Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Publishing) for the ARC.

A Touch of Shadows by Jessica Thorne has a a great plot premise, and an interesting magic system I wanted to learn more about. Ultimately the story fell a bit short for me.
The worldbuilding is very light, and I found the FMC to be very weak.
I am hopeful that the remainder of books in the series can fulfill what was missing in book 1.

Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC.
The cover instantly grabbed my attention. I love reading fairytale retellings, and this one gave me a Repunzal vibe.
Meet our main character, Wren— a recluse who lives in isolation by a hedgewitch in a tower. Her mundane life takes a turn when Finnian Ward arrives in town. Their attraction is instantaneous, and from here, the adventure begins.
The magic, dark words—everything strengthens the plot.
Note: it sends with a cliffhanger!

#ATouchofShadows #NetGalley

A Touch of Shadows is book one in The Lost Queen series by Jessica Thorne.
This book is fantastically crafted with a very compelling storyline and captivating characters.
A wonderful Romantasy story and I can’t wait for the second title!

Rating-
4/5 stars

Genre-
Romantasy

Age Rating For It-
16 or 17+ because there is definitely some violence in the book with some fighting, killing and burning of villages and people. On the romance level there is definitely some spice, (only one spice scene though) but it’s nothing too explicit or detailed which is why the age rating isn’t higher and if you want to it’s pretty easy to skip too.

Tropes-
Insta lust (pretty much)
Lost queen
Unknown heritage
Mystical powers
Evil force of power

Quotes-

“Let it try, she thought fiercely. Let it try to take her child away.”

“We fight the Nox, now and always, with flame and sword.”

“It was all past. It was all gone. There was only her. His dark queen. A goddess of shadows thought long-lost. And he was hers.
Just as it was always meant to be.”

“He knew her. He worshiped her. He had been a fool to think he would ever escape.”

“There was something about him, something like an addiction just waiting for her to fall prey to.”
“We are Witchkind. We will live free or die.”

“He was hers. He knew it better than he knew his own name. Hers. Her creature. Now and forever.”

“He was the wild animal, the hunter, and the forest itself. He was death waiting in the darkness. He was a firestorm.”

“Show him. Show him how wrong he is. They have grown arrogant, these kings, without my hand at their throat. Make him bow and beg.”

“No, my love. This isn’t you, little bird. Please, stop. Don’t give in to the shadows. Let go of it, Wren. Just let go. Help is coming.”

“The things you do to me, Wren…”

“‘Even if I am a monster’….’You could never be a monster,’ she told him and smiled as she pushed herself up on her elbows so she could press her lips to his. ‘You’re mine. I want you. All of you.’”

“She was everything. That was all he needed to know. She was darkness and light, Hope and fear, pleasure and longing so deep it was the twin of pain. He was lost in her, and he couldn’t bring himself to fight that, let alone care.”

“‘Tomorrow we leave for Pelias,’ she whispered, unable to hid her fear. ‘And everything is going to change, isn’t it?’
‘Yes,’ he said at last. ‘I’m afraid it is. But I’ll be there with you. I promise.’”

Thoughts/Would I Recommend This?-
I honestly loved this book and devoured this book in almost one sitting. The past few books I’ve read have honestly been not great, and I have been really wanting to read a good book again, and when I started this one I knew I would like it. I was a bit worried about the insta lust aspect of the whole thing because I hadn’t read many books with that trope, but I liked this one a lot and I thought it made sense in the whole plot of the book. All in all, l I definitely recommend this book to read, and I personally loved it and think others will too!

I’ll be honest, the cover immediately got my attention and the blurb had me applying for this ARC so quickly.

To start, I found this to start off slowly. I have read lots of fantasy and know the world building takes some time but I felt like it took a very long time with not a lot of detail. The plot is a fast paced and seems to move places quickly which was a bit confusing for me. It was very love at first sight with not a lot of growth & I am definitely w slow burn kinda gal. The characters didn’t greatly get my attention. I did appreciate the glossary at the start of the book, I always enjoy those when reading a fantasy. I found myself skimming at the end, unfortunately this wasn’t a top book for me.

This book is great for someone new to fantasy and understanding the different levels that make up a world.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to view this as an ARC.

I overall enjoyed A Touch of Shadows; it was a very easy and quick read.

However, some of the aspects of the book wasn't complete, like the world building and the magic system. In addition, the romance was insta-love, but then not explored for most of the book.

I do enjoy the multiple POVS, though.

Thank you NetGalley for the early access of this book!

This story had good potential but the relationship between Wren and Finn didn't feel real which made liking the characters all the harder. Some of the repetitive monologuing could have been swapped for better character development of the main characters. The premise of this story was intriguing though and the magic of dark and light kept me reading.

Thank you Forever for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley.

A Touch of Shadows grabbed my attention right from the start. As soon as I read the description, and it felt like a retelling of Rapunzel, I was hooked. However, I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical—I’ve never been a big fan of retellings. But I should’ve had more faith! Jessica Thorne takes this classic story and makes it uniquely her own in a way that’s fresh, engaging, and full of intrigue.

The book follows Wren, a young woman raised in isolation by a hedgewitch in a tower on the edge of the mysterious Darkwoods. Her life seems quiet and peaceful, until Finnian Ward arrives in town. He rescues her during an encounter, only for Wren to return the favor and rescue him later that day. This marks the beginning of a much bigger adventure for Wren, one where her previously quiet life is turned upside down.

One of the aspects I really enjoyed was how the story explores Wren’s internal struggle between light and dark. She’s always been told to keep the darker parts of herself under control, but once she’s thrust into this new and dangerous world, she must confront that inner darkness in a way she never has before. Watching her grapple with this, especially as she uncovers secrets about her past, was incredibly engaging.

The magic system in this book was another standout. I love how well the author did with blending the light and dark aspects of magic in a way that feels both rich and integral to the plot. The way Wren’s powers evolve throughout the story adds layers to her character, making her journey all the more compelling.

Warning, this book ends on a cliffhanger, leaving me desperate to know what happens next. That ending makes me eager to pick up the next book in the series—I need to know what’s coming for Wren! Overall, this was a captivating read that expertly mixes magic, mystery, and personal growth. If you’re a fan of dark fantasy or fairy tale retellings that feel both nostalgic and new.

I appreciated the length of this book, it was quick and concise and still got the hints that were needed. One point from me is I thought the beginning part was kind of dragging the story. Once Finn and Wren meet and we see more of how the magic works in this world, I felt fully engaged with the book. I was also more interested to know the mystery and secrecy from Elodie and Roland, but that’s mostly because it’s not fully revealed that made me more intrigued towards them. I wish we got more descriptions when they were battling Leander’s group, at some point in the fight the description will lose me for a bit. I thought the second half of this book was the best part, and I enjoyed reading multiple POVs made us glimpse more into Wren, Finn, Elodie and even Roland. It gave enough storyline without revealing all the cards. Will be reading book two because I want to know more.

It’s official! I just finished my first ARC!

A Touch of Shadows follows Wren and Finn as they navigate the world of dark magic, evil siblings, and deep secrets. The magic feels very similar to The Shepherd King series, but without the cards. Fitted with a forbidden love romance, this book meets those spicy requirements of any good romantasy!

I wanted so bad to get into this book. I just never felt connected with the characters. I think the author has a really great concept, but the whole thing just felt a bit rushed. I need MORE romance, MORE world building, break this book into 2! Or even, just make it more than 200 pages. Romantasy readers are committed to the story and ready for longer books. I will definitely read more from Jessica Thorne in the future, but I just felt unsatisfied from this one.

⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️🌶️/5

Overall, I enjoyed reading Wren’s story.

I liked the darkness versus light dilemma she faced, as well as her overall development as a character coming into her own power and agency. The flashbacks also helped put some puzzle pieces together.

I wish we had gotten a little more detail about what exactly the magic was doing to Wren when she reached for it; it was teased but never fully described on page. Everyone around her sees something but what is it? Do her eyes change color, does her skin glow, something else?? I wanted more details.

Also, while the romance was interesting, it felt forced at times because magic was so intertwined with how they met — I think they needed a little more time to develop their relationship apart from the magic so it would not feel like a compulsion.

That said, I enjoyed TOS and am looking forward to book 2!

A solid 3.5 stars!

This was a great start to a fantasy series! Wren has been hidden away in a tower in a forest far on the edges of a kingdom, raised by Elodie, a hedge witch. It gives very much Rapunzel retelling, and I throughout enjoyed that aspect! When witch hunters come for them, the two women are separated and Wren finds herself with a knight, Finn. For the first time in her life, she has to trust in herself and forge her own path, but not everything is as it seems. Wren goes on a journey to find the truth about herself, about Elodie, and about her now close knight.
The writing and world-building was perfect for someone just starting out in fantasy! I truly enjoyed the whimsical, witchy vibes and loved discovering this world almost at the same time Wren seemed to be. I do wish there was more character development, and I didn’t feel as attached to the characters as I would have liked, but the story is so fast-paced and action packed that I didn’t mind it too much! The romance felt magical, and Finn’s devotion truly was swoon-worthy. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and am excited to see where the rest of the series goes!

Thank you NetGalley, Sky Second, and Jessica Thorne for this ARC!
I loved the Rapunzel retelling aspects of this book. I also loved the witchy, woodsy, themes.
The world building was a little underwhelming throughout the actual story, but a lot is explained in the glossary. I think this makes it a perfect read for someone just getting into the fantasy genre.
I typically don’t mind the insta-love trope, but in this case I felt like it took away from the potential of Wren and Finn’s relationship and character development. I didn’t feel a whole lot between them throughout their dialogue, and hoped for more tension.
This read was a quick, exciting adventure. Thorne’s writing is phenomenal. It was twisty, witchy, and magical. I am looking forward to reading book 2!

A Touch of Shadows is a fast paced, engaging read that will lull you in with its shadow magic. I feel like this book would be a perfect gateway to those looking to get into fantasy/romantasy books for the first time. It’s a relatively short, quick read that isn’t overly heavy on the fantasy elements and world building. I actually read it in one sitting. I wasn’t a huge fan of the insta love going on, but it does work well in this story since the magic’s effect on their feelings is a point of exploration in this book. Overall, I wish there was more going on — more world building, more character development, etc.

Overall rating: 3.5⭐️