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The Shadowbound Duet #1
Alchemy & Ashes
Perfect for fans of Danielle L. Jensen, Carissa Broadbent, and Sarah J. Maas, Alchemy & Ashes is a high-stakes, enemies-to-lovers romantasy where two sisters’ plan to assassinate the king who killed their father goes awry when one of them falls in love with him.
The daughter of a failed rebellion. The king who killed her father. A love that could tear the kingdom apart.
Sylvie has always lived in her sister Adria’s shadow. But at the Great Festival, she finally has her chance to step into the by striking down God-King Ronan, the man who destroyed her family. Adria may have led the rebellion, but Sylvie will be the one to finish it.
Ronan has spent years rebuilding a kingdom broken by the war that claimed his father and shattered his faith. But peace has come at a price. Surrounded by enemies and burdened by secrets too dangerous to reveal, he’s losing of his court, his magic, and maybe even himself.
The closer Sylvie gets to Ronan, the more she’s drawn to the man she vowed to kill. Wanting him would mean betraying not just her sister, but her people and the memory of her parents. Trusting Sylvie could cost Ronan the throne—or his life. Because even if Sylvie refuses to strike, Adria won’t hesitate to finish the job.
The road to the throne runs through his heart. And only one sister will claim it.
Alchemy & Ashes is the first book in the Shadowbound Duet.
The daughter of a failed rebellion. The king who killed her father. A love that could tear the kingdom apart.
Sylvie has always lived in her sister Adria’s shadow. But at the Great Festival, she finally has her chance to step into the by striking down God-King Ronan, the man who destroyed her family. Adria may have led the rebellion, but Sylvie will be the one to finish it.
Ronan has spent years rebuilding a kingdom broken by the war that claimed his father and shattered his faith. But peace has come at a price. Surrounded by enemies and burdened by secrets too dangerous to reveal, he’s losing of his court, his magic, and maybe even himself.
The closer Sylvie gets to Ronan, the more she’s drawn to the man she vowed to kill. Wanting him would mean betraying not just her sister, but her people and the memory of her parents. Trusting Sylvie could cost Ronan the throne—or his life. Because even if Sylvie refuses to strike, Adria won’t hesitate to finish the job.
The road to the throne runs through his heart. And only one sister will claim it.
Alchemy & Ashes is the first book in the Shadowbound Duet.
494 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2025
130 people are currently reading
1373 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
November 8, 2025
Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this wonderful Earc in exchange for an honest review 🙂♥️.
This book follows Sylvie and her sister Adria who are seeking vengeance against their dead parents. The opportunity presents itself when the God-king Ronan holds a great festival which is supposed to last for 3 months.
I expected female rage from this book, which I got from Adria, but I'm glad that the author choose to make Sylvie the more reasonable one, more grounded.
If you're looking for a slow burn this won't be for you but I actually like it like that. I don't think Ronan would have allowed it to happen honestly 🤭. That man is always hungry for Sylvie and I'm not mad about it.
I love the way story unfolds and it's straight to the point because honestly sometimes get tired of a complex storyline.
This was an average read but I can't wait for the second book 🙂. I hope she explains more about the bond between Ronan and Sylvie 's powers. 🤞🏾
This book will be released on the 11th of November 🎀♥️🌸
This book follows Sylvie and her sister Adria who are seeking vengeance against their dead parents. The opportunity presents itself when the God-king Ronan holds a great festival which is supposed to last for 3 months.
I expected female rage from this book, which I got from Adria, but I'm glad that the author choose to make Sylvie the more reasonable one, more grounded.
If you're looking for a slow burn this won't be for you but I actually like it like that. I don't think Ronan would have allowed it to happen honestly 🤭. That man is always hungry for Sylvie and I'm not mad about it.
I love the way story unfolds and it's straight to the point because honestly sometimes get tired of a complex storyline.
This was an average read but I can't wait for the second book 🙂. I hope she explains more about the bond between Ronan and Sylvie 's powers. 🤞🏾
This book will be released on the 11th of November 🎀♥️🌸
November 13, 2025
"I can see why they call him the God-King. It isn’t because he’s the end of a long line of nobility believed to be descended from the goddess Vayla herself. It’s because of his abs."
This book had me hooked right from the start - I could not put it down.
Sylvie and her siblings are determined to seek vengeance for the deaths of their parents, who were both killed in a brutal war against the God King, Ronan. Since they lost the war, their lands have been taken and now their people are starving. Sylvie has been given the mission of getting close to the king so that she can kill him to allow her older sister to claim the throne.
Ronan is trying to hold together the fragile peace that he has built since the war. Constantly surrounded by people but with only a handful that he can trust, he must always be on alert for murder attempts from someone unhappy about the war or about the political changes he has been making since. With nothing but the best intentions for his kingdom, he is trying to find a way to break the continuous cycle of revenge that has gripped his people since the war began.
This book starts off with action right from the first paragraph and it never really slowed down. The author does an amazing job of world and character building, keeping the plot interesting and engaging, and building the relationship between Sylvie and Ronan, all of which made it hard for me to put the book down.
Sylvie is funny with her snarky comments and inner dialogue, and she had me laughing more than once. Ronan is a classic golden retriever MMC that I couldn't help but to love. His relationship with Sylvie really helps her to grow as a character and he shows her that its important to question what you have been taught and to evaluate if it is correct. With all of the political intrigue and plot twists, it all came together into a well written story that had me one-more-chaptering myself until 3am.
I will 100% be continuing on with this series. Thank you to Amy Yorke for allowing me to read this as an ARC. I look forward to seeing where this series takes us next.
This book had me hooked right from the start - I could not put it down.
Sylvie and her siblings are determined to seek vengeance for the deaths of their parents, who were both killed in a brutal war against the God King, Ronan. Since they lost the war, their lands have been taken and now their people are starving. Sylvie has been given the mission of getting close to the king so that she can kill him to allow her older sister to claim the throne.
Ronan is trying to hold together the fragile peace that he has built since the war. Constantly surrounded by people but with only a handful that he can trust, he must always be on alert for murder attempts from someone unhappy about the war or about the political changes he has been making since. With nothing but the best intentions for his kingdom, he is trying to find a way to break the continuous cycle of revenge that has gripped his people since the war began.
This book starts off with action right from the first paragraph and it never really slowed down. The author does an amazing job of world and character building, keeping the plot interesting and engaging, and building the relationship between Sylvie and Ronan, all of which made it hard for me to put the book down.
Sylvie is funny with her snarky comments and inner dialogue, and she had me laughing more than once. Ronan is a classic golden retriever MMC that I couldn't help but to love. His relationship with Sylvie really helps her to grow as a character and he shows her that its important to question what you have been taught and to evaluate if it is correct. With all of the political intrigue and plot twists, it all came together into a well written story that had me one-more-chaptering myself until 3am.
I will 100% be continuing on with this series. Thank you to Amy Yorke for allowing me to read this as an ARC. I look forward to seeing where this series takes us next.
October 17, 2025
Finished this in 2 days because I was so hooked!
I got the privilege to read this ARC and it did not disappoint at all.
Sylvie is my girl, leaving us at a mayor cliffhanger at the end, I’m really curious about her full power potetional at end!
Favourite quote :
“ I can picture you playing the flute aswell - He says.
Is that a euphemism… or? “
Its a very fun magic system, enemies to lovers. Liked the MMC, not loved. The end did feel a bit rushed but I was still on the edge of the couch while reading it.
4,25/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 11, 2025
This book is an engaging and imaginative read that pulled me in from the very beginning with the story and writing. The story is full of mystery, action and emotion. The author does a great job mixing magic and world building with character development, and I found myself really routing for Sylvie and Ronan. Enemies to lovers is a favorite trope of mine so I had a feeling I would really enjoy this one. I do wish we got a little more description of the magic and how it works and with the name Alchemy in the title I wanted a bit more of that as well.
I occasionally found the language a bit distracting and the author's attention to the FMC's breasts was something in itself. It didn’t ruin the experience on the whole, but it did pull me out of the story a few times.
I was surprised to find out who the real enemy was and I am excited to read more in the next installment of this series. This was a solid 4 star read for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Glasslook Press for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 11/11/25
I occasionally found the language a bit distracting and the author's attention to the FMC's breasts was something in itself. It didn’t ruin the experience on the whole, but it did pull me out of the story a few times.
I was surprised to find out who the real enemy was and I am excited to read more in the next installment of this series. This was a solid 4 star read for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Glasslook Press for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 11/11/25
December 8, 2025
This was a fun time! & thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC! Def feels like a solid, entertaining 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read. & I do look forward to book 2 of this duology!
PLOT
Sylvie is the daughter of a failed rebellion; it killed her parents & shamed her older siblings into surrendering when they did not want to. She despises the king who killed her father, starves her people, & takes their resources. But when he invites her & her court to the 3 month festival at the capital, they accept. If only to figure out how to take him down. This book has:
- betrayals & scheming
- VERY light enemies to lovers: like the kind where she thinks they are but he doesn’t act that way
- elemental magic + shadows & light
- funny FMC & scary but also softboi MMC
- trials (but not deadly) & also a masquerade
- med spice & a theater box scene 🥵
PROS
- A unique story! Really interesting politics & lore.
- Sylvie is quite likeable & she made me giggle multiple times. Her family dynamic is also very interesting & how that affected her growing up I think was well played out.
- I like a green flag MMC who isn’t mean to her just ‘cause. I liked their dynamic & it was fun.
- The magic evolution is interesting & I def want to see where that goes.
- There are elements of this that remind me of an adult The Prison Healer trilogy (no spoilers I swear) & I love that series so that was a fun comparison. It’s not the same at all but I just noticed some stuff.
MIDS
- This is not a con for me as I don’t require a slow burn but I could see it being for other people but this is not that for sure.
CONS
- I wish the gold & ash of the trees was developed a bit more. Maybe we’ll get more in book 2 but that was such an interesting bit of world-building & political stage setting I’d like to see more of.
- Some convenient things that I was like “well I guess we just do that now”
Would reco & would read book 2!
PLOT
Sylvie is the daughter of a failed rebellion; it killed her parents & shamed her older siblings into surrendering when they did not want to. She despises the king who killed her father, starves her people, & takes their resources. But when he invites her & her court to the 3 month festival at the capital, they accept. If only to figure out how to take him down. This book has:
- betrayals & scheming
- VERY light enemies to lovers: like the kind where she thinks they are but he doesn’t act that way
- elemental magic + shadows & light
- funny FMC & scary but also softboi MMC
- trials (but not deadly) & also a masquerade
- med spice & a theater box scene 🥵
PROS
- A unique story! Really interesting politics & lore.
- Sylvie is quite likeable & she made me giggle multiple times. Her family dynamic is also very interesting & how that affected her growing up I think was well played out.
- I like a green flag MMC who isn’t mean to her just ‘cause. I liked their dynamic & it was fun.
- The magic evolution is interesting & I def want to see where that goes.
- There are elements of this that remind me of an adult The Prison Healer trilogy (no spoilers I swear) & I love that series so that was a fun comparison. It’s not the same at all but I just noticed some stuff.
MIDS
- This is not a con for me as I don’t require a slow burn but I could see it being for other people but this is not that for sure.
CONS
- I wish the gold & ash of the trees was developed a bit more. Maybe we’ll get more in book 2 but that was such an interesting bit of world-building & political stage setting I’d like to see more of.
- Some convenient things that I was like “well I guess we just do that now”
Would reco & would read book 2!
December 9, 2025
I quite enjoyed this!
The world building was good and easy to follow, I also really liked the magic system. The powers felt unique in their own way. The trials and training were also interesting and not too drawn out, which I really liked.
I loved both of the mcs; Sylvie wasn't annoying as an FMC whatsoever and I loved her character development throughout the book. I also loved that she was the "shadow daddy" 🤭
I had a feeling I would love Ronan after the first wink, and I was completely correct. He fell so hard for Sylvie and I was living for it 🔥
The court politics in this were so good, the battle scenes had me on the edge of my seat. I cannot wait to see what will happen in the second book!
Thank you to the author and Glasslook Press for providing me with an eArc in exchange for a review 🫶🏻
The world building was good and easy to follow, I also really liked the magic system. The powers felt unique in their own way. The trials and training were also interesting and not too drawn out, which I really liked.
I loved both of the mcs; Sylvie wasn't annoying as an FMC whatsoever and I loved her character development throughout the book. I also loved that she was the "shadow daddy" 🤭
I had a feeling I would love Ronan after the first wink, and I was completely correct. He fell so hard for Sylvie and I was living for it 🔥
The court politics in this were so good, the battle scenes had me on the edge of my seat. I cannot wait to see what will happen in the second book!
Thank you to the author and Glasslook Press for providing me with an eArc in exchange for a review 🫶🏻
October 16, 2025
Thank you Netgalley, Glasslook Press, and Amy Yorke for this eARC.
Genre: Dark Romantasy
⭐️ 4/5
🌶 2/5
🧠 4/10
Cliffhanger 7/10
Noteworthy: Book 1 of an incomplete duet. Dual POV. Publication date 11/11/2025. Elemental magic with alchemy.
I swear parts of this book feel like watching someone kick a golden retriever puppy. The MMC Ronan has nothing but the best intentions for his kingdom and apparently that's a problem for a lot of people. It honestly feels a little too close to reality with the way it shows that revenge is an infinity symbol until someone breaks the cycle.
The FMC Sylvie and her family were on the losing end of a 5 year war that resulted in her parents death and the loss of their kingdom. But her older sister Adria is not one for letting their losses lie. The two sisters and their brother along with their gaurdian plot and scheme to get their revenge on the king and retake not just their kingdom back but his throne. Sylvie is tasked with getting close to the king and killing him when the time is right. Sylvie is a wonderfully sympathetic character who just always wants to do the right thing. Watching her struggle, come to terms with the other side of the story and discover her family's flaws allows us to watch this young, conflicted character grow so much. Books like this prove there are often no innocent parties in war. And those that survive have deep visible and invisible scars to show for it.
Genre: Dark Romantasy
⭐️ 4/5
🌶 2/5
🧠 4/10
Cliffhanger 7/10
Noteworthy: Book 1 of an incomplete duet. Dual POV. Publication date 11/11/2025. Elemental magic with alchemy.
I swear parts of this book feel like watching someone kick a golden retriever puppy. The MMC Ronan has nothing but the best intentions for his kingdom and apparently that's a problem for a lot of people. It honestly feels a little too close to reality with the way it shows that revenge is an infinity symbol until someone breaks the cycle.
The FMC Sylvie and her family were on the losing end of a 5 year war that resulted in her parents death and the loss of their kingdom. But her older sister Adria is not one for letting their losses lie. The two sisters and their brother along with their gaurdian plot and scheme to get their revenge on the king and retake not just their kingdom back but his throne. Sylvie is tasked with getting close to the king and killing him when the time is right. Sylvie is a wonderfully sympathetic character who just always wants to do the right thing. Watching her struggle, come to terms with the other side of the story and discover her family's flaws allows us to watch this young, conflicted character grow so much. Books like this prove there are often no innocent parties in war. And those that survive have deep visible and invisible scars to show for it.
January 29, 2026
Review to follow
October 28, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley & Amy Yorke for the chance to read & review this ARC. After reading this book, I 100% agree with the description: it IS perfect for fans of Danielle L. Jensen (like me!). The political intrigue and plotting reminded me of the Bridge Kingdom series (one of my faves), but with the added benefit of a magic system that was easy to understand and fun to explore. The romantic tension between the FMC (Sylvie) and MMC (Ronan) was palpable throughout the book, and I really felt I understood Sylvie's motivations and connected to her growth as a character through the first person POV. There is a good amount of (well written) spice in this book, and the only shortfall was that the MMC (Ronan) was simply too perfect... he had no character growth and while he sounded dreamy from the various descriptions of his beauty and was charming (by all accounts), his character fell a bit flat for me.
What I loved
🫶 Sylvie's character arc and how I could really connect with her complex emotions (excellent as a plot device too!)
🫶 All the side characters were extremely well developed and I was amazed how quickly I empathized with every one of them: Adria, Larus, Quinn and Taran - I loved them all and I can't wait to see how Amy deepens their stories in book 2
🫶 The version of mind reading/mind sharing in this book was unlike anything I've read before and I felt the author did a good job of keeping the limitations of this power consistent throughout the book
🫶 Amy is a strong writer, and while some of the plot lines were predicable, the narrative did not feel overwritten and kept a good pace throughout the story
🫶 The special interest groups in the political landscape were not uniform in their goals based on loyalty to a particular country or ethnicity, but rather, the future they envision for their SHARED country - this really made the politicking interesting to read and I'd love to see a bit of a deeper dive into the motivations of individual actors in the next book!
🫶The tension between Adria and Quinn was SOOO GOOD... let's see more of that, just sayin' 👀
What didn’t work for me:
🙅♀️ The resolution of conflict between Ronan and Sylvie at the end felt too convenient (he's too perfect! where are his flaws? I know he's "the God-King" but COME ON lol)
🙅♀️ The few chapters of Ronan's POV did nothing to develop his character - it felt like a stop gap while we waited for Sylvie to come back into play
I ate this book up in 3 days. The conclusion was satisfying, despite ending on a cliff hanger and book two is on my TBR as soon as it comes out! If you loved Bridge Kingdom, The Serpent & the Wolf, and Heavenly Bodies this one is for you :)
What I loved
🫶 Sylvie's character arc and how I could really connect with her complex emotions (excellent as a plot device too!)
🫶 All the side characters were extremely well developed and I was amazed how quickly I empathized with every one of them: Adria, Larus, Quinn and Taran - I loved them all and I can't wait to see how Amy deepens their stories in book 2
🫶 The version of mind reading/mind sharing in this book was unlike anything I've read before and I felt the author did a good job of keeping the limitations of this power consistent throughout the book
🫶 Amy is a strong writer, and while some of the plot lines were predicable, the narrative did not feel overwritten and kept a good pace throughout the story
🫶 The special interest groups in the political landscape were not uniform in their goals based on loyalty to a particular country or ethnicity, but rather, the future they envision for their SHARED country - this really made the politicking interesting to read and I'd love to see a bit of a deeper dive into the motivations of individual actors in the next book!
🫶The tension between Adria and Quinn was SOOO GOOD... let's see more of that, just sayin' 👀
What didn’t work for me:
🙅♀️ The resolution of conflict between Ronan and Sylvie at the end felt too convenient (he's too perfect! where are his flaws? I know he's "the God-King" but COME ON lol)
🙅♀️ The few chapters of Ronan's POV did nothing to develop his character - it felt like a stop gap while we waited for Sylvie to come back into play
I ate this book up in 3 days. The conclusion was satisfying, despite ending on a cliff hanger and book two is on my TBR as soon as it comes out! If you loved Bridge Kingdom, The Serpent & the Wolf, and Heavenly Bodies this one is for you :)
January 5, 2026
I made it through about 10 pages before I DNF’d. This is pretty bad.
November 9, 2025
This book had me hooked from page one. Vengeance, sisterhood, slow-burn romance, and a world dripping with elemental magic? Yes please. 🔥
Sylvie’s story is fierce and emotional — watching her rise from the shadows to claim her own power was so satisfying. The tension, the politics, the heartbreak… I couldn’t stop reading.
Thank you to Amy Yorke for the advance reader copy 💕 I loved getting lost in this world — it’s dark, magical, and absolutely addictive.
If you love enemies to lovers, fierce heroines, and fantasy that burns bright, this one’s for you. ✨
Sylvie’s story is fierce and emotional — watching her rise from the shadows to claim her own power was so satisfying. The tension, the politics, the heartbreak… I couldn’t stop reading.
Thank you to Amy Yorke for the advance reader copy 💕 I loved getting lost in this world — it’s dark, magical, and absolutely addictive.
If you love enemies to lovers, fierce heroines, and fantasy that burns bright, this one’s for you. ✨
October 17, 2025
ARC Review
This book was a whirlwind of emotions, kingdom histories, deep-rooted anger and romance and I'm so ready for the second book!
Majority of the people living in the kingdoms have magic/powers/alchemy talents and are broken down into 7 categories: light, fire, wind, water, nature, earth, and shadow. Sylvara (Sylvie) is from the House Verran of the Nithyrian Province, and is sister to Lady Adria who is next in line for the throne/head of their kingdom. The two sisters are plotting to somehow kill the God-King Ronan, who is head of the Royal House Alta of Selara, and currently "rules" over majority of the kingdoms.
Years ago, Sylvie's parents were engaged in a war, declared by Ronan's parents and all of the parental figures wind up dying, either by the others hands or in battle. According to reports, Ronan killed Sylvie and Adria's father, contributing to this plan to overthrow, kill him and have Selera back on the throne. Sylvie is unfortunately the scape goat in this plan, as she has to seduce Ronan and get close enough to him to strike the fatal blow.
The story line progresses and Sylvie and Ronan become close friends, and eventually develop deeper feelings for each other. They both deny their feelings multiple times, only wanting to progress when they were both absolutely sure of their true feelings and the effects it would have on their respective kingdoms and peoples. *slow-burn to the max*
There are various challenges posed for the kingdoms, in preparation for a huge feast that hasn't been held since the war. Sylvie saves Ronan from a shadow-born assassination during the archery challenge and everyone thinks that she was trying to kill him and missed. Eventually Sylvie comes clean to Ronan about their plan and she feels like she tore an irreparable rift between them. She couldn't tell him she loved him until she came clean about their original purpose for attending the feasts and the festival.
Ronan and his trusted advisors hold a meeting to try and beat Adria at her own game and try to out maneuver her plans. Unfortunately you really cannot out plan a psychotic, rage fueled master planner. Sylvie gets kidnapped by the head alchemist and learns of a different plot to overthrow Ronan. While previously looking for missing shadow-borns, Sylvie learns of the plans to take their blood and turn it into gold for the kingdom. The ash trees they were using previously are not regenerating fast enough, but there is blood in plenty. They prevent that coup from happening, but still have to deal with Adria's plans. Sylvie feels like she's been stabbed in the back by her friend and her sister because they did not heed her words of caution and has betrayed them in her own way by falling in love with Ronan.
The story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Ronan wakes up to find Sylvie gone and he cannot feel her through their emotional connection and assumes that she has been taken.... again.... He eventually feels her consciousness stir, miles and miles away and heads out to save her.
This book was a whirlwind of emotions, kingdom histories, deep-rooted anger and romance and I'm so ready for the second book!
Majority of the people living in the kingdoms have magic/powers/alchemy talents and are broken down into 7 categories: light, fire, wind, water, nature, earth, and shadow. Sylvara (Sylvie) is from the House Verran of the Nithyrian Province, and is sister to Lady Adria who is next in line for the throne/head of their kingdom. The two sisters are plotting to somehow kill the God-King Ronan, who is head of the Royal House Alta of Selara, and currently "rules" over majority of the kingdoms.
Years ago, Sylvie's parents were engaged in a war, declared by Ronan's parents and all of the parental figures wind up dying, either by the others hands or in battle. According to reports, Ronan killed Sylvie and Adria's father, contributing to this plan to overthrow, kill him and have Selera back on the throne. Sylvie is unfortunately the scape goat in this plan, as she has to seduce Ronan and get close enough to him to strike the fatal blow.
The story line progresses and Sylvie and Ronan become close friends, and eventually develop deeper feelings for each other. They both deny their feelings multiple times, only wanting to progress when they were both absolutely sure of their true feelings and the effects it would have on their respective kingdoms and peoples. *slow-burn to the max*
There are various challenges posed for the kingdoms, in preparation for a huge feast that hasn't been held since the war. Sylvie saves Ronan from a shadow-born assassination during the archery challenge and everyone thinks that she was trying to kill him and missed. Eventually Sylvie comes clean to Ronan about their plan and she feels like she tore an irreparable rift between them. She couldn't tell him she loved him until she came clean about their original purpose for attending the feasts and the festival.
Ronan and his trusted advisors hold a meeting to try and beat Adria at her own game and try to out maneuver her plans. Unfortunately you really cannot out plan a psychotic, rage fueled master planner. Sylvie gets kidnapped by the head alchemist and learns of a different plot to overthrow Ronan. While previously looking for missing shadow-borns, Sylvie learns of the plans to take their blood and turn it into gold for the kingdom. The ash trees they were using previously are not regenerating fast enough, but there is blood in plenty. They prevent that coup from happening, but still have to deal with Adria's plans. Sylvie feels like she's been stabbed in the back by her friend and her sister because they did not heed her words of caution and has betrayed them in her own way by falling in love with Ronan.
The story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Ronan wakes up to find Sylvie gone and he cannot feel her through their emotional connection and assumes that she has been taken.... again.... He eventually feels her consciousness stir, miles and miles away and heads out to save her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2025
⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶
🔥🔥🔥
Sylvie, the daughter of a failed rebellion, has lived in her sister Adria’s shadow but sees her chance to strike at God-King Ronan, the man who destroyed her family, during the Great Festival. As she gets closer to Ronan, she finds herself drawn to the very man she vowed to kill, risking not only her sister’s wrath but the future of her people. For Ronan, trusting Sylvie could cost him his throne or his life, and in a kingdom where loyalty is deadly, only one sister will emerge victorious.
The book started off pretty strong. I wouldn’t call it amazing, but it definitely gave me hope that the story was going to deliver. Unfortunately, that momentum didn’t really last. Sylvie, who I wanted to be this strong, commanding FMC, ended up feeling weaker than I hoped, and Ronan wasn’t much better. Both of them kind of fell flat, honestly. And the whole enemies-to-lovers thing? Yeah, that was barely a thing. They were enemies for like two seconds and then just… allies. I’d actually call them reluctant allies more than anything, which was kind of disappointing because I was hoping for that full-blown tension.
That said, I did really enjoy the little role reversal with Sylvie as the shadow mommy and Ronan as the light daddy. I always love it when books play with the classic dynamics like that, and it was fun to see, even if it wasn’t enough to save the rest of the story. The plot itself kept going downhill as the book went on, and most of the character interactions felt pretty flat and 2D. I never really felt that spark or tension between Sylvie and Ronan that I was hoping for, and it made the story feel a little lifeless at times.
The world-building didn’t do much to help either. It wasn’t awful, but it also wasn’t particularly memorable or immersive. Everything felt very surface level, which is a shame because there was so much potential to make the world and its stakes really shine. Overall, this was definitely more character-driven than anything else, but the characters didn’t carry it the way I hoped they would. I think a lot more could have been done with the plot and the setup, and honestly, I should have probably DNF’d it at some point, but I kept pushing through to see if it would get better.
In the end, it just didn’t live up to the strong start. I wanted tension, drama, and chemistry, and while there were glimpses here and there, it never fully delivered. It’s not a terrible read if you’re curious or like casual fantasy romance, but it definitely left me feeling underwhelmed.
⟣Tropes⟢
✅ Shadow Mommy
✅ Single POV (with a couple dashes of Ronan)
✅ Reluctant allies
✅ FMC not Virgin
✅ He falls first
✅ Cliff
🌶🌶
🔥🔥🔥
Sylvie, the daughter of a failed rebellion, has lived in her sister Adria’s shadow but sees her chance to strike at God-King Ronan, the man who destroyed her family, during the Great Festival. As she gets closer to Ronan, she finds herself drawn to the very man she vowed to kill, risking not only her sister’s wrath but the future of her people. For Ronan, trusting Sylvie could cost him his throne or his life, and in a kingdom where loyalty is deadly, only one sister will emerge victorious.
The book started off pretty strong. I wouldn’t call it amazing, but it definitely gave me hope that the story was going to deliver. Unfortunately, that momentum didn’t really last. Sylvie, who I wanted to be this strong, commanding FMC, ended up feeling weaker than I hoped, and Ronan wasn’t much better. Both of them kind of fell flat, honestly. And the whole enemies-to-lovers thing? Yeah, that was barely a thing. They were enemies for like two seconds and then just… allies. I’d actually call them reluctant allies more than anything, which was kind of disappointing because I was hoping for that full-blown tension.
That said, I did really enjoy the little role reversal with Sylvie as the shadow mommy and Ronan as the light daddy. I always love it when books play with the classic dynamics like that, and it was fun to see, even if it wasn’t enough to save the rest of the story. The plot itself kept going downhill as the book went on, and most of the character interactions felt pretty flat and 2D. I never really felt that spark or tension between Sylvie and Ronan that I was hoping for, and it made the story feel a little lifeless at times.
The world-building didn’t do much to help either. It wasn’t awful, but it also wasn’t particularly memorable or immersive. Everything felt very surface level, which is a shame because there was so much potential to make the world and its stakes really shine. Overall, this was definitely more character-driven than anything else, but the characters didn’t carry it the way I hoped they would. I think a lot more could have been done with the plot and the setup, and honestly, I should have probably DNF’d it at some point, but I kept pushing through to see if it would get better.
In the end, it just didn’t live up to the strong start. I wanted tension, drama, and chemistry, and while there were glimpses here and there, it never fully delivered. It’s not a terrible read if you’re curious or like casual fantasy romance, but it definitely left me feeling underwhelmed.
⟣Tropes⟢
✅ Shadow Mommy
✅ Single POV (with a couple dashes of Ronan)
✅ Reluctant allies
✅ FMC not Virgin
✅ He falls first
✅ Cliff
November 12, 2025
ARC review - thank you Amy Yorke for this opportunity 🫶🏻
4.5 ⭐ 2.5🌶️
I loved this book; I was hooked from beginning! It was action-packed without being overwhelming I liked the world-building and how the magic works. The political issues were well explained, and I understood the resulting tensions. I appreciated how the themes of grief, racism, discrimination, and prejudice were addressed. Why it’s not a 5 stars read for me, it missed the emotional damage. If some elements were slow down a bit, more explored; the impact would have been more pronounced and I would have felt the pain, anger, and suspense more intensely.
Sylvie is my girl. I found her so realistic and I was able to easily identify with her; cringe in the best way, soft but strong at the same time, not a Mary-Sue, not too badass from the start. Her growth was interesting to read and I can’t wait for her to get to her full potential. Ronan, my sweet boy. I want to protect him at all cost. He charmed me with his golden retriever energy, his winks, the way of envisioning his reign and how obsessed he is with Sylvie.
This is the next romatasy Booktok will take over. Be aware of the ending... It’s the first book of a duology, so except a cliffhanger at the end. It’s not the worst, but enough for you to wish the next book is out already.
4.5 ⭐ 2.5🌶️
I loved this book; I was hooked from beginning! It was action-packed without being overwhelming I liked the world-building and how the magic works. The political issues were well explained, and I understood the resulting tensions. I appreciated how the themes of grief, racism, discrimination, and prejudice were addressed. Why it’s not a 5 stars read for me, it missed the emotional damage. If some elements were slow down a bit, more explored; the impact would have been more pronounced and I would have felt the pain, anger, and suspense more intensely.
Sylvie is my girl. I found her so realistic and I was able to easily identify with her; cringe in the best way, soft but strong at the same time, not a Mary-Sue, not too badass from the start. Her growth was interesting to read and I can’t wait for her to get to her full potential. Ronan, my sweet boy. I want to protect him at all cost. He charmed me with his golden retriever energy, his winks, the way of envisioning his reign and how obsessed he is with Sylvie.
This is the next romatasy Booktok will take over. Be aware of the ending... It’s the first book of a duology, so except a cliffhanger at the end. It’s not the worst, but enough for you to wish the next book is out already.
November 7, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! The main female character is set to kill the king but fate has her falling in love with him instead.....maybe.
Characters
The FMC is capable and competent, making real choices that I would honestly make. The MMC is a master in yearning while also not being a pushover which is a hard balance to achieve. The side characters bring humor and a sense of family to the book.
Plot
The plot was great! It was never boring and honestly the main objective kept changing as the book progressed which kept me on my toes. It also was multi layered which made it seem like alot of thought went into the plot, not just for this book but future books to come! Nothing felt like filler and there was no just dragging on backstory. Also I felt like there was no unnecessary spice scenes which tend to appear in romantasy books!
Writing style
The writing was easy to follow due to the prose, cadance and order in which certain storylines were presented. It wasn't bland, and yet it wasn't super hard to follow.
Spice
Medium spice for sure. There was ALOT of spice but the scenes that were spicy, were explicit and were described in detail.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amy and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Characters
The FMC is capable and competent, making real choices that I would honestly make. The MMC is a master in yearning while also not being a pushover which is a hard balance to achieve. The side characters bring humor and a sense of family to the book.
Plot
The plot was great! It was never boring and honestly the main objective kept changing as the book progressed which kept me on my toes. It also was multi layered which made it seem like alot of thought went into the plot, not just for this book but future books to come! Nothing felt like filler and there was no just dragging on backstory. Also I felt like there was no unnecessary spice scenes which tend to appear in romantasy books!
Writing style
The writing was easy to follow due to the prose, cadance and order in which certain storylines were presented. It wasn't bland, and yet it wasn't super hard to follow.
Spice
Medium spice for sure. There was ALOT of spice but the scenes that were spicy, were explicit and were described in detail.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amy and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
November 5, 2025
Alchemy & Ashes pulled me in from the very first page. Amy Yorke weaves a world that feels rich and atmospheric — full of danger, desire, and secrets. The writing is lyrical yet sharp, the kind that keeps you under its spell long after you close the book.
The characters are complex and deeply human, even when they’re tangled in magic and shadow. I loved the slow unraveling of their pasts and the tension that builds between them — it’s the perfect mix of fantasy, romance, and emotional grit.
This book gave me everything I want in a dark fantasy: intrigue, heartache, and that delicious sense of mystery that keeps you turning pages late into the night. The ending left me desperate for book two.
Amy Yorke is absolutely an author to watch — her storytelling is pure alchemy.
The characters are complex and deeply human, even when they’re tangled in magic and shadow. I loved the slow unraveling of their pasts and the tension that builds between them — it’s the perfect mix of fantasy, romance, and emotional grit.
This book gave me everything I want in a dark fantasy: intrigue, heartache, and that delicious sense of mystery that keeps you turning pages late into the night. The ending left me desperate for book two.
Amy Yorke is absolutely an author to watch — her storytelling is pure alchemy.
October 16, 2025
I could not put this book down. It kept me entertained the entire way through from chapter 1 and on. I honestly didn’t get bored with the story at all. There were multiple twists/reveals throughout which was fun and kept me on my toes. The plot, romance, pacing, and yearning were perfect. Sylvie and her sister have a plan to kill King Ronan for the murder of their father. The plan is for Sylvie to get close to Ronan and make him fall for her so she can kill him. She starts to learn the truth about a lot of things and starts to question everything in her life and everything she’s ever been led to believe. I loved both of the MCs. Sylvie is funny, witty, and so relatable. Ronan is kind, caring, and completely unexpected from what Sylvie imagined. I did get emotional reading certain parts. It ends on a cliffhanger so I’m very excited for book 2 to continue Ronan and Sylvie’s story. If you liked The Bridge Kingdom, you will love this.
November 3, 2025
⭐⭐⭐💫 (3.5 stars)
A dark fantasy romance about two sisters out for revenge — and one very complicated enemies-to-lovers situation with the king they swore to kill. I loved the world-building, the sister dynamic, and the tension in the romance. Some tropes felt predictable, and a few emotional beats didn’t hit as strongly for me, but overall it kept me hooked and I’m definitely curious to see what happens in book two.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review
A dark fantasy romance about two sisters out for revenge — and one very complicated enemies-to-lovers situation with the king they swore to kill. I loved the world-building, the sister dynamic, and the tension in the romance. Some tropes felt predictable, and a few emotional beats didn’t hit as strongly for me, but overall it kept me hooked and I’m definitely curious to see what happens in book two.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review
October 19, 2025
This is my ARC review for Alchemy & Ashes by Amy Yorke. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this incredible book! Five stars is not enough!
He winks! Are you kidding me?! He WINKS!! I can’t help but giggle uncontrollably and kick my feet. Everybody loves Ronan (IYKYK) and apparently I do, too!
Sylvie, along with her sister and guardian, is on a mission to take down her people’s sworn enemy, King Ronan. Since the war and her sister’s surrender, a plan is in place to deceive the king and take his throne. Sylvie thinks she’s been brought along to help, but little does she know, she’s the main player, tasked with seducing the king and killing him. But soon, Sylvie begins to understand not all that she’s been told is the truth.
Ronan is trying to unite the people, regretting things he’s done in the past and doing his best to make amends. He has such a good heart and will burn it all for those he loves. His banter with Sylvie is on point! He falls first and HARD!
If you love:
Light and shadow magic
Touch her and die
He falls first
Disguised identity
Slow burn
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
You MUST read Alchemy & Ashes!!
Thank you again, Amy Yorke, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this ARC of one of the most incredible stories I’ve read!
He winks! Are you kidding me?! He WINKS!! I can’t help but giggle uncontrollably and kick my feet. Everybody loves Ronan (IYKYK) and apparently I do, too!
Sylvie, along with her sister and guardian, is on a mission to take down her people’s sworn enemy, King Ronan. Since the war and her sister’s surrender, a plan is in place to deceive the king and take his throne. Sylvie thinks she’s been brought along to help, but little does she know, she’s the main player, tasked with seducing the king and killing him. But soon, Sylvie begins to understand not all that she’s been told is the truth.
Ronan is trying to unite the people, regretting things he’s done in the past and doing his best to make amends. He has such a good heart and will burn it all for those he loves. His banter with Sylvie is on point! He falls first and HARD!
If you love:
Light and shadow magic
Touch her and die
He falls first
Disguised identity
Slow burn
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
You MUST read Alchemy & Ashes!!
Thank you again, Amy Yorke, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this ARC of one of the most incredible stories I’ve read!
November 7, 2025
The pacing of this book was soooo good. Loved the FMC and the internal struggles she has. AND THE CLIFFHANGER!!! I want to read the next one and see where the characters go next!
January 14, 2026
Fantastic!!!! Solid 5⭐️ and an applause 👏👏👏.
I am so glad I picked this one up, as it doesn’t have many reviews and I was I bit skeptical. But, I like surprises like this!
Amazing story, excellent world building, the emotional conundrum for 400+ pages non stop! This is a must read! Keeps on edge and makes you giggle.
📝 So here’s a quick spoiler free summary, just to get the gist:
• A spare heir shadow wielder(3rd in line) from a fallen kingdom travels to the ruling kingdom festival with her sister and guardian with a solid plan to kill the King. She was raised on stories of lost war and consequently death of her parents strongly believing he is a monster and a villain. HOWEVER, he is a light wielder who can read feelings and anticipates every attack. The entire story is set in the capital during a 3 month festival which is the time frame of the planned murder. Oh, how will they succeed? There are mysterious kidnappings, scheming and political plotting, hidden identities, and more.
• Hidden identities
• War-torn world and political turmoil
• Assassination attempts (almost weekly)
• Slow burn
• Banter is bantering
• We don’t know who falls first
• Found family (or beginning of it)
• ‘Fantastic beast(s)’
• Little bit of Alchemy
🧭I loved the setting. There was no random travelling through the land just for the sake of it. Everything is centered in the capital.
There are festival games, something like the olympics. Kudos on the battle scenes! World building very easy to grasp, solid, even the religious part.
• The FMC was AWESOME! Finally a strong and smart one. Her character development is so gradual and strong, and it did not dissapoint. She did feel like she has a little bit of ADHD, but it was so funny to read about her choices and behaviour.
• While the MMC is a golden retriever!
The dialogues between them: full of banter, discovery, mistrust and understanding! Loved it!!!! Loved every single exchange!
Spice is 2.5🌶️ but slow burn. It’s not insta lust but built on false pretenses.
🪄Magic is straightforward and I am sure we will know more why the duology is called Shadowbound.
Cliffhanger was not brutal but leaves you puzzles and anxious for book 2!
Available on KU. 1st person POV.
I would recommend this if you liked Keys to the Crown, Serpent and the Wings of the Night (sans Vampires), The Serpent and The Wolf…
I am so glad I picked this one up, as it doesn’t have many reviews and I was I bit skeptical. But, I like surprises like this!
Amazing story, excellent world building, the emotional conundrum for 400+ pages non stop! This is a must read! Keeps on edge and makes you giggle.
📝 So here’s a quick spoiler free summary, just to get the gist:
• A spare heir shadow wielder(3rd in line) from a fallen kingdom travels to the ruling kingdom festival with her sister and guardian with a solid plan to kill the King. She was raised on stories of lost war and consequently death of her parents strongly believing he is a monster and a villain. HOWEVER, he is a light wielder who can read feelings and anticipates every attack. The entire story is set in the capital during a 3 month festival which is the time frame of the planned murder. Oh, how will they succeed? There are mysterious kidnappings, scheming and political plotting, hidden identities, and more.
• Hidden identities
• War-torn world and political turmoil
• Assassination attempts (almost weekly)
• Slow burn
• Banter is bantering
• We don’t know who falls first
• Found family (or beginning of it)
• ‘Fantastic beast(s)’
• Little bit of Alchemy
🧭I loved the setting. There was no random travelling through the land just for the sake of it. Everything is centered in the capital.
There are festival games, something like the olympics. Kudos on the battle scenes! World building very easy to grasp, solid, even the religious part.
• The FMC was AWESOME! Finally a strong and smart one. Her character development is so gradual and strong, and it did not dissapoint. She did feel like she has a little bit of ADHD, but it was so funny to read about her choices and behaviour.
• While the MMC is a golden retriever!
The dialogues between them: full of banter, discovery, mistrust and understanding! Loved it!!!! Loved every single exchange!
Spice is 2.5🌶️ but slow burn. It’s not insta lust but built on false pretenses.
🪄Magic is straightforward and I am sure we will know more why the duology is called Shadowbound.
Cliffhanger was not brutal but leaves you puzzles and anxious for book 2!
Available on KU. 1st person POV.
I would recommend this if you liked Keys to the Crown, Serpent and the Wings of the Night (sans Vampires), The Serpent and The Wolf…
October 26, 2025
What a great story!
Was it perfect? No. I felt like the romantic interest happened almost immediately. And I'm not talking just instant physical attraction, but actual romantic interest.
Likewise, at times the narrative was a bit uneven, with almost entire chapters focused on individual sword fights, but no on page depiction of the five archery competitions until the very last one. I would have liked to meet Seth, and I hope there's more investigation into the motivations of a certain villainous character.
Despite these minor flaws (and I do mean minor, because while I noticed them, I really liked this book and they didn't take away from that), the story was engaging, the characters well developed and the magic was super cool. It seems simple enough at the onset. Light magic users can use and control light, same with fire, water, etc. But our FMC is a shadow born, and her shadow magic is fueled by lies and secrets, which is so much fun. It makes me wonder if there's more behind all the different types of magic. And each group seems to keep their abilities somewhat secret from the others. Sylvie occasionally witnesses something magical that she 'didn't know was possible,' from someone with magic different than her own, suggesting this secrecy between groups. I'm hoping we get to see more of this in the next book(s).
We have our typical villainous king, who turns out to maybe not be so villainous after all? And I say typical, because yes, it's been done before. But it's been done before because it works, and Amy used this trope really well, not revealing everything all at once, but showing us layers upon layers of backstory and plot.
I loved seeing Sylvie's growth throughout the book, and Ronan was really endearing (especially his lonely heart and uncertainties - what a sweetie). There was so much going on in this book, yet I never felt confused or overwhelmed. The different plots were really evenly distributed throughout.
I'm actually sad that I read an ARC, because it means I have to wait even longer now for book two. But, I'm not sad that I discovered this author! Advanced copy received from BookSirens, but all thoughts are my own.
Was it perfect? No. I felt like the romantic interest happened almost immediately. And I'm not talking just instant physical attraction, but actual romantic interest.
Likewise, at times the narrative was a bit uneven, with almost entire chapters focused on individual sword fights, but no on page depiction of the five archery competitions until the very last one. I would have liked to meet Seth, and I hope there's more investigation into the motivations of a certain villainous character.
Despite these minor flaws (and I do mean minor, because while I noticed them, I really liked this book and they didn't take away from that), the story was engaging, the characters well developed and the magic was super cool. It seems simple enough at the onset. Light magic users can use and control light, same with fire, water, etc. But our FMC is a shadow born, and her shadow magic is fueled by lies and secrets, which is so much fun. It makes me wonder if there's more behind all the different types of magic. And each group seems to keep their abilities somewhat secret from the others. Sylvie occasionally witnesses something magical that she 'didn't know was possible,' from someone with magic different than her own, suggesting this secrecy between groups. I'm hoping we get to see more of this in the next book(s).
We have our typical villainous king, who turns out to maybe not be so villainous after all? And I say typical, because yes, it's been done before. But it's been done before because it works, and Amy used this trope really well, not revealing everything all at once, but showing us layers upon layers of backstory and plot.
I loved seeing Sylvie's growth throughout the book, and Ronan was really endearing (especially his lonely heart and uncertainties - what a sweetie). There was so much going on in this book, yet I never felt confused or overwhelmed. The different plots were really evenly distributed throughout.
I'm actually sad that I read an ARC, because it means I have to wait even longer now for book two. But, I'm not sad that I discovered this author! Advanced copy received from BookSirens, but all thoughts are my own.
November 7, 2025
**Thank you to Victory Editing, NetGalley, and Amy Yorke for honoring me with this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own***
“Rage at me. Tell me how much you hate me. Burn down my palace and curse my name. Gods know I deserve it.”
There’s something magnetic about a story that makes you question who’s right, who’s wrong, and whether those words ever meant anything to begin with. Alchemy and Ashes does exactly that — it strips war down to its bones and asks what’s left when generations of hate have burned through everything else.
The romance between Sylvie and Ronan is intoxicating — enemies-to-lovers done right. Their parents broke the world, and had a hand in the deaths of one another. The interesting build, her loathing edged with his fascination, the way guilt and desire blur until you can’t tell which is which. Their relationship isn’t just chemistry; it’s moral reckoning. Every near-touch feels like a question: Can love survive the lies we were raised on?
And then there’s the rift between sisters.
Adria and Sylvie’s relationship mirrors the war they were born into — one desperate to end the cycle, the other consumed by it. Sylvie wants peace, understanding, and a better world. Adria wants revenge, no matter the cost. Her rage feels ancient, inherited, unrelenting — and watching it devour her while Sylvie tries to hold onto compassion is heartbreaking.
The world-building is layered and brutally real — a kingdom choking on propaganda, revenge masquerading as justice, and the haunting truth that both sides believe they’re the heroes (even if one of their leaders doesn’t). Through Sylvie’s eyes, we see how prejudice is taught, how grief justifies cruelty, and how hard it is to untangle loyalty from guilt.
And the writing? Lush. Unflinching. Lines like daggers:
“Whatever it is that we are, we’re the same.”
“There are no others. There’s us, and then there’s everyone else.”
By the time the final twist hit — and that cliffhanger? — I was wrecked. The EVIL genuinely surprised me. The heartbreak felt earned. The themes of xenophobia, identity, and inherited violence are woven with such care that even the quiet moments hit like revelations. This is a story about war and love, guilt and grace, and the families we destroy trying to save what’s left.
If you love enemies-to-lovers with real stakes, moral complexity, and prose that cuts deep, this book will consume you.
“Rage at me. Tell me how much you hate me. Burn down my palace and curse my name. Gods know I deserve it.”
There’s something magnetic about a story that makes you question who’s right, who’s wrong, and whether those words ever meant anything to begin with. Alchemy and Ashes does exactly that — it strips war down to its bones and asks what’s left when generations of hate have burned through everything else.
The romance between Sylvie and Ronan is intoxicating — enemies-to-lovers done right. Their parents broke the world, and had a hand in the deaths of one another. The interesting build, her loathing edged with his fascination, the way guilt and desire blur until you can’t tell which is which. Their relationship isn’t just chemistry; it’s moral reckoning. Every near-touch feels like a question: Can love survive the lies we were raised on?
And then there’s the rift between sisters.
Adria and Sylvie’s relationship mirrors the war they were born into — one desperate to end the cycle, the other consumed by it. Sylvie wants peace, understanding, and a better world. Adria wants revenge, no matter the cost. Her rage feels ancient, inherited, unrelenting — and watching it devour her while Sylvie tries to hold onto compassion is heartbreaking.
The world-building is layered and brutally real — a kingdom choking on propaganda, revenge masquerading as justice, and the haunting truth that both sides believe they’re the heroes (even if one of their leaders doesn’t). Through Sylvie’s eyes, we see how prejudice is taught, how grief justifies cruelty, and how hard it is to untangle loyalty from guilt.
And the writing? Lush. Unflinching. Lines like daggers:
“Whatever it is that we are, we’re the same.”
“There are no others. There’s us, and then there’s everyone else.”
By the time the final twist hit — and that cliffhanger? — I was wrecked. The EVIL genuinely surprised me. The heartbreak felt earned. The themes of xenophobia, identity, and inherited violence are woven with such care that even the quiet moments hit like revelations. This is a story about war and love, guilt and grace, and the families we destroy trying to save what’s left.
If you love enemies-to-lovers with real stakes, moral complexity, and prose that cuts deep, this book will consume you.
November 10, 2025
What an amazing book 🖤 Thank you so much Amy for this advance copy!
I absolutely loved this story! The siblings' revenge, the imminent war, all the secrets and betrayals, the magic and the magical status... it was truly intriguing to read! I don’t always enjoy the insta-love or instant interest between main characters, as it can feel a bit rushed. But that being said, I genuinely loved the main storyline, and the world-building was truly amazing! ❤️🔥
It was hard not to connect with Sylvie and her struggles.. her need for her sister’s approval, especially considering that being Shadow-born means starting at the bottom of the Schools of Magic and Alchemy, while Adria ranked near the top (second highest for the Fire-born). Their relationship isn’t a loving one, and Sylvie is constantly trying to prove herself worthy, even if it means making the wrong choices. But when they arrive in Faros, with a plan for vengeance against the God-King Ronan, Sylvie will have to make the hardest decision of her life. Will she prove herself right, or will she fail? 🗡️
Ronan himself is such a lovable character, with a golden heart and a genuine concern for his people. His interest in Sylvie is almost immediate, which is something I already pointed out as feeling rushed.. but their interactions are truly engaging, especially considering Ronan’s powers. There was so much going on, and I loved his backstory and how the two main characters are connected even before they officially meet. 🔥
The ending was a bit predictable.. because we knew they wouldn’t get a peaceful resolution in book #1.. but it was still absolutely mind-blowing. I'm so ready for the sequel! I can't wait to see how the story continues! 💫📚
Check these amazing Tropes!!
🍃 Elemental Magic
👑 Court & Politics Affaires
⚔️ Training & Trials
💔 Secrets & Betrayals
🥀 Forbidden Love
❤️🔥 Longing & Yearning
☠️ Siblings Rivalry
❤️🩹 Found Family
I absolutely loved this story! The siblings' revenge, the imminent war, all the secrets and betrayals, the magic and the magical status... it was truly intriguing to read! I don’t always enjoy the insta-love or instant interest between main characters, as it can feel a bit rushed. But that being said, I genuinely loved the main storyline, and the world-building was truly amazing! ❤️🔥
It was hard not to connect with Sylvie and her struggles.. her need for her sister’s approval, especially considering that being Shadow-born means starting at the bottom of the Schools of Magic and Alchemy, while Adria ranked near the top (second highest for the Fire-born). Their relationship isn’t a loving one, and Sylvie is constantly trying to prove herself worthy, even if it means making the wrong choices. But when they arrive in Faros, with a plan for vengeance against the God-King Ronan, Sylvie will have to make the hardest decision of her life. Will she prove herself right, or will she fail? 🗡️
Ronan himself is such a lovable character, with a golden heart and a genuine concern for his people. His interest in Sylvie is almost immediate, which is something I already pointed out as feeling rushed.. but their interactions are truly engaging, especially considering Ronan’s powers. There was so much going on, and I loved his backstory and how the two main characters are connected even before they officially meet. 🔥
The ending was a bit predictable.. because we knew they wouldn’t get a peaceful resolution in book #1.. but it was still absolutely mind-blowing. I'm so ready for the sequel! I can't wait to see how the story continues! 💫📚
Check these amazing Tropes!!
🍃 Elemental Magic
👑 Court & Politics Affaires
⚔️ Training & Trials
💔 Secrets & Betrayals
🥀 Forbidden Love
❤️🔥 Longing & Yearning
☠️ Siblings Rivalry
❤️🩹 Found Family
November 16, 2025
4.25⭐️ A great start to the Shadowbound Duet!
The storyline had me intrigued from the very first page and is what kept me up reading all through the night. The only reason I lowered my rating was because the writing started out a bit clunky but started to improve more towards the middle of the book.
As far as originality goes, it’s nothing that hasn’t already been done before but I still had a great time while reading it. One thing that was unique to this story is that we get a shadow mama FMC instead of a shadow daddy.
Alchemy and Ashes is marketed as enemies to lovers but was definitely insta-love/lust. The burn however, was painfully slow but that only built the tension between them that much more. Every agonizing moment was worth the payout because Ronan’s dedication and yearning for Sylvie was top tier.
I enjoyed the side characters and found family, they were what really made this story come to life. The drama and betrayal had me turning the pages and that cliff hanger left me wanting more.
Thank you, Glasslook Press and Amy Yorke for an advanced copy of Alchemy and Ashes. I can’t wait to continue on with the Shadowbound Duet.
The storyline had me intrigued from the very first page and is what kept me up reading all through the night. The only reason I lowered my rating was because the writing started out a bit clunky but started to improve more towards the middle of the book.
As far as originality goes, it’s nothing that hasn’t already been done before but I still had a great time while reading it. One thing that was unique to this story is that we get a shadow mama FMC instead of a shadow daddy.
Alchemy and Ashes is marketed as enemies to lovers but was definitely insta-love/lust. The burn however, was painfully slow but that only built the tension between them that much more. Every agonizing moment was worth the payout because Ronan’s dedication and yearning for Sylvie was top tier.
I enjoyed the side characters and found family, they were what really made this story come to life. The drama and betrayal had me turning the pages and that cliff hanger left me wanting more.
Thank you, Glasslook Press and Amy Yorke for an advanced copy of Alchemy and Ashes. I can’t wait to continue on with the Shadowbound Duet.
November 28, 2025
English below :
Merci à NetGalley de m'avoir permis de lire ce livre en avance.
WOW, un gros WOW! Amy Yorke nous emporte dans son univers dès les premières pages. J'ai dévoré ce livre et j'ai hâte au prochain.
On aime ce livre pour :
- Ennemies à amants
- La tension et les échanges entre entre Sylvie et Ronan
- Les nouvelles amitiés
- RONAN, Ronan ... et Ronan !
- Soren ;) IYKYK
- Le système de magie hiérarchique
- Les intrigues politiques
- Le SLOWWWW BURN
- Les scènes spicy 🔥🔥 🔥
À ajouter à votre liste de lecture sans tarder!
English :
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book early.
WOW, a big WOW! Amy Yorke sweeps us away into her world from the very first pages. I devoured this book and I can't wait for the next one.
We love this book for:
- Enemies and lovers
- The tension and banter between Sylvie and Ronan
- New friendships
- RONAN, Ronan... and more Ronan!
- Soren ;) IYKYK
- The hierarchical magic system
- The political intrigue
- The SLOWWWW BURN
- The spicy scenes 🔥🔥 🔥
Add it to your reading list now!
Merci à NetGalley de m'avoir permis de lire ce livre en avance.
WOW, un gros WOW! Amy Yorke nous emporte dans son univers dès les premières pages. J'ai dévoré ce livre et j'ai hâte au prochain.
On aime ce livre pour :
- Ennemies à amants
- La tension et les échanges entre entre Sylvie et Ronan
- Les nouvelles amitiés
- RONAN, Ronan ... et Ronan !
- Soren ;) IYKYK
- Le système de magie hiérarchique
- Les intrigues politiques
- Le SLOWWWW BURN
- Les scènes spicy 🔥🔥 🔥
À ajouter à votre liste de lecture sans tarder!
English :
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book early.
WOW, a big WOW! Amy Yorke sweeps us away into her world from the very first pages. I devoured this book and I can't wait for the next one.
We love this book for:
- Enemies and lovers
- The tension and banter between Sylvie and Ronan
- New friendships
- RONAN, Ronan... and more Ronan!
- Soren ;) IYKYK
- The hierarchical magic system
- The political intrigue
- The SLOWWWW BURN
- The spicy scenes 🔥🔥 🔥
Add it to your reading list now!
October 25, 2025
4.5✨This book was amazing!! I really loved the Fmc Sylvie shes definitely a lover not a fighter she just wants to do right for her people. They are staving as of the late king doing now his son Ronan sits as the new king. Death of her father is on the new kings hands with her guardian Larus and sister they all have come up with a plan to king the new king. Ronan charming, loves to give a little cheeky wink and eyes of a man in pain. Ronan is trying to right a wrong of which his father the late king has set in motion but while doing so things haven’t been easy. Ronan is a healer, can sense other peoples feelings and has a traitor within the palace who knowns to manipulate their feeling to keep lying to him.
The relationship between Sylive and Ronan isn’t instant they also use wash other for their own gain. The chemistry between them is hot and once they ignite it there no going back for them both.
The plot and writing was so good I highly recommend this book! I need book 2 asap!!
Thank you NetGalley & Victory Editing for the arc 🥰
The relationship between Sylive and Ronan isn’t instant they also use wash other for their own gain. The chemistry between them is hot and once they ignite it there no going back for them both.
The plot and writing was so good I highly recommend this book! I need book 2 asap!!
Thank you NetGalley & Victory Editing for the arc 🥰
November 10, 2025
⭐ 5 Stars
This book hooked me from page one. What I thought would be a revenge fantasy turned into something far more emotional, layered, and addictive. Sylvie is sent to kill the God-King… and then discovers he’s not the monster she’s been raised to hate. The tension, the mistrust, the chemistry, the slow unraveling of the truth — I devoured it.
The worldbuilding is excellent: light and shadow magic, political betrayal, family trauma, and a kingdom still bleeding after war. Sylvie’s character growth is honestly one of my favorite parts. She starts timid and overlooked, and becomes someone who questions everything she was taught. Ronan is thoughtful, kind, and emotionally grounded in a way MMCs rarely are — a total golden retriever with terrifying power. Their dynamic had me glued to the pages.
Great pacing, great intrigue, beautiful writing, and a cast of side characters I’m already obsessed with (the griffin absolutely stole the show). The ending?? Rude. I will 100% be reading book two.
Absolutely 5 stars.
This book hooked me from page one. What I thought would be a revenge fantasy turned into something far more emotional, layered, and addictive. Sylvie is sent to kill the God-King… and then discovers he’s not the monster she’s been raised to hate. The tension, the mistrust, the chemistry, the slow unraveling of the truth — I devoured it.
The worldbuilding is excellent: light and shadow magic, political betrayal, family trauma, and a kingdom still bleeding after war. Sylvie’s character growth is honestly one of my favorite parts. She starts timid and overlooked, and becomes someone who questions everything she was taught. Ronan is thoughtful, kind, and emotionally grounded in a way MMCs rarely are — a total golden retriever with terrifying power. Their dynamic had me glued to the pages.
Great pacing, great intrigue, beautiful writing, and a cast of side characters I’m already obsessed with (the griffin absolutely stole the show). The ending?? Rude. I will 100% be reading book two.
Absolutely 5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received Alchemy & Ashes as an ARC read, and I really enjoyed it! The plot felt familiar but not at all repetitive. It had enough fresh twists to keep things interesting. I liked the use of festivals instead of the typical high-stakes trials you see in a lot of fantasy books.
The romance was also really well done. The slow build between the main characters actually felt like a relationship growing, not something rushed or forced. This book had me laughing out loud at times which is always a good sign! I do wish Sylvie had been a little more confident in herself at times, her insecurity pulled me out of the story here and there.
To me, the magic system absolutely stood out. It was unique, creative, and well thought out. The front of the book has a lot of information and maps of the world as well as the city which was very useful. There are a lot of scene that take place outside of the castle, in alleys and markets so it was cool to be able to really envision how the characters were running through the city. Overall, a solid and enjoyable read, I’m definitely glad I got the chance to check it out early. I can’t wait to read the next book and see where on the map it will take us next!
I received Alchemy & Ashes as an ARC read, and I really enjoyed it! The plot felt familiar but not at all repetitive. It had enough fresh twists to keep things interesting. I liked the use of festivals instead of the typical high-stakes trials you see in a lot of fantasy books.
The romance was also really well done. The slow build between the main characters actually felt like a relationship growing, not something rushed or forced. This book had me laughing out loud at times which is always a good sign! I do wish Sylvie had been a little more confident in herself at times, her insecurity pulled me out of the story here and there.
To me, the magic system absolutely stood out. It was unique, creative, and well thought out. The front of the book has a lot of information and maps of the world as well as the city which was very useful. There are a lot of scene that take place outside of the castle, in alleys and markets so it was cool to be able to really envision how the characters were running through the city. Overall, a solid and enjoyable read, I’m definitely glad I got the chance to check it out early. I can’t wait to read the next book and see where on the map it will take us next!
November 3, 2025
Alchemy & Ashes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
I was lucky enough to get a ARC copy of this book. Thank you!! I loved this book, I literally could not put it down. All I wanted to do is read this book!
The plot was twisting early on and I was here for it all. And the cliffhanger at the end. I need the next book like now please!!
The personal growth of the main female character Sylvie throughout the entire book was so good. I loved to see that she was went this badass when we first get introduced to her. But as we go along we get to see her develop into this strong woman who we get to see her make up her own mind on things and people that she’s been told to hate her whole life.
The main male character Ronan I loved. He isn’t your typical male toxic masculinity like every other book you normally read. He is good, and isn’t afraid to show his feeling.
The tension between the two characters was so good I was rooting for them the whole time. It was such a good slow burn, and when they finally got together I was kicking my feet. Because finally!!!
I thought that the magical system was very cool and interesting as well as the world building. Im excited to see more of how Sylvie and Ronan’s magic develops in the next book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
I was lucky enough to get a ARC copy of this book. Thank you!! I loved this book, I literally could not put it down. All I wanted to do is read this book!
The plot was twisting early on and I was here for it all. And the cliffhanger at the end. I need the next book like now please!!
The personal growth of the main female character Sylvie throughout the entire book was so good. I loved to see that she was went this badass when we first get introduced to her. But as we go along we get to see her develop into this strong woman who we get to see her make up her own mind on things and people that she’s been told to hate her whole life.
The main male character Ronan I loved. He isn’t your typical male toxic masculinity like every other book you normally read. He is good, and isn’t afraid to show his feeling.
The tension between the two characters was so good I was rooting for them the whole time. It was such a good slow burn, and when they finally got together I was kicking my feet. Because finally!!!
I thought that the magical system was very cool and interesting as well as the world building. Im excited to see more of how Sylvie and Ronan’s magic develops in the next book
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