First, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for approving my request to read an advanced copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

SECOND: THE CAT!

That needed a line all of its own. This cat might be the most realistic and adorable cat I've ever seen in print. The little 'prrp's and 'mrrow's and sniffs were an absolute highlight of this book and it has made me even more determined to adopt a cat of my own. Little Luna is the real star of this book!

But also, I guess the rest of the book was great too... even if it wasn't quite as cute as Luna the 23rd.

I really loved the premise: a ghost and a vampire help each other get the revenge they need and kill her murderer and his maker who is trying to kill him first. Senka and Silas were so good together and he was a stark contrast to the absolute stain on the fabric of the world that was Kenny.

(One tiny negative I'll get out of the way here, the number of names starting with S left me occasionally confused, but I'm not very good with names starting with the same letter, even in real life.)

The slow growth from partners in revenge to romance was really well done and it felt realistic enough that I could really imagine it in my head - I appreciated the time taken to get that right around what was also quite a full plotline. You've got the cool use of the book being a story told to a sick kid (very Princess Bride vibes which I loved) and two revenge plots alongside a romance and even some mini backstories to side characters. It's impressive this fit into a book that was less than 400 pages tbh.

The action was described really well so it was easy to visualise and I didn't get lost in it, each character felt like their own person and not just some flat copy-paste versions of each other, and I will repeat that THE CAT was the highlight of the book for me. I sent multiple highlighted portions in images to friends to show off the cuteness, and they all agreed it was adorable and well-written as a cat.

I can't really fault this book, this was one of the most easy 5 stars I have given so far this year. I recommend it to everyone.

A delightful and engaging story exploring the effects of grief and loss and overcoming them.

The author's prose is easy to follow and flows well. Each chapter ends up on a cliffhanger as the story itself is framed as being a story told by a storyteller instead of being current events. Think somewhat like The Princess Bride.

The characters were mostly full of life, although some side characters seemed a little one-dimensional without a lot to explore. The plot was steady, weaving in slow scenes with action-packed ones.

The romance between Senka and Silas was a bit lacking - it felt like they instantly warmed to each other and proceeded straight to a romantic relationship. While their romantic relationship was very sweet, I wish there was a bit more of a buildup to it.

Overall, a solid read exploring grief and loss framed within a story being told.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher Taylor Street Press for allowing me an ARC to read and review.

Beautiful story, and nicely written but I wish it was mentioned in the blurb that the story was told to a teenager with cancer. It deals heavily with death (duh, ghosts and vampires) but also with serious illness. Me and my health-anxiety would have stayed away if I had known 😅

The characters felt a bit flat to me, the connection between Senka/Sarah and Silas felt a bit unbelievable. Especially Senka was so trusting to everyone: you would think the way she died would make her suspicious of everybody she met.

All in all the premise of the story was good, but the execution wasn't completely what I hoped for!

This was an oddly sweet if disorienting story. The characters were interesting but lacking in true emotional depth. As with the writing, most of the character development is told and not shown. The romance also had potential but had hardly any buildup - Senka and Silas connected from their first meeting and the romance itself was just lacking in chemistry.
The prose was lovely and very evocative. The author did a great job setting the scene and describing the world to the characters. The dialogue was difficult, though - it felt childish and choppy compared to the emotional richness of the prose.
The story itself was definitely compelling if a little slow. I liked seeing Senka and Silas get justice for themselves, but the way they did it didn't sit right with me. For example, using Jeremy's body to frame Kenny, only for that plotline to be almost useless. Readers should also know that a major focus of the story is Senka speaking with Finn, a young man who is sick with cancer. The story deals heavily with illness and death.
In all, I found this story unique and perfect for the incoming fall season. The lackluster romance and clumsy elements to the storytelling just detracted from the overall potential. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Taylor Street Press for the eARC!

I liked the set up of a story within a story, especially how every scene opened with the cancer kid and story teller. Honestly, it was my favorite part.
I also liked the set up of how the story starts AFTER what should have been the end (with how she's a ghost). The whole getting back up after she's down and out is a beautiful theme for the book (or at least, that's what I got out of it).

That said, the longer I read the more I noticed a few things about the characters that I really didn't like.

1) the male lead is a piece of cardboard every time she wants something. Like "Explain your sordid past to me!" and he goes, "Sure,". "Tell me what your maker meant about the dead child!" and he goes "Of course you have a right to know about my personal trauma or information. I've only known you for like... 48 hours but I'm totally comfortable answering anything you ask."
When it comes to the female lead... he just rolls over and shows his belly. Which for a sunshine/grumpy pairing comes off as REALLY Flat.
So he seriously needs some back bone for his personality. Beyond having a great cat, I can't remember much more about him. Like, I purposefully waited a week to write this review to give the story time to sit and... yeah. There's not much to the male lead. He needs some personality because otherwise he's very boring and doesn't have any spice or salt or anything to his written self.

2) Main character seems to feel like she's super entitled? And has no sense of tact? Some of the stuff she asks or does I would NEVER bring up because you Don't ask that! Also- I suppose she's supposed to be the sunshine character, but a lot of how she handled stuff felt more like a caricature of a character than an actual person. She just didn't feel good to read because she wasn't characterized very well.

Also... AS SOON as she's able to make physical contact with him... she starts thinking about romance. It was literally like a button was clicked. No build up and very unrealistic switch. It either needs build up or to be introduced more slowly. Especially since there's time in the rest of the book to have them grow closer more organically than "Oh! I can touch him now! I automatically want to get with him because I haven't touched anyone in so long!".

Thank you to NetGalley and Taylor Street Press for the digital advanced copy of A Tale for the Shadows by Joyce Sherry. This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

A murdered actress chooses to stay as a ghost to seek revenge on her husband. A vampire and his feline companion are on the run from his maker. A young boy in an oncology ward meets a stranger who offers to tell him a story about life, love, death, grief, and hope.

Initially, I was drawn in by the book’s blurb and overall, I think the novel delivered on what it promised. Especially the Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes. I kept picturing Sarah Michelle Gellar as Senka! Although the book starts on a sad note, the writing style was reminiscent of a warm embrace. I felt safe and open to exploring the more sorrowful themes being addressed.

Joyce Sherry’s pacing and narrative style are absolutely perfect for this story. Told as a story within a story, like The Princess Bride, both narratives weave together seamlessly. This structure enhances the emotional beats and deepens the relationship between the storyteller and Finn.
At first, I thought the pace of Senka and Silas’ story was too fast. However, as the book progressed, I realized the quickness had a purpose. The pace mirrors the rhythm of oral storytelling, where the speaker offers less detail than a written account. That choice made sense in the context of the narrative.

Sherry’s writing style is poetic, fast-paced, and beautifully simple. She writes with clarity, using just the right amount of words. This is not a story bogged down by excessive detail or exposition. Instead, Sherry focuses on emotion and allows space to sit with grief. I was genuinely touched and moved with the beauty of her words.

Although described as a love story, I would say that the romance is more of a secondary plotline. In my opinion, this is a story about grief, hope, and death. Topics many people find difficult to confront. So much care and tenderness went into exploring what death means, not only for the person dying but for the loved ones left behind. Characters support each other through their grief with honesty and compassion.

As someone who has helped support a loved through the end of life, I felt Sherry captured that experience and those emotions so well. Her reflections on the distinction between the soul and the body were particularly moving. I could see this book being used as a resource to help middle school-aged readers (and older) process the loss of a loved one.

Both the main and supporting characters are fantastic—genuinely likable and easy to become attached to. Even though the plot is fairly straightforward, the characters are clearly defined with their own motivations. My favorite character was Luna the cat. His mannerisms reminded me of my own cat, who sat on my lap as I read much of this book.

In my view, the characters serve more as vessels to explore themes of grief and healing than as the primary focus of the story. As a result, this book is more emotionally driven by its themes than by complex character arcs.

The same applies to the world-building. The setting is simple but easy to grasp, and the supernatural elements feel natural within the world Sherry creates. My only critique is that I was initially confused about how much time had passed between Senka’s death and her second meeting with Silas.

I would definitely recommend this book to readers looking for a palate cleanser—a quick and emotionally resonant read with a simple, elegant style. While some readers may find the lack of complexity less engaging, this story will resonate deeply with those interested in emotional exploration and themes of life, death, and healing.

This was absolutely stunning.


I thought this was very much going to be a “vengeful ghost kills her killer” style story with more action and not a lot of depth, but I was very wrong.

This was absolutely captivating. Silas was such a well natured and empathetic character with so much good in him. And his relationships with the Lunas was adorable.

Senka was every woman. Naive about her love. But seeing her blossom after death into something more than she ever was? Perfection.

There was not a single part of this I didn’t love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Taylor street press for allowing me to read this amazing story!

Add this to your Fall TBR! The ghost & vampire vibes were everything I wanted in an excellent fall read. It was grim and beautiful in the best ways.

We follow our main character, Senka, who is unexpectedly killed by her husband and becomes a ghost trapped in a cabin. In her ghostly state she meets a vampire, Silas, and together they work together to explore why she was murdered. On this journey they meet an incredible cast of characters of other ghosts, humans, vampires, and a very loveable cat. The structure of this book reminded me of The Princess Bride, because it contained a story within a story. While the plot was reminiscent of the Disney movie Susie Q.

The way that the story is told had me flipping the pages! Highly recommend. Silas's character is amazing. I loved the way the author explored death through the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Joyce Sherry, and Taylor Street Press for allowing me the opportunity to read this in advance.

Simple plot of revenge, adventure and fighting to survive with love and companionship to depend on.
Deep characters. A ghost that struggles with loneliness finds a family of other ghosts who have found their reasons of existence. A vampire with barely any will to live, fighting his maker finds in Senka a reason to live. Any more about these wonderful characters would be a spoiler.

The style of storytelling is rarely seen in western literature and brings a soothing and somber blanket to the heavy subjects the story deals in. There are a lot of triggers from grief to child murder, so the undertones of positivity brought in through the side characters is deeply satisfying and soothing after a heavy doze of loss, gore, death and killing. While their is justice, there also a certain moral ambiguity in a couple places. The various characters scattered around Senka and Silas bring a message of living with love and friendship but the whole 'love' part between Senka and Silas did not sit well with me. It wasn't central to the story, so I would have liked for their bond to keep growing without verbal confirmation. It is a beautiful bond nonetheless.

I expected to read it slowly but the author was a magician of pacing and tension, and pulled me through each page with surprising ease.

It is a ghost adventure in a shell but the pearl inside is the message of moving on with life after the departed has..... departed.

Review TLDR: While this book definitely has its problems, the overall themes of grieving those we’ve lost, accepting death (in all its forms), and overcoming trauma are well-executed and moving. The romance is a bit on the lighter side, so this book probably doesn’t fit as much into the fantasy romance category as much as the publisher’s blurb suggests. It’s still a wonderful story told in a different way that will keep readers interested.

Spice Level: 1/5; Kisses and hugs – no sex depicted. This is a slow burn, people. With the focus being more on falling in love than falling into bed, this book is safe for all readers. That said, I found the build up to the “I love you’s” a bit lacking – they had only traded two kisses by that point and about as many hugs. There wasn’t much flirting before that, either. I think it’s safe to say we can call this a fantasy story with a romance subplot as opposed to a full-on fantasy romance novel. Senka and Silas are very sweet together, though. Healing from trauma is hard; doing it with someone you trust eases the burden significantly.

Pacing/Filler: The book starts off with a big moment – as any murder should be – but then moves into more of a character study for about half the book. It’s only at the 54% mark that the main characters begin actively planning and preparing for their first act of revenge on those who wrong them. I will say I wasn’t bored by the first half; the characters are interesting and the lore the author creates pulls you in. That said, once the plot kicks in it really kicks in.

Character Development: Senka, our FMC whose name is really Sarah Sommers and is absolutely, definitely not Sarah Michelle Gellar-Prinze/Buffy Summers, is an odd duck. On the one hand, I loved that she was initially characterized as a selfish jerk who missed all the red flags her husband was waving in her face because she was too focused on herself to care. But, perplexingly, that changes immediately in the first few chapters as she meets Silas and decides is she not that person anymore. We aren’t given any reason to think she’s changed and she doesn’t offer any explanation on why she wants to be a better person now – her personality isn’t the reason she died, after all. Maybe the years alone in the cabin gave her time for introspection, but it’s not discussed so I’m just guessing. That aside, Senka understandably spends a lot of the book learning how to trust again. Being murdered by someone you trust will do that to you.

Silas is pretty different from the standard romance hero as well. For one thing, he is incredibly trusting of a ghost he just met; he trauma dumps his story on her on their first day together, openly weeping as he describes transition into the undead. Given that his maker is actively sending people to kill him, and that Senka has by this point proven her ability to murder supernatural creatures, I am wary that he is not more wary – would you trust a stranger, knowing that your creator is sending other paranormal beings your way to end you? Not sure I would. His journey is about finding a new reason to carry on, even when times get tough and you feel all alone. Thankfully, now that there’s a pretty ghost hanging around, he isn’t quite so alone anymore.

In a way, however, these two are not really the main characters of the book. We have instead the Storyteller and the boy, Finn, she visits in the hospital to tell her tale – it seems that the Storyteller has made a habit of visiting the very sick, but there’s something special about Finn. The journey that they go on together throughout the narration is easily the most moving aspect of the book and ultimately, I think, what should be a larger selling point for the novel as a whole. The more we learn about these two the more the book feels like it’s coming together, while the revenge arcs Senka and Silas the Storyteller describes just don’t carry as much weight. Given that the publisher tries to sell this book as a romance novel and doesn’t mention Finn at all, that’s a bummer.

World Building: This the confusing aspect of this novel. I want to start with the timeline issues, as it’s nearly impossible to nail down when this story (which takes place on Earth and has Christianity, so likely also uses the same calendar we do) takes place. First, the FMC says that her childhood was in the late 20th century, suggesting she was an adult by the 21st. But then she relays a memory of being four years old and her mother showing her the home that “the dragon who played Toothless” lived in. The film version of How to Train Your Dragon came out in 2010. Which means she was born in the 21st century.

But wait, the author goes out of her way to have Finn read books and watch movies that came out in 2011 – so how can Senka have been an early-thirties adult who died, spent 15 years in a cabin, and had adventures by 2011 if she’s a kindergartner when those books/movies came out? And why does she reference the Captain America movies (the first of which also came out in 2011), or another character tell Silas about The Umbrella Academy TV show (2019), in the story?

Yet, somehow, award-winning actress Senka doesn’t know who Olivia Benson is – further confusing me on the timeline. Law and Order: SVU premiered in 1999. It’s still running as of 2025. The newest media mentioned is 2019, so backing up 15 years gives me the best guess I’ve got for when Senka died: 2004. But Mariska Hargitay was nominated for an Emmy for SVU in 2004 and Senka mentions having gone the Emmys that year…guys, this is killing me. How would Senka have seen the Captain America movies, but not SVU, while stuck in an abandoned cabin, which they supposedly found on Airbnb - which was founded in 2007? She also mentions having heard of Instagram, which was made in 2010. Ugh.

There’s another issue with Senka’s familiarity with her own supposed area of expertise – which is to say, she regularly quotes Shakespeare and Dickens, but is absolutely flabbergasted at the idea of vampires having sex. To this I ask: do Carmilla, Interview with a Vampire, and Twilight not exist in her world? I’m not sure what the author is trying to tell us here, except that perhaps Senka isn’t the sort of actress who does research for her roles or she’s just not very bright and missed literally all of the subtext of vampire media lore. Since Senka specifically cites small details from Dracula, I’m going to guess it’s the second option. The Count has three wives!

Obvious Errors an Author/Editor Should Have Caught: As always with an ARC, there are grammatical issues and some continuity errors that I hope are being worked out. For instance, at one point Senka picks up an axe and attacks someone, but then mentions that she’s never been able to affect objects before. However, barely more than a chapter before, Senka is able to turn a door handle and open a door. Either Senka forgot this, or the author did and the editor didn’t catch it either. Senka’s age when her parents passed away also changes throughout the book.

There are also some very strange word choices made throughout the book. For instance, “pelted” is sometimes used in the UK to mean “ran,” and is used that way in this book, but the author is from California so I’m not sure why she would use British English. Also, an American woman typically would not use the word “posh” to describe something fancy – another instance of British English not vibing with the Californian-born and raised FMC in the story. More than that, there are just some words that are wrongly used in context. People don’t generally “wag” their heads, nor do voices “stritch.” Unless Google has led me astray, even in the UK “stritches” is a cutesy way of describing the petting of an animal, not an adjective describing a tone of voice.

Lastly, this book is heavy on the “tell, not show” aspect of storytelling. This may be intentional, as the main story is being relayed Princess Bride-style to another character (and to us as readers), but I don’t think that’s the case. A lot of the things we are told are exposition dumps that someone hearing a story out loud probably wouldn’t find that interesting, such as the long, drawn-out explanations of vampiric abilities or Senka testing out her new ghostly skills. Stories told out loud tend to be direct and plot heavy, rather than full of world building details like if a vampire likes Brad Paisley songs or not. There are even instances of Finn and the Storyteller recapping what happens during the story, laying out the themes and details just in case the reader didn’t understand the first time. I think this is a case of an author not trusting her audience enough to pick up details unless they are spelled out for us.

Bechdel Test Survivor: Absolutely. Mrs. Wang is a hoot.

Content Warnings: Domestic abuse/murder. Animals eating a carcass. Child abuse is alluded to, but not shown. The death of a child is shown, as are the deaths of animals.

Is the FMC/MMC Unfaithful: Not in the slightest.

This one started out well but lost steam toward the halfway point. The more I think about the frame story, the more questions I have... Initially, I thought it was intriguing (why does Sara hover around oncology wards, why did she pick this kid, what is she going to tell him or do for him and why, etc.). But by the end, it just seemed weird. Finn is more deserving of hearing her story and, therefore, can better appreciate the "gift" she can give him than other ill children? Does she have to tell this entire story of her past and how she came to be a ghost every single time she wants to help a dying kid? I mean, the frame story also gets incredibly repetitive in execution ("do you remember where we left off?" or "so, we left off with So and So about to xyz", "do you want me to come back tomorrow?", "only if you want to come back tomorrow").

There are two revenge stories in Sara's story. Silas's revenge story is more exciting than Sara's; the stuff with Kenny felt dragged out and exhausting. But I just keep coming back to the frame story, where she decides she has to tell this murder story over and over again to dying kids so they understand that she's got some magic for them...which is just that she can make their death painless, not save them or anything. Like, it's just odd the more I think about this book but in a way that does not compel me to reread it.

Thank you NetGalley and the Taylor Street Press for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

I requested this book because it sounded interesting but sadly it fell flat for me. The writing style didn't jive with my brain. It felt very strongly like it was telling and not showing. The pacing was off and it was boring at times. The characters were OK but could've used more depth. It wasn't bad per se, and I enjoyed the plot alright but it wasn't something I'm going to think about in the future. I could still see some people enjoying this book but it wasn't for me.

This was an engaging and fun read, each chapter has almost cliff hanger endings that definitely kept me up late into the night reading.
The story telling style is reminiscent of Princess Bride, with the main character telling a tale to a kid and flashing into and out of it in rapid succession. I enjoy this style, especially when the author can wrap it up in a tidy and meaningful way. I think this is definitely the case in A Tale for the Shadows.

The main characters were likable to me, and the villains were easy to hate. Some of the side characters just felt like ethnicity boxes to check for diversity points though.

All in all I do recommend this book, it’s closer to 3.5 stars for me. Be sure to read the trigger warnings beforehand as some of the topics discussed are heavy.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Joyce Sherry, and Taylor St. Press for this digital advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

A Tale for the Shadows by Joyce Sherry is such a good story. I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of A Tale for the Shadows.

This book is such a refreshing and masterfully woven story. Joyce Sherry takes familiar supernatural lore and creates something that feels entirely new. The dynamic between a murdered ghost and a weary vampire is the perfect engine for a story that is equal parts a quest for justice, a dark romance, and a tale of a truly unique found family. The narrative is sharp, witty, and full of heart, avoiding tired tropes and instead giving us characters who feel complex and lived-in, even in their afterlives. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention Luna, a cat who proves to be one of the story's most vital and endearing characters. If you love supernatural stories with genuine emotional weight, compelling mysteries, and characters you will fiercely root for, you need to read this.

So, I picked this book up because I was intrigued by the idea of a vampire/ghost romance, but that's not really what we have here. Instead, it's more of a light meditation on grief with a sprinkle of found family. Ultimately it wasn't for me, but there were some moments that were really sweet. The storytelling scenes with Finn especially were some of the most moving. I think people who love cozy fantasy might have a better time with this, though there are a couple scenes that get quite dark.

I had some problems with the repetitive nature of the story telling, which affected the pacing and ended up boiling the reflections on death down to a couple of platitudes (time dulls the pain of loss, better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all, you know the ones), but my main issue is that this book needed a sensitivity reader. Silas is Native American; this is mentioned several times in the book, and even highlighted in the blurb, but has nothing to do with the story outside of aesthetics and one really strange instance of racism. In fact his character is completely divorced from his heritage, and this is not explored at all. On top of that, many of the non-white characters are identified only by their race with no other descriptors. One character is referred to only as "the Filipina woman" for several chapters. I think the author's intent in calling attention to people's race like that may have been inclusion, but it comes across very othering with heavy reliance on stereotypes.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

A ghost, a vampire and their adorable cat fighting shitty vampires and humans (alongside discussions about grief) is not a book I thought I needed to read but I definitely liked the experience.

I do have to preface it by saying that this is one of those books that you have to suspend your disbelief for and just let the theme of the book get to you. There were parts of the plot that felt a bit too convenient in favour of the main characters but by that point, I was invested in them enough to take it for what it is. It would have been better for the main story being told to have maybe another nuanced subplot or have the two main plot threads interweave a bit more rather than have them solved one after the other.

I did enjoy the characters of Senka and Silas and the overarching plot outside of the story (iykyk). But Luna and Shadow definitely my favourites.

I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a read.

I only made it in 20% of the book, but I think I got a grasp on the author's writing. I picked this up because of the comps to Buffy (I'm 37 and Buffy was my jam when it was originally airing). So high praise?

Unfortunately, the writing and the tone of this book was strange. The flow / writing didn't feel polished and everything was moving in a herky-jerky tone. The character did not track as an 'adult' by the way she spoke and the tone / writing the author had.

Overall, I had to bounce from this.

As much as I enjoyed the concept of this book, I don’t think it was for me. The execution felt a little amateur and the pacing was a little all over the place. I didn’t love the frame narrative either, I think the novel would have been stronger without it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it