★★★★¾ A Breathtaking Dark Fantasy That Will Haunt Your Dreams

There are books that simply tell a story, and then there are books that consume you whole. "Kingdom of Shadow and Ash" by J.F. Johns firmly belongs in the latter category. From the moment you see that haunting cover - with its ethereal play of light and darkness, the ghostly crown, and those wisps of shadow that seem to move when you're not looking - you know you're in for something special.

This dark fantasy is a masterclass in atmosphere. Johns weaves a world where shadows aren't just the absence of light, but entities with their own terrible purpose. The kingdom at the heart of this tale feels ancient and lived-in, with a magic system that's both intricate and terrifyingly consequential. Every spell cast, every shadow manipulated comes with a price that will make you question whether power is truly worth its cost.

The characters are a revelation. Our protagonist (who I won't name to avoid even the smallest spoiler) is brilliantly crafted - morally complex, deeply flawed, and utterly captivating. The supporting cast is equally well-drawn, each with their own secrets and motivations that unfold like a deadly flower blooming in moonlight. The relationships are messy, complicated, and achingly real, even in this fantasy setting.

Johns' prose is gorgeous without being purple, dark without being gratuitous. The pacing is relentless - I lost sleep over this book, telling myself "just one more chapter" until the sun came up. The political intrigue is as sharp as any blade, and the magic scenes are choreographed with such vivid detail that you'll feel the shadows crawling up your own arms.

What keeps this from a perfect five stars? A couple of minor worldbuilding elements could have used more explanation, and there's one subplot that doesn't quite reach its full potential. But these are such small quibbles in what is otherwise a stunning achievement in dark fantasy.

This book is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout who are ready to venture into even darker territories. It's for readers who like their fantasy with sharp teeth and a beating heart, who don't mind checking under their bed for shadows before they sleep.

Fair warning: the ending will leave you breathless and immediately reaching for the next book. "Kingdom of Shadow and Ash" isn't just a story - it's an experience that will follow you like a shadow long after you turn the last page.

Content note: Recommended for mature readers due to dark themes and intensity.

3.25⭐️

Dragons, wyverns, witches, brooding males? Count me in. This book had such fun elements and I felt was still able to keep things unique.
Mal Blackburn, the fmc was everything you want in a fmc. She was strong and independent without being insufferably so. Mal was a fourth born wyverian royal, her siblings had already filled the kingdoms roles of the heir, the warrior, and the truth-bearer. She was “an anomaly, a child that should never have existed”. Mal was left with nothing that was meant only for her. Mal had to spend her life being watched, judged and whispered about by her own people for being different. After being approached by her father the king and feeling like she is the expendable one of her siblings she agrees to an oath marriage to the fire prince Ash Acheron to unite the kingdoms in hopes of preventing a war.

Overall I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to continuing the series! I did struggle a bit with the writing style as it was third person and following 6+ different characters. It had a lot of jumping around between characters and I honestly felt that the two main characters Mal and Ash had little presence in the book until about 60%. The first 60% I felt that Kai (Mal’s older brother) and Alina (Ash’s sister) were the main characters. Mal and Ash had very little interaction until they were already married- partially due to Ash’s stutter and fear of being judged as a king who can’t speak clearly. Their chemistry did feel a little rushed to make up that time that was lost. I did like their connection but would really love to see more depth from them. It was a slower build up in the first 70% of the book but the last 30% felt very action packed and kept me turning the page for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and J.F. Johns for allowing me to read the eARC of this book.

I've officially found my new fantasy romance obsession series!! This just gripped me from the beginning, I loved the lore and history in this and felt it wove together so well. I loved that there was a bigger character pool than a lot of series with interlacing politics, it made for such tense reading and plot twists I never saw coming. I loved the range of characters in this and the different magical/mythical beings in this made for a twists which makes this feel fresh and exciting, I'm so excited for book 2 already!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

All I can say is woah—this was absolutely amazing! I loved the insane amount of detail in every part of the book. The different lands, the characters, the storylines—it was all so well crafted. And the story of Tabitha woven throughout the main plot was so fun!

All the characters were incredibly well written, and some truly surprised me by the end. I especially loved all the princes and princesses, how different each land was, and the unique animals tied to them.

Mal was such a strong character! I loved how unapologetically herself she was from the beginning. Even when her views clashed with others, she didn’t back down—she just did her own thing, and I loved that so much.

When Ash was first introduced, I totally expected the typical “prince” character—but he turned out to be so different! His stutter and the way he slowly opened up to Mal made me really fall in love with him.

I seriously can’t wait for the next part. I need it right now!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Independent publisher for my arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

"A Kingdom of shadow and ash" is the first in a series that contains all the popular BookTok tropes that you could ask for: enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance, court intrigue, and dark magic. It's a perfect read for Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros fans! Unfortunately, if you're expecting great storytelling, character work, and world-building, this may be a bit of a miss. I can see why someone else would really enjoy this, but I can't turn my brain off enough to be okay with just tropes.

This isn't a book for me and I acknowledge that but I just can't get passed the weak foundations.

A story I think that will really progress when we get book two. The reveal of the ending and associated people or magic was what kept the story moving along. The main characters were very interesting, but the surrounding characters all fell a little flat in my mind. I think when book two comes out and I’m with the characters for longer than I will start building connections!

First of all, I'm not a huge fan of the AI-style cover, but the story itself gave me strong Throne of Glass vibes: witches, fae, dragons, wyverns, court intrigue, and plenty of scheming.

The plot was intriguing, though the world-building could use a bit more depth. That said, the magic system was cool and fairly well explained. I especially loved the excerpts from Tabitha at the beginning of each chapter - they added a nice layer of context to events from a hundred years ago.

The romance felt organic and well-written, even if a bit rushed at times. I really liked both Mal and Ash. And Alina and Kai? Absolutely lovely - I wish we’d gotten more of them!

The third-person narration with multiple POVs was handled smoothly, and it made the story even more engaging for me.

And that huge cliffhanger at the end? I'm definitely eager for book two!

Overall, I liked this book. I thought that the concept was interesting and the initial couple of chapters really hooked me.

I think the strongest parts of this book are the characters and the plot. All of our main characters were interesting and by the end, I felt like I knew them. The more prominent side characters, like Wren, had their own unique quirks and served the story in a way that made sense. By far, the most interesting character is Mal, followed closely by Alina. The plot was typical, forced marriage/imminent war. But the ending did throw some twists my way that I did not see coming at all. The last ~15% of the book is crazy I loved every second of it.

Maybe the most interesting thing to me about this book is that we follow multiple love stories/couples. While I enjoyed Mal and Ash, our main couple, I was more captivated by the secondary romance. Now, while I this aspect was interesting I think it takes away in terms of pacing. The first and last ~15% were very engaging to me, but the middle section felt like it dragged at times. I think that because we were following multiple love interests, the plot progression slowed significantly.

Now, the biggest issue I had with this book was the believability of the romance (and the rotten food, but I digress). I did not buy the switch from hate to love between Mal and Ash. It felt a little like a light switch being flipped, we didn’t get a whole lot of the in between phase which I think is really crucial to love a hate-to-love romance.

While this was not my favorite book, I think it is a good escape and would be ideal for people who want to get away from a world so different from our own.

First things first...please stop including "perfect for fans of XYZ popular book series," in your blurbs. That is for the reviewers to share. When it is included in a blurb it is immediately off-putting and sets the standard super high. Without that, this would have been a solid 4/5 star read. But because the blurb forced me to hold it to the standards of Fourth Wing, Serpent & Dove, and Bridge Kingdom (which is one of my favorite series ever written), it fell short.

3/5 stars! The plot was intriguing and there was a lot to like about the book. But it needs editing. There were times where a character's actions and then the next paragraph make it feel like 10-20 minutes have passed without any transition. I liked the descriptions of the setting, but the world-building needs work. The premise is there...it just needs to be tightened and flow more smoothly, especially if its supposed to be compared to perfection, such as the Bridge Kingdom series.

I found it a little hard to get into at the beginning but once I got into it the story just kept you entranced. You never knew what was coming. The betrayal and the twists WOW. I loved the detailing of the characters and the details in the 8 kingdoms. I cannot wait for the next book!!

Thank you to NetGalley and J.F. Johns for the digital advanced copy of A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash. This review reflects my own thoughts and opinions.

A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash kicks off a brand new fantasy series, and it starts with a bang. The story mainly follows Mal Blackburn and her three siblings—Haven, Kai, and Kage—of the Kingdom of Darkness, as well as Ash Acheron and his sister Alina from the Kingdom of Fire. A century ago, a broken marriage pact between these two kingdoms sparked a brutal war against the witches and warlocks of the Kingdom of Magic. Now, Mal and Ash are entering into a new marriage pact in hopes of uniting the eight kingdoms. The twist? There are rumors the witches and warlocks aren’t as extinct as everyone thinks—and they've been quietly waiting for revenge. Oh, and there's also a prophecy that says Mal has to kill her future husband to save the kingdoms. No big deal... unless she falls for him first.

I genuinely enjoyed this book. I fell in love with every character. The worldbuilding is rich, the cast is dynamic, and I honestly wanted to live in this universe. What really surprised me—in the best way—is that the story isn’t just about Mal and Ash. It shifts perspectives between several characters, which makes it feel a lot more epic than the blurb lets on. If anything, I felt like the story was a bit rushed, simply because I wanted more time with each of them.

Ash was another standout for me. It’s so refreshing to read about a male character—especially in a heterosexual pairing—who’s allowed to show real vulnerability. He has emotional depth, he’s not afraid to show weakness, and it complements Mal’s strength and confidence perfectly. Together, they balance each other out in a way that feels healthy and realistic. Also, a big shoutout to this book for avoiding the miscommunication trope. These characters actually talk to each other and function like a team, which is honestly so satisfying to read.

If I had any complaints, it would be with the pacing and some of the action scenes. A few fight sequences felt a little clunky and hard to visualize. Plus, with such a big and interesting cast, the book tries to do a lot in a short span of time. I don’t usually say this, but I think this story would’ve worked even better split into two parts. It just needed a bit more breathing room to fully develop everything.

That said, I’m really looking forward to the next book. I’m excited to see how these characters grow and where the story goes from here.

A perfect read. I was blown away by this story. It was so delicately complex yet woven together so well, I was left speechless by how well-written the plot was and thoroughly enjoyed the book. Every single scene that graced the pages had amazing world-building. The forced proximity, and the relationships between all the characters (especially Mal and Ash) had so much depth and connection, I need to know what happens next!

I was so excited to jump into a new world that included a strong FMC and dragons. Unfortunately I only made it about a third of the way. I would start to get into the plot but the little prologue to every chapter threw me off. In fact, it threw me right out of the story altogether. If they are meant to guide the reader, perhaps there is another way to insert this knowledge. I do very much appreciate the opportunity to review and look forward to other works by this author.

Wow oh wow this was a killer book. It was such a unique magic system and story and there was so many side characters I fell in love with but I was never confused. Wren? Love her. I’m also so intrigued with Kage and to see his story to unfold. 😯

It was so well done! The author kept it action packed and full of depth. I’m obsessed! I can’t wait for book 2. Kai, we need you 😭

4.5/5 stars

Thank you so much to J.F. Johns and NetGalley for this ARC!

Check out this review on Fable
https://fable.co/review/485cdc9c-bf74-45e2-b624-8fe638061d5f/share

‘Let it be that, on the night of my lover’s death, a hundred years from now, darkness shall descend upon them. Let them suffer as we have suffered. Let them know ruin as we have known it.’



Enemies to lovers, 3rd person pov, forced proximity. Witches and wyverns. This book has light romance with multiple love stories which I’m really enjoying. It also has a lot of backstory and is very complex but easy to follow! Can’t wait for the second book!

Thank you to J. F. Johns for sending me an ARC of this book!

This book took me a moment to get into and learn the magic system but WOW did it get so good. Mal, fourth born royal child of the wyvarians is to be married off to the Fire Prince to repair a broken alliance. Underneath it all is a curse that Mal knows is her duty to break. Starting to plot her husband’s death before ever meeting him, Mal plans to be detached and in and out of the Fire kingdom within two weeks.

Ash comes off cruel with his silence, but it’s later found that his speech is what limits his interactions, not callousness. Drawn to Mal from the start, Ash comes out of his comfort zone and we get a delicious slow burn.

In love and knowing one has to kill the other, sacrifices must be made for the good of the kingdom with the oncoming deadline of the curse as well as the rising of the witch kingdom.

This book made me have all of the emotions. I’ve never loved a soft MMC more honestly. This book gives me a blend of TOG and ACOTAR vibes and it’s fantastic. Witches, wyverns, dragons, magic, court intrigue and scheming with a healthy dose of spice.

I just thought that this was quite boring and i didn’t really connect with the characters! I was just trying to find a reason to continue this book but i just had to DNF it.
The concept for this book gave it potential but it just wasn’t for me!

This book was so good. I missed sleep for it … and I love sleep. The characters were so loveable the storyline was amazing, I love the building of the world and I’m excited to see what happens when the next book comes out :)

I loved this book so much, I might go for a re-read again. Had not read a good fantasy like this since a while. The world building, the plot, the characters are amazing. I loved Mal and Ash but the Kai and Alina literally stole my heart. The banters between the characters were up-to the mark. The tension till the end for the curse was too good. I don't know what else to say, the words are with me but are floating in my head. Will definitely get the physical copy and I am already waiting for the second book. Also one more bonus point this book has both dragons and wyverns and I was like what!!!!! The magic system is again very well executed. The female characters were so strong it felt good to have a book with such strong female characters. This book is a solid 5/5 for me. Anyone looking for a fresh fantasy book with enemies to lovers trope please pick this up.

This book is spectacular ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

J.F. Johns is an incredibly talented writer and knows just how to balance edge of your seat action with real heart and character depth.

In particular, I loved:

-Mal, a badass with a heart of gold.
-The court politics, there are schemes, complex transitions and a rich history.
- The romance. Ash and Mal have the slowest of the slow burns but their relationship is so sweet and brings a bit of light to some of the darker moments in the story. Although I found myself hoping Kai and Alina would get together too!
- The lore and the prophecy, this was incredibly well done and is the main reason this was a 5-star read for me.

I would recommend this book to anyone who will listen, it had a tonne of action, it made me laugh but it also absolutely devastated me at times. This book is for everyone who loved Throne of Glass but wished it was edgier.