Series: Elemental Emergence #1
Release date: March 28th 2024
Publisher: Transworld Publishers
Pages: 387
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3/5 stars
Synopsis
Some follow their destiny.
Others fall for it.
For humans, Salizar’s is a place of mystery and wonder. For Harrow, it’s a place to hide from those who slaughtered her entire clan. A haven where she can disguise both her abilities and who she really is.
Until he arrives.
He has no recollection of who—or even what—he is. He only knows that he’s a monster, with wings and powerful abilities never seen before. But beneath the layers of rage and isolation, one glimpse into those inky black eyes reveals a soul that calls out to the loneliness in Harrow.
And so she chooses him.
She is drawn to the mystery of him, her unquenchable need for his kiss. And as powerful enemies align and conspire against them, Harrow knows their only hope is escape.
Now, with every secret she unlocks from his past, a shadow from her own whispers free—luring enemies who will stop at nothing to get their final revenge on Harrow. And she’s given them the perfect weapon…because her winged beast is not what he seems.
But maybe it’s time they finally learn—neither is she.
Review
Sanctuary of the Shadow is a fast paced tale that follows a young woman working at a magical circus. Harrow is the last of her clan and the circus is the perfect place to hide her abilities and who she truly is. When a newcomer comes to the circus with no memory of who he is, Harrow finds herself drawn to him and must unravel the mystery of who he is.
Sanctuary of the Shadow is a compulsively readable story and one that I flew through in a few sittings. The story is quick paced and is easy to get into. I thought the story had a really intriguing premise I loved the idea of a circus setting and would love to learn more about the circus and its performers in future books. Ascher’s writing style is vivid and I found it really easy to lose myself in this magical fantasy romance tale. This is my first time reading a book from Aurora Ascher but I am certainly keen to read more from them, and I would be interested to see where the story goes in book two.
While this is a fantasy romance tale, it does lean heavily towards the romance and I do think the fantasy elements and worldbuilding could have been fleshed out a bit more. I liked our main characters Harrow and Raith, but their relationship develops very quickly and I think it could have done with the characters getting to know each other more. That being said both Harrow and Raith felt like dynamic and well crafted characters. I was really interested in the different elementals and the different abilities they had, this is definitely something I’d like to see explored a bit more in the next book in the series. There are also some very steamy scenes in this book which wasn’t what I was expecting but overall this was a quick and entertaining read.
While I didn’t completely fall in love with this one, Sanctuary of the Shadow is a story that will have fantasy romance fans absolutely glued to the page. So if you’re looking for your next fantasy romance read, this one should definitely be on your reading list.
Murder Road is the newest dark and twisty release from Simone St. James. The story follows newlyweds April and Eddie as they’re driving to their honeymoon resort. They take a wrong turn late at night and find themselves on a dark and deserted road. As they drive they come across a young woman alone and in trouble. Offering to give her a ride they pick her up only to find she’s covered in blood. They see some mysterious headlights and the woman tells them nothing except “he’s coming.” Eddie and April soon find themselves entangled in a murder investigation, but will they be able to unravel the secrets of Atticus Line?
Craig Russell’s The Devil’s Playground is a dark and enthralling tale that follows two timelines. In 1967 journalist Paul Conway is attempting to track down the only copy of The Devil’s Playground in existence – a silent film that was thought to be a cursed production with several tragic accidents and deaths linked to the film. Meanwhile, in 1927 Mary Rourke is a fixer for a Hollywood film studio – she does what she can to ensure the studio and its actors are never seen in a bad light. The studio is currently working on a film that is thought to be the most terrifying horror film ever made – The Devil’s Playground. When Mary discovers the body of the lead actress, she begins to wonder if there are any truths to the rumour that this is a cursed production.
Psyche and Eros is a beautifully told Greek myth retelling. I was initially drawn in by that beautiful cover and was completely hooked from the outset. The story follows Psyche, the princess of Mycenae, who angers the goddess of love Aphrodite. As revenge, Aphrodite sends Eros to deliver a curse to Psyche. However when Eros is hit with the arrow meant for Psyche, he finds himself in love with her. If Psyche ever looks upon Eros the curse will split them apart. Will they find a way to break the curse and be together?
Emily Tesh’s Some Desperate Glory is an epic space adventure that follows Kyr, a young woman living on Gaea Station – one of the last holdouts of humanity after planet Earth was destroyed. Kyr has trained all her life to be the most skilled warrior and she knows she will be assigned a combat job to help get revenge for her planet. When Kyr is unexpectedly assigned to the nursery to bear sons and her brother Mags is sent on a suicide mission, Kyr teams up with her brother’s friend and a captive alien to rescue Mags and take matters into her own hands. However, once Kyr and her team escape the station, they find there might be far more out there than she realised.
Shield Maiden is a beautifully written fantasy tale that follows Fryda, a young girl with a dream of becoming a shield maiden. After an accident in her childhood leaves her disabled, she believes she will never achieve that dream – no matter how badly she wants it. When her Uncle Beowulf comes to visit the clan and celebrations begin, Fryda uncovers a plot that threatens the safety of the people she loves most. Determined to do what she can to protect her people, Fryda soon feels a strange power growing inside her, but Fryda isn’t the only one who feels the power stirring and a dragon long sleeping might finally awake.
Set in Norway in 1662, The Witches of Vardø is a beautifully told historical fiction tale about a group of women accused of witchcraft. When Zigri starts an affair with the merchant’s son, she is denounced as a witch and taken to the island of Vardø to await trial. Her daughter Ingeborg is determined to rescue her from a terrible fate, so joins forces with Maren, the daughter of the infamous witch Liren Sand. Will the two girls be able to save Zigri and the other women accused of witchcraft? Those in the witches hole are not the only women captive on the island. Noblewoman Anna Rhodius has been sent to Vardø in disgrace. She has lost everything, but what will she do to regain the King’s favour and return to her previous life of privilege?
This absolutely stunning book captured my attention right from the very beginning. I was completely hooked and did not want to put it down. The story follows half-goddess Baba Yaga, who mostly keeps to herself in the woods, helping those who seek her out. When her old friend Anastasia comes seeking her desperate for help, she knows she cannot hide in the shadows anymore but must embark on an epic adventure to protect Russia from Tsar Ivan the Terrible.
The Stars Undying is an epic space opera debut that follows Altagracia, a young princess that lost everything when her twin sister claimed the crown. With no choice but to go on the run, Gracia soon runs into Matheus Ceirran, the deadly Commander of the Empire of Ceiao. Gracia knows Ceirran could be her ticket to reclaiming her birthright, but only if she can win him over first.
Widdershins is a beautiful, thought-provoking tale inspired by true events. The story follows two main characters – Jane Chandler who is learning how to be a healer, using herbs and lore to cure the sick. Meanwhile, John Sharpe has endured a hard childhood – his mother died during his birth and his father blames him for this. After enduring vicious beatings from his father he is sent to stay with his Uncle, a pastor. He finds purpose in becoming a witch-finder and rooting out all trace of witchcraft.
Sunwise is the second installment in Helen Steadman’s Widdershins series, focusing on the witch trials in England and Scotland. Following on from the events in book one, the story follows Jane as her lover Tom returns to find her married to the worst person imaginable. She’s stuck in an impossible situation, still trying to cope with the loss of her mother at the hands of John Sharpe and find a way to protect her daughter. As Tom tries to find a way for them to be together, Jane knows the witchfinder is still out there and John will stop at nothing to rid the world of witches and their magic.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 