Big thanks to NetGalley for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to start by saying that I received the audiobook version of this book and I really enjoyed the narrator. I think she did a good job representing the strength of certain characters as well as the timid nature of others. The pacing was perfect, keeping the reader engaged throughout the story.

That being said, A Touch of Shadows is a fantasy book that focuses on the battle between light and dark magic with a little romance thrown in. This is a shorter novel and the first in a series. While I really liked the story, I felt it was just warming up when it ended. To me this could be the first half of a larger novel but without having read the next in the series it's impossible to know if that is the intent of the author.

Regardless I really did like the book and am looking forward to continuing with the series.

Completely spellbound! 🌌 This audiobook is a mesmerizing blend of fantasy, intrigue, and romance that kept me captivated from start to finish.

The narration was absolutely fantastic! The voice brought the characters to life, making their emotions and adventures feel so vivid. I found myself completely immersed in the enchanting world Thorne has created, filled with magic and mystery.

What I loved most was the depth of the characters and their relationships. The protagonist's journey of self-discovery and the challenges she faces are both relatable and inspiring. The twists and turns in the plot had me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next!

If you’re looking for an audiobook that will transport you to another world and leave you wanting more this is it.

The narrator had just enough emotion in her voice that I wasn't bored while listening. Such a great romantic fantasy that had me curious from the prologue what would happen. Love the trope of hunter falling for the hunterd

Thank you Netgalley, Second Sky, and Jessica Thorne for the audio ARC of A Touch of Shadows.

This book showed great promise, but ultimately failed to deliver for me. There were some excellent pieces of lore and world-building which the author had begun developing and playing with, which appeared to have been given up, or had been pushed aside, in favour for the romance aspect of the storyline. Which was a great shame! It would have been fantastic if the author's editor had encouraged them to further develop the underlying lore and strengthened the worldbuilding, and left the romance simmering a bit more.

I listened to the audio version of this book, and have no complaints about the narrator, but was not overly bowled over, either.

Overall, this book just feels - to me - like it could have done with more considerate treatment.,

A Touch of Shadows by Jessica Thorne launches the Lost Queen series with a compelling mix of fantasy and romance, offering a brisk and engaging read. While it lacks extensive world-building, the story’s focus on character dynamics keeps it lively and accessible, especially for newcomers to the genre.

At the heart of the tale is Wren, a young woman grappling with her secretive shadow magic, and Finn, a noble knight on a quest for vengeance against his father’s dark legacy. Their worlds collide when Wren intervenes to save Finn from a mysterious creature, igniting a passionate bond that is overshadowed by the impending threat of war.

Thorne crafts relatable characters whose emotional struggles are compelling, even if the plot moves quickly and leaves some elements underexplored. The narrative’s pace and straightforward style make it an inviting choice for those seeking an easy entry into fantasy. With the groundwork laid for future adventures, I look forward to seeing how this story unfolds in the next installment.

thank you so much to netgalley and second sky for providing me with the audiobook!

first of all, i'd like to mention the narration. i think the narrator did a wonderful job with this and i could listen to it with no problems. i could truly get immersed into the book without being taken out of it throughout out.

onto the book itself:
a touch of shadow follows Wren, who has always been allured to the shadow magic, which is the same power the once ravaged her home kingdom, Asteroth. thus, she must keep this magic hidden and make sure she doesn't answer when it calls. we also follow Finn, the son of the ruler of Ilanthus, the enemy kingdom of Asteroth. Finn has never forgiven his father for his cruelty so he became a knight sworn to protect Asteroth and hunt down anyone who uses shadow magic. Finn acts as a spy for Asteroth in his own father's royal court.
whilst Finn is travelling, a creature captures him in the woods and Wren uses her magic to save him, and they instantly bond when Wren's magic floods through them both. at the same time, raiders from Ilanthus arrive at Wren's small town and they have to run, unable to explore this new connection.

i really enjoyed this and for me the standouts were Elodie and Roland, once we got their povs i was HOOKED!! like i enjoyed Wren and Finn's povs and loved getting to learn more about them, but Elodie and Roland were it for me. especially as i am not an insta-love type of girlie, but i do think it was done well in this one.
this book was also fast paced and definitely kept me captivated from beginning to end. i think the world building was done really well and how we were limited to what Wren knew about shadow magic and i definitely cannot wait to read the next instalment!

Thank you to Jessica Thorne, secondsky, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book!
I hate to say but this book just didn’t pull me in. I finished it in hopes the ending would be better. The world building was not the greatest and I truly wasn’t a fan of the love at first sight. This would be a great book for someone starting out in fantasy but just wasn’t for me.

Audio just wasn’t for me. The narrator was irritating. I just didn’t like it. I will try the book though to see if I like that. Thank you for the audio for a review.

Oκ so let's start with "This book wasn't for me", maybe is because I chose to hear the audiobook instead of reading the book. Narrator's voice irritate it me to say the least and I felt like snapping at her every time she was low voice yelling Wrennnnnn.
Said that, I am giving it 3 stars because somehow I managed to finish it and the story was interesting enough to keep me there until the end.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for my early copy. All opinions are mine and sincere.

This book is a fairly quick and an enjoyable read. I liked the story . I know I will be rereading it again in the future.

I recommend

Thanks to NetGalley I got to listen to an arc of this book & can I just say wow! I didn’t really care for the 3rd person writing but the story was so addicting I could look past it! The characters are all unique and I already want to jump into the next book to find out the rest of the story!

For fans of:
- Crown of Blood and Glass
- A Feather So Black

Wren has spent her entire life isolated in an enchanted forest, with no one but her guardian, a witch named Elodie. All her days are spent focusing on one thing: keeping out the darkness and embracing the light. But when Wren and Elodie are separated by witch hunters, Wren fears she has nothing left but the darkness.

This book includes:
- witches, forbidden magic, and enchanted forests
- feuds between kingdoms
- a trail of broken hearts
- fratricide
- secrets revealed
- cliffhanger ending

"A Touch of Shadows" deserves all the hype and more. This book is fantastically crafted with a very compelling storyline and captivating characters. I love Wren and Elodie, and the way readers get to see their pseudo-mother-daughter relationship develop as they face new threats. Their love is messy and complicated and raw and so so real. I'm sure many women will see aspects of their own relationship with their mothers reflected in Elodie and Wren's dynamic. I was also a huge fan of Finn. He is so honorable and devoted. I love a man who grovels.

Another element I enjoyed was the way truths are very slowly revealed throughout the narration. Like Wren, readers are given very few answers on how the world works and I thought this was an effective literary choice. Even the magic system in this book is pretty vague, however, I enjoyed the dark, twisted aspects of the supernatural forces. I am very eager for book 2 and am excited to see how different plotlines develop.

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Jessica Thorne, and Second Sky for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted to GoodReads check out my profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863

A beautifully narrated audiobook.

As a new listener of the romance/fantasy ‘romantasy’ genre, I felt this was a great introduction. The mother-daughter relationship between Elodie and Wren felt very touching throughout the whole story, and the chemistry between Wren and Finn, felt very supernatural even from their first meeting. Whilst I don’t think I’m a fan of instant devotion, this did make the situation more believable.

Without giving anything away, the end of the story was particularly climactic and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!

Overall, I found the world building between the light and dark magic systems really fascinating and I would have like more lore around this for my own curiosity. The characters were interesting and complex, and the writing style descriptive and atmospheric.

Due to the quick pacing in the story, I did sometimes find it difficult to keep up with the dialogue if I got distracted while listening. I don’t want to miss a single beautiful word which is why I am planning on rereading to fully appreciate the story. I think if you like this genre, then you’ll love this book.

Thank you to Jessica Thorne, NetGalley, and Second Sky for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! This is a quick read and a great pick for anyone new to the romantasy genre, and the world immediately draws you in. If you're a mood reader like me, it's also a great autumnal read as it takes you through dark and spooky woods as Wren and Finn embark on their adventure. I also really enjoyed the multiple POVs, and the characters were easy to root for (especially Elodie and Finn). I listened to the audiobook, and Helen Keeley did a masterful narration. I will absolutely be listening to more audiobooks narrated by her.

My main critique of this book is that I wish we had gotten more lore/world building. The historical conflict and magic system were really interesting, from the glimpses we saw, but I would have loved an even earlier prologue giving us some more insight into Elodie's beginnings. I also felt Wren was a bit underdeveloped as a character, but I'm hopeful she'll gain some more complexity as the series progresses.

All told, I would gladly spend more time in this world and am interested to see where the story goes from here.

A Touch of Shadows by Jessica Thorne is book one in The Lost Queen Series. If you like forbidden love, fantasy, enemies to lovers, hidden identities, forced travel, shadow magic, spicy, multiple POV’s, world building, prophecy, court intrigue, with a strong FMC then you will love this audiobook!

Wren, raised by Elodie, has been in hiding her whole life, her mom wants and pushes her to find the light. She feels like the darkness has been calling her, she doesn’t want to use her magic so she fights it, her mom is always warning her to never let the darkness into her life. Elodie is very intriguing, powerful, and has a mysterious past. She has the power to change the fate of anyone she comes into contact with.
Wren and Elodie’s village is attacked by Ilanthian, Wrens escapes into the dark forest and that’s where she meets Finn, a knight who wants to protect her and they soon feel drawn to each other.

This is the first book I’ve listened to by Jessica and I can’t wait to read more. Jessica did a great job with the storyline, plot, and world building. She did a great job with the characters and I’m very interested to see where Wren’s story is going, I’m so intrigued by Elodie and wonder what secrets she has, and can’t wait to see what happens between Wren and Finn. I couldn’t stop listening to this book and it kept my attention. I can’t wait to see what Jessica does with the world building. I think Helen Kelley did a fantastic job with the narration, I was really impressed. Thank you to NetGalley, Second Sky, and Jessica Thorne for letting me listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. Sorry for the very late review, August was a rough month I lost someone who was a second dad to me and I got behind on my ARCS.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author Jessica Thorne and the publishers for the review copy of this audiobook!

I absolutely adored the blurb of this book, and for the most part I loved the story line as well. For me however, I felt that something was always lacking, I just needed more.

It is a super easy read, easy to follow along with. Will recommend to anyone who wants an easy romantasy. Its not heavy on the world building and character development. Its simply a relaxing read to pick up.

I am unsure if maybe that could be portrayed slightly different for those reading the book, since I did listen to the audiobook.

Sorry but I had to dnf this book. It just simply wasn't for me, although I do love fantasy. Something just gave me the icky dn I can't pinpoint what exactly it was.

While I was eager to enjoy this book, I found it difficult to remain fully engaged. The writing is undeniably beautiful, but I wonder if the narrator may have influenced my overall experience. I struggled to connect with the characters on a deeper level.

Nevertheless, I intend to give the book another opportunity by reading it on my Kindle, hoping that this different format may offer a new perspective. Despite my initial challenges, there were several aspects of the book I appreciated, and I remain hopeful that a second reading will provide a more favorable experience.

"A Touch of Shadows" is such a fun listen! Jessica Thorne creates a magical world that pulls you right in, and the mix of fantasy and romance keeps things exciting. The narrator does an awesome job, bringing the characters to life with their voices and emotions. I found myself totally hooked and didn’t want to stop! If you’re into stories about love, adventure, and a bit of mystery, this audiobook is definitely worth a listen. Perfect for a cozy day or a long drive!

Best describing word: Forbidden.
Wren and Finn are a *Chefs Kiss* perfect pair. Saving the kingdom with the magic she's hidden for so long... Ugh.
I loved the narrator and the different voices made it easy to follow/envision the character swaps.