ARC Review: To Kill a Shadow

Rating: ✨4/5✨
Spice: 🌶
Tropes: quest, mentor to lovers, love triangle (kinda), forced proximity, found family

Just finished To Kill a Shadow – an interesting fantasy novel about a world where the sun goddess had abandoned it and left the world in darkness with a murderous mist📚 Here's what I loved and what gave me pause:
👍 Liked:
- Engaging characters with well-developed backstories.
- The romance was really well done imo. It felt believable. I liked we got a few romantic moments.
- Kiara and her belief in doing the right thing.
- The concept was cool and I enjoyed the darker tone of the book.

👎 Didn't Like:
- A few pacing issues in the beginning and middle of the book. I feel like I lost interest a few times.
- Predictable use of "I'm leaving you too protect you." I hate when couples are separated and I also predicted the ending.
- Kiara being a dumb*ss and not listening to anyone.
- Patrick. The whole book that guy was just so annoying and then even more so at the end.

Overall, a solid read with great promise! I'm excited for the second book. Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled for this early copy in exchange for an honest review.

#BookReview #ARCreview

Thank you Entangled teen for allowing me to read this incredible book! The writing really sucked me in. The words strung together were very poetic and the story alone was amazing! Had everything you need in a book. The character relationships were knit together very well. I do wish there was a bit more world building but that was the only thing that really felt loose.

Dark and daunting yet at the same time fierce, I absolutely loved the light and darkness wrapped up in To Kill A Shadow. There are heart-pounding moments around every corner and as dark as this book is, the constant searching for light is what drives it and I could not get enough of Jude and Kiara.

We do get a dual POV from both our FMC and MMC. Let start with our MMC… with a name like Jude Maddox how could he not be a sexy, brooding, lethal god of perfection? Jude is nothing short of ruthless when we first meet him yet you’re still drawn to him and know there is so much more beneath the facade he displays. For Kiara, strength also shines from her right from the very first page we meet her and not once does she ever let that strength falter. She continually fights to be a protector and I loved her boisterous personality.

I was not 100% sure what to expect going into this book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I do think in the beginning there was some background or more deep diving into the lore that could have happened. However, I loved the story we got and found myself not being able to put it down. I think Katherine still has a lot of secrets to share regarding some characters and I am so excited to figure those out in book 2. And of course… screaming for a Jude and Kiara endgame! Absolutely give this thrilling start to a series a pick-up.

💜 To K*!! A Shadow ARC Review 💜
By Katherine Quinn
Mistlands, Book 1

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️
NA • Fantasy Romance
448 pages
🗓️ November 28

🌑 Romantasy
⚔️ Forbidden Love
🌑 Morally Gray MMC
⚔️ Curse
🌑 Close Proximity
⚔️ Found Family
🌑 Dual POV
⚔️ Betrayal
🌑 Slow Burn

📍“Few people knew that the night spoke. Even fewer knew how to answer when it did.”

And this book spoke to me and I answered. Boy, did I answer. Ask me anything Kiara and Jude, it’s yours.

ONE OF THE BEST FANTASY READS OF THE YEAR FOR ME. ALL CAPS AS IT DESERVES.

📍“Curse me all you want, Jude. But if I’m your reflection, you can’t escape me.”

If you want to end this year on a high note, this is the book you need to get. This one. What a journey.

📍“I think you’ve always claimed you were hard to love, but really, you just saw the best in everyone else and the worst in yourself.”

Kiara: our fearless, quite stubborn FMC. You will meet her. You will love her. You will want to protect her AND befriend her. She’s everything that’s good in fantasy.

Jude: our brooding, broken anti-hero. The man who sees himself as nothing but a monster. Until her. Until she sees past the mask. Past the scars.

Curse: I’m not talking about this. It’s wild. It’s “I’m going to keep you guessing.” It’s twisty 🤌🏼

📍“All of our jagged pieces might not have fit together perfectly, but what a beautiful, disastrous mosaic we made.”

Romance: deliciously slow burn that ends with my heart in my hands as I gift it to them. Because all the feels have flooded me and now they must return home. There is nothing I would dare to change. Nothing.

📍“If I lost her, there was no chance I’d ever recover. Kiara was my tether to the world, a beautiful, fearless, disastrous reminder of what could be possible.”

Content Warnings: gore, abuse, suicide, murder

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. There is so much tension between Kiara and Jude right from the first time they meet. Their banter was super fun and I liked seeing their trust in each other grow throughout the book. The characters were super interesting. I think we just scratched the surface with Jude and Kiara’s backstories so I’m interested to see what the author does in the next book. There were a couple of times that I was confused about the subplots because we don’t get enough information beforehand.

I really liked the world building in this one. The Mist was super dark and brutal. The things the characters went through on their journey were intense and gruesome. There were times that I was disturbed from the brutality that was happening. Some of the gory scenes are detailed but it’s an upper YA/NA book so it’s to be expected.

The romance was super fun. It’s a slow burn but it moves at a steady enough pace that I wasn’t bored with it. Jude and Kiara’s banter was my favourite. And I loved her relationship with the other guys in her troop. The friendships were so wholesome.

While there was nothing that absolutely wowed me, I still really enjoyed this fantasy and am excited for the second book, especially after that ending!

To Kill a Shadow is book one in the new Mistlands series by Katherine Quinn.
This is an enthralling and imaginative fantasy novel that whisks readers away to a world of intrigue, romance, and daring adventure.
Woah, this book was truly one I couldn’t put down an intriguing YA fantasy with romance and suspense.
Fabulously atmospheric, vivid and I loved all the character’s.
This story was so well written and so full of details that I was living for.
The pacing of the story was really good. It moved at a good pace, and it didn’t feel rushed. It had moments of fear, tension, romance, triumph, and overall was a fantastic story.
The world building is fantastic, and the revelations that were revealed were epic! I am now patiently waiting for the next book!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Entangled: Teen for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

This book! I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I really enjoyed it...YA hasn't been keeping my attention lately but To Kill a Shadow was one I couldn't put down.

Jude Maddox is the Hand of Death and as commander of the Knights of he Eternal Star, he is beholden to the King's wishes and demands. How he ended up working for the king is a whole story and I won't give any of it away but when he finds himself in a village called Cila to collect recruits, he is drawn to our fmc, Kiara who has a backstory of her own.

Kiara is a force to be reckoned with. At her heart, she is a protector and a fighter. She draws the eye of Jude because she is determined to protect her brother Liam and when she does, she is chosen as a recruit and this is where the rest of the story begins.

I can't say a lot here because I don't want to give anything away. With their own histories and backstories, it's easy to see why Jude and Kiara are drawn to one another. They both have scars they try to hide but they soon realize they don't have to do that with each other.

When the king sends a small group into the most dangerous shadow lands, Jude and Kiara must do whatever they can to survive and I'll tell you...not everyone in their group makes it out alive. Quinn has created a harsh world and I loved how it helped to drive the story forward. The characters she has developed as a supporting cast for Jude and Kiara are great too and if you're like me, you might be just as surprised around how everything plays out.

The last few chapters of this book have me anxiously awaiting the next book in this series because I have no patience but with that said, definitely pick this book up when you can. I loved every minute of it and hope you do too!

This story started ironically similar in many stories I have read recently. The crux of the problem is the world is thrusted in darkness. No sun in sight and where monsters roam. The world is dying. How eerie and ominous that reality mimic fantasy. Global warning is a huge crisis going on and to have many stories fettering around this concept makes me believe unconsciously this is an important issue on many people’s mind.

Unlike the other stories with this theme, I really enjoyed the concept, lore, and twist in this story.

Told in two POV, Jude and Kiara, have grown up differently but they could not have been more alike. Ostracized, feared, and different - they gravitate towards each other.

Jude is the tortured, strong commander -inflicted with the duty to do the kings dirty biddings. He might be tainted in death but his soul is pure, loyal, and strong.

I love Kiara. She’s spunky, devious, and loyal. I love how she protects her friends and devotes her whole energy in what she believes is right. She does not run.

The quest they are instructed to take is downright a horrible nightmare. But it was so good. Realistic and deadly, their companions fall in the mist. They tumble upon some undead cannibals which was truly terrify.

The end was anti-climatic but it definitely set the stage for the subsequent sequels to this trilogy.

One part I love is at the start of every chapter, we get a note. Between different people that revolve around the story. It was incredibly important. I enjoyed the snippets. Lots of questions I have. I cannot wait for the sequel!

4.5 stars

This was a really solid series opener! The ending was wild, not something I thought was very predictable ( I guessed it and was still surprised that it actually happened LOL ). I liked the main characters, but I think Jake was probably my favourite. I liked Patrick too! The romance between Jude and Kiara felt kind of forced and was a bit too insta-lovey for me, but I still thought it was well written land they were cute). The plot was a bit slow at the beginning, but it really picked up at the 30% mark and did not slow down from there. And the ending!! I cannot believe that we ended like that! I need the next book immediately. Overall, I would highly recommend this book!

🖤💜 To Kill A Shadow ARC Review 💜🖤

Thank you so much to Katherine Quinn and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!!

To Kill A Shadow is a fantasy adventure romance. When the guard passes through town, they always select new recruits for the army, which is almost always a death sentence. But Kiara is determined to save her brother from this fate. However in her attempt to keep her brother alive, she gets the attention of the commander and is selected for recruitment herself. Can she leave everything she’s known and survive the nightmare she’s found herself in?

This was a fun fantasy read! I enjoyed Kiara and her strength in this story! Jude was an awesome broody character and I enjoyed his story! The world building and lore in this story were unique and compelling, which made for a fun read!

Overall this was a solid 4 star read for me! I enjoyed the characters, the world and the story. This book did have some darker themes, so please check triggers if you’re sensitive! While this book had a romantic subplot, there wasn’t any on page spice, so one flame for spice.

If you’re a fan of fantasy reads with strong characters, interesting world building and all the found family vibes, then absolutely pick this one up!

Please note - review will be posted to Amazon upon publication

Wow. Just wow! Phenomenal story/plot. Great characters and the pace of this book is *chefs kiss* perfect! It took me a couple of chapters to actually get into it but once I did it was something I couldn’t put down. Finished it in one sitting. I keep trying to figure out who my favorite characters are and I can’t choose. I loved them all for their own reasons. Beautifully written book. Well done!

3.5/5 Stars

This book is mostly vibes with a small sprinkle of a fantasy plotline. I had heard many great things about this book but I had a hard time connecting with the writing. I felt that the author spent a lot of time establishing the dark and sinister atmosphere but not enough time on building the world. Additionally, I didn’t feel like the two main characters had good chemistry and their relationship felt a little predictable.

This story follows Kiara and Jude as they are sent on a mission to try to break the curse of mist on their kingdom. Kiara is stubborn and fierce while Jude is cold and aloof. The first half of the book felt very slow and was hard to get through as it didn’t feel like the plot was really moving. The book starts to pick up in the second half but a lot of the plot twists felt a little predictable.

I would recommend this to readers who enjoy dark fantasy vibes with forbidden romance and prefer a more atmospheric book, where the ending makes the book. I would not recommend this to anyone that needs more world building and doesn’t enjoy a predictable book.

I’d like to thank Entangled Teen and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book for my honest review.

I loved this book! I was so excited for this when I get approved for it. I already had a physical copy pre-ordered. But now I NEED this amazing book on my shelf. It was well wrote, held my attention. I loved the characters. I can't stop thinking about this book.

Thank you to Entangled Teen for letting me get this ARC.
This is the first book I have read by Katherine Quinn and now I am excited to jump into more.

"You saved me Kiara Frey. You are the only light I will vow to protect."

It took me a few chapters to get into this book, but once I did, I was consumed.
The tension between the FMC and MMC with their secrets and mystery leaves you wanting more.

I definitely can not wait for book two to come out.

The gorgeous cover of To Kill a Shadow and the whole Jude being the Hand of Death, had me super intrigued.

This is my first read by Quinn, and while I did enjoy it overall, it was a bit of a struggle. I didn't vibe with her writing style at all, found parts of the storyline a bit repetitive, and the pacing a bit too slow for me. Great concept, just didn't work for me.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
—
thank you to entangled teen and netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review~^^
—
guys. GUYS. when i tell y’all that this is one of the best books i’ve read this year i’m not lying in the slightest. oh my GOD it was amazing. this is the first book i’ve ever read by katherine quinn but i think i’m gonna have to dig up her backlog because if i could marry a writing style i would marry hers.

the book opens with kiara, our female protagonist waking up in the morning, but not quite feeling like p diddy. today is the day that she will most likely lose her brother to recruitment for their military. all able-bodied males have the chance to be drafted, and though her brother, liam, has asthma, that doesn’t quite disqualify him. all that to say, he gets chosen, but before they leave one of the village bullies pushes liam to the ground and kiara loses it. she’s been training most of her life, combat, weapons, hand to hand, you name it. she would gladly take her brother’s place if she could, but while the law doesn’t specifically exclude girls, they’re never chosen.

now kiara absolutely goes to town on this guy and leaves him knocked out cold in the dirt of the village square. the commander of the guard sees this, and sees liam gasping for air and ends up telling her to take her brother’s place. she’s more than happy to do so, knowing her brother probably wouldn’t have made it home alive.

now a bit of a flashback to when kiara is younger, she had something happen to her as a child that left her hands completely scarred. we aren’t told what it was exactly, but it made her a village outcast and so the only person that will even be seen around her besides her parents is her brother. this is very much a “the name’s megara. friends call me meg, at least they would if i had any friends” type situation and that’s exactly what happens. she makes friends with a few of the guys and they start calling her ki. being the only girl in this years recruits, the last thing she wants is to draw undue attention to herself, which is pretty much impossible when you’re, ya know, the only girl in this years recruits.

on the opposite side of our pair of main characters we have the brooding commander, the hand of death himself, jude maddox. we get pretty much alternating chapters from his and kiara’s perspective, but we don’t actually learn his name until kiara does, which i think is pretty cool. we actually learn his name when he walks in on her about to bathe because she didn’t want to bathe in a room full of boys but after dinner is his time to bathe. banter ensues and i’m sure we can all see where this is going.

now, jude is the commander. he’s got trauma. he’s got scars on his face he won’t talk about and the king also uses him as an assassin to get rid of his enemies or would be usurpers. jude doesn’t feel like he’s really that good of a guy. which is great because kiara, having trauma and scars of her own, also doesn’t feel like she’s all that great of a person, either. safe to say, they’re perfect for each other. except for the fact that he’s a commander and she’s a recruit so there’s a definite power imbalance. and that most people in the guard don’t last that long. and the fact that she’s the only girl, which would put a target on her back if others think she’s getting special treatment because they’re together. but you know, semantics. and most of kiara’s friends and jude’s fellow knights can see it. they all have an inkling that something is going on, and they continually fail to keep the lines drawn. like they’re drawn. in sand. three feet away from the ocean. so it’s safe to say those lines keep getting crossed.

everything kinda comes to a head when the king commands jude to take some recruits (they’ve been training for a few weeks, tops, mind you) out into the cursed lands, shrouded in mist and full of inhuman creatures, to find the three items needed to break the curse that has had their kingdom plunged into darkness for the last 50 years. kiara (after being told to stay behind, disobeying that order to protect her friends and tailing them anyway) and jude, along with her new friends and fellow recruits patrick, alex, nic, and jake, as well as a few of jude’s fellow knights, now have to brave these lands in search of they keys to break the curse. what could go wrong?

now, i absolutely loved kiara as a character. i just love women who can fight and know their worth. she’s sassy and quick witted and good with any weapon she can get her hands on. i also loved how jude was written. ever the tortured hero, he never thinks he’s good enough. he’s too ruined, done things no man should’ve done. and i ate up every second of it. they both have their reasons for keeping the other at a distance but their reasons are so parallel to each other that it was almost painful at times but it just hit right where it needed to. it was just so well done, chefs kiss, perfect.

the side characters, like kiara’s friends and jude’s brothers in arms, were also written pretty well. they each had a distinct personality and brought something to the equation. i loved each of them so much, for different reasons. until i didn’t… if you know you know and i will not be elaborating on that.

this book also ended so well? it felt like that part in a movie where they say that amazing final line, the proverbial beat drops, and then the credits roll to super cool music. it was just. so. good. i cannot wait for the next book and i can tell there will be a next book. so uh, entangled teen… hit me up when that’s ready.

To Kill A Shadow was one of my highly anticipated reads of the year. I was so excited when I saw it appear on NetGalley. I couldn't click on the request button fast enough and when I got approved, pure joy. Unfortunately it didn't work for me for a few reasons, the structure of some of the sentences were weird, the characters and their actions didn't add up to what was being portrayed and there were illogical things that happened, like the heroine being attracted to the hero even though he was in full body armor and then hero's second in command saying "that being said" was out of place in a world that's not modern. There were other instances but these were the first ones to come to mind. I wanted to love this one but it was a struggle to get into. I kept putting it down reading other books and coming back to it. In the end I decided to throw in towel as I couldn't get past the 11% mark.

3.75 ⭐️

Kiara didn’t expect to be chosen to join the Knights. She was just looking out for her brother. Commander, Jude, The Hand of Death can’t help being drawn to the fiery Kiara. Both of them know it’s almost as dangerous as the magical mist plaguing the land.
Sent on a mission into the mist, Kiara and Jude, along with the other Knights, must survive and find what the king is searching for. But once in the mist you don’t know if you can trust your eyes, ears, your friends, or even yourself.
I found the ending of this story very interesting and makes me intrigued to see where things go. I thought the pacing for the first part of the story a bit slow, but it did pick up. I will be picking the sequel to see what becomes of Jude, Kiara, and the kingdom.

Tropes: YA fantasy, slow burn romance, found family, legends and gods, mystery, quests

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the early copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I had so much trouble getting into this story. I eventually had to DNF cause I just wasn’t into that into it.

Katherine Quinn is a new auto-buy author. To Kill a Shadow is a YA romantasy novel with all the fantastic tropes you could hope for:

- found family
- enemies to lovers
- mythology
- magic
... and more!

Quinn does a wonderful job keeping you on the edge of your seat while you eagerly read on to see what's going to happen next.