Shadow and Smite

by Mel Braxton

"I need to save my sister." —Zayne

A necromancer holds the strings to my sister's soul. By rescuing her, I'll save the Shadow Court.

I have a plan. It’s a longshot, but it is the best I have. I’ll draw the attention of undead Shades. The Shades, however, pursue someone else: Ayla, a beautiful fae I dismissed too quickly. Turns out, there's something special about her—I just don't know what it is.

“Soon, I’ll be a stowaway.” —Ayla

I’m on the run, fleeing to the Isles of Fae. As a part-fae bastard, I want to escape my past. Maybe I'll learn the truth of my heritage or find the Firewolf I see in my visions. I’m going. And nothing can derail me—at least until Zayne ruins everything.

Because of him, I am branded by Shades. Now a gray blemish grows on my chest. With time, it will bind my soul, kill me, and raise me as an undead. I didn’t escape just to be slain.

Zayne has a remedy, one he will share—if we save his sister from a necromancer.

My options are limited, and I join his quest. Only I have secrets, and I don’t trust him. Yet every time he heals my brand, he touches my bare skin. With his palm pressed to my heart, I’m drawn closer to him.

There’s no denying the fire between us. Or the obstacles. As my brand and feelings grow, I realize escape was a terrible plan.

The Isles of Fae are at stake in this epic adventure. Shadow and Smite is book one of four. This is a slow burn, steamy series featuring a single romantic couple.

Genres: Fantasy Romance, Fantasy, Slow Burn, Fae, Romance, Amazon

271 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2022

About the author

Mel doesn't know what to do with reality, so she daydreams of fantastical places. With strong heroines, thrilling plots, and toe-curling romance, she captivates readers with her storytelling. She loves her family, especially Lulu the dog, who mistakenly believes Mel’s job is to be a professional puppy cuddler.

Reviews

[Lucrezia Castello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being half fae has never helped Ayla integrate; let's also add that she is the illegitimate eldest daughter of Queen Aveline of Valterra: jackpot, ladies and gentlemen💀
If we take into account why she is on the run from home and why she is forced to change ships so often to avoid being discovered... Yes, a rather difficult existence😶‍🌫️

In between these journeys, he meets him, Zayne - the Shadow Prince: she never expected to meet one of the few survivors of the catastrophe that befell his land; but there he is, charming, mysterious and a walking danger🙄

Through their various misadventures we will better understand both of their backgrounds and how they ended up in those less than pleasant situations...
Little by little we approach hidden truths for both Ayla and Zayne. Although, unfortunately, fate does not always go in their favour: through a series of unexpected challenges and revelations, our MCs will do their best to get to the root of the story, but not without leaving an indelible mark🔥

A twisted, steamy and overwhelmed story about betrayal, magic guides and found home🥺

The second volume of #boundbythronestrilogy will be releasing on June 21st, so stay tune for more updates😍

[Jesse Lemire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong start to the "Bound by Thrones" trilogy. Wasn't sure what to expect when I started, but it turned out to be a hidden gem.

3.75⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2.5🌶🌶🌶

Tropes
✅️Prince x Princess
✅️Hidden Identity
✅️Hidden Powers
✅Shadow Daddy/️Necromancer MMC
✅️Badass Half Fae FMC
✅️Wolf Sidekick
✅️Fae/Humans/Gods/Dieties
✅️Slow Burn
✅️Epic Quest
✅️Star-Crossed Lovers
✅️Court Intrigue

Triggers
☑️Loss of Loved One
☑️Death
☑️Violence

This trilogy has some potential. Necromancy always tickles my interest, so our Shadow Daddy MMC is pretty cool. I thoroughly enjoyed the description of how he is able to slip into The Underwolrd while using his powers.

What I enjoyed more is that the FMC is badass enough to hold her own and doesn't need to rely on the MMC. Not much of her power was discovered in the first book, so I am thoroughly intrigued to follow along with Ayla's journey...plus, who doesn't love a flaming wolf diety as a companion?

Lots of room for character development...and I am DYING to see more of Zayne and Ayla's bond grow. ❤️‍🔥

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadow and Smite was a great start to what I’m expecting to be a faced paced action packed series, which I love. It is on the shorter side too which was great, I read this in a matter of days after being completely sucked in from the start.

It’s got a half fae-half human bastard princess FMC who is on the run from her past, and an MMC Prince and necromancer who is on a mission to save his sister from evil little monsters called shades who are trying to take over her body. After bumping into each other they decide to journey together to where sis is being held captive, and things get a little bit steamy as their connection towards each other grows. The evil they are fighting and the FMC’s dormant powers only scrape the surface and we are treated to a neat little hook at the end of the story hinting where the next book will take them.

If you are after a fun fast read and love faced past adventures, you should check this series out, I can’t wait to see where the next books take us!

[Toni M · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all the book cover is absolutely stunning and sets the pace for this book perfectly!
So yes I decided to get this arc for the cover alone but that doesn’t shine the light away from the wonderful story telling and the great writing style this author has.

I love, love, love book maps.

I’m loving the dedication too!

I was hooked. The author did such a great job with world building and creating such interesting characters.
There is so much mystery surrounding Ayla and Zayne throughout the book.
A lot of detail went into this story and I loved Ayla and the gnomes 😱 especially the part with the tree.
I consumed this book within a matter of hours, I needed all the information straight away, it just couldn’t go into my brain quick enough.

This was a fantastic read and I can’t wait for more of this series. I bloody loved it!!

Highly and I mean highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy.

[Amanda Callies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadow and Smite was such a fun read. We follow Ayla a half human- half fae who is on the run from something in her past. As she’s escaping, she runs into Zayne, a prince who wields shadows and death. He is after one thing, the ability to save his sister Eleanor from the Gloom that is overcoming the shadow isles. His plan was simple, use the Shades to track down Eleanor, except Ayla has brighter magic and now she’s the one who is branded.

Together, Zayne and Ayla must trust each other and themselves to fully overcome their pasts and to beat the gray general and the shades that are killing fae.

I had such a fun time reading this book, it was short and sweet but still had that tension between the characters of will they or won’t they kiss. I’m so excited for book 2!

Shadow daddies, dark necromancer magic, the cutest littlest fire companion ever and accidental mates, I mean what more could you want?!

[Kelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Showed up for the steam, the shadow daddy and the redhead FMC and stayed for literallyyyy everything 🤤 I think because this book is on the shorter side I wasn’t expecting it to grip me so fiercely but I really fell in love with it. Ayla is an absolute force and I saw myself in her so often, not just in her strength but her vulnerability. The chemistry and banter between her and Zayne pulled me in so fast and I just adored them together. The emotional components beneath the story were beautiful and made the characters feel so real. There was a really sweet found family trope that I loved and made me wish the book was longer bc I wanted more of Rhett and Vanessa!! The world building felt expansive and immersive, and I’m excited to explore more of the court lore we got a taste of in this book. I absolutely devoured this steamy little snack (no one tell my boss i read most of it in a single shift) and cannot wait for more Ayla & Zayne 😍

[Nit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. It was quick and easy and an overall enjoyable time. I loved Ayla and her strength and determination. She took everything in stride and truly had great intentions behind all her actions.

I do wish the book had been longer. The romance felt a little rushed, and I feel like there wasn’t enough buildup. It felt a little like insta-love/insta-lust, which is typically not my cup of tea. I also think it would have been nice to learn more about Ayla’s family and backstory rather than the cursory details that were provided.

Overall, this is an exciting adventure story, and the fantasy world that is painted is pretty interesting. Hopefully, we can learn more about the world and magic system in the future.

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

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadow and Smite

A fast-paced and exciting fantasy that was easy to get into. I enjoyed the overall story and loved the shorter chapters that allowed me to fly through this novel.

Ayla was a warrior who was charming and fierce. I enjoyed her determination and look forward to seeing more of her growth and strength in the up coming books.

Zayne was a noble shadow daddy set on doing his duty and the right thing. I loved his character and admired his loyalty and dedication.

Their relationship was a quick instalust kind of build. There wasn’t much spice but there was loads of sizzling tension!

Tropes of note in here were; fae romantasy, enemies to lovers vibe, quest, trials, animal companion, one bed, one ship, forced proximity, royalty, shadow daddy, necromancer, magical creatures, steamy tension, runaway princess, bond, she saves him, wound tending, and more!

[Kelsey Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing book. The way this started off with how Ayla met Zayne at the bar was great and I loved how Ayla inadvertently interfered with Zayne’s plan to go save his sister because of that. I love when the MCs are like oh nothing is going to happen, I don’t *actually* care about them but in reality they’re irrevocably connected. It was really great seeing Ayla learn about who she really is and connecting to her power. I absolutely LOVE Ninti and I need a lesser deity firewolf for myself. I think the idea of all the different deities is really interesting and Leodoras totally made me think of The Neverending Story. The reveal about Gloom was actually pretty heartbreaking and I hope Ayla and Zayne can save the day (and the Fae Isles) in the next book. This was low spice but the tension was incredible as was the banter.

[Tara U · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good start to a series. The action and fantasy parts are what kept my interest while the romance part was a bit forgotten about. There is chemistry between the main characters but there isn’t much spice and the main focus was on family relations. I can see this evolving into a found family, shadow daddy adventure in the next book and I loved the world building in this one. Zain and Ayla are both strong characters that can hold their own in battle and evolved through the book. Unfortunately, it’s been 3 years since this book has been released and there is no sequel available yet which will be detrimental in keeping the readers interest in continuing the series.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a slow burn, steamy four book series.

🖤 Necromancy
🖤 Curses/Branding
🖤 Epic Quests
🖤 Royalty
🖤 Animal Diety Sidekick
🖤 Trials

Shadow and Smite focuses on our two MC's Ayla and Zayne. Alya has always been seen as an outcast,  being half fae with no magical powers. She is currently on the run. After a chance encounter with Zayne, Prince of The Shadow Court she soon finds herself entangled and set out on an epic quest.

I really enjoyed the Elemental Trials and the edition of the Firewolf. I also can't wait to see where Mel takes Zayne and Alya's relationship goes.

thank you Mel and Behind the Pages for the gifted copy. My thoughts and review are my own.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

From lovable characters, unique world building interesting animal deities, good pacing and all our favorite tropes, Shadow and Smite is a romantasy to fall in love with.

I thoroughly enjoyed exploring Zayne and Ayla’s story as they journeyed across the perilous Fae Isles. Along the way they discover new allies, unearth secrets and betrayals, and unerringly grow closer. Both have different goals to accomplish but fate has thrust them together for better or worse and I can’t wait to see where their story takes them.

[Sissy Satterfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this was a good story. This is a first for me by this author, and I really enjoyed reading it. Ayla and Zayne worked well as a couple and I did enjoy the steamy scenes. I feel that it was well written and I will look for more from this writer. I Loved It!!! No Spoilers!
I Received an ARC from BookSirens and I am Leaving this Totally Honest Review because I Choose to and Liked the Book!!!

[Dana 🦋 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Rating: 4⭐️
Spice Rating: 1🌶️
Format: E-book 📱

🌻🦋 My Review 🦋🌻

Gosh this book was so fun. From the start, the lore, the bastard princess & the exiled prince, their chemistry, their journey everything just grabs your attention!!

The world building, chefs kiss fantastic. This is such a good book. I can’t wait for book 2! I need to know what happens. Like does Ayla’s mother know she’s alive? Do they get the shards? Do they finally do it?

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the world building and magic system that this book started to develop, it just felt like too much was trying to be stated and created far too quickly. The events and situations within this one book could have very easily been developed and spread across multiple books in a series to allow deeper understanding. Even so, I liked the characters and how it was begun and will probably continue the series.

[MarlyUsagi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced

I enjoyed this book very much, it was quite fast paced and while it's labeled as a steamy fae romance there isn't really all that much steam! But regardless I am eager to see where this story goes, and what more gods appear and what's brewing in the future for Ayla and zayne

[khubble · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a lot of fun with this! Just proves that a romantasy doesn’t have to be 400+ pages to capture your attention and make you care about the characters. I like these shorter books for the intensity and faster pacing! And who doesn’t love a horned fae shadow daddy and a fmc with a firewolf?? Definitely continuing this trilogy in 2026!

[Erin Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Cover is gorgeous! Cute story though it honestly felt a bit too rushed at times. The world building was good. Ayla and Zayne had an insta-love type romance. Overall Shadow and Smite was an enjoyable read.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the wording in the first couple of chapters felt a little clunky, and I wasn't sure I was going to finish it, but as I got into ot more I really liked the wold and the characters, and this was a fun read. I look forward to reading ing more by Mel Braxton in the future.

[Sheila Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fae and Princeling

Unique and spell binding! Every page weaves a symphony of words that are a music of chaos, entrapment and wickedness! An exp!oration of an unexpected bond and a shard leading you to the unknown!

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a sweet book! I truly loved that Zayne was not the typical MMC and didn’t demand his place at Ayla’s side, but rather asked. I loved the shameless flirting between the two and the relatability of both characters.

I’d love to be an ARC reader for book 2, Secrets and Starlight. 😉

[Sunny Summers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think when the english teacher told people to show, not tell, this author completely did not remember. And honestly the magic system felt very whatever, like none of the physics worked at all. And i dont like it that much, so. Yeah.

[Kim Pow · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't waste your time

It's been quite a long time since I've read a truly dull novel. The plot, characters, flow and tone were all poor. No excitement, no entertainment, nothing endearing.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good start to a new series that has action, adventure, and good main characters. I found it to be entertaining and enjoyable. I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my honest review.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I had buried those questions when I filled the grave. To escape, to survive – I had ignored the pain”.

I enjoyed this book for what it had to offer, however I feel like it could have been so much more. This book flew too close to the sun as there were many elements to the story but not enough pages to cover everything in enough detail to fully grip me. I liked the characters and their relationship, this book just felt very surface level and that it could have had so much more to give if we were able to dive deeper.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story jumps straight into the action and I'm totally here for it. I love all of it; the FMC, the MMC and the storyline. This is the first of a trilogy and I will definitely be reading the rest of the series. Fantasy, romance, fae, curses, and adventure. What more could you want?

[Andrea Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shadow and Smite
3.5 Stars

This was a pretty quick and enjoyable read. The world building was good, the adventure was entertaining. I also liked the action scenes. However, the romance portion was lackluster (it felt YA, to me) and I'm just not a fan of insta-love. Zayne was too arrogant/immature for my liking and I found it hard to connect with him. Ayla and Zayne both come from a traumatic past.

Overall, I liked this book, but think it could have been executed better. I absolutely love the artwork on the cover of this book. They did a great job!

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

[Madeeha Idrees · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful read! I could not get enough.

✨️Tropes✨️
Epic Questions
Star-Crossed Lovers
Enemies to Lovers
Spice
Court Intrigue
Found Family


✨️Thank you so much Mel Braxton, and Behind the Pages PA for the gifted EARC✨️