A review by natashaleighton_
A Kingdom of Shadows by Rina Vasquez

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

As action packed and plot twisty as the first, Rina Vasquez’s follow up to her romantasy debut (A City of Flames) was really good!  

The worldbuilding and lore is more detailed (which had me utterly intrigued) and the swoon-worthy banter was in full swing —with more slowburn, chemistry laden tension than you can shake a stick at.

I love delving into a character’s backstory (and understand what fuels them), so was excited for the chance to learn more about Darius’ past. Despite his tough, flirtatious exterior he’s a big softie at heart and I really enjoyed watching Nara slowly realise this. They had some incredible (swoon-worthy) interactions as well, and the emotions that seep into their scenes were spectacular — I was actively on the brink of tears more than once.

We also get some pretty HUGE twists and revelations, especially where Darius is concerned which I felt not only brought depth to his character but also gave us the chance to watch Nara slowly realise her own feelings for him and begin to open up emotionally. 

But, I confess Tibith, and his naive yet hilarious penchant for truth telling (and impeccable timing) did steal the show for me. I NEED him to be a POV character soo much (if not in the rest of the series then at least in a bonus chapter/ novella.)

There’s not much else in can say without spoilers, so I’ll just say if you’re looking for a dragon-filled romantasy with plenty of romantic tension, a sprinkling of spice, elves and magical quests— then you should definitely consider adding this series to your TBR! 

Also, a huge thank you to Ana over at Wildfire for the finished copy 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings