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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This book is truly a new favorite. The writing was beautiful and flowed keeping me up saying "one more chapter" as good books tend to do. There is a strong female lead and the romance while not spicy is VERY enjoyable. The twist was totally unexpected. I highly recommend this book.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you’re looking for a literary epiphany you won’t find it in this book, but you will still find a very solid first entry into a fantasy series with great world building and atmosphere.
To Kill a Shadow is the first book in (from what I can find) author Katherine Quinn’s Mistlands series, which reminds me of such series as Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer and a touch of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. The blurb makes this book seem a lot darker than it actually is with all of its horror references, since the allusions to both The Mist and The Evil Dead are both mostly glancing askance instead of embracing the horror wholly.
I found this book a touch confusing at first because I thought it might be an age-gap romantasy and I just missed the memo, but it’s not. (Though that would’ve been a cool surprise had it not taken the book entirely out of the YA genre). I did love our two MCs, Jude and Kiara. They have a natural chemistry on page, with terrific dialogue that snaps and crackles with emotion. While their relationship evolves rather fast compared to other romantasy series of the same genre, I didn’t mind it because I’m not a lover of slow-burn. This series makes a huge point of Kiara being a woman who knows her own mind and that both she and Jude know how fleeting life can be in their world, so maybe it’s not too hard to imagine when someone reaches a hand out you take it.
The plot? Well, it’s rather transparent. That’s the thin point here. The plot is rather derivative of several other YA romantasy series and is very predictable (at least it is to me). The saving grace to this book is the comfort feel of a solid fantasy read, the characters, the dialogue, and the world building.
A good first entry into a new series, so I recommend reading this if you’re looking to get into a new series.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Fantasy Series/LGBTQ Fiction/Supernatural Fantasy/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy
To Kill a Shadow is the first book in (from what I can find) author Katherine Quinn’s Mistlands series, which reminds me of such series as Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer and a touch of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. The blurb makes this book seem a lot darker than it actually is with all of its horror references, since the allusions to both The Mist and The Evil Dead are both mostly glancing askance instead of embracing the horror wholly.
I found this book a touch confusing at first because I thought it might be an age-gap romantasy and I just missed the memo, but it’s not. (Though that would’ve been a cool surprise had it not taken the book entirely out of the YA genre). I did love our two MCs, Jude and Kiara. They have a natural chemistry on page, with terrific dialogue that snaps and crackles with emotion. While their relationship evolves rather fast compared to other romantasy series of the same genre, I didn’t mind it because I’m not a lover of slow-burn. This series makes a huge point of Kiara being a woman who knows her own mind and that both she and Jude know how fleeting life can be in their world, so maybe it’s not too hard to imagine when someone reaches a hand out you take it.
The plot? Well, it’s rather transparent. That’s the thin point here. The plot is rather derivative of several other YA romantasy series and is very predictable (at least it is to me). The saving grace to this book is the comfort feel of a solid fantasy read, the characters, the dialogue, and the world building.
A good first entry into a new series, so I recommend reading this if you’re looking to get into a new series.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Fantasy Series/LGBTQ Fiction/Supernatural Fantasy/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The amount of times the characters "utter a curse" or "cursed" (just those words, not an actual curse) is really annoying.
I didn't really feel like we're told info we need, but I just wasn't connecting with it. Especially how the king knew so much about an "unknown" area, which happened to be enough to justify a quest with our characters.
There were all the makings of a great YA fantasy, but it just fell kind of flat.
I loved the letters at the beginning of every chapter, though!
I didn't really feel like we're told info we need, but I just wasn't connecting with it. Especially how the king knew so much about an "unknown" area, which happened to be enough to justify a quest with our characters.
There were all the makings of a great YA fantasy, but it just fell kind of flat.
I loved the letters at the beginning of every chapter, though!