For twenty-five years, I believed there wasn’t much to my mundane life. Then, the unimaginable happens, landing me in a world that shouldn’t be real, yet feels oddly familiar.
A father I didn’t know existed is dying and only their king can save him. Except he’s refusing to do so unless I make good on the contract I supposedly signed…five hundred years ago.
King Asher is beloved by his people, too attractive for his own good, and…a wolf god. He calls me his mate and his future queen, but I’m neither of those things. I’m just a human who was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
I’m not the lost wolf princess.
At least that’s what I tell myself until my memories start to return. I want to believe this is nothing more than a dream, but the longer I’m in Lunara, the more I realize…
My reincarnation didn’t just happen to go wrong. I was murdered, cursed to forever be reborn on Earth.
Now I need to figure out who’s responsible before it happens again and try not to lose my heart along the way.
This is the first standalone novel written within the Wolves of Lunara series. If you love wolf shifters, romantic fantasy, fated mates, reincarnation, and so much more, then you don't want to miss this one!
Heather Renee is a USA Today Bestselling author who lives in Oregon. She writes Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy novels with a mixture of romance, humor, and sass. Her love of reading eventually led to her passion of writing and giving the gift of escapism.
When Heather's not writing, she's spending time with her loving husband and beautiful daughter, going on their own adventures. She loves to hear from her fans, so visit her website: www.HeatherReneeAuthor.com and check out the Contact Me page for ways to connect.
A Curse of Shadows is the first standalone book in The Wolves of Lunara Series, and what a phenomenal read to start the series off!
🐺 Wolf Shifter Standalone 🐺 Fated Mates 🐺 Romantasy 🐺 Found Family 🐺 Mystery 🐺 Reincarnation 🐺 Secrets 🐺 Betrayals 🐺 Dual POV
This book is such a beautifully written friendship, respectful partnership, exquisite love story and truly addictive read. The world building was easy to understand and I enjoyed the inclusion of the Gods. There was lots of banter, mysterious goings on, lost memories returning, found family and of course, romantasy ❤️🔥
I adored the sassy FMC Isla and the Golden Retriever MMC Asher. Such strong characters and along with the side characters, I fell in love with them all. Well maybe not all of them, but as this is a spoiler free zone, when you read their story, you'll absolutely know who I mean!
Asher and Isla's love story was utterly heart warming and I adored it so much. The connection they shared and just how deep their love flowed was so precious.
The epilogue hinted about whom the second book, A Crown of Fates, would centre around, and I can't wait until I can feast my eyes on it. This new series of Heather's might gallop into the lead as my favourite series from her.
If you like dual POV, fast paced, suspenseful, angst filled, enthralling, heart pounding action and shifter romance, I highly recommend you don't get lost along the way and portal yourself straight into Polaris 💖🐺👑❤️🔥🫶
Wow. Wow. Wow. This is not my preferred genre, in fact I have been purposely ignoring Romantasy, because of all the hype… I’m not sure what got me to pick up this specific story but, boy was I wrong! A Curse of Shadows was FANTASTIC! The plot was unbelievable, the characters felt so real and all the fantasy elements actually enhanced my enjoyment reading this book! This author knocked it out of the park and I can’t wait for book 2!!!
I got about halfway through before skimming. There’s just so many things that I have questions about that need answers and the author doesn’t actually answer them. I knew who the villain was from the first time they were mentioned, which was probably chapter 2…? Things are going so fast but also so slow and I really dislike having so much internal monologue all the time. The internal monologue was a bit redundant. I also don’t understand why she starts off holding such a large grudge and is so rude to the king from the second he steps in front of her. Some actions and thoughts don’t really line up with the personalities of the person randomly throughout the book.
There’s parts that the author forgot and made mistakes that bothered me. Some examples:
Isla is so tired that she goes to bed fully clothed and just throws the comforter over herself. Then she’s woken up and deals with Asher at the door and then decides to shower and she starts to take off her sleep shirt…. Umm she was in a sweater…
She’s running and looks back and she’s really far from the castle. Comes to a stop and then boom! Asher is suddenly there and she never once heard or saw him coming after her and she’s suddenly sitting down and he asks to sit by her. What? She was just running…
There’s also little parts that just don’t make sense and had me scratching my head thinking I was going crazy.
I did like the idea of the book and I like some of the descriptions used in the book… but it was missing things that may seem inconsequential, but end up taking away from the book as you start to notice them and it distracts from the rest of it.
If you’re looking for a simple and spicy fantasy romance about found family, fated mates, alpha males who will only look at the FMC, wolf shifter and reincarnation then this one might be for you!
This story is told from dual POV, our main characters - Asher and Isla. The writing style is easy to read and the plot has a beauty and the beast vibes at the beginning. I really like the world building with the portal between Lunara and Earth as well as the four different kingdoms. I wish there’s more explanation regarding how the magic of the portal works.
While the pacing is a bit slow, but I really find the mystery of the curse and reincarnation very intriguing. It kept me interested from the beginning until the big reveal.
As for the romance, at the beginning Asher and Isla didn’t exactly get along which I kinda wish last a little longer, I would love to see more bantering between them before eventually getting to know each other again. The spicy parts are well written and not too much as it doesn’t take over the main plot.
Overall, this is an enjoyable read – it’s simple and not too complicated with unique world building and lovely characters. I’m looking forward to read the next book about King Theo and Estee!
Thank you to Book of Matches Media and the author for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!
This was such a fast-paced read with wolf shifters, a curse that needs breaking, and a lost love that pulls at your heart. I really loved Isla! She was so relatable. And Asher? He’s a keeper!! I loved how patient he was with her. The worldbuilding was so fun to imagine, and of course the meddling gods are up to no good. The narrators, Lucas Webley and Michelle Sparks brought the characters to life. It was an addicting listen! The ultimate betrayal is coming...but the real question is, will everyone survive?
A very special thanks to the author for the gifted copy.
Standard medieval fantasy world with photos, slacks, and sweaters. The FMC complains that the castle doesn't have an elevator. Asks medieval fantasy characters to let her make a phone call. If that's not brain damage from teleporting between worlds, idk what it is.
The characters don't have any distinct voices, they talk like millennials (or one and the same millennial). Ultra shallow story. Wish fulfillment at its best(or worst). I thought oh maybe you just have to be in the mood for a surface-level fluffy dumb story like this one, and it's not so bad, but the longer I kept reading the more I was convinced that there were no redeeming qualities. From its writing to characters to story, everything sucks here. Bland and boring.
Overall it was good. Was missing a little meat..maybe more world building? As with most shifter novels they say “mate” more times than I care for but overall the plot was good and a who done it that left you guessing for awhile.
If you're into wolf shifters, fated mates, and reincarnation, A Curse of Shadows is definitely worth checking out.
Isla’s world gets flipped upside down when she stumbles into a realm ruled by wolf shifters and meets King Asher, her mate who has been waiting 500 years for her to return. Their connection grows as they dig into the mystery of Isla’s mysterious past, and the chemistry between them makes for a fun, swoon-worthy romance.
The world-building is straightforward, and I loved the mix of mystery, magic, and the touch of sassiness from Isla and her sister Estee. I can’t wait to see where the rest of the series goes!
This was a fun and fast paced fantasy murder mystery with reincarnations and wolf shifters and spicy romance that had me flipping the pages. The reincarnations especially I thought were handled so uniquely because it was a natural and expected part of the world to be reborn and have memories of your past life.
I really enjoyed both Isla and Asher’s characters. Isla was smart and rightfully suspicious of Asher when she first lands in Lunaria. Asher’s love and dedication to Isla had no limits. And I loved Isla and Elodie’s bond so much! That hint at the end for the next couple has me so excited. And even some of the hints sprinkled throughout the book for potential stories in other kingdoms I’m really looking forward to.
The murder mystery was well done and had you suspicious of everyone. But I was especially suspicious of the culprit from the start 👀.
Heather Renee kicks off the Wolves of Lunara series with A Curse of Shadows; I cannot tell you how much I loved this book.
The characters were great (including a few side characters who won my heart) and the world-building was great. I liked the incorporation of gods into the story but it was the overall plot that got me. This book had everything including one of the best romances ever. The utter and complete devotion and love Asher had for Isla made my heart beat faster. The couple shared a deep connection that couldn't be denied even if in the beginning Isla may have wanted to. I must give Heather credit, this book had some of the best romantic speeches I've ever read. Most definitely swoon-worthy.
As a big fan of murder mysteries, I can not tell you how much joy this book brought me. Isla has been reincarnated after being murdered but no one knows who did it. As the story progressed, I had a list of suspects on rotation in my head. I was putting clues together and had so many questions. It seemed like every two chapters I would change my mind about who the killer could possibly be and just when I thought I had it there was a twist, this went on until the killer was finally revealed.
A Curse of Shadows was excellent and just might be my new favorite Heather Renee book. I am so looking forward to seeing what else this series brings.
Absolutely mesmerizing with intricate world building and delicious second chance romance! This romantasy is a must-read if you crave fated mates, reincarnation, betrayal, pack drama, and one heckuva murder mystery. These characters are beautifully detailed, and the plot is oh so cleverly crafted. With twists and turns that will leave you gasping and an ending that will cast a warm glow to your heart, you'll be coveting a physical shelf trophy to display as you reread it many times to come.
Isla is this fierce woman who knows her own mind and refuses to be pushed around. When she's faced with a real life Beauty and the Beast reality, she's going to have to brave her own path while piecing together a past tragedy.
Asher's soul has been mourning his other half for centuries. Who can blame him when he'll do the unthinkable to keep his fated mate close!? He's the total package, too! Dreamy and determined, be sure to guard your heart, or he'll steal it away.
I cannot praise this unputdownable book enough! The writing is seamless and flowing while painting such vivid scenery and characters that will pull upon your heartstrings.
Isla has been living a lie. Ripped from her home, her family, and her real identity hidden from her for 500 years – She’s the lost wolf princess. And as much as she tries to deny that, the memories of another life start to return and a lot of things begin to make sense… she was murdered and left to live out her future reincarnations on Earth. But why? With the help of her long lost family, and the devastatingly handsome King Asher, she sets out to get the answers she desperately seeks.
I thought that this book was okay, it didn’t really grab my attention as much as the next shifter romance out there. There were some aspects that I did enjoy and some that were big let downs for me. The main one being that the villains' reasons for doing what they did were bad – they just didn’t make sense and held no substance. I had to read the words ‘blue vagina’ and I don’t think I’ll ever recover. I had to put my kindle down and stare at my wall. And some parts were just confusing, even when I reread them a few times stuff didn’t quite add up. However, there were redeeming qualities, as previously stated.
This story has action, magic, and romance. I enjoyed reading about Isla’s mission of discovery about her past, and her relationships with the people she lost after so long. The lore was interesting to learn about, as were the shifter elements. In particular, I thought the reincarnation aspect was really fun and the ideas and reasonings behind certain aspects of it were super cool. And the romance! Isla and Asher were equal parts devastating and sappy – a good combo if you ask me.
This was a fast paced book that was a breeze to read and despite it being quite lengthy it didn’t drag. Anyone that likes shifter romances should give this a read.
Thank you to Book of Matches Media and Heather for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Rounded up because it wasn't catastrophic nor problematic.
The short description of the story grossly overpromises what is being delivered. The FMC gets transported into a different world from Earth where she turns out to be the spitting image of their lost princess. She is upset and would like to go back...until she decides not to be? From quite the beginning she is being led and dragged ever which way. Not a single original thought in my girl's head. The MMC is just a guy and he is also a king and also a shifter. His two personality traits are anger because someone hurt/threatened/looked at his girl or love bombing because his girl exists.
The writing is very, very, VERY tell. No showing in sight. The dialogue is clunky and performative. The world-building is confusing, especially the reincarnation parts. They have corded phones to call for food and housekeeping I guess. Is there electricity? I could not tell you.
The plot is pretty easy to follow, though it is not explained enough. The villain of the story was pretty easy to guess though at some point I did think it had been made obvious cause it was a misdirect perhaps (it wasn't). I think if the different pieces of the story were to be cut and others built out in more detail there is something there. As it was, too many things just happened, they were not explained, and they almost never came back to play any part ever again.
I could not tell you what happened in this book - the plot was absent and not compelling at all. The writing was pretty poor, in my opinion - very repetitive and constantly "telling". In one scene, the FMC goes "now that I've shifted, I have a sudden desire to remember where I came from" and does a little lore drop.
Other offenses: - We're told in every Asher chapter how loyal and reliable Malimorte is so that Isla can say "could Mali have done it? no, he wasn't even born then and I chuckled to myself" - We're reminded in every Asher chapter how great of friends he is with Noem, but also so highly suspicious of Noem's intents with Isla
I got to 66%, hoping something would happen, but effectively DNF'd by flipping pages to get to the end.
You will guess who "kills" the FMC and you will definitely guess who orchestrated her death. The villain, if you want to call them that, has a very poor motive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Isla, our FMC, is human (or so she believes) and was raised in the foster system on Earth, after a few wrong turns, she's magically transported to a world full of magic. Insert King Asher - who has spent the last 500 years missing half his soul, his fated mate Isobella, who went missing without a trace.
Turns out, the land Isla has been transported to is full of wolf shifters and reincarnation, and Isla is the most recent version of Isobella and Ashers fated mate from all those years ago.
We face an adventure of figuring out what happened to Isla all those years ago, and watch her memories slowly return. And what an adventure it is! Honestly, I devoured the book within 24 hours - I literally couldn't put it down, a strong 4.5 stars!!
I really enjoyed the first half but after that it kinda fell off to me and I didn’t really enjoy the ending. It was more just ok for me. Kinda anticlimactic really. It was the dad in the end but his reasoning was kinda..dumb? Also I didn’t like how the first smut scene was in the MMC pov….thats a ick for me bc why are we doing that 🤨
I was excited for the next book to read but it’s about Estee and I don’t care for her. Ever since she ran off on isla when she recovered her memories it kinda pissed me off. I know why she did it but isla was also going through shit and needed her. For days she was gonna and left her sister. All for her to not even come back on her own, they had to find her ass 🙄
Also- the writing felt a little juvenile. I think that it would’ve been interesting to have started the book from her death scene. Have the prologue start and end there. Then have chapter one begin with her new life/ reincarnation.
I think if the author spent more time world building and explaining the past you would have gained a better understanding of the characters. Sadly, I didn’t connect well with the characters because I didn’t truly know them. Besides the fact that they were all struggling with the complexity of the situation happening to them and around them.
The book was so predictable, the foreshadowing left me to guess everything! I just didn’t love the characters and the book honestly fell so flat for me.
This was about the same quality as the previous wolf shifter book I read. I knew who was the bad guy, there was no mystery to it really. Sometimes, the writing was weird. Wanted to be more flowery I think but it seemed forced, not natural. I liked that he was in love with her way before she was. But also I would have loved it more if we saw their previous life together, or even just snippets written as they were happening. These memories seemed like they weren’t even happening to the main couple.
The story unfolds in a predictable and uninspired way, leaving little to keep the reader engaged. Unfortunately, the dynamic between Asher and Isla lacks any real chemistry, which makes their relationship feel flat. The writing itself doesn’t bring much depth, and most of the characters come across as one-dimensional. For a world that promises enchantment, there’s surprisingly little magic explored beyond the shifting. Overall, the book failed to capture my interest, and I don’t plan on continuing with the series.
I really wanted to like this one. Unfortunately the character development was not there. It felt rushed and I didn't feel any connection to the characters. With more development this could make for a better story.
There are quite a few steamy make out scenes. I usually only read YA. I only state this because I want parents who care about what their kids read to be aware. And a lot of f-bombs. I really don't like those. That's why this one is one star less than a normal review for me. That being said I am a huge fan of Heather's. I have signed books & special editions.
The beginning of this book reminds me of something I would do while driving. Isla somehow gets on the highway going the wrong way. She is distracted by her thoughts and misses ages exists to turn around. The highway ends with a turnpike. There is nowhere to turn around & the lady in the toll booth insists she pay & keep the line moving. She could care less for her sob story. Isla keeps driving when her car disappears and she sees a bunch of lights. Eventually she ends up in another world. They instantly recognize her as a princess that disappeared over 500 years ago. She's taken to a castle where a grouchy King named Ashton gets upset because she has no memories of this world. He sends her to her room.
Isla immediately worries that her best friend (soul sister) is raising cane looking for her. As leverage to get her to stay Asher finds her father & threatens to kill him if she doesn't stay 4 weeks. As her fragile father heals he realizes Isla's best friend sounds like her sister who disappeared a year after her sister. Asher immediately sends two people to retrieve her. Did I mention that Isla & Estee (her sister) both have their appearance change when they enter this new world? Oops sorry. When they get her sister somehow she has some of her memories. Isla has a lot of overwhelming things thrust at her. Like she's a wolf shifter like everyone else. Neither woman can access their wolf for some reason. Throughout the book both women have memories come back that help them piece together what happened to them & whose responsible. In order for the wolves to live so long they are reincarnated. The only way for Isla to bond with Asher & get her wolf back is pretty brutal. However, both happen.
I feel so bad for Grayson Isla, & Water's father. He lost one daughter & then the other. The loss was so hard that their mom couldn't take it. She died of a broken heart. Leaving Grayson. That is why he was so fragile when Asher found him. He was starving himself to death. However, Asher being an Alpha King could heal him. Asher was so torn up when Isla disappeared. He had search parties looking for her for 100 years. He refused to move past it & take someone else as him mate. If he had they would have never had the strong bond he had with Isla. They were actually born on the same day which is unheard of. When Asher saved Isla from another wolf they spend time talking while they walk back to the castle. Asher is so sweet because I know it had to be so hard keeping his hands to himself. There were little touches here & there. He let her know he would never pressure her. He told her she was safe with him. And he encouraged her to talk to him and he never laughed at anything she thought or felt.
This does have a HEA. Even if there is a goddess that is creepy & tries to get Asher to make out with her. No can do when you have a mate. The ending has a small cliffhanger maybe we should call it a trench. Lol! Estee is in the next book & she to leave the Island.
𝑀𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠💭🧐 Thank you so much to @heather.renee.author & @bookofmatchesmedia for my review copy of 𝐀 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒! This review is comprised entirely of my own thoughts & opinions, & is based on the copy I received.
This book was absolutely amazing! A Curse of Shadows is the first book in a set of interconnected standalones set in the Wolves of Lunara series, and it’s perfect for fans of wolf shifter romances, found family, and fantasy romance that also has a little bit of mystery going on!
This book was so unputdownable! The world building was so amazing, and easy to follow, and I kind of loved that we got to learn all about the world of Lunara right along with Isla, our FMC. She’s thrust into this world unexpectedly after growing up in the foster system on earth, and when she gets to Lunara, she finds out she’s the reincarnated mate of Wolf Shifter King Asher, our MMC. I loved getting to know our MCs! I’m such a sucker for a golden retriever MMC and Asher was the absolute epitome of that energy! He was super broody in the beginning, and possessive and growly but once he realizes that this isn’t going to fly with Isla, he becomes such a cinnamon roll for her! It made my heart melt reading their journey in this book and I loved every second of it. Asher’s feelings for Isla never skip a beat, even when she’s being stubborn and difficult about it. It’s really just so beautifully written!
I truly enjoyed the mystery element this book featured too! I loved trying to figure out the whodunnit scenario and was seriously blown away by the plot twists! There was so much that happened that I wasn’t expecting and I was constantly guessing at everything, in the best way!
Overall, I definitely recommend this one! It’s a great read for this time of year and if you’re looking for a new shifter romance obsession! I loved the epilogue and love that we kind of got to see who it ✨might✨ be about! I’ll definitely be continuing the series and can’t wait for the next book!