What do you think?
Rate this book
Ashen Shadows
The land of Valeis was once home for all Drishti - folk with the ability to control people. Since Isla became Queen, she used her power to create an army so loyal, it would burn down villages to seek out the last Drishti alive. For years, the kingdom has been riddled with a faint memory of what life used to be, replaced by cruelty and deception.
Ashen Shadows is a story of three young women and their journey to end the Queen's treacherous reign:
a Drishti who has been hiding all her life,
a common thief who has always served her own purpose,
a princess who has never disobeyed her mother.
And it all begins with a letter from someone who knows the whole story...
_____________
Ashen Shadows is a women-led fantasy with vivid world building, fierce characters, witty humour, mystery and intrigue delicately woven into the angst of hidden pasts, hints of soul-wrenching romance and unexpected twists, cleverly tied up in a mind-blowing ending.
Ashen Shadows is a story of three young women and their journey to end the Queen's treacherous reign:
a Drishti who has been hiding all her life,
a common thief who has always served her own purpose,
a princess who has never disobeyed her mother.
And it all begins with a letter from someone who knows the whole story...
_____________
Ashen Shadows is a women-led fantasy with vivid world building, fierce characters, witty humour, mystery and intrigue delicately woven into the angst of hidden pasts, hints of soul-wrenching romance and unexpected twists, cleverly tied up in a mind-blowing ending.
- GenresFantasy
310 pages, Paperback
Published July 13, 2020
About the author
Ewe Linka
1 book47 followersEwelina Niecikowska was born on the very lucky 13th of December 1994 and raised in Poland. At the age of thirteen, Ewe moved to England, then graduated with a Law degree.
She writes under the pen name of Ewe Linka.
(Ewe is pronounced like 'eve' in seven.)
Ashen Shadows is a product of her adoration towards writing lengthy letters, immersed in hints of magic and alluring imaginary world. When she's not writing, she's playing beach volleyball.
She can be found on Instagram: @thisislinka
She writes under the pen name of Ewe Linka.
(Ewe is pronounced like 'eve' in seven.)
Ashen Shadows is a product of her adoration towards writing lengthy letters, immersed in hints of magic and alluring imaginary world. When she's not writing, she's playing beach volleyball.
She can be found on Instagram: @thisislinka
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 6, 2020
Author's Note:
I am so thankful that you have stumbled upon this page and I hope my book's cover and synopsis catches your eye. Please take a moment to support Ashen Shadows. I appreciate every single to-read click, share, buy and review.
Fingers crossed, hope you'll enjoy the read!
Link to purchase: https://www.ewelinka.net/purchase-lin...
Yours, Ewe
I am so thankful that you have stumbled upon this page and I hope my book's cover and synopsis catches your eye. Please take a moment to support Ashen Shadows. I appreciate every single to-read click, share, buy and review.
Fingers crossed, hope you'll enjoy the read!
Link to purchase: https://www.ewelinka.net/purchase-lin...
Yours, Ewe
August 9, 2020
I was sent an arc copy by the author to review.
Ashen Shadows is a debut fantasy novel with all the elements to draw in readers of YA fantasy: royals, a battle of good-vs-evil, romance, three strong female characters and wonderful friendships.
Mystery and intrigue keep the reader hooked from the very first pages of the prologue, all of it woven together by beautifully descriptive writing. The story is told through multiple perspectives, but the prevailing ones are those of the female protagonists, whose stories mingle in a series of unexpected plot twists. My favorite of the lot was definitely Blade. Her character development through the book was the most striking, and I found myself rooting for her and her happiness over everything.
The fairly quick pacing made this book a page turner, but some aspects could have used a dash more depth. The world-building was intriguing, but I would have liked more history and more showing of the Drishti magic. I also would have loved for the evil queen to have more page time, which could have been achieved through Cassandra’s perspective. More shades to her personality and more of her relationship with her daughter would have made her a more impactful villain, and would have given the story a new richness.
I am hoping Ewe will surprise us with a second book, because the ending leaves me with so many questions and so much curiosity for this world! I recommend this book to all lovers of YA fantasy rich with romance and friendship, who will definitely find this read as enjoyable as I did!
I am also linking Ewe's beautiful Instagram page here, that I highly recommend you check out for beautiful bookish content and more updates in her writing journey!
Ashen Shadows is a debut fantasy novel with all the elements to draw in readers of YA fantasy: royals, a battle of good-vs-evil, romance, three strong female characters and wonderful friendships.
Mystery and intrigue keep the reader hooked from the very first pages of the prologue, all of it woven together by beautifully descriptive writing. The story is told through multiple perspectives, but the prevailing ones are those of the female protagonists, whose stories mingle in a series of unexpected plot twists. My favorite of the lot was definitely Blade. Her character development through the book was the most striking, and I found myself rooting for her and her happiness over everything.
The fairly quick pacing made this book a page turner, but some aspects could have used a dash more depth. The world-building was intriguing, but I would have liked more history and more showing of the Drishti magic. I also would have loved for the evil queen to have more page time, which could have been achieved through Cassandra’s perspective. More shades to her personality and more of her relationship with her daughter would have made her a more impactful villain, and would have given the story a new richness.
I am hoping Ewe will surprise us with a second book, because the ending leaves me with so many questions and so much curiosity for this world! I recommend this book to all lovers of YA fantasy rich with romance and friendship, who will definitely find this read as enjoyable as I did!
I am also linking Ewe's beautiful Instagram page here, that I highly recommend you check out for beautiful bookish content and more updates in her writing journey!
August 25, 2020
I was already following Ewe Linka’s bookstagram when I found out she shelf-published a fantasy novel. And I needed to read it!
We follow three strong girls in their journey to end the Queen’s tyranny and find their true destiny.
All the characters were part of one huge web, all connected with faint lines that became more clear toward the end. It was so cool to see all the mystery unravel. I loved Blade the most of the three girls. She was so fierce, but yet so loving and protecting behind that mask of irony. I did wish to see a little more variation in the romance. I felt like all three girls were experiencing the same love situation (I won't spoil here). All the romance lines were well written though!
Ewe Linka’s writing style is beautiful, especially for a debuting author. Her descriptions were spot on and they could make me imagine the scenes crystal clear in my head. I flew through the book! I am very excited for the sequel!
We follow three strong girls in their journey to end the Queen’s tyranny and find their true destiny.
All the characters were part of one huge web, all connected with faint lines that became more clear toward the end. It was so cool to see all the mystery unravel. I loved Blade the most of the three girls. She was so fierce, but yet so loving and protecting behind that mask of irony. I did wish to see a little more variation in the romance. I felt like all three girls were experiencing the same love situation (I won't spoil here). All the romance lines were well written though!
Ewe Linka’s writing style is beautiful, especially for a debuting author. Her descriptions were spot on and they could make me imagine the scenes crystal clear in my head. I flew through the book! I am very excited for the sequel!
September 10, 2020
4.5 stars, an absolutely amazing self published debute novel that everyone needs to read! Believe me, you need this in your library (also, just look at that gorgeous cover)!
Ewe, when do we get book 2 please? It ended too soon! The plot twists, the end, I can't take waiting!
As you can see from the stars I gave the book, I really enjoyed it! It was written so well, and I loved the lyrical writing style. The world building was excellent and sketched everything so well! There was so much mystery and intrigue, and there where quite a few plot twists I didn't see coming! Additionally, the concept of the Drishti was really cool, and I really want to know more about them (I would sign up for their history course haha).
Also, the characters and their POVs (Blade, Ezme, Cassandra) were awesome! I loved all of them, the interactions between them were amazing! However, I do need to know more about Blade and Nathe, there was an extra dimension to their relationship due to past heart break and I would really liked it if it was described even more (also, Blade is just so amazing and badass, I could never read enough about her!). I'm also not sure how to feel about Cassandra yet, she was too perfect a daughter to her mother, maybe in a next book her character can get some extra spice to it (I know she has it in her)!
And the villain, I really hated Isla, but we get to know relatively little about her (except that she is like the worst person ever and stuff), I would really like to know a little more about how she became this person, or became queen in the first place! I would still dislike her though!
The end left me with so many questions, like how are the children now? And who are endgame? What happens to Nathe? And a lot more, but I don't want to give spoilers. I really hope I get the answers in a second book! Ewe, keep on writing!
Ewe, when do we get book 2 please? It ended too soon! The plot twists, the end, I can't take waiting!
As you can see from the stars I gave the book, I really enjoyed it! It was written so well, and I loved the lyrical writing style. The world building was excellent and sketched everything so well! There was so much mystery and intrigue, and there where quite a few plot twists I didn't see coming! Additionally, the concept of the Drishti was really cool, and I really want to know more about them (I would sign up for their history course haha).
Also, the characters and their POVs (Blade, Ezme, Cassandra) were awesome! I loved all of them, the interactions between them were amazing! However, I do need to know more about Blade and Nathe, there was an extra dimension to their relationship due to past heart break and I would really liked it if it was described even more (also, Blade is just so amazing and badass, I could never read enough about her!). I'm also not sure how to feel about Cassandra yet, she was too perfect a daughter to her mother, maybe in a next book her character can get some extra spice to it (I know she has it in her)!
And the villain, I really hated Isla, but we get to know relatively little about her (except that she is like the worst person ever and stuff), I would really like to know a little more about how she became this person, or became queen in the first place! I would still dislike her though!
The end left me with so many questions, like how are the children now? And who are endgame? What happens to Nathe? And a lot more, but I don't want to give spoilers. I really hope I get the answers in a second book! Ewe, keep on writing!
November 7, 2020
I’m very happy that I finally had the chance to read this wonderful book by an even more wonderful person. Ewe is an amazing bookstagrammer and I was so happy when I found out that she was also an author. I couldn’t wait to meet her characters and dive into the world she created.
Ashen Shadows is a debut YA fantasy full of mystery, intrigue, strong female characters and (my favorite) romance. The writing was incredible, but then again I’m not surprised. It wove the stories of these characters and their relationships beautifully.
I loved the three girls we follow through the story: Blade, Ezme and Cassandra. My favorite had to be Blade, who is so fierce and badass. I found myself rooting for her especially, and I think the author knew this would be the case for a lot of readers because I feel like that among the characters, Blade is the one who has the most satisfying character arc. To add to the list of empowering females, there’s also Queen Isla, the villain of the story. While I think she’s an intriguing character, I do wish we would have seen more of her and of her relationship with her daughter, Cassandra, for it would have added to the complexity of the character and turned her into an unforgettable villain.
One of my favorite aspects of a book is the romance, and I thought that the ones here were all very cute. I especially loved the dynamic and history between Blade and Nathe. However, sometimes I had the impression that the couples were a little too similar. I especially had a bit of a hard time understanding the basis behind Cassandra and Hunter’s story. Hunter is a Drishti prisoner, and the queen is either imprisoning or killing all Dhristi, yet she’s arranging a marriage between her daughter and one of the prisoners. Perhaps if the world-building had been a little bit more fleshed out, the queen’s reasoning would have been easier to grasp.
To sum it up, I really enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it to people who love fantasy. And royals! If you’re a sucker for fantasy books with royal characters, then this one is definitely one you shouldn’t miss out on.
Ashen Shadows is a debut YA fantasy full of mystery, intrigue, strong female characters and (my favorite) romance. The writing was incredible, but then again I’m not surprised. It wove the stories of these characters and their relationships beautifully.
I loved the three girls we follow through the story: Blade, Ezme and Cassandra. My favorite had to be Blade, who is so fierce and badass. I found myself rooting for her especially, and I think the author knew this would be the case for a lot of readers because I feel like that among the characters, Blade is the one who has the most satisfying character arc. To add to the list of empowering females, there’s also Queen Isla, the villain of the story. While I think she’s an intriguing character, I do wish we would have seen more of her and of her relationship with her daughter, Cassandra, for it would have added to the complexity of the character and turned her into an unforgettable villain.
One of my favorite aspects of a book is the romance, and I thought that the ones here were all very cute. I especially loved the dynamic and history between Blade and Nathe. However, sometimes I had the impression that the couples were a little too similar. I especially had a bit of a hard time understanding the basis behind Cassandra and Hunter’s story. Hunter is a Drishti prisoner, and the queen is either imprisoning or killing all Dhristi, yet she’s arranging a marriage between her daughter and one of the prisoners. Perhaps if the world-building had been a little bit more fleshed out, the queen’s reasoning would have been easier to grasp.
To sum it up, I really enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it to people who love fantasy. And royals! If you’re a sucker for fantasy books with royal characters, then this one is definitely one you shouldn’t miss out on.
July 15, 2020
This book is already a thing and a half with its eerily beautiful cover and the fact that it has character sketches inside (I am so into character sketches. Don't leave it to me to visualize the characters because they will all be bodies with vague and blurry faces. I have face blindness for fictional characters!). AND THAT'S NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE STORY.
As far as the story goes, let me just say this: "Down with the Queen!" - are you on board? Because I'm definitely on board (trust me, this queen has it coming). If coups against treacherous monarchs aren't enough for you, there's an entrancing magical system, witty romance, and young women who are very effective with weaponry and revenge.
I highly recommend this one!
As far as the story goes, let me just say this: "Down with the Queen!" - are you on board? Because I'm definitely on board (trust me, this queen has it coming). If coups against treacherous monarchs aren't enough for you, there's an entrancing magical system, witty romance, and young women who are very effective with weaponry and revenge.
I highly recommend this one!
August 27, 2020
Note: I got this book for free to give it an honest review!
Can we all just really give Ewe Linka a round of applause for her first novel?
I really did enjoy her lyrical writing, and the flow of her story. I enjoyed the character interaction and chemestry between them.
I need to point out that I base off my review on my personal view, and so it may not reflect the book in its whole, but how I was able to connect with it!
This is a YA novel, but at times I would say it crossed more into Middle Grade, that is not at all negative, but it might be good to know what to expect. It is really written in a beautiful way, and fits well for younger readers.
(There are mentions of death and murders, but no explicit scenes).
I had a few problems with the POV and how they where written back and forth. A few problems where I felt I fell off the story.
I liked the way the author incorporated the plot twists. Some I saw coming and some was a surprise. It left me engaged.
All in all, for me personally it ended on a 3 star, but I have to say that I am really excited to see where the author will go after this. Her writing and flow in the story is truly good. Can’t wait to see where she will take it next.
(Again, this is my own personal opinion. I review out of personal interest and how I connect with the book).
Can we all just really give Ewe Linka a round of applause for her first novel?
I really did enjoy her lyrical writing, and the flow of her story. I enjoyed the character interaction and chemestry between them.
I need to point out that I base off my review on my personal view, and so it may not reflect the book in its whole, but how I was able to connect with it!
This is a YA novel, but at times I would say it crossed more into Middle Grade, that is not at all negative, but it might be good to know what to expect. It is really written in a beautiful way, and fits well for younger readers.
(There are mentions of death and murders, but no explicit scenes).
I had a few problems with the POV and how they where written back and forth. A few problems where I felt I fell off the story.
I liked the way the author incorporated the plot twists. Some I saw coming and some was a surprise. It left me engaged.
All in all, for me personally it ended on a 3 star, but I have to say that I am really excited to see where the author will go after this. Her writing and flow in the story is truly good. Can’t wait to see where she will take it next.
(Again, this is my own personal opinion. I review out of personal interest and how I connect with the book).
September 20, 2020
Ashen Shadows by Ewe Linka is a great debut novel! The fierce characters and Ewe’s whimsical and lyrical writing style immediately immersed me into the story. I really enjoyed reading about the different friendships and relationships, and finding out how each character was connected to the others. What especially stood out to me was the creative incorporation of letters from the past that gave us more background information and clues as to how everything in the story would tie together. However, I do wish there had been more world building and sometimes I got confused with the POVs and their transitions. All in all, Ashen Shadows was a magical, fun and enjoyable read, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more of the author’s works!
July 21, 2020
For a debut novel I was blown away with the character development, the writing and how the story was wrapped up, I want a sequel!! Blade was my absolute fave, she’s such a gem. I loved the magic and plot but as this is Ewe’s debut, I think we have so much more to come from her! I would’ve loved the see more with the wolves and the magic of the Drishti but I also think this world can be revisited by Ewe and a lot of us would love to see these characters again! I’m so ruined by that ending but it was so perfectly done that I can’t even complain, although an epilogue would’ve been great because I just have so many questions! It was a great YA Fantsy stand-alone novel and I’m so grateful to Ewe for providing me an ARC of her book. I cannot wait for more from her!!
July 19, 2020
This book was absolutely amazing! From the fierce characters, to the edge-of-your-seat plot, to the world-building. Ewe's writing style is excellent, which makes it easy to go through. I cannot wait for her next book!
August 26, 2020
Amazing fantasy book! Loved the story and all the detailed descriptions, it was like watching a movie, so vivid and sound!
July 21, 2020
This slump-busting, romance-heavy, magical fantasy about not one, not two, but THREE heroines who are all kinds of badass, revolves around a plot to kill the evil queen.
Basically, in the land of Valeis, some people are born with an ability to control people’s mind and some are not. They are called Drishti. And while the Queen uses this ability to secure her reign, she feels threatened knowing other Drishti are out there, so she persecutes and hunts them down. That is, until a small group of them, tired of being in hiding and on the run, say enough is enough.
There are wolves, potions, banter, daggers, spells, dungeons, abandoned churches, mind-control, and some mind-blowing twists and turns.
The truth is revealed to the reader through a series of letters from a father to a daughter, and you won’t know the full story until the very last page.
While the story is pretty epic, a plot to overthrow an evil queen, it’s at its absolute best in the small, quiet moments between characters. The dialogue and the banter feel so genuine and were the highlights for me. I honestly couldn’t stand Blade at first, but once we got more vulnerability from her, that totally changed and I loved her by the end. Her friendship with little Adie was the cutest thing ever😭
I feel like the character depth and growth that was achieved, and the complexity of the relationships, came at the cost of a more fully fleshed-out world. Part of me really wanted to understand the magical system more and get a better sense of the historical context and how the society got to this point. But it’s a worthwhile trade-off I think, and maaaaybe could be material for a sequel?👀🙈
But y’all, the atmosphere! The writing is so evocative and moody and beautiful and the attention to detail just brought the whole thing to life.
Basically, in the land of Valeis, some people are born with an ability to control people’s mind and some are not. They are called Drishti. And while the Queen uses this ability to secure her reign, she feels threatened knowing other Drishti are out there, so she persecutes and hunts them down. That is, until a small group of them, tired of being in hiding and on the run, say enough is enough.
There are wolves, potions, banter, daggers, spells, dungeons, abandoned churches, mind-control, and some mind-blowing twists and turns.
The truth is revealed to the reader through a series of letters from a father to a daughter, and you won’t know the full story until the very last page.
While the story is pretty epic, a plot to overthrow an evil queen, it’s at its absolute best in the small, quiet moments between characters. The dialogue and the banter feel so genuine and were the highlights for me. I honestly couldn’t stand Blade at first, but once we got more vulnerability from her, that totally changed and I loved her by the end. Her friendship with little Adie was the cutest thing ever😭
I feel like the character depth and growth that was achieved, and the complexity of the relationships, came at the cost of a more fully fleshed-out world. Part of me really wanted to understand the magical system more and get a better sense of the historical context and how the society got to this point. But it’s a worthwhile trade-off I think, and maaaaybe could be material for a sequel?👀🙈
But y’all, the atmosphere! The writing is so evocative and moody and beautiful and the attention to detail just brought the whole thing to life.
August 15, 2020
This book was a cover buy for sure, and I also wanted to support a lovely bookstagram lady! I'm not blown away by this and I personally would have rewritten certain aspects of the book so it wouldn't drag as much as it did, but oh well 🤷🏻♀️
Writing style: I really had to get used to Linka's writing. Not because it was horrible or anything, it was just different than what I'm used to. It's very lyrical and whimsical and it completely fits with the person I know Ewe Linka to be.
Characters: The characters felt very flat to me. This book is a character driven story, but when the characters aren't interesting I can't seem to keep myself entertained.
Linka connected the three main ladies quite nicely, and I saw one connection coming from a mile away, but the other one was quite a nice surprise!
Story: I like how the plot twist can be found in letters written by the former suitor of the queen. I did not, however, like that it took so darn long to get to the point. It's too bad that the letters were really the only interesting parts of the story. This book is a 300 page introduction that should have taken only 20 something pages.
I was bored throughout most of the book, which is a pity. I'm sure there will be many people who will like this book, it's just not for me. I really don't know what to rate this book. At first I thought I'd give it 2 stars, but since I didn't see the last plottwist coming I feel like I should give half a star more. So 2,5 stars it is for Ashen Shadows.
Last thing I want to mention, I loved the dedication. "To grandpa. From my first steps to your last." It's a beautiful quote and Linka also used that quote in the book which was sweet. I
Writing style: I really had to get used to Linka's writing. Not because it was horrible or anything, it was just different than what I'm used to. It's very lyrical and whimsical and it completely fits with the person I know Ewe Linka to be.
Characters: The characters felt very flat to me. This book is a character driven story, but when the characters aren't interesting I can't seem to keep myself entertained.
Linka connected the three main ladies quite nicely, and I saw one connection coming from a mile away, but the other one was quite a nice surprise!
Story: I like how the plot twist can be found in letters written by the former suitor of the queen. I did not, however, like that it took so darn long to get to the point. It's too bad that the letters were really the only interesting parts of the story. This book is a 300 page introduction that should have taken only 20 something pages.
I was bored throughout most of the book, which is a pity. I'm sure there will be many people who will like this book, it's just not for me. I really don't know what to rate this book. At first I thought I'd give it 2 stars, but since I didn't see the last plottwist coming I feel like I should give half a star more. So 2,5 stars it is for Ashen Shadows.
Last thing I want to mention, I loved the dedication. "To grandpa. From my first steps to your last." It's a beautiful quote and Linka also used that quote in the book which was sweet. I
July 18, 2020
Ashen Shadows by Ewe Linka is a stunning debut novel. The author has created a magical world worth visiting often.
Valeis use to be a place of peace and harmony but Queen Isla has changed all of that with her Drishti ability to control minds. Her ability has made a fierce loyal army that will easily kill other Drishti so that the Queen is the only one in control.
There is hope for the land in the most unlikely sources. Three young girls who have always had their own lives as their number one concern soon realize their priorities need to shift if their land is to survive the onslaught of evil from this Queen. One of them being the Queen's own daughter who has never once thought of disobeying, let alone betraying, her mother.
I really enjoyed the pace of this book. From the very beginning the story unfolds with a letter by someone who knows the whole truth of the Queen and her magic. We quickly meet take no prisoners Blade who has earned that name with the quickness of her deadly knife. I also loved Oliver who was loyal without any necessary mind tricks.
The writer has engulfed us seamlessly into this fantasy world that I believed and cared about very much. I needed just a little more depth, more history, maybe more angst from the Queen herself. I mean even Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones made me feel for her once in awhile.
I truly feel this debut novel is the start of a fantasy world equal to any created by renowned authors like Sarah J. Mass and Cassandra Clare. We just need more of it!
Valeis use to be a place of peace and harmony but Queen Isla has changed all of that with her Drishti ability to control minds. Her ability has made a fierce loyal army that will easily kill other Drishti so that the Queen is the only one in control.
There is hope for the land in the most unlikely sources. Three young girls who have always had their own lives as their number one concern soon realize their priorities need to shift if their land is to survive the onslaught of evil from this Queen. One of them being the Queen's own daughter who has never once thought of disobeying, let alone betraying, her mother.
I really enjoyed the pace of this book. From the very beginning the story unfolds with a letter by someone who knows the whole truth of the Queen and her magic. We quickly meet take no prisoners Blade who has earned that name with the quickness of her deadly knife. I also loved Oliver who was loyal without any necessary mind tricks.
The writer has engulfed us seamlessly into this fantasy world that I believed and cared about very much. I needed just a little more depth, more history, maybe more angst from the Queen herself. I mean even Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones made me feel for her once in awhile.
I truly feel this debut novel is the start of a fantasy world equal to any created by renowned authors like Sarah J. Mass and Cassandra Clare. We just need more of it!
July 15, 2020
I want to thank Ewe again for sending (aka literally delivering the book personally to my doorstep aka being the most dedicated author ever) me an arc of Ashen Shadows.
I was intrigued from the beginning, because who doesn't like a story where three confident young women try to take down an evil queen? And I absolutely loved it.
Ewe's prose is absolutely beautiful, the surroundings are described in such an enchanting way that you would think you are actually in the story yourself. I rarely ever come across such vivid descriptions. The characters have different motivations, but the same goal which makes for an awesome squad if you ask me. And I thought it was such a clever way to already have established relationships or friendships, so that the read can dive right into the story. We see the instant love trope, or instant friendships in so many YA novels, and Ewe has found a clever way around it. And I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.
The only thing I would have loved to see in more detail, is the relationship between Queen Isla and her daughter. I think it would have elevated the story even more to have a grey villain. But that is literally the only thing I can critique. So if you are in the mood for a story of great friendship, good vs evil and a very intriguing magic system, I would say go out there and give this one a chance. I can only recommend it :)
I was intrigued from the beginning, because who doesn't like a story where three confident young women try to take down an evil queen? And I absolutely loved it.
Ewe's prose is absolutely beautiful, the surroundings are described in such an enchanting way that you would think you are actually in the story yourself. I rarely ever come across such vivid descriptions. The characters have different motivations, but the same goal which makes for an awesome squad if you ask me. And I thought it was such a clever way to already have established relationships or friendships, so that the read can dive right into the story. We see the instant love trope, or instant friendships in so many YA novels, and Ewe has found a clever way around it. And I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.
The only thing I would have loved to see in more detail, is the relationship between Queen Isla and her daughter. I think it would have elevated the story even more to have a grey villain. But that is literally the only thing I can critique. So if you are in the mood for a story of great friendship, good vs evil and a very intriguing magic system, I would say go out there and give this one a chance. I can only recommend it :)
July 20, 2020
Three women doing what they can to take down an evil queen with mind controlling powers, in order to free the kingdom.
I think the first chapter is my favorite, when we glimpse somebody breaking in to an abandoned castle and looking for and finding some lost letters that were written by the king. It sets up alot of questions, like who is this quy?, why is he breaking into this place? and why are these letters so important?
Ezme, Blade and Cassandra all have their own reasons for wanting to kill the queen, that are revealed as the story unfolds. Ezmes father runs a safe house for Drishti children. Trying to keep them safe, since as soon as the queen or her guards find any Drishti they are to be killed. When 2 safehouses are destroyed, and her father is killed next Ezme and Oliver know they have to do something. They ask Blade for help as she has a reputation for getting things done.. Then we have Cassandra who has grown up under the thumb of the Queen. Even though she is slowly coming to the realization that Isla isn't a good person, and what she does to the Drishti is awful. She isn't sure what to do, as her mother is very powerful. When a Hunter comes in to the picture its revealed that he has a plan.. But whose side is he really on? You'll have to read the story to find out how everything unfolds. and what the letters reveal throughout the story..
I think the first chapter is my favorite, when we glimpse somebody breaking in to an abandoned castle and looking for and finding some lost letters that were written by the king. It sets up alot of questions, like who is this quy?, why is he breaking into this place? and why are these letters so important?
Ezme, Blade and Cassandra all have their own reasons for wanting to kill the queen, that are revealed as the story unfolds. Ezmes father runs a safe house for Drishti children. Trying to keep them safe, since as soon as the queen or her guards find any Drishti they are to be killed. When 2 safehouses are destroyed, and her father is killed next Ezme and Oliver know they have to do something. They ask Blade for help as she has a reputation for getting things done.. Then we have Cassandra who has grown up under the thumb of the Queen. Even though she is slowly coming to the realization that Isla isn't a good person, and what she does to the Drishti is awful. She isn't sure what to do, as her mother is very powerful. When a Hunter comes in to the picture its revealed that he has a plan.. But whose side is he really on? You'll have to read the story to find out how everything unfolds. and what the letters reveal throughout the story..
July 21, 2020
This book is lovely from the amazing debut author Ewe. I am proud of her for this journey and accomplishing so much. The female leads in this book are strong and wonderful. The writing is beautiful and detailed. Some swoon worthy men that spice up the plot. The Queen gives me all of the “Off with her head” vibes. There are so many moments that I found myself saying “Wow I hate this person” which just made you even more intrigued with her and what was going on around her. Power hungry and power struggles. Forced to hide in fear of death. Over throwing the system. So much going on.
Ashen Shadows is a book full of magic and history. The beginning dragged me in with a beautifully written and tragic letter of a past that gives you all the feels. There are many character POVS that allow you to enjoy more than one protagonist throughout the story. I adore wolves always and was happy to find one in this story. The females are badass and witty. There are twists and turns and swoons and cries. I am sad to know it is a stand alone. For me, fantasy is always a little rough in the start with the world building and trying to understand where it is going but the book is beautiful and something to be proud of!
Ashen Shadows is a book full of magic and history. The beginning dragged me in with a beautifully written and tragic letter of a past that gives you all the feels. There are many character POVS that allow you to enjoy more than one protagonist throughout the story. I adore wolves always and was happy to find one in this story. The females are badass and witty. There are twists and turns and swoons and cries. I am sad to know it is a stand alone. For me, fantasy is always a little rough in the start with the world building and trying to understand where it is going but the book is beautiful and something to be proud of!
February 1, 2021
—2/5—
So I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn’t. To start off this book has a really unique plot line that isn’t fully developed, as well as characters that just appear, rather than being introduced and developed. It’s important to note this book is shorter than expected, which took away from all that the author wanted to do with her truly beautiful idea. After I finished I responded with “that’s it...?” It felt as though I had simply finished a story that was a draft, a really good draft but still no where near the final product. For all that occurred and for the development which was needed to really make this story great, this book needed to be much longer. It needed more dedicated world building, more character development as well as more internal dialog. It’s length resulted in flat characters that did were just blah and stereotypical. If you want a quick read go for it, as it is a really creative story, it just didn't live up to my hopes.
So I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn’t. To start off this book has a really unique plot line that isn’t fully developed, as well as characters that just appear, rather than being introduced and developed. It’s important to note this book is shorter than expected, which took away from all that the author wanted to do with her truly beautiful idea. After I finished I responded with “that’s it...?” It felt as though I had simply finished a story that was a draft, a really good draft but still no where near the final product. For all that occurred and for the development which was needed to really make this story great, this book needed to be much longer. It needed more dedicated world building, more character development as well as more internal dialog. It’s length resulted in flat characters that did were just blah and stereotypical. If you want a quick read go for it, as it is a really creative story, it just didn't live up to my hopes.
July 11, 2020
This book was magic made paper and ink, dreams made true. I loved it so much, maybe too much but I don't care because it was amazing and you all need to go read it!
The characters were the most complex and developed I'd seen in a long time, everything about them so real i wanted to go hug them all, especially Ezme, which I grew fond of. Oliver was a sweet baby as well and Blade was the super badass and entertaining to follow.
The world building was amazing, so well developed and constructed! It was at times a bit confusing but over all, super amazing, a beautiful book born from the magic of royals, of dangerous heists, of strange magical powers and the risk it came to let them show, to shine bright in a world made to take you down.
An adventure you do not want to miss.
Happy reading!✨🖤
The characters were the most complex and developed I'd seen in a long time, everything about them so real i wanted to go hug them all, especially Ezme, which I grew fond of. Oliver was a sweet baby as well and Blade was the super badass and entertaining to follow.
The world building was amazing, so well developed and constructed! It was at times a bit confusing but over all, super amazing, a beautiful book born from the magic of royals, of dangerous heists, of strange magical powers and the risk it came to let them show, to shine bright in a world made to take you down.
An adventure you do not want to miss.
Happy reading!✨🖤
August 8, 2020
So for a debut novel from an author it was pretty damn good... the story itself was intriguing, the characters and their stories well written and interesting.
I think more world building could have helped the story and as well I felt that at times things were rushed or brushed over.. I felt like it jumped from one part to another too quickly without enough of an explanation.
Overall I think it was a good story with a lot of potential and it’ll be interesting to see how the next book plays out. Well done Ewe!
I think more world building could have helped the story and as well I felt that at times things were rushed or brushed over.. I felt like it jumped from one part to another too quickly without enough of an explanation.
Overall I think it was a good story with a lot of potential and it’ll be interesting to see how the next book plays out. Well done Ewe!
July 26, 2020
I am all about a powerful female lead, and this book had THREE of them!
The moment I finished this fantasy novel, I wanted to read it over again, just to find all the hidden messages I may have missed the first time around. It was beautiful and haunting, with a great plot twist towards the end.
There’s action, romance, magic, and MORE! Something for everyone to enjoy. Do yourself a favor and pick up this novel to support a self-published author + dive into a fantastic new world!
The moment I finished this fantasy novel, I wanted to read it over again, just to find all the hidden messages I may have missed the first time around. It was beautiful and haunting, with a great plot twist towards the end.
There’s action, romance, magic, and MORE! Something for everyone to enjoy. Do yourself a favor and pick up this novel to support a self-published author + dive into a fantastic new world!
August 4, 2020
From the very first page you can tell that is book is different from the rest! The writing style of the book is really refreshing and prompts you to read on. If that isn’t enough to hook you in, the storyline and the intricately thoughtout characters should do it! Really REALLY urge you all to buy a copy and dive into the brilliant book that is Ashen Shadows. You won’t regret it!
July 28, 2020
What a fun read! I really enjoyed the descriptions throughout the entire book. I found myself rooting for characters and loving certain character's attitudes. Also, this is SELF PUBLISH! I can't wait for what Ewe is going to write next!
July 14, 2020
I don't read a lot of books, but something about the prose of this one drawn me in so much so that I've stayed way past midnight to finish it. I won't spoil anything, but the ending took me completely by surprise. Excellent read, highly recommend.
July 20, 2020
So good!!!!
Want to Read
July 16, 2020Grace said read this, so that's why I'm here.
September 5, 2024
𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀: 𝙰𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚋𝚢 𝙴𝚠𝚎 𝙻𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚊
.
“𝑁𝑜𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑖𝑠."
.
𝖲𝗒𝗇𝗈𝗉𝗌𝗂𝗌:
The land of Valeis was once home for all Drishti but since Queen Isla begun her rule, she has used her power for cruelty and deception. “𝑵𝒐𝒘, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒅𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒖𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕. 𝑪𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔." This story is about three young women and their journey to end the Queen’s treacherous reign. “𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏'𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒅, 𝒌𝒊𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅." And it all begins with a letter from someone who knows the whole story…
.
“𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 ℎ𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔."
.
𝖱𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐:
This standalone YA fantasy novel has taken my heart. It was so amazing and I’ll definitely be reading it again in the future. I found it to be a quick, fun and adventurous novel which was addictive and hard to put down. The contents of unravelling secrets amongst mysteries flowed well on every captivating page.
.
“𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑢𝑛𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑."
.
𝖯𝗅𝗈𝗍:
The storyline held an entrancing magical system along with a well-developed and constructed world atmosphere, to the point that is was very easy to settle myself into the surrounding environment of the story. The buildup throughout the whole of the story was fast paced, always interesting and never predicable. “𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅." The ending twist added much to the story in regards to making it all clear. There was also witty banter, light romance and strong characters involved.
.
“𝐾𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑙𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑙."
.
𝖶𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀:
It felt natural and was easy to read. It was beautifully done with the perfect mix of dialogue and descriptions. The descriptive writing was enchanting to read and helped me to image everything vividly.
.
“𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙 𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤, 𝑝𝑜𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑤𝑛𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑛 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠. 𝑆𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑢𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑, 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠, ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠, 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠."
.
𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌:
This story is told from the perspectives of three independent, confident and strong young women. They were well written with depth and uniqueness. Even though they all had the same goal to take down the evil queen, their motivations were different. I enjoyed getting to know all of them separately through the alternating POV chapters. Each one had a realistic voice and feelings that I could connect with. The character development they all went through was great especially Blade’s. “𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆." I instantly loved her as soon as she was introduced and has become one of my favorite characters because of her intriguing and admirable characteristics.
.
“𝐺𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛."
.
𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾:
Each of the women were given a significant other so the romance varied between the couple. “𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒑, 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒕." Each relationship fit into a different trope yet the angst was always there for them all and I loved it.
.
“𝑃𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛'𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑜𝑟 𝑏𝑎𝑑. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒'𝑠 𝑎 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 '𝑎𝑛𝑑' 𝑖𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛. 𝑁𝑜𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑦 𝑒𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟."
.
𝖮𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅𝗅:
A perfect YA fantasy standalone that I highly recommend to everyone looking for a satisfying, thrilling novel filled with adventure, angst, revenge, secrets, friendship, romance and magic. Ewe did a phenomenal job with this debut novel and I couldn’t be happier for her about this accomplishment
.
**𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺n ARC 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝖺𝗇 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐.**
.
𝖱𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀:
★★★★★
.
𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 ♡
.
“𝑁𝑜𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑖𝑠."
.
𝖲𝗒𝗇𝗈𝗉𝗌𝗂𝗌:
The land of Valeis was once home for all Drishti but since Queen Isla begun her rule, she has used her power for cruelty and deception. “𝑵𝒐𝒘, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒅𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒖𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕. 𝑪𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔." This story is about three young women and their journey to end the Queen’s treacherous reign. “𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏'𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒅, 𝒌𝒊𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅." And it all begins with a letter from someone who knows the whole story…
.
“𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 ℎ𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔."
.
𝖱𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐:
This standalone YA fantasy novel has taken my heart. It was so amazing and I’ll definitely be reading it again in the future. I found it to be a quick, fun and adventurous novel which was addictive and hard to put down. The contents of unravelling secrets amongst mysteries flowed well on every captivating page.
.
“𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑢𝑛𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑."
.
𝖯𝗅𝗈𝗍:
The storyline held an entrancing magical system along with a well-developed and constructed world atmosphere, to the point that is was very easy to settle myself into the surrounding environment of the story. The buildup throughout the whole of the story was fast paced, always interesting and never predicable. “𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅." The ending twist added much to the story in regards to making it all clear. There was also witty banter, light romance and strong characters involved.
.
“𝐾𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑙𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑙."
.
𝖶𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀:
It felt natural and was easy to read. It was beautifully done with the perfect mix of dialogue and descriptions. The descriptive writing was enchanting to read and helped me to image everything vividly.
.
“𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙 𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤, 𝑝𝑜𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑤𝑛𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑛 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠. 𝑆𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑢𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑, 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠, ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠, 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠."
.
𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌:
This story is told from the perspectives of three independent, confident and strong young women. They were well written with depth and uniqueness. Even though they all had the same goal to take down the evil queen, their motivations were different. I enjoyed getting to know all of them separately through the alternating POV chapters. Each one had a realistic voice and feelings that I could connect with. The character development they all went through was great especially Blade’s. “𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆." I instantly loved her as soon as she was introduced and has become one of my favorite characters because of her intriguing and admirable characteristics.
.
“𝐺𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛."
.
𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾:
Each of the women were given a significant other so the romance varied between the couple. “𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒑, 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒕." Each relationship fit into a different trope yet the angst was always there for them all and I loved it.
.
“𝑃𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛'𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑜𝑟 𝑏𝑎𝑑. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒'𝑠 𝑎 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 '𝑎𝑛𝑑' 𝑖𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛. 𝑁𝑜𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑦 𝑒𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟."
.
𝖮𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅𝗅:
A perfect YA fantasy standalone that I highly recommend to everyone looking for a satisfying, thrilling novel filled with adventure, angst, revenge, secrets, friendship, romance and magic. Ewe did a phenomenal job with this debut novel and I couldn’t be happier for her about this accomplishment
.
**𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺n ARC 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝖺𝗇 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐.**
.
𝖱𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀:
★★★★★
.
𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 ♡
September 22, 2020
I absolutely adored it❤
Ashen Shadows is a beautiful fantasy adventure, Ewe Linka's first novel is a lush, magical, adventure about three young women's battle with the evil Queen's reign.
The character development of #ashenshadows is brilliant especially Blade's. Blade is one of the best fantasy character. She is strong, intriguing and understands the full depth of her responsibilities. She is admirably witty and has a healthy dose of confidence. 💞
I just couldn't stop reading as every page was thrilling! I especially liked the interesting turn of events as the ending was totally unexpected. Ewe Linka's descriptions were so clear that you could picture the world so vividly in your head. 💛
Ashen Shadows is a beautiful fantasy adventure, Ewe Linka's first novel is a lush, magical, adventure about three young women's battle with the evil Queen's reign.
The character development of #ashenshadows is brilliant especially Blade's. Blade is one of the best fantasy character. She is strong, intriguing and understands the full depth of her responsibilities. She is admirably witty and has a healthy dose of confidence. 💞
I just couldn't stop reading as every page was thrilling! I especially liked the interesting turn of events as the ending was totally unexpected. Ewe Linka's descriptions were so clear that you could picture the world so vividly in your head. 💛
January 8, 2021
This book was really fun to read. I really enjoyed Ewe’s style of writing and it fits perfectly into the YA fantasy genre.
One of the main plus points for me was that the story is told from the perspectives of 3 girls and they each manage to have their own voice. They don’t blend into one another at all.
There were times where I was left wanting more. More from a scene, more information but I guess that did leave me wanting to keep reading!
I feel like an epilogue would have tied it all up, or maybe just a little bit more information in the last page or so but again I guess it’s left it at a place where Ewe can write more if the inspiration strikes.
One of the main plus points for me was that the story is told from the perspectives of 3 girls and they each manage to have their own voice. They don’t blend into one another at all.
There were times where I was left wanting more. More from a scene, more information but I guess that did leave me wanting to keep reading!
I feel like an epilogue would have tied it all up, or maybe just a little bit more information in the last page or so but again I guess it’s left it at a place where Ewe can write more if the inspiration strikes.
October 16, 2023
I have never read through a book this quickly, and found it hard to put down as I had to know what was going to happen next. Ashen Shadows was worth every penny. Can't wait for your next book, Ewe!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews