It's hard to stand out as a romantasy when there are so many good ones being published at the moment, which I think is why A Touch of Shadows missed the mark for me a bit. I did appreciate that it felt very easy to read and you could fall into the story within a couple of chapters, but I think some elements of the plot weren't as developed as I would have liked (though I suppose that is to be expected in a shorter book). Usually the romance is the saving grace for me in books like this, but even that felt lacking? Insta-lovey in a way that I didn't connect with. As much as I'm criticising it though, I did enjoy it as a quick, romantasy read, but it's not one I'll be swiftly diving back into for a re-read.

I was completely captivated by this enchanting story from start to finish. The forced proximity, fated mates, and slow burn romance between Wren and Finn had me hooked. However, I do wish we had more insight into Elodie’s backstory, specifically the challenges she faced and how she became so powerful. I truly felt for the characters, and their struggles and heartaches were deeply moving. Finn’s internal battle, torn between his lifelong role of hunting those with magical abilities and the magnetic pull he feels toward Wren, was particularly heartbreaking. Meanwhile, Wren is desperately trying to suppress her magic to stay hidden from those who want to destroy her. While the spice level was low, the plot developed nicely with several unexpected twists and turns.

*Thank you to Jessica Thorne, Second Sky and Netgalley for the Audio copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

A haunting romantasy, with a dark academia feel throughout. If you’re looking for a shadow daddy, dark magic, and magical creatures along the way. You’ll love this one.

A bit slow for me. Especially in the middle. I couldn’t quite immerse myself in the characters either. But overall much better than a lot of the fantasy books on the market.

Audiobook reader was great! So happy I got to read early through NetGalley.

A romantasy with world building that doesn’t overwhelm, great character development and a touch of good ol’ magic. Wren, who has shadow magic that she needs to keep hidden from people who hunt those that wield it. Finn is in one such mission but once he is attacked, Wren has no choice but to save him. Their journey might bring them together but it also brings darkness and truths they might not be ready for. Great for beginner fantasy readers like myself. I thought the narrator did a phenomenal job voicing the different characters from their points of view, all with much emotion that held my attention. Many thanks to the author and Bookouture Audio for an ALC.

First a Big thank you to NetGalley, the Author, the Publisher and the Narrator.

I will say that this Romantasy was fairly easy to follow and the Narrator made it very pleasant to listen to. I enjoyed it and would 100% recommend this.

It’s a short book and it is fast paced which makes for an easy and enjoyable read and very easy to listen to. In fact, I enjoyed it enough to order all three of them as physical copies.
There was a lot left unfinished and I can't wait for the rest of the story to unfold.

The romance was a love at first sight, I think, but it could have used a bit more depth and build-up for my taste. But maybe I just like it to be a bit more spicy. Also the world building could have used a bit more depth as well. But not too much. 😉

Overall, a very enjoyable read.

Thanks to the author and netgalley for the opportunity to listen the ALC.
This romanstacy was easy to read, it wasn't overwhelming to read and would be perfect for someone just dipping their toes into this genre. It was a very short fantasy read at just over 250 pages. I would have liked more world building and magic systems exploration.
I did feel like the romance was a bit rushed and love at first sight. I would have just liked more for a romanstacy book.
While the plot was fast paced, I did enjoy it.
But overall I did enjoy this book, it was quick easy read.
I enjoyed the narration, the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life.
I'm unsure if I will continue with the rest of the series.

While it has an interesting premise, the protagonist can only be described as "fearful" throughout the vast majority of the book. While the series does continue, I'm not sure I'm invested enough to keep going.

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.