A good listen if you love fantasy romance .In a Touch of shadow we get Interesting world building with out being overly complex ,we also get two kingdoms at war ,light and dark conflicting powers with secrets and lies ! .
Wren our main character finds herself in danger and much chose to save herself and others therefor revealing her abilities that she has been told to keep secret her whole life or break the Trust and promises to the women that raised her .
This is multiple POVs i normally find more then two to be hard to follow personally but this worked well for this book as we only really got a different character perspective when it added to the relevant plot and flow of the story ,I enjoyed the narrator and how she expressed each character seemed to go well with the individuals and tone of the book .
I mostly enjoyed the relationships between the different characters and would definitely be interested in how they evolve in the next book .

Grateful to have gotten an opportunity to listen to the audiobook with NetGalley! The beginning had me hooked and I am excited to see what happens as the series progresses. This would be a great book for people starting their romantasy journey. The world is easy to understand as well as the other fantasy aspects. I also enjoyed the audio with the voices. I believe they did a good job of bringing the characters to life.

Thank you to Netgalley and Second Sky for the opportunity to listen and review A Touch of Shadows. I was given an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

As far as the book goes, I enjoyed it. It had a fast pace to it that kept me interested. Wren (fmc) young and naive is constantly on the run from danger. Finn, our duty bound paladin (mmc) falls instantly for the young naive witch. I am not a big fan of the insta-love trope, especially since in this particular case, it felt nonconsentual. The author never made it clear if Wren had forced these feelings upon him with her magic or not. Even if it was an accident, I was still bothered by the lack of free will. This book was filled with mystery, I had many different predictions and theories as to where things might lead but was totally shocked by the turn of events that played out. Those plot twists definitely got me. I enjoyed this book and am interested in what happens in book 2.

As far as the narrator for this audio rendition goes, I was blown away! Helen Keeley is magnificent! Her pace and range of voices and how she portrays emotions is unlike any I have ever experienced before. Truly a quality audiobook. She is an extremely talented voice actress, very impressive.

Very enjoyable quick read. The narrator voiced the characters well, although I wish the fmc didn’t come off as petulant and whiny. Altogether it is a solid fantasy romance and I can’t wait to see what else unfolds in the series.

This is a perfect witchy season release that you MUST READ!!! This is such a unique fun fantasy romance that completely took me by surprise! Wren has been raised in the forest by Eloide the hedgewitch, now Wren’s entire world is turned upside down and her inner battle with good and evil comes to a peak!

Elodie the hedgewitch comes to a small village in Asteroth with a young girl named Wren to live in a tower in the woods. No one knows Elodie’s history; the royal guard is hunting witches throughout Asteroth, but the villagers protect her—they need her. Until one day, a knight named Finn comes to town and the royal guard follows. The village is burning and Wren must flee, leaving Elodie behind. Elodie has always kept Wren’s power at bay and turned towards the light. Now that Wren is alone, the darkness is whispering to her, and she just wants Finn and her to survive. In this battle between lifht and darkness, Wren begins to learn the truth of herself and Elodie’s past.

Thank you net galley and second sky books for my advance listener copy.

I loved this! The magic system and magic details in general were so perfect. I was searching for a good fall mood-setting book and I found it! EVERYTHING about this story just made me eat it up. I think I listened to it in 1 sitting.

The push and pull between good and evil for our main character was what made it a 5/5 for me. The call from the dark wood was always so intoxicating and made me, as a listener, sit forward a bit.

"The world is not divided into black and white. There are shades of gray, and sometimes, the lines between light and dark blur."

Jessica Thorne's A Touch of Shadows is a delightful fantasy romance that offers a quick and enjoyable escape into the magical realm of Asteroth. Narrated by the talented Helen Keeley, the audiobook brings the story to life with her expressive voice. While it may be light on world-building (which can be a welcome reprieve), the engaging characters and straightforward narrative make it a perfect choice for those who are new to the genre.

The story's pace is brisk, allowing readers to quickly become invested in Wren and Finn's adventure together. Their connection is both passionate and intriguing, but develops quite rapidly, feeling a bit rushed and lacking the necessary tension and build-up that I love.

While the book's brevity might limit the depth of deeper character exploration and world-building, it really didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. The light vs dark/shadow magic system and uncomplicated plot keep the focus on the characters and their journey.

Overall, A Touch of Shadows is a satisfying read that definitely leaves you eager for the next installment in the series (which coincidentally also releases today and I can't wait to get my hands on it). If you enjoy fantasy with a touch of romance and are looking for a quick and enjoyable escape, this book is definitely worth checking out!!!

"Love is not a weakness, but a strength. It is the light that can piece the darkest of shadows."

It was a good book but I don’t think I’ll continue the series, it just isn’t for me right now. Maybe I’ll feel different in the future. There is a lot of interesting points and great characters and it is quite an intriguing read but it’s not my cup of tea at the moment.

DNF @ 47%. There was nothing to hate but I just couldn't get invested in it, listening to it felt like a chore. It took me almost a week to get this far and that's really saying something as I usually finish books this size in 2 days or less. I wouldn't call this poorly written, I just think it was a bit too basic for me but would be an easy read for someone younger or just getting into reading fantasy.
There was nothing to grab my attention, nothing I really cared to know more about, and the whole insta love thing is boring for me.

Actual Rating: 3.75 🌟

Thank you to Jessica Thorne, NetGalley and Second Sky for the ALC (Advanced Listening Copy)!

Review:
I thought A Touch of Shadows was great! The magic system was really fascinating, I loved how detailed the shadow magic was and it was honestly so intriguing and very easy to understand which I appreciated so much! I loved the element of light and dark, witches and royalty - I can definitely see this becoming a beautifully intricate series.

This book was so twisty and turny which was my favourite part about it cause it had me gasping and frozen on the spot every 10 minutes 😂 There is so much action and mystery happening in this book right from the start and so there is never a dull moment in that aspect. However…the actual PLOT isn’t that fast-paced, sure there are a lot of action-packed scenes but the actual main plot of the book wasn’t moving all that fast. It made me think a lot was happening when really it wasn’t.

The romance in this book between Finn and Wren was definitely insta-love but the insta-love was actually part of the plot and actually interesting ?? I know it sounds weird but it’s why I didn’t dislike the quick turn around of their love story. I didn’t become invested in it either though :/

Where I struggle the most with the book is in the world-building. I think there is a fine line between a book with no substance and an info-dump of a book and this just doesn’t quite reach that perfect middle. I felt that this book gave a lot of information about this world, especially geographical info, and then proceeded to forget about it, so that felt a little bit off.

Also I listened to this as an audiobook! Helen Keeley did a great job - she really brought this book to life with her wonderful voice and pacing.

This is definitely a book you’d read if you were a beginner fantasy reader and wanted a light, easy-to-read book. And, despite everything, I will definitely be reading the sequel!

✨ read if you like:
witches
mystery
forbidden love
magical creatures
shadow magic

A Touch of Shadows is the first novel in Jessica Thorne's The Lost Queen series of romantic fantasy. This felt like a new adult reimagining of Rapunzel, and I liked the concept. A girl with magical hair is hidden away in a tower, raised by a powerful witch who is determined to keep her safe, until the girl is whisked away by a prince. I loved the beautiful language and vivid imagery, which was enhanced by Helen Keeley's fantastic narration.

The emphasis, at least in this first book, is more on the epic fantasy element than the romance. Wren and Finn feel an intense attraction, but their feelings are being manipulated by magic. We don’t know how they would feel about each other without that magical interference. They are trying to work together, and I hope that we will see more development of their romantic feelings in future books.

The magic system seems interesting, but most of the book is told from Wren’s point of view, and she doesn’t seem to understand the magic very well, so we learn more as she does, and I expect we’ll continue to learn more in subsequent books.

The audiobook production was excellent, and I loved the narration by Helen Keeley. She has a pleasant voice and accent, good pacing and pronunciation, distinctive voices and speech patterns to suit each character, and she is able to convey mood and emotion effectively. The story works very well as an audiobook.

I received a free advanced review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

This story was really well paced. I loved the unique shadow magic system. The romance was delicious and the little bit of spice was enjoyable.

I would have liked a bit more world-building, but otherwise, it was a really fun read. The characters were likable and the dynamic between them was great. I love multiple POVs so this ticked that box.

The narrator did a fantastic job.

A Touch of Shadows is the first book in the Lost Queen series by Jessica Thorne. This book follows Wren in a world split by dark and light magic. Raised in a kingdom predominantly ruled by light magic by a hedge witch with immense powers. Wren is drawn to the darkness of magic but has the power to use light magic as well. She meets Finn who she instantly feels drawn to. This two run into several mishaps and Wren learns she knows nothing about her life.

There is a little spice for those looking for something spicy. Romance is not heavy but has a presence throughout the book. Magic is present consistently and well thought out.

The narrator of the audiobook, Helen Keeley, did a wonderful job bringing the story to life.

I recommend this book for those looking for finding self fantasy novel. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

A Touch of Shadows - audio by Jessica Thorne 4.5 ⭐
So much action straight off the bat. I’m still processing how much was packed into a small package. Witches, Royalty, light and dark.

I gasped aloud at the twists and anticipation.

So many of us Romantasy readers get overwhelmed by info dumps of world building, that wasn’t the case here. The world unfolds alongside the action and it's done so well.

I really enjoyed Thorne’s pacing and way with words, totally engrossed in this world. I listened on audio book and found the narrator, Helen Keeley, to be fantastic. I also appreciated all the different POV’s.

I’d class this as New Adult Fantasy.
The relationship between Wren and Finn unfurled and developed very quickly. I can see how some would find this problematic but I thought the way the magic acted as a catalyst to speed things along was intriguing and, dare I say it, saved a lot of time so we could get to the good stuff 🙂.

Wren grapples with her power and fights against a lifetime of being told she needed to repress it. The dark aftermath of using her power to save Finn, a perfect example.

I refuse to spoil things by saying much more. Only that I’m so pleased I got this ARC and that I recommend it to all Romantasy lovers. I will also definitely be requesting this book for my Library, a perfect addition to the Fantasy section.

Wow. Each and every one of these chapters was PACKED with action. There was no lull, no wasted page. This story has a lot going on and I found myself pacing, staring into space- I could not be talked to because you can't be distracted for a second as there's a chance you'll miss something.

I loved the narrator for every voice but Wrens. I don't know if it was just me but I felt it made her come across as a lot more whiny and almost childlike that made me feel uncomfortable.

There's a lot of Wren - "what's going on?" Elodie/Roland/Finn -"I can't tell her any information" Wren- *does something* E/F- "what have you done?!"
Wren gets herself in a lot of situations when backed against a wall and does her best with the very little amount of information given to her. A lot of her mistakes stem from her trying to keep her and Finn alive or because she literally was given zero or very little information. I was mad that everyone was keeping her in the dark and she was in such a difficult and ignorant position.
Also, side note - LOVE all these POV's

I'm interested in where this story will go next and how Wren & Finn will make it out of all this 🙌

WOW!!!
I definitely wasn't expecting THAT!!!

What a wonderful surprise!!

Wren and Elody have lived a 'quiet' life outside of the spotlight. Elody never really tells Wren who she is to her, but she does show love, and how to survive, as well as teaching her some magick. They have been on the run for a while now... One thing she has reinforced over and over is to 'only reach for the light' ... 'never let in the dark'. However, on one occasion, when Wren was wandering the forest, alone, she had no choice but to let in the dark in -- in order to save herself, and the new friend she had made who so recently saved her life...
Finn is a noble knight who is looking to destroy the users of 'shadow magic'... He unknowingly gets involved in a fight where he all but loses his life, if not for Wren.

But, not to be undermined...He saves her life too!

I'm going to 🛑🛑 stop here 🛑🛑 as I don't want to give away the storyline. Just know that it revolves around magicks, romance, families, wars, struggles for power… and ?? love??

This is book #1 of a new series! I am looking forward to reading whatever books may follow!

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫 for me!! (Rounded up to 5!)

#ATouchOfShadows by #JessicaThorne and narrated beautifully by #HelenKeeley.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #SecondSky for the opportunity to read the Audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The release date is TOMORROW, 9/5/24, so look for it on shelves then.

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Is this a fantasy book? yes,
is it amazing fantasy? no.
Is the romance good? mah.
Did I enjoy it and do want to know how it continues? sort off

This is what I would call step in fantasy and it was enjoyable. I wouldn't call it spectacular or ground breaking. I feel like there many romantasy books very similar to it. But some of the fantasy books it took inspiration were definitely more enjoyable and original.
I feel like currently there are so many books similar to it that if you would pick one off those books you would still have an amazing time.
Yet still I enjoyed it because I could sort off zone out while listening to it because I kind off knew which direction I would go. But those books should be there too, I will give the sequel a shot when it will cross my path because I'm still curious how it will continue and maybe It will become a bit more original.

Two kingdoms at war…
A lost queen…
Young love….
What more could we ask for from a new fantasy?

I really enjoyed this story, the world building took me a moment to grasp, however once I did, I was sold on what Jessica was selling!

Hold on tight as the book has all the twists and turns to keep you wanting more.

So, I am not completely sure how I feel about this book.

There was not a lot of world-building and the question of who Wren's actual mother is, is not completely understood, this may be in book 2. The relationship between Finn and Wren happened so quickly that there was no way to become invested.
You realize later in the story, their bond had something to do with her magic, which is caught in her hair and because of this, she keeps it cut short.

Some things are missing in this one for me. I will say, however, the ending did pique my interest. I am not running to it, but I will read the next book because of the ending.

Helen Keeley did a good job narrating this book, I would like to listen to more of her narrations in the future.


Thank you Netgalley, Jessica Thorne, and Second Sky for the ALC of A Touch of Shadows.

Audiobook review

A Touch of Shadows is a fast-paced romantasy. There was some light world building and likable characters. This would be a good read for someone who is new to the fantasy genre as it had light, non-complex world building. There are some twists and turns, and the plot was interesting.

As far as the audio portion goes, I really enjoyed the narrator, who had a wonderful voice and felt that her pacing was perfect. I enjoyed the way she brought the story to life.

I did feel like there was a bit missing from this book, but I can't put my finger on it. I would be interested in reading the next book to continue the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for early access to this audiobook.