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Shadow Herald
In the world of Rhimn, a Herald is a god’s highest servant, bound to carry out their god’s will until the day of their death.
Raised from the grave and into lifelong servitude by Silamir, a goddess of death and rebirth long thought to have been dead herself, Navaeli the Shadow Herald has never known peace. The knights of the Irongardhe empire hunt her down on the orders of Regent Elaina, the Sunlit Herald whose god killed Silamir in the first place. Unfortunately for Navaeli, Silamir would rather fight her battles with her own two hands — even if she has to steal Navaeli’s body to do it.
Navaeli is resigned to her fate as either a corpse or a vessel for her vengeful goddess…
That is, until she winds up protected (and infuriatingly infatuated) by one Crislie Crimsworth, a handsome hooligan girl with a brawling addiction. As if Crislie wasn’t trouble enough, circumstances force her into an unofficial custody of Meparik, a mute feyrie child with more trust in glamour than kindness.
It turns out that there are some people who are worth staying alive for after all… But can Navaeli break free from the chains of her duty, or will she be the first casualty in the oncoming war between the gods?
“Soft lesbian romance and found family fights back against a cruel world in this LGBTQ+ dark fantasy series…”
Paperback edition not presently available. Ebook may be obtained through Itch.io!
Raised from the grave and into lifelong servitude by Silamir, a goddess of death and rebirth long thought to have been dead herself, Navaeli the Shadow Herald has never known peace. The knights of the Irongardhe empire hunt her down on the orders of Regent Elaina, the Sunlit Herald whose god killed Silamir in the first place. Unfortunately for Navaeli, Silamir would rather fight her battles with her own two hands — even if she has to steal Navaeli’s body to do it.
Navaeli is resigned to her fate as either a corpse or a vessel for her vengeful goddess…
That is, until she winds up protected (and infuriatingly infatuated) by one Crislie Crimsworth, a handsome hooligan girl with a brawling addiction. As if Crislie wasn’t trouble enough, circumstances force her into an unofficial custody of Meparik, a mute feyrie child with more trust in glamour than kindness.
It turns out that there are some people who are worth staying alive for after all… But can Navaeli break free from the chains of her duty, or will she be the first casualty in the oncoming war between the gods?
“Soft lesbian romance and found family fights back against a cruel world in this LGBTQ+ dark fantasy series…”
Paperback edition not presently available. Ebook may be obtained through Itch.io!
- GenresLGBT
280 pages, Paperback
Published May 20, 2021
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 9, 2021
A copy of the book was provided to Sapphic Book Club for free in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Shadow Herald exceeded all of my expectations! I'm a rather picky reader when it comes to fantasy, so I definitely approached this one rather cautiously. I was pleasantly surprised- the characters in this book felt well-developed, the world was compelling, and I honestly wish I'd read this when I was younger.
The main characters are Navaeli, the (somewhat unwilling) servant to the exacting goddess of Death, and Crislie, a girl from a rural village who loves to solve her problems with her fists. The two are later joined by Meparik, a cynical and isolated faerie from the city. Each of these three characters felt realistic and somewhat relatable, albeit in vastly different ways. I'm hard-pressed to pick a favorite! This group of misfits doesn't always get along, and I like that aspect of their relationships with each other- it helps remind me that mistakes can be forgiven.
The world of Rhimn brings in some of my favorite fantasy elements. The time period is vaguely medieval with magic (a classic) but the addition of both a set of nearly extinct gods and faeries made it feel original as well as familiar. I felt like I got a good sense for the world from the beginning, but there is still a lot more to explore. Without including any spoilers, I will just say that I'm interested in learning more about the gods.
Overall, Shadow Herald is one of the best sapphic fantasy books I've read! It would be great for a preteen/teenage audience, because although there is certainly some romance, it's not the main point of the story and it isn't explicit. There is violence and blood, as well as systematic inequalities, but all are presented in a way to make it accessible to a younger audience. That being said, I think this book would appeal to somewhat older readers, so if you or someone you know enjoys fantasy novels, definitely check this out!
Rating: 5/5 stars
Shadow Herald exceeded all of my expectations! I'm a rather picky reader when it comes to fantasy, so I definitely approached this one rather cautiously. I was pleasantly surprised- the characters in this book felt well-developed, the world was compelling, and I honestly wish I'd read this when I was younger.
The main characters are Navaeli, the (somewhat unwilling) servant to the exacting goddess of Death, and Crislie, a girl from a rural village who loves to solve her problems with her fists. The two are later joined by Meparik, a cynical and isolated faerie from the city. Each of these three characters felt realistic and somewhat relatable, albeit in vastly different ways. I'm hard-pressed to pick a favorite! This group of misfits doesn't always get along, and I like that aspect of their relationships with each other- it helps remind me that mistakes can be forgiven.
The world of Rhimn brings in some of my favorite fantasy elements. The time period is vaguely medieval with magic (a classic) but the addition of both a set of nearly extinct gods and faeries made it feel original as well as familiar. I felt like I got a good sense for the world from the beginning, but there is still a lot more to explore. Without including any spoilers, I will just say that I'm interested in learning more about the gods.
Overall, Shadow Herald is one of the best sapphic fantasy books I've read! It would be great for a preteen/teenage audience, because although there is certainly some romance, it's not the main point of the story and it isn't explicit. There is violence and blood, as well as systematic inequalities, but all are presented in a way to make it accessible to a younger audience. That being said, I think this book would appeal to somewhat older readers, so if you or someone you know enjoys fantasy novels, definitely check this out!
July 18, 2021
A copy of the book was provided to Sapphic Book Club in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this book a lot, but I didn't love it. I was really intrigued by the world this book established, and would have loved to learn more about the world. Perhaps additional information from the perspective of the more worldly characters (Navaeli or Meparik maybe) because the history of the world really drew me in, especially . I also did not realise this book was on the younger end of young adult, which threw me slightly as I usually read older YA or adult fiction.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm excited to see what Heeren does with the worldbuilding she has started.
I liked this book a lot, but I didn't love it. I was really intrigued by the world this book established, and would have loved to learn more about the world. Perhaps additional information from the perspective of the more worldly characters (Navaeli or Meparik maybe) because the history of the world really drew me in, especially . I also did not realise this book was on the younger end of young adult, which threw me slightly as I usually read older YA or adult fiction.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm excited to see what Heeren does with the worldbuilding she has started.
June 19, 2021
This book was given to the Sapphic Book Club for an honest review.
3.5 Stars
The story follows Navaeli, the herald for the goddess of death and rebirth; Crislie, a small town brawler; and Meaprik, a mute fae pickpocketer. The three of them end up working together to try and find a way to help Navaeli.
This was a fun YA fantasy book. I would put this book closer to the younger end of YA, it gave me Percy Jackson feels in terms of tone. The world is fascinating. I like how Heeren created the world of the gods. I look forward to the sequel and the continuation in the world building.
This appears to be Heeren's first book and it shows in the writing. While there are some bumps, I am excited to see how Heeren grows as an author. The ideas and character creation is there, and once the writing gets there, this will be an excellent read for all.
I recommend this book for fans of YA fantasy.
3.5 Stars
The story follows Navaeli, the herald for the goddess of death and rebirth; Crislie, a small town brawler; and Meaprik, a mute fae pickpocketer. The three of them end up working together to try and find a way to help Navaeli.
This was a fun YA fantasy book. I would put this book closer to the younger end of YA, it gave me Percy Jackson feels in terms of tone. The world is fascinating. I like how Heeren created the world of the gods. I look forward to the sequel and the continuation in the world building.
This appears to be Heeren's first book and it shows in the writing. While there are some bumps, I am excited to see how Heeren grows as an author. The ideas and character creation is there, and once the writing gets there, this will be an excellent read for all.
I recommend this book for fans of YA fantasy.
December 22, 2025
4.5 stars
This story was so cute and entertaining and contained some really interesting ideas. I especially loved the origins of the feyries. The plot was pretty straightforward in this book, but I have the feeling that things will get more complicated in the sequels. The main characters were complex and delightful and it was really great seeing them create a found family of their own. The secondary characters were intriguing too, but they weren't a priority in this first book. And the world was quite fascinating, leaving me eager to learn more about it.
I'm very much looking forward to the sequel.
This story was so cute and entertaining and contained some really interesting ideas. I especially loved the origins of the feyries. The plot was pretty straightforward in this book, but I have the feeling that things will get more complicated in the sequels. The main characters were complex and delightful and it was really great seeing them create a found family of their own. The secondary characters were intriguing too, but they weren't a priority in this first book. And the world was quite fascinating, leaving me eager to learn more about it.
I'm very much looking forward to the sequel.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews