I was so drawn to this book from the description, and was super excited to get into it. But it’s so hard to get into a book when you can’t actually read it. There were so many spelling and grammar mistakes, and I spent most of the first part of the book guessing at half the words because they were missing letters.

Maybe I’ll come back to this once it’s been edited properly and is actually readable.

“Everyone you see is scared of something, loves something, and lost something.”

In Crown of Shadows, Lexie Janson weaves a tapestry of political intrigue, forbidden magic, and complex relationships, set against a backdrop inspired by Slavic, Celtic, and Nordic folklore. This dark fantasy novel immerses readers in a world where loyalty is a weapon, betrayal a whispered promise, and every secret comes at a price.

The story follows Mayu, who unexpectedly inherits the throne of Thurait. Bound by duty yet torn by love, she must navigate a treacherous political landscape filled with power-hungry lords and enigmatic allies. Among them are Aaron, the late king's enforcer, whose heart yearns for her; Enzo, her protector with deadly secrets; and Toby, a power-hungry lord with eyes fixed on the crown. As Mayu gathers her allies, danger arrives from an unexpected source: Valergrof, a Logarain soldier with a fearsome, magically-charged white wolf and a secret that could destroy them all. Together, they must uncover a hidden history to save their world from looming darkness.

Janson's writing is emotionally charged and character-driven, drawing readers into a world steeped in rune magic, forbidden history, and atmospheric tension. The characters are deeply human—flawed, raw, and complex. Their relationships—tense, playful, or tender—feel authentic and emotionally grounded. Enzo, in particular, stands out as a scene-stealer. Equal parts chaos and charm, he brings much-needed levity to the darker moments, with his teasing, banter, and unhinged energy adding depth to the narrative.

The novel delves into themes of duty, ambition, and the complexities of loyalty in a world where magic and political intrigue collide. The pacing, while deliberate, allows for a rich exploration of character development and world-building. The multiple points of view provide insight into the motives and feelings of each character, enhancing the reader's understanding of their inner conflicts and desires.

However, the book is not without its challenges. The intricate world-building and complex character dynamics may be overwhelming for some readers, and the slow pacing in certain sections could detract from the overall momentum of the story. Nevertheless, these elements contribute to the depth and richness of the narrative, rewarding readers who appreciate a detailed and immersive experience.

In conclusion, Crown of Shadows is a captivating fantasy that blends emotion, humor, and mystery in all the right ways. It offers a richly layered world, morally complex characters, and a plot filled with twists and turns. While it may not be for everyone, those who enjoy dark fantasy with intricate political intrigue and deep character development will find much to appreciate in this novel.

This book had an intriguing storyline, dealing with magic and sorcery, saving the kingdom from darkness, a little bit of a love triangle, and a struggle for the throne. It started off slowly, and I found it a little difficult to understand what was happening at first, but within a few chapters things were cleared up and I was really drawn into the story. The one thing that was hard for me was that it was written from more than one point of view - there were chapters from Valergrof’s view, from Mayu’s, from Aaron’s, Enzo’s, and Toby’s views. At first it seemed a little chaotic, but it actually was useful as a tool to allow the reader to get into the mind of each character and understand their motives and feelings better.

The book ended in what felt a bit of a sudden manner, like it didn’t feel like it actually ended but, since this is Book One in a series called The White Raven Tales, I assume it was done to draw the reader to the next book. “Tune in next time to see what happens to our heroes…”

The “epilogue” actually took place before the rest of the story, which is something I’ve never seen before (but I’m sort of a “born again reader” and haven’t read that many books yet) so it seemed out of place at first. It was also written from the viewpoint of a character who died during the main story, but the epilogue did answer a few lingering questions that weren’t explained in the book so it worked.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Crown of Shadows to anyone who likes fantasy, magic, and mythology type of stories. I’d rate this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars. It wasn’t my favorite book ever, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and will probably continue reading the series to find out what happens.

Will not be able to give feedback as ARC is so full of missing letters and formatting issues that it is near impossible to read.

This opening book was way too slow. The idea of the story makes sense and it has a lot of potential but the writing drags too much. I had a hard time figuring out who was who and what they were doing. Especially Toby. That being said I think Enzo was my favorite character. He was just chill… until he wasn’t! It was great!!!

It did finally pick up once King Nep died. Sorry Nep. But seeing Aaron and Toby get their justice was cool. I just wish it had been chapter 5 and not the chapter it was - actually halfway through the book.

As for the document itself. Please, please go through with a fine toothed comb. Words are misused and letters are missing leaving sentences unclear and confusing. This may have led to my boredom and confusion in the story itself. Having to stop every few words to try to figure out what was actually being said was very distracting and ruined the pleasure of the story.

I wanted to love this book so much, the cover was absolutely stunning and the description of the book. I almost feel as if I struggled slightly to fully understand a lot of the characters dialect, and often had to wonder why. I think the story of this book and the world that was creative was very detailed and descriptive, but I was slightly confused at times with the character development.

i wished the book showed more instead of just telling. for example, even though the magic systems were described as complex, i found it hard to really understand how they worked or how they were used, because the story didn't really show them in action. it often felt like i was being told about the world instead of getting to experience it myself, which sometimes broke my focus.

my other concern was about the romance. the relationship between mayu and aaron was said to be deep, but it felt like it happened too fast. i didn't really feel their connection or understand how they fell for each other so quickly, as i didn't see enough shared moments. also, the sudden tension between mayu and enzo came out of nowhere, and i didn't understand why. i personally like relationships in books to grow slowly and naturally, which wasn't the case here.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars)

Crown of Shadows by Lexie Jansen is an emotionally charged, character-driven fantasy that pulled me in from the very first chapter. Drawing from Slavic, Celtic, and Nordic folklore, Jansen builds a world steeped in rune magic, forbidden history, and atmospheric tension—one that rewards readers who love moral ambiguity, high stakes, and characters who grow through pain, failure, and sheer grit.

The standout for me was the cast. These are not shiny, perfect heroes—they're messy, raw, and deeply human. Their relationships—tense, playful, or tender—feel authentic and emotionally grounded. Enzo, in particular, is a scene-stealer. Equal parts chaos and charm, he brings much-needed levity to the darker moments. His teasing, banter, and thinly veiled unhinged energy had me laughing out loud, especially in one memorable scene: a strategy meeting held in a dungeon surrounded by gravestones. The sheer absurdity of it, and the way the male characters react, had me wheezing. It was peak dark humour and perfectly timed.

I also appreciated how the book leans into psychological depth. The characters are all navigating complex trauma, and Jansen doesn’t shy away from putting them through the wringer—emotionally and physically. The action is gritty and impactful, and the fight for survival (and identity) is a central theme.

The romance, however, was a more complicated experience. I adored Aaron—his emotional vulnerability, fierce loyalty, and inner conflict made him one of the most compelling characters. But his relationship with Mayu left me conflicted. She’s strong and capable, but emotionally inconsistent, and her tendency to withhold critical information made their dynamic feel unbalanced. That said, there were glimmers of something powerful between them. A standout moment is when a demon attacks Aaron and Mayu fiercely steps in with the line, “Don’t touch what is mine.” It hit like a lightning bolt—one of the few clear moments of emotional honesty from her.

Even more revealing is Enzo, clearly frustrated, telling Aaron that although Enzo loves Mayu, she has chosen Aaron over and over again, and intends to marry him. That moment should have solidified things, but the emotional push and pull—and her lack of transparency—left me (and Aaron) off balance. I’m hoping this first instalment was laying the emotional groundwork and that future books will delve deeper into their shared history and connection.

The magic system and lore were, at times, a little unclear—but I suspect that was intentional. The characters themselves are in the dark about much of their world’s hidden truths, and that mystery adds another layer to the narrative. It made me more curious, not less, and I’m keen to see how it all unfolds in the sequel.

Final thoughts: Crown of Shadows blends emotional complexity, brutal action, folkloric monsters, and mind-bending magic into a richly layered story. If you enjoy character-driven fantasy with flawed protagonists, slow-burning mysteries, and a dash of black humour (psychotic guardian included), this book deserves a place on your shelf. Jansen’s writing is atmospheric and clever, and I’ll absolutely be picking up the sequel—especially to get answers to all my burning questions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Koehler for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh wow, I loved stepping into this world! What a brilliant overall read. I love a good dark fantasy and I can’t wait to see what Lexie brings us next!

What an amazing read! I flew through this novel in a few hours. Thank you netgalley for allowing me to review this e-arc.

Have you ever wondered what a YA fantasy book wearing big boy pants looks like? That’s what this book feels like.

The book follows the story of Mayu (royalty), Aaron (army general, also Mayu’s protector/childhood friend), and Enzo (assassin, also Mayu’s protector), as they must face the many dangers that come their way, political, physical, and magical.

Being the first book in a new fantasy series, the world building is a big focus here and it’s pretty solid, I found the multiple religions, cultures, and traditions that the people in the kingdoms of Logarain and Thurait to be interesting. The story itself is also interesting and engaging, with a good flow that made it easy to jump into and go along for the ride.

That being said, there were a couple of things that just weren’t for me – while there is magic in this world, nothing about it is explained, we’re just told when magic is being used, but have no idea on how it works. Being a huge fan of hard magic systems this was kind of off-putting, but since the book does a good job of not making such a big deal of magic users, I accepted it as part of the narrative.

Which brings me to my next point, there’s a lot of telling instead of showing, we have a lot of dialogue focusing on explaining to us what is going on through dialogue, it kind of felt like being in a classroom at times because of the amount of exposition going on.

I also believe the book has a hard time in having a consistent tone throughout. The world building is rich and makes you feel in your typical high fantasy™ setting we all know and love, only for the dialogue to be more modern in tone and style, which really took me out of my immersion more than once. There was also a lot of whispering, like, a lot, to the point where it felt a little unnecessary at times.

Finally, the romance. A lot is unexplained regarding the romance, characters constantly remind us how much they love each other, but we don’t know why, we just have to take their word for it right from the get-go, which makes connecting with this narrative hard, since there’s a lot of trust that the reader will just accept these intense emotions from the characters with no evidence or anything to show for it.

All that being said, I do see the potential this series has. For all the things I’ve been nit-picky about, the world-building was solid, the story entertaining without feeling clichéd, and the unanswered questions did leave me wanting to read the next book to find out more. With just some small tweaks to the dialogue and a little less exposition, this series would really catapult to the top for me.

Ultimately, I think the book was OK, maybe just not for me specifically at this point in my life, but if you’re looking for a darker narrative that acts as a bridge between YA and adult fantasy, I think you’ll have a great time with it.

While the premise of Crown of Shadows sounded like something I'd typically enjoy, I had several issues with the writing style that prevented me from fully connecting with it.

The world building was decent overall, but key elements went unexplained. The characters clearly loved each other, but I never understood why. The magic system was barely touched upon—I only knew that some characters had magic, nothing more.

At the same time, the author over-described mundane details in a number of different scenes. We were told where people stood, how they moved, facial expressions, etc. This made the pacing drag when I wanted more substance about the world and relationships instead.

The random lines in first person were distracting. The book has third person and multiple POVs, but then includes italicized lines for internal dialogue. The tone used in those lines didn't match the rest of the story and it took me out of the story every single time.

Overall not for me, but had some good elements that could make it an interesting read for others!

Thank you to Netgalley and Koehler Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Koehler Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an amazing book! I just could not get enough of it, the pages just fly by!! The story was so well done, with an interesting world and relatable characters! I would recommend this book to everyone!

I truly enjoyed reading Crown of Shadows! One of the standout elements for me was the dynamic between the characters. Their relationships—whether tense, playful, or heartfelt—felt genuine and brought a great deal of life to the story. I found myself LOL more than once, especially whenever Enzo decided to poke fun at the others. His teasing was always perfectly timed and added a great layer of levity to some of the heavier moments.

What I also appreciated was how the author didn’t shy away from writing flawed characters. Not one character had all the answers, and that made them feel so much more real. Despite their missteps and uncertainties, each of them was trying to do their best in incredibly challenging circumstances, and that made their growth throughout the story even more rewarding to read.

I’ll admit, I was a bit confused at times when it came to the world’s magic system and the different creatures introduced. But as the story unfolded, it became clear that this confusion was intentional—mirroring the characters’ own realizations that much of the world’s truth had been hidden by the kingdom itself. That mystery added to the intrigue, and I’m looking forward to learning more in future books.

Overall, Crown of Shadows is a character-driven fantasy that blends emotion, humor, and mystery in all the right ways. I’m excited to see where the story goes next!

My biggest issue with this book was the lack of answers and the sheer confusion I felt for majority of it. Was that by design? Or did the author think we wouldn't notice? I don't know but there were so many unanswered questions that one of the MMCs simply seemed okay with having unanswered and then when they were answered to him, they weren't answered to us....what's that about?

The FMC and habitually mistreated the first MMC via dishonesty/vagueness and lies of omission even when it directly pertained to him. While he wasn't okay with it he allowed it. He was a doormat. I feel like if a book was written with the roles reversed people would be less than pleased.

The book kept mentioning how the MMC Aaron didn't do right by the FMC for the first half of the book but then didn't show it. I greatly appreciate, show don't tell. There were certain things mentioned that I figured would have some significance such as everyone's arms being scratched in the random first scene with Mayu, Aaron, and Enzo past the buffer, but nothing came of it. then apparently Mayu couldn't have scars? But there was no explanation on why that was?

I swear there are two lines directly from Fourth Wing in here "Can you do X while offended/insulted?" "I know exactly who and what you are..." so that was weird af.

Why was Enzo speaking a different language? And why was he called Kai?
What was Enzo?
Was Mayu and Enzo in a sexual relationship? Because it certainly felt like it....and if that's the case shouldn't her betrothed know?
Why was Mayu going to lose her crown after everything was all said and done? And why would Toby get it when his father was killed? for treason.
What is Enzo's collection?
Is this going to turn into a why chose? I suppose I wouldn't mind.

Overall though, for a debut book I thought the writing was a bit amateurish at the start BUT got better as the book continued. The premise was good but I felt like there was way too much going on and random scenes with no preludes. Magic system wasn't touched upon so that was annoying. World building was pretty decent. Character development seemed strained at best and romantic development wasn't there at all. These characters loved each other but I couldn't figure out why that was. I would read the second book in hopes that my questions are answered.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed the premise of this book and the idea of the different gods.

I spent most of the book completely confused however which meant that it wasn’t as enjoyable read as it could have been.

It was great to get different characters experiences / points of view - however you would start to feel like you understood one character / the storyline and then it would jump to another character and jump in time.

There were so many questions forming in my head that just didn’t get explained. Even the ending didn’t shed any light but opened up more questions leading to more frustration.

If another book is released will I read it? Ultimately yes as I want to know the answers.

What is Maui hiding? What is her connection / relationship to Enzo? What’s been done to arron and how does this relate to his relationship with Mayu.

Speaking of which - this was another area that I felt completely confused about. Does she like him romantically or is she just stringing him along? There were moments that led me to believe that she does love him ‘Don’t touch what is mine’ but most of book she comes across as being indifferent and the real interest is with Enzo.

Ultimately it’s a very confusing book to read.

I've read a dozen books like this one, yet this feels entirely singular and beautiful. I hope this belongs in a series.

I felt very confused about the world building, It didn't help with the many characters I felt confused on who was who.
Maybe all the questions i have will all be explained by the second book.

The premise was cool and I appreciated the different POV's, it was very different from other books from this genre.