Whisper of Shadows and Stone

by J.S. Burns

SCARED OF GETTING LOST,
AFRAID OF BEING FOUND...

The shadows are shifting. Ancient monsters stir once more... and Alek and his friends are being hunted.

With the stolen Amulet in enemy hands and the Dark Warriors closing in, Alek, Sarah, and Benny are thrust into a treacherous race to stop a war that could destroy two worlds.

But secrets run deep, and trust is wearing thin.

Alek is torn between loyalty and love, haunted by choices he can't undo. Sarah is unraveling the truth about the Portal Realm. And Benny's heart burns with betrayal that could shatter everything.

With every step forward, they're pulled deeper into a world they don't understand.

And if the shadows don't break them... the truth just might.

491 pages, Paperback

Expected publication February 21, 2026

About the author

J.S. Burns is an Australian author of The Whisper of Shadows Saga, an epic queer romantasy series set in the world of Balathor, where elemental magic, rebellion and forbidden love collide.

Blending heart-stopping adventure with slow-burn romance, J.S.Burns writes the kinds of stories he wished he had growing up — queer characters at the heart of epic fantasy journeys, discovering love, friendship, and power in a world that often underestimates them.

His goal is simple: to give readers books they’ll stay up too late with, hiding under the covers long after the lights are supposed to be out, swept away into a story that feels dangerous, magical, and achingly real.

Away from the page, Jake can often be found in cafés and bars, quietly planning out new realms, weaving betrayals and forbidden romances, and plotting the twists that will one day trap his characters — and his readers — in stories they won’t want to escape.

The idea of Whisper of Shadows and Snakes came to Jake in 2008, when he was just fourteen. Inspired by books such as The Lord Of The Rings and Eragon, he spent many days at the family computer typing out his story, until finally, it was complete.

​The book was then shelved, saved to a file on Jake’s computer for eleven years until 2019 when he decided to re-write it with a more mature take on the characters that had only ever existed in his mind. Fast forward a few years and multiple title changes later, and his debut novel is officially published.

Join the journey:
www.jsburnsauthor.com
@j.s.burnss

Reviews

[Keturah Sergeant · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging adventure in an increasing dark and desperate world. Relationships continue to crumble in the face of increasingly poor odds. The three teenagers now sent off on their mission, barely trained, with very different approaches to their mission, leading to mistrust building between them. One fiery, bad-tempered, uncommunicative and arrogant, building resentment against his friends for being out of the loop, small secrets building to major betrayal. Another lost in nightmares and failed revenge, wanting to appreciate the beauty of the world they are meant to save but unable to move past her failure and her new haunting, even as her power grows and allies increase. Finally, an insecure, secretive boy, betrayed and lost, his friends distancing from him, his powers limited, his past unclear and his future uncertain, he wants to trust his love, but they are enemies. Again, I loved having the fourth perspective, now consistent through the story, giving more insight into the shifter's history, his life and his demons, his outward persona and secret loyalties. The cliffhanger end was intense and beautifully done... Though I cannot believe that the series ends here for now!

The book is a fast-paced adventure, packed with setbacks and struggles. They seek their fourth ally, meeting friends and foes along the way, monsters new and old, dark forces and hunting parties. They find her sequestered away, untrained and hidden, under the thumb of an overprotective father king. Their mission's odds are not increased by her presence but they have no choice but to try. It goes as well as one might expect. In the end everything is falling apart, and a new enemy rises in the dark...

A brilliant, engaging, dark read, drained of hope, the world continues to fall apart along with its heroes.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“…to show the truth would be to surrender everything.”

“Whisper of Shadows and Stone,” by J. S. Burns

This series has been a wild ride. I thought the first book felt more YA than I was expecting but this one did not give me nearly as many YA vibes. The betrayal and fighting between all the characters kept the turmoil of the journey going beyond just the external fighting conflict with the bad guys. I loved the flawed characters and how they navigated through all the emotions. It has a journey narrative for readers who love epic style long game plot. I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars, so good.

-M/M
-Magic
-Prophecy
-Dual/ Multi POV
-Shifters, Elves, Fae
-Journey Narrative

Thank you for the ARC, Booksirens.

“…the familiar smell of icy snow, of wild places unexplored, of adventure. The scent was home, and heartbreak, temptation and torment.”

[Cherie • bookshelvesandtealeaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks so much to the author for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

This was a really engaging sequel. We start of right where we left off, dumped straight in the action, and there’s never a dull moment.

The quest in this book honestly gave me The Hobbit vibes so many times, and it was so much fun.

This one feels a bit more grown up than the first book, and you can tell the author’s writing has grown over that time too.

Alek is such an incredible main character. I’m really loving following his journey. There’s so many times I just wanna give him a hug and make sure he’s okay.

Where this ended has me itching to know what happens next.