I really enjoyed the premise of the book and the characters, Sorsha and Corvus both came across likeable and well thought out. I liked the overall plot but felt like there wasn’t enough build up to the plot twists and sometimes the characters believing everyone at their word seemed unrealistic. I liked the magical element and even with the above I would like to continue the story to see Sorsha become as strong as it appears she might be. And maybe see Corvus use the wings! I would probably score the book a 3.5 rather than a flat 3 but it’s not quite a 4.

Lots of court politics, which is not really my things but if you like twisty diplomacy this is for you. The main character is not much of a spunky lead, but I did not mind her personality.

I flew through this book in less than 24hrs ✨️

Full disclosure: This is a 4 star read based purely on the vibes and my enjoyment whilst reading. I am not claiming this is top of my list for quality writing, but it was still really good and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

This was an easy read, fully loaded with all the typical romantasy tropes - and I was not dissapointed by this. The plot line was largely predictable, except for one major reveal, which I didn't see coming as I was so invested/focused on other aspects! For that reason I would recommend this book to new romantasy readers, who maybe wouldn't predict the plot line as easily, and also those who especially love trope-heavy romantasy.

Alhough it was insta-lust, it was refreshing to have a non-toxic MC relationship, where they don't immediately declare their undying love. I personally prefer more yearning, build up and banter but I still found myself wanting to see how their story would unfold.

Overall, while it doesn’t reinvent romantasy, it was an easy-to-read and satisfying story that left me excited for the next book in the series, where the author will hopefully add more depth to side characters and build on the political aspects/story outside of the romance.

I have to admit, the first thing that caught my eye (literally) about The Starlit Shadow was the gorgeous cover. The masks hint at the intrigue and concept that not everything or everyone might be as they seem, as well as the main character herself — who is a courtesan for a house that deals in magic, something that is now forbidden in this fantasy world.

The two main characters should be enemies, but they find themselves with a common goal in restoring magic, as its absence is negatively impacting the larger world around them. This concept is genuinely interesting; the idea of a world where magic is dying and needs to be restored adds stakes beyond just the romance, especially when there is political tension and unrest.

However, I did have some issues with the writing itself. While the actual descriptions are good, the story struggles with character dynamics and the writing overall seemed to have an issue with telling the reader what is happening and why as opposed to showing the reader. This makes the development of some of the relationships and plotlines feel a bit lifeless.

There is definitely an insta-lust connection here, as well as many other popular romance tropes like “who did this to you,” the forbidden aspect, fated mates, etc. I’m someone who prefers a much slower burn, and this just felt rushed. I personally needed more buildup and more tension. The flip side of this is that the relationship turns out to be really supportive and non-toxic, which is honestly refreshing in this genre.

I’d recommend The Starlit Shadow for readers new to romantasy or those who especially love trope heavy fantasy romance. While it doesn’t reinvent the genre, it delivers an entertaining story that leaves you hopeful the next book in the series will build upon the political intrigue the first left off on.

Sadly, this one just didn’t work for me. I was drawn in by the premise, it has real potential on paper, but the execution left me cold. The pacing is slow, the plot lacks momentum, and the characters felt unlikeable and underdeveloped. I found it hard to root for anyone, which made it even harder to stay engaged.

The language felt basic and undercooked, which made the prose feel flat and emotionless. First-person narration can be powerful when it’s done well, but in this case, it created even more distance rather than drawing me in. I never felt truly connected to the story or its world.

While some younger readers or fantasy newcomers might find elements to enjoy, The Starlit Shadow ultimately lacked the depth and soul I look for in this genre, and I had to DNF at the half way mark.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 βօօҟͲąցʂ 𓍯𓂃

➸ Court politics
➸ Insta-love
➸ Forbidden love
➸ Winged MMC
➸ Enemies to lovers

This book is a whole bundle of clichés. Every trope I’ve seen before—and then some—rolled into one.

ೃ⁀➷ Lesson learned: never judge a book by its cover. Or its title. Or even the premise, apparently. You know what? Just stop reading altogether.

The cover lured me in. The synopsis seduced me. A courtesan meets a fae lord—he’s enchanted, but she? She’s actually a spy. Yes please, I thought.

ೃ⁀➷ A courtesan FMC? When does that ever happen? And she’s a secret spy, too? I was expecting a woman confident in her allure, wielding charm like a weapon, her seduction an art form, her beauty a mask for deception.

Alas. All my hopes and dreams went straight down the drain.

ೃ⁀➷ Because what I got was a courtesan who... wasn’t really a courtesan. She spends most of her time evading clients, so she has no idea how to flirt, beguile, or even carry a conversation. She's not confident, not clever, not interesting. She’s dull. So dull.

And of course, she’s “not like the other courtesans”. They're all slim and graceful, while she’s muscled and plain (but not too plain, because we still need our male lead to be obsessed with her, naturally).

Oh, and she’s bullied by the most beautiful, successful courtesan in the house—because jealousy. Why? Who knows. Why would someone gorgeous and thriving be threatened by someone awkward and unpopular? It’s a mystery.

ೃ⁀➷ Then comes the male lead. Our FMC is a delicate innocent thing, but the MMC is a rake. Because of course he is.

ೃ⁀➷ Their meet-cute? The “mean” courtesan trips our FMC in front of everyone, and he swoops in like a knight in shining armour to help her up.

I rolled my eyes so hard I’m shocked they didn’t pop out of my head.

ೃ⁀➷ And of course, the moment he sees her, he’s captivated. Insta-lust. He can't stop thinking about her. We’re supposed to swoon, but I just wanted to scream.

Please. Spare me.

4.25⭐️

**ARC provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I feel like this book was a mix of classics, at least in the vibes. At times, I got Cinderella vibes, Hades and Persephone, and some others that would be spoilers.

From the start, I loved the chemistry they had, and it was more than enough to convince me to read the entire book. And I'm far from regretting it. It was one of the most enjoyable and addictive reads I had the pleasure to experience since I got into my big break from reading. It is a SOLID four-star read.

As you might know, if you follow my reviews, romance is everything to me, and this romance was IT. There was a moment, though, that immediately made me stop reading for a while, but I just knew it couldn't last long. And I read the remaining amount of the book at the speed of light.

I'd like to mention something that could be improved about the writing, although it's solved editing. I feel like at times I didn't know where they were, or whether they were sitting down or standing, or they would jump from one thing to the other... It could've been more specific and just a little more descriptive. It wasn't anything crazy, though, just tiny mistakes. And they don't make the book less good.

But going back to the read, I can't believe I predicted something so big about it in the dumbest way possible. If you don't want even the tiniest spoiler, I suggest you stop reading right here.

But here it goes. I'll just give you a hint.

If you have read my updates on this book, you'll know what I mean.

“If being with her meant I would lose all reason, then I would fall into madness willingly.”

This romantasy follows Sorsha and Corvus. Sorsha works at a brothel, being left there as a child to work as a server until she became of age.

Corvus is a son to lord stormfall, he could never live up to his father’s expectations.

Sorsha is tasked to spy on Corvus and get information to your Madame, little does she know she find out more bout herself than she realized.

The first half of the book was pretty slow but man that second part makes up for it entirely! It was so good!

A wonderfully designed forbidden romance. This was full of magic and was a fun read. Can't wait for book 2.

First of all, i’m grateful for the opportunity I had to read this book early. It was fun, entertaining and fast paced.
I quite liked the plot and how it developed and the characters were likeable and well fleshed out.

I rated it 3.5🌟 rounded down mainly because of the romance. It felt too insta-love for me: within the first 40% the mcs have met, fallen in love, broken up and suffered from heartache; all while they’ve only known each other for barely a month. I would have liked them to have more build up, more tension.

Another thing that irked me was how quickly and easily Sorsha’s identity was revealed, I expected some grand reveal near the end of the book, not Corvus figuring it out in 10 seconds halfway through after a very underwhelming sex scene.

Will I be reading more from this author? Absolutely, this didn’t take away from the story for me and I generally liked the writing.

This one wasn't for me unfortunately. It had an interesting premise: a fae vs humans world where magic is slowly dying, however nothing seemed to land quite right for me.
First thing for me was the insta-love, I didn't realise that was the trope here and might have avoided if I'd known, there was no slow building of a relationship, just the awkward push and pull of Sorsha being a spy and not being able to commit.
The other inter-personal relationships did not impress me, I didn't believe in Corvus and his father's fractured feelings, and I particularly disliked Corvus' "bad boy" personality that he put on sparingly throughout.
I feel like the world building had potential: we talked about other empires across the sea, and about people preparing for war, only for none of this to come to any kind of fruition later on. Same with the magic system, I thought the throwaway comment about this world being 'behind in running water and electricity etc because previously they all had magic' really interesting. But again, we didn't build on that anywhere else.
There was also a continuity error partway through where it said that Ferdie cleaned up some blood but I'm quite confident he was meant to be in a dangerous situation on the other side of town. Little things like this just added up for an uninspiring reading experience!

This book is a great starting point for anyone new to fantasy or Romantasy. It leans romance-forward right from the beginning, with just enough fantasy to ease readers into the genre. I do wish there had been a bit more world building—particularly around the concept of the lost magic and its impact on the magic-wielding fae. Some early explanations could’ve cleared up the confusing parts.

The romance has a bit of a Romeo and Juliet feel, but I won’t say more to avoid spoilers. While the pacing felt off at times, the story picked up intensity toward the end, which had me guessing and fully engaged. Overall, a decent read with potential—especially for those dipping their toes into fantasy romance.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this but unfortunately it's a DNF for me. I made it about 30% of the way in and didn't feel like much was really happening and a bit instalovey for my preferences.

The Starlit Shadow is a good romantasy read, with a strong FMC and MMC who is obsessed. The world building was very easy to get swept into.

4.5 Stars

I volunteered as an Arc reader. Thank you Netgalley.

Where to start? This was a delight to read. A fae world in slow decay from a lack of magic, and magic having a somewhat scientific way of being present. This fantasy world is definitely one worth learning about.

Sorsha (FMC) is in servitude as a courtesan, and an unhappy one at that. She was orphaned at a young age and in servitude to the Night House for as long as she can remember. Her life is changed abruptly when Lord Corvus Stormfall (MMC) claims patronage over her. Corvus is just as surprised at his own actions as she is because from the moment he saw her he thought she had spelled him in some fashion. The madame of the house forces Sorsha to act as a spy on the young lord, however the secrets that are uncovered could make or break the realm.

Whenever we see magic in books especially those involving the Fae, it is always assumed that magic is inherit in the land and realm. This book showing slow decay of the world without magic was a very refreshing turn.

The tropes of fated mates appears to be lurking just beneath the surface, but again without magic, we do not know. I look forward to the next book!

The ending also doesnt make much sense, as since the reason for her being there was protection against her father once he and the cousin are gone Sorsha is then the head of a house and the Madame has no say over her life?

Note: for kindle on location 4215 after Sorsha is injured there is a line that "Ferdie cleans up the mess" in corvus' house. A few pages later location 4239 Sorsha discusses how they do not know if anyone survived or where Ferdie is. A minor error but I did reread it because I was genuinely confused if I missed something. Unsure who cleaned the house but it was not Ferdie.

Thank you publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. The plot revolves around our FMC, Sorsha, a courtesan with a hidden agenda, and our MMC, Corvus Stormfall, a fae noble burdened by legacy who crosses path at the House of Night, setting off a chain of passion and rebellion that may change their realm forever. Our MMC fell almost insta-lovey to our FMC, I wanted more banters before they actually fell but I love how they don't complicate their feelings and communicate because it feels more real. The world-building isn't the same like most romantasy I read, it lets you dive in immediately to the world with little knowledge on the magic and politics. But when the plot unveils I got hooked and all information are dropped to you, I got more interested. The book ends with so much questions I have no answers to and the spicy scene made it anticlimactic. I would still definitely read the second book and hopefully the author will tackle more on their magical realm and how things got to how it is now and the politics in their world since there are also humans involved. Overall, it was an interesting read and the chapters are short so it is a fast read.

Romantasy
Insta-love
Strong FMC
Second son meets reluctant spy

First Thoughts:

I finished it, slightly begrudgingly. The Starlit Shadow was entertaining at times, and the premise was promising. Unfortunately, the execution just ended up making it fall a bit flat for me personally. Corvus is our MMC, and I know the author wants us to think he’s some genius, acting like he doesn’t care in order to be more unsuspecting, but frankly it just made me think he was a bit foolish. He falls in insta-love with our FMC and promptly begins spilling all of his secrets.

Sorsha, our FMC, who, coincidentally, was ALL about learning his secrets (for her boss), was just very bland for the most part. I like a strong female character, but this one just kept inserting herself into situations in which she had no business, and for some reason nobody stops her?

Listen, I liked the plot, and I would’ve loved to rate it higher, but I just could never really believe it. The dialogue was written in a very cringey manner, and there was a distinct lack of worldbuilding, so I could never really lose myself in the story. Sadly, I kept constantly glancing down at how much of the book I had left.

Will I be reading the next one? Frankly, the ending of The Starlit Shadow was extremely anticlimactic, leaving things comically unresolved for no good reason (and saving the first sex scene for last 5 pages of the book, while people are suffering and dying elsewhere), so I really can’t care what happens next. I will leave this one at that. Thanks to NetGalley and Cranthorpe Millner Publishing for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

Full review posted on my website linked

2.5 stars

This was technically well-written and has a gorgeous cover but for me, it was missing that inexplicable something that takes a story from ordinary to extraordinary. I struggled to connect with the characters, the romance fell too far into the realm of insta-love for my taste, and the plot failed to pique my interest for at least the first half of the book (although there were several plot points in the back half that I DID find engaging). If I hadn't committed to reading and reviewing the ARC, it would have been a DNF. I'm sure there will be plenty of people who love what it has to offer; I'm just not one of them.

*I received a free advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

The Starlit Shadow is a good romantasy read, with a strong FMC and MMC who is obsessed. If you are a big lover of romance, you will love the connection between these two. However, if you also love world building, you will massively appreciate this book. It is definitely for the long haul, it takes a while to build up the story but you see why as the book goes on. It also leads you gutted when you realise it's a series because you just want them all now and want to know what is happening, but is that really gutting or is it an opportunity to fall in love with a new world, amazing characters and just incredible story. I would highly recommend!

A romantasy that has shades of Romeo and Juliet with rivaling fae houses and human versus fae in a world where the fae have lost their magic.

This book felt clumsy. The introduction to the world, the relationships between characters, the magic system, all of it, just wasn’t well explained or plotted out. The dialogue was simple and lacked nuance. The FMC had access to people and places without much reason for it. The spice was lackluster with weird placement and timing in the book.

An interesting premise, readable, but overall, a clunky read.

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC for an honest review. All opinions are my own*