Thank you so much for the opportunity to receive this arc! I'm so very grateful!
The prologue of A Kingdom of Ash and Shadow pulled me in immediately! A witch cursing and entire land because of what they did to her love was an incredible picture of feminine rage and it was delightful!
My only critique would be that the descriptions seemed a little excessive and distracted some from the story. Otherwise this book had everything I love in a romantasy and I look forward to more books from this author!

I loved this story so much! I'm in my fire-wielding era!

Amazing worldbuilding, the writing is immersive and the vibes immaculate. It was deliciously dark and paints a bleak world, full of tension because of the people in power. It was magical, immersive and I couldn't stop reading.

My favourite character is Mal. She’s so grounded, honest, and just unapologetically herself. She's in her revenge era and I love it. Nothing like female rage! The best part of this story is her journey and personal development.

Can’t wait for book 2. More of this amazing world and I need to get a trophy book for my shelf!

This book was so gripping, I did not want to put it down. I loved it!

The recipe for all of my favourite things in a novel:

Enemies to Lovers
Magic Systems
Dragons
Multiple POV

This book is definitely fast paced, at points it did perhaps feel like it was moving a little too quickly. I think the end could have been buffed out with 20-30 more pages. But I am so drawn in for the next installment!

I love Mal and Ash, they are both well rounded characters and I found them to be extremely likable. I wouldn't call it a slow-burn but there was definitely tension building and I loved how it developed.

All round, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for book two!

I'm not sure why but I couldn't get into this book.
On a good note I loved that first chapter. It was intriguing and dark. I'm not sure what changed for me.

WOW. I was absolutely blown away with my love for this book. I really really enjoyed this book, I could not put it down. The plotline, the characters, the side characters, the humour, I was absolutely obsessed.

This book was an entertaining and intriguing read with a strong premise. The story itself pulled me in, but I couldn’t help feeling that it moved a bit too quickly. The pacing sometimes made the plot feel rushed, and the ending read more like a true prologue to what’s to come rather than a fully rounded conclusion.
I also would have loved to see more development in the relationships. If the author had taken more time to build chemistry between the characters, the emotional impact would have been stronger. That said, the book kept my attention, and I enjoyed the overall storyline.
While I think it could benefit from tighter editing and more balanced pacing, it was still a solid read, and I’d recommend it to friends who enjoy fantasy with intriguing setups

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash is a dark, atmospheric romantasy that hooked me from the very first chapter. The blend of political intrigue, multi-layered world-building, and a perfectly executed slow-burn romance makes this an incredibly addictive read.
Mal Blackburn is an outstanding protagonist — sharp, determined, and resourceful, yet layered with vulnerability that makes her feel real and relatable. Ash complements her beautifully; their chemistry is subtle but powerful, and I loved how their relationship develops gradually without overshadowing the larger stakes of the plot.
The author has crafted a vivid and immersive universe of eight kingdoms, each distinct and full of political tension. The details unfold naturally, allowing you to get lost in the world without ever feeling overwhelmed.
I particularly enjoyed the marriage-of-convenience setup between Mal and Ash. The tension and mistrust between them build slowly, creating a romance that simmers beneath the surface and makes every interaction meaningful.
There are a few slower chapters in the middle where the pacing dips slightly, but it never detracted from my overall enjoyment. The final act ramps up the stakes beautifully, delivering clever twists and betrayals that left me eager for the sequel.
A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash combines everything I love in a romantasy: high-stakes politics, immersive world-building, layered characters, and a romance that burns slowly but deeply. Perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash or Fourth Wing. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next!

This book has everything! Witches, Fae, Gods, and DRAGONS. I genuinely love these characters and I can’t wait to continue the series. The FMC, Mal, is inspiring and relatable. I love when the leading ladies are brilliant, brave, and maybe a little bit devious 👀. The slow burn is perfection, the curse is intriguing, and the betrayals are epic. I think this series is going to end up being one of my favorites.

Fav tropes:
Slow burn ❤️‍🔥
Enemies to lovers 💘
Curses 🔮
Arranged marriage 💍
Witches 🧙
Animal companions 🐍
Court politics 👑

Fav quotes:
“Sometimes, when we never say no, the other person begins to believe the word does not exist.”

“Yes, they watched, they whispered, but their fear is not mine to carry. It is nothing I cannot bear.”

Thank you J.F. Johns and NetGalley for this advanced copy. It is fantastic!

I've based this rating off how this book made me feeeeel, okay? So it gets a solid 4.45 stars from me!

I loved the premise of this story; a Wyvernian princess who is asked to marry the Drakonian princess in order the form alliances as there are whispers that witches are returning....seeking revenge on the other kingdoms.

Mal (Our FMC) feels obligated to this task, but has ulterior motives to fulfill a prophecy that could potentially save her world...she must stab the Fire Prince in the heart.

This seems like an easy task as first, but slowly becomes an impossible task for Mal as feelings grow and she understands the world around her more.

This book has all the elements of a good and typical romantasy(marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, prophecies and magic and all that stuff) and so in some bits it is really well done!

The only thing I will say though, it that I wish there was more political intrigue and more fleshing out of what the other kingdoms are like! Like because this book has multiple POV's, we get a little insight into some of these kingdoms....but I sort of wanted more!

I also don't think that Mal and Ash were proper 'enemies to lovers'...I loved them both but just thought it was moreso a 'I've been taught to hate you and your kingdom, so we by default must hate eachother'...if you catch my drift! (though I don't think the author necessarily has marketed this as an enemies to lovers, I have seen other reviews saying so<3)

But overall, I felt myself excited to read this through and didn't get bored at any part! All the characters were enjoyable to read as we flicked from one pov to the other, I cannot wait to read the next one!!!

Thank you J.F. Johns and Netgalley for the ARC :)))

thank you to the author for the arc!

this story is dark and beautiful. I love the main character mal and how her brothers and sister are so protective of her despite her being an anomaly in their world. the book paces itself nicely, there are a lot of characters to remember tho. I did find myself confused often between the different houses and siblings. ( I dont think this will be much of an issue in the next book 🤣)

I did not see the end coming. I spent the whole book trying to figure out mal and the curse and I was so wrong. the end of the book did feel almost a little fast. bodies dropped so fast i actually had to write down who died so I could keep it straight. im so excited for the next book, I can't wait to see what happens.

Nice cover, title and overall style 💛

Love the maps and chapter headings .



Nice fantasy style writing

This book has everything I love: enemies to lovers, witches, slow burn! And the tension! I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and the Author for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley & the Author for the gifted eARC. #AKingdomofShadowandAsh #NetgalleyReviews #NetGalley

In short: Epic and addicting

Tropes / Highlights:
* Prophecy
* Arranged Marriage
* Court politics/ plotting royals
* Enemy kingdoms
* He falls first & harder
* A man that begs 👏
* Side romance plot
* multi POV
* Magic
* Familiars/ bonded

Super Short Summary:
Some believe Mal Blackburn & Ash Archeron’s arranged marriage will unite the kingdoms and bring peace. Some believe Mal must pierce Ash’s heart with a dagger and others believe Mal must be the sacrifice. Different interpretations of the curse set into motion 100 years prior by a vindictive witch lead the characters to face impossible choices. The reader followers multi- POVs struggle between duty, loyalty, love and betrayal.

My thoughts:
Honestly spent so much of the book wondering if this was going to be a tragedy and had really no idea how it was going to end. - But the crumbs were all there. In the end, everything makes sense and comes together beautifully.

The characters are so complex and have depth. I liked how we got to see the layers on top of who their duty dictates how they present to be peeled back as they developed friendships, love interests and alliances.
Even though it’s a rather large cast of characters, I felt like we did get to know them well enough for the first installment in the series.

Ash is a sweet baby angel and I love a man that begs. Major simp and “MY WIFE” vibes.

Enemies to lovers? Witches? A cruel fire prince I wanted to stab and swoon over? Yeah, this book had me hooked from page one. The world was dark, the tension was delicious, and Mal Blackburn officially owns my heart. If you’re into slow burn, court intrigue, and magic that keeps you on your toes, this is it. Easiest 5 stars ever! (bonus points because it was such a smooth and fun read)

4.5 stars**

Start/Finish: May 21 - Aug 27

At first I was definitely lost but after a few chapters it became a lot more clearer and towards the end I had a few theories, some of which I found out to be true and some not so much. I found the plot to be good and engaging, after reading a chapter you'll want to read more to continue unravelling the story.

I really appreciated the map and the list of the Kingdoms and the royal families within each, I feel like when it goes to fantasy sometimes it's easy to get lost in the hierarchy systems and the unique world building - for an instance the people of the Kingdom of Darkness were referred to as wyverians. But even throughout the book there are mentions, almost like reminders, to the people within the Kingdoms and their own traditions and the differences between each were highlighted really well so as the reader I did find it easy to navigate this world that J. F. Johns built.

At the beginning of each chapter was a small snippet from Tabitha's diary (the witch who had set the curse all those years ago) and I feel like this provided a good insight to the past before the chapter carries on into the present, it allows you to piece things together whilst also keeping some mystery. Towards the end there are some twists to the story which I enjoyed, I knew I was going to give this book 4 stars but the last two chapters made me give it 4.5.

I liked most of the characters, they were written well and also the descriptions of the physical attributes that tied in to their heritage were done well. The characters I didn't like were for the obvious reason that they were created to be unlikable, like the King and Queen of Kingdom of Fire. With some of the characters I was unsure of my opinion since I wasn't sure if they could be trusted (turned out they couldn't).

I loved the build up of Mal's and Ash's romance. From the start you could see a small spark that grew, it started off very cold and petty, very much screaming the vibes 'I hate you!' but as we all know the line between love and hate is a very thin one and once they pushed aside their insecurities and uncertainty about each other, they discovered that actually they have a lot in common and that maybe this marriage wasn't as bad as they had both originally thought. And suddenly all the hard exteriors they had put up had melted into something soft, much like their feelings for each other. The only problem for Mal was her inevitable betrayal for the greater good. Towards the end of the story she battles with her feelings of what is right and her heart.

Also I really liked the small story lines for the other characters, like Alina (Ash's sister), Mal's siblings, Wren (Princess from Kingdom of Ice).




I would love to read the second book, I need to know what happens next!


My review is also on goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/155997957-cole

📚 ARC Review 📚
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
A fantasy debut, drawing out morally gray heroines, sprawling kingdoms, and enemies-to-lovers tension. The book kicks off with a deadly heroine, Mal Blackburn, with a cursed fate, and a world that is brimming with political intrigue, monsters, and magic.
The themes in this book were enthralling. The character dynamic between Mal and Ash Acheron’s adds a slow-burning tension. The plot twists and layered secrets were unpredictable and a big strength in this book. It could have benefited from a slower pace.
P.S. The cover is stunning!
Some Tropes:
Morally Gray Heroine
Enemies to Lovers
Cursed Protagonist
Found Family
Arranged Marriage

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.