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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
I was provided an ARC of this title for free by the publisher and NetGalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This deliciously binge-worthy upper YA (NO
This deliciously binge-worthy upper YA (NO
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Book Review: To Kill A Shadow by Katherine Quinn
To Kill a Shadow is a young adult fantasy novel about a group of knights that trek into a dark and deadly land to bring light back into their world.
Kiara Frey has only known darkness her entire life as her country of Asidia went dark fifty years prior. Due to her incredible fighting skills she’s quickly picked up in a mandatory draft into the king’s army. She and a small team of recruits (led by the mysterious and deadly commander Jude Maddox) are forced to enter the mist filled land at the edge of the kingdom to find the keys to bringing the sun back to their world.
Although this book had an intriguing premise the writing style is extremely corny. I found the inner dialogue of both the commander and Kiara about their mutual attraction so cringy and ridiculous in a setting with such deadly stakes. I also felt like the use of common words like “guys” in a high fantasy novel pulled me right out of the story.
This book has a plot that is fairly entertaining and has a lot of potential but unfortunately the writing and the sappy romantic sub-plot caused a lot of eye-rolling for me.
3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
➿𝓣𝓸 𝓚𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓐 𝓢𝓱𝓪𝓭𝓸𝔀 – 𝓜𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓼 #1 – 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀➿
“ᴅᴏɴ’ᴛ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ʙᴇ ꜱᴜʀᴘʀɪꜱᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ. ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ ɪꜱ ᴄʜᴀᴏꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ɪɴ ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ʜᴀʟꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴜɴ.”
Author: Katherine Quinn
Couple: Kiara Frey & Jude Maddox
Tropes: dark YA fantasy, enemy to frenemies to lovers, morally grey, hidden prophecies, mercenaries/assassins, magical curses
“ɪ ꜰɪɴᴅ ɪᴛ ɪʀᴏɴɪᴄ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴅɪᴅ ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ. ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴠᴇ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ꜱᴀᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ɪɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟꜱᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀꜱᴛ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ.” - ʟɪᴀᴍ ꜰʀᴇʏ
Review: Katherine Quinn gives us everything we want in this all new book in the Mistlands series! Kiara and Jude are two sides of the same coin and their antagonistic bond turns to reluctant approval as we delve into this new fantasy romance. I cannot say enough how much both of these characters tug at your heartstrings!
“ᴊᴜᴅᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀꜱᴛᴏᴏᴅ ᴍᴇ. ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴅᴇꜱᴄʀɪʙᴇ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ, ꜱʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀꜱᴋ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ. ɪ ꜰᴇʟᴛ ɪᴛ. ʜᴏᴡ ᴏᴜʀ ʙᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛꜱ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ꜱᴘᴇᴀᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴀ ʟᴀɴɢᴜᴀɢᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴡᴇ ꜱᴇᴇᴍᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ.”
Kiara is touched by the curse after she was bitten by a nightmare beast as a child and her character arc is fascinating in this first book since it evolves around her slowly learning to accept the scars it left her with. I found her fiery and feisty attitude towards life and authority to be the shining beacon in this story and Katherine created the mystery surrounding her perfectly! After she joins the army to save her brother from that fate, she is thrown headfirst into Jude’s domain and is immediately drawn into his darker side and intrigued by his secrets. I found the snippets at the top of each chapter to be some of the most beneficial parts of this book when trying to unravel Kiara’s mystery and what role she is to play with unraveling the curse of the mist and shadows.
“ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ꜰᴇʟᴛ ꜱᴇᴇɴ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ, ᴋɪᴀʀᴀ, ɴᴏᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ. ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴘᴀꜱᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ ᴍᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜰᴇᴀʀᴇᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱᴍɪʟᴇᴅ.”
“ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴇ. ᴡʜᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ɪ ᴡɪꜱʜᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴏʀ ɴᴏᴛ, ᴋɪᴀʀᴀ ʜᴀᴅ ꜱʟᴏᴡʟʏ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ ᴏꜰ ʟɪɢʜᴛ.”
Jude on the other hand is the King’s right hand and the most feared assassin in the mercenary guild. His character is such a dichotomy since he is not the monster, he appears to be but rather a boy that was forced into doing the King’s biding. He was my favorite in this book purely because of all the mystery that surrounds him and the secrets that he is filled with regarding everyone. I enjoyed how Kiara slowly unraveled his stoic demeanor and LOVED how he began to live again after meeting her. Katherine outdid herself with creating his story arc in this first book since when the shocking plot twists at the end come to light, we see how important Jude is to everything. I found myself hurting for him as some long hidden truths come to light and hope that he is able to break the King’s hold for Kiara.
“ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴏᴜʀ ᴊᴀɢɢᴇᴅ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇꜱ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ꜰɪᴛ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛʟʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪꜰᴜʟ, ᴅɪꜱᴀꜱᴛʀᴏᴜꜱ ᴍᴏꜱᴀɪᴄ ᴡᴇ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ.”
Kiara and Jude are full of the push and pull tension we love in an enemy to lovers romance but what makes them different is the way both of them are shattered souls who also find solace in each other from the beginning. The innate understanding, they have of one another is beautiful to read and will bring tears to your eyes as you watch them heal together.
“ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɢᴇɴᴛʟᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ᴊᴜᴅᴇ ᴋɪꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ. ʜᴏᴡ ʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴀɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴʜᴀʟᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ꜱᴀɴɪᴛʏ, ᴇxʜᴀʟɪɴɢ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀꜰᴜʟ ɪɴ ɪᴛꜱ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ. ʜᴇ ᴛᴀꜱᴛᴇᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴘᴏꜱꜱɪʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ—ᴀɴ ɪɴᴛᴏxɪᴄᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴄᴏᴍʙɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜱᴇᴛ ᴅᴇʟɪᴄɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴀᴅʀᴇɴᴀʟɪɴᴇ ꜱᴜʀɢɪɴɢ ᴀᴄʀᴏꜱꜱ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ɪɴᴄʜ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ꜰʟᴇꜱʜ ᴀꜱ ʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠᴏᴜʀᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ, ʜɪꜱ ʟɪᴘꜱ ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ ᴡɪʟᴅʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ.”
I enjoyed how the burn was slow in this book since it really set the stage for a wickedly sinful bond to form between them. I thought the way Kiara was able to break down Jude’s walls and uncover the suave and dirty talking alpha male underneath his armor to be perfect in the best of ways and man was Jude swoon worthy!
“ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ꜰʟᴏᴡ; ɪᴛ ꜱᴛᴏᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴍᴇ. ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ᴍᴏɴꜱᴛᴇʀ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴀ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇꜱꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ʟɪꜰᴇ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴜɴ.”
A huge area I found to be enthralling in this book was the way Katherine created the mysticism surrounding the Sun Goddess and the Mist Curse. I enjoyed reading all the little excerpts at the top of every chapter and found that a lot of them pieced together information and gave hints at what is to come. I truly did not see the end coming and was shocked at who betrayed everyone in the end. The effortless way the folklore and tragedy were interwoven in this romance was ensnaring and I loved how Jude and Kiara are at the epicenter of it all and that both have the fog lifted from their eyes by the end. I cannot wait to see how the friendships evolve and how Kiara blazes thorough the continent after the endings of this book!
Rating: 100+, Jude and Kiara are the makings of the next romantasy couple!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"The twisted side of me enjoyed this part the most; the seconds before the k ill, when anticipation heated my blood and sent a thrill of adrenaline down my spine..."
Highly recommend it for those who enjoy their fantasy reads a bit more complex with lots of action, mystery, misguidance, and light romance.
Superb world-building.
I felt the cold wrap around my bones, the eyes that followed me
"Being alive is chaos, and living in it is half the fun"
Loved the cast.
Each character brought so much to the storyline.
It was primarily focused on Kiara's journey, yet the other characters were just as front and center and IMO as important to the storyline
I was surprised by Jude and how he developed as the story progressed
I have a feeling Kiara's brother will play an important role in the future. I could be wrong though.
There were so many misleading breadcrumb trails.
I was totally blown away by the revelations during the climax.
So did not see them coming.
Oh, I had my suspicions about some things but the truth
HOLY CRISPY CRACKERS
So this is a series -
It is to be continued...
As in you will be left with all kinds of questions eager to get your hands on the next in this must-read series
Highly recommend it to those who enjoy high-action fantasy with light romance with an engaging storyline
Highly recommend it for those who enjoy their fantasy reads a bit more complex with lots of action, mystery, misguidance, and light romance.
Superb world-building.
I felt the cold wrap around my bones, the eyes that followed me
"Being alive is chaos, and living in it is half the fun"
Loved the cast.
Each character brought so much to the storyline.
It was primarily focused on Kiara's journey, yet the other characters were just as front and center and IMO as important to the storyline
I was surprised by Jude and how he developed as the story progressed
I have a feeling Kiara's brother will play an important role in the future. I could be wrong though.
There were so many misleading breadcrumb trails.
I was totally blown away by the revelations during the climax.
So did not see them coming.
Oh, I had my suspicions about some things but the truth
HOLY CRISPY CRACKERS
So this is a series -
It is to be continued...
As in you will be left with all kinds of questions eager to get your hands on the next in this must-read series
Highly recommend it to those who enjoy high-action fantasy with light romance with an engaging storyline