I went into this with no clue what it was about so I had zero expectations. I absolutely enjoyed this book. I was hooked from beginning to end. I loved the characters Harrow and Raith. There were a couple things Harrow did that I may have done a little differently but overall I loved it. The added spice was a nice surprise. No complaints here. I can't wait to see what the future holds for all these characters. Thank you to Entangled Publishing, Red Tower Books and NetGalley for this digital galley in return for my honest review.

I actually enjoyed this story. I wasn't expecting a circus storyline at all. Moreso a storyline where the circus is the starting point of things to come. Harrow was only a part of the circus in hiding. She concealed who and what she was in an attempt to keep herself safe. Posing as a human fortune teller was her gimmick. Through her abilities she had a feeling of dread as well as a feeling that someone needed her help. She was ready to shake off the impeding notion until the day she meet....Him.

Raith was a mystery. He had a bloodlust, violent and blood thirsty but for some reason Harrow was able to calm his savage ways.

Against her better judgement Harrow decided in order for her and Raith to find freedom they needed to escape the circus. Harrow and Raith set out on a mission to help him recover his memories and to help Harrow get her revenge against those who murdered her clan.

This story was full of nonstop twists and turns. In my opinion Harrow was a little annoying as she never wanted to listen to reason and did things her way and was later made a fool of because of her naivety. Raith has been used as a tool of destruction for so long, but he didn't want to do the horrible things he was compelled to do and when the truth of all of his destruction comes to light Harrow takes a devasting blow to not only her peace of mind but her heart as well.

Heartache, Betrayal and Redemption surrounds Harrow and Raith relationship but are those things enough to keep them together.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing an eARC of this book for me to enjoy.

Overall, this was an interesting read. Lots of great world building and romance. I would have liked to have seen more of the journey that Raith and Harrow had to take.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for this ARC! I really enjoyed this book and what a great way to start off the year.

I adore Harrow and Raith. Their love story stole my heart 😭 loved the journey each of them went on both as individuals and as a couple. The spice also spiced in this book 🥵 holy hotness! I also enjoyed the drama that surrounded their love and that it wasn't easy for them.

The world building was beautiful and I enjoyed that we got to see different parts of it. I loved the stuff we got from the circus and all of those characters. Malaikah is my spirit animal. I'm hoping we get a book of her and Ouro because something is there and I'm intrigued.

"Fight me all you want, because I enjoy watching you suffer. I enjoy witnessing your pain, while still knowing it will never equal the pain your kind inflicted upon the Seers before you killed them all." He added in a low voice, "All but one."

This novel isn’t typically what I would normally read but I was recommended the story and got intrigued. I’m so glad I listened because I enjoyed the story between Raith and Harrow!

The beginning of the story starts off slow but does pick up pace once Harrow meets Raith, who’s unable to remember who he was or his past. Can Harrow trust him or will love conquer all? What happens when Harrow uncovers secrets? Raith may not be who he seems…

“Sanctuary of the Shadow” is a romance fantasy with spice, secrets, betrayal, and revenge! This is one novel you can’t stop reading!!

Thank you to Entangled, Aurora Ascher, and NetGalley for an arc of “Sanctuary of the Shadow” in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book. It’s set in a world of Elemental Queens and other unusual beings, but is primarily a love story. Harrow and Raith were intriguing characters. I liked how the author explored themes like consent, trust, blame/responsibility, and redemption. Harrow’s friend Mal was also fascinating. I want to learn more about her. The world as a whole felt gritty and lived-in, which I appreciated. The magic system was interesting, but a little confusing at times.

Side Note: I really want a set of Harrow’s water-based card deck.

I’ve seen a lot of people stress the magical circus element of this book and I just want to manage expectations a little. Yes, Harrow is part of a travelling show of Elementals. However, the show itself feels like a regular, real-life circus or travelling show. The main difference is that the “freaks” were created by the Elemental Queens so the tails, wings, furry ears, and magic are all real. Also, the circus is more of a backdrop for Harrow and Raith’s story and doesn’t have a very major role. Harrow isn’t even a performer in the show. She provides private fortune tellings wherever the show sets up shop. Personally, I was okay with the circus as a minor part of the plot. I just want to make sure people don’t go into this book expecting it to be something it’s not.

NOTE: This book works as a standalone, but it sounds like there will be more books that follow other characters in this world. Mal is up next. I can’t wait!

Yikes. Starting the year with a two-star read was not what I expected, but I couldn't look away from this dumpster fire. From the summary, it would take place at a circus, with many intriguing magic systems and unique characters. However, the circus lasted for five minutes, and then boom the main character was running away. This book was so predictable and not in a fun way. The world-building was dry and the characters were basic at best. This was also supposed to be reminiscent of Avatar: The Last Airbender and you could have fooled me because I felt no elemental magic except maybe some water for the majority of this book. Don't even get me started on the instant love. It was awful. Five days and these characters already can't live without each other after not knowing a damn thing about either of their backgrounds. And speaking of there was not nearly enough background information. It just dove into the "supposed" action which didn't work at all. The idea was so promising, but it was hard to keep up with the changing POV's and lackluster writing. Super disappointing book, but we can only go up from here. Thank you to RedTower books and Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC to read and review.

This book was so good I couldn’t put down the romance ,the spice ,the story it was so moving. I love the different points of view it was just a fun ride

Thank you Redtower and Entangled publishing for providing me a digital ARC.
So this book does start out slow, for the first few chapters I wasn't entirely sure. But once the author set the plot and had introduced our characters, I quickly found myself unable to stop. The story was wrote so incredibly well and had many twists and plot points that I would have never saw coming. The characters I loved. They were wrote so well and I love them all.
This book gave me some feels
-Found Family
-Friends to Lovers
-One Bed
-Along with others but I don't want to spoil this for anyone!

I absolutely loved that this was my first read for 2024 and I can't wait to see what else this author has in store!

A big shout out to Entangled Publishing for hosting a read-along and providing me with a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. (The read-along was SO much fun! I highly recommend anyone that has the chance to definitely accept the opportunity to join one!)

I’m pretty sure most of us romantasy/fantasy lovers are keeping an eye out for all books that Red Tower Books is publishing. After their debut release, everyone’s been extremely curious about all their books, and if I’m not wrong Sanctuary of the Shadow was the second book they promoted on their account after their first (or was it the third, after Assistant to the Villain?). Either way, there was lots of buzz and curiosity surrounding it and I have to say I felt no different.

I was extremely excited for the opportunity to join the read-along hosted by the publisher and I can’t think of a more fun way to read a book! The questions were thought-provoking, fun and had me REALLY excited to keep reading. I looked forward to question days so much! Thank you again to Riki who hosted the whole read-along so well!

This is the first book I’d read by Aurora Ascher, so I wasn’t sure at all what to expect going into the story, be it with the writing style or the fairly unique premise. I know the “circus” theme has been making some appearances here and there, but honestly I hadn’t read any as far as I remember so I was excited to dive into my first.

The writing and pace were I think a “reader-favourite” as I like to call it; the writing was easy to get lost into, elevating the pace and making pages go by effortlessly. The only time the pace faltered for me was when there was a build-up to the characters being reunited, which in all honesty it’s likely we’re supposed to feel that way.

But, I do feel the writing felt a little untried. The book had a lot of heart in it, don’t get me wrong, it was just a little young and maybe could’ve gone through a little bit more polishing. It didn’t really disturb me as such or mess with my experience, but it was a surprise as many of the books I read are often published by Entangled and I’ve been conditioned to expect somethings automatically. So maybe this is also more a personal perception born from conditioned expediences?

The world Ascher has created was definitely very unique and I’ve said this before and will say it again: it feels like there’s not much left unexplored in the fantasy department so I’d give kudos to anyone who can come up with something utterly different from anything we’ve seen before. So kudos to the author on creating a completely unique world! The world building I felt was a little choppy, there are portions I got immediately and some I felt were a little glossed over that I just accepted but didn’t fully understand. Fantasy is a very complex genre with regard to bringing the readers in on all the rules and mechanics of the world, I do understand the weight of the responsibility that comes with it. So when a reader loses a little bit of the thread, I think we lose the impact of the book too. But again, it really helped that the book had a lot of heart in it.

Like I’ve mentioned about two times before, all the heart the author brings to the book really shines through the characters. I loved many of the secondary characters! Every one of them brought complexity, emotion, their own pasts and secrets to the story. This makes me think this book is going to be a series with each character having their own book. I’m very hopeful for/curious about the next couple, not gonna lie.

With regard to the primary characters… I do feel there were many elements to their story. There were just so many things happening with them, an instant connection, many dangerous situations, hiding from truths, running from truths, betrayal, pain, longing and then a HEA. I personally felt with everything that was happening, there wasn’t too much time for the characters to really understand, grow to like and then love one another. I’m aware that the way it was written, the plot required a quick connection that’s perhaps not yet deep in anything but emotion and intuition initially before it all grows. There are many lovely moments, but I would’ve loved to see more of the characters learning who they are to themselves and one another before anything else.

The plot I think is more complex than it lets on, I’m very very curious to see where this series is headed, so I can understand fully the foundation that this book has laid. Despite there being a main plot for the book, I do feel that the romance takes precedence at many points, so I wouldn’t suggest you dive into this book if you’re looking for a more balanced equation between the fantasy and romance genre. This is definitely a romantasy.

Three and a half stars. Happy reading. Check trigger warnings please!

Harrow, taken in at 10 into a traveling circus. Hiding the fact she is the last seer, she has been portraying herself as a fortune teller. Once her eyes fall upon the beaten elemental kept under lock and key, she is filled with new light and energy to flee her current life no matter the risks. Just one thing though; he’s her mate.

Yes. The forbidden romance is there. But it fell completely flat for me as soon as the premise of the circus was no more. The spice fell flat for me as well — it was written as if she was trying to dial down the spice, but there really wasn’t any easy/plausible way to do so. It came off a little weird, hard to immerse yourself into and overall a little clunky in terms of flow.

The plot holes came and went and didn’t bother me too much. The world building was dismal to me, for a fantasy novel. I was left confused, and by the end I felt frustrated. This one fell flat for me after the hype and the way it was marketed just did not fit.

Did I enjoy the ride? Absolutely. Would I rather do anything else but read this a second time? Yes. It was cute, but just honestly missed the mark.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing/Red Tower Books, Netgalley and the author for the eARC!

Thank you Red Tower/ Entangled for sending an ARC of this book.

Unfortunately this is a negative review. The writing overall fell flat and the change in POVs had me doing circles. Circus setting was non existent and insta love is not my favorite.

There’s ton of lore that could’ve been dived into. There’s a great story here but possibly another round of editing my help. At this time I cannot recommend this book.

This is a DNF for me. I was really excited for the story, but it wasn’t executed well and while it did pick up in later chapters, I never cared about the characters.

“Everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked…” Kind of like Avatar the Last Airbender, but Zuko gets Katara. Star-crossed lovers but they seem to make it work. Harrow, our Katara, is just a girl trying to survive in this harsh world where she’s the only one left of her kind until she meets Raith (Zuko), a cool looking dude with no memory. Don’t worry though, Harrow vows to help him and we all know the importance of a vow. Overall good story with unique creatures. I do wish there was a little bit more world building, getting to know the different Hybrids and Queens. I would love to learn more about the war that was hard and the relationship with Furie and her human. I also want to know if Mail took her home back from the usurpers. I can’t tell from the ending if there will be a second book, it can go either way but definitely hoping there’s more.

If you're looking for a magical book that keeps twisting and turning, look no further and pick up Sanctuary of the Shadow!

Harrow can't let anyone know of her Seer identity, so working for a traveling circus telling people about their future serves as the perfect cover. Until she realizes the owner, Salizar, has purchased and caged new talent. As she gets to know the man within the cage, she knows she must help him escape. And a complicated story of love, destiny, and self-forgiveness ensues.

Every time I was about to put this book down, another unexpected reveal would happen, and I'd have to keep reading! The book has more than just the typical journey of helping someone escape in a fantasy book; there's a lot of exploration of feelings of guilt and the journey to forgiveness as well as navigating moral greyness. It's not what you would expect from the storyline and nor from the characters.

A big thank you to Entangled Publishing/Red Tower for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. The review expresses my own opinions only.

Thank you Net Galley for this Arc.

I enjoyed this Circus with Elementals and Hybirds. It had enough atmospheric world building to feel like you were there among the tents.

Harrow as our FMC was a orphan taken in by the Circus at a young age all while hiding her true heritage. Life was easy until she stumbles upon a captive. Raith is said Captive who has no memory of who he is or where he’s from, and Harrow is the only person he remotely acknowledges. Their connection is so endearing, but the twist…just egh!!! My heart hurts for both of them. Raith definitely needs a cuddle. Also who doesn’t like wings 🙃

I wish this book was longer so there was more time to build the relationship so it didn’t feel so quick, but that’s just me (I love a slow burn)

Fantastic and fun read to close out the end of 2023! Harrow is the last Seer in the elemental world, it's a secret she has been keeping for decades. She has done her best to pass herself off as human and help out with the elemental circus, only trusting her beloved friend, Malaikah. She has repressed memories of the night her entire clan was destroyed by the Fire Queen's deadly assassin but she knows she would never trust such an evil being.
Raith lands in the middle of the desert with no memory of who he is and only a fleeting deja vu feeling of emotions he's experienced before. He's captured and bought by the elemental circus ringmaster, Salizar, who is convinced he is a wraith and will deliver him to the Water Queen for destruction. Raith's only hope is in Harrow, who's been pushed by her water magic to Raith's rescue.
Together, they'll fall head over heels with each other, only to learn hard truths as secrets and past memories return. Can they trust each other? Can they trust those around them? Will their love be strong enough to persevere the worst?
A fast paced, keeping the pages turning read. Wonderful main characters and secondary characters who will leave you wanting more about their story.

This started out a highly anticipated book for me. A girl orphan, the last of her line, a mystery foreboding of something dark coming.

An element with no memories is captured and sold to the circus that Harrow works for. Indigent and abhorred, she feels connected to this person. A being that proclaim himself as “Raith”…

From there it devolved into such quick succession that it borderlines plain and such disconnect.

Insta-love. They run away and make love for like five days while everyone is out hunting for them. She proclaims she loves him but at the first hint of who he really is she dropped him like a sack of potatoes..

Honestly the speed of this story did not endear me to the couple. There wasn’t many actionable portrayal of trust and love. Sure they talk about it a lot but it was either talk or too extreme in action. This felt like a 2000 plot-line that they jammed so much ideas into one novel that it felt meh.

Maybe the author was only given one book to tell her story but each scene felt shallow and one dimensional.

The ending was like a re-try of the beginning..
spice was good but storyline fell short unfortunately.

I really love Red Tower and most of their books that have come out but this is a miss for me. Tragic as the first print is so gorgeous.

Thank you Entangled Romance for an earc for an honest review. This started out a highly anticipated book for me. A girl orphan, the last of her line, a mystery foreboding of something dark coming.

An element with no memories is captured and sold to the circus that Harrow works for. Indigent and abhorred, she feels connected to this person. A being that proclaim himself as “Raith”…

From there it devolved into such quick succession that it borderlines plain and such disconnect.

Insta-love. They run away and make love for like five days while everyone is out hunting for them. She proclaims she loves him but at the first hint of who he really is she dropped him like a sack of potatoes..

Honestly the speed of this story did not endear me to the couple. There wasn’t many actionable portrayal of trust and love. Sure they talk about it a lot but it was either talk or too extreme in action. This felt like a 2000 plot-line that they jammed so much ideas into one novel that it felt meh.

Maybe the author was only given one book to tell her story but each scene felt shallow and one dimensional.

The ending was like a re-try of the beginning..
spice was good but storyline fell short unfortunately.

I really love Red Tower and most of their books that have come out but this is a miss for me. Tragic as the first print is so gorgeous.

Thank you Entangled Romance for an earc for an honest review.

Thanks to Entangled and Netgalley for the eARC!

This was a great debut novel. We are following Harrow, a fortune teller for a circus that doesn't exactly house humans. She herself isn't one either. She is the last surviving member of a seer clan that was executed about fifty years prior. She and her best friend, Malaikah are both top show runners at the circus, which is ran by a mysterious man named Salizar, who no one wants to cross at any given time.

One night, Harrow feels extremely pulled by her element, Water, and is lead to the back of the big tent to find a enchanted cage with an absolutely attractive man, who has no idea who he is. For some reason she feels like she needs to help him,

Raith doesn't know how he has come to be, he just knows that he's caged and being threatened that he doesn't reveal himself willing, it will be more painful later. They keep calling him a wraith, and while he's unsure of who he is, Harrow is certain of one thing. That she is supposed to help him.

This story goes on to show that Harrow has had her trust misguided in more than one way. And to become who she truly is, she needs to embrace what she is to help bring him and the world at large peace.

First off, a huge thank you to NetGalley & Entangled for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Sooo, I really wanted to love this book. The cover was BEAUTIFUL and I just knew it would be a new favorite for me. But… the writing style was just not my thing. It felt hard to get through and I I think it could use refinement in several areas. Particularly the dual POV was difficult to follow at times and the spice scenes were cringy.

I really hate leaving negative reviews, but this was a miss for me.