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shanisshelves 's review for:
A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows (Deluxe Edition)
by Holly Renee
A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows was a fun, quick read and is a great place to start if you’re new to romantasy. Adara is a "Starblessed" human, and has been promised to Gavril, the Fae Crown prince, her entire life. She doesn’t want to marry him and be forced to serve him and his court, and is determined to find a way out of her predestined life. Evren, the Captain of the Royal Guard, is sent to her village to collect her, and she finds herself drawn to him. Her attraction only gets worse when she finds out that Evren is also a prince and is Gavril’s brother, and is tasked with protecting her. She’s surrounded by courtly intrigue, lies, and betrayals as everyone in the Fae court seeks to use her power for their own purposes, and the kingdom is in danger from the looming threat of the vampyres in the Blood Court.
I liked the concept of the Starblessed and the warring Fae and Vampyre Courts, though I would have liked more world building and explanation of the magic system. Adara is a fierce, strong protagonist, and it was rewarding to watch her discover her power and decide to fight for herself. Evren is a protective, possessive, swoony, morally grey, shadow daddy prince who will do anything for Adara, even though she belongs to his brother. The romance is the focus of this book, and Evren and Adara are instantly drawn to each other. They have immediate tension, angst, and longing due to their forbidden romance, and I would have liked more buildup to their relationship, as insta-love is not my favorite trope. However, their chemistry was off the charts.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It is more romance than fantasy, and I would’ve liked more exploration of the fantastical elements and more foundation for the romance, but it was fun and entertaining, and I’ll most likely continue with the series.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Holly Renee ARC.
📔 A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows
✏️ Author
📆 June 24, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
READ IF YOU LIKE:
✨ romantasy
✨ the chosen one
✨ vampyres and fae
✨ arranged marriage
✨ fiancé’s brother
✨ forbidden love
✨ forced proximity
✨ warring kingdoms
✨ morally grey, possessive hero
✨ touch her and 💀
*Connect With Me*
https://instagram.com/shanisshelves?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
https://www.tiktok.com/@shanisshelves
I liked the concept of the Starblessed and the warring Fae and Vampyre Courts, though I would have liked more world building and explanation of the magic system. Adara is a fierce, strong protagonist, and it was rewarding to watch her discover her power and decide to fight for herself. Evren is a protective, possessive, swoony, morally grey, shadow daddy prince who will do anything for Adara, even though she belongs to his brother. The romance is the focus of this book, and Evren and Adara are instantly drawn to each other. They have immediate tension, angst, and longing due to their forbidden romance, and I would have liked more buildup to their relationship, as insta-love is not my favorite trope. However, their chemistry was off the charts.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It is more romance than fantasy, and I would’ve liked more exploration of the fantastical elements and more foundation for the romance, but it was fun and entertaining, and I’ll most likely continue with the series.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Holly Renee ARC.
📔 A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows
✏️ Author
📆 June 24, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
READ IF YOU LIKE:
✨ romantasy
✨ the chosen one
✨ vampyres and fae
✨ arranged marriage
✨ fiancé’s brother
✨ forbidden love
✨ forced proximity
✨ warring kingdoms
✨ morally grey, possessive hero
✨ touch her and 💀
*Connect With Me*
https://instagram.com/shanisshelves?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
https://www.tiktok.com/@shanisshelves