3.5/5 stars!!

A Touch of Shadows follows a young witch, Wren, who is tempted by the darkness inside her. The story unfolds when her home is set ablaze and she flees to the woods, where she encounters a young knight named Finn. Some strange attraction seems to pull them together to the point where their lives seem intertwined, and we watch as their journey unfolds.

I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would with it being told in the third person- I will say I gravitate more towards first-person storytelling, but this was done well. I thought the premise of the storyline was interesting; however, at times, it didn't feel fleshed out, which left me with unanswered questions and mildly confused. Additionally, I found myself constantly wanting more to happen and for the plot to pick up a little more. I liked that the author was trying to leave breadcrumbs for the reader to piece together what would happen, but without solid worldbuilding in the beginning I found it difficult.

Despite all of this, I am extremely curious as to what's going to happen in this story- I wish this book would have been longer because now I'm just eagerly and anxiously awaiting the next installment of the story.

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review

Thank you, NetGalley and Second Sky for my ARC of A Touch of Shadows.

***3.5 rounded up***

This was a quick and easy read for anyone who wants to dip their toes into the Fantasy/Romantasy genre! I liked the concept, and the plot had so much potential. It was hard to pull my attention away from the book once I started it!

This was my first time reading a book with love at first sight and I will say I am not a huge fan of it. For Wren living a very sheltered life, I could not believe how easily she let the love interest in.
I would have loved to see more into the character's motives as some fell flat in their development. Many seemed one-dimensional. The romance never developed after it was established. Why was the villain evil? Why did Elodie let Wren be so naïve in her adulthood?

I liked the multiple POVs, and how nuanced some of the character's actions were. It was nice to see their reasoning even if I sometimes thought it was absurd. I also LOVED that it was Rapunzel-but-make-it-darker. I liked the parallels between the past and present too!
The author’s writing style and how she described things were lovely! Her writing had me hooked from the very beginning! I plan to continue the series and I’m excited to see where the author takes us!!

“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.”

“She was lost in him, and it was wondrous.
She never wanted to be found again.”

I think this author did a number on me. Once again !!! It was really really good!! In this first book in the lost Queen series we meet Wren and Finn and boy is their story a complicated one!! Dark and light magic, a lost queen, a terrible power lurking in the darkness and a young woman who doesn’t know what to do with the shadows calling to her. A love so passionate that defies the rules of existence and a woman who won’t stop in front of anything to save the most important thing in her life. There’s something about this book that is simply spellbinding and enchanting. It will bring you to the darkness and then show you a way out. The way the author describes these characters is wonderfully curated and beautifully done. I feel like they all have depths we still know nothing about even at the end of the entire book! The fact that it was written in multiple povs made it even better and even more intriguing to get through. A fantasy definitely worth the name. With a romance that is spicy and addicting and oh so good. And some characters that, despite frustrating on occasion, are too charming for their own good (Finn, I’m talking about you) !!!! And with that last cliffhanger … damn I need more !!!

“She was darkness and light, hope and fear, pleasure and a 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.”

Fantasy Romance
Shadow magic
Family Secrets
Political Intrigue
Multiple POV
The Lost Queen #1


Wren has a dark power that needs to be contained or it calls to the darkness of the Nox. Finn is a witch hunter and spy. After saving Wren from a disgruntled ex-lover, they run into some trouble with powerful shadow creatures. Wren, who is a hedge witch in training, saves Finn’s life and as a result, they are bound magically.
The magic system is absolutely fantastic. Wren’s magic is dark and dangerous and the bond formed with Finn is hot and intriguing. I cannot wait to see what this connection can do in the next book.
The world building was easy to get into which is great for newcomers to fantasy.
I could not put this book down, I inhaled it like a starved cat but it left me hungry for more.
I highly recommend starting this series weather you are new to fantasy or have read just about everything popular.


I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Second Sky for this e-arc.

A huge thank you goes to Second Sky, Net Galley and the author for letting me read a copy of A Touch of Shadows! This stunning NA fantasy romance is a treasure trove of goodness: full of devastating magic, family secrets and epic battles between good and evil. So be honest with me glitterbugs, do you think anyone could pass that up?! Of course not!

A Touch of Shadows has honestly been nothing short of perfection in my eyes... I raced through the pages of this fantasy romance, because I desperately needed to know if Wren would be okay. This tale is such a beautiful blend of plot and character, and I swear Jessica has hooked some kind of magical tether around my heart upon reading this book. And can we talk about the long lost love trope, with the potential for a second chance romance? I ate. This. Up.

When magic becomes an entity in and of itself? When you can *feel* the ancient world coming to life around you, with the veins of old magic and the darkwood colliding? I have been left breathless, glitterbugs. The way Jessica writes is exquisite, and I’m so invested in how a prophecy and opposing magic will upend the world as Wren and her loved ones know it. The magic in A Touch of Shadows is so unique, from the shadow kin to how magic affects Wren when she uses it. I won’t say more, because spoilers are never fun, but seriously… This fantasy romance is absolutely spellbinding. I need more. Let’s be honest, I need everything.

Not everything is as it seems within A Touch of Shadows, and I love that it’s only as the story goes on that certain truths come to light. You know you’re in for a great time when you look up from reading and it’s suddenly 3am! This beautiful tale binds the reader, heart and soul, to Wren and Finn’s journey. So will I now be adding everything Jessica has ever written to my TBR? Absolutely! And will I be getting physical copies of the books in this series as soon as I possibly can? Of course! This. Is. Flawless.

A Touch of Shadows by Jessica Thorne is an NA fantasy romance full of danger, family secrets and devastating magic. I have been thoroughly enchanted with this gorgeous tale, and honestly can’t wait to see what happens next!

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *

A Touch of Shadows was an easy to read, decent romantasy.

That said, it relied heavily on tropes and didn't present much that felt new or unique if you read a lot in the genre.

Also, the romance felt quite insta-love y and to further their character development we could have used some more development of the relationship between our MCs.

Thorne’s writing is atmospheric and evocative, creating a gripping narrative with well-drawn characters and a compelling plot. The blend of fantasy elements and emotional depth makes "A Touch of Shadows" a captivating read for fans of magical adventures and epic tales.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC!

I DNF'd this at around the halfway mark, and it was mostly because I just found myself not hugely interested in the story or the characters.

I'm used to being thrown into fantasy, or sci-fi, worlds and having to figure out what's going on, but this felt a little too confusing for me. There's 'light' and 'dark' magic, which was haphazardly explained at the start but I still didn't understand it. The dark magic is bad, but then there's still people who are worshipping it and stuff? And our main character is so connected to that dark magic that it calls to her and she always wants to go into the forest?

I do question why the hell her mum raised her daughter right next to where the dark magic was strongest, if her child has this much of a reaction to it. I also thought it was hilarious how her hair...grew...every time she used/got close to this darker magic, whatever it was. It was a weird thing and I'm wondering how on earth that would ever work if you were trying to use your magic but your damn hair kept growing all the time.

Overall, I didn't hate it but I didn't feel engaged enough to continue reading.

First of all, let me say I enjoyed this book, and I think it showed a lot of promise.

The story follows Wren, who is called to the dangerous shadow magic. Her mother, Elodie, has given up everything to try to keep Wren safe, and in the process, she has kept a lot of secrets from her. When Wren stumbles across Finn in the woods, they have an instant connection. They both get thrown on a journey of deceit, power, and war.

Things I liked about this book:

✨️ Multiple POVs
✨️ Light and Dark Magic
✨️ Strong FMCs
✨️ Kingdoms at war

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. However, I did feel like there was a lack of world building. It didn't feel totally fleshed out, and there wasn't enough information given to the reader about the different types of magic. I did like Wren and Finns relationship. However, I felt it was very much Insta love, and I would have liked to see more of them getting to know each other before falling head over heels. I would recommend this to people who like shorter fantasy books with light vs. Dark magic .

Thank you to NetGalley, Jessica Thorne, and publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A lost queen’s sacrifice. Two kingdoms at war for centuries. And a spark of passion between hunter and hunted with the power to end everything…

A Touch of Shadows was an unexpected and exciting read. I loved the worldbuilding and magic. This story hit the ground running and continued with a steady pace which is something you don't typically see with fantasy novels. I found myself fascinated by Wren. I enjoyed her feistiness and devotion to those she let close. Yes, I will 100% admit, her romance with Finn was very much instalove. That being said, I thought it worked well and I looked forward to seeing how things would progress between them.

A Touch of Shadows isn't just a love story but is a story filled with intrigue, secrets, and magic. This book was super easy to read and would be a great start for those just getting into the romantasy genre. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and devoured it in just a single sitting.

If you're looking to dive into a fast-paced romantasy with good action, mystery, and spice, you won't want to miss A Touch of Shadows. This book will definitely leave you excited for more and if you're like me, you'll be waiting in anticipation to get your hands on the next book in this series.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Touch of Shadows is a story of a girl, Wren, who can bend darkness by her will. She's lived by the edge of a small town with her guardian Elodie her whole life. Elodie is a hedge witch who acts the local healer. Wren knows Elodie has kept secrets of her origin from her, and she doesn't know exactly what the secret is. That is, until she meets a knight and everything changes.

This book markets itself as a fantasy romance, but readers should know that this is actual romance before anything else, really. I'm down for a romantic subplot, but this book had a big ol' "love at first sight" going on, which is one of my pet peeves in novels. I almost ditched the whole thing altogether because of it, but with the very interesting magic system going on, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

But maybe I should have.

The two main characters don't change much at the end of the story, which by the way leaves in a huge (and confusing) cliffhanger. Elodie, her secret love interest (minor spoiler)---basically any other side character had way more interesting backstories than Wren and Finn themselves. And we don't exactly know where Wren came from, which gives more questions than answers really. Plus, where are the commas?? The book is littered with so many long sentences with missing commas (as well as other editing blunders) that it's almost frustrating to read.

Was it a decent story at best? Yes.
Am I gonna recommend it to people? Only if you want to read something that's not... very thought-provoking.
Am I gonna read the sequel? Do I even have a choice lol. It's a damn series, I might as well wait for the sequel to come along.

A Touch of Shadows is a tight, well paced fantasy with some absolute gems of prose. (Get your highlighters ready!)

The world building is wonderfully done. You are immersed in the world from the very beginning, being introduced to the magic system and politics at exactly the right pace.

The mystery and intrigue are tantalising, drawing you into the story and deeper into the shadows. There's enough foreshadowing that the climax is satisfying, but not obvious. As a reader you are right there with Wren trying to navigate the many secrets wrapped around her and those closest to her.

I love Wren as a FMC. She is feisty, without being bratty. And she shows a wonderful amount of insight! A combo I can get behind for my fantasy heroines.

As much as I loved Finn and Wren together - their smutty kisses making my feet kick - it's quite a fierce instalove, so it feels like we missed a step in the romance. It works plot wise, but left me a little hollow. However, I get the feeling we've got more to explore on that in the next book.

Fantasy takes precedent from the romance here, which is not a bad thing when there is so much to delve into within the main plot and the world itself.

All the characters jump off the page, each with their own mysteries and histories. I wish we had more depth to them in this book, but I think the sequel will let us dig deeper.

Overall:
7/10
A solid, quick read, which will benefit from a sequel.

I was here for the plot and the romance, but wanted more depth to both. It feels like there is so much plot and character development waiting in the wings, but we're yet to see it.

Oh, and that last page ... gods, I don't want to wait for the sequel!!


Thank you so much Second Sky, NetGalley, and the author, Jessica Thorne, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review. All opinions are my own.

It took me a while to get into this one and it was worth it. A girl who is so much more than she seems. Her guardian has hidden everything from her. Magic, betrayal, love and pain all woven through the story.

ARC from NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own!

Synopsis: Wren lives in the woods with Elodie, outside of a small village. Elodie is a hedge witch who acts as a healer for the village. Wren also has some magic, but she struggles to control it in the same way that Elodie can. She's been warned not to call the shadows, but to only call for the light. One day, Wren is forced to run from the village, and a knight (Finn) comes to her defense, only to find that they are in trouble from the shadows in the woods. Wren and Finn quickly become attracted to one another, and continue to journey on together as they try to figure out who to trust.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I was quickly engrossed in the world of Asteroth, and needed to know what secrets Elodie had been keeping from Wren. I liked that while Wren and Finn did seem to have a bit of an insta-love (lust?) connection, there were questions around the role that magic played in all of it. This was definitely an exciting book, and there is so much more that I need to know, so I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Quintessential Quote: "The shadows here were deeper, darker, and somehow that was a comfort. It shouldn't be. She knew that."

The plot is quite promising but it needs more oomph. It is a very easy read but the lack of world building deterred me from fully investing in the story.

What got under my skin the most was the meager breadcrumbs. I want to be let in on the secrets too!!!! Why did the queen did what she did? What IS wren?? What IS Finn? Tbh I initially regretted skipping the glossary (esp when reading the first 30%). In retrospect, even if I did read it, I don’t think it’ll help better understand why the story unfolded the way it did.

Nevertheless, the last 40% was pretty engaging with all the escaping and battling. Overall, I just wish there was more explanation to everything.

Thank you Second Sky and NetGalley for this arc!

Elodie left everything to save herself & her child. She has stayed hidden all this time but her enemies have never stopped looking. She has tried to keep Wren safe by not telling her the truth about the past. And now it is too late. Wren has always been tempted by the shadows and she can’t understand why Eloide has kept them isolated in the forest. Everything changes when Wren meets Finn & she uses her power to save him. The darkness has changed Finn & she fears that she will lose him. They can’t keep running & she has to find Eloide but everything changes when she finds out the truth about her mother but she knows that she can trust her no matter what. But will they make it out of here alive? A good read. Interesting storyline & characters. The main characters each have their own story to be told & I want to know more about Eloise’s story. Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the copy. This is my honest review.

This was a pretty enjoyable fantasy romance to read! I liked the first half of the book a lot but the second half fell a little short for me, but was still enjoyable. The plot seemed too rushed the second half and parts could have been embellished more to make it more intriguing. I really liked the main character Wren, but I thought the other characters could have been written in more depth, especially Finn. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick romantasy read.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Thank you for an ARC of this book! I thought it was a good read. I felt the world building and character building could have been a bit better. I did enjoy the journey with Wren and the magic involved. I think this book would be a good intro to romantasy.

Overall, I think it was a good and easy read and I would recommend this to any reader who likes fantasy, especially a Serpent & Dove lover.
However, though the book was good I did find that some world building elements were a bit lacking but I know as the story progresses it will get stronger. For me, I think the biggest issue was the romance between Wren and Finn, I wish the relationship was developed more because I found their relationship very confusing a couple of times throughout the book. I look forward to reading book two to see how the story continues. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for providing me an early access to A Touch of Shadows!

Thank you Second Sky for the eARC!

Wren grows up deep in the forest on the edges of the nearest town as a healer’s apprentice and witch. One day when an ex love interest turns on her and attempts to harm her, a knight dressed as a traveler saves her, but Wren takes off deep into the dark wood - where one should never go - and she and the knight soon find themselves in danger. As they run, Wren tries to make sense of the web of lies and truths that have been told to her for her whole life.

This book was very short, interesting, fast-paced, and action packed. The concept was certainly interesting, especially the magic, but possibly due to the short length it just wasn’t developed enough for me to get attached to any of the characters or the story. I often wasn’t entirely sure what was going on due to plot holes and lack of world building which overall made it less enjoyable of a read for me.