I would like to start off by saying thank you. Thank you for introducing me to black romantic fantasy. I’ll just be honest and admit that I didn’t know it existed. I could not get enough of Mayhem and the Mortal. I’m definitely going to have to check out your other fantasy and romance books.
Now, as I mentioned, I didn’t know black romantic fantasy was a thing, and that’s what initially drew me to Mayhem and the Mortal. The first line of books are important, and I was definitely drawn to the story because of your first line. You had me wondering what it meant and what was going to happen. The first meeting between Zaira Quinlocke and Thane Valkor was so funny that I couldn’t stop the cackle that came out of me. Then I proceeded to feel a little awkward on Zaira’s behalf. But it was definitely funny.
I loved that you wrote a fantasy romance where the heroine was just a girl. You didn’t give her fighting skills, extraordinary powers, or have her tasked with saving her realm. Zaira is just a mortal baker with the purest of trusting hearts, who simply wants to save her cursed older sister, Analla. Your hero Thane. Oh. This man has being a bassbowl down to a tee. But I love that about him. While he is a sorcerer and a highly-skilled assassin, I think actually taking someone’s life weighs on him. Unlike others, he doesn’t do it for fun. Thane is a troubled soul, and the backstory you’ve written for him is sad, tragic, and touching. Thane is all brooding and dark, whereas Zaira is light and airy, a ray of sunshine.
I also loved the secondary cast of characters you surrounded Zaira and Thane with. Like Zaira and Thane, these characters own a piece of my heart.
You did a wonderful job of making this an adventurous story with dangerous moments, while making it fun, with banter between this mismatched group of characters. The fact that along the way they unknowingly became a found family was truly special. Thane and Zaira have this magnetic pull between them. I knew the book was supposed to be spicy, but wow. That third-hand scene was something. Oh my god. You gave Zaira glasses! The fact that you made her have the idiosyncrasy of actually having glass made me feel seen.
In case I wasn't clear before, I loved Mayhem and the Mortal. The last sentence. Oh. That last sentence got me. I’m excited that this is the first book in a trilogy. I am going to be anxiously waiting for news of the sequel. I really think this series has the potential to be one of my favorite series. I’m sure this story is going to live rent-free in my mind for years to come.
Wishing you and Mayhem and the Mortal much success.
Kim
~ Favorite Quotes ~
“Apologies are only necessary when regret is felt.”
“Actions will always speak much louder than words.”
**Received a copy of the book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it. Also personally purchased a hardcover edition.**
Rating: 5
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by: Shanora Williams
Series: Mayhem and the Mortal
Genre: Dark Romantic Fantasy
Release Date: March 17, 2026
Publisher: Entangled ~ Red Tower Books
Dungeons & Dragons meets The Wizard of Oz in this darkly hilarious romantasy adventure in which a young woman who will do anything to rescue her sister from an evil sorcerer's curse hires a ruthless assassin. They embark on a quest with a band of misfits, one of whom harbors a devastating secret that could ruin her fairy-tale ending.
One mission. One curse. No escape.
Zaira doesn’t want a hero. She needs a weapon.
To save her sister from a soul-devouring curse, she has to cross The Shallows—a nightmare landscape of ruined magic, shifting paths, and vicious creatures that eat people alive.
Her guide? Thane Valkor: sorcerer, assassin, walking red flag. His name clears rooms. His magic kills quietly. And whatever he’s really after, it’s not salvation.
He promises to help. He might even mean it.
But Zaira knows better than to trust a liar with a blade and ice in his veins.
She just doesn’t have a choice.
As a self-proclaimed “mood writer”, Shanora has never believed in boxing herself in. Her desire has always been to take risks and challenge herself. If a plot is relentlessly on her mind, she will try her hand at it.
When she isn’t writing, she’s deep in family life, binge-watching shows and movies, working out, gaming, or getting cozy with a book. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and three sons.
Places to find Shanora Williams:
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