Thos was so good. I absolutely loved this!! I can't wait for the next book in the series!!!
I just reviewed Bewitched Shadows by Autumn Blake. #BewitchedShadows #NetGalley
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This book was a book that could have been interesting but the first thing that got me was that the FMC Ember was openly called a harlot a ton of times and was owning up to that fact. I know a woman can have her own thoughts about her body but I feel like she is the only one allowed to comment on that and no one else. What she does shouldnt' matter to anyone else.

This book is set up as a enemies to lovers for Ember and Killian. Their characters are interesting in a general sense and I actually just skip read most of the book. The underlining mystery was interesting to me but took the back seat to the romance of the book.

Overall the book was okay written (for what I like) and probably not something that I will continue to read.

They do end up together but that is expected. I also think that the CW could have been better written since they seemed a little vague for me but that is just because I am used to very detailed CW or TW now.

This was a tough one. Extra star for the name Killian.

What I liked about this:

I adore books set in the magic of New Orleans so I was so excited to read this. We follow witch Ember and demon Killian dual POV first person as they trek around Nola in an attempt to solve a murder. Adored the premise.

What I did not like:

The dialogue was hard to read at times, a lot of overused banter classics like “take a picture, it will last longer” (yuck) and “like what you see” (yuck). Honorable mention: tongues fighting for dominance (I haven’t read those words since my fanfiction days).

Ember was constantly shammed for enjoying a lot of sex partners. But to me, this felt more like a device used to give Killian a reason to protect her. Ember is characterized as someone who is a mess. She indulges in a lot of partying and drinking, so we get to explore a character who deals with a lot of backlash from her surroundings because of it. Totally fine, I thought it was going to make Ember a really complex character and deal with slut shamming as a whole. This really fell flat for me. Ember defends herself every time she’s in a situation where she’s being shamed but eventually Killian ends up resolving the issue. It’s also really never resolved? No final statement was made.

Killian’s INSISTENCE that Ember has cast a spell on him. While fully knowing that a lot of her magic is blocked. This was painful. Also, literally no other character/creatures had “mates”. Other than Killian and Ember, I think it was mentioned one other time so it felt like a random off-handed comment that ended up being 75% of the conflict.

The murder mystery element. This felt like an after thought.

Overall thoughts:

Despite my negative opinions, it’s an easy read and I did find both MCs engaging. This will check a lot of boxes for a lot of readers. While I didn’t love it, anyone who likes a fast and hard romantasy book will.

Sexy, mysterious, and fun! New author for me and was happily surprised with how much I liked this genre! Would recommend!

Content Warning: slut shaming, violence

I love this book cover – the colors are some of my favorites and I saw it was about a witch and a demon so I requested it. Here is what I thought:

+ I like a good urban fantasy with paranormal creatures and this is set in New Orleans which I always feel is the perfect setting for paranormal romance. There are werewolves, vamps, witches and demons. In this story, it centers around one particular witch and a demon.

+ There is attraction from Ember and Killian from the start. But though there is a lot of attraction between them I felt like this was a slow burn and the sexy scenes came later in the story. Ember is kind of a mess – she is definitely living life to the fullest but can’t control her powers yet. Killian is the son of the devil so he knows about responsibilities and pressures – but they balance one another.

+ I enjoyed Ember’s family. She has a bunch of sisters and a grandmother who is strict. They are witches so I like how they have their rituals and let go of their inhibitions, it’s what I expect of witches! Her sister Jade actually is getting her story told next.

+ I did like that Killian was trying to investigate a few murders happening around the city or else the story would have been just about their attraction to one another.

~ As much as I enjoyed the setting and that it was a paranormal romance, I felt like I didn’t connect much to the characters. I did like Ember and her family and I did sympathize with Killian and his situation with his father but I felt like I wanted more from both of them.

~ I loved that Ember was confident in her sexuality and loved sex. Too bad the werewolves were always slut-shaming her!

Why you should read it:
*you like urban fantasy filled with witches, demons, vampires and werewolves and it’s set in New Orleans
*feels like a slow burn but it does get spicy
*familiar storyline, quick read

Why you might not want to read it:
*didn’t connect much to the characters
*familiar storyline, nothing new

My Thoughts:

I thought this was a pretty good book and if I was ever in the mood for a paranormal romance, now I have another author to add to my list. This was a quick read with familiar storylines, a witch is attracted to a demon, and the demon is fighting with his father. I just wish I connected more to the characters. I know a lot of readers will enjoy this book.

3⭐️/5 ~🇪🇸
~Aunque me gustó la sinopsis, ya desde el principio no me convenció mucho la historia. No se si es porque no veo mucho feeling entre los personajes o qué, pero confieso que a partir del 60% he ido leyéndolo por encima, para así acabarlo.
~No hay nada malo en sí con el libro, pero a mí no me ha llamado la atención. He notado la historia demasiado rápida y lenta al mismo tiempo: lenta, porque no veía que pasara nada, y rápida porque de un día para otro el MMC y la FMC pasan de odiarse a amarse. Aunque realmente no he visto el enemies to lovers en ninguna parte, más bien, me caes mal, aunque no te conozco realmente-to-lovers.
~La trama no está mal, aunque creo que tenía más potencial. Y los personajes no me han transmitido nada, no me han llegado.
~En definitiva, no creo que la continúe, aunque los siguientes sean de otros personajes😅

•••••
3⭐️/5 ~🇬🇧
~Although I liked the synopsis, I wasn't very convinced by the story from the beginning. I don't know if it's because I don't see much connection between the characters or what, but I confess that from 60% I've been skim-reading it, in order to finish it.
~There's nothing wrong with the book per se, but it didn't hold my attention. I found the story too fast and too slow at the same time: slow, because I didn't see anything happening, and fast because from one day to the next the MMC and the FMC go from hating each other to loving each other. Though I didn't really see the enemies to lovers anywhere, rather, I dislike you, though I don't really know you-to-lovers.
~The plot isn't bad, though I think it had more potential. And the characters didn't convey anything to me, they didn't get to me.
~I don't think I'll continue it, even if the next ones are about other characters😅

Ember Belle is a complete disaster. While she's not partying with the local shifter pack or wreaking mayhem around New Orleans with her three sisters, she does anything to avoid addressing her out-of-control fire magick and the sadness from losing her parents. But, she decides to take matters into her own hands when the chance to acquire a mystical object that could end all of her difficulties presents itself. Killian Inferno, on the other hand, is simply interested in spending his last few weeks of freedom in New Orleans, far from his responsibilities as the upcoming King of Pride. He doesn't anticipate being called by the novice witch who has been stalking his dreams. A seductress who will use any strategy, including sorcery, to obtain his knowledge in order to solve a recent murder. Ember is now forced to join Killian in a demon pact. The conditions are straightforward: either get rid of the curse she might have placed on him before Samhain, or drag him kicking and screaming back to Hell. Can the two rivals put their differences aside to learn the city's mysteries and unleash Ember's real magical potential, or will they fall victim to the adversaries they didn't expect? Now, My thoughts on this read: I love how the character of Ember transform. She is strong and confident. The plot is creative. I enjoyed how it paced beautifully. The language is prosaic. A enemy to lover read that is must recommended for urban fantasy readers. The book is definitely a page turner. I really enjoyed this first book in Bewitched Shadows series.
Thank you NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours, and Autumn Blake for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I was hesitant going into this. I'm not always the biggest fan of modern fantasies, but I was quickly surprised. It had grown-up Zodiac Academy meets Charmed vibes, with a hint of the other classic fantasy creatures, lore and mythology that we all know and love.

Ember Belle is the reckless witch in New Orleans who uses wit and a lack of abandon as an excuse to not be taken seriously and to not have control over her power. However, she quickly finds a way that she thinks will help her to harness her magical abilities and make it easier to recover her place in her family's eyes without losing massive amounts of face. This, however, means she needs to team up with a demon.

Demons and witches are, first and foremost, all but explicitly forbidden, so it's a good thing that they both hate each other. Right? Right.

This story is fun. It was pretty predictable, and even if I wasn't directly guessing something, when the truth was revealed it wasn't exactly earth-shattering. But I wasn't upset about it at all. The writing was easy to digest while giving every character life, personality and a depth that made conversations fun and the relationships interesting. This book helped to get me out of a rut, and for that I'll forever be thankful for it.

I absolutely loved both Ember and Killian, and I'm interested to see where the rest of the series goes!

Bewitched Shadows is an enemies-to-lovers, fantasy romance. Ember is a witch, living in New Orleans with her sisters and struggling with her magic. Killian is a prince of Hell, whose succession is only weeks away and whose father will stop at nothing to keep his crown. I had a hard time relating to or caring about Ember. I thought Killian was a better developed character; however, with that said, I wish there had been more chapters focused on his troubles in Hell and his relationships with Taliah, his father, and the other demons. A lot of his chapters are simply him pining after Ember (very repetitive and frustrating). At times, due to the repetitiveness, the book dragged on; I had to force myself to keep reading. I did enjoy the complex relationships between the vampires, shifters, witches, and demons, and I thought the description of the Realm of Pride in Hell was interesting.

Overall, this book simply wasn't for me.

Wow! A mystery with a twist of enemies to lovers themed romance and a range of emotions. This book told the story of Ember and Killian. Ember is a witch who lives in her family home along with her three sisters. She iss struggling with her magic after the death of her parents. Thought this story we see personal growth and development of not only Embers character but Killian's as well. As they work together their individual struggles with their attraction to each other is tested and prejudices drop away. The story is well developed as are the characters. I highly recommend reading this truly wonderful story. I can't wait to read each of the others three sisters stories and see what mischief they get up to next.

Initially I was not fond of Ember...she came off as a self-indulgent, self-destructive, whiner. I was glad when we started to move past that, though it took longer than I would have preferred. I liked Killian from the start and mostly continued because of him. I enjoyed the world-building and the other sisters. I do look forward to their stories...kind of curious to see who would put up with Jade.

10 Stars! Witches, demons, vampires, and shifters - murder and intrigue, betrayal, and power - obligation and loyalty. All woven through with romance and more than a little lust that heats up progressively with a good amount of snark. One of the best paranormal romances out there!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Bewitched Shadows by Autumn Blake. The cover of Bewitched Shadows drew me in immediately. It’s gorgeous, and I think it fits the book very well. Once I read the blurb, I was hooked; it sounded right up my ally! And I wasn’t wrong! This book hits hard with the enemies to lovers, slow burn dance and I l loved it! The world building is done incredibly well, you won’t get lost and there is no info dumping, which I loved. I’m excited to see where the second book goes.

I received this ARC through NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours, all opinions are my own.

So I requested this book because the cover is stunning and I am sososososo happy I did because 100000/10 yes. This book was like a culmination of mythologies from Scarlett St. Clair’s A Touch of Darkness (Hades x Persephone) and Kerri Maniscalco’s Kingdom of the Wicked that had a baby with The Vampire Diaries/The Originals and I love every single one of those things so I’m a real happy camper. This book was so funny but also filled with powerful things such as grief and vengeance and love. The female main character, Ember, had such a fun personality and I loved how confident and saucy she was. There is nothing I love more than an enemies to lovers fantasy romance and Ember and Killian freaking nailed that on the head. Mix that with a fated mates moment? I’m the happiest girl alive. I loved that this wasn’t only a fantasy/supernatural story but there was also mystery and plot twists and a delicious amount of spice. I don’t think I’ve read a book where the FMC was so sexually confident? It was super fun and I really enjoyed watching her grow more confident in her magick and herself. Another random thing I loved was Killian’s leather pants 👀 Dude the tension was there between the main characters for page one but this was almost slow burn so the tension was off the charts and we finally did have our moment???? Autumn Blake did such an awesome job and I am going to be absolutely feral until we get Jade and Alexei’s story!!! Thank you again to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours, and Autumn Blake for the opportunity to read this ARC!

rating: 1.5

unfortunately, this was not for me.

i really struggled to form a connection with any of the characters or the plot. the fmc felt flat for me. i felt that she didn't have anything going for her to make her character interesting. the novel really focused on her being sexually promiscuous and she was constantly being slut shamed by the other characters. although she often rebuked the slut shaming, i felt that part of her character was overdone and the slut shaming was unnecessary. especially considering her former sex life had almost nothing to do with the plot. the mmc was pretty generic as well. sadly, it was glaringly obvious where the whole "mates" storyline was headed from the moment it was introduced.

im sure another type of reader would like this because it wasn't poorly written. i just have read too many romantic fantasy novels to be surprised or engaged by anything going on in this story.

thank you to netgalley and the author for my copy of this book.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC.

I was worried this would be cheesy or not as good as I was hoping for but I was delightfully wrong. This was definitely an interesting and unique twist for witches, vampires, and demons. I really liked the magical elements and I had a super fun time with this book.

I am so glad I could get my hands on this book as an ARC. The cover and the blurb were what reeled me in. You had no idea when I saw the book waiting for me. I love witches, vampires, and demons all rolled into a story and this one does not disappoint me whatsoever.

Ember Belle is one heck of a hot mess. She likes to party with the various shifters, vampires, and other witches of other covens. The only problem is her fire magic is out of control, but Ember has no desire to address it at the moment. One night while enjoying a bonfire for Bacchanal Fields, they come across a dead body - the cousin of the Vampire Prince. He, in turn, offers one of the biggest rewards out there and Ember is determined to get it for her Coven.

The son of Satan, Lord of Pride, Killian is determined to enjoy the last bits of freedom before he is forced to take up the throne. Unfortunately, when he is summoned by a spell, he is not happy when he finds the witch on the other side of the spell to be a complete amateur. Yet, this is the witch haunting every bit of his dreams.

The two forms an uneasy pack - they have to find a way to dispel the spell by Samhain or she has to go with him to Hell regardless of her choice.

I had been having a hard time finding a good book lately and I had high expectations for this one. I was not disappointed. The characters and the world-building were a chef's kiss. I loved the sexual tension between Ember and Killian. They are what kept me page-turning to the very end of the novel. I am glad I did not pass up this book. It was well worth the read and well worth the chance of getting to know both Ember and Killian.

I am excited to see that this series is continuing and that Jade is our next girl to come up. Seriously, looking forward to that one as well.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.