Visions & Shadows

Vaalbara #1

by Michelle Heard

From USA Today Bestselling Author Michelle Heard comes an action-packed Romantasy with scorching hot romance and breathtaking emotion that will keep you turning the pages.

A week before my eighteenth birthday, the guy I’m catching feelings for legit tosses me through a waterfall, only for me to find out everything I thought I knew is nothing but a lie.

My name is Alchera, and five years ago, my people wiped my memories and abandoned me at a waterfall so I’d learn what it’s like to be human. Turns out I have the destiny of saving humankind and a hotter-than-hell guardian to help me through the nightmare I have to face.

Adapting to a life of brutal training was not on my list of things to do after graduating. But the ten chosen ones depend on me, and I have no choice but to suck it up and do everything I’m told.

Trying to survive the new world I’ve been thrown into, I have to cope with my guardian, who can hear my every thought. Besides that, people are out to torture me for information about the visions I receive.

I’m not so sure I’m cut out for this.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Paranormal, Forced Proximity, Paranormal Romance

Unknown Binding

Published December 9, 2024

About the author

Michelle Heard is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon #3 Bestselling romance author.

She writes emotional heart-shattering stories with a whole lot of Mafia & Romance that will leave you smiling with satisfaction. Every book has an unexpected twist that will show the strength of the characters.

Before becoming an author, Michelle had a career in banking. She lives in South Africa with her son, Sheldon, who's also her right-hand man when it comes to all things publishing, and her daughter-in-law, Tayla, who's her best friend.

Reading Order on AMAZON


STANDALONE NOVELS:
***Mafia & Bratva Romance (in order)***

THE SAINTS SERIES:
Merciless Saints - Damien Vetrov
Cruel Saints - Lucian Cotroni
Ruthless Saints - Carson Koslov
Tears of Betrayal - Demitri Vetrov
Tears of Salvation - Alexei Koslov

THE SINNERS SERIES:
Taken By A Sinner - Nikolas Stathoulis
Owned By A Sinner - Liam Byrne
Stolen By A Sinner - Gabriel Demir
Chosen By A Sinner - Luca Cotroni
Captured By A Sinner - Viktor Vetrov


THE CORRUPTED ROYALS SERIES:
Destroy Me - Misha Petrov
Control Me - Nikolai Vetrov
Brutalize Me - Armani De Santis
Restrain Me - Maxim Levin
Possess Me - Alek Aslanhov


SERIES (In Order):

ENEMIES TO LOVERS SERIES:
***College & New Adult Romance***

Heartless - Carter & Della
Reckless - Logan & Mia
Careless - Jaxson & Leigh
Ruthless - Marcus & Willow
Shameless - Rhett & Evie

TRINITY ACADEMY SERIES:
***College Romance***

Falcon - Falcon & Layla
Mason - Mason & Kingsley
Lake - Lake & Lee
Julian - Julian & Jamie
The Epilogue

THE HEIRS:
***College & New Adult Romance***

Coldhearted Heir - Hunter & Jade
Arrogant Heir - Jase & Mila
Defiant Heir - Kao & Fallon
Loyal Heir - Forest & Aria
Callous Heir - Noah & Carla
Sinful Heir - Tristan & Hana
Tempted Heir - Christopher & Dash
Forbidden Heir - Ryker & Danny


SOUTHERN HEROES SERIES:
***Suspense Romance***

The Ocean Between Us – Aiden & Emma
The Girl In The Closet – Cole & Birdie
The Lies We Tell Ourselves – Alec & Reece
All The Wasted Time – Wyatt & Scarlett
We Were Lost – Zac & Chloe


OTHER STANDALONE NOVELS:

Not My Hero - Dark YA Romance

Reviews

[Abigail Beasley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Had to DNF because the writing was so juvenile and cliché. It reads like a wattpad story written by a 12 year old. Interesting premise that could have been good, but so poorly executed. I am astounded that this book has such good reviews.

[Jen Heiser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Scathing review to come.

*Edit: After an hour of typing, I am nowhere near done with what I have to say. I can't get there because every line of this book is bad. I cannot find a redeeming quality. I should have DNF'ed before I finished Chapter 1. If I was a real book influencer, I'd have a 3-hour long video rant of me yelling about every detail. I don't even know which thing to post here because I don't think I can adequately type a review. I don't think there is enough characters in the text box.

How do I adequately tell you about the poorly done religious themes? About my surprise that the character list at the end of the book provides information not in the story at all that I wondered, spoils characters for the next two books, and tells you that their god Awo's name is short for Almighty Wise One? I don't know why this god gets to decide all but 0.000000000125% of Earth's people are worthy of being saved and the rest are being killed for the same reasons behind Thanos' quest for the Infinity Stones in the MCU. Why does one sister have to save 10 people and the other sister has to kill 8.2 billion? Am I supposed to think it's hot and sweet to read the inner monologue of the 200+ MMC taking away the initial pain of sex from the 21-year-old virgin? Should I feel sympathy for the same girl because she felt tricked by her god when she wasn't bright enough to think about saving her own father over the pets of one of the to-be-saved humans? Why isn't the story telling me why these specific 10 people are the chosen ones? And two pairs are siblings with no discernible qualities. If you want to repopulate the Earth at some point, why would you make some of the possible combinations not viable? How about how none of the logistics make sense? Do these 10 people, from all over the world, have a universal language? Should we discuss how waterfalls are a portal until we discover one of the characters is able to winnow (this book calls it shimmer)?

Now, maybe I'm not the target audience (I am very much not the target audience), but I'm a reader who likes a lot of different genres in all age ranges. This one doesn't work on so many levels. Who is rating this so highly? How? Were they paid for their review and I wasn't? Because even if I was paid, I would not be swayed to write favorably. This book shouldn't have taken me so long to read but I found other distractions. When that happens, it's already at a review/rating disadvantage. And then I kept reading and nothing got better. I questioned more and more of the story. No one was rational. The saved people were quick to believe the insanity around them. I cannot talk about this book without my blood boiling. I need to go offline and yell at some inanimate object so none of my friends or family feels like I'm verbally attacking them when I am so outraged at this story being published and people rating it so highly when I do not see the merits.

Rounded up from a 1.5

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5 ⭐️
1/5 spice

Tropes:
- Princess x guardian
- Forced proximity
- Secret/hidden identity

Bingeworthy, fast paced romantasy that I could NOT put down!

I wasn't sure how this was going to go at first with her starting out in high school but that part of the book flew by and shortly we were teleported through a waterfall by a hot guardian to another REALM.

I loved all of the characters in this book and the character growth was everything. The fact that Raighne was not just some stranger, but the chosen protector of Alchera!

The miscommunication was annoying, but I feel like it always tends to be when we, the reader know what both characters are thinking but not voicing.

I honestly couldn't put this book down and I really enjoyed it.

ON MY KNEES FOR ARES'S BOOK - PLEASE I BEG OF YOU.

[alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was honestly just not for me. I don’t want this review to be overly negative though so here are some things I thought the book did great with. The waterfall “magic system” is extremely unique and I felt like that was such a good way for the FMC to get her destiny done in an efficient manner. I think that was probably the highlight of the entire magic system. While nothing else seemed to be explained, at least that part was.

I think the actual premise of the book was very good. Earth is dying and we get to take 10 people with us? Okay kind of cool. The reasoning behind it… not as much. I think the entire religion could have had way more detail and background to it. I am sure there will be more in the following books but we are essentially just to believe that what this figure is saying is the end all be all? Especially when it came to one decision. I will keep it vague but it had to do with saving the animals of one of the chosen versus… yeah what? I could not believe my eyes.

Now I will not go into the romance in this review too much since I did not really enjoy that aspect. If anything, it felt somewhat predatory and I will just leave it at that. Next time, I think I will dive a little more deeper before applying for any ARC even if the cover is cute. While this may not be my cup of tea, majority of people did really like it. I say give it a shot! For me personally, two stars.

Thank you to Chasing Books PR and Michelle Heard for the ARC.

[Amanda Blanche · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 ⭐️ I have read other works from this author in the mafia romance genre - this is her first romantasy. I wanted to like it more than I did - I thought initially there was some promise and then it kind of went down hill for me. The storyline line and magic system was a little wishy washy. Some plot points just added nothing, and then the pacing was odd - like dragging and then rushed at the end.

Jane/Alchera was dropped on earth with no memories five years ago, to learn to live among humans. A normal senior in high school, her life starts to change when she meets the new boy in school Ryan/Rianghe. Handsome and kind, she doesn’t understand why he’s so determined to be her friend. Come to find out he’s her guardian from her home world come to take her back home so she can train up for her destiny. I mean after that it all just turns into chaos - combat training montage, rescue montage, apocalypse montage etc.

[Ripley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to DNF but the premise of the world ending was the reason I stuck around. Did the ending satisfy me? No, it did not. I partly liked the protagonist because she keeps getting shit deals and in the face of them she looks out for everyone but herself--what more could you ask from a designated hero?

However, it made little sense to me that she was sent away to a planet so that she could learn empathy for them because it seems to me that being empathetic and selfless is something this character is just naturally prone to do. (She did not need to lose her memories to learn their culture either.) If anything I would have thought her shit experience on Earth would have caused her to be more callous then she was, but nay she kept trying to save people even at the expense of her life. Awo warns her that her act will come at a cost and she does not think of what that cost will be. She pays said cost but Awo gives her a freebie for being selfless?

Moreover, the religious figure pissed me off because his plans make little sense. The "chosen ones" barely have a reason to be chosen over all of the other people who died, two of them being siblings whose love for each other allowed them to be chosen--I'm sorry, HUH? There are plenty of people on Earth who love each other but somehow the master plan included choosing 2/10 to be siblings who obviously cannot procreate with one another. If the intention was to keep the human species going then this was a shit plan. Also, why is it okay that this planet is being forcibly extinguished at the command of a powerful being rather than just letting the planet run its course. If it is gonna die off anyways, why not let it do so in its own time?

Lastly, what pissed me off the most was Raighne. I hated that he thought it was okay to take away her emotional pain because he couldn't stand to see her in pain. It felt like a violation--that and he eventually just stops giving her mind privacy despite his training. What might be worse is that he takes away her pain during sex. Sex should not hurt if you are properly aroused and warmed up. Taking away that pain while being the reason for it when it could have been avoided is fucked. It gets worse because is he SO old while she is 21, mentally 18 and a virgin. Also, I don't understand how their guardian bond which they have had no time to establish is somehow stronger than all the other guardian bonds. It's not like they're the first guardian pair to love one another. There are other things I could complain about but you get the picture.

There was potential here but ultimately I do not really care to read the next one.

[AvidReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟!

I’ve been waiting for this book a long time and it didn’t disappoint.

A very fast paced and addictive romantasy with good plot, loveable characters, their destiny, some action and 🔥.
I enjoyed Alchera’s growth. She went from an uncertain, introverted girl to a badass who is ready to save the world. Likewise Raighne was such a wonderful hero. Understanding, supportive and so caring.

I also loved Ares’s character. He had that tortured soul vibe. I hope it’s his book next. And the bonding between chosen 10 was nice. I especially loved Dylan’s dry humour.

I didn’t give it more stars because I hated what happened to some good characters (Don’t want to give away the spoilers). Also I wanted more bonding between Raighne and Alchera- like a true partnership.
And I hated AWO and the destiny he gave to Alchera and Thana.

Overall a very interesting and good romantasy that’s easy to read.

-Bodyguard romance.
-Adventure and Action.
-Apocalypse romance.
-KU, standalone and recommended.
-Safe.

I received an advance review copy and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nash Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️This book had amazing vibes. I loved the apocalyptic romantasy vibes. It kinda gelt like Noah's Ark but different. Alchera was cool FMC and Raighne would do anything for her. I thought the plot was cool but the world building was a little flat. The audiobook though I thought was pretty good. The female narrator made Alchera feel so relatable and kind of hilarious.

[Samantha (bookgramsaga reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (ARC)

RTC

[Linda (Rapunzels Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book in about one and a half days! I needed a little bit of time to really get into it but once I did I flew through the pages!
Sexy males, funny banter, amazing side characters, delicious villains and a found family!
I was so happy to receive this book as an ARC by one of the most amazing addictive writers out there!
I can’t wait for book 2😍🤌🏻

[Ra Ra · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disorganized but honest review on a book I barely finished. I didn’t like it, and these positive reviews make me feel gaslit. wtf was this?

25% - slow YA vibes. Chosen one. End times. Secret princess. She was plain but now she’s stunning. Cliches. Not feeling good so far. But, I’m willing to give it a shot.

50% - things are getting interesting but I’m not invested yet. I’m being told how to feel, not shown. I’m told that this is Alchera’s destiny. I’m told how awful Adeth is. I’m told that Alchera is building relationships while training. But I’m not SHOWN. And it really sucks. I feel so disconnected from these characters and their “destinies”. And then there is the love connection. Both Alchera and Raighne claim to have these strong feelings of love but I feel like the story hasn’t shown their growing closeness. Once again, I’m being told what these characters are feeling.

75% - Not the dog medicine 😂. And our first spicy scene… very uncomfy. These characters feel like strangers to me and Alchera is especially immature. I’m over the “Let me in!” And “Sigh”-ing. I’m fighting for my life here. I don’t care about this Alchera’s destiny because I don’t care about her or this world! I want to be done

100% - Oh. Boy. We got a rescue/ apocalypse montage. I didn’t know any of the characters so I didn’t care. Then we got a lame HEA.

Finally. I am free.

[Bookslover09 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Michelle, you never cease to amaze me with your insights! This book was truly a departure from the other works we've experienced by her, but I found it absolutely captivating. The characters were incredibly well-developed, each bringing their own unique qualities and depth to the story. I was particularly impressed by how the author crafted their personalities and backgrounds. The plot was intricately woven, with twists and turns that kept me engaged from start to finish. Overall, it’s a remarkable read that I thoroughly enjoyed!

[Leeann Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visions and Shadows is an exciting fantasy romance set in the magical world of Vaalbara. The story follows Alchera who’s tasked with protecting ten chosen humans whose fate will determine the future of a new world. She’s not alone—her guardian, Raighne is by her side, and the two share a unique telepathic connection that only strengthens as they face danger together.
Their telepathic bond makes their connection feel deeper and more intense, and their relationship adds emotional weight to the action.

Fast-paced and full of surprises, Visions and Shadows offers a great mix of adventure, magic, and romance. Fans of fantasy and love stories with a twist won’t want to miss it.

[Sentranced Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a die hard fan of Michelle heard 's books, I was excited to venture into a fantasy book written by her. Suffice to say, I enjoyed it. A great start to a brand new series..looking forward to book 2

[Ashley Andersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2⭐️

This had so many of my favourite tropes: found family, Princess and guard, touch her and die, I’d die for you.

Full review to come

[Maddie (Bookaholic_Dreamer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If exciting, adventurous, Romantasy, chock full of action-packed thrills, Smoking Hot Romance, drama, mystery and emotionally charged, tension growing suspense is your vibe.
Then look no further, as author Michelle did just that on all those accounts and more, through the delivery of Alchera and Raighne’s story in Visions & Shadows.
Holy mother this thrilling Romantasy had me in a chokehold, the further it had me falling into the storyline. Only to devour it like no other, making it not surprise in being not only a 5⭐️ read, but also a Top Fav read of 2024!

Author Michelle Heard truly delivered with the story of Alchera and Raighne in Visions & Shadows; the first interconnected Standalone from her newest series Vaalbara.

The whirlwind adventure our FMC Alchera and MMC Raighne navigated upon and through was compelling with each and every page turn. Reeling you in hook, line and sinker, ultimately consuming you with never wanting to stop or let go.
Whether it was seeing Alchera and Raighne’s relationship navigate through the rocky terrain of their ups and downs, going back and forth, given their selflessness. Particularly on Raighne's part due to his feelings for Alchera with always putting her before himself no matter the case or reason.
As well as both their stubbornness and being headstrong, sometimes creating distance between them.
To the forming and development that led to their banter, making for some sweet moments that had you in the feels, given the emotional side of it. As well as quite some steamy moments shared, when they finally gave in and allowed for their chemistry to sparkle.

It is why it needs to mentioned, Raighne is up there with being a Top Book Boyfriend.
His behaviour, actions, feelings and most of all his selflessness towards Alchera had me swooning, whilst falling head over heels for him.
He was most definitely #BookBoyfriendGoals!

Their character development had us seeing Alchera and Raighne go through many changes with the growth they encountered from the many situations and events that put them through their paces.
More so for Alchera, given her destiny that had her struggling both emotionally and mentally, something author Michelle showcased on a truly in-depth detailed level, allowing us to truly connect with her character on a deeper level.

This Romantasy Visions & Shadows may have had me unsure of what to expect.
However from the beginning, right down to the very end, author Michelle Heard made it well worthwhile with the way she had me devouring each and every page.
It was a fantastic read that not only had a fulfilling and compelling narrative from the world building she had created, to the rich and in-depth character development of not only our FMC Alchera and MMC Raighne. But also the peeks into the secondary characters, some of who will be getting their own stories in the rest of Vaalbara series.
Hats off to Michelle Heard, you done it yet again with Visions & Shadows being an amazing, entrancing, fantastical read that made for an enjoyable reading experience.



*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Willie Mercedes · Rating 5 out of 5]

VISIONS AND SHADOWS WHISKS YOU AWAY TO THE ENCHANTING, MAGICAL LAND OF VAALBARA, WHERE CHAOS REIGNS THE MOMENT 13-YEAR-OLD ALCHERA LANDS ON EARTH WITH A MEMORY WIPE! ZOOM AHEAD FIVE YEARS, AND SHE'S GOT THE MONUMENTAL JOB OF GUARDING TEN HUMANS WHOSE DESTINIES HOLD THE KEYS TO A BRAND-NEW WORLD.
PLUNGED INTO A WILO NEW REALITY, ALCHERA DIVES INTO GRUELING TRAINING, FACES OFF AGAINST SOME SERIOUS FOES, AND NAVIGATES THE QUIRKY CHALLENGE OF HAVING A GUARDIAN WHO CAN LITERALLY READ HER MIND.
THE PLOT TWISTS HAD ME ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT, AND THE SIZZLING CHEMISTRY BETWEEN HER AND RAIGHNE IS THE CHERRY ON TOP OF THIS FANTASY SUNDAE!
THIS BOOK IS A SPELLBINDING, HIGH-STAKES ROMANCE THAT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SET DOWN. GET READY FOR A MAGICAL RIDE WHERE YOU'LL FALL IN LOVE WITH BOTH THE CHARACTERS AND THEIR ELECTRIFYING ESCAPADES!


Things to know

OUTCAST, MEMORY LOSS, AGE GAP, END OF WORLD, DEATH OF LOVED ONES, KIDNAPPING, TORTURE, FORCED
PROXIMITY, BODYGUARD X PRINCESS, TWIN FLAMES, BONDED RELATIONSHIP, OPPOSITE ATTRACTS, OTT POSSESSIVE MC, MMC CAN HEAR AND FEEL WHAT FMC THINKS AND FEELS, FOUND FAMILY

[Karly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I try to give every book I read a fair shot, especially if it's a debut, but Visions & Shadows ultimately missed the mark for me.

I've noodled on this over a week, but it came down to the romance wasn't believable, for me. It may have been that the story began in high school and it gave off Twilight vibes—but I could never "buy into" the romance. It fell flat, and the dialogue didn't resonate.

As a result, I put a lot more focus on the fantasy aspects of this book. These also fell short, but this is semi expected since this is a fantasy romance. The pacing, world development and magic system felt rushed and underdeveloped (even for a first book in a series).

This book is very fast paced (as many reviewers note), but I think that came at the sacrifice of the story. It felt like we were continuously jumping from one point to the next and it made the story choppy.

I also really struggled with the 10 chosen—there is little to no rationalization why these people were chosen. I was even more confused that some of them were related since they're supposed to repopulate their species.

This book feels like a vibe read—it either hits for you or it doesn't, and this just didn't do it for me.

I am curious to see where the author takes this storyline—it has all the ingredients for a really interesting story even with all of my conflicting feelings—so I'll likely continue this series. the execution is where I struggled most.

Thank you to Chasing Books PR for an eARC of this book ahead of its release.

[Andrea (andrea.bookster) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visions & Shadows
4⭐️ 2🌶️

🔥 found family
🪄 bodyguard
🔥 forced proximity
🪄 magical world
🔥 possessive MMC

When 13-year-old Alchera is sent to live on Earth with no memory of her past in Vaalbara, you know things are about to get chaotic.

I went into this book without any expectations, and honestly, that’s how I prefer to read most of my books. I was pleasantly surprised. After spending five years on Earth with no recollection of her former life, Alchera’s guardian, Raighne, is tasked with bringing her back. But there’s a catch—Alchera must fulfill her destiny by saving the "Chosen 10" before Earth is destroyed.

I absolutely loved the evolving relationship between Alchera and Raighne. Their connection wasn’t just intense and whirlwind—it also required them to navigate the challenges around them in order to ensure Alchera completes her destiny. The added dynamic that Raighne can read Alchera’s thoughts, while she has no control over them, adds a hilarious layer to their interactions.

This book is a high-stakes, romantic fantasy that’s impossible to put down. It’s the perfect escape into another world, where you’ll fall in love with the characters and the adventure.

Thank you Michelle Heard and Chasing Books PR for the ARC!

[givememycheetos · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 ⭐️ esos personas planos, la trama a la velocidad de la luz, todo se repetia over and over again. Lo unico interesante fue el potencial que tenía todo el tema de los dioses griegos, la profecía y que hubieran mates con sus bonds.

El romance?? WHAT A JOKEEE

[Jersie B · Rating 3 out of 5]

While entertaining on a surface level, there were a lot of glaring plot holes in this book that were kind of distracting. Most of this review will be discussing and questioning the decisions that were made throughout this book.

1. The End of the World

The reason the Immortalis give for destroying Earth is the most ridiculous part of a story that heavily revolves around the end of the world and pretty much all of the human race. I strongly dislike its emphasis on religion, which makes it seem like religion has all of the answers to a world that is broken until further notice. It doesn’t make sense as to why Vaalbara oversees the earth and its humans when the worlds are completely different. Vaalbara lives under the complete dictatorship of Awo (Vaalbara’s God) even if the novel never admits that verbatim. The Immortalis do everything Awo commands, which includes telling Thana that it’s her destiny to destroy Earth. We don’t know the consequences if no one chooses to not fulfill their destiny because everyone there does what they are told without question. Not all people on earth live like that. Therefore, our worlds aren’t comparable. Here’s the passage that put me off a bit:

“They’ve been warned by so many different religions and visions we’ve sent over the centuries, yet they refuse to change their destructive ways. They’ve ignored all the warnings, Alchera. I feel for them and wish there was another way, but we can’t stand in the way of Awo. They’ve destroyed their Earth and must face the consequences of their selfish actions.”

While I don’t disagree with punishment for the pollution of the planet, religious scripture and visions are not a viable way of seriously communicating the disasters that Awo will unleash if it doesn’t stop. Earth isn’t controlled by a god and we don’t have magical powers/visions like Vaalbara and Alchera. Why would Immortalis expect humans to have the same relationship and connection to religion in this way? Alchera should have explained this exact thing to them, especially since it was her literal job to live with humans for five years to have a better understanding of them. Not even Alchera is mentioned to be religious, so not even she could have known about these disasters to come. What does that say about their warnings? The idea of the world’s demise is interesting, but their excuse is so bad.

Additionally, if Awo is upset that humans are destroying the earth so badly why does he want to, I dunno, DESTROY THE EARTH?? Surely there’s a way to take out all but ten people without taking out the entire planet too. Surely Awo knows Earth would restore itself if humans were gone… RIGHT? It just seems like he doesn't actually care about the earth in itself because of this decision.

2. Time Limits and Timelines

There is absolutely no explanation as to why Alchera has to find all ten chosen ones in ten days, or why she has to retrieve them while the earth is being destroyed by Thana. Why is there a time limit when it’s all being orchestrated by Immortalis? Why can’t Thana just wait until the chosen ones are in Vaalbara? There’s no indication that it being ten days specifically has anything to do with Adeth, Ares, or Void. At first I came to the conclusion that the disasters were somehow covering Alchera while looking for the chosen ten, but then Adeth died, and the disasters persisted, so I had to drop that theory. More importantly, Adeth did NOT need to know who the chosen ten were when she had Alchera captive. Her logic was backwards. If she had just killed Alchera right there, no one would’ve been saved as Adeth already knew she hadn’t gone to get them yet (she found and took Alchera away from a desert on Vaalbara). She shouldn’t be this dumb if she’s as evil as everyone said she was.

3. Half of the Chosen Ten

What makes the chosen ten the best people to save out of billions? We don’t exactly know. Some of their occupations are irrelevant even though it’s the only thing we know about most of them. I’ve had time to sit with this category, and I’m going to assume that Awo knows their destiny and he knows they’ll be good starters for new humanity. Alas, that’s no fun. My problem is just similar to my discussion of The End of the World. Yes, I think it’s interesting to only be able to save a certain amount of people, but the actual reasoning for saving some of the chosen ones doesn’t make much sense here. To be fair, I can see why Sky, Lydia, Silvana, and Pearl were chosen. And Dylan I suppose, only for his virtue of not leaving someone behind. As for the others… not so much. Speed run in 3, 2, 1!

Jason: We didn’t see any pets where Alchera lived. He choked Alchera during their first encounter.

Sarah and Doug: If the intention is to try to build humankind back up again, why would you save a brother and sister within the ten slots?

Matt: U.S. history is now irrelevant since they live on Vaalbara. It would be a terrible idea to tell their children about Earth and its end imo. Cut that trauma off the family line thank youu. Alchera thinks that he and Dylan are brothers, but in the notes in the back of the book it doesn’t say if they’re related. However, they do have the same last name. If they’re either related or married, both have a conflict of interest that’s similar to Sarah and Doug.

Riccardo: A police officer (who shot Alchera, mind you). I’m not believing his apparent “selflessness” for a single second. Also, there’s no crime on Vaalbara. Girl bye.

If there wasn’t going to be a good explanation for why the world was going to be destroyed, they at least could have offered more reasoning as to why these people are so special in Awo’s mind.

4. Miscellaneous

Sometimes the transitions between certain moments felt so odd. The one that comes to mind especially is the one where Alchera is captured out of thin air by Adeth in the desert. I genuinely thought it was a dream or a vision at first since it’s the first time Adeth actually does something in the story.

Take a drink of your choosing every time the phrase along the lines of “my breath races over my lips” / “air explodes over my lips” is written. It was so overused it became distracting. I don’t like the visual of my breaths literally coating my lips because that’s weird! Why is the air moving like that. Just say you’re breathing with your mouth open girl! We don’t judge!

There were a LOT of characters in this book. I sometimes forgot why they were important or how they were connected to Alchera. I don’t know if that’s on me or the development of some characters. In the moments I was trying to use context clues to figure it out it took me out of the book a little bit.

Highlight of the Book: Alchera and Raighne’s Relationship :)

For some reason it’s always more difficult to talk about something you like versus something you don’t, but I’ll try my best. I really liked all of the banter between Alchera and Raighne. And you know what–I’ll admit it–I’m a sucker for chivalry! Like he’s pulling out the chair for her in class and everyone’s watching OKAYYY. When they were back at the high school and Raighne only paid attention to Alchera I ate that up!! Anddd I like the mind communication/reading idc idc. Some people think it’s a breach of privacy, but this form of communication is something that happens between all guardians and charges, so I just think of it as something normal. It made Alchera and Raighne’s relationship better and I found it sweet SUE ME! The mind-reading added to their banter and showed how much Raighne really cares for Alchera. As for *those* scenes, what if I said the chair in the infirmary where nothing even really explicit happened was the best scene like that… cause one thing about me is I looove a little scene with high tension that contributes to the slow-burn romance plotline! As for the others… not really my thing but they’re rarely MY thing in general so I’m not surprised (aka my expectations are always way too high). Also idc that he’s 208 and I’m usually the BIGGEST hater of that kind of thing.

Okay I know this review is 95% comprised of me complaining but I literally read this book in two days, so what does that say? I did like this book, even though it had a lot of plot holes. If any of them did have explanations, it should’ve been brought up at least one other time. I’m not a thesaurus!! A lot of the book was focused on the relationship between Alchera and Raighne, and since I liked that part, it made up for some of the things I was annoyed about. Although I will say that I most likely won’t read the books that continue in the series, I’m glad I read it anyhow.

[aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only real issue I had with the book was the pacing, I felt like the actual storyline ASIDE from the romance was actually really interesting as well. I know the author wants to write other stories in this world, but personally I would have preferred if this story was stretched into one or two additional books so we could dive a little deeper into the story. I also think it could have enhanced the romance too.

For example we spend a good chunk of the book afraid of "bad guys", but they are quickly eliminated or forgiven. It would have been better if this battle & the battle for Alchera to save her chosen 10 had a bit more separation in my mind, or at least a bit more build up. Even gathering her chosen 10 doesn't take her THAT long or really cause her many issues. For a lot of them, it's just get in and leave immediately with no real consequences or stakes, because these disasters that they're avoiding they don't really ever have to face for long. Pretty much all of the chosen 10 come with her without much fight as well.

I like pretty much all the characters. One of Alcehra's sisters I feel changes a lot but possibly unjustified? We don't really get to see the development of any of Alchera's relationships besides the one with her and Raighne, which is a bit disappointing. Most of these relationships are just told to the reader that they've developed rather than showing us. Like Alchera's friendships and relationships with her family just develop off screen. Alchera's brother seemed like a good character, and like someone that she could really get close with as well. When the big scene with him happens, I literally almost forgot who he was. It would have been more impactful if the reader had spent more time with him prior. Like I said, mostly my issue is just with pacing. I think with more time/books, nearly all of the "complaints" I have with this book could have been solved.

Overall a really good read. I genuinely enjoyed this book, and I read it all in one sitting. I'll probably re-read at some point, and I'm interested to read more by the author.

[CoraBeth Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ I’m not a huge fantasy reader, but I’m so glad I took a chance on Visions & Shadows! From the very first page, Michelle Heard swept me into an action-packed, emotional journey that I couldn’t put down.

The story follows Alchera, a girl whose world is upended when she learns her past is a lie and her future holds the fate of humanity. Tossed into a brutal new reality, she faces relentless training, dangerous enemies, and a hotter-than-hell guardian who can hear her every thought. The twists and turns in her journey kept me on the edge of my seat, and the chemistry between her and her guardian added a perfect balance of tension and romance.

What truly stood out was Alchera’s emotional growth. Despite the high stakes and epic battles, her struggles with identity and destiny made her incredibly relatable. The chosen ones’ dynamic and their shared purpose added even more depth to the story.

If you’re looking for a romantasy with high stakes, breathtaking emotion, and unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read. Thank you to the Chasing Books PR Team and Michelle Heard for the advanced copy! Visions & Shadows releases December 9th, and it’s one of my favorite reads this year!

[shanelle maree · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟 1.5🌶️

WTF DID I JUST READ, MICHELLE?!?! I’M LITERALLY FLABBERGASTED 🤯

This was so damn good. I’m like, trying to put my thoughts into words, and I’m struggling. Just… wow.

I have never read anything like this.. everything about this was so unique!! The story, the characters, the world building, their powers, bonds, emotions… This series is one to look out for! I’m totally captivated and I’m in need of the next book, like tomorrow at the latest. 😳

Omg Raighne?!?! This man. The way I want to climb him like a tree. 🥵 He is the LITERAL definition of “touch her and die”. The devotion this man has for his charge 🫠

Alchera, our leading lady, took me by surprise. Her growth throughout the book was inspiring. She went from a “human” girl who was so lonely to someone that everyone loves/loved. She grew so much strength and went through hell to get there.

We are left on a slight cliffy at the end of this…but I’m so beyond excited for what’s to come with this series!! 💖

If you love romantasies where the male lead would die for you, and the female lead kicks 🍑, then you need to read this immediately!!

Tropes:
🌙 romantasy
🌙 bodyguard/guardian
🌙 touch her and die
🌙 OTT protective and possessive mmc
🌙 bonds and powers
🌙 immortals
🌙 urban/post apocalyptic setting

[Kayla · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 ⭐️

What did I just read?! 🤦🏽‍♀️

This book was absolutely awful yet I tortured myself and read the whole thing hoping that at some point it was going to get better. SURPRISE! It never did. About halfway through it started to feel promising but then went right back downhill again.

The writing was so juvenile and repetitive. The same words, phrases and scenes were on a loop for the entirety of the book. Alchery was a very unlikeable FMC and Raighne was a watered down version of our favorite book boyfriends. The miscommunication trope was also extremely overdone and made me want to ram my head into a wall. The romance between the two of them felt forced and very instalust rather than this deep connections it was intended to be.

There were also a lot of elements and characters in this book that were never fully explained or developed leaving everything to lack believability.

By far one of the worst books I’ve read this year.

[Anna Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

the chosen one x bonded pair x mind speaking

When I saw this book had mind to mind speaking, it was an immediate yes.

It’s fast paced, character driven, and has the perfect balance of switching between the dual pov. The plot is clear and has good pacing but feels a bit predictable! It’s easy to read and I finished it in a day.

Read this if you’re in the mood for…
- bonded pair
- mind to mind speaking
- found family friend group
- chosen one

I wish it was a bit longer to really draw out the scenes and movement between places to develop some of the characters and relationships because the story line is there. I want more! There’s a good intro for the next book too and I’m looking forward to it!

[Chantel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fresh take on the end of the world. As weird as that sounds, hear me out.

Alchera has been living on Earth for years, allowed to come back and train in Vaalbara, just to return to Earth and save the chosen ones.

If someone came and told me to come with them or die, I don’t know if I could be as calm as some of the chosen were who just went with it.

Overall this was a good fantasy and leaves off on a cliffhanger. However, if you don’t read the last chapter it could read 00% as a standalone.

Some of the timing tripped me up, they return to Vaalbara and in the same or even next chapter, months have passed.

There was some reaching with some characters doing a full 180° in their attitudes towards Alchera.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*

I loved the overall themes of the book: adventure, fantasy, dystopian feel of it all, as well as the growth of a bond between FMC and MMC. Putting readers right into the issues that the characters are facing. This book was super super fast paced and moved the story right along. Pros and cons to that 🤭 I've always said if I wrote a book, I wouldn't be able to fluff it up and put details in it and would just want to get from one bullet point to the next and I feel that that's what happened here. The story/plot is one I haven't read before (one woman destined to know who the chosen humans are and bring them to new earth and she must find a way to do that) but I felt that the only was ... rushed. I couldve survived some more angst between the main characters and wouldve loved to see more training sessions and relationship building but the story itself kept me coming back for more.

Read for:
🔥 A new magical world
🔥 Protective MMC
🔥 Bond between MCs that determine their powers
🔥 Fantasy mixed with Post Apocalyptic

[Lisa Curtis · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF- im genuinely confused how some people are rating this 4.5 and I LOVE a good semi poorly written romantasy. But yall the pacing was all off in this. A lot of the main characters feelings didn’t even make sense to me. I feel like it was all of the place in so many aspects. Now I’m doubting myself and feel like I should finish but it was starting to piss me off.

[Brandi-Lynn Weiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raighne was everything! Oh my god his words to Alchera & how protective he was!! These two had such a connection, & it wasn’t just sexual, it was a deep & real bond. This story was definitely not dual or slow, it sucks you in & keeps you invested.
I have read every single book Michelle has written & I can honestly say this was unlike any of her other works. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this because this was the first time I’ve read anything like this, but because of how much I love her writing & how much I’ve enjoyed her other books I knew I needed to read Visions & Shadows, & she didn’t disappoint. This book was fantastic! From start to finish I loved it. And w/that ending I’m excited to see what’s coming next in this series!