I struggled to connect with the characters. The plot itself felt quite repetitive and unengaging to me. I wish there was more world building

This was a little harder than usual to rate for me. While I really enjoy the plot and the overall direction of the story, there were points that felt a little rushed and made it harder to connect.

I enjoy the characters and did like that Ameris doesn't instantly fall for our male lead but did start to get a bit over her behaviour towards him. This may be because the story was moving fast while their relationship was being built slowly.

I was definitely hooked through multiple parts and I'm excited to see where this story could go and how the relationships grow.

Unfortunately I DNF at about 30%. It was interesting enough in the beginning and I was enjoying the writing a lot. I didn’t love the banter between the main characters but I also didn’t hate it. I just started to lose interest quickly. It felt like the plot wasn’t progressing as quickly as I wanted it to. I might have loved this at another time.

I am struggling to write a review for this one because I didn't love it but I love the potential of where it can go. There were so many good qualities in the book, so I am going to start there. I think the plot was strong and well done. The FMC was *chefs kiss* such a badass (I am biased because I truly love a normally grey anti-hero character). I also really loved the magic system within the story. I felt like the weaknesses of the book were in the pacing as well as the writing style when it came to world/character building. However, that ending!!!! I am very interested to see where the rest of the series goes I truly believe this is going to be a great series.

The cover really drew me in, but I stayed for everything else!
Honestly, this has all of the bones of a fun romantasy but even better a pinch here and there of seasoning that kept it really interesting.

First, I am usually the girl who picks a side (or man) and stays there BUT the chemistry between Ameris and Xander looks endgame until Oberon comes into the picture and now I don't know anything. Second, the fact that Ameris does what she thinks is right regardless of outside opinions is confidence in a FMC that I love. Even if she goes mad at any point, she will have my support!

The found family in this is so good, the side characters are well developed and you care about them as much as the main characters. I really like that everyone has their own opinions, even being on a certain side they do what they must for the bigger picture.

I think this series has a lot of potential, with the ending I am very interested to see how the story is going to develop!

I really liked the morally grey FMC, and the push and pull dynamic between the heroine and villain. I think the characters in themselves were quite unique, and I enjoyed reading about them. My attention was held throughout the book, and I was excited to keep reading. I think the love triangle was done well, and it didn't annoy me as much as it normally would.
I love the plot, but it felt more tell than show which was a downside however I'm still intrigue to know what happens next. Can't wait for book 2

My review has been pretty based on vibes, but that isn't a bad thing. It just means this book was decent throughout


I enjoyed the book enough that I've bought the SE version from the author's website :)

Holy feminine rage! This book was a dark horse. Our FMC, Ameris, is an orphan whose parents are killed because her mother was a witch and her father was complicit in knowing his wife was a witch. Ameris’ mother, as her last act, binds and dampens Ameris’ magic so that the same fate won’t happen to her. Years later, Ameris is desperate to unbind and release her magic. As fate would have it, she stumbles upon a ship wreck. After investigating further, she discovers a fae male, Xander, who is dying. She rescues him, but little does she know, Xander is a banished fae prince who is desperate to return to the fae world to reclaim his throne. Ameris makes a bargain with Xander to assist his return to the fae world in exchange for Xander to help her release and use her magic. Both parties get what they desire, but things don’t go exactly to plan.
This book wasn’t perfect, but it was extremely enjoyable. The twists and turns of the story makes it feel fresh and it is completely unpredictable. I highly recommend this book if you’re in your feminine rage phase or if you just enjoy surprises and strong FMCs. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. The book ends in a massive cliffhanger.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the gifted copy.

I really love it. It was well planned, and it had great timing. The characters were riveting and fascinating. The magical system was unique and diverse. All of the storylines added up in a way that just added a layer of complexity to the plot. I enjoyed the vampires and the whole way the author kind of set up a realm of magical creatures. I also enjoyed the push and pull between the main characters. The side characters added value to the plot in ways that either had me laughing or cringing or hoping that we could see more of them. I hope that we get more within this universe and also that the whole magical world can be more explored in the future.

Watch the full review: https://youtu.be/VN6HM85opv4

I wanted this one to work for me so much. Unfortunately, I did not vibe with it. The characters felt very one dimensional and I didn't feel any chemistry between out main characters. The plot was full of conveniences and repetitive. I needed more world building and explanations. I did like the second half better when Oberon was introduced, but I won't be continuing the series.

i'm really on the fence with this book. The vibes for me where primarily there. I did like that the FMC Aremis was a take no nonsense gal but she was also so selfish. The pacing of this book is light speed, everything happens so fast and there wasn't enough time for really anything to be flushed out or developed to a point where my interest was more than just surface level. I was hoping at some point to be able to really connect to any of the characters but that just didn't happen for me. I had zero interest in the romance part of this story, and while I do enjoy when the romance is a subplot instead of the entire drive of the story this just fell really flat for me. I mainly attribute this to the fact that I just never connected to any of the characters. I also really did not understand the magic system, I feel like a little more back story or explanation would have made it more understandable and thus more interesting. All and all I will say this was a surface level read with well intentioned vibes.

This book has something for everyone! Loveable sidekicks, witty banter, steamy romance, found family, hard fought battles, and an MC with an actual personality vs just a bunch of tropes thrown in with no substance!

I took this book on vacation and I couldn't put it down, I was hooked from the first chapter. The characters, storytelling and world are amazing and hook you and keep you in. I can't wait to read more by this author and am actively looking to see other books available.

Bravo keep it going

Thank you to NetGalley and Jamye Smith for the ARC copy of Born of Blood and Shadows.

I enjoyed reading this book and am excited for the second book, that said I do hope for some more world building in the second book as I was looking for just a bit more.

The storyline kept me hooked and the ending shocked me, it left me wanting more.

The beginning of this book was very promising and captured my attention immediately, however as I continued reading I felt it dragged on at times and went too quickly at others. I had a difficult time connecting to the characters and their love story/ triangle.

I loved the witchy vibe in this book and the idea of her love triangle but overall it fell a bit flat for me. It has great potential and the world was very interesting.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc read!

I love me a morally grey FMC and Jayme Smith DELIVERED!! I found myself entranced by the fae and witch magic systems. A perfect romantasy filled with magic, found family, tension and spice!!

A tale of female rage, desire, and revenge. This book hooked you right from the begining. It's starts off heavily with action and near death experience. Then you get hooked into this new world but are "caved" in with Ameris to the point you feel ansty for something. Then that something happens and you have NO idea what path Ameris will lean towards. The end was so satisfying to say the least and it was a 5 stars soley for that. It's something I've been wanting to see for a long time. Ameris feels naive, resentful, and always pulled to the whims of others because of that. But her dreams, and goals do not change. As much as others use her, and they do a lot of that, she uses them right back. In the end it comes up Ameris. Though I'm a little confused at the last few lines. So I can't wait to read the next book!

If you’re here for morally gray characters and anti-heroes, Born of Blood and Shadows by Jamye Smith is exactly the vibe. Ameris, our FMC, is a breath of fresh air in a genre filled with characters who wait around to be rescued. She’s fighting for her freedom, even if that means taking a darker path. Watching her navigate loss, rebellion, and her own brokenness was both empowering and devastating. I couldn’t help but root for her even as she spirals, because who doesn’t love a fierce woman fighting for what she wants?

The fae love interest, Xander, is a whole different kind of tension. Their dynamic is intense—rebellion, shadow magic, and the slow burn of wondering where their feelings truly lie. The dual POV adds so much depth, giving us insight into both Ameris and Xander’s struggles, and honestly, it kept me flipping pages. And then there’s Oberon… yeah, there’s a lot to unpack here.

The side characters are just as captivating, and the world-building pulls you into a realm filled with tension, battles, and complex relationships. Without spoiling anything, I’ll say that the ending took me by surprise in the best possible way. The twists and turns had me torn between Team Xander and Team Oberon—honestly, I’m still undecided.

I’m officially hooked on this series and can’t wait to see where it goes next. If you’re into morally gray heroines, fae rebellions, and plot twists that leave you gasping, this book is for you!

This has everything romantasy lovers are looking for! Magical bonds, found family, tension and spice, strong characters, epic battles, and best of all, shadow magic! This also has one of the best love triangles I've read in ages!! Normally, I can easily choose which team I wanna be on but I could not choose between Oberon or Xander, so I can't wait for the next book to see how it all develops! I also loveddd how Ameris is a bit selfish, she's focused on saving herself and not everyone else around her, it was very refreshing from all the self sacrificing heroines out there. The ending was crazy and I can not wait for book 2!!

‘Even the smallest splinter can cause the most pain. Remember that.’ 🩸

THAT ENDING THOUGH 😭😭😭! This was genuinely a quick easy read - it’s fab for readers who are new to reading fantasy/romance as it takes you right into the story without over complicating the writing/world building. The romance between the MCs (paired with some of the best tropes everrrr) hit the spot purrrfectly & after that cliffhanger, I can’t wait to dive into the next book!✨

🩸Love Triangle
🩸Forced Proximity (🩸 BOND🫡)
🩸Enemies to Lovers
🩸Witch Hunters & Fae

I wasn’t as quick as our heroine picking up this new world and that was the least of its problems.

Exiled for treasonous parents Ameris does her best to stay out of the way until her path crosses a Fae trafficked into the human world and when a bargain is struck she is thrust into a world of magic, betrayal and conquest.

This books seems as though it is checking boxes on what is trending right now and sometimes that works but others it breaks the fourth wall in a way Miley Cyrus would sing about and that’s never been more true than this book. The dialogue at times is clunky or worse leaning so far into what it’s selling it point blank tells you this is an enemies to lovers which was cringeworthy at best.

The characters are fine if not recycled again from stories similar which again can work if the plot is strong or fresh but this is one I had to stop twice because I was convinced I had already read this under a different title and had to double check. There is some clever maneuvering to explain away the quickness in which someone so naive to the world can hold their own and I do respect that but the rest I wasn’t able to get behind.

I think if you are looking to ride the wave of Fae and a sprinkle of smut this will scratch that itch for you but I unfortunately did mot get what I needed to continue.

•special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**