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Where Shadows Bloom
Author: Catherine Bakewell
Fantasy

New Release ARC review!! Thank you so much Netgalley and Harper Collins for my copy of this wonderful read! I absolutely adored the authors book “Flowerheart”, from 2023, so when I saw this was coming out soon I had to request it! Finally an author that knows how to do a good sapphic, fantasy read! A strange fantasy world where the humans are haunted by creatures called “Shadows”. Ofelia and her knight Lope leave to go to the mysterious Court of “Le Chateau Enchante” on a search for Ofelia’s missing mother. In this strange place, the shadows seem to avoid it due to the King Leo who is said to never age. Unfortunately the King, and Kingdom he resides in is not what it seems. As they weave themselves into court life, secrets are revealed. Our two main characters were enchanting in their own ways. Ofelia was soft and delicate, then we have Lupe who is a strong bad ass b! I also have to note how well done, and atmospheric the author makes her writing. I felt like I was in the pages and could easily visualize everything around me. I wish it did not end so quickly. Can’t wait for more from her. This book released today 2/11/25!

There is only one place that is safe from the monstrous, soul-sucking Shadows, and that is the glittering court at Le Château. In search of answers, Ofelia sets off for this enchanted palace with her beloved childhood friend and lady knight Lope, only to find that darkness lurks where the light shines brightest.

Where Shadows Bloom is set in a fantastical, Versailles-inspired world where rulers are said to be gods blessed even as darkness eats at the common people. I found myself swept up in the magic of both the glitz and the shadow that was exemplified in Ofelia and Lope, the sunny noblewoman's daughter and the orphan knight raised to slay Shadows. If you yearn for mutual pining sapphic knight x princess, this is your vibe! I was especially enthralled by the final act, which I won't say too much about... only that this ended up being an interesting blend of two Greek myths that I love.

Thank you Harper Collin’s for the gifted eARC!

Dnf 57%

I wanted to like this so bad bc the cover is gorgeous and it sounded like a lovely sapphic romance. Lope is amazing but Ofelia is insufferable 😭 like this girl must be color blind bc red flags are EVERYWHERE ✋ Lope is risking her LIFE for Ofelia and she’s like “hehe I’m in a fairytale” PLZ

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

2025 is gonna be my year of being real in my reviews. This book had such odd pacing to it and stuff just happened out of nowhere. After all of that, Ofelia is the most annoying person ever. She is naive and selfish. She trusts a man she met 5 minutes ago when her mother has disappeared over the friend she’s had for 5 years. I could not get over how awfully she treated Lope and then Lope just ran back and put herself in danger. I was so over this book until the ending. I really enjoyed the Shadow King and his world. I wished the whole book could have been about that. He seemed so interesting. The cover is beautiful though and I like Lope besides her willingness to risk everything for a girl who barely registers her.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

A cute and fun read! The rest of this review sounds negative, but I really do mean this.

I have mixed feelings regarding the romance. Other than mutual attraction, Ofelia and Lope don't have a lot of chemistry. Their romance is made out to be a big deal, like soulmates-who-can't-live-without-each-other stuff, but it didn't feel like it was all that. Maybe I am aging out of YA, but it's like, you guys are seventeen it's not that serious. There are also conflicts between them, which is normal and fine, but the way Ofelia acted towards Lope annoyed me. I mean, she apologises later, but still.

On the other hand, it was pretty cute watching their relationship develop. I am a such sucker for characters being in denial of their feelings. I literally snorted when I read this part in Ofelia's PoV: "When her eyes met mine, my heart fluttered, perhaps from the sheer delight of choosing such a perfect gift for her." (As my copy is an eARC this may not appear in the published version.) I love this stuff!

Speaking of the characters, I did not care for Ofelia. She comes off as rather naive, and wayyy too idealistic. I can't really fault her for that though; she had a sheltered upbringing with basically no real life experience. On the other hand, I LOVED Lope! I appreciate how she is kickass at fighting, while also having a more sensitive artistic side with her poetry writing. She's also very determined and thorough in investigating the mysteries and trying to figure out how to defeat the Shadows. This is especially true towards the second half of the book, as Lope becomes more proactive, but on the flipside, Ofelia becomes super passive in the plot. She initially kickstarts this whole story, but by the end Ofelia doesn't really do much, and is just, like, there I guess.

It also bugs me that, no spoilers, but I wish there were more stakes in the plot. Maybe the author didn't want this book to be too dark, but if it was just pushed a little further it could have been more impactful.

Aside from all my criticisms, I really did enjoy reading this! It's not the most amazing book, but it was an easy read and I had fun.

P. S. I am OBSESSED with the Shadow King! No spoilers, but he's just misunderstood and I can fix him (no really I can).

<b>Thank you to HarperTeen, the author, and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be released on February 11, 2025.</b>

<i>Love was not only some romantic thing, not just something bright and pure like the illustrations of knights and princesses. It was strong and angry and resilient and most of all, painful—viciously so.</i>

Ofelia lives in a manor house in the countryside guarded by knights who fight off the Shadows that arrive at sunset. She has long dreamed of the only place said to be free of Shadows: Le Château Enchanté, the home of King Léo, who has been blessed by the gods. Along with Lope, a knight and poet who has been pining after her, Ofelia journeys to the palace to seek refuge—and her mother, who has not not returned. What the girls find is an ornate, frivolous world that makes it easy to forget what lurks in the dark, and conceals a horrible truth beneath its glittering veneer.

As I was reading, in between noting the beauty of particular sentences and sighing over the characters, my most frequent thought was <i>Cat, you son of a gun, you did it again</i>. To begin with, I read far more during my first reading session than I had intended and eagerly devoured the rest of the book the next day. She so compellingly combines whimsy and both big and small stakes to create a story like a comforting blanket that you can just wrap yourself up in. It’s cozy, true, but there are also real sacrifices to be made. And I just love a book about the gritty parts of love.

My favorite thing about this book, aside from the lush, lovely descriptions and the pining and drip-fed world-building (I will admit, I was left wanting a lot more in this particular regard, especially about the gods/religion—well, one in particular—but it wasn’t strictly <I>necessary</i>) was how much it is a love letter to Capital-S Story and also to very specific stories. I picked up whiffs of inspiration from several of my favorite fairy tales and myths, and was delighted to see the slight twists the author put on each of them. But <i>Where Shadows Bloom</i> is also just a really good narrative in itself, with themes that in some ways feel as if they reflect the current times. Yes, it’s a love story, and it feels light despite the undercurrent of darkness that is central to the plot, but that darkness is there, and it’s not only due to the Shadows; it’s power imbalance, deliberate ignorance and self-delusion, and the necessity of whisper networks. However, it’s hardly heavy-handed.

I did enjoy the characters, but I should say that their emotions weren’t as deeply felt for me. This is partially because I was galloping through, partially because, well, I’m not a teenager anymore, and just a little because, <I>hello</i>, this is a certified CatBake book—I know it’s all going to be okay, but it’s going to be different. And that’s all right! I don’t mind when I’m not feeling as strongly as the characters do. They’re the ones experiencing it; I’m just a witness along for the ride.

There is, though, one particular character that absolutely just walloped me over over the head with a steel chair and instantly became my favorite, and it might take an appearance or two before it registers, but you’ll know them when you see them. I have decided they are my sunshine.

eek you guys i have been bamboozled 😔 i was expecting a cozy queer fantasy yes, but there was so little to become attached to that i simply have to dnf. i could not for the life of me connect with our mc’s and while i saw where the story was going, i have no desire to continue reading it- this doesn’t mean the book can’t be enjoyable! i would recommend for those who like my aforementioned points! i will not provide a public review-thank you!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the digital ARC of “Where Shadows Bloom” by Catherine Bakewell. I was absolutely blown away with her first book “Flowerheart” so I went into this read with high expectations.

With “Where Shadows Bloom” we experience a world where shadow monsters roam the land, and there exists a palace that is rumored to be free from these monsters… Once Ofelia’s mother goes missing, she goes off on an adventure with her guard Lope to visit this palace, and they discover that not everything is what it seems.

I really enjoyed seeing some personal growth of the characters over the course of the story (especially regarding interpersonal relationships and romance), as well as seeing the essence of humanity as a lesson later on in the book.

The only real downsides were despite the intrigue with the ‘hidden’ people, and her lineage the book felt very predictable: each time a big event happened or something was shown, I immediately started making connections. Also, the romance I think was supposed to come off as cute, but Ofelia read for most of the book as toxic and problematic. I can definitely see other people loving this though.
Overall 4/5 for me.

“Where Shadows Bloom” is an enchanting fantasy that utilizes both french and spanish words to create a unique feel of the world. Le Chateaux Enchanté is an alluring and mysterious setting. Some of the pacing felt a bit off, but overall this book was enjoyable and a great read.

**Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Posted to: NetGalley and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 3 February 2025

4.3 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.

I first read ‘Flowerheart’ by Catherine Bakewell sometime in 2023. I really enjoyed it from the whimsy to the deeper themes embedded inside the story. I loved Bakewell’s work then, but part of me knew that her future works would be better with the prose and the flow. ‘Flowerheart’ was a lovely read, don’t get me wrong, but the writing was mildly lacking. It was simple, if I can say that without sounding rude or offensive. I did enjoy the story, but I knew that Bakewell had more potential to unlock in her writing with more practice.

And ‘Where Shadows Bloom’ is how she delivered it!

I know not where to begin with this review because I literally just recently put it down this morning. I’ve gone to my reader friends’ group chat to rave about this read (I actually took it to them before I’d even finished it, but now that I can fully say that it’s a good read from page one til the end, I returned to them with the update.) I’ve finished my playlist for it and have already pre-ordered it. These are like the key things I do if I really love a book, and I really love ‘Where Shadows Bloom’, but let me get started on the actual review part.

I normally start with things that I didn’t really like in the book/about the book, but everything kind of settled out in the end? Everything made sense, I should say instead. I do think it resolved mildly anti-climatically, if I can be honest. I also think that I say that because I have a bone to pick with HEA books where the ending has potential to be soul-crushingly intense and sad- but I am nothing if not a sad girl at heart. So the thought that books can end on a sad note is just personal preference. The ending here is fine and makes sense, and still managed to make me cry on my commute to work, so it’s still a win all around.
While it’s not something that I hate, so to say, there is something that annoyed me. Do you know when characters do or say something that has you screaming at the book/tv/screen, “No! Why would you do that!?”… There were a few instances here in this book like that. Now, I won’t say that I entirely hate this, however. It was irritating, sure, but it also just fit so well with the characters’ motives that had been written out up to this point. I think staying true to a character’s voice is a very good thing because for one, it means that you have fleshed out a character well enough that they even have a distinct voice to make note of. Secondly, it means that it just added another layer to the story. Where a reader would want something to happen to avoid conflict, the bump in the road just makes arriving at the finish line all the more joyous. So while it was a pretty rough bit to get over, it just made sense (and I fear that I’ve said that enough that the phrase is losing its meaning.)

The book isn’t terribly predictable either?? I also was bouncing in and out of a reading slump though, so take that with a grain of salt. It did have really lovely writing though and that I can vouch for. I’m pretty sure in my review notes, I wrote “Lyrical, lyrical, lyrical, ly-“ quite a few times if that counts for anything. There’s also keyboard smashes, general notes of silent screaming, and the occasional “my hearts!!” If that also can say anything about my general thoughts towards this. It feels like a love letter to the way Studio Ghibli movies make people feel. ‘Where Shadows Bloom’ is a letter to love, to yearning, to whimsy, and to a beautiful ballroom setting (but not enough dancing, I’d say). I genuinely loved it. The pacing felt right with the tale, the prose was absolutely beautiful, the POVs added layers of desire and want that bubbled over to the ending we received. Honestly, there’s not much more to say about this book besides the fact that it was a lush read filled with heart. It feels like Hadestown’s own Orpheus wrote this. I need ten more like- yesterday.

Where Shadows Bloom is a high fantasy book inspired from French and Spanish nobility. It has cozy, dreamy prose perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli. Ofelia and her brave knight Lope travel from the countryside to Le Chateau to escape the dangers of the Shadows: monsters that haunt the night and steal the breath and life of those who foolishly venture outside. While Ofelia adjusts to their new life at court, Lope still sees danger around every corner. Can their love overcome the monsters, secrets, gods, and the growing distance between them?

Things I Loved:
-The yearning (with dual POV). Where Shadows Bloom is perfect for readers who want some action but want the focus of the book to be on the main character’s inner monologue. This is a medium-paced book that centers on the yearning on both sides of a sapphic romance.
-The main theme. What makes this book so strong is its exploration of its main theme: what it means to be human. Experiencing love, experiencing grief, one of Ofelia’s tasks is to teach humanity to a lonely god. The evolution of the god’s character was just as compelling as the main characters’ character developments.
- While the flaws of the characters are definitely showcased, there is strong character development, and the ending redeemed my frustration with Ofelia throughout the book (see first bullet point below on my gripe with Ofelia).

Things I Didn’t Love:
-Ofelia’s cheerful outlook started off inspiring and understandable but became annoyingly obtuse as the novel went on.
-As in many fairy tales, there is a god to bargain with and it just felt like they bargained with them too many times.

A sapphic romance between a knight and her lady as they enter into an magical castle being surrounded by shadow creatures... but beneath the glittering perfection is a rot that will threaten to destroy them if they don't end it first. Ofelia has dreamed about going to Le Château Enchanté, a mysterious castle ruled by the gods-blessed King Léo and is rumored to be safe from the shadow monsters. Lope is Ofelia's knight and has spent her days defending Ofelia and her home from the Shadows. Lope has been secretly in love with Ofelia and writes poetry about her and Ofelia has also been secretly in love with Lope. When Ofelia runs off to Le Château Enchanté, Lope accompanies her... yet when both girls appear at the castle strange things are revealed. Apparently the king forbids people from talking or even acknowledging that there are Shadow creatures surrounding the castle and it is revealed that Ofelia's mother had an affair with the King.... and that Ofelia's father is not her real father but rather the King is her father. Ofelia is soon drawn inn by the dazzling world in the Château. Lope on the other hand begins to see the rot in the castle... the fact that Shadow creatures are closing in and that the King is hiding secrets. Ofelia and Lope find themselves pitted against each other as Ofelia refuses to see past the glittering layer of the place and Lope trying to show her the truth... can their feelings for one another survive the darkness that is creeping in or will their difference in opinions case their separation forever. This was a softer young adult sapphic romance and one I think younger YA readers will absolutely enjoy. It kind of feels like a disney movie level kind of book, the Ofelia is extremely sheltered and naive and it kind of was hard to like and root for her, but on the other hand I did enjoy Lope as a love interest and main character, she was more level headed and well I do love a lady knight and I'm predispositioned to like female characters with dark hair and a white streak in it haha. Overall, yes I would recommend this for younger YA readers who want a sapphic fantasy romance book.

Release Date: February 11, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early.

Where Shadows Bloom follows Ofelia and Lope, a 17 year old noble and her protector, who are trying to find Ofelia’s mother’s who’s gone missing in Le Château Enchanté, the only safe place from the Shadows.

I had a bit of trouble getting into this book, mostly because of Ofelia’s character but I loved the ending. Ofelia read way too immature for a 17 year old, which made the romance harder to root for until she grew up closer to the end of the book. In that sense, the scenes in the Underworld were some of my favorite parts of the book. If the whole book had been spent there, I would have never wanted to stop reading. I also enjoyed the other characters, particularly Lope, as she had so many different sides to her and it was great to discover more as the book went on. I also liked the side characters of Ofelia’s mother and their friend Eglantine.

The world was also very interesting and I was so curious about the origins of the Shadows and how the mysterious king fit into it all. So despite my hesitations with Ofelia, I ended up enjoying this book.

Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley again for the chance to read this early.

I thought that this story's fairytale inspired style/tone was solid enough. Specifically, making deals with gods is something that I find super fun. However, this book became almost unbearable by the halfway mark when I realized that Ofelia might be the dumbest protagonist I've ever read. The villain of this story is basically holding a flashing sign that says he's an evil bad guy and she for some reason chooses to trust him over her childhood best friend/love interest. Conceptually I think that Ofelia feeling a connection to the villain could work, but not with the way he's initially characterized. This man shows up having six creepy shadows, being immortal, and making up barely plausible stories about the disappearance of Ofelia's mother. It just doesn't work and makes your protagonist seem gullible and stupid.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The romance in this was very cute, however I had a hard time getting into the story. I felt like first half was pretty slow. The main characters are very likeable but not super interesting. The second half did a better job at capturing my attention but overall this was not my favorite read.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

The Shadows are getting bolder. The monsters that arose only in the darkness of night are starting to appear at sunset, attacking anyone unlucky enough to be caught outside. Only one place is safe: Le Château Enchanté, home of the king who’s been blessed by the gods themselves.

Ofelia and her mother have lived in a small estate far from the Château for all of Ofelia’s life. But when the Shadows begin to attack more frequently, Ofelia’s mother decides to make the dangerous trip to the Château to ask for help, only to not return.

Lope has been protecting Ofelia since she was young, and they’ve been friends since they met. Ofelia even taught Lope how to read and write, and Lope, when she’s not fighting Shadows, writes poetry, love poetry, especially, inspired by the one person she must protect, and cannot be with. So when Ofelia asks Lope to come to the Château and find help, Lope can’t refuse. Together, they travel to this blessed castle, only to find that the brightest of places have the darkest shadows.

I received an advanced reading copy of Where Shadows Bloom in exchange for an honest review.

Where Shadows Bloom is a young adult fantasy novel by Catherine Bakewell, my wonderful writing mentor. Cat wrote this beautiful book, weaving in a magical castle, a mysterious king, poetry, and two girls who are very much in love with each other.

I want to start by talking about the language that Cat used for this book. Lope is a poet, but Cat herself wrote the poems, and so much of the narrative is so lyrical and emotional. Gorgeous lines kept popping out to me throughout, and the emotions they conveyed just made my heart ache for both of these girls.

Love was not only some romantic thing, not just something bright and pure like the illustrations of knights and princesses. It was strong and angry and resilient and most of all, painful—viciously so.

Both Lope and Ofelia truly came to life in these lines and in these pages. They’re both flawed characters, but that makes them all the more realistic, especially when they’re struggling to fit into their new setting of the Château and trying to uncover the mystery of what’s going on. Their romance is made clear from the very start, so it’s not much of a spoiler here for me to talk about it, but I could see just how easily the two of them fit together, how they complemented each other, and why they would fall in love. The romance was so sweet, and I honestly teared up in the epilogue. No spoilers why, but the ending was just so perfect!

The rest of the book was great too! The setting of the gorgeous Château, with so many hidden corners and mysteries, was the perfect backdrop to Lope and Ofelia’s romance, as well as the plot, which really takes off shortly after their arrival there. Once in the Château, they need to find Ofelia’s mother, and find help against the Shadows, but so many things are not as they seem, and I was kept guessing up until nearly the end!

Cat once more wrote an absolutely magical book, and it’s one I would recommend to fans of mysterious castles, romance, fantasy, and especially those who have especially enjoyed the new genre of romantasy! Where Shadows Bloom is a novel you can easily fall in love with!

Where Shadows Bloom will be released on February 11. You can preorder your copy from HarperTeen here.

gorgeous and filled with wonderful setting. interesting and unique characters and i loved their growth throughout. the antagonits was a hair boring but it worked.5 stars. tysm for the arc

When I read the description, the concept of the novel really grasped me and made me eager to read. It seemed like a cool, new fantasy world with a sapphic romance.

But a lot of the novel just fell flat to me.

I enjoyed the romance between Lope and Ofelia, but there were moments that also just infuriated me. I wanted to love them more, but I think that also comes with the plot that fell flat for me. The beginning of their story made me love them, but the lack of true development in their relationship and in the characterization made me have doubts.

I wish there had been a bit more of world-building. I’m typically someone who doesn’t like too much of it, but there always needs to be a good amount, especially in a fantasy world. I felt still lost trying to understand the world because we didn’t get enough information from the get-go.

The ending of the novel simply was anticlimactic to me. There was a pretty good build-up, but the ending was simply too short and simple. I think it would’ve given the novel more if there had been more to the ending. It all happened too fast, and the ending just needed more to it.

Overall, it was an interesting concept, but I wish it had been executed differently and fleshed out more. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Catherine Bakewell is the queen of cozy fantasy. Where Shadows Bloom, like Flowerheart, is cozy, lighthearted, and sweet. The setting is as lush as the writing. The plot was overall predictable, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, you don't want your cozy fantasy to be twisty and harrowing. The romance was sweet, but the poems interspersed throughout the story seemed slapped on the page without any real work (in other words, the poems were not good). It wasn't my favorite, but I will definitely continue reading whatever Bakewell publishes!

I absolutely adored this book. Cath created a wonderful, wonderful story that has struck deep within me and made me tear up many times. In this story, I saw myself, my love, my feeling of being and love.

“True love changes you. It leaves a mark upon you. Even if no one can see it.”

This story is filled with love; it contains shadows, royals, family, sacrifice, poetry, dancing, fighting and sorrow, but above all, it contains so very much love.

I would like to thank Netgalley and especially Catherine Bakewell for this experience, and of course, allowing me to have it before its full release into the world. May this flower bloom in many hearts.