Not going to lie, when I read the sentence "The forrest of Silent Cries was silent" on page 12 I did not have much hope left for a pleasant reading experience. Luckily that ended up being by far the worst (and to be honest also kind of funny^^) offense on these 576 pages.

Aside from some steamy scenes, this book felt more Young Adult than I had expected. I had a hard time figuring out why I felt that way. Looking back, I think it is mostly rooted in how their lives seem so dictated by their parents.I am aware that is part of the conflict, but until we saw some rebelling much later in the story, it at times felt like I was reading about young teenagers, especially when it came to Mal and Ash. There is definitely a narrative divide between the reigning royals ("the parents") and our main cast ("the kids").

Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good YA novel (even though I want to reiterate that in the end, this is not YA!). One of the things that I have observed is that they often go hard on the world building and that is very much a focal point for A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash as well. Oftentimes, it feels like you are right there with them and within just a few pages I could easily imagine the world the author was describing. I enjoyed the immersion, even though I have to admit that sometimes it was almost too much. Some paragraphs absolutely packed with adjectives could have given way to more smooth story telling. Regardless, if you want to see a story come alive around you, this one is for you.

Looking at the relationship of our MCs, I want to compliment the author on creating a great setting for the enemies to lovers trope. Not just a simple misunderstanding. No, she wanted him dead and she was going to get it done herself, no matter what. In the end though, they went from enemies to full on lovers pretty quickly. Some will disagree with me there, since there is definitely plenty of internal monologue. And who would blame Ash? I would also fall in love with Mal walking into the arena like a literal goddess. Still, some more development in their actual communication would have made this even stronger.

Overall: I will be reading book two in the series, so that probably already speaks for itself ;) I might have some small gripes with the very enthusiastic world building and how our MCs found their way to each other, but the vibes are all there! The story is good and it hooked me enough to want to know what happens next. Really looking forward to some more witchy action!

A solid 3.5 stars ★★★⯪☆

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash swept me into a richly magical world filled with wyverns, dragons, Valkyries, witches, and more — and I genuinely think this one is underrated.

The plot blends court intrigue, prophecy, and a cursed kingdom, with an arranged marriage trope that feels refreshingly different (she actually has a choice!). I especially loved the character development — not just for the main couple, but for the supporting characters as well. The world expands naturally through their stories, which added a lot of depth.

Also… can we talk about the iconic quote?

“He is my husband. I shall sit on him however pleases me.”
Instant favorite.

The last 10% totally caught me off guard with a twist I didn’t see coming — and now I’m so ready for book two.

📚 Tropes & Highlights:
• Prophecies & curses
• Magical creatures galore (wyverns, Valkyries, dragons)
• Arranged marriage with agency
• Political/court intrigue

I really enjoyed the premises of this book.

Unfortunately, I was unable to truly get invested. I felt there was too much going on with so many characters I struggled to know which one was the sibling, what each problem they each had etc.


I could see this being good for fans who enjoy very complex storylines. In my opinion however, I felt it was just too much all at once for the first book in a series.

FIVE FREAKING STARS

"A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash" will be living rent-free in my head for the foreseeable future. JF Johns' writing is everything I love in a romantasy - descriptive, poetic, and absolutely captivating. She's a true storyteller, effortlessly pulling me into this haunting, enchanting world. Usually, when I love a book, I can't put it down. This time, I forced myself to slow down because I didn't want it to end. It's that kind of magic which makes a book a 5-star read. I'm already counting down the days until I can revisit this world the second installment, "A Kingdom of Sand and Ice".

thank you to net galley and J. F. Johns for providing me with an e-arc

oh my goodness, what a book. I neeeeed the next one!!

First of all, such an interesting story. I was hooked from the beginning and had a great time throughout. J. F. Johns has a beautiful way of using words to describe the story, the characters and their emotions and the setting. I could imagine it all so well and in great detail.
What also should be mentioned are the great characters (not only main characters but also side characters, who you come to love and also get their perspectives which makes this book so much more interesting).

My favourite part of the book is the immersive world building. The different kingdoms and their respective royals and culture are so well described that it transports the reader.

The marriage oath (aka forced marriage) theme is also one of my favourites, as I love an enemies to lovers arc. Having a third person narrator also allowed the reader to enjoy that trope with more than just the protagonist (Kai & Alina..👀) The twist of the curse, magic & magical creatures, betrayal, and the suspense throughout was the cherry on top!

Hot tropes:
-Enemies to lovers ❤️
-Forced Marriage 💍
-Slow burn 🔥
-Mythical/magical companions 🦄
-Gods & prophecies 📜
-Light spice 🌶️

Thank you to J.F. Johns & NetGalley for an ARC of A Kingdom of Shadow & Ash!!

This book had a strong premise—political marriage, curses, revenge, and a dangerous secret—but the execution left me feeling overwhelmed and underwhelmed all at once.

The fantasy world was intriguing, but there was just too much going on for me to follow. Between the eight kingdoms, witches, dragons, curses, and shifting alliances, I often found myself confused about what was happening and why. The world-building lacked clarity, and the constant introduction of new elements made it hard to stay grounded in the story.

Mal Blackburn had potential as a main character—dark past, hidden power, deadly intentions—but I struggled to connect with her. Too many secrets and not enough development made it hard to really care about her mission or fate. The Fire Prince, too, felt more like a vague concept than a fleshed-out character.

Overall, the book had some good ideas, but they were buried under a tangled plot and uneven pacing. I can see this working for readers who love layered fantasy with lots of moving parts, but for me, it was just too much to track without enough emotional payoff.

Really fun and exciting, interesting plot that was well paced throughout! I connected with the characters and overall it was a wonderful experience reading this!

Thank you to J.F. Johns and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash in exchange for my unbiased, honest opinion.

Wow! This was so unexpectedly good. Admittedly, the title of the book had me thinking this was going to be part of the masses of cookie-cutter Romantasy novels being churned out at mock speed. I am so happy to be horrendously mistaken. I did not find the parallels to the other books mentioned in the tagline, but instead found a book full of impeccable writing and fresh perspectives.

The story was incredibly inventive and original, the characters strange and unique in the most wonderful way, and the setting was a dark atmospheric pleasure to read. Was it an enemies-to-lovers romance, yes, but was it done with characters that felt wholly new? for me 100%.. I loved the moody vibes and thought the world-building was rich and fully realized, which doesn't always happen in book 1 of a series. I loved Mal's thirst for redemption and vengeance. I loved the anger and the heat and the spice! woah lordy, that was top tier. Also, no "icks" to be found, which is so so rare. All in all, this was a fantastic romantasy novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and is wholly worthy of recommendation.

Don't mind me, I'll just be over here biting my nails and pacing the floor until we get book 2. Thanks.

WOW, Kingdom of Shadow and Ash was a lot of fun! So many characters to fall in love with in this book. When I reached 7o% of the way through I didn’t want it to end (so I kept taking breaks so the book would last longer). I did have trouble keeping track of all of the different kingdoms and their heirs, but I got the hang of it eventually! Very excited for book two that comes out in September!

Dark magic, brutal kingdoms, and a heroine who’s tough as nails. A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash hit all the right notes for me. J.F. Johns crafts a gritty world full of danger, political intrigue, and high stakes.
The pacing kept me hooked, and the characters felt real with their flaws and fierce loyalties. The magic system was unique and added a cool edge to the story. If you love dark fantasy with complex heroes and a touch of romance, this is a solid pick.

Firstly, thank you NetGalley and the author for access to read this E-Arc for an honest review.

Let me start by saying this book was phenomenal. Now- I'm a Romantasy girlie at heart and the magic and romance combination gets me every time, so I already thought I was going to enjoy this; but WOW. This book was phenomenal.

High Fantasy, Multiple realms with royal families, the book starts with an arranged marriage between the Prince of the Drakonians (Royal Family with Dragons) and the fourth born Wyverian (Royal Family with Wyverns)

Mal is the youngest Wyverian and for political reasons to strengthen ties between realms agrees to marry the fire prince - despite rumours that he is a cruel cruel man.

She is such a fantastically written character. I can't impress this enough. She is bold, not defined by her gender, a fighter, caring, loving, clever and determined.

She is also in possession of the knowledge that there is a curse which has to be broken by killing the prince she is due to marry.

Ash is a fighter - he spends all hours training and is a man of very few words. People see him as cruel because of his lack of speech, but really he has a speech impediment which he doesn't want to broadcast.

The minor characters are also AMAZING - Ash's sister who is seen as a typical princess who's maids do everything for her - but she has a fantastic character development Arc (and her own romantic subplot)
Mals brothers are particularly endearing, in completely different ways.

As well as the top tier character development, there are also wolves, serpents, battles, passion, betrayal, secrets, investigation, love, a curse, and an ending making me desperate for book two...

JF Johns has written an incredible story perfect for anyone who wants to lose themselves in a well built high fantasy world with romance.

At first it was a little tricky to remember who was who, from which realms, but persevere because it is 100% worth it. This book is a gem nestled hidden in the huge market of Romantasy currently - I just hope that it gets the praise and success it deserves.

Holy plot twists!

Book tropes:
• Arranged marriage
• Enemies to lovers
• Forbidden Love
• Chosen/cursed one
• Prophecy
• Dragons, wyverns, fae, phoenix, wolves and other mythical creatures

While this book startes off at a glacial pace to intoduce the world-building and characters, it rapidly picks up about 30% of the way through. There were a lot of people introduced all at once and I really struggled to keep them all straight especially once you throw in the multiple POVs the story is told from.

Holy plot twists!

Book tropes:
• Arranged marriage
• Enemies to lovers
• Forbidden Love
• Chosen/cursed one
• Prophecy
• Dragons, wyverns, fae, phoenix, wolves and other mythical creatures

While this book startes off at a glacial pace to intoduce the world-building and characters, it rapidly picks up about 30% of the way through. There were a lot of people introduced all at once and I really struggled to keep them all straight especially once you throw in the multiple POVs the story is told from.

Not sure why Ash And Mal's relationship went from barely an ember to a raging inferno. That pacing seemed like it could have been better.

I was not expecting the plot twist to happen the way it did but now I'm eagerly waiting for the second book to come out to read more.

An amazing slowburn fantasy romance between two warrimg races, witches and the fire prince. Mal was an amazing fiery main character who fought for herself and her people while the fire prince's backstory was tragic leading to misunderstandings and steaming tension. The romance and chemistry was undeniable.

I really enjoyed some aspects of this book, it was well written and engaging. While I enjoyed meeting the various characters, my main criticism for this book is that there was just a bit too much going on with too many characters at once. I never truly felt like I could connect to any of the characters fully.
I feel like there are some very exciting aspects to this fantasy romance, but I wish we’d have been allowed to focus on characters a little more to truly feel the emotions of their journeys.

4/5 ⭐ | Dark, fiery, and full of tension
Enemies-to-lovers? Check. A deadly curse? Check. Secret identities, dragons, and a girl with witch eyes? Double check. Mal Blackburn is out to kill a prince, not fall for him however, fate has other plans. A fast-paced fantasy full of secrets and sharp edges. I need book two ASAP. 🔥📖

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

I really enjoyed this read and look forward to the second book! This story really felt like Game of Thrones with the extensive world-building…and the fact that (spoiler) a lot of people die.

Speaking briefly to the writing, I enjoyed how descriptive the scenes were and the overall world. With fantasy, this really helps set the stage and reminds the reader that this is a fantasy book. Whether intentional or not, it was hard to ignore the massive amount of comparisons to other well-known fantasy books: Archeron being a last name brings ACOTAR immediately to mind, House of Flames and House of Wind…again I’m thinking about SJM, Alina and Mal had me immediately thinking of “Shadow and Bone”. Again, not saying this was on purpose but it’s a bit much with these names being the exact same especially when this story stands so differently from those series - I would suggest going with names that are more unique.

Let’s talk about the characters. I found Mal to be interesting and her backstory of having purple eyes (like witches) and being the 4th child (when that is NOT normal in the royal family) all very intriguing. I enjoyed the proper set up of an enemies to lovers between her and Ash. Most importantly, I loved her family dynamics with her siblings!

I also really liked Alina. She’s annoying in how she’s protective of Ash but she was a complicated character and you understood why. I really look forward to see how she grows in the next book! Finally, Kai - I am obsessed with this man and I want more of him!

Overall, I really enjoyed this read! There were several twists that that me gasping and I really liked how the author put time into the secondary characters, like the siblings!

This book strikes the perfect balance of everything I look for in a Romantasy novel. With eight kingdoms, each richly unique, and a web of forced marriages for political alliances, it created the right amount of drama. The slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance is portrayed beautifully, with multiple POVs that add layers to the drama and tension. While the book isn’t heavy on spice, it more than makes up for it with intense yearning that is beautifully written.
There was so much happening that I couldn’t put it down—complex relationships, political maneuvering, and plenty of twists to keep things exciting. I was completely absorbed from the first few chapters. The pacing is fast but not rushed. As a visual reader I appreciated the intricate details and complex world building rounding up my reading experience.

Thank you to J.F. Johns for the opportunity to read & review your first book, I am looking forward to the second book.

I absolutely adored this book! I went in blind with no expectations beyond the intriguing synopsis—but what truly drew me in was the book cover. It’s hauntingly beautiful and completely captivating. Huge kudos to the artist—it’s what made me pick this up in the first place!

Mal is everything I want in a fantasy FMC—bold, unapologetic, and completely badass. Her character is so refreshing, and I loved how deeply connected she is to her siblings—Haven, Kage, and Kai. Their bond is powerful, heartfelt, and one of the emotional anchors of the story. Ash is such a light, and you can't help but want to shield him from the world’s cruelty. The relationship between Mal and Ash unfolds so naturally—it felt earned, not rushed, and I was completely invested.

The side characters deserve just as much love. This might be one of the first books I’ve read where the side characters felt like main characters in their own right. I was emotionally invested in Kai, Alina, Kage, Wren—even Vera. Every character had depth and purpose, and the storytelling was simply fantastic.

And that cliffhanger?! I need the sequel immediately.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

#AKingdomOfShadowAndAsh #NetGalley

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC. The story starts with the classic fantasy trope of an arranged marriage with the ultimate purpose of an assassination. I loved getting to know Mal and Ash, their kingdoms that shaped them, and seeing them falling in love. Additionally, I liked how the past and present were woven together with Tabitha's point of view at the beginning of each chapter. This helped us see what happened to her, what led to current events and feelings, and showed the parallels to Ash and Mal's story. This book was full of fantastic side characters like Alina, Kai, Vera, and Wren. I enjoyed reading all the different points of view as it helped create solid world building, high stakes action, political drama, provided humor and levity, and kept me wanting to read more. I can't wait to see what happens next for these characters! :)