Fresh Fridays: To Kill a Shadow (Mistlands #1) by Katherine Quinn

Fresh Fridays: On Friday, I review a brand new series (ie. only has one book released so far) to see if the series is worth keeping up with. Here is this week’s offering:

Mistlands Series

Other books planned to be in the series:

Synopsis for To Kill a Shadow (from Goodreads):

ude Maddox knows nothing of love or even light. He knows only his grim duty as the Hand of Death, to lead the Knights of the Eternal Star into a land filled with nightmares and certain demise. It’s only when he sees her —a young woman with wild, amber eyes who’s as fierce, defiant, and swift as the shadow beasts themselves—that he feels the warmth of life in his blood…

The other Knights may fear their lethal commander, with his hard, merciless demeanor. Outcast Kiara Frey sees only a leader, a man who knows how to survive. A man like her . But wanting him is as treacherous as the shadows themselves…and just as seductive.

With a kingdom on the verge of collapse, the Knights must now venture into the darkest heart of the land and uncover the secrets of the misted shadows, where evil will prey upon their minds and feast on their flesh.

It will betray their senses.
It will surpass their nightmares.
Most of them will die.

But they have no other choice. Because the only way to fight the darkness… is to become it.

Author: Katherine Quinn
Series: Mistlands
# of Books: 1+ (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: No
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Action
Heat Rating: Warm
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: November 28, 2023 – ongoing
Source & Format: Netgalley–eARC

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

When I read the synopsis for this novel in a Forever ARC email, this just sounded like something I would enjoy. A kickass heroine, a potential forbidden romance with her commander and a mysterious mist…queue my intrigue.

What I Liked:

–The World Building–

I never felt lost when it came to the worldbuilding. Albeit complex, it was easy to understand and follow along. It’s a layered world and I like how that builds up the idea that something bigger it at play. The little tidbits of letters, world lore and other correspondence at the start of each chapter really helped build up not only the world and its mythology, but also the notion that there is more going on in this story than just the mission Kiara and the knights are sent out to complete. It just added this fantastic layer of suspense to the story that kept me reading.

–The Plot–

WOW! You know, when I look back so much happens in this book. Things are always evolving and it keeps you on your toes as a reader with the twists and turns. I honestly didn’t start putting some of the pieces together until it was revealed to the reader which is always a bonus in my eyes when I didn’t predict something 30 chapters beforehand.

–The Romance–

I love a good forbidden romance and this one was excellent. It burns at just the right strength throughout the novel to keep you coming back for more. But it also does a fabulous job of developing our lead characters as well.

What I Didn’t Like:

–Lagged a Bit in the Middle–

While I do think this book did a good job balancing all its elements, I just find it just a tad on the longer side.

My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:

Can’t wait to see where this is going to go next!

My Rating: 4/5

To Kill a Shadow 4/5 | Book 2 TBP

A fantastic blend of romance, adventure, suspense and action in a layered fantasy world!

Read if You Like: world-building, fantasy
Avoid if You: dislike slow stories

• Realm of Knights by Jennifer Anne Davis (Knights of the Realm Series #1)
• Ignited by A M Deese (Dance of Elements Series #1)
• Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian (Ash Princess Series #1)
• Dance of Thieves by Mary E Pearson (Dance of Thieves Series #1)

Disclaimer | Request a Review | Contact