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When Shadows Burn #1
When Shadows Burn
Not yet published
Expected 1 Dec 26Vanessa Le's new fantasy duology starter follows a demon-hunting duo in an exorcist university layered with magic, murder, and corruption — perfect for fans of BABEL and DIVINE RIVALS.
In Yennington, exorcism is a job for two: a demon caller and a demon slayer. Kiet Sren is a hotshot caller despite dropping out of the esteemed Phenbridge University; his blood attracts any demon. Song Sarna is the top slayer of her class; her blade and wit kill any demon. Together, they run Inkspill Agency.
When Kiet's estranged family hires them to hunt an aberrant demon, they are propelled into the most dangerous job of their lives — an investigation that could uncover the workings of a deadly group seeking to destroy the university from the inside out.
But as their investigation dredges up long-buried history, they discover that the one behind this criminal group is closer to home than they realized, and that perhaps the upstanding Phenbridge University is hiding secrets of its own. To exorcize the aberrant demon and put an end to the deadly possessions, Kiet and Song must decide how much they're willing to bleed: for their families, for their city — and for each other.
Vanessa Le's latest crossover fantasy combines dark academia with a propulsive detective tale at its finest — with a slow-burn romance and medical magic system as intricate as lab work.
In Yennington, exorcism is a job for two: a demon caller and a demon slayer. Kiet Sren is a hotshot caller despite dropping out of the esteemed Phenbridge University; his blood attracts any demon. Song Sarna is the top slayer of her class; her blade and wit kill any demon. Together, they run Inkspill Agency.
When Kiet's estranged family hires them to hunt an aberrant demon, they are propelled into the most dangerous job of their lives — an investigation that could uncover the workings of a deadly group seeking to destroy the university from the inside out.
But as their investigation dredges up long-buried history, they discover that the one behind this criminal group is closer to home than they realized, and that perhaps the upstanding Phenbridge University is hiding secrets of its own. To exorcize the aberrant demon and put an end to the deadly possessions, Kiet and Song must decide how much they're willing to bleed: for their families, for their city — and for each other.
Vanessa Le's latest crossover fantasy combines dark academia with a propulsive detective tale at its finest — with a slow-burn romance and medical magic system as intricate as lab work.
384 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication November 24, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Want to Read
November 12, 2025wow im so early this feels weird
so exciting
so exciting
Want to Read
November 15, 2025⋆⭒˚｡⋆ ୭ | pre-read
i will read anything vanessa writes. hopefully i can get the arc of this, when it comes out 🤞🏽
i will read anything vanessa writes. hopefully i can get the arc of this, when it comes out 🤞🏽
Read
November 18, 2025this book is so good I've read it twice already (pre-pub) and when I tell you you're not ready—
Want to Read
November 21, 2025ᝰ .ᐟ 📖 ⌗ pre-read: came across this book on sns and I think it would be a good match for my taste. Really excited to read it once it comes out!
April 2, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishers for sharing an ARC in exchange for my honest review :).
Check out my review on substack! : https://starringyou.substack.com/p/re...
Published by Macmillan’s Roaring Brook Press and weighing in at a hefty 384 pages, When Shadows Burn (or WSB, as Le acronymizes it), is slotted for release this December, with a sequel to follow. The novel takes place in Halberra, an amorphous country with 1950s technology and the dark academia aesthetics and multiculturalism of the United Kingdom. The city of Yennington is home to Halberra’s top exorcism school, Pembridge University, and it is in this context that we meet the novel’s demon-hunting protagonists, Song Sarna and Kiet Sren.
★★★★☆
University dropout Kiet Sren has spent roughly two years running an independent demon exorcism agency with the help of his best friend and straight-A Pembridge student Song Sarna. In WSB, exorcism is a two-person job based in blood magic: one person, the ‘caller’, uses their blood to lure and control a demon while the ‘slayer’ uses their blood to physically kill it. Kiet is a powerful caller, fake idgaf-er and reluctant nepo baby whose father serves as Chief Exorcist for Pembridge University. Song is the daughter of a first-generation Renisian immigrant, a diehard perfectionist, and a talented slayer. When Kiet and Song’s casework leads them to a string of demon murders in Yennington, they wind up thrust into a years-long mystery that could be closer to home than either realize. Thus begins two-hundred pages of late night detective work, rain on cobblestone, and glowing red eyes that wait for you in sewers and alleyways. WSB’s mystery plot is interspersed by a well-paced friends-to-lovers romance, and (mainly for Kiet) a lot of trauma processing and character growth.
I really, really enjoyed this book.
If you:
- Enjoyed the hit Pixar movie Big Hero Six or Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters
- Were a huge fan of Zuko’s character arc, and Zuko and Katara, in Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Liked the banter in Miraculous Ladybug, but sorely wished the storyline hadn’t been wasted on a children’s show
- Are looking for a quick-paced read that’s part murder mystery, part family trauma processing, and part ode to the immigrant child experience
You should definitely check out this novel.
At its emotional core, WSB is a coming-of-age novel about two young adults reconciling their childhoods and senses of worth. Using dual narration, Le weaves a character arc for each of her protagonists while developing a compelling mystery in the background. But truly, this novel’s strongest asset is its themes on family, trauma and grief, which are overwhelmingly explored through Kiet.
“Sometimes, he wondered if that was when his parents had started resenting him…they’d named him Kiet. The way Halberrans pronounced it—flatly, with no intonation—meant “rarity” in the Renisian tongue. But, add a questioning lilt, an upward stroke above the e, and his name meant “disease.”’
Le translates the complicated, identity-churning emotions of trauma processing into YA language with surprising finesse. She interjects Kiet’s internal monologues with pointed, matter-of-fact emotional revelations, and a willingness to simply see abuse for what it is. These blunt sentences combined with Le characterizing Kiet and his father’s relationship through dialogue, body language, and throwaway details makes the arc feel painfully real. Kiet is a seemingly two-dimensional character who, as the novel continues, has life breathed into him—his actions are (largely) explained through plot and dialogue in a way that feels engaging for the reader, but also inevitable. His relationship with Hiero, his deceased brother, is also explored, but lacks the impact of the father-son relationship for reasons I’ll delve into below.
But first, a note on how Le writes her protagonists, because the novel does have two. Song and Kiet (and especially their relationship with each other) are best showcased in their dialogue and banter, which Le is quite good at. But while Kiet’s character gains considerable depth throughout the novel’s second half, Song’s parallel arc is more mechanical with less payoff. This could be because, for reasons I cannot state without spoiling, Kiet’s emotional arc is inherently more tied to the novel’s mystery. Song’s arc is meant to comment on the unique pressure placed on immigrant daughters, the pitfalls of elite institutions, and finding worth outside of merit. However, her revelations feel a bit too on the nose, such as:
“The part of her that had pricked her palms with thorns to prove she was gifted” and “that she could die and still not be enough for everyone”.
Song’s foil, Hiero, and his dialogue surrounding perfectionism also feel occasionally too obvious, as if Le is overcorrecting for having these themes be tangential. The inherent metaphor of giving one’s blood, or even one’s life, for an institution or practice is powerful enough. I think developing these themes more gradually, and letting them speak for themselves at their apex, would make Song’s arc more impactful (more notes on this at the end).
As for romance, Kiet and Song’s chemistry starts off casual and tongue-in-cheek, but WSB contains several quiet moments in the lull between cases where we learn that in addition to being best friends, Song and Kiet are each other’s safe spaces. They are the most expressive, vulnerable, and even immature when they are together; they test out ideas or self-beliefs with each-other before they feel brave enough to take them to the world. The scene where Song breaks down in front of Kiet was, for me, when they truly became a couple to root for.
“‘She hardly knew what to say. ‘Are you really Kiet?’
His laugh was breathy. ‘I’m whoever you need me to be right now.’
‘Then you’re Kiet.’”
The almost-confession at the novel’s end was a little underwhelming, but I think it’s nothing that a few dialogue tweaks and added details couldn’t fix. Despite it being obvious, WSB never directly explores Kiet and Song’s relationship through the found family trope, and their confession scene forgets their roots as best friends. Of course, this novel has a follow-up coming, so we can be assured that Kiet and Song’s romantic story isn’t over yet—but I think, given the clear emotional punch Le can pack, that this scene deserves a stronger hit.
Even with these notes, I truly enjoyed When Shadows Burn. It was a smooth return to the YA genre, exploring far more nuance and character depth than I was expecting while successfully executing a mystery plot, a romance, and action scenes. I’ll absolutely be checking out the second half of this duology, and hope that it will explore Song’s character more, answer worldbuilding questions from the first novel, and continue to prod at themes of family, trauma, and belonging in surprisingly relatable ways.
If you made it this far, I hope you enjoyed my review! I plan to continue posting reviews of upcoming novels, so stay tuned :).
Specific Notes
As a footnote, some very specific notes for the publisher/author, and questions to be further explored in this novel or the next:
Yennington— is it old, or is it modern? The 1300s year setting, the presence of certain technologies (such as medicines, bombs, guns, and cars) and lack of others (cellphones and computers) creates a strange imbalance that isn’t sufficiently addressed by worldbuilding. There’s a very specific scene, where Kiet dials 611 and speaks to an operator, that fully yanked me out of the storyline because I was trying to reconcile it with details from the exposition. Are the Twins Halberran deities or Renisian ones? (I assumed the former, but it could be clarified).
Hemokinesis/exorcism and cultural identities— Is hemokinesis the only supernatural ability in this world, and did it originate in, or does it have genetic ties to, Renisia? Exorcism is referenced in ancient Renisian proverbs, and both Kiet and Song have Renisian ancestry, but what is Halberra’s relationship with the practice, and with Renisia itself? Do Halberrans vs. the Renisian diaspora take different approaches to, or views of, exorcism? Exploring these questions could dually support Song’s characterisation arc as well. Also, this is a bit of an aside, but WSB’s name etymology is inconsistent—Kiet’s parents and siblings have first names from different countries and regions.
Song’s character—while she doesn’t have childhood trauma, there are several missed opportunities to characterize her and explain her relationship with exorcism. What was Song’s relationship with her father like before she was admitted to Pembridge? Even if she’s known about her abilities for most of her life, it seems that most of her perfectionism and immense self-pressure arose at Pembridge. We don’t get to see what that transformation was like for her—did she experience imposter syndrome, culture shock? How does she handle the implicit cultural differences and class divide between herself and her peers?
SPOILERS BELOW!! ⬇️
Wes and Jillian—their involvement with a certain plot seemed less of a surprising, logical twist and more like a mechanical requirement for Kiet to find Song. Wes’ sister Cecilia, for instance, is entirely unmentioned until she becomes a motivator for his actions. While Wes’ storyline seems clearly primed to be addressed in the sequel, I think it needs more detail in this novel to prepare readers for the plot twist. (The same goes for Jillian, although she is a more minor character, so her motivations feel less important).
Check out my review on substack! : https://starringyou.substack.com/p/re...
Published by Macmillan’s Roaring Brook Press and weighing in at a hefty 384 pages, When Shadows Burn (or WSB, as Le acronymizes it), is slotted for release this December, with a sequel to follow. The novel takes place in Halberra, an amorphous country with 1950s technology and the dark academia aesthetics and multiculturalism of the United Kingdom. The city of Yennington is home to Halberra’s top exorcism school, Pembridge University, and it is in this context that we meet the novel’s demon-hunting protagonists, Song Sarna and Kiet Sren.
★★★★☆
University dropout Kiet Sren has spent roughly two years running an independent demon exorcism agency with the help of his best friend and straight-A Pembridge student Song Sarna. In WSB, exorcism is a two-person job based in blood magic: one person, the ‘caller’, uses their blood to lure and control a demon while the ‘slayer’ uses their blood to physically kill it. Kiet is a powerful caller, fake idgaf-er and reluctant nepo baby whose father serves as Chief Exorcist for Pembridge University. Song is the daughter of a first-generation Renisian immigrant, a diehard perfectionist, and a talented slayer. When Kiet and Song’s casework leads them to a string of demon murders in Yennington, they wind up thrust into a years-long mystery that could be closer to home than either realize. Thus begins two-hundred pages of late night detective work, rain on cobblestone, and glowing red eyes that wait for you in sewers and alleyways. WSB’s mystery plot is interspersed by a well-paced friends-to-lovers romance, and (mainly for Kiet) a lot of trauma processing and character growth.
I really, really enjoyed this book.
If you:
- Enjoyed the hit Pixar movie Big Hero Six or Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters
- Were a huge fan of Zuko’s character arc, and Zuko and Katara, in Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Liked the banter in Miraculous Ladybug, but sorely wished the storyline hadn’t been wasted on a children’s show
- Are looking for a quick-paced read that’s part murder mystery, part family trauma processing, and part ode to the immigrant child experience
You should definitely check out this novel.
At its emotional core, WSB is a coming-of-age novel about two young adults reconciling their childhoods and senses of worth. Using dual narration, Le weaves a character arc for each of her protagonists while developing a compelling mystery in the background. But truly, this novel’s strongest asset is its themes on family, trauma and grief, which are overwhelmingly explored through Kiet.
“Sometimes, he wondered if that was when his parents had started resenting him…they’d named him Kiet. The way Halberrans pronounced it—flatly, with no intonation—meant “rarity” in the Renisian tongue. But, add a questioning lilt, an upward stroke above the e, and his name meant “disease.”’
Le translates the complicated, identity-churning emotions of trauma processing into YA language with surprising finesse. She interjects Kiet’s internal monologues with pointed, matter-of-fact emotional revelations, and a willingness to simply see abuse for what it is. These blunt sentences combined with Le characterizing Kiet and his father’s relationship through dialogue, body language, and throwaway details makes the arc feel painfully real. Kiet is a seemingly two-dimensional character who, as the novel continues, has life breathed into him—his actions are (largely) explained through plot and dialogue in a way that feels engaging for the reader, but also inevitable. His relationship with Hiero, his deceased brother, is also explored, but lacks the impact of the father-son relationship for reasons I’ll delve into below.
But first, a note on how Le writes her protagonists, because the novel does have two. Song and Kiet (and especially their relationship with each other) are best showcased in their dialogue and banter, which Le is quite good at. But while Kiet’s character gains considerable depth throughout the novel’s second half, Song’s parallel arc is more mechanical with less payoff. This could be because, for reasons I cannot state without spoiling, Kiet’s emotional arc is inherently more tied to the novel’s mystery. Song’s arc is meant to comment on the unique pressure placed on immigrant daughters, the pitfalls of elite institutions, and finding worth outside of merit. However, her revelations feel a bit too on the nose, such as:
“The part of her that had pricked her palms with thorns to prove she was gifted” and “that she could die and still not be enough for everyone”.
Song’s foil, Hiero, and his dialogue surrounding perfectionism also feel occasionally too obvious, as if Le is overcorrecting for having these themes be tangential. The inherent metaphor of giving one’s blood, or even one’s life, for an institution or practice is powerful enough. I think developing these themes more gradually, and letting them speak for themselves at their apex, would make Song’s arc more impactful (more notes on this at the end).
As for romance, Kiet and Song’s chemistry starts off casual and tongue-in-cheek, but WSB contains several quiet moments in the lull between cases where we learn that in addition to being best friends, Song and Kiet are each other’s safe spaces. They are the most expressive, vulnerable, and even immature when they are together; they test out ideas or self-beliefs with each-other before they feel brave enough to take them to the world. The scene where Song breaks down in front of Kiet was, for me, when they truly became a couple to root for.
“‘She hardly knew what to say. ‘Are you really Kiet?’
His laugh was breathy. ‘I’m whoever you need me to be right now.’
‘Then you’re Kiet.’”
The almost-confession at the novel’s end was a little underwhelming, but I think it’s nothing that a few dialogue tweaks and added details couldn’t fix. Despite it being obvious, WSB never directly explores Kiet and Song’s relationship through the found family trope, and their confession scene forgets their roots as best friends. Of course, this novel has a follow-up coming, so we can be assured that Kiet and Song’s romantic story isn’t over yet—but I think, given the clear emotional punch Le can pack, that this scene deserves a stronger hit.
Even with these notes, I truly enjoyed When Shadows Burn. It was a smooth return to the YA genre, exploring far more nuance and character depth than I was expecting while successfully executing a mystery plot, a romance, and action scenes. I’ll absolutely be checking out the second half of this duology, and hope that it will explore Song’s character more, answer worldbuilding questions from the first novel, and continue to prod at themes of family, trauma, and belonging in surprisingly relatable ways.
If you made it this far, I hope you enjoyed my review! I plan to continue posting reviews of upcoming novels, so stay tuned :).
Specific Notes
As a footnote, some very specific notes for the publisher/author, and questions to be further explored in this novel or the next:
Yennington— is it old, or is it modern? The 1300s year setting, the presence of certain technologies (such as medicines, bombs, guns, and cars) and lack of others (cellphones and computers) creates a strange imbalance that isn’t sufficiently addressed by worldbuilding. There’s a very specific scene, where Kiet dials 611 and speaks to an operator, that fully yanked me out of the storyline because I was trying to reconcile it with details from the exposition. Are the Twins Halberran deities or Renisian ones? (I assumed the former, but it could be clarified).
Hemokinesis/exorcism and cultural identities— Is hemokinesis the only supernatural ability in this world, and did it originate in, or does it have genetic ties to, Renisia? Exorcism is referenced in ancient Renisian proverbs, and both Kiet and Song have Renisian ancestry, but what is Halberra’s relationship with the practice, and with Renisia itself? Do Halberrans vs. the Renisian diaspora take different approaches to, or views of, exorcism? Exploring these questions could dually support Song’s characterisation arc as well. Also, this is a bit of an aside, but WSB’s name etymology is inconsistent—Kiet’s parents and siblings have first names from different countries and regions.
Song’s character—while she doesn’t have childhood trauma, there are several missed opportunities to characterize her and explain her relationship with exorcism. What was Song’s relationship with her father like before she was admitted to Pembridge? Even if she’s known about her abilities for most of her life, it seems that most of her perfectionism and immense self-pressure arose at Pembridge. We don’t get to see what that transformation was like for her—did she experience imposter syndrome, culture shock? How does she handle the implicit cultural differences and class divide between herself and her peers?
SPOILERS BELOW!! ⬇️
Wes and Jillian—their involvement with a certain plot seemed less of a surprising, logical twist and more like a mechanical requirement for Kiet to find Song. Wes’ sister Cecilia, for instance, is entirely unmentioned until she becomes a motivator for his actions. While Wes’ storyline seems clearly primed to be addressed in the sequel, I think it needs more detail in this novel to prepare readers for the plot twist. (The same goes for Jillian, although she is a more minor character, so her motivations feel less important).
May 8, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review ✨
When Shadows Burn examines knowledge and the harm institutions are willing to justify in the name of progress. The academic setting feels purposeful rather than aesthetic, especially as the story begins to reveal how deeply corruption is embedded within the systems meant to protect people.
What stood out most to me was how the novel handles its magic system. The exorcism work feels procedural and grounded, which gives the supernatural elements more weight. Instead of stopping the story for long explanations, the worldbuilding is woven into the mystery itself. You can tell there’s real thought behind how the system functions, and it adds so much texture to the mystery plot. It was genuinely the first time I’ve ever read of a magic system like this.
I also appreciated the structure of the slow-burn. Kiet and Song are not written as easy opposites, and their partnership develops through distrust, obligation, and shared loss as much as attraction. The slow-burn aspect work but I think is where the book is most lacking. It works because it grows naturally out of the investigation and the choices they are forced to make alongside one another. However, Song’s character was a bit flatter than Kiet’s in terms of romantic emotions so her feelings seemed more contrived than true. On the flip side I think Song’s need for validation and how she feels obligated to do well for her family was handled well and really made me feel for her.
The investigation plot keeps the novel moving, but the strongest parts of the book are the questions underneath it: who benefits from these systems, who gets sacrificed by them, and what people are willing to ignore when power and reputation are involved.
The book struggles the most in its side characters and I think that is because of how short the book was for how much it was trying to do. I felt as if some were more akin to NPCs at times rather than the fully fledged side characters they were intended to be.
Overall, Vanessa Le balances the mystery, character work, and worldbuilding well, and the result is a book that feels like a story while also bringing to light the dark side of large institutions and how it can negatively impact students.
When Shadows Burn examines knowledge and the harm institutions are willing to justify in the name of progress. The academic setting feels purposeful rather than aesthetic, especially as the story begins to reveal how deeply corruption is embedded within the systems meant to protect people.
What stood out most to me was how the novel handles its magic system. The exorcism work feels procedural and grounded, which gives the supernatural elements more weight. Instead of stopping the story for long explanations, the worldbuilding is woven into the mystery itself. You can tell there’s real thought behind how the system functions, and it adds so much texture to the mystery plot. It was genuinely the first time I’ve ever read of a magic system like this.
I also appreciated the structure of the slow-burn. Kiet and Song are not written as easy opposites, and their partnership develops through distrust, obligation, and shared loss as much as attraction. The slow-burn aspect work but I think is where the book is most lacking. It works because it grows naturally out of the investigation and the choices they are forced to make alongside one another. However, Song’s character was a bit flatter than Kiet’s in terms of romantic emotions so her feelings seemed more contrived than true. On the flip side I think Song’s need for validation and how she feels obligated to do well for her family was handled well and really made me feel for her.
The investigation plot keeps the novel moving, but the strongest parts of the book are the questions underneath it: who benefits from these systems, who gets sacrificed by them, and what people are willing to ignore when power and reputation are involved.
The book struggles the most in its side characters and I think that is because of how short the book was for how much it was trying to do. I felt as if some were more akin to NPCs at times rather than the fully fledged side characters they were intended to be.
Overall, Vanessa Le balances the mystery, character work, and worldbuilding well, and the result is a book that feels like a story while also bringing to light the dark side of large institutions and how it can negatively impact students.
Want to Read
November 13, 2025I came across this title on BookTok. Dark academia and fantasy crossover with STEM and magic. Sounds intriguing!
April 29, 2026
*Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have not been compensated in anyway for this review.*
Initially, starting out this book, I wasn’t a huge fan of the authors writing style. I felt like we got a lot of narrative intrusion moments and there was a lot of long, descriptive sentences. However, this quickly became a five star read for me. What an intriguing and unique take in the dark academia fantasy sphere! In particular, the world building and magic system of this book really leaves me breathless. The incorporation of demons as pathogens, and the ability to use hemokenesis and fight with blood was so intriguing to me. You can also really feel the author’s love of medicine and pathology - it really bleeds through the novel, forgive the pun!
This novel read particularly close to my heart as an Ivy League student who also placed impossible expectations upon my own shoulders, suffered immense stress and bodily harm from chronic disease due to school, and was overcome by immigrant expectations of success both personally and familially. For that reason, it’s likely skewing my view of the novel and my review - but I extremely enjoyed it, thought it was well written, was moved to tears multiple times, and deeply connected to the ideas of cultural pressure and familial strife.
I do agree with other reviewers that I would’ve liked to see more personality from Song outside of academia and her golden girl personality. Maybe something to hint at what she used to like to do for hobbies before college or personal cruxes she has etc. - just something to humanize her more beyond who she is as a student and daughter.
I felt like Kiet was extremely well written - in particular, his family dynamics were very salient and compelling. I like the foil that Hiero ends up being to Kiet - two men on a similar path, but one was consumed, and the other was not. I’m not sure if this was intentional, but Hiero’s name reminded me of the Hierophant tarot card, which represents an adherence to authority and tradition. I felt like this perfectly described Hiero’s role as both older brother and caretaker, as well as eldest child, and represented the role, he was meant to play before he diverged from it. I also feel like the parental dynamics in Kiet’s family were well done in representing certain cultural expectations and inabilities to fully or easily express love due to both generational differences and fear for their children’s future successes. In particular, I thought that Oyen was also somewhat of a foil to Kiet and Hiero, representing a third path of academic and political authoritative adherence. I would’ve liked to see Maita included a bit more - but I also think that her role was to represent a complacency in parenthood that aloud for her husband to be the main presence, in all it’s good and bad (mostly bad for the majority of the book, let’s be honest). I found Oyen’s expression of love to Hiero and his apology to Kiet to be really compelling, and the hope that it left me for the family (and Lumi and Kiet’s specific relationship) going forward was strong.
Song’s relationship with her father was also really salient - you could really see where she was fabricating expectational ideas upon herself and attributing them to her father. This really touched me because I did the same thing with my own parents, when ultimately all they wanted was for me to be happy in life and have a stable, comfortable life. But I felt I had to break myself for success to honor them and to ensure that they, in the future, could be stable and comfortable. The end scene with her father was really touching to me for this reason.
Song and Kiet’s relationship was also really well done. I love (and hate) that Kiet finds restraint in his love for Song when he’s never realized that before in anything - even though it broke my heart emotionally to hear him deny his love for her aloud, it was still a super emotionally compelling part of his arc (even though I’m sure part of it is not having a honeymoon phase at the end of the first book going into the second). He finds a way to be unselfish and self-sacrificing in his love for Song, when, for the first time in his life, this is when he truly needs to be selfish because she actually feels the same way.
All in all, this was a five star read for me, likely due to the emotional and personal reasons behind it, but also because of the superbly crafted world building and magical system, the compelling dark academia premise, and the “will they won’t they” of Song and Kiet’s relationship. Also, I adore Inkspill and if anything happens to that cat, I will riot. I am eagerly anticipating book two!
Initially, starting out this book, I wasn’t a huge fan of the authors writing style. I felt like we got a lot of narrative intrusion moments and there was a lot of long, descriptive sentences. However, this quickly became a five star read for me. What an intriguing and unique take in the dark academia fantasy sphere! In particular, the world building and magic system of this book really leaves me breathless. The incorporation of demons as pathogens, and the ability to use hemokenesis and fight with blood was so intriguing to me. You can also really feel the author’s love of medicine and pathology - it really bleeds through the novel, forgive the pun!
This novel read particularly close to my heart as an Ivy League student who also placed impossible expectations upon my own shoulders, suffered immense stress and bodily harm from chronic disease due to school, and was overcome by immigrant expectations of success both personally and familially. For that reason, it’s likely skewing my view of the novel and my review - but I extremely enjoyed it, thought it was well written, was moved to tears multiple times, and deeply connected to the ideas of cultural pressure and familial strife.
I do agree with other reviewers that I would’ve liked to see more personality from Song outside of academia and her golden girl personality. Maybe something to hint at what she used to like to do for hobbies before college or personal cruxes she has etc. - just something to humanize her more beyond who she is as a student and daughter.
I felt like Kiet was extremely well written - in particular, his family dynamics were very salient and compelling. I like the foil that Hiero ends up being to Kiet - two men on a similar path, but one was consumed, and the other was not. I’m not sure if this was intentional, but Hiero’s name reminded me of the Hierophant tarot card, which represents an adherence to authority and tradition. I felt like this perfectly described Hiero’s role as both older brother and caretaker, as well as eldest child, and represented the role, he was meant to play before he diverged from it. I also feel like the parental dynamics in Kiet’s family were well done in representing certain cultural expectations and inabilities to fully or easily express love due to both generational differences and fear for their children’s future successes. In particular, I thought that Oyen was also somewhat of a foil to Kiet and Hiero, representing a third path of academic and political authoritative adherence. I would’ve liked to see Maita included a bit more - but I also think that her role was to represent a complacency in parenthood that aloud for her husband to be the main presence, in all it’s good and bad (mostly bad for the majority of the book, let’s be honest). I found Oyen’s expression of love to Hiero and his apology to Kiet to be really compelling, and the hope that it left me for the family (and Lumi and Kiet’s specific relationship) going forward was strong.
Song’s relationship with her father was also really salient - you could really see where she was fabricating expectational ideas upon herself and attributing them to her father. This really touched me because I did the same thing with my own parents, when ultimately all they wanted was for me to be happy in life and have a stable, comfortable life. But I felt I had to break myself for success to honor them and to ensure that they, in the future, could be stable and comfortable. The end scene with her father was really touching to me for this reason.
Song and Kiet’s relationship was also really well done. I love (and hate) that Kiet finds restraint in his love for Song when he’s never realized that before in anything - even though it broke my heart emotionally to hear him deny his love for her aloud, it was still a super emotionally compelling part of his arc (even though I’m sure part of it is not having a honeymoon phase at the end of the first book going into the second). He finds a way to be unselfish and self-sacrificing in his love for Song, when, for the first time in his life, this is when he truly needs to be selfish because she actually feels the same way.
All in all, this was a five star read for me, likely due to the emotional and personal reasons behind it, but also because of the superbly crafted world building and magical system, the compelling dark academia premise, and the “will they won’t they” of Song and Kiet’s relationship. Also, I adore Inkspill and if anything happens to that cat, I will riot. I am eagerly anticipating book two!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
**ARC review: the book was gifted but this is my honest opinion**
⭐ A Gothic Academia Fantasy with Demons, Mystery, and Heart
When Shadows Burn is a gripping blend of gothic academia, paranormal fantasy, and detective thriller, delivering a fresh take on the genre without relying on overused tropes like faeries or vampires. Instead, the story dives into a world of demons, exorcists, and morally complex magic systems, creating something that feels both unique and immersive.
Told through third-person dual POV, the narrative follows Kiet and Song, allowing readers to experience both sides of the story while building tension and emotional depth between the two leads.
⸻
🌶️ Spice Level
Low to moderate spice.
This story leans more heavily into plot, mystery, and character relationships rather than explicit romance. While there is chemistry between the characters, the focus remains on their partnership, emotional development, and the unfolding investigation.
⸻
🖤 Characters That Feel Real and Lived-In
One of the strongest aspects of this book is its character work.
Song is a strong, intelligent female protagonist studying at Phenbridge University as a demon slayer—gifted with blood that burns demons. She’s driven, disciplined, and deeply tied to her sense of duty.
Kiet, on the other hand, is an underdog dropout and demon caller who runs his own agency. In this world, callers bind demons while slayers destroy them, creating an interesting dynamic between the two roles—and between the characters themselves.
Their dialogue is engaging, natural, and often fun, adding depth to their relationship and making their partnership feel authentic as it evolves throughout the story.
⸻
🌍 Worldbuilding: Gothic Academia Meets Demon Hunting
The setting blends dark academia aesthetics with a demon-infested world, centered around Phenbridge University. The magic system—where callers control demons and slayers eliminate them—adds a structured and compelling layer to the story.
As Song and Kiet begin working together through Kiet’s agency, the novel shifts into a detective-style narrative, following a series of murders. The investigation unfolds like a thriller, pulling readers deeper into a world filled with danger, secrets, and hidden truths about Phenbridge itself.
⸻
👨👧 Themes of Family, Duty, and Identity
At its core, When Shadows Burn is deeply rooted in family and responsibility.
Song, as the daughter of an immigrant, carries a strong sense of obligation to her father and her future. Her journey reflects the pressure of living up to parental expectations, navigating disappointment, and balancing personal identity with family duty.
These themes add emotional weight to the story, grounding the supernatural elements in real, relatable struggles.
⸻
🗡️ Mystery, Twists, and Tension
The murder investigation drives much of the plot, giving the book a fast-paced, thriller-like structure. As Song and Kiet dig deeper, the story reveals hidden layers about the university and the world they live in.
And when the twist hits—it’s one you likely won’t see coming.
⸻
✨ Final Thoughts
When Shadows Burn stands out with its unique premise, strong character dynamics, and blend of gothic academia with paranormal mystery. The combination of demons, investigation, and emotional depth makes it an engaging and memorable read.
If you enjoy dark academia, demon lore, detective-style fantasy, and character-driven stories with meaningful themes, this is absolutely worth picking up.
⭐ A Gothic Academia Fantasy with Demons, Mystery, and Heart
When Shadows Burn is a gripping blend of gothic academia, paranormal fantasy, and detective thriller, delivering a fresh take on the genre without relying on overused tropes like faeries or vampires. Instead, the story dives into a world of demons, exorcists, and morally complex magic systems, creating something that feels both unique and immersive.
Told through third-person dual POV, the narrative follows Kiet and Song, allowing readers to experience both sides of the story while building tension and emotional depth between the two leads.
⸻
🌶️ Spice Level
Low to moderate spice.
This story leans more heavily into plot, mystery, and character relationships rather than explicit romance. While there is chemistry between the characters, the focus remains on their partnership, emotional development, and the unfolding investigation.
⸻
🖤 Characters That Feel Real and Lived-In
One of the strongest aspects of this book is its character work.
Song is a strong, intelligent female protagonist studying at Phenbridge University as a demon slayer—gifted with blood that burns demons. She’s driven, disciplined, and deeply tied to her sense of duty.
Kiet, on the other hand, is an underdog dropout and demon caller who runs his own agency. In this world, callers bind demons while slayers destroy them, creating an interesting dynamic between the two roles—and between the characters themselves.
Their dialogue is engaging, natural, and often fun, adding depth to their relationship and making their partnership feel authentic as it evolves throughout the story.
⸻
🌍 Worldbuilding: Gothic Academia Meets Demon Hunting
The setting blends dark academia aesthetics with a demon-infested world, centered around Phenbridge University. The magic system—where callers control demons and slayers eliminate them—adds a structured and compelling layer to the story.
As Song and Kiet begin working together through Kiet’s agency, the novel shifts into a detective-style narrative, following a series of murders. The investigation unfolds like a thriller, pulling readers deeper into a world filled with danger, secrets, and hidden truths about Phenbridge itself.
⸻
👨👧 Themes of Family, Duty, and Identity
At its core, When Shadows Burn is deeply rooted in family and responsibility.
Song, as the daughter of an immigrant, carries a strong sense of obligation to her father and her future. Her journey reflects the pressure of living up to parental expectations, navigating disappointment, and balancing personal identity with family duty.
These themes add emotional weight to the story, grounding the supernatural elements in real, relatable struggles.
⸻
🗡️ Mystery, Twists, and Tension
The murder investigation drives much of the plot, giving the book a fast-paced, thriller-like structure. As Song and Kiet dig deeper, the story reveals hidden layers about the university and the world they live in.
And when the twist hits—it’s one you likely won’t see coming.
⸻
✨ Final Thoughts
When Shadows Burn stands out with its unique premise, strong character dynamics, and blend of gothic academia with paranormal mystery. The combination of demons, investigation, and emotional depth makes it an engaging and memorable read.
If you enjoy dark academia, demon lore, detective-style fantasy, and character-driven stories with meaningful themes, this is absolutely worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.
I want to start off by saying that I really enjoyed the concept behind this story. It brought back memories of Soul Eater and Deadman Wonderland. The concept of slayers and callers is really cool, especially when the callers inhabit an interesting space of having a disability but that disability making them even more valuable than slayers. Kiet and Song have a great dynamic and the ending was definitely agonizing in that I wanted more.
On to the negatives: I found Song's character arc a bit, lacking. There was so much emphasis placed on how she felt like a failure of a daughter for "making" her father have to work at a flower shop to support her and her mentality of getting her degree even if it kills her, but not much emphasis placed on why or where she got the idea that her father was suffering. It makes the end where her father reassures her a little less satisfying because it meant that Song basically talked herself into destroying her body with no provocation. I think tweaking some scenes to show her father making offhand comments about his dreams before the flower shop would have helped make that part of the plot more satisfying for me.
I at times felt like there were too many characters. Wes for example felt like a character the author wanted us to care about but we weren't really shown why. Why did Song and Kiet think so highly of him? Jillian's motivations are basically not explained. Why was she so loyal to Hiero? She doesn't seem to serve any purpose other than to do things offscreen when Hiero is otherwise occupied.
Phenbridge didn't feel like much of a real place. It looms over the entire story as the symbol of everything Kiet hates but it has no real presence. It also strained my suspension of disbelief that it's apparently an open secret that exorcists will try to *poison* each other to gain an edge in classes. Considering these are classes where there is a nonzero chance of fatal injury, it's amazing that there are any exorcists left. Why is Phenbridge so competitive anyways? Surely 100 competent exorcists is better than 5 highly talented ones?
This one is a small gripe but the story includes a lot of little throwaway lines to let you know this is not our world from the days of the week being changed to the year being in the 1300s while having cars and phones but I wanted to know more about the world. Though I'm sure we'll learn more in the sequel.
To conclude, I would rate this at a 3.75 out of 5 and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
I want to start off by saying that I really enjoyed the concept behind this story. It brought back memories of Soul Eater and Deadman Wonderland. The concept of slayers and callers is really cool, especially when the callers inhabit an interesting space of having a disability but that disability making them even more valuable than slayers. Kiet and Song have a great dynamic and the ending was definitely agonizing in that I wanted more.
On to the negatives: I found Song's character arc a bit, lacking. There was so much emphasis placed on how she felt like a failure of a daughter for "making" her father have to work at a flower shop to support her and her mentality of getting her degree even if it kills her, but not much emphasis placed on why or where she got the idea that her father was suffering. It makes the end where her father reassures her a little less satisfying because it meant that Song basically talked herself into destroying her body with no provocation. I think tweaking some scenes to show her father making offhand comments about his dreams before the flower shop would have helped make that part of the plot more satisfying for me.
I at times felt like there were too many characters. Wes for example felt like a character the author wanted us to care about but we weren't really shown why. Why did Song and Kiet think so highly of him? Jillian's motivations are basically not explained. Why was she so loyal to Hiero? She doesn't seem to serve any purpose other than to do things offscreen when Hiero is otherwise occupied.
Phenbridge didn't feel like much of a real place. It looms over the entire story as the symbol of everything Kiet hates but it has no real presence. It also strained my suspension of disbelief that it's apparently an open secret that exorcists will try to *poison* each other to gain an edge in classes. Considering these are classes where there is a nonzero chance of fatal injury, it's amazing that there are any exorcists left. Why is Phenbridge so competitive anyways? Surely 100 competent exorcists is better than 5 highly talented ones?
This one is a small gripe but the story includes a lot of little throwaway lines to let you know this is not our world from the days of the week being changed to the year being in the 1300s while having cars and phones but I wanted to know more about the world. Though I'm sure we'll learn more in the sequel.
To conclude, I would rate this at a 3.75 out of 5 and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2026
This book grabbed my attention from the start. It was easy to follow and understand. The pace did lull a little after the middle but still had me wanting to pick it up, anticipating what happens next. It was one of the most unique and original books I’ve read in a long time. The world building was descriptive and detailed. I loved both the FMC and the MMC. I enjoyed their banter and dynamic. It was definitely a slow burn and I enjoyed seeing their friendship. The book switched between both of their POV. Usually with multiple POV, I favor one and get disappointed when I have to read the other one but that was not the case here. I was equally looking forward to both. If anything it just added to the story more. I liked the chapters that gave a flashback, it really helped shape the characters and give you a fuller picture of who they are.
This book really dived into dysfunctional and strained family dynamics. It was something I don’t personally relate to and didn’t particularly enjoy. However, it was written well so I was able to empathize with the characters and what they were going through.
I feel like there was a huge build up to the antagonist and the reveal fell a little flat to me. I think I was supposed to be shocked but I really didn’t feel shock or have much reaction to it. The explanation for the “why” behind the red feathers I feel could have been expanded more. I don’t fully understand the motive behind some people’s involvement. I also felt like the history of demons was lacking. I would like to know more about their background. Why they weren’t eradicated- do new ones just spawn up? And from where?
Final thoughts, I enjoyed the book. I will be reading the next one when it comes out. I’m invested in the story. I still have a lot of questions and things I want explained more but hopeful it will be revealed in the 2nd book. It was my first book by Vanessa Le and I look forward to reading another one!
Thank you to NetGalley, Vanessa Le, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Roaring Brook Press for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
This book really dived into dysfunctional and strained family dynamics. It was something I don’t personally relate to and didn’t particularly enjoy. However, it was written well so I was able to empathize with the characters and what they were going through.
I feel like there was a huge build up to the antagonist and the reveal fell a little flat to me. I think I was supposed to be shocked but I really didn’t feel shock or have much reaction to it. The explanation for the “why” behind the red feathers I feel could have been expanded more. I don’t fully understand the motive behind some people’s involvement. I also felt like the history of demons was lacking. I would like to know more about their background. Why they weren’t eradicated- do new ones just spawn up? And from where?
Final thoughts, I enjoyed the book. I will be reading the next one when it comes out. I’m invested in the story. I still have a lot of questions and things I want explained more but hopeful it will be revealed in the 2nd book. It was my first book by Vanessa Le and I look forward to reading another one!
Thank you to NetGalley, Vanessa Le, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Roaring Brook Press for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
***Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.***
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
As a huge fan of Supernatural and the Mortal Instruments series, I was excited to read When Shadows Burn. It's a dark fantasy novel set at a demon hunting university. It follows the hunting duo Kiet (a demon caller) and Song (a demon slayer) as they investigate a mysterious demon on campus and the death of Kiet's brother.
The book begins fast throwing you into the world as Kiet and Song track a demon. I wish the author had spent more time describing the world. I was confused if it was a modern society or an older society. It was also tough to understand how blood was used as a weapon. By midway through the book, it made more sense, but I was loss in the beginning.
I enjoyed the friendship between Kiet and Song and how that relationship developed throughout the story. They both fought to overcome their own inner demons, and it felt relatable. Kiet had strong character development as he tried to discover his place in the world and his family.
The family dynamics was an interesting component of the story. Kiet's rebellious nature stemmed from his family and the school. I really enjoyed seeing his family relationships adapt throughout the story, but I felt like his mom was left out. She should have been more included, so I hope her character is explored more in the next book.
My biggest issue with the novel was the repetitive use of the word "twin." It was very distracting how this word was used as a substitute for God/swear word so many times. I also struggled with the pacing. The investigation would hit a stride, and then school life would take over. I wish these were better intertwined.
Overall, I enjoyed it. The ending was intense and made me like it more as it left on a cliffhanger (opening the door to the next book). I will be completing the duology when the next book is released.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
As a huge fan of Supernatural and the Mortal Instruments series, I was excited to read When Shadows Burn. It's a dark fantasy novel set at a demon hunting university. It follows the hunting duo Kiet (a demon caller) and Song (a demon slayer) as they investigate a mysterious demon on campus and the death of Kiet's brother.
The book begins fast throwing you into the world as Kiet and Song track a demon. I wish the author had spent more time describing the world. I was confused if it was a modern society or an older society. It was also tough to understand how blood was used as a weapon. By midway through the book, it made more sense, but I was loss in the beginning.
I enjoyed the friendship between Kiet and Song and how that relationship developed throughout the story. They both fought to overcome their own inner demons, and it felt relatable. Kiet had strong character development as he tried to discover his place in the world and his family.
The family dynamics was an interesting component of the story. Kiet's rebellious nature stemmed from his family and the school. I really enjoyed seeing his family relationships adapt throughout the story, but I felt like his mom was left out. She should have been more included, so I hope her character is explored more in the next book.
My biggest issue with the novel was the repetitive use of the word "twin." It was very distracting how this word was used as a substitute for God/swear word so many times. I also struggled with the pacing. The investigation would hit a stride, and then school life would take over. I wish these were better intertwined.
Overall, I enjoyed it. The ending was intense and made me like it more as it left on a cliffhanger (opening the door to the next book). I will be completing the duology when the next book is released.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 ! There is so much that I loved about this! It is definitely a mood read. This is the first of a dark academia fantasy duology. Think: A Deadly Education //Ninth House//Katabasis in terms of higher education & fantasy elements combined with The Mortal Instruments demon hunter vibes.
When Shadows Burn opens quickly, introducing us to Song & Kiet by showing us the process of how to exorcise demons with the complimentary magics of a “caller” and a “slayer”. I really loved the dynamic between both of them and how the friendship is emphasized over romance.
The science (specifically biology) based magic system is done really nicely, I think there is room to expand it even more in the second book. Heads up that there are blood & needles (lancets) if you’re squeamish!
One of my favorite elements was how Le handled the description of burnout (Slayer’s Sclerosis), and the (perceived) expectations of success and academic achievement. Statistically, according to a Stanford research article women are genetically predisposed to autoimmune disorders. (If you’re curious, you can read it here: https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-new... )
I think Le left a lot of opportunity to expand the world of Renisia/Halberra/Yennington/Phenbridge. The world building dropped really interesting pieces of culture, including immigration, language, & religion.
There is also huge potential to develop the benefits or repercussions of echium, and how Song moves forward with it. Is it addictive?!
I will definitely continue this series, because I too, would seek vengeance for my siblings.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group & Roaring Brook Press for this ARC!
When Shadows Burn opens quickly, introducing us to Song & Kiet by showing us the process of how to exorcise demons with the complimentary magics of a “caller” and a “slayer”. I really loved the dynamic between both of them and how the friendship is emphasized over romance.
The science (specifically biology) based magic system is done really nicely, I think there is room to expand it even more in the second book. Heads up that there are blood & needles (lancets) if you’re squeamish!
One of my favorite elements was how Le handled the description of burnout (Slayer’s Sclerosis), and the (perceived) expectations of success and academic achievement. Statistically, according to a Stanford research article women are genetically predisposed to autoimmune disorders. (If you’re curious, you can read it here: https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-new... )
I think Le left a lot of opportunity to expand the world of Renisia/Halberra/Yennington/Phenbridge. The world building dropped really interesting pieces of culture, including immigration, language, & religion.
There is also huge potential to develop the benefits or repercussions of echium, and how Song moves forward with it. Is it addictive?!
I will definitely continue this series, because I too, would seek vengeance for my siblings.
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group & Roaring Brook Press for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When Shadows Burn is filled to the brim with:
- [ ] Dark Academia
- [ ] Demon Exorcisms, and
- [ ] Dysfunctional family relationships
If these things are your jam, look no further.
What I liked about this book:
- [ ] Little Sarna’s. I would have loved a good long weekend there (forget the demons)
- [ ] The food- it’s a sweet detail
- [ ] Kiet’s emotional growth throughout the book
- [ ] Blood Weapons
- [ ] Kitty Inkspell
I could have used more:
- [ ] Verbal interactions, another POV and/or more explanation of Red Feather for the benefit of the readers and the characters…or at the very least, a more convincing reason for their actions.
- [ ] Some background on how genetics determine whether a person is a Caller versus a Slayer. Not just “It’s genetic.”I guess I am looking for MORE science, and more in-depth descriptions.
- [ ] A reason behind where the demons come from, and why they come at all? They just happen to be there? Did they come through a portal? Why? Did someone bring them there? If so, who and again, why? Are they magically and accidentally created from dreams, and nightmares? There are so many open ended possibilities.
- [ ] Exorcism scenes and descriptions of a…demon… that is not a Yeukai.
- [ ] Some more information about Phenbridge itself. Simply a history or just more interactions between the students and staff. At this point Phenbridge feels like an idea, not a place.
To sum it up, it is a fun and interesting story that could use a bit more world building.
Happy Reading!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s for providing me with this ARC for review. All opinions are my own.
- [ ] Dark Academia
- [ ] Demon Exorcisms, and
- [ ] Dysfunctional family relationships
If these things are your jam, look no further.
What I liked about this book:
- [ ] Little Sarna’s. I would have loved a good long weekend there (forget the demons)
- [ ] The food- it’s a sweet detail
- [ ] Kiet’s emotional growth throughout the book
- [ ] Blood Weapons
- [ ] Kitty Inkspell
I could have used more:
- [ ] Verbal interactions, another POV and/or more explanation of Red Feather for the benefit of the readers and the characters…or at the very least, a more convincing reason for their actions.
- [ ] Some background on how genetics determine whether a person is a Caller versus a Slayer. Not just “It’s genetic.”I guess I am looking for MORE science, and more in-depth descriptions.
- [ ] A reason behind where the demons come from, and why they come at all? They just happen to be there? Did they come through a portal? Why? Did someone bring them there? If so, who and again, why? Are they magically and accidentally created from dreams, and nightmares? There are so many open ended possibilities.
- [ ] Exorcism scenes and descriptions of a…demon… that is not a Yeukai.
- [ ] Some more information about Phenbridge itself. Simply a history or just more interactions between the students and staff. At this point Phenbridge feels like an idea, not a place.
To sum it up, it is a fun and interesting story that could use a bit more world building.
Happy Reading!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s for providing me with this ARC for review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Net Galley.
This novel follows the characters Song Sarna and Kiet Sren as they investigate a string of seemingly coordinated demon attacks throughout Yennington.
What I loved:
- The exorcism dynamic of a caller and a slayer was super interesting. I always like a fantasy / ‘magical’ element that ties the two main characters together.
- The family drama, particularly surrounding Kiet, was a big draw for me. I wanted to see more of his sister.
- The way the city was described, I was envisioning a mix between gotham and Shadowhunters-universe New York.
My comments:
- I’ve seen a couple other ARC reviewers say this, but Song’s story was a little flat. The fact that she was practically killing herself to graduate a school that apparently cared so little about the exorcists that were solely responsible for protecting the human population from demons felt like a gap in logic. The same goes for Song’s deduction that she needed to continue putting herself in harm’s way in order to make her father’s sacrifices worth it—but then she actively avoided him, even as her condition worsened. Overall, her motivations and her reasoning was not as fleshed out in comparison to Kiet’s.
- This was more of a personal note, but I felt like I was dropped in the middle of something from the very start. In an entirely new fantasy world, I think throwing the reader in head-first with the inciting incident is overwhelming. It left me personally feeling like I was playing catch-up for the first 25% of the novel. A prelude or an expository scene to establish some world building would be helpful to orient the reader.
This novel follows the characters Song Sarna and Kiet Sren as they investigate a string of seemingly coordinated demon attacks throughout Yennington.
What I loved:
- The exorcism dynamic of a caller and a slayer was super interesting. I always like a fantasy / ‘magical’ element that ties the two main characters together.
- The family drama, particularly surrounding Kiet, was a big draw for me. I wanted to see more of his sister.
- The way the city was described, I was envisioning a mix between gotham and Shadowhunters-universe New York.
My comments:
- I’ve seen a couple other ARC reviewers say this, but Song’s story was a little flat. The fact that she was practically killing herself to graduate a school that apparently cared so little about the exorcists that were solely responsible for protecting the human population from demons felt like a gap in logic. The same goes for Song’s deduction that she needed to continue putting herself in harm’s way in order to make her father’s sacrifices worth it—but then she actively avoided him, even as her condition worsened. Overall, her motivations and her reasoning was not as fleshed out in comparison to Kiet’s.
- This was more of a personal note, but I felt like I was dropped in the middle of something from the very start. In an entirely new fantasy world, I think throwing the reader in head-first with the inciting incident is overwhelming. It left me personally feeling like I was playing catch-up for the first 25% of the novel. A prelude or an expository scene to establish some world building would be helpful to orient the reader.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was okay. By the end, I was very curious about what would happen, and I enjoyed the set up for the next book.
Things I didn't like:
-I wanted more characterization for both main characters. Kiet and Song were interesting, but they needed more development individually and then more development in their relationship. I did appreciate the flashback sequences where we were able to see some of their earlier interactions.
-The setting was confusing. I was uncertain of the time period--it felt modern at times and old at times. I never did have a clear idea of the intended era. Usually this is not a problem, even in fantasy books.
-The deities in this book were confusing, and they kept saying, "twins" about everything. Evidently the deities are twins, but I kept wondering who the twins were.
-I didn't enjoy this particular Dark Academia vibe. It felt stilted at times. Sometimes they felt like young people at university, and other times, they seemed to have more freedom.
Things I liked:
-I thought the family dynamics for both main characters were interesting and relatable. Chief Sren was an interesting character as well--very nicely written.
-I enjoyed the mystery surrounding a sibling's death. Kiet's determination to get to the bottom of the situation was understandable.
-I enjoyed the plot twist (that I won't ruin here), but I was entirely surprised and then became more curious about the whole story as a result.
Thank you Macmillan and Netgalley for providing this digital ARC for review. All opinions are my own.
Things I didn't like:
-I wanted more characterization for both main characters. Kiet and Song were interesting, but they needed more development individually and then more development in their relationship. I did appreciate the flashback sequences where we were able to see some of their earlier interactions.
-The setting was confusing. I was uncertain of the time period--it felt modern at times and old at times. I never did have a clear idea of the intended era. Usually this is not a problem, even in fantasy books.
-The deities in this book were confusing, and they kept saying, "twins" about everything. Evidently the deities are twins, but I kept wondering who the twins were.
-I didn't enjoy this particular Dark Academia vibe. It felt stilted at times. Sometimes they felt like young people at university, and other times, they seemed to have more freedom.
Things I liked:
-I thought the family dynamics for both main characters were interesting and relatable. Chief Sren was an interesting character as well--very nicely written.
-I enjoyed the mystery surrounding a sibling's death. Kiet's determination to get to the bottom of the situation was understandable.
-I enjoyed the plot twist (that I won't ruin here), but I was entirely surprised and then became more curious about the whole story as a result.
Thank you Macmillan and Netgalley for providing this digital ARC for review. All opinions are my own.
April 26, 2026
When Shadows Burn welcomes a new audience of demon hunter readers with an interesting mystery. However, does all the other elements to a story stick the landing?
As I was reading this, I knew prior to starting that this is the first part in a duology, so the settings things up was granted. Just as quickly as the action begins, it also ends and that is the same to be said for a lot of the pacing. I felt that there were moments where I felt really invested in the demon hunting side of things (where some parts felt like a dark academia ghostbusters!) and then we’d shift back to the university to simply mark off the fact one of the main characters was a university student.
I enjoyed the multi-pov between Song and Kiet, I didn’t feel favorable toward one side which I appreciate since it made for a nice reading experience. The strongest parts of this story were the family connections and emotional relationships between the characters. The settings, world-building, and lore of purpose behind demon and exorcism study all felt shallow.
I’d also like to add that the plot twist sets up a lot of interesting conversations and moments to happen in part two! Perhaps the second part will be more heavy and explain a lot of things that I wanted more exposition about reading part one. Personally, I feel When Shadows Burn is a collection of great ideas, and maybe the second part is necessary to fully flesh out the story that Le wants to tell.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). This review is based off of an uncorrected proof.
As I was reading this, I knew prior to starting that this is the first part in a duology, so the settings things up was granted. Just as quickly as the action begins, it also ends and that is the same to be said for a lot of the pacing. I felt that there were moments where I felt really invested in the demon hunting side of things (where some parts felt like a dark academia ghostbusters!) and then we’d shift back to the university to simply mark off the fact one of the main characters was a university student.
I enjoyed the multi-pov between Song and Kiet, I didn’t feel favorable toward one side which I appreciate since it made for a nice reading experience. The strongest parts of this story were the family connections and emotional relationships between the characters. The settings, world-building, and lore of purpose behind demon and exorcism study all felt shallow.
I’d also like to add that the plot twist sets up a lot of interesting conversations and moments to happen in part two! Perhaps the second part will be more heavy and explain a lot of things that I wanted more exposition about reading part one. Personally, I feel When Shadows Burn is a collection of great ideas, and maybe the second part is necessary to fully flesh out the story that Le wants to tell.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). This review is based off of an uncorrected proof.
May 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!!
When Shadows Burn was such an addictive read. The mix of dark academia, demon hunting, murder mystery, and slowburn romance completely worked for me. I loved the dynamic between Song and Kiet right away. Song being this disciplined top slayer at Phenbridge University while Kiet is the chaotic dropout whose blood literally attracts demons made for such a fun partnership. Their banter and tension carried so much of the story for me. I found myself laughing so many times and rooting for them both.
The worldbuilding was also incredibly immersive. The whole caller/slayer system and the medical-style magic behind exorcisms felt fresh and detailed without becoming overwhelming. I’ve never read a magic system like this before and it was so unique and cool.
I especially enjoyed the darker atmosphere surrounding Phenbridge University and the unraveling corruption hidden underneath everything. The investigation into the aberrant demon kept me hooked because every answer seemed to uncover something even worse.
This wasn’t a perfect 5-star read for me because a few parts felt a little slow in the middle, but overall I had a great time with it. The emotional stakes, family drama, dangerous secrets, and simmering romance (?) made it hard to put down. Definitely recommend this if you love dark fantasy with demons, academic settings, and characters who are constantly one bad decision away from disaster.
And the ending.. oof. I CANNOT wait for book two!
When Shadows Burn was such an addictive read. The mix of dark academia, demon hunting, murder mystery, and slowburn romance completely worked for me. I loved the dynamic between Song and Kiet right away. Song being this disciplined top slayer at Phenbridge University while Kiet is the chaotic dropout whose blood literally attracts demons made for such a fun partnership. Their banter and tension carried so much of the story for me. I found myself laughing so many times and rooting for them both.
The worldbuilding was also incredibly immersive. The whole caller/slayer system and the medical-style magic behind exorcisms felt fresh and detailed without becoming overwhelming. I’ve never read a magic system like this before and it was so unique and cool.
I especially enjoyed the darker atmosphere surrounding Phenbridge University and the unraveling corruption hidden underneath everything. The investigation into the aberrant demon kept me hooked because every answer seemed to uncover something even worse.
This wasn’t a perfect 5-star read for me because a few parts felt a little slow in the middle, but overall I had a great time with it. The emotional stakes, family drama, dangerous secrets, and simmering romance (?) made it hard to put down. Definitely recommend this if you love dark fantasy with demons, academic settings, and characters who are constantly one bad decision away from disaster.
And the ending.. oof. I CANNOT wait for book two!
Did Not Finish
March 23, 2026⭐ ARC Review
DNF at 23%
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this really interested in the premise, especially with the idea of a demon-hunting duo set within a dark academia environment. The story starts off very action-packed, immediately throwing you into the world as Kiet and Song track and confront demons together.
One of the standout elements for me was the way the demons were portrayed. I found that aspect of the world really interesting, and it gave me slight Shadowhunter vibes in terms of how the supernatural elements were woven into the story.
By around chapter two, there are already hints of a larger mystery unfolding, including signs of a more organized threat behind the scenes. That early setup made it feel like the story was building toward something bigger, which I appreciated.
However, I ultimately decided to DNF at 23%. While the premise and initial setup were strong, I had difficulty fully immersing myself in the story due to the third-person, multi-POV writing style. This is entirely a personal preference, as I tend to connect more with first-person narratives.
I do think readers who enjoy multi-POV fantasy, darker academic settings, and more plot-driven stories will likely find this more engaging. There is a solid foundation here, and I can see it working well for the right audience — it just wasn’t the best fit for me.
DNF at 23%
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this really interested in the premise, especially with the idea of a demon-hunting duo set within a dark academia environment. The story starts off very action-packed, immediately throwing you into the world as Kiet and Song track and confront demons together.
One of the standout elements for me was the way the demons were portrayed. I found that aspect of the world really interesting, and it gave me slight Shadowhunter vibes in terms of how the supernatural elements were woven into the story.
By around chapter two, there are already hints of a larger mystery unfolding, including signs of a more organized threat behind the scenes. That early setup made it feel like the story was building toward something bigger, which I appreciated.
However, I ultimately decided to DNF at 23%. While the premise and initial setup were strong, I had difficulty fully immersing myself in the story due to the third-person, multi-POV writing style. This is entirely a personal preference, as I tend to connect more with first-person narratives.
I do think readers who enjoy multi-POV fantasy, darker academic settings, and more plot-driven stories will likely find this more engaging. There is a solid foundation here, and I can see it working well for the right audience — it just wasn’t the best fit for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was my first book by Vanessa Le, and I didn’t really know what to expect from the writing style, but I ended up loving it! I flew through the pages because it was easy to follow, and the story itself was very engaging. I was hooked from the very first pages.
When Shadows Burn
reminded me of
Lockwood & Co
and
The Mortal Instruments
, two series that I absolutely adore
I enjoyed both Kiet and Song as main characters. Their banter and wit made me giggle quite a few times. I loved their friendship, and I really enjoyed watching two idiots in love. Their story starts with a murder, and as they dig deeper, we learn that Phenbridge University might not be what it seems. When Shadows Burn is a fast-paced story with layers upon layers of secrets and mystery
Also, chapter 37 had me on edge. I WANTED TO GO TO BED BUT I COULDN’T 😭 It was so sad and tragic, and I genuinely caught myself thinking, “I need THAT character’s POV.” I just love how fucked up they are. Me and complex, traumatized characters against the world
I will definitely continue with the series, and I totally recommend it if you’re a fan of dark academia, urban fantasy, paranormal fantasy (demons & demon hunters), or if you enjoyed any of the aspects I mentioned above!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the eARC!
I enjoyed both Kiet and Song as main characters. Their banter and wit made me giggle quite a few times. I loved their friendship, and I really enjoyed watching two idiots in love. Their story starts with a murder, and as they dig deeper, we learn that Phenbridge University might not be what it seems. When Shadows Burn is a fast-paced story with layers upon layers of secrets and mystery
Also, chapter 37 had me on edge. I WANTED TO GO TO BED BUT I COULDN’T 😭 It was so sad and tragic, and I genuinely caught myself thinking, “I need THAT character’s POV.” I just love how fucked up they are. Me and complex, traumatized characters against the world
I will definitely continue with the series, and I totally recommend it if you’re a fan of dark academia, urban fantasy, paranormal fantasy (demons & demon hunters), or if you enjoyed any of the aspects I mentioned above!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I could not put this book down once I started it. The story grips you from the very first page and keeps you hooked until the end. I especially loved how action packed it was, along with the level of detail the author used when introducing Yukei (demons) and explaining its biology and the ways slayers and callers like Song and Kiet can exorcise it. Those details made the world feel incredibly immersive. I also appreciated how each chapter contained important information that helped build the story and the world around it.
Song and Kiet are characters that readers will easily fall in love with, just like I did. They are both complex and compelling, and you can’t help but root for them and hope things work out in their favor. The “will they or won’t they” tension between them is strong throughout the book, and I feel like their slow burn relationship is going to unfold beautifully. With this being the first book in a duet, the ending left me eagerly anticipating book two.
A huge thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. Vanessa Le is definitely an author I will be reaching for again in the future. I love her writing style and the way she approaches world building It felt like I was constantly discovering something new at an exciting pace.
If you enjoy stories with demons, slayers, and richly developed worlds, this is a book you don’t want to miss.
Song and Kiet are characters that readers will easily fall in love with, just like I did. They are both complex and compelling, and you can’t help but root for them and hope things work out in their favor. The “will they or won’t they” tension between them is strong throughout the book, and I feel like their slow burn relationship is going to unfold beautifully. With this being the first book in a duet, the ending left me eagerly anticipating book two.
A huge thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. Vanessa Le is definitely an author I will be reaching for again in the future. I love her writing style and the way she approaches world building It felt like I was constantly discovering something new at an exciting pace.
If you enjoy stories with demons, slayers, and richly developed worlds, this is a book you don’t want to miss.
March 12, 2026
This book took me a while to get through but WOW was it worth it!
The world-building is so complex and intricate that at times I almost felt like I should be taking notes on it. Vanessa Le is a master of detail, every word of this book was so well thought-out that its universe felt real and tangible.
Kiet and Song, if possible, felt even more real. They're incredibly complex characters and their struggles (while played out in a fantasy world) put words to the same fears and doubts that I think almost everyone has at some point in their life. Their slow burn was probably one of the best I've ever read—I LOVE when slow burn is actually slow burn, not just a sudden switch flip midway through.
Le's writing is fast-paced and descriptive, and there were quite a few lines where I had to take a step back and stare at it for a minute because it was just *that* beautifully worded.
There is so much more I could say about this book but I think it's one of those things best experienced firsthand. I cannot recommend it enough and can't wait to see what Le does with the sequel!
As always, a huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.
The world-building is so complex and intricate that at times I almost felt like I should be taking notes on it. Vanessa Le is a master of detail, every word of this book was so well thought-out that its universe felt real and tangible.
Kiet and Song, if possible, felt even more real. They're incredibly complex characters and their struggles (while played out in a fantasy world) put words to the same fears and doubts that I think almost everyone has at some point in their life. Their slow burn was probably one of the best I've ever read—I LOVE when slow burn is actually slow burn, not just a sudden switch flip midway through.
Le's writing is fast-paced and descriptive, and there were quite a few lines where I had to take a step back and stare at it for a minute because it was just *that* beautifully worded.
There is so much more I could say about this book but I think it's one of those things best experienced firsthand. I cannot recommend it enough and can't wait to see what Le does with the sequel!
As always, a huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the arc
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5 ⭐️)
This book had me hooked from the start—I genuinely loved the mix of dark academia and supernatural detective vibes. The whole concept of exorcism being a two-person job (a caller and a slayer) was so unique, and the magic system felt really detailed without being overwhelming.
Kiet and Song completely carried this story for me. Their dynamic?? Everything. I loved how different they were but still worked so well together, and that slow-burn tension had me fully invested. You can’t help but root for them.
The plot kept me engaged the entire time, especially as the mystery unfolded and things started getting more personal. The secrets surrounding the university added such a good layer of intrigue, and I was always curious to see where it was going next.
The only reason this isn’t a full 5 stars for me is that there were a few moments where I wanted just a little more depth or time to sit with certain reveals—but overall, I loved this so much.
I adored the characters, the story, the setting—literally all of it. I’m already so ready for the next book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5 ⭐️)
This book had me hooked from the start—I genuinely loved the mix of dark academia and supernatural detective vibes. The whole concept of exorcism being a two-person job (a caller and a slayer) was so unique, and the magic system felt really detailed without being overwhelming.
Kiet and Song completely carried this story for me. Their dynamic?? Everything. I loved how different they were but still worked so well together, and that slow-burn tension had me fully invested. You can’t help but root for them.
The plot kept me engaged the entire time, especially as the mystery unfolded and things started getting more personal. The secrets surrounding the university added such a good layer of intrigue, and I was always curious to see where it was going next.
The only reason this isn’t a full 5 stars for me is that there were a few moments where I wanted just a little more depth or time to sit with certain reveals—but overall, I loved this so much.
I adored the characters, the story, the setting—literally all of it. I’m already so ready for the next book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I truly enjoyed this ARC from NetGalley. I loved the dark academic setting of the story and the unique magic system the author created. The author also did a great job of bringing the two main characters, Kiet and Song, to life. I loved the slow burn romantic tension between them that grew throughout the book. I can’t wait to see how that develops in the next book. Kiet Sren and Song Sarna met at Phenbridge, a college for training exorcists. This line of work is dangerous and takes much training to earn a degree. Kiet is a cocky, self-assured 19 year old with lots of charisma. Under all of his swagger he is deeply insecure and angry. He is a Phenbridge drop-out and left to start his own agency. He has a difficult relationship with his family. Song is an academic star at Phenbridge and wants to do everything right. She is at Phenbridge to earn her degree as an exorcist and make her father proud. Kiet and Song really balance each other out because they have opposite personalities. Where Kiet is impulsive, Song is steady. The author did a great job of making this world exciting and interesting as well as creating characters the reader cares about.
April 29, 2026
Vanessa Le, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I was very intrigued after reading the description. The storyline is original, which in fantasy and dark academia is becoming harder to find. While I enjoyed the general basis of the story, I struggled to give it undivided attention for the first half. The premise of the blood magic system and the slayer/caller relationship were great, but I felt it left out some important world-building. The book starts out right into action and left me trying to figure out exactly what was going on. The story really starts to make sense and come together in the second half and made it more enjoyable. The description stated a slow-burn romance that I kept waiting for, and once I thought I had finally made it, it fizzled out again. As a medical professional, I did nerd out a bit at the proper terminology used in the descriptions. Overall, this was an okay read. I might suggest it to my teenagers to read, but if you’re hoping for a jaw-dropping dark academia or fantasy, this won’t hit the bar.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I was very intrigued after reading the description. The storyline is original, which in fantasy and dark academia is becoming harder to find. While I enjoyed the general basis of the story, I struggled to give it undivided attention for the first half. The premise of the blood magic system and the slayer/caller relationship were great, but I felt it left out some important world-building. The book starts out right into action and left me trying to figure out exactly what was going on. The story really starts to make sense and come together in the second half and made it more enjoyable. The description stated a slow-burn romance that I kept waiting for, and once I thought I had finally made it, it fizzled out again. As a medical professional, I did nerd out a bit at the proper terminology used in the descriptions. Overall, this was an okay read. I might suggest it to my teenagers to read, but if you’re hoping for a jaw-dropping dark academia or fantasy, this won’t hit the bar.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m left captivated, introspective, and waiting…for the final installment of this new duology!
If you’re squeamish around blood, perhaps the action-packed dark academia, serial killer detective mystery, fight scenes, plot twists, friends-to-lovers romance with forced proximity, family dysfunction, and unique medical magic system will overcome that hemophobia.
When Shadows Burn follows dropout caller Kiet Sren and top student Song Sarna of Inkspill Agency, in dual POV, as they search for the mastermind behind a string of yeukai possessions. I loved Vanessa Le’s unapologetically written world of demon possession and the work built around demon-hunting exorcist team pairs: one who calls the demon out of the infected (i.e., possessed) person and one who slays it, both singing from their blood.
It’s a fascinating magic system and world based on Vietnamese and immigrant experience, and I look forward to reading more from Vanessa Le!
Thanks to NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy!
If you’re squeamish around blood, perhaps the action-packed dark academia, serial killer detective mystery, fight scenes, plot twists, friends-to-lovers romance with forced proximity, family dysfunction, and unique medical magic system will overcome that hemophobia.
When Shadows Burn follows dropout caller Kiet Sren and top student Song Sarna of Inkspill Agency, in dual POV, as they search for the mastermind behind a string of yeukai possessions. I loved Vanessa Le’s unapologetically written world of demon possession and the work built around demon-hunting exorcist team pairs: one who calls the demon out of the infected (i.e., possessed) person and one who slays it, both singing from their blood.
It’s a fascinating magic system and world based on Vietnamese and immigrant experience, and I look forward to reading more from Vanessa Le!
Thanks to NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It has been a while since I picked up a detective book, as I have been so invested in fantasy lately, but When Shadows Burn allowed me to enjoy some of the best aspects of both. This book's strengths are in its relationships between characters (I loved the opposites attract dynamic between Song and Kiet, as well as the heartbreaking dynamic within Kiet's family), as well as in its ability to delve into the very real feeling of never being able to live up to expectations, whether those expectations are from other's or of yourself. The magic system in this book is quite unique, which I love, but I wish there had been a bit more detail earlier on regarding exactly what demon hunting entailed and what exactly demons were capable of. Overall, I enjoyed this very much, and hope there will be a sequel.
April 25, 2026
Thank you to Vanessa Le, Macmillan, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
This book had a beautifully atmospheric dark academia feel, and I really enjoyed the world building woven throughout the story. The setting had a moody, immersive quality that made the world feel intriguing and layered, and there were definitely elements that pulled me in.
While I appreciated the concept and atmosphere, I did find myself wanting a stronger emotional connection to the characters. Because of that, the story did not fully land for me in the way I had hoped, but I can absolutely see this working well for readers who love darker, more atmospheric fantasy with academic undertones and a slow-burn sense of intrigue.
Overall, When Shadows Burn was an interesting and well-crafted read with a strong sense of place and tone, even if it was not quite the perfect fit for me personally.
This book had a beautifully atmospheric dark academia feel, and I really enjoyed the world building woven throughout the story. The setting had a moody, immersive quality that made the world feel intriguing and layered, and there were definitely elements that pulled me in.
While I appreciated the concept and atmosphere, I did find myself wanting a stronger emotional connection to the characters. Because of that, the story did not fully land for me in the way I had hoped, but I can absolutely see this working well for readers who love darker, more atmospheric fantasy with academic undertones and a slow-burn sense of intrigue.
Overall, When Shadows Burn was an interesting and well-crafted read with a strong sense of place and tone, even if it was not quite the perfect fit for me personally.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Spoiler Free Review: 3 stars
Thank you to the author Vanessa Le for allowing me to ARC read. I am voluntarily leaving this review.
This was my first time reading Vanessa’s work. Although the story was interesting, I did find myself skimming through the passages to get to the parts where something was actually happening. The demon caller and demon slayer duo and the way both are needed to exercise/eliminate the demons was very intriguing. I just couldn’t connect to the characters, and it was a tad annoying that Song was always at Kiet’s beck and call. I also think the story was a little predictable at times and the stakes weren’t high enough for me. Fair warning it does end on a cliffhanger which is to be expected as it is book one of a duology.
If you are a fan of demons, demon slaying, family trauma, and loyal friends then I think you would enjoy this book.
Thank you to the author Vanessa Le for allowing me to ARC read. I am voluntarily leaving this review.
This was my first time reading Vanessa’s work. Although the story was interesting, I did find myself skimming through the passages to get to the parts where something was actually happening. The demon caller and demon slayer duo and the way both are needed to exercise/eliminate the demons was very intriguing. I just couldn’t connect to the characters, and it was a tad annoying that Song was always at Kiet’s beck and call. I also think the story was a little predictable at times and the stakes weren’t high enough for me. Fair warning it does end on a cliffhanger which is to be expected as it is book one of a duology.
If you are a fan of demons, demon slaying, family trauma, and loyal friends then I think you would enjoy this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars
This was such a good book. It is exactly as it is advertised. Song and Kiet’s friendship is everything. The way Kiet yearned for her, though, was heartbreaking. I wonder if they will get together in book 2? No matter what they both deserve peace. I loved that we got dual POVs. That was a great choice for this duology. This story discusses grief, living up to family expectations, and people-pleasing tendencies. These conversations gave this book more depth which made me enjoy this book even more. The characters are well-written. Even the side characters were interesting. I hope we see Kiet and his family work on building their trust and family back together. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would highly recommend it!
Thank you to NetGalley, Vanessa Le, and Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a good book. It is exactly as it is advertised. Song and Kiet’s friendship is everything. The way Kiet yearned for her, though, was heartbreaking. I wonder if they will get together in book 2? No matter what they both deserve peace. I loved that we got dual POVs. That was a great choice for this duology. This story discusses grief, living up to family expectations, and people-pleasing tendencies. These conversations gave this book more depth which made me enjoy this book even more. The characters are well-written. Even the side characters were interesting. I hope we see Kiet and his family work on building their trust and family back together. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would highly recommend it!
Thank you to NetGalley, Vanessa Le, and Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
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