Daughter of Shadows and Ash by Ember Johnson is a captivating young adult fantasy that blends dark magic with heart-pounding romance. The writing is sharp and immersive, with vivid world-building that pulls you right into its mystical universe. Alora, the fierce and determined main character, is a standout—her quest for vengeance after the loss of her loved ones makes her journey both emotional and empowering. The dialogue between characters is engaging, and there are some well-written spicy moments that add depth to the romance. If you're a fan of dark fantasy and romance, this book is a must-read!

Thank you so much to Netgalley for this eARC!

Daughter of Shadows and Ash was a book full of twists and turns! It kept me hooked through the very end and left me wanting more. Alora is a strong FMC that is fierce and ready to avenge her loved ones. I enjoyed the character dialogue and there were some spicy moments that were written well. Highly recommend this to anyone looking for a dark fantasy romance for their TBR! Cannot wait for book 2!

Okay I loved this book. **ARC REVIEW**

#daughterofshadowsandash written by @author.emberjohnson

When her loved ones are brutally murdered and the life she had always known ripped away from her in the most brutal way, Alora vows to enact revenge. However fate had other plans. Alora must choose between her heart and her vow of vengeance.

This is definitely for those readers who love the Maas universe, especially the assassin's blade. The book is fast paced, frustratingly so in places and has all the best elements of a fantasy - a mate bond, shadow magic, assassin's, royals, conspiracy and a strong FMC. My only criticism was that I wanted MORE! Id love for more time to be taken in each city Alora visits on her journey, to feel the connection between characters more. Alora is just so lovable and bad ass, id love to see more of the support network she builds.

Finally, of course this book ends on a cliff hanger that will want you picking up the sequel immediately! Oh and the playlist is AMAZING!

It was the perfect book to cure a book hangover and finish before Onyx on Tuesday!

This is on kindle unlimited so I've tagged a few romantasy review accounts! Hope that's okay guys!

I received this from netgalley for an honest review

This was just an OK read for me. The storyline is decent, but the characters were underdeveloped which left me feeling unconnected to the characters and A LOT was crammed into about 200 pages so much of this story felt rushed. The book really struggled to hold my attention for the first 50% but towards the end it did get really good, and the ending left me wanting to continue to series. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

I was highly attached at the beginning of this book. I enjoyed experiencing the dynamic of the village, getting to know Lor, her grandmother and her relationship with Mael. By the end of the first quarter I was really rooting for her and Mael making it… Having totally forgotten what the description mentioned.

The way we got to experience Lor manifesting her powers for the first time was amazing! The way her shadows and fire abilities flourished and consumed all at the same time was next level imagery. Lor’s demand for revenge spoke to her character and how see wanted to use her time while still living.

From then on, I struggled to stay engaged in the story. I found the flow was off and I had a hard time vibing with it. I enjoyed the assassin element for Lor’s story, it helped get her to where she needed to be and to add another layer to the story. However, it felt like there were many sections that didn’t feel necessary to the plot, and the timeline progressed in a way that made me feel like the flow was very choppy. This is the first book in a series and could very well tie everything together as Lor continues on in her journey.

🔥 Revenge, fate, and forbidden love collide in this addictive fantasy romance. Daughter of Shadows and Ash is perfect for readers who love fierce heroines, brooding princes, and slow-burning tension that aches.

Alora’s story is one of grief and vengeance—when her loved ones are taken from her, she carves a new path as an assassin, hunting down those responsible. But fate has other plans. One passionate night with a mysterious stranger changes everything, and when she meets him again in the throne room of the Sunnevean King? He’s not just any noble—he’s the prince she’s now betrothed to... and her fated mate. (Cue the gasps.)

This book has it all—political intrigue, courtly drama, an enemies-to-lovers romance that burns, and a heroine who is both deadly and deeply vulnerable. Alora’s struggle between vengeance and love is gripping, and the stakes only grow higher as dark forces rise. The world-building is immersive, the tension between the leads is electric, and the emotional depth gives this story so much heart.

If you love The Bridge Kingdom, From Blood and Ash, or The Serpent and the Wings of Night, Daughter of Shadows and Ash will absolutely hook you. Get ready for a whirlwind of action, angst, and romance that will leave you desperate for more.

3.5 stars.

it took a little too long for this to shift gears, for me. the contrast was a little too much—some parts were too slow, while others felt rushed. the inconsistent pacing gave me a literary whiplash at times. i think the idea is definitely there, though. i just think the execution could've used a little more work.

This book was very SJM like. The first half of the book was like a long introduction and by the time it started getting good I was just not interested anymore. That being said, it is Throne of Glassish, so just because I didn't care for it doesn't mean someone else won't love it.

3.5 - Overall, this was a good easy read. I liked most of the MCs, I wouldve liked more of Lors Grandmother! At some points it felt a little rushed and I would have liked a little more detail and backstory. I couldve used about 50 more pages. I was left with more questions than answers and will be looking forward to getting those in book 2.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Ember Johnson and Cursebreaker books for this ARC!

I really wanted to love this book, it has big Beauty and the Beast and ACOTAR energy. But for me it was just ok, and some parts were quite fun. The time covered in sequence really removes you from the characters experience. She may have been better off experiencing those things in flashbacks or going back and forth between current and past. I’m happy to give extra grace to a debut. It was just hard to connect.

I had a difficult time getting into this book. Parts of its seemed super rushed, and left me lost and wondering how the heck we got here. I'd have to go back and reread the section just to realize it didn't really tell me.
About halfway through the story, it gets better. At that point, the pace becomes much less confusing and the plot becomes much more immersive. The last half of the book is 5 stars. The first half is a 3, so we'll average it out with 4 stars.

Omg I loved this book, I devoured it so quickly too! It was a lovely read and waiting on the sequel! Can we have it now please 😅✨

Hehehehehehehe. So much fun. Oh my gosh. Imma keep kicking my feet while I wait for the sequel!! I need it in my hands now

Packed with lots of action, character development is fantastic and suspense filled. At times the story jumped around and left this reader confused. But overall I'm glad I held on and finished. Thanks #Netgalley and #CursbreakerBooks for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1/5 🌶️

-

What to Expect:
👑Revenge
💜Vengeance
👑Fae-Human
💜Morally Grey FMC
👑Fated Mates
💜Assassin
👑He Falls First
💜Found Family
👑Dark vs. Light

-

First off, Thank you so much to NetGalley, and Ember Johnson for the ARC—this was such a ride! 🫶🏼

This book was a fun, fast-paced fantasy with some incredible moments that kept me hooked. Alora, our FMC, is a morally grey assassin on a vengeance-fueled journey after losing her family/loved ones. I loved her protective nature and how grief pushed her to become such a serious badass (morally grey mommy!!!). Plus, throw in magic, betrayal, fated mates, and a swoony romance with a Sunnevean prince? I was kicking my feet over the chemistry between Alora and Ryn. His sweet nickname “love” and all that yearning?! Literal perfection, though I will admit their bond definitely leaned towards insta-love. Still, the tension and romantic build-up had me swooning, blushing, and giggling.

While the story was gripping, the pacing and time jumps made some parts feel a bit rushed. I wish there was more backstory on Alora’s powers and her importance to the kingdom—it felt like such a key part of the plot that could’ve (and probably should’ve) been explored further. The middle bit dragged for me some, but the beginning and ending were strong enough to keep me engaged and wanting to keep on with the book. Oh, and that cliffhanger?! You can bet that I am already counting down the days until book two drops! If you’re a fan of Throne of Glass, Lady of Darkness, or An Heir Comes to Rise, you’ll definitely want this dark fantasy romance on your TBR!

I really wanted to enjoy this story - the writing was breathtakingly immersive. The first few chapters were oh so engaging and descriptive to the point of actually feeling as though I was there. The characters are where I feel the story fell flat on - the Throne of Glass inspiration was incredibly intense and I guess it was well done. Throne of Glass is my favorite series of all time, but yeah, the influence in this book is strong - not a bad thing by any means! The characters just in general felt very YA - the scenes, the story line was adult, but the characters were just not it. I will be reading book 2 however because this book left me with so many questions that I really want answers to!

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

1 ⭐️

WARNING THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS!

This book wasn’t bad, but requires a lot of improvement. I found the chapters jumped without fully detailing the worlds or how we came to that moment.

We start by following Lor who is finding vengeance for what has happened to her village. We then later meet a couple of assassins along the way, who she will supposedly become an heir of, and suddenly she meets Oryn who’s her mate and she cannot live without. To then she’s married, and then kidnapped and locked in a dungeon because a scientist wants to investigate her power, but still there is some mention of finding revenge ?

I feel there were too many ideas in this book. As the first book in the series, some details would have been better left and expanded later as the series goes on. Particularly, in regard to Lor’s power which is briefly mentioned at the start of the book and suddenly by the end she’s an expert wielder of it ?

There’s a mention of war but we never really know why or what Lor’s role in filling the prophecy will be. I strongly feel key story stepping stones were missed and as a result this was not executed well.

Sadly I won’t be continuing this series. As I felt detached from the characters and storyline.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

This book jumped around to much for me. Left me confused at times. I enjoy the characters and the plot but it needs more editing.
I almost dnf but I pushed through.

Thank Netgalley for the Arc!

This was a quick read, but sadly I didn't love it as much as I wanted to.

The Daughter of Shadows and Ash by Ember Johnson was a great story about a girl named Alora.. Alora, lives in a small village with her grandmother, until trouble finds them. Now, alone in the world, Alora, with fear of her new powers, has to find a way to live with no home, no friends, and only vengeance to lead her. As she takes her revenge on the assailants that turned her life upside down she’s befriended by Vanya. Vanya is an assassin who takes Alora in and trains her as an assassin.

After years of living and training at the guild, Alora continues on a journey that leads her to the palace, her mate and the last enemy who destroyed her home.

This story ends on a cliffhanger so I am looking forward to the next book in this series called Princess of Flames and Fate.