Born of Blood and Shadows is book one in The Heirs of Elysium series by Jamye Smith.
I enjoyed this book! I thought Jamye did a great job with the world building, the characters, and the storyline.
This had me hooked from the very beginning until the end.

Eeeek! I love a good book with mutually moral grey MC's and this was just perfectiiiooon! So excited for the next book and I do hope that there is some more world building because i think that was all this book was lacking, but otherwise a fantastic fun read that filled a little romantasy craving i was having 😍🗡️


Thank you Netgalley and Jamye Smith for the ARC ❤️

Born of Blood and Shadows: A Journey into Dark Fantasy
From Blood and Shadows by Jamye Smith is dark fantasy at its finest, so well-crafted to whisk the reader deep into a vortex of magic, danger, and forbidden desires. The novel follows Ameris, who discovers powers inside herself that she never knew she had, and Xander, a prince of the fae in search of redemption. Their fates are intertwined in a dance of passion, betrayal, and political intrigue.

A Relatable Heroine

Ameris was such a multi-dimensional, relatable character. It was very empowering to witness her on this journey to get to know herself, especially with the introduction of magic into her world. She's that gray kind of protagonist who makes choices no matter how bad, as long as it accomplished what she wanted. Strong, resilient-she was an amazing character to fight for.

A Fae Prince with a Tormenting Past

Brooding and mysterious, this prince of the fae named Xander had a fully tragic past; his nature was conflicted, his soul in perpetual torture. This will bring depth to the story, the passion palpable, the tension between him and Ameris evident while forbidding love amidst a world full of political intrigue.

A Realm of Magic and Danger

Smith does an outstanding job of world-building, so intricate and immersive. The magical system is cool with powers that are unique and powerful, dug into throughout the story. From the danger to the intrigue in the fae world, readers will not be putting this book down from cover to cover.

A Thrilling Plot

The storyline is fast-paced, full of twists and turns. The political intrigue adds another dimension to this storyline-the power play amongst the different factions in the story. Ameris and Xander's romance was something to look forward to, and their chemistry and passion fueled the narrative.

Conclusion

Born of Blood and Shadows is one enthralling dark fantasy destined to send its readers into a desperate wanting. The book flows with complex characters, world-building, and intrigue in every plot-a book no fan of the genre should ever miss. Jamye Smith's perilously dazzling world makes the characters she brought alive surely continue to live in the minds of readers long after the final page.

Some of my favourite reading tropes include feminine rage, found family and morally grey characters all around, and this book fit the bill and above! The world building was aalllmost there (hoping for more in the next book) and the characters were *chefs kiss* in all their villainesque, no one is 100% good ways. Cannot wait for the next book!

Jamye Smith’s Born of Blood & Shadows is a new addition to the fantasy genre that offers a blend of familiar fae lore and human drama. As a reader who enjoys discovering new voices, I found Smith's novel to be an overall enjoyable and easy read, though it does have its shortcomings.

The novel follows Ameris, Xander, and Oberon through a narrative that aims to balance romance, intrigue, and the complexities of fae-human interactions. The premise holds promise with its blend of magical elements and human conflicts, but the execution leaves a bit to be desired.

One of the notable strengths of the book is its accessibility. Smith's writing style is straightforward, making it a relatively easy read for those looking for a quick escape into a fantastical world. However, the story's potential is somewhat hampered by a few critical flaws.

Firstly, the character development is noticeably lacking, particularly among the side characters. They often blend into one another, feeling like variations of the same personality rather than distinct individuals. This lack of differentiation can make the world feel less immersive and the stakes less compelling.

Furthermore, the novel has moments where important elements are introduced but not fully explored. For instance, scenes involving a mysterious necklace and an encounter with a winter beast are introduced with a sense of significance, only to be relegated to mere side notes. This can leave readers feeling that crucial aspects of the story are being neglected or underdeveloped.

The romantic plot, which is central to the story, falls flat. The relationship between Ameris and Xander lacks depth and believability. The insta-lust dynamic feels rushed, and Ameris's conflicting feelings towards Xander and Oberon contribute to a sense of whiplash rather than genuine emotional conflict. The romance's lack of build-up or meaningful tension detracts from its impact.

Additionally, the pacing of the novel is uneven. The rapid progression from Ameris and Xander’s initial meeting to the dramatic events that follow feels abrupt. This quick transition to the fae world, coupled with a slow, introspective slog through the latter part of the novel, disrupts the narrative flow. The shift from the urgency of the human world to the more languid exploration of fae culture can be jarring.

In terms of lore, Born of Blood & Shadows doesn’t break new ground. The fae world is a familiar blend of typical fae elements, which, while engaging, doesn’t offer many surprises.

In summary, Born of Blood & Shadows is a book with intriguing elements and a promising premise but ultimately falls short due to uneven pacing, underdeveloped characters, and a lackluster romance. While it provides an enjoyable read, it may not fully satisfy readers looking for a deeply immersive fantasy experience. Given its potential, it will be interesting to see how the series develops. For now, this debut earns a solid three stars.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the copy and opportunity to review.

This was a great start to a fantasy series, and I can’t wait to read more. I’ll just be over here, hanging off that cliff until the next book comes out 😂.

There’s nothing better than a FMC who is a total morally gray badass, and Ameris fits the bill well. You could say I’m in my villain e r a. I’m always a team #shadowdaddy all the way. I do wish there was a little more world building, but that’s something that could come with the next book.

✨Read if you Love✨
🖤 Unique Magic Systems
♥️ Morally Grey FMC
🖤 Great Plot
♥️ Shadow Daddy’s
🖤 Anti-Hero Vibes
♥️ Fae Bargains
🖤 Love Triangles
♥️ Elemental magic
🖤 Forced Proximity
♥️ Dual POV

“She had become death incarnate, ready to deliver judgement.”

“Born of Blood and Shadows,” by Jaymes Smith

I loved this book from beginning to end. I loved how everyone had their own motives and none of them were truly pure. I loved how the two main characters were morally grey and willing to throw way too many people under the bus but were internally conflicted about it. I loved the enemies to lovers and chosen one vibes in the story. The ending blew me away, I cannot wait for the next book to come out. The female rage was insane and absolutely perfect. 5 out of 5 stars, so good!

-Witches
-Fae
-Enemies to Lovers
-Chosen One
-Dual POV
-Female Rage

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

This book has a little of everything that romantasy lovers crave - magical bonds, found family, shadow magic, tension & spice, battles, and a strong main character. Many interesting side characters drew me in. It was refreshing that Ameris was focused on saving herself and not everyone else around her. I still can’t decide if I am Team Oberon or Team Xander, and I can’t wait for the next book to see how the plot develops. I don’t want to say too much about the ending, but it shocked me!

Loved this fast paced fantasy! It had everything I like in a good romantasy! Highly recommend! It’s the perfect fall read!

Thank you to Victory Editing for this Arc via Netgalley.

This is the second Arc I've ever read and... sigh I think I'm disappointed in the experience through the platform buutt to be fair it's only the second book. Now... going into the story and plot.

Ameris? Dislike her, can't stand her. What is her purpose? This was 300 pages of her pissing me off with her thoughts and decisions. She goes on about blaming Xander for all the suffering in her life, admits it isn't so but goes " but I want to be angry so let me do whatever nonsense I want to do, not listen to anything others say" Gah she is irritating.

I couldn't even feel for her when Xander and the others excluded her, although fair enough because the second she does do exactly what they warned her not to do she gets caught... The author tried to do a trapped-for-safety bit and I wouldn't say I like Ameris enough to have begged her to be shoved back because once she steps into her power which mind you Xander and his people were teaching her how to manage, she basically turns against them for her own gain. It all her her her, won't be controlled, yadi yada and honestly I felt like all her decisions were the dumbest I've ever read, no plan just a girl thinking she can go through life on her own and crush anyone on her way out of fear and no clear deduction of what exactly is the situation,

Anyway... There was a plot and the story is somewhat easy enough to follow, I feel like sometimes the author loses direction in her writing, I would get lost and think wait when was this ever mentioned? But I can let it slide. There is little to no world-building because Ameris consumes the pages even though is a dual POV.

Xander is chill. Reading what he thinks and reacts just makes it abundantly clear that Ameris is the problem. She goes around professing her hatred for him, he's like okay but girl I'm not the other one but whatever. When he responds to the way she treats him, it's a problem.

Honestly, if there were no Ameris involved this would have but a solid 3 star maybe 3.5 because I actually like the villain Oberon over Ameris.

If there is a second book, good luck to anyone who decided to read it. But Ameris will not be on my screen again. Cute name though.

Review also available on Goodreads on September 6, 2024

I received this books from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book started so strong with the introduction. But, I slowly lost interest though due to the the FMC Ameris and the fae love interest Xander. Ameris is portrayed as naive and kind of dumb throughout the book, and it was really hard for me to root for her. And Xander is very dismissive and rude, to the point where I couldn't see the chemistry.

Overall, the plot does have a great hook and would have kept me engaged had I not disliked the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Jamye Smith for an eARC of Born of Blood and Shadows. The following is my honest review.

Ameris lives in a world where magic is hunted. With her own magic bound, she makes a bargain with Xander, the fae heir to the throne who has been shackled to the human world to teach her magic. When witch hunters destroy her home and her last bit of safety, she enters a blood bond with Xander to reach Elysium, the kingdom of the fae. In her quest to master her magic, Ameris enters deadly bargains and finds herself against the shadow king Oberon who has stolen the throne and she must tread carefully as her own lust and ambitions threaten her future.

Born of Blood and Shadow is a dark fantasy that explores a woman's ambition and quest for power after it's been locked away her entire life. We need more morally gray women in fiction and Ameris is definitely a force to be reckoned with. I loved the complexity of her and the way I was kept on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what she would do next. The beginning was a little slow but once we got to the shadow daddy, I was fully immersed in the story.

With all the light and dark fae stories I read, I thought I knew where the story would take me but Smith managed to keep the story fresh and intriguing. It bends the tropes I'm used to and the ending has me biting my nails for what's to come next and even I'm not sure what I want the resolution to be.

While I did love Ameris, there were times that her motivations weren't clear and I struggled and follow along. Once clarified though, I really enjoyed her character. Those moments did bring me out of my disbelief but I was still drawn back into the story. It was a good read with a easy to understand world and magic system, with complex characters, and a kingdom at stake. For fans of ruthless FMCs tired of men controlling their lives, this book is for you.

Overall, I enjoyed the premise of the story. I love that we have a human that is actually a human with no secret fae identity that can use magic like we usually see in other stories. Dual POVs so we get perspectives from our FMC and MMC. Be warned, it ends on a massive cliffhanger! Some things happen at the end that I did not see coming, will be interested to see what happens next!

This is a true enemies to lovers but their relationship seemed kind of forced and I don't think we had enough building of it, I would have liked to see more of Ameris and Xaden.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Jamye Smith for this ARC and for giving me the opportunity to review this book ahead of it's release.

I love supporting indie authors and this book was such a joy to read. It's so clear work, love and talent have gone into this story. I was instantly obsessed with the characters - rooting for Ameris and Xander and utterly convinced that I could fix Oberon, if given the chance! Normally when I'm reading to review, I'll take more breaks in my reading in order to collect my thoughts however, with this book I don't think I came up for air until around 1/3 of the way through. I was so hooked on wanting to know what happened next.

There were some moments throughout where I would have loved a bit more time and description in the text in order to develop a further emotional connection with all of the characters. The book was very plot heavy, and honestly I think it would have been great as two seperate books so we could explore the characters a bit better.
The timeline was also a touch confusing in certain parts (especially with regards to how old the fate are, and how long ago certain plot lines took place).

Ultimately this book was fantastic! I struggled to put it down. I was invested in the characters. The few moments that I was not reading, I was thinking about this story and itching to get back into it. This is some really impressive work from Jamye Smith and I'm genuinely excited to not only see where this story goes from here, but what else this author creates. I'm a fan!

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was very excited to read this book, and it delivered on some things that I was looking for but lacked in many other ways for me.

Let's start with what I liked:
- Having a morally grey FMC with an interesting twist at the end of the book.
- The various players and the "found family" aspect of fantasy novels that bring me a lot of joy with the rebellion members
- The plot was an interesting premise that kept me interested in what was going to happen next
- The fantasy setting was great, with various creatures, species, and dangers

What I struggled with:
- The pace of the book was so fast that I wished this was split into two books with some more scenes that built on the character relationships. I truly struggled to really care about anyone or have an opinion about the love triangle because I felt like I didn't have enough time to make an opinion. Things moved really fast throughout the whole book, which made everything seem very surface level. Having some scenes where we get to sit with our FMC and MMC (like multiple training sessions, talks around fires while traveling, dinners with the group of people she meets, etc.) without trying to hit a plot point beat would have really helped this for me and made me feel more connected to our main characters.
- In the same vein, I struggled with the magic system here because we barely saw our FMC using magic throughout the book. Some more time on that would have helped me understand how the system worked and shown that our FMC gets stronger over time, which would have given the final scenes some more believability for me.
- The timeline. I have no idea how much time actually took place in this book or how much time was between scenes. I felt lost a lot, to the point where I was trying to figure out if I was in the same scene as the last chapter or on an entirely different day. Some kind of indicator to what day it was or how much time had passed (even just a "The next day...") would have helped me a lot. As it is, the timeline felt very rushed.
- I didn't really find either of the romantic interests very believable. I think this is mostly because of how plot heavy the book was that took away from character driven moments, so I didn't get a good feel for either of them.
- I would have liked to have spent more time in the battle sequence to build up more tension. Maybe even seeing preparations for battle that geared up the reader to it instead of just "BAM, armies at the ready to battle it out." I didn't even think a real battle was going to happen in this book until it was upon me, so it threw me for a loop.

Overall, this book was a decent read in that it kept my attention for part of it, but I struggled to read through parts of it, too. I always want to commend anyone who spends so much time and effort in writing a novel, especially a fantasy novel. I definitely think that Jamye has really great potential for future fantasy endeavors because of how interesting the various plot points were, but this book just fell flat for me.

4.5 stars out of 5
I personally loved how Jamye created this strong female lead who dealt with both trauma and grief throughout the story. At times, I found Ameris to be annoying, but then I would remember anyone dealing with grief might act the same way. Remembering that helped me connect with Ameris even more. I think this is a great first book for Jamye. I loved the cliffhanger and also how Ameris felt attraction to the villain even though she knew she needed to hate him. Some things I felt were lacking and keeping this from being a truly 5-star book is Ameris learned her magic a bit too quickly (take it some scene may have been skipped to make this book faster paced), the magic isn't as well explained as I would have liked (hopefully some of this can be explained in the next book), and maybe a bit more world building. Overall, I will be excited to read the follow-up to this book.

I LOVED this book and that cliffhanger! I want book 2 immediately! What a fantastic story.
I love the twists, the character arcs and the plot

I read this book in one day because I couldn’t put it down
5 stars!
I’ll be posting my review to Goodreads right away

I received this ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had so much potential and I liked Ameris more at the beginning of the book than I did at the end. That's not to say that I didn't appreciate her journey and her character development. It was dark and, at times, confusing.
The world building was fine, if a little lackluster when they reached the fey kingdom. I suppose there couldn't be much when the story jumped from the human world to an ice area to a tree then, finally, the palace.
Ameris' logic was sound. She was pissed that her magic had been bound and wanted it freed, hence the deal made with Xander. From there things become complicated. Despite being taught magic, as she had asked for, she took the view that it was only to the end of using her (fair enough assumption) but instead of facing this head on, she let it sit and fester inside her. There were a lot of times that I had to close my eyes and pray for patience but rolled with it because, it's the characters journey, I had to believe that there was method to the madness. And there was. As irritating as it was to read, it was also very different to the journey I've read of other FMC and I appreciated it. Ameris loses so much at the beginning of the book and it takes its toll on her. Therenare only so many knocks a girl will take before she starts knocking back.
Xander began as a hardened, betrayed Fae who was desperate to get his throne back from the evil usurper. He treated Ameris terribly and then was shocked when she went off on her own, standing on her own and going in her own direction. His character wasn't the strong MMC I am used to, his focus almost instantly shifted from his throne and the rebellion to Ameris and the bond. His change could excuse his treatment of Ameris and that was his downfall.
Secondary characters lack depth, zorria is the only one with half a personality and that's only because she hates Ameris, although I believe jealousy to be the cause of it.
Nothing was really delved into in any great detail. Secondary characters seemed to only be used at plot tools without any development so I didn't become invested in them.
The story moved at a good pace, the villain should've had a bigger role in the book and his backstory could've been explored more. We R only given the bare facts about how and why he became the way he was.
The romance... Well... Ameris seems to be attracted to anyone that looks twice at her. I know the fae are beautiful. We all know the fae are beautiful. I loved the love/hate, enemies to lovers dynamic between Ameris and Xander, it was more interesting from xanders POV. But then Oberon got involved and, you know if Ameris hadn't felt anything for him at all, I would've been ok with it. But she was attracted to him on some level and while I know it's symbolic of her attraction to the dark side, it really got my goat! A few steamy scenes, angst and sexual tension that culminated eventually and yet....
There was some good foreshadowing and honestly the end did make up for the lack of other character development. It was triumphant and intriguing. The view of the morally grey FMC is honestly the best thing about this book.
I'm interested to see what Ameris does next.

.This is the perfect blend of dark fantasy and romance, where every page drips with tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. Ameris, our witchy heroine, is on a quest to unbind her magic before witch hunters catch up with her. Enter Xander, a brooding fae prince with an agenda of his own. Together, they form a blood bond that sends them hurtling into the fae kingdom of Elysium—a place teeming with ancient vendettas and ruled by the shadowy king, Oberon.

The real magic here isn’t just the spellcasting—it’s the electric tension between Ameris, Xander, and Oberon. The enemies-to-lovers trope is on full display, and the chemistry? Let’s just say it’s hot enough to set off some serious magical fireworks. Xander might have a knack for smirking, but he’s not the only one throwing sparks around. This isn’t your typical slow burn—things heat up fast, so get ready for some serious page-turning action. There are areas where I wanted more buildup but really enjoyed it nonetheless.

Smoothly edited and captivating, this book is tailor-made for fans of intense, high-stakes fantasy with a side of steamy romance. I devoured it in just two days, and trust me, once you dive into Elysium, you’ll want to stay awhile.

In Born of Blood and Shadow, by Jayme Smith, our FMC, Ameris is born a witch in a country where witches are burned at the stake. Her parents bind her powers to keep her safe, but she always knows she’s a witch and grown frustrated by her inability to access her powers. That’s why, when Ameris is scavenging from a shipwreck and encounters a living male, she saves him. Xander, the MMC, is a fae, who has been banished from his home in another dimension because he’s the leader of a rebellion against the Fae King. Ameris and Xander make a bargain, where she helps him find his way home and he will help her unlock her magic and teach her how to use it. Once Xander and Ameris get to his home, she becomes disenchanted with his methods and his slowness to teach her. Xander fails to recognize Ameris’ growing unhappiness and does not address her concerns. In order to help herself, because he refuses, Ameris leaves the safety of the rebel compound and is captured by the Fae King, who uses her to trap Xander. Ameris frees herself and Xander and then the story ends. I’m assuming the story is a series and this is the cliffhanger ending? It is not clear whether there is a sequel to follow. The story is not original, there is no unique magic system, and the plot drags a little in the middle. The abrupt ending is the major problem I have with the plot. The intended audience for this story is romantasy readers and New Adult.
I rated this book 4 stars, but the abrupt ending, again, leaves the reader hanging and potentially wanting. I would probably read a sequel if there was one, in general I enjoyed the story and thought it was interesting.

Overall, Born of Blood and Shadow is a quick, interesting read for romantasy readers who love a slow burn, miscommunication trope.