Where Shadows Meet focuses on what is more important: love or power? Different characters are willing to give up one or the other to meet their goals. A Sapphic vampire and goddess story? You have my attention. This is YA, but there are some snippets of spice.

It is an interesting take on vampirism and the logistics of that. The world feels large, and like there is still a lot we don't know about. However, there are a lot of aspects of this book that could make it hard to follow if you can't sit and devour it in only a few sittings (lots of POVs, some time jumping, diary entries). Some of this may be sorted out if the story continues because it could be a case of a book one world building info dump.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

First book in a duology, slow burn romance. BIPOC Queer vampires, sapphic romance, and a world of gods, humans, and vampires at war?? What more do you need to want to read this series? The story follows Favre and Thana first, Favre is the daughter of gods and has wings... which she sacrifices for Thana, a princess trapped by her family to give her powers... which she uses to kill her father and drink her blood, thus bringing a curse upon them both as they've essentially become vampires, can't be in sunlight and must feed on blood. When their powers are threatened, Thana is locked in a curse and Favre is forced to wander alone waiting to find the key to break said curse and awaken her. Then a thousand years go by and there is a war between vampires, humans, and gods.... and we follow three new characters: Layla, the sheltered crown princess of vampires, her best friend, and Najja, a seer who goes to help. All their fates are intertwined and told from past and present, various POVS, and journal entries. This book was not great, like I can see the premise drawing people in and making you curious however, the actual execution and story is lacking. The characters felt barely fleshed out and kind of blended, the story itself was all over the place and not exactly easy to follow, and the whole book just felt boring. I felt myself disconnecting various times and just trying to make it to the end of the book. I unfortunately will not be continuing with this series. I give this book points for having Queer rep and BIPOC romances... but thats all I can really give it points for.

Release Date: April 1, 2025

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

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This was a super interesting premise and fresh take on vampires. There was lots of interesting backstory and world building. I will definitely be recommending this to anyone looking for a quick, YA fantasy read.

I was provided both an ARC and ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this. The audiobook has several narrators, which is helpful as the story is told from Favre, Leyla, and Najja's perspectives. As many of the characters in this book are female and the POVs are female it really helped having a distinct voice as the POVs switched. This doesn't alternate between chapters, though it is mainly told in the present from Najja and Leyla's point of views with sprinklings of the past here and there from Favre's perspective. I also found it helpful to have a copy of the ebook handy as there are lots of characters and new names to keep track of. The ebook also has a handy family tree to look at and an explanation of the vampire bloodlines which are important. The audiobook will come with a PDF of supplemental information, the ALC did not so I don't know what all it contains.

This follows Leyla, a vampire, Crown Princess, and descendant of the original vampire. She tries to live up to her mother's expectations but always seems to fall short. When the capital comes under attack by strange monsters and Leyla's best friend is captured, she vows to save her. Her mother forbids her, but she has chosen to take fate into her own hands this time. Najja is a yamaja and her people are the messengers of fate, and her fate is tied to Leyla in some way. They team up to find Leyla's missing friend and possibly prevent the world from ending. As Leyla and Najja are on their quest, Favre a powerful and old vampire awakens from a long sleep and is determined to awake her true love who has also been asleep for very long time. Favre has sacrificed much for Thana and will continue to sacrifice to awaken her again, even if it ends in destruction.

We get some great info about Thana and Favre's relationship in the past and how the vampire bloodlines/classes came to be. We also get some background on the world and how everything works which I appreciated. Favre is on a mission to awaken her love and will do anything to get her back, but I can see the cracks in the foundation starting to form or atleast I hope I do. I'm hoping Favre comes to her senses about how much she has sacrificed for Thana, and Thana hasn't done much but manipulate and take from those around her. As for Leyla and Najja, their relationship is only just beginning to blossom, and I expect it to develop further as the series progresses. There are some more mature themes, but nothing graphic, gory, or detailed for YA readers who are ready for something on the more mature side of the age range.

I am really looking forward to where this series goes. This does end on a cliffhanger but you could see it coming well in advance. I thought the pacing was good, we got good character development, and I love a good YA fantasy that discusses some bigger topics. This does have trigger warnings so make sure you read the author's note before picking this up, she addresses them there.

Shared this review for the ALC as well!

THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD! Oh my, where do I begin?

This black sapphic vampire slow-burn romance was the perfect start to my April reading. We have three expertly written POV's that usher us into this world where vampires, gods, and humans exist in the same space, definitely giving a different spin on the traditional vampire stories. The relationship that blooms between Layla, Crown Princess of the Vampiric race, and Naja, a Yamaja, was quite precious. They didn't really know what to make of each other because they were clearly on opposite sides of the conflict, making them understandably cautious in their dealings with each other. Slow burns are not usually my go-to choice of trope. However, I enjoyed this one because it made sense, and the moments of awkwardness did not linger long. This cast of women was written with amazing strength and vulnerability. They were young but not childish, and their issues were valid. The ending left me wanting more, in a good way!

World-building top tier
Character-building top tier
Affection on the page top tier
Multiple POV expertly written
Dual timelines written in a manner that was followable and made sense
Vampires, Humans, Fates, and Witches, OH MY!

I had the pleasure of receiving the ALC of this amazing book. Alexis Campbell, Khaya Fraites, and Melinda Sewak, you ladies did a top-notch job with the voice acting! You really added color to this already exciting story.

I had the pleasure of a tandem read/listen experience and it was AMAZING!!


I don't have the words to properly express how good this felt, and I am afraid I will begin to spoil it. This was a good time.

Thank you, Netgalley, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, and Patrice Caldwell for the ARC of this phenomenal book!

I am voluntarily leaving my honest review!

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC.

There wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with this one. Just a lot of info dumping at the beginning (I should have known when there was a giant section with the royal family tree and blood lines) and I was bored and wasn’t interested enough to continue.

You have no idea what I’ve done for love. Just as you have no idea what you may one day do.

Once long ago, a girl named Favre sacrificed her wings for love. Thana, the young goddess she so willingly gave them up for, sacrificed that same love for power. But everything has a cost.

Favre never got over the loss of her wings. And Thana’s choices led to a life of eternal night, and later, their destruction. Favre has bided her time ever since, waiting for the chance to resurrect the girl she loves who turned her into the creature she hates.

Now, a thousand years later, Leyla, the crown princess of a vampire nation, must travel to Nekros, the island of the dead, when her best friend is captured during an attack on her nation’s capital. But nothing is as it seems. The closer she gets to her goal, the more her body seems to work against her, and the more she risks awakening an ancient evil and destroying everything she holds dear.

Set in the aftermath of a war between vampires, humans, and the gods that created them, Patrice Caldwell’s devastatingly romantic fantasy debut, Where Shadows Meet, centers the heart-wrenching pain of loss and the struggle of self-discovery to ask: do we choose our fates, or do our fates choose us?

This book is categorized as young adult literature, and I concur with that classification. If presented to high school students, I believe they would appreciate a new lore of gods and vampires written to reflect them, especially after having to read the classics for school assignments. Consequently, I can literature teachers pairing this with Greek tragedies as a means of demonstrating how they can be reimagined into new and unique. Regarding book itself, the length is, and I believe one would be satisfied with reading this a standalone or as part of the intended duology.

What a mesmerizing debut! Patrice writes a rich, complex fantasy world that blends mythology, romance, and supernatural intrigue. The first in a duology, Where Shadows Meet brings a new spin to the traditional vampire lore while centering on a powerful Black sapphic narrative.

The story spans a thousand-year arc, beginning with the heart-wrenching tale of Favre and Thana – a relationship defined by sacrifice, love, and betrayal. This sets things in motion for the present timeline where we follow Najja, a fierce seer, and Leyla, the malichora crown princess, as they journey to the Island of the Dead to save her best friend.

Patrice excels in crafting complex characters with layered motivations. This story explores fraught familial relationships, especially mother-daughter dynamics, and how to forge your own path once your fate has been decided.

I thought the romance between Leyla and Najja developed a bit too quickly for me and I wasn't a fan of the mini third act conflict between them. I think the relationship would've had a stronger impact if it was more of a slow burn, drawing out some of the confessions into the 2nd book. Because of this, the pacing occasionally felt uneven, particularly during their journey to Nekros. It felt a bit too easy to travel to this island that is something only one person was able to do in a thousand years, so I was expecting a longer and more difficult journey.

All that said, Patrice really sets up a promising foundation for the second book in this duology. I can't wait to see where this story goes. I especially hope we get more insight into Thana's mind, because she is such a fascinating character!

Where Shadows Meet is a captivating story of fate, sacrifice, and the lengths one might go to for love.

Read if you love:
🩸vampire origin
☁️gods and goddesses
🩸sapphic fantasy
☁️fate and destiny
🩸complex mythological narratives

Sapphic vampires, gods, monsters, and an epic journey? That’s a recipe for a fantasy I should have devoured. And while I could definitely see the author’s vision and ambition, this one just didn’t hit for me.

The story was weighed down by heavy info dumping, and I found it difficult to stay grounded in the shifting POVs—it left me feeling more confused than captivated.

That said, I did push through because the potential is there, and I truly hope this series finds the readers who will fall in love with the world the author worked so hard to build.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers, for approving me for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was very excited to dive into this book! The synopsis pulled me in immediately! However, I felt the execution fell flat for me. When I started reading Where Shadows Meet, I was quite confused about what was happening. I thought it would become clearer as I read on, but the info-dumping made it even more complicated to understand. It was overwhelming. It took me a bit longer to finish this book because of this, and by the time I was done, I didn’t remember much. I loved the premise, but unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.

I had a hard time with the world building. It was really heavy and a lot at the beginning. I was lost.

I DNFed at 45%

First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! For a debut, this one was really good! Definitely worth the read!

Only made it about 50% into this one, and I wanted to like it so bad but just couldn’t get into the story!! It has an insanely cool premise and a collection of sick female leads, but the pacing was off and I couldn’t find myself emotionally invested in the storylines. Maybe I’ll pick this one back up in the future!

I want to thank @pncaldwell @stmartinspress for the #gifted e-book and @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2025 for the #gifted audiobook.

This book was truly captivating. I enhanced my reading experience by enjoying it alongside the audiobook for a fully immersive journey.

The narrative centers on Favre, who courageously sacrifices her wings for the love of Thana, a young goddess. However, Thana's choices ultimately lead her to destruction. Now, a thousand years later, Favre is determined to resurrect Thana, willing to go to any lengths to achieve it. Meanwhile, Layla, the princess of the vampire nation, embarks on a quest to find her best friend, risking the awakening of an ancient evil in the process.

As the first installment in an enthralling duology, this book offers a relatively quick yet deeply engaging read. The story unfolds from multiple perspectives and timelines, enriching the backstory of a world inhabited by gods, humans, and vampires. The pacing is steady, the writing flows seamlessly, and it keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The ending delivers a tantalizing cliffhanger that leaves you eager to discover what happens next.

If you're drawn to tales of vampires, gods, and intricate mysteries, this book is a must-read. Be sure to mark your calendars for its release on April 1, 2025!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC of this book.

To start, Where the Shadows Meet is a perfect example of how to do a cliffhanger right. There is some resolution but you know lingering there is going to be a bigger problem- I despise the ones that cut off right at a peak moment leaving you completely in the dark of what is to happen next.

This is a fantasy world with a lot of world building- you do have to accept that you will have no real idea on what is going on for awhile and trust that it will all come together eventually. I enjoyed the historical portion of this and the fact that there does not seem to be a love triangle involved, PHEW

I rounded up from a 3.5 because I loved the representation in this story, the potential in the types of vampires/beings and I am intrigued to know more when the 2nd book in this duology comes out.

I think that this has the potential to be a good series. But, man, me and this first book just really didn't mesh very well. I sort of think it was the writing style--It was descriptive to the point that it would pull me out of the story sometimes., yet it was still so surface level. It was like the wrong things were being lore dumped onto me. The POV shifts made my brain hurt, too. The first person, the third person, the epistolary bits, it was just not for me. I didn't dislike the characters, but because of the story they found themselves in, they didn't really get a chance to shine. It felt like their feelings and choices weren't supported by the narrative or writing style.
I don't know. I wanted to like this, and I do think that some people will, but I haven't decided yet if I'm willing to continue in this series.

A story of goddesses, vampires, magic and war.

A long time ago, Favre cut off her wings so that the girl she loved (Thana) loved could have powers. Theresa sacrifice though included losing the sun and led them to have to feed off of blood of others and a cursed life.

I was so excited for this, description had so many exciting elements, sometimes too descriptive of writing and not enough action.

This may just be one of those series where the first book is the worst book and is there for foundational knowledge. Would read more but this was just okay for me.

Great narration!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 4/1/25.

Where Shadows Meet is a dark and sapphic story from Patrice Caldwell. The lore behind this story is rich and detailed. Once upon a time, a girl named Favre cut her wings off for love. In the present day, a princess and a seer are fated to cross paths and either save or doom the world. I enjoyed the flashback sections which showed how the characters have arrived at this point. There is a lot of complex world-building so I am excited to see how the story continues in book two now that so much has been established.

Readers who enjoy slow-burn sapphic romance, detailed lore, and sapphic vampires should check out Where Shadows Meet.

Thank you so much to Patrice Caldwell, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

I really enjoyed the multiple POV's I love how we got both Leyla and Najja as the main characters but we also got in a way the villains Thana and Favre. I liked how it kept going back in time and we got the story of Thana and Favre over time and got to really understand it. I like how Leyla and Najja had a lot in common but where also so different from each other. I like the relationship they built and how they were always there for each other no matter what and knew what the other needed. I enjoyed the world and how we got the Royal Family Tree and the Bloodlines of Mnara. I liked that I could go back and reference those as needed.

I can't wait to read the next book! Thank you so much Patricia Caldwell and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to be apart of the ARC team!❤️

2.5 stars: I love black romantasy, but this missed the mark for me :(

Where Shadows Meet had such a cool premise warring vampires, forbidden love, and ancient prophecies? Yes, please! But the execution didn’t quite live up to the hype. The world building felt surface-level, and instead of truly immersing me in the lore, it read more like a summary at times. Plus, the constant shifts between first and third person (with diary entries thrown in) made the story feel disjointed and spoiled major plot points too soon in my opinion...

There were so many moments that should have been epic, but it fell flat. I really wanted to love this one, but it just didn’t pull me in the way I hoped. If you’re into fantasy stories with unique vampire lore, you might enjoy it, but for me, it missed the mark.