Young adult fantasies often blend together for me, with one fae prince seeming very much like any other. It’s not often that one YA fantasy really sticks out as a distinctive read from the rest of the pack. “Quest of Shadow and Ruin” really is a different sort of read, though. There’s adventure, magic, gangs and guilds, and lots of secrets. There’s even a really awesome changeling creature who is snarky and such a clever addition. But there’s essentially no romance. It’s a refreshing take on the genre and a read that would satisfy most readers, from younger YA to adult readers.

The Blurb:

A thief. A bounty hunter. A journey to save their loved ones.

Andi swindles Folkway’s cruelest men for a living. When her best friend Eris goes missing, she vows to bring her back. Using only her wits, she traces Eris’s last whereabouts to the wealthy General Nox.

Apprehending Andi is Caden’s only hope of paying off his family’s debt to General Nox. But his plan goes awry when the wily criminal escapes. After Caden is kicked out of his bounty hunter faction, his best bet is to strike a deal with her.

Their arrangement seems sweet and simple: he leads her to Nox; she pays off his debt. But nothing is ever as it seems.

As they embark on a journey through unfamiliar waters, forests infested with mysterious beasts, and a city full of lies, their time to confront Nox is trickling away. War is spilling into every land, and the secrets between the two travelers threaten to expose their true faces.

When every step is a struggle, can they make it to the general in time?

Or will they lose everyone they love?

Quest of Shadow and Ruin is an explosive YA epic fantasy adventure filled with danger, deceit, and desperation. It is the first installment of the Shadow and Ruin series.

The Review:

Andi and Caden need each other, even if they won’t tell each other that. Each has their own reason for lying and each will do what it takes, including using the other, to get back the person dearest to them. General Nox has taken both Andi’s best friend and Caden’s brother, and it’s unclear what exactly the General wants with either of them. As Andi and Caden make their way towards the general, wielding knives, potions, and lies in their defense, they manage to earn each other’s respect, even if they don’t learn to really like each other all that much.

Final Thoughts:

This was a great, fast read! I definitely recommend it to those who enjoy the genre and like a good adventure. It was clean, fun, and had the best changeling companion. I would read the sequel just for her!

Rating: 3.75/5 stars.

You can find “Quest of Shadow and Ruin” on Amazon and Goodreads.

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Thanks to the authors and to Booksirens for an advanced copy of this book for review!