Title: Crown of War and ShadowAuthor: J.R. Ward
Series: Kingdoms of the Compass #1
Pages: 480
Publication Date: Feb. 26, 2026
Publisher: Bramble
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Romance
Synopsis:
An outcast burdened with a curse and a mercenary who's out for himself collide in this star-crossed, slow-burn, high-stakes romantic fantasy from #1 New York Times bestseller J. R. Ward.
In the dead of night, passions rise and empires fall.
Welcome to Kingdoms of the Compass.
The Fulcrum is failing, and demons are slipping into the mortal world, stalking the night.
No one is safe.
Especially not Sorrel. An orphan and an outcast, she’s spent her whole life within the walls of her small village, ostracized for her mystical abilities. She wants to survive…and maybe find somewhere she can call her true home. But Fate has other plans.
Sorrel has been chosen. Cursed.
She must cross the Badlands to return the Queen's crown and convince the fearsome female to save their world from destruction.
Well aware she’s no brave hero, Sorrel makes a dangerous deal with Merc, a brooding, commanding mercenary known only by his unscrupulous profession.
The deal? A night in his bed that she will never forget, in exchange for her safe passage.
But Merc has secrets of his own, and even though passion runs hot between them, enemies are around every corner, and danger and betrayal threaten at every turn.
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Crown of War and Shadow is a great start to J.R. Ward’s Kingdom of the Compass Series! I loved the intricate worldbuilding and plot. The world is so vivid and easy to visualize, and the plot is twisty and action-packed. With monsters, demons, gods, ogres, some horrifyingly scary spiders, and malicious humans, it’s a brutal and dangerous world, especially for a woman like Sorrel, who has abilities that make her a target. I would definitely suggest checking out the content warnings before reading, though, because there are some darker scenes and elements.
Sorrel was a fantastic protagonist, and I like that the story is told from her point of view. You really get to understand her perspective, but you’re also only seeing things from her perspective, too. She’s a resilient and determined person, and she’s way stronger than she knows. I liked her growth over the course of the story and how she slowly learns about herself.
Merc is brooding, mysterious, and lethal, and he’s also a bit mean to Sorrel. I have to admit, I struggled with his character. There are some points where he is so appealing, and there are other parts when I didn’t like him at all, mostly when he insulted and degraded Sorrel, and when he doesn’t listen to her or believe her. Looking back after a very big revelation in the story, some of his behavior and things he’s said don’t make sense, but I have a feeling we’ll see more consistency from him as the series continues.
The story has a lot of twists and turns, and there are several shocking, mic-drop moments that left me stunned. I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes, especially after that ending! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
“Even a mouse needs to bite if threatened.”
“Truth does not require acceptance to exist.”
- Forced proximity
- Only one bed
- Chosen mates
- Dark mercenary
- Who did this to you?
- Touch her and die
- I’ll die for you
- Hidden magic
Thanks for the great review! I’m glad you enjoyed the worldbuilding and the ‘mic-drop’ moments. I’ll definitely take your advice and look into the content warnings before diving in. Can’t wait for your thoughts on the next installment!