"Of Light and Shadow" is an absolute gem that shines with humor, adventure, and a sprinkle of romance. Tanaz Bhathena has crafted a captivating story that will have readers hooked from the first page to the last.

The dynamic duo of Roshan and Navin steals the show with their hilarious banter and unlikely camaraderie. Roshan, the fierce bandit leader with a heart of gold, and Navin, the charming misfit prince, bring an irresistible charm to the story. Their unexpected journey, filled with mishaps and mischief, had me in stitches, eagerly turning the pages to see what comedic escapades they would find themselves in next.

Bhathena's writing is a joy to behold, blending whimsy and wit seamlessly. The world she has created, inspired by 17th century India, is a vibrant and magical backdrop that adds depth and richness to the narrative. From the vivid descriptions of the enchanting landscapes to the cleverly crafted political tensions, every aspect of this world feels alive and immersive.

While the book is undeniably humorous, it also delves into deeper themes of love, trust, and the power of friendship. As the characters navigate a crumbling world, their genuine and heartwarming connections bring warmth and emotional depth to the story. The blossoming romance between Roshan and Navin adds an extra layer of sweetness, making readers root for their happiness amidst the chaos.

"Of Light and Shadow" is a delightful journey that keeps you on your toes with its twists and turns, both in plot and in humor. Bhathena's ability to balance lighthearted moments with poignant ones is commendable, creating a well-rounded and satisfying reading experience. If you're looking for a book that will whisk you away to a world of laughter, adventure, and a touch of magic, then this is the perfect choice. Prepare to be enchanted!

When I first started reading Of Light and Shadow by Tanaz Bathena, I honestly didn’t think I would like this book as much as I did. I am not a romance reader. I am a fantasy reader. About 10% into the book, I was ready to give up, but I stuck with my rule of reading at least 30%. I am honestly glad that I did.

This book is set in the fictional kingdom of Jwala in a world based on aspects of Zoroastrian faith. It is a polytheistic society full of mythical creatures and nature magic. The magic and the faith are intertwined to create varying religious sects in the kingdom. This could easily create turbulence in the novel. However, it only serves to further richen the culture of Jwala.

The strongest aspect of this book are the main characters and their character development. Both Roshan and Navin are flawed and understandably so.
While Roshan has been molded from necessity Navin has been molded from neglect.

Roshan was orphaned and abandoned near a raging fire as an infant. She was rescued and raised by Bhim Chaya, the leader of a notorious clan of bandits in the outlanda of Ashvamaiden. When her father is murdered, she becomes the leader in her father’s place. Talk about pressure.

Then we have Prince Navin who, like his Disney name-twin, has lived his life free of responsibility or worry in a palace full of luxury. However, having a mythical being as a father among humans has not made life easy for Navin. He is an “other” in a kingdom of same. Even his own grandmother, the Queen of Jwala doesn’t show Navin the love and kindness one shows for family.

Both of them are outcasts. Both are in need of saving, and it is fortunate for them that they find each other. This relationship could have easily fallen into the trope of “instalove”, but the author does a fantastic job of building the relationship over time.

The plot and climax of this book are its weakest link. For most of the book the plot was laid out phenomenally. There were parts of the plot happening in the present while reading and small hints thrown in at what would be revealed at the climax. The connection of these hints with the climax wasn’t as strong as it could have been. Maybe there should’ve been more before the big reveal at the end or maybe there should’ve been different hints. Maybe there should’ve been more focus on these hints instead of the romance. I’m not sure, but when reading the climax, it felt like the whole story came out of left field. It made the story feel discombobulated for a few chapters. It felt like the book was completed, then the original climax was scooped out and replaced at the last minute.

Whatever the case, it was a well-done standalone fantasy novel.

4/5

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.


This review will post on my Instagram: SpellsBooksandKrystals on Wednesday June 21, 2023.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for this eARC to review!

5/5 stars!

I absolutely DEVOURED this book! This was such a delightful surprise of a favorite for the year for me. I'm still trying to catch up on some releases (work and wedding planning have stolen some of my time), so I also purchased the audiobook for this. And the narrator was AMAZING.
The characters were so well fleshed out, there were so many small intimate interactions that still kept the flow of the story going or actually helped progress the story, all the while deepening our understanding of the character's relationships and personalities. I laughed way more than I thought I would in this! There were also JUST enough twists that weren't easily foreseeable throughout the story, but once revealed made me audibly GASP in my car on my way to work! I got so so attached to sweet Chotu (unsure on spelling), that I was on the verge of tears when I had thought something happened to him.
Seeing as I devoured Tanaz's storytelling and that I have her first duology, The Wrath of Ambar, I will definitely be adding this up higher on my TBR!

This was a great book overall and definitely pulled me in and made me want to keep reading, but it was pretty bloody and violent too. The pace was also slow at times, so it took me a while to get through it. One of my biggest complaints is that spouses were referred to as "mates," and that just really bothered me. But overall, a great fantasy action/adventure romance!

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

- OF LIGHT AND SHADOW is one of the most action-packed and engrossing YA novels I've read in a long time. I immediately loved both Roshan and Navin as well as the world they inhabited, cheering them on as they fought for justice.
- You know I love a book with a headstrong girl at the center, and Roshan is one of the best. She's forging her own path, but also willing to learn from her mistakes in an effort to become a better leader.
- Along with some excellent character growth, this story is also full of twists, turns, and betrayals. I'm very much looking forward to reading more books by Bhathena in the future.

In a setting inspired by 17th century India, Roshan Chaya leads the feared Shadow Bandits in attempts to save their land from a corrupt governor who has bled their land dry. But the raids they launch can only aid them for so long, and when an opportunity arises to kidnap Jwala’s beloved spare prince, the bandits are finally given a bargaining chip—which quickly becomes a pain, albeit a handsome one, in Roshan’s side. As the prince grows closer to Roshan, for his own selfish means, it’s discovered that he may not be able to grant the bandits the land they so desperately want, revealing the crown’s selfish desire to maintain tradition.

One aspect of this book that I really enjoyed was that magic users must suffer the consequence of using their power. Although, one comment I do have is that it’s clear this book is a standalone because of the quickness with which the situation is revealed. However, this didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the book and the author wrote that reveal in in such a way that it made sense. And as this novel is set in India, there are a lot of Indian words and phrases that appear, and while many of them are said in context, I did still have some issues with understanding some of them (e.g., I thought the atashgola was a sword but then it was revealed to be the bomb at the very end). And I believe I read on Instagram that the monarchy in this novel was based on the current British monarchy situation, mainly with Harry and Meghan, and you can certainly detect those subtle nods.

I’m not sure who to recommend this book to as I’ve don’t think I’ve read any like it. But from my understanding of other books, I think fans of S.A. Chakraborty would find this book enjoyable.

This story was so captivating. I went into it not expecting much and was sucked in pretty quickly. The story starts right in the middle of all the action. It’s told in a dual pov and had lots of magic which i love in stories. I dual read it with the audio which made it a lot easier for me for the pronunciation of the words. This story reminded me a lot of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A Brown which is one of my favorite duologies.

My only critique is i wish the magic system was explained instead of just revealing a little bit at a time. I just made guesses most of the story but was left at the end of it not really knowing how everything works.

Overall though there were no dull moments and the ending had me a little shocked. I was throughly entertained.

I wanted to like this novel so badly. Female bandit leader + prince who's half mystical being?? What could go wrong?

Well, I'll start with the positive. The romance between Roshan and Navin was well written and honestly, it didn't feel too contrived at all. At first, I thought it was really silly that Roshan would let Navin get so close to her when he was still the Shadow Clan's prisoner, but this became a moot point right after the midpoint. It wasn't insta love or anything. It progressed at a steady pace and I was rooting for them by the end of the novel.

All right. So, the negatives. The plot moved at such a snail's pace that I kept having to go back several pages just to understand if something important actually happened. I'm not sure why the novel is so long. There are unimportant parts that could be cut out without hurting the plot in any way. I don't mind novels based on politics and rebellion, but the novel could've definitely been paced much better.

And, I won't lie. I feel like the novel was trying hard to be like Tasha Suri's novels, but unlike Suri's novels, nothing much really stood out to me here. It's not really memorable.

The FMC came off as too naive to be the leader of a clan of bandits. When Navin was their prisoner, she was too forthcoming with him.

The magic system wasn't explained too well. It was just there.

And by the end of the novel, it felt like Navin's half peri status didn't really matter all that much. Or maybe I was too zoned out to realize its importance. Idk.

It seems like I'm one of the very few who didn't like this novel all that much, so you might like it much better than I did.

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) and NetGalley for this arc.

Of Light and Shadow by Tanaz Bhathena is a fantastic standalone YA enemies-to-lovers romantasy inspired by Persian and Zoroastrian Mythology set in the badlands of 17th century India. There’s magic, bandits, royal family drama, discussions on grief, and lots of political intrigue.

If you like Defy the Night, Spice Road, and An Ember in the Ashes, you might like this book too.
I could not put this book down!

We follow two main characters, Roshan a healer who steals from the rich to feed the poor, and Prince Navin, the spoiled half-human bastard spare-to-the-heir. Roshan finds Navin passed out drunk on a raid and takes him hostage, hoping to barter him in exchange for reclaiming their people’s lands.

An interesting and unique magic system paired with such culturally rich prose, well-rounded characters, and a world inspired by real-life bandits, history, and mythology, this book made for such an action-packed immersive experience.

My one advise to readers is – don’t be like me, there’s a glossary at the back that I wish I knew existed before I finished the book. It would definitely add to the reading experience making use of it as there’s a lot of culturally specific jargon.

My only issue is that I vehemently dislike the title. I’m not sure why an author would want to blend in with all the other books that are similarly titled when this book is so interesting, rich, and unique. Additionally it seems for the first half of the book there’s an excessive biting of the lip/cheek/tongue/blister in the mouth that seemed to happen which pulled me out of the experience a few times.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for gifting me the eARC in exchange for an honest review..

Title: Of Light and Shadow
Series: Standalone
Author: Tanaz Bhathena
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Tropes/Keywords: API, Captor-Captive, Criminal FMC , Enemies-to-lovers, Forced-proximity, Himbo MMC, Kidnapped MMC, Indian Mythology, Magic Powers, Powers, Romantasy
Rep: Indian Canadian author, characters based in fantasy version of ancient India. Bi MMC.
Pages: 448
Steam: Cracked Door
Spice: .5🌶/5
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Review:

I read the author's first YA fantasy duology The Wrath of Ambar, which is based in the same world as this novel, and Tanaz has blown me away with her characters and world-building. The story felt very reminiscent of Robin Hood with the bandit clan stealing food from the rich to feed the poor. I loved our FMC Roshan, she was very determined to keep her clan alive and together, as well as restoring their homeland to those that have been expelled or pushed to the brink of starvation. Then we have our Bi-king Himbo MMC, Prince Navin, who is the second on line to the Jwalan throne. He is born of the daughter of a Queen, and a peri (bird/human species) warrior, and doesn't feel like he fits in either world, so he drinks to excess and sleeps around to fill the void. When he is kidnapped by Roshan they start to develop a bond that eventually leads to more as the story goes on. Romantasy is my preferred way to consume fantasy and I found that the romantic elements pared well throughout this novel. I hope that the author has an opportunity to bring us more stories from this world in the future.

I am not one to read a physical book, but I actually chose to sit and read my physical arc over using my kindle, so to me that says a lot of my enjoyment that I basically marathoned this in a single weekend.
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CW/TW: Death, fighting and murder on page. Mentions of past loss of a parent. Body horror/gore. Necromancy. Colonization. Starvation. Brief sexual activities mentioned, not explicit.


*ARC provided to me by the publisher and Netgally. All thoughts are my own**

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Of Light and Shadow follows bandit queen Roshan Chaya as she captures Prince Navin, second in line for the throne. Though each of them is scheming to use the other for their own gain, the closer they get, the more complicated things become.

This is my first time reading Tanaz Bhathena, and the whole time it had me wondering why I've never picked up anything of hers before, because this was a fun time. I don't know that it necessarily blew my mind in any major ways -- it certainly felt pretty predictable -- but it was just a really solid, really fun time. I also found it incredibly interesting that much of this book's foundation is rooted in the Zoroastrian faith. In all I think that this is one of those solid, approachable fantasy books that will work for a lot of readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.

Okay, so the cover?? BEAUTIFUL. The premise? Intriguing! The plot, pretty good. I really liked how this was a political novel with the romance between Roshan and Navin happening due to forced proximity and out of sheer necessity (even if Navin ROYALLY messed up at one part). I also like how the magic system was in place, but I'm curious about who gets magic and who doesn't. There's also incorporation of Peri and Pashu, and I really loved the Indian Mythology and influence on the novel. The plot kept me hooked, but it felt like the plot twist at the end kind of came out of nowhere, and everything leading up to it was like what??

I also love the Robin Hood, found family vibes of the Shadow Clan. The dynamics are interesting when compared to the other villages and royalty. Although this is a standalone (I believe), I would love to see more stories from this world and truly see more the lore and world itself developed.

Also, this is upper YA!! There are definitely jokes about threesomes and some rather spicy content (nothing explicit, but definitely upper YA)

She’s the leader of bandits known as the Shadow Clan who wants to get revenge for the murder of her father and save her people from the governor’s atrocities and corruption. He’s the second in line prince, an outcast who spends his day flirting and drinking and he has soul magic. Two people whose’s lives completely change when they meet, or rather when she kidnaps him and holds him for ransom and he schemes for his release... yet the more he spends time with Roshan the more he discovers what is truly happening to his hand and people and that this bandit might just have stolen his heart. Prince Navin was only suppose to be something to help Roshan get her goals and help her people but things become complicated as Roshan and Navin learn about each other, spend time together, and actually work together to save the people from corruption. They are so different yet so alike, they both want whats best for their world but with so much on the line, can they really succeed? This was definitely an interesting read, it starts off a bit iffy but absolutely picks up and has a great ending overall. I found myself getting invested snd liked how the story wrapped up. The romance was great and I liked the magic system that was made.

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

First off, thank you to Macmillan childrens & NetGalley for the eArc of this title!

I have to say, I'm a bit bummed that this didn't work out for me. The premise is awesome, and frankly the world that Bhathena created is completely awesome. The magic is cool, and what has happened to the land to prompt the creation of the Shadow Clan is very unique and complex. All of this started off really good, but fell flat quick for me.

I had an incredibly hard time connecting to the characters, and believing their connections to one another beyond that. Navin breaks this mold a bit, and he was easily the most interesting character, but I wanted to connect so much more with Roshan. She has what could be a very complex and mysterious past, but we don't get into that (or her feelings about it) all that often. Instead, it feels like the author threw conversations between the two characters (seemingly to build their relationship, but there isn't payoff as most of the time these conversations are thin), and some sort of action or conflict. This unfortunately introduces another problem for me.

While the magic and world building we do see is exciting and cool, it is not very deeply explored. At certain points, int he thick of the action, there will be the introduction of some sort of magical phenomenon or feat with no prior explanation of it, just to follow with a sentence or two that attempts to explain it. It leads to a lot of plot convenience, and it made things that were supposed to be "reveals" fall flat, and frankly had me rolling my eyes quite a bit.

Again, I really did expect to love this. It just didn't work out for me from a writing/execution standpoint.

While the worldbuilding and magic system are both very interesting and well-developed, I think this one is just not for me. I'm stopping at 20%. Plot-wise, it's just a bit slow for my taste, and it feels predictable. The predictability of it makes the slowness harder to take, and when I sit down to read it's just not the one I want to pick up.

But that said, I think this could be a great read for someone who enjoys YA fantasy romance books in general, and anyone who would be interested in reading a fantasy based on Indian mythology. On that front, it was great.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillian for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

A fun, imaginative, Indian inspire fantasy. I enjoyed the dual POV from our FMC and MMC both of whom I loved! I also loved the juxtaposition between the two. Roshan having come from nothing, raised to be strong and hard in a bandit clan fighting for their lands. Navin raised as the half blooded spare prince, the peri prince, the bastard, never believing in himself or having a place or purpose. This is a great coming of age story as they both figure out their own path independent of their history and what they thought was expected from them.

Great magic system, loved the way that song, from his Peri side, enhanced Navins soul magic, from his human side. Loved how the visualization and manipulation of aura's was represented. I also loved the limitations and the use of amplifiers to enhance their magic.

Great enemies to lovers plot. After part one of the book I had no idea how Bhathena was going to convince me that these enemies could become lovers. But she surprised me and nailed it!

Great world building, I loved the use of specific words and language to keep us in an India inspired fantasy world.

Overall a really fun read in a unique world.

Tropes:
⚔️Enemies to Lovers
👨‍👩‍👧Found Family
🧙‍♀️ Hidden Identity

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

I’ll start this (short) review by saying that the author’s writing is beautiful in how she tells the story. You immediately understand Roshan’s actions and mindset.

Unfortunately, this book just isn’t for me and has been DNF’d. It’s heavier on the political intrigue side than I had expected based on the description, and the pacing is slow. These are not necessarily bad things - just not my cup of tea. The magic system felt out of place to me, as though magic wasn’t really entirely necessary except to make it a magic fantasy, but maybe it makes more sense later on.

Based on what I read, it’s a solid 3.5-4 star YA novel if you don’t mind slower stories and political intrigue/class struggles with negotiations.

loved this romance and finding oneself and the how the couple worked out their problems . loved all of the side characters and the friendships. Good book.

“Of Light and Shadow” is an epic Indian fantasy romance!

Bhathena draws inspiration for her novel from Indian bandits throughout history—specifically from the famous female bandit Phoolan Devi. As someone who was not familiar with Phoolan’s historical impact before reading the book, I enjoyed learning about her through Bhathena’s fictional protagonist Roshan Chaya. Roshan closely resembles Phoolan in that she, too, was wanted for robbery and kidnapping after capturing Prince Navin during a raid. Despite her crimes, Roshan is beloved by Jwalian villagers—just like Phoolan was greatly admired by the people of India— because she does what she can to fight for their rights.

Bhathena successfully weaves magic into her narrative to add intrigue. In the world of “Of Light and Shadow” there is life magic, death magic, and soul magic. The reader learns more about life magic and death magic through Roshan’s perspective. As a life magus, Roshan uses her energy to heal rather than harm. Though she saves many lives, the papers villainize her for being an outlaw. I for one found her character to be very admirable. She is a strong warrior who only wants the best for her clan. She does not shy away from a fight and knows how to hold her own, which is refreshing to see in a female protagonist.

Prince Navin’s perspective offers readers insight on soul magic and palace life. In addition to using his voice to manipulate emotions, Navin’s soul magic allow him to see the aura of those who are bonded to him. But his powerful magic does not come without cost. As a soul magus, Navin is subject to painful mouth blisters when he overexerts himself. Up until he was held hostage by the Shadow Clan, palace hakims, healers, were at his beck and call whenever he used copious amounts of magic to avoid his responsibilities as the spare prince.

At the beginning of the novel, the pair consider each other enemies. However, the longer Navin spends time with his captives while they wait for the queen to meet the clan’s demands, the more he begins to realize that his people are suffering under his grandmother’s rule. I loved watching Roshan and Navin butt heads while they worked together to enact change and struggle to deny their romantic connection before ultimately acknowledging their feelings.

I adored the story, the world building was amazing. I love meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it. The writing was also really nice. I couldn't put the book down and I can't wait for others to read and enjoy this story as well.