Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an e-arc of this book in exchange for me leaving an honest review

Actual rating: 3.5 ✨

The book is advertised as being reminiscent of Percy Jackson and I can see where this is coming from. It might be less mythological and more fantastical magic (or magik, if you follow the books speeling), but our main character Jackson (which felt a bit too coincidental, to be honest) is almost as witty as his namesake. I initally really liked th storyline following the unicorns, but at some point it simply started to feel <i>off</i> - and I cannot explain why. The characters overall were great, though some aspects in a elationship didn’t really speak to me. It may be because I’m past the age of the target reader group, so I won’t go into detail or judgement. The ending wasn’t what I expected and I’m not sure if I liked it or not. Still, <i>The Shadowed Flame</i> is a solid book that I enjoyed reading nonetheless.

This novel felt a like the idea was there but the story didnt know which way it wanted to progress. It took its sweet time with a dragon searching scene then rushes through the unicorn information. This might not have been what I wanted from what was advertised in the summary

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

The Shadowed Flame is honestly one of my favorites. It was a fun storyline to follow with a beautiful world and amazing characters to learn about. It was impossible to put down and look forward to reading more from the author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Let me start by saying: Unicorns! And if that isn't enough lure you in yet....

- [ ] a truly fun to follow story line set in a world I loved exploring
- [ ] amazing characters
- [ ] banter/witty comebacks/amazing dialogues
- [ ] adventure
- [ ] kickass action scenes
- [ ] magical creatures
- [ ] a little touch of romance
- [ ] engaging and addictive writing style

The Main Character, Jackson, is to die for! You can't help but fall in love with him. He's sassy, cute and 'Not putting much thought in before acting' brave, which is my kind of brave because it makes for the most explosive, engaging and often funny action scenes haha. Paired up with Moira, who is feisty, smart and kickass, these two are the perfect tag team to go about and destroy magical monsters while they're trying to stay alive when they stumble upon a secret that's about to put them in grave danger.

<b><blockquote>”It’s how I deal with conflict,” I said, my voice muffled. “Try throwing one of those skillets from your bag at me, my material gets even funnier when my life is in danger.”</b></blockquote>

The romance development was subtle and very well executed. Just the right amount of developing feelings in between the general story line development. This world, this story... This was so incredibly much fun to lose myself in! The unicorns and the mystery and secrets surrounding them was also a fantastic addition to the story and I can't wait to read more about it all.

Truly,
this book is a must read if you like original addictive ya fantasy books like the Percy Jackson series for example. It has it all, as I said; amazing characters, banter/witty comebacks/amazing dialogues, adventure, kickass action scenes, magical creatures and a little touch of romance. The author considers this book to be a 'young YA' book and I completely agree on that take. It's definitely 'more' than middle grade, although it IS accessible to middle grade readers as well, depending on their level of reading. But the characters behaviorisms was way less juvenile than I was expecting and some story elements are written down in a way that is definitely more YA, but without it becoming a bit too intense, dark, etc. This way, the book is accessible to a wider group of readers I think!

To me, it's that kind of 'hook, line & sinker' read: Once started, I was engaged and I was always looking forward to pick it up again and continue reading when I wasn't able to read. I plan and cannot wait to add this one to my shelves in print edition as well, soon. I highly recommend this one! You're in for a very fun and engaging read!

the premise was amazing and i was hooked throughout the book! the magic system was something i had never read before and felt it was done perfectly! also the main character was a great portal into the world !

The "perfect for fans Percy Jackson" baited me and turns out it was good! It's so action packed and full of mythical creatures, just the way I like from a fantasy story. Awaiting the next installment as we speak

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review* A great fantasy. Really creative, with unique and charismatic characters and an amazing narrative. Moira is a badass and I really enjoyed her as a sidekick (stole my heart, tho). A surprise, and a very welcome one!

I went into this with absolutely no expectations and fell absolutely in love! I've read Mercurial from Naomi already, so I wasn't completely surprised to also find another 5 star read. This book really did offer a nostalgic Percy Jackson-ish throwback to when I was younger and first found my passion for reading. Books like this are instant comfort classics for me, and I can't wait to see what comes next in this series so I can add them all to my shelves.

Since it says “for fans of Percy Jackson” I had high hopes. I mean, I LOVE the books of Riordian.
So, my hopes were so high, I couldn`t even see the end of it. At the start, I was like? Meh? This is not as good. BUT BOY WAS I WRONG??? I mean Jackson is an annoying cinnamon roll that must be protected at all cost and Moira is this badass “I am the only one who can call him stupid” girl. The unicorn talking and all took some time to get used to, but when you are past that. Just WOW. I might be rambling and not making sense, but hey; that`s how I roll. Samuel is this scary evil, who has taken all magik and basically threaten to destroy everything. My heart bleed for Luna and Mort… (the unicorns) I realized very quickly Jackson/Luna and Moria/Mort is very Ying and Yang. They need each other, they are their other`s half.

I look forward to the next book, and yes, I’ll be buying this one when I get the chance. Since I was so damn lucky to get it as an Earc from Netgalley.

A "young YA" perfect for fans of Percy Jackson!

———

Jackson Harper slays monsters on the sly.

He's a unicorn rider, a defender of the territory. But he has to keep that a secret, because technically he's supposed to be pure of heart to be approved for a unicorn bond, and his shady past rules that out. If the authorities catch him now, his monster-slaying dream job is all over.

But when a snake-dragon battle gets out of hand, he's forced to get help from a real rider: Moira Maldrigo. She used to be his best friend and unrequited crush. Now, she's duty-bound to turn him in to the unicorn regiment.

But the unicorns have a dark secret too. And when Jackson and Moira stumble on it, they're caught up in a battle that's much bigger, and deadlier, than they'd ever anticipated.

I read Naomi Hughes's book 'Mercurial', I like it even if it's not a perfect 5 stars book. This book is also as good as Mercurial. I enjoy it and I also like all the characters just fine.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

reading this story you get a different feel of magic and unicorns. I mean it has unicorns so what is there not to love?! the plot is fantastic! the characters are great too! i will definitely be purchasing a physical copy of this book! such a fun read!

A really good book, I love the setting and the use of mythical creatures. It kept me engaged and I wanted to know more! Can't wait to read what else this author writes

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book to review!

I thought this was a great late middle-grade/early YA fantasy book. The main character Jackson definitely does have some Percy Jackson vibes like the blurb suggests, and I loved the other characters too, especially Moira.

The plot of this book was pretty unique and the setting was as well, and I always appreciate a high fantasy world that doesn't seem like other books I've already read. I did, however, think that the magik system and the history behind the plot was a bit confusing, which is why I didn't give it 5 stars. The whole backstory with magik and the rift and the unicorns was a lot to take in and I never felt like I fully digested that part.

However, for the most part the story was compelling and interesting and I definitely cared about what happened to the characters. I was a bit upset that it ended with a cliffhanger lol, but I shouldn't have been surprised I suppose. I'll just have to read the next book when it comes out!

I definitely recommend this book for fantasy readers -- it's perfect for upper middle school/high school age (but if you're older like me it's still a fun read!) and the characters are a lot of fun.

A really interesting book, I love the setting and the use of mythical creatures.
Would recommend it to a teenage audience who loves fantasy!

It was interesting but not as much as I thought it would be.
The introduction of unicorns was a pleasant concept, something atleast I haven't read about before. I thoroughly enjoyed this book especially at such a stressful time in my life. An easy fun was what I was looking for and I got that.
The prose and characters were witty and charming, the hints of romance just added to the book's allure.
The writing was a juvenile but like I mentioned I didn't need a thought provoking book at the moment.
So all in all a good book that I'll highly recommend if you're looking for a easy and relaxing read.

A delightful, refreshing voice. I enjoyed the different take on unicorns and the friendship between Jackson and Moira.

DNF @ 20%

It's not that it was bad, I just really couldn't get into it. There were so many lines that were clearly meant to be funny, but I only found it mildly amusing. I repeatedly tried to read it for over a month and decided not to try to get any further.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel. The free copy did not affect my review.

Jackson Harper is a unicorn rider. Kind of. He has to keep that a secret, because he technically isn't approved to be one. His unicorn, Luna, chose to bond with him anyway. After a battle-gone-wrong, he has to get help from a real rider, his former friend named Moira. She has to turn him in, but after they find out about a secret unicorns have been hiding from their riders, the have to get involved.

This book is an adventure story that has elements of adventure and humor in it. Similar to The False Prince, Jackson is very witty and there are brief touches of romance. This would be a good book to recommend to fans of the series. The fantasy world is very well created, though I would have liked a bit more detail about it. This was described a young YA, and that is exactly what the author has done!

Ages 10+

*Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book*

This book is being compared to Percy Jackson, and having never read that book, I'm not entirely sure if that is accurate. With that being said, this is my opinion of this book standing on it's own. This book follows Jackson, his childhood best friend, and magical unicorns! I've never read a book with unicorns as a main figure, much less other mythical creatures, so I absolutely loved being immersed in such a fantastic world. It was somehow dystopian and futuristic and fantastical all at once. The setting and the premise of the story were great. Jackson, our main character, is a for-hire unicorn rider. He's been avoiding the official unicorn riders, because he has a bad past, and unicorns are only supposed to bond with those of pure heart. After coming across a monster, Jackson runs into an official rider who turns out to be no one other than his childhood best friend. Through a strange and intense series of events, both of them set out on an adventure that leads them into many different predicaments to solve a mystery and try to make the world a better place. That's all I will say without spoiling the story. This book was adventurous, humorous, engaging, and touching all in one. I really enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend it to any fantasy lover!