melt hearts. The side characters, like Marcus, add additional layers and intrigue to the story, making it feel rich and well-rounded.

While the romance leans toward the "instant love" trope due to the relatively short timeline, it still brings an emotional depth to Rowan and Casimir's connection that many readers will enjoy. Though some of the early dialogue felt a bit stilted, the story's overall pacing keeps things moving and holds your attention until the end.

In all, Shadow Legacy is an entertaining and enjoyable read with compelling characters and a strong sense of adventure. While it may not be a life-changing book for me personally, it’s a solid addition to the fantasy genre and one I’d recommend to fans of vampire lore, strong heroines, and fast-paced narratives.

To start off, I did enjoy reading Shadow Legacy. It has a badass FMC and a cinnamon roll MMC. However, this book lacked in places for me. The overall story was good and had so much potential to be great.
One of the issues I had was a lot of the dialogue was immature. I would expect it to some degree from the MFC but not the 200+ year old MMC. It sounded like they were freshmen in high school.
The next issue I had was the pacing. Normally I love when a book just jumps in and you learn the backstory slowly throughout, but the pacing in this is all over the place. The beginning is super fast. A lot happens in a very short time and it’s just the beginning. I needed more details there. About half way through, the pacing is almost perfect but some things you hear the same descriptor or too much details on one item. Then the ending is faster again and has a time jump it seems. This part was ok but it just felt lacking.
All in all, I did enjoy this book and would recommend someone read it. Just don’t expect it to be the next best thing.
I very much look forward to any future novels from Colleen Mitchell.

Thank you to Colleen Mitchell and her publishers for the ARC.

Shadow Legacy was a fun "popcorn read." It was a fast and entertaining read. The theme of women regaining power throughout the book was nice to see. The plot kept my attention although I was a little lost within the world- a map would have been a nice boon. I do love Rowan and Casimir but feel that they connected a little fast. I would give it a 6.5 out of 10- good predictable fun.

The vibes are strong with this one!
A darkish fantasy with vampires and magic. Beautiful writting and an interesting adventure. It's slow-paced and in the same time, action-packed. It's mysteries and cozy-dark, and the relasionship between the maincharcters are nicely done.

Post on IG the 28.jan 2025 :)

3,5 stars and a thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

WOW! This book grabbed my attention right from the very first paragraph!

During the first couple of chapters in the book, it felt like the story line would rise and fall. Meaning, it feels like the author gets into the writing, then takes a break, then has to get back into it. you can feel, in the book, when the author is into her own story and when she's not.

Overall this book is very detailed. A tale of fantasy/romance. It is so easy to fall in love with the main characters because of how detailed and well formulated the characters are. This author truly brings this realm and these characters to life. This book is an example of how a woman can truly awaken a man's masculine side. A fantasy novel that can easily sweep you into another reality with ease.
There are some "hot and heavy" scenes in this book, (where are my erotic genre girls at?! This book is for you!) so if you're a shy person or that just isn't what you're looking for in this book I wouldn't pick it up.

5/5 stars in my book for this book. I could not stop reading. Bravo to the author.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who may be interested in fantasy romance novels.

Overall this book is a a beautifully written fantasy novel involving Casimir, a lonely man, who's known nothing but pain, desperation and loneliness his entire life and Rowan, a woman who's been abandoned by everyone she knows. They ultimately go on a question to discover more about themselves, all the while falling deeper deeper in love. If that doesn't sound like a banger of a novel, I don't know what does.

You guys, this book is a hit. I hope that there's another one coming out!

Romantasy adventure filled with action, secrets, vampires, witches, and magic hiding everywhere. Good versus evil in quite the battle while a healthy simmer boils beneath the surface and keeps things moving. A HEA awaits, and quite the journey to get there.

Shadow Legacy by Colleen Mitchell is for fans of dark fantasy romance with minor spice.

This was a quick, fast-paced read. I would put it in the novella category. Because it is so short, the love story is quick and the action jumps from one quest to the next. I would have enjoyed some more detailed world-building and character development but it was an enjoyable read.

You will find:
-Slow burn
-Spice 2/5
-Vampires
-Witches
-Broody vampire knight
-Mostly single POV

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC!

This story of a strong hearted girl, Rowan, who comes face to face with her deepest fear and discovers more about herself than she could ever imagined before.

Interesting read and I really liked the elements of a chronic illness which I really resonated with, the reason for low rating is because it felt like something was missing and the writing style was quite immature, definitely more aimed at YA

I really, really wanted to love this book. To be fair, I think the premise was very strong, and there were promising flashes of character development. The writing style and pacing just didn't suit my preferred kind of storytelling, so I struggled to feel immersed in the world or the characters, especially as the book was rather short for the content and the worldbuilding and romance were lacking overall. I also feel like the end of the novel and its solution to FMC and MMC's conflict was a overly convenient. However, there is something to be said about a conclusion that doesn't require suffering on the part of the characters or the reading.

To my understanding, this is Colleen Mitchell's debut. I think with additional editing and worldbuilding, her future work could be excellent, and I would be willing to read another one of her works. If you are looking for a chill, uncomplicated read with a brave and fierce FMC and an MMC that would do anything for her, this may be for you! It just wasn't for me.

Cover and description drew me in but the story lacked any world building and some things just didn’t make any sense to me. I did not connect with the characters because it all just moved way too fast.