I wanted to stop reading after the first 4 chapters because I didn’t really believe this setting. It was lacking description and depth even though the author was establishing Rowan’s upbringing in an orphanage run by a tyrant. I did persist though and I definitely enjoyed the characters and adventure the further the plot developed.

I truly don't like and try to avoid giving negative book reviews but this one was quite rough. I nearly DNFed this at the end of every chapter and really I probably should have but I kept hoping that it would get better... alas it only got worse. Nothing made sense! Why would a 100+ year old vampire care enough to rescue a seemingly regular human girl was the first issue. Then the insta obsession and devotion was just too laughable. I felt myself cringing multiple times and rolling my eyes the rest of the time.

Now the timeline was hazy at best and that could have been part of the insta-everything feeling but what seemed like a few days into them meeting he says things like this "You've never been a burden. You're the beacon in my eternal night, and I'm helpless against the pull of your light." and "I've already vowed to protect you from the dangers of this world, from vampires like the Reaper, and even from myself if necessary.", and "And I'll give it to you. In the ways of my kind, there's a sacred tradition—a blood oath. It's a vow of devotion, a pledge of protection and care."... then our girl has a moment of lucidity and asks him why? and he says "Because in this vast, dark eternity that is my existence, you're the one ray of light that pierces through. Because the very thought of losing you is more terrifying than any consequence."... which made it all worse for me.

Sadly what that dynamic created is a rather unbelievable narrative that this man/vampire was wise and worth following -- which was proven by the fact that he had basically done nothing of great value (wealth, heroism, gaining wisdom clearly...) in his century of life. Even her the FMC, what the author tried to present as special about her fell flat as well. I guess then it could make sense why they would choose each other?

Finally we get to the end/the resolution, the big untying of all knots and it's quick and cheap and underwhelming. Some side plots/character dynamics which would have been more interesting were just inconsequential or rushed through. The cardinal was my favorite character in the end, that innocent bird deserved a better story.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me at 35%. I wanted to love it because the premise sounded brilliant but I couldn't connect to the characters at all and found it quite strange that the FMC would instantly trust an murderous vampire. It just wasn't for me.

DNF at 38%

I didn’t see the chemistry between the two main characters. I’m always up for a vampire but he just didn’t give that vampire vibe that I was looking for? Not that I wanted him (Casimir) to be the traditional night creature with a cape and fangs but I didn’t get his appeal. I think I did like Casimir a bit more than the female main character, Rowan. I could see her potential and I wanted her to reach it – but as I reached nearly 40% I could see I wasn’t going to get what I wanted – which is why I decided to leave it.

I found the pacing to be a bit non-existent. How much time did they travel before they professed their love for each other? I don’t mind instalove – when well written. Another dnf reason was that it was all flowery writing and unfortunately, as it so happens in this book, the (flowery) writing at times wasn’t working for me.

I want to start this off by saying I DNF'd at 40%. I was interested in the book in the beginning. It sounded like everything I usually read and enjoy, so I was excited. But the slow burn turned to insta- love and that was a little disappointing. The writing was very ethereal and flowy which really enhanced the fantasy vibe of the book. However it was a choppy storyline and very hard to follow, kind of a little too fast paced. It was hard to stay engaged with it because I had no idea what was happening. The FMC being 21 was shocking to me because she didn't seem her age. The lack of context was what really made me DNF the book, but if there was a little more description for parts, especially the telling of Rowan and Casimir's relationship but not really the showing.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC and all opinions are my own.

ARC Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶

This book was enjoyable, it wasn't what I was expecting but it certainly wasn't bad. I enjoyed the characters and the action. While there was some spice, I wouldn't necessarily categorize this book as adult without it.

Overall, this book was enjoyable and was nicely written, but it could have use more adult themes.

I was very excited to read this arc as the storyline grabbed my attention however the more I read, the less excited I became.

The time of the story was a little all over the place. I didn't know if they traveled for hours or days. And there were times that it seemed there might be some plot holes as a random character would be mentioned as if they were already introduced but in reality haven't.

I found myself intrigued with the first few scenes in this novel, following our main female character, Rowan, in the orphanage. Whilst fast-paced, and I did find myself wanting more.

After the first few chapters, I found this novels strucutre to follow the classic romantasy plot lines, especially due to the inclusion of numerous popular troupes. At that point, I knew for myself this was not the novel for me, but I can appreciate the audience a standalone book like this is intended for. In my opinion, I think this would be a perfect place to start if you are trying to get into the greener. It was fast-paced, action packed, and the writing style made it easy to digest a lot of information at once, whilst also creating a vivid picture due to its descriptiveness.

Having said that, I did have a few personal issues with the book. Firstly, i think due to the simplicity of the plot, personally, I found it predictable and was able to see the plot twists coming - this didn’t detract from the enjoyment of the novel though! I do wish that it was more multilayered, as I felt the world building was given through dialogue and brief descriptions, so I did not feel completely immersed in this world.

Additionally, whilst the characters individually were interesting, I think, potentially due to the length of the novel, and with the use of classic romntasy plot lines, I felt the relationship between our two main characters developed very quick - which I do think is down to the novels length. I did also find myself at times thinking that the pacing of their relationship seemed extremely quick, and, personally, this is not my favourite style of relationship building.

Due to the character development, I also struggled with the aging of the character, as, again, the dialogue at times just didn’t correlate to the aging of her character. Potentially, a longer story novel would’ve landed a hand to their believability, but I do not think, given the pot, that a longer story was necessary.

Overall, I do not for think this book was for me personally, and I struggled in numerous areas, as such, I gave this book 2 stars. Although I can appreciate the simplicity of this novel, and, again, think it would be a very accessible place to start for those looking to get into the fantasy/romantasy genre!

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

A good start but needs some improvements. The characters were shallow. Not as developed as I hoped. Maybe I'm too old for this author. I think this book would appeal highly to a younger crowd. Thanks #Netgalley and #VictoryEditingNetgalleyCoop for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I unfortunately had to DNF this book at 44% in. I really tried to keep going, but I could not get into it. I felt that the characters were shallow and honestly too naive. I also just felt that the story was going thru the paces, and I was not super excited to see what happened. I did think her mom showing up while she was being held was interesting, but unfortunately that did not retain my interest for long. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read!

🌶️🌶️

Not your typical vampire romantasy but enough comfort tropes to be a super-cozy read from a debuting author. I loved this book from the very start. The quick pacing with little setup and not throttling the darkness instantly hooked me in. The world building was enough as we went along to paint a setting and really, that is all this book needed. It has a lot of well-detailed action, emotion and a beautiful steamy romance. FMC Rowan shows us amazing character growth throughout the story and even our stubborn MMC Casimir shows some too. The side characters are well written, larger than life and a beautiful accent to this story.

If I have any criticism of how Rowan is written, it is that she is far too trusting for a girl with her history, but I can also understand always wanting to see the good in others, no matter how hard you have had it in life. If you enjoy romantasy this is a must-read. The social commentary in this book could not be better timed for North America right now. I can't wait to read Colleen Mitchell's next offering if she can knock it out of the park this well with her first book.

🩸Hidden power
🗡️Feminine rage
🩸Vampire/witch
🗡️Different worlds
🩸Necromancy
🗡️Familiars
🩸Allies to lovers
🗡️Found family

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

“You’ve never been a burden. You’re the beacon in my eternal night, and I’m helpless against the pull of your light.”

Shadow Legacy was a fun, but predictable read! I almost DNF'd a few times around the 15/20% mark. The writing style wasn't my favorite and the dialogue was a little cringy at times.

Read if you Enjoy:
🖤 Dark Fantasy Romance
🩸Vampires
🖤 Witches
🩸 Touch Her & D!e

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, & Colleen Mitchell for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

First, the cover of this book is gorgeous! It drew me in and lent a "read me" vibe to this debut fantasy from Colleen Mitchell. The FMC lives in an orphanage in an era when women were had no value to the Brotherhood, the organization that rules her world. She has no idea of the strength within her. When an incident forces her to flee the only life she has ever known, her future will depend on the help of a young vampire she knows nothing about. The two will wreck havoc on the Brotherhood as their feelings bring them into conflict.

This book is a great addition to the fantasy genre. The plot is cunning, well thought out, and easily draws the reader in. Characters are well thought out and easily relatable.

This was my first read by Colleen Mitchell and I will probably give her one more go after it. I did enjoy the story however it felt like something was missing. I really liked the elements of a chronic illness. The plot had potential but unfortunately the book just didn't live up to the potential I thought it had. The book sometimes felt disjointed. While I did enjoy the main characters I just really wanted more.

I loved the era the book takes place, and how the mmc was such a noble and polite being. If you like fast paced novels with insta-love this book is for you. While I enjoyed the premise, the world and story building was lacking and the dialogues between the characters felt a bit corny and cliché. I had more expectations. But overall, it was decent.

I enjoyed this for the most part. This is about Rowan, a human girl who's had an extremely rough life, and Casimir, a vampire who decides to save her. Together they journey to take down the ultimate evil (AKA the Reaper.) I really liked the themes of feminism and stepping into your own power despite what you've been taught about being a woman. I did guess the plots twists that are revealed throughout, but that's ok with me. I thought the descriptions of the world were done well, I could easily picture everything that was happening. I wish there had been a more clear timeline though. At times, I was unsure of how long Rowan and Casimir had been traveling together and so the feelings they begin to have for one another felt very insta lovey. I will say, Casimir surprised me. Spoiler ahead possibly: I was worried that he had some ulterior motive and would end up hurting Rowan for his own benefit, but he ended up being wonderful. The ending was so sweet and satisfying. Also, I love when a main character has an animal companion/familiar and Phoenix did not disappoint. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Shadow Legacy is one of the first eARCs that I received on NetGalley from Victory Editing, and it's scheduled to be published on February 18, 2025. This book follows the journey of Rowan, a seemingly ordinary human thrust into the supernatural world of vampires, witches, and a patriarchal brotherhood hell bent on ruling the kingdom.

The story had some great elements, but overall I felt that it was a bit lackluster. The pacing seemed a bit rushed in some places, and I felt that a bit more detail could have added much more depth to the story and to the characters themselves. I would have liked to seen more details about the supporting characters as well, as they do play several different parts throughout the journey.

Shadow Legacy had some interesting parallels to certain events that are happening in today's society, and I found that an interesting and insightful addition for the author to weave into the world building. Rowan and Casimir had good chemistry as main characters, but the slow burn felt too slow in some places, and overly hasty in others. This book does contain a bit of spice in it, and it does contain some darker topics, so definitely check out those trigger warnings before reading.

Overall I enjoyed Shadow Legacy, and it was a 3-star read for me. Many thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the eARC!

“Shadow Legacy” by Colleen Mitchell is a wild ride of family secrets, magical twists, and plenty of drama. Rowan, our main girl, is just trying to figure out who she really is when she stumbles upon a whole mess of hidden truths about her family. Enter Casimir: mysterious, complicated, and definitely not what he seems. Their chemistry? Unstoppable.

Mitchell blends history, magic, and a whole lot of secrets in a way that keeps you hooked. Rowan’s personal journey is real and raw, and Casimir only adds fuel to the fire with his own tangled past. The pacing’s perfect—not too fast, not too slow—and the plot twists will keep you on your toes.

If you’re into books with strong characters, juicy mysteries, and just the right amount of magic, “Shadow Legacy” is a solid pick. It’s fun, it’s deep, and it’ll have you flipping pages faster than you can say "family drama."