Overall I enjoyed this book. I felt like it was pretty fast-paced from the beginning. I wish there had been a little bit more world-building, the information that we got just did not feel like enough but what we did get I found interesting and would have definitely liked to have learned more. I feel like the story of this book was kind of rushed, especially the ending. I wish we would have gotten more scenes set in the circus as well as more information about the queens and what they were doing. This book also had way more spicy scenes than I thought it would have. I did really enjoy the vibes of the book, especially during the circus scenes. If you are looking for an easy-to-read, spicy fantasy romance then I would recommend this book.

I received and eARC from the publisher and read it with a Facebook group as a read-along. Every other day new prompts came out with questions relating to a set of chapters. This allowed me to feel more immersed in the book and think more about the characters and their actions.

I enjoyed Santuary of the Shadow. The world sounds very cool and I wish that there was just a little more backstory/information about the different elements and the gifts that come with them.
The main characters, Harrow and Raith, have interesting chemistry. Some of the twists in their relationship were easy to spot but didn't take away from the story.
It was a bit spicier than I expected but the spicy scenes were well written and easy to follow what was happening.

That was a really good romantasy! Thank you so much Entangled for this opportunity! I have no words left to say but definitely buying this book!

An epic fantasy. First time reading Aurora Ascher and she did not disappoint! Received an ARC. Everything you could want in a romantic fantasy. Great world building right from jump. Adventure, mystery, and romance. Harrow is a exciting character to follow on a journey of self discovery. Plenty of other players to fill out this great start to many more possible books.

"Sanctuary of the Shadow" is a captivating tale set amidst a world torn by elemental conflict. Harrow's unique gift and clandestine existence within the circus, coupled with the arrival of an Elemental amnesiac, Raith, promises an enthralling narrative that delves into both their connection and the greater power struggle among the Elemental Queens. The character development and the infusion of humor add depth and relatability to the story, making it an enjoyable read. The interplay between light and darkness within the characters' arcs hints at a compelling exploration of secrets lurking in the shadows. Overall, this book offers a compelling blend of fantasy, character-driven narrative, and an intriguing world that keeps readers engaged till the end. I thoroughly enjoyed many of the characters within the book, and found myself excited for the next in what is clearly a new up and coming series.

I was given an ARC in exchange for participating in a read along from Entangled Publishing.

I had relative high hopes for this book. However after my third time trying to get through the first chapter — i knew it would be a tough one

While there is some great parts of this book (interesting premise, characters, and potential) it truly fell short. There is such a small scope that the plot is being pulled into when the story and narrative could have been much bigger. I wanted to be entranced by this rich world and enchanting circus—but that doesn’t happen.

The love story is sweet but didn’t have enough depth. I wanted to understand more of who the characters were before they become infatuated with each other.

Overall, I am rating this book a 2.5 but rounded up to 3 stars.

I wanted to love this book so much. The setting felt different than what I usually read and the intrigue sounded really good. Unfortunately this one felt short for me. The backbone is really good and has a lot of potential. The story is fast paced so there are no dead moments but I did wish it was a bit slower at times to allow better characters and story development. The romance was there and there were sweet and spicy moments but I felt like the connection was not always believable. The main intrigue was good and I wish the story used it and developed it more. I really loved some of the secondary characters (Ouro and Malaikah) and feel like they could have their own story. I wish the queens arc was explored more than it was. I also felt like the ending was cut short. Overall the backbone is good but for me it was missing more “meat” around it and the writing style was not my cup of tea.

This book started out very strong. I loved being introduced to the characters, I loved Salizar, Mal, and Ouros. The circus was fascinating and I wish we spent more time there. The use of the elements and the threats against elementals was well established and it seemed promising.

Then it took a bit of a turn. Harrow immediately fell into a relationship which was too much too soon. Through a series of reveals, the main male character then becomes someone we should hate, but we are then told time and time again (for several chapters) that we are wrong, that we must forgive him, and that thinking anything otherwise is ignorant. It felt like the reader was being gaslit right along with the main female character and it lost me there. As a result I didn't buy the redemption or the resolution.

I really hope to see more of Ouros and Mal in another story but I am not interested in continuing a series about Harrow and her soulmate.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for this review. Personally I am more of a "slow burn" and "non-toxic mates" reader and while I absolutely love your other stories, this one just wasn't for me. If you are into "lovable monsters" you will probably love this.

This is a hard one for me to review because I really wanted to like it. I think the story was a good one with characters that were really likable but the book needed more editing. It ran on at times and also felt a bit slow when it shouldn't have been. I didn't like how certain things were abbreviated at times but not every time they were talked about. I did like how spicy it was and how different the story was from other fantasy books.

☀️🖤 Sanctuary of the Shadow ARC Review 🖤☀️

Thank you so much to Aurora Ascher, Red Tower Books and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Sanctuary of the Shadow is a paranormal fantasy romance and book one in the Elemental Emergence series. Harrow hasn’t had an easy life. Her entire family was murdered and she was the sole survivor. Taken in by a traveling circus, she hides her identity to keep herself safe. But when the circus obtains a new acquisition - a mysterious man in a cage - will she risk everything to save him??

This book was such a fun read!! Harrow and Raith were wonderful characters and i enjoyed their story together. I loved the magic system and world building in this book - it was super unique and I can’t wait for more in this series!

Overall this was a four star read for me! I loved the characters and the world, but it did have some tropes that just aren’t my personal jam. This book did have some darker elements, so please check triggers if you’re sensitive. This book also had spicy scenes throughout, so overall three flames for spice

If you’re a fan of strong characters, interesting magic, enemies to lovers with fortune teller circus vibes, then absolutely check this one out!!

Please note: review will be posted to Amazon upon publication

I went into this book with high hopes. How could I not? Sanctuary of the Shadow promises a magical circus set in a fantasy world with a forbidden romance. Plus, Red Tower has been releasing great romantasy books! I thought this book would be a slam dunk. Reader, it was anything but.

Where to begin? I noticed the writing style wasn’t for me from the first chapter. The author is a tell-rather-than-show writer with a straightforward/blunt writing style. The writing felt very young for an adult book, and so did the characters. Harrow is supposed to be a mature adult, but she read as a teenager to me. Her character was not fleshed out at all, nor was the romance, which made it hard for me to feel invested in the story. There wasn’t any build-up or depth to the romance between Harrow and Raith. They meet and instantly fall in love. Even Harrow thinks it’s too soon to be in love with Raith.

In addition to the issues above, there was no plot. This book promises the reader a magical circus--and we barely see it. The circus is part of the story for the first 20%, and it’s only the setting. We don’t get to experience the circus or what it’s like to be part of it. I DNFed this book around the halfway mark, and there was no plot to be found. I’m not sure what this book is supposed to be about besides smut. That’s all I read after Harrow and Raith escaped the circus. Don’t get me wrong, I like smut and romance as much as the next person, but I also need plot and character development.

If you’re going into Sanctuary of the Shadow expecting a high-stakes fantasy book about a forbidden romance and a magical circus, this is not that book.

This is a New Adult Fantasy about a group made by The Queens called the Elementals. They have formed a sanctuary together as a form of protection from humans in a Circus. As a new mysterious elemental is brought to the Ringmaster the Fortune Teller, Harrow, starts to have some new, very confusing visions. When Harrow finds Raith, the mysterious elemental, in a cage, she begins to question her safety, the Ringmaster's motive behind the circus, and her true self.

Harrow is instantly drawn to Raith, and they instantly have a deep connection and trust. The relationship between is the driving plot of the book. Raith is by far the most interesting character. He has no memory of anything more than a few days. His past is completely wiped. As they navigated the real world and their relationship grows the story gets more interesting.

Thank you to Red Tower Books, Aurora Ascher and Netgalley for a copy of Sanctuary of the Shadow.

**2.5 stars

I really wanted to love this book. I mean, I even preordered it. But I have to say, now that I've read an ARC, my preorder will be cancelled. This book was such a struggle to get through - for many reasons.

1. It's marketed as a YA Fantasy, but the FMC is 60 years old - which yes, is a baby for immortals, but there was also just too much spice for this to be a YA book imo.
2. They fell in love in a week. Though they had no idea of who one another was, and with Raith missing all of his memories. Then Harrow is pissed when she finds out who he is (which understandable, but also like, you told him you loved him before knowing who he was).
3. The writing. It needed another round or two of really fleshing the story out and really tightening up the writing style.

I don't think I would have minded the writing so much if I wasn't already confused by whether or not this was a YA book. Throughout most of the book the writing felt YA but some of the scenes just felt too adult to me. And then the ending had a trope I hate in it. Everything just felt too rushed and it just added to my dislike of that trope being included.

I wish I could say I recommend this one, but I can't. Though there are reviews that share how much they loved it. So definitely check out the reviews for yourself before making a final decision on this one.

Simply put, this book is heavy on steam with not enough substance.

“Sanctuary of the Shadow” follows Harrow, the last living seer of her clan disguising her abilities as part of her act in a traveling circus. When a new attraction arrives with nonage, no memory of who or what he is, Harrow is instantly drawn to him. But thee Moree she discovers about his past and how it is intertwined with. Her own, thee Moree danger she finds herself in.

This series has the potential to be great. Unfortunately, that potential isn’t fully realized in this book. Much of the world-building consisted of info-dumping without expansion in favor of focusing on spicy moments between the main couple. Normally, this wouldn’t present too much of an issue for me because I enjoy romantasy books, but the pacing of their relationship is so fast that it was hard for me to invest in their “insta-love”.

All this being said, I really liked the general bones of this story with the existence of a magical circus harboring elementals. Raith, Harrow’s love interest, is an intriguing character having no memory of his past or his dark power, so I gravitated towards chapters written from his point-of-view. Above all else, I enjoyed the emphasis on female friendship through Harrow’s friendship with Mal. I am hopeful that Mal’s book will only build off of this one and fill in the gaps.

This book had so much promise which fell so short. I was anticipating a fun circus read with some air bender mixed into it but all I got was a book about sex and some plot. There are so many gapping plot holes for an already thinly plotted book that reading it was so hard to do. It's a gorgeously designed but so misleading. I've come to assume the imprint might be based on vibes and not really material you seek out as comfort reads. Why were the two queens at war? What other elementals are out there? Why leave the circus 5 seconds into the book? Raith was giving off new to the world vibes and it felt like Harrow took (sexual) advantage of him. If roles were reversed it would come off as extremely creepy and maybe pushing some SA allegations. The blurb of the book doesn't match the book whatsoever.

This title has all the elements that I love in fantasy. Magic, intrigue, war, romance, secrets...! But, it fails to deliver a compelling story throughout. There are so many good ideas here. They just seem not to come together or stick to each other. The world-building lacked clarity, and it was sometimes challenging to keep things straight with often little to no description. The MCs are fine, but for some reason, both feel unrelatable to me, and while I did enjoy the spicier scenes, I just couldn't connect. There were also POV switches midchapter that were challenging to keep up with. I don't think that's a make-or-break thing, but I did find that it contributed to my confusion while reading.

Many of these comments may be down to personal preference as an avid fantasy reader. These comments are not the final word on this book, as I can see folks enjoying it for the romance aspect specifically.

Sanctuary of the Shadow initially captivated me with a circus atmosphere and the promise of Sandman vibes, yet unfortunately fell short in execution. The narrative tone wavers between YA and adult themes, creating a discord that detracts from the overall experience. While the world-building shows potential, it feels rushed and lacks the depth needed to fully immerse the reader.

The characters and their development offer some solace, but the story lacks the overall substance necessary to keep me hooked. Despite enjoying the characters, the narrative's shortcomings led to a fragmented reading experience. The story hints at a captivating world, but its pacing and underexplored elements leave a lingering desire for a more nuanced and immersive storytelling approach.

This was a "new to me author" and I was really looking forward to this book. However, I couldn't get into it. I was extremely excited because I loved the cover and the synopsis. I usually read a book in a day. It too me over a week to finish this book and I struggled. I thought this would be a an adventure of a couple (Harrow and Raith) and their journey in a magical Circus - it wasn't. Disappointed to say the least.

Starting off the year with one of my most anticipated stories that I ended up DNFing is so sad. I was so excited to get approved for this one and I started it right after I finished the book I was reading. The premise of the book was amazing and I was all here for it. But sadly I don't think that the book really gave us anything it promised. The writing felt like it was a middle school project and the only really good writing was when it was spicy.

The circus that is on the cover is barely there and the world building felt so underdeveloped I was crying. The story itself felt very stilted and along with a horrible romance that just didn't feel right. Overall, the entire story felt lacking in all aspects and I really think that this one could be freaking amazing. But it just needs cleaned up more. I fell that Red Tower is trying to rush things and it's just not working.

Instant obsession!
This book is amazing. Harrow is a meek, timid “human” at the beginning and watching her grow into herself was awesome. Raith is super mysterious and quiet but he definitely has an interesting story. When the two of them are brought together it’s magic. Literally! Watching them blossom was absolutely wonderful. The world building is perfect and the characters are phenomenal. This book will definitely give you some feels but it’s going to grip you and hold strong. I couldn’t put it down! The adventure is everything and I wondered for a minutes which way this would end as our main characters find themselves in a situation neither of them wants….to be apart. But this story has the perfect HEA and I can’t wait to see more of them hopefully in book 2!