Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell is a dark, gripping sapphic vampire romantasy that blends love, sacrifice, and the complexity of fate. The story follows Leyla, the crown princess of a vampire nation, on her dangerous journey to Nekros to rescue her best friend. Along the way, the novel delves into the pain and sacrifice of the past, with complex characters like Favre and Thana, whose choices and love have shaped their fates in haunting ways. The tension between love and power is palpable, and the eerie journey to the Island of the Dead had me hooked from start to finish.

The world-building and shifting timelines can be a bit tricky at first, but Caldwell's immersive prose and deep character development made it an emotionally rewarding read. The dark romance at the heart of the story is tender yet intense, pulling you into the characters' struggles for self-discovery and redemption. If you're a fan of intricate fantasy with high stakes and emotional depth, Where Shadows Meet is an unforgettable journey that lingers long after the final page.

Caldwell, as an author, has such bursting creativity when it comes to worldbuilding and lore for their characters held within Where Shadows Meet. The rich, vast history of the setting paired with the braided timelines of royal families lends to a dramtic story of queer, sapphic romance involving my personal favorite: vampires. That all being said, there were moments that the information was shared in a manner that one could describe as an "info dump", and the pacing would drag and then suddenly catapult in development.

This is my first queer romance fantasy and it did not disappoint. The women in this book are incredible strong determined capable and strong. I did find it a little difficult to keep track of characters with the multiple pics. But it gets easier as you read you notice differences in the characters and their tone.

A fantasy world with gods, vampires and humans all trying to survive after their world gets flipped upsidedown feyre is strong and desperate to save them all. There is a lot of world building and back story to get through but once you do it's amazing!

This was my first book by Patrice Caldwell. This was an interesting read! I enjoyed it and I look forward to reading more books in this genre.

Where Shadows Meet is a really fun, creative, and emotional YA (maybe even "new adult"?) fantasy. The world-building and the different factions of vampires got a little confusing at times, I would have liked to read the paper version so I could flip back and forth to the compendium that is in the front of the book, I think. The characters have depth and their motivations are clear. I would have like a little more backstory on Najja, and why she is so committed to her people and their "duty" even though they have caused her so much harm, and why she is scared to reveal her true self to them. I also found the flipping back and forth between the same character but sometimes past/sometimes present got a little muddy.
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and will probably look for the sequel when it's available. If you're a *~vibes~* reader and willing to leave a book with a lot of questions, you might like it, too!

Wow wow wow! This book is so refreshing and amazing! A totally unique world, history and story wrapped around readers favorite things, like vampires, war, cliffhangers, and love. I think I fell hardest for one of the villains from the first chapter because the author did such an amazing job making you feel for her. The light build up on romance between Leyla and Najja was so sweet - I loved the tension and especially loved when the slow burn ignited a bit. I want more of Favre. I want her to get her wings back. It's a fantasy world right? Am I asking for too much? haha

I flew through this book. The world did not feel too big or overwhelming. And give me more queer-centric x queer-NORMALIZED fantasy worlds. This was perfection!

I loved the dark, romantic atmosphere of Where Shadows Meet—a gripping vampire fantasy filled with love, sacrifice, and destiny. The rich prose and immersive world-building pulled me in, and the tension between past and present choices made the stakes feel real. The journey to the Island of the Dead was eerie and compelling, and I was completely invested in the characters’ fates. A haunting, beautifully written tale that lingers long after the final page.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 🧛‍♀️ Vampire Fantasy | 💔 Sacrifice & Love | 🏝️ Epic Quest

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really loved this one! I am not the best at writing reviews sometimes, but sometimes books take you by surprise and this one did just that. I got invested a few chapters in and couldn't put it done. It was so good! I highly recommend this one.

This just wasn't the book for me. I tried to get into it several times but the world felt rather info dumpey and I wasn't particularly draw to any character's story.

This was not the book for me. Normally, any books with sapphic vampires are, but I was most interested in the first three pages of this and it was all downhill from there. I felt like everything was moving too fast and the characters were very surface level.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

While I did mostly enjoy Where Shadows Meet overall, there were some aspects that fell flat for me. There is a solid foundation of the world and the characters and I liked how the story unfolded between past and present, as well as the new take on vampires and the other mythology of the world woven in. However, I had a difficult time staying engaged in this book, especially in the first half. There is a lot of info dumping that becomes overwhelming at times with everything there is to keep up with. I also didn’t feel as much of a connection to the characters as I would have liked. We do go deep into their backstories, but it doesn’t feel like we get to spend as much time with them in the present or actually get to see their character arcs unfold. Particularly with Leyla and Najja. I liked their friendship turned relationship, but I just wanted more from it. We don’t get to see them learn to trust each other despite being made to hate the other’s kind their whole lives. We don’t get to see the friendship develop into feelings and a relationship, it is just suddenly there. As far as the plot, I liked the idea of these two going an adventure to save Leyla’s friend and the complications of Najja being able to know part of the future, but we don’t get to this part of the story until halfway through the book, and a lot of the back half feels rushed. I am still looking forward to the sequel in the duology, as I am invested enough to care about what happens to the world and these characters, but I wish this first book could have had a better balance between world building, characters, and plot.

Patrice Caldwell’s Where Shadows Meet is a lush, atmospheric fantasy that seamlessly weaves mythology, romance, and destiny into a spellbinding tale. Set in the aftermath of a war between vampires, humans, and gods, the novel follows Leyla, a vampire princess who embarks on a perilous journey to Nekros, the island of the dead, in search of her missing friend. But as she unravels long-buried secrets, she risks awakening an ancient force tied to a tragic love story that has shaped the world she knows.

At the heart of the novel is the devastatingly romantic and hauntingly tragic relationship between Favre and Thana—a love that led to betrayal, sacrifice, and an unending thirst for redemption. Caldwell masterfully crafts an intricate world where fate and free will collide, exploring deep themes of loss, identity, and the lengths we go to for love.

With rich prose, breathtaking stakes, and a dark, immersive setting, Where Shadows Meet will captivate fans of The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri and Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. It’s a heart-wrenching and evocative debut that lingers long after the final page.

What an amazing read.The author brought to life incredible characters and a world rich with history. The more I read, the more I was pulled into the story. The characters felt real and their journey was full of twists. The world she created is full of secrets and magic that kept me hooked from start to finish. I couldn’t put it down, and I’m still thinking about it.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

An absolutely amazing debut fantasy!! The worldbuilding and lore was to fun to read and was so well explained. And it's sapphic, so it's obviously awesome.

Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell is a mesmerizing YA fantasy novel that blends mythology, vampire lore, and queer romance. The story follows Favre, Leyla, and Najja, whose intertwined narratives explore themes of love, power, and destiny. Favre’s diary entries reveal her tragic past with the Vampire Goddess Thana, whose prophesied return shapes the novel’s high stakes. Leyla, the vampire princess, embarks on a dangerous journey to rescue her best friend, with Najja, a spirit-seeing yamaja, as her reluctant companion. The worldbuilding is rich and atmospheric, with an intricate history of gods and vampires that adds depth to the plot. However, the pacing can be uneven, making some moments feel rushed while others drag. Despite this, the book delivers compelling characters, a beautifully crafted slow-burn romance, and a captivating story that makes it a must-read for fans of dark, romantic fantasy.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this ARC of Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell.

I was immediately intrigued by this novel after reading the description on NetGalley, as I’m a fan of vampire stories. This sapphic, dark fantasy romance is set in a post-war world where vampires and humans battle, along with the gods who created them. The story follows a vampire princess on a mission to rescue her best friend, taken during an attack on her kingdom, leading her to the Island of the Dead. Along the way, she meets a fate weaver and unexpectedly falls in love.

While I don’t often read YA due to the sometimes immature characters, I found the characters here to be mature and engaging. The pacing is steady, and although the book starts with a complex family tree, the information is revealed gradually, making it easier to follow. The story alternates between past and present and uses three viewpoints, which can be a bit confusing, but the author keeps everything clear and concise. Overall, this is a fresh, enjoyable take on the vampire/human war trope, with gods and fate weavers adding an intriguing twist.

ok loved this! the world-building was so rich, and the vampire lore felt fresh and unique. leyla was such a compelling main character, and i loved following her journey—so much tension, adventure, and emotion. the mix of mythology, magic, and high stakes kept me hooked the whole time. definitely a new favorite!

📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖
Title: Where Shadows Meet
Author: Patrice Caldwell
Page Count: 320
Format: Ebook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Number: 24
Dates Read: 2/1-2
Review: I was given this free advanced copy, and I leave this review voluntarily.

The first impression was that the cover was gorgeous, and the synopsis sounded great. When entering the world, I was put off slightly by the world building, but quickly, I was able to distinguish the characters and the duel timeline. The pacing was medium, and the character development was done well. I truly got invested in the characters, and I will definitely be reading the second book. Which I need right now! I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy with a slightly darker side.

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: YA Dark Romantasy
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: April 1, 2025

Multiple POV + Dual Timelines
Vampires + Witches
Sapphic Romance
Witty Banter
Forbidden Love
Toxic Relationship

This was a great debut fantasy! I loved how the author developed the lore throughout, especially how she starts the book by creating the first vampire. The vibes are immaculate, especially if you enjoy mythology! I am a little sad. This one is fairly short and it ends on a cliffhanger, so prepare thusly 😅 I can't wait to see where Leyla and Najja's story goes in the next book!


Thank you so much, Wednesday Books and NetGalley, for the digital review copy!

This was a quick read that really harkens back to the melodrama of the Vampire Diaries days. I think teens who enjoy fantasy worlds will enjoy dipping into this vampire story as it bleeds a little out of being strictly paranormal.