Shadowed Skies by Haley Cavanagh
Welcome, book lovers! I’m thrilled to be part of the Shadowed Skies blog tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. If you’re in the mood for a gripping dystopian tale with a touch of romance, a splash of sci-fi, and a pair of unforgettable winged protagonists, you’re in for a treat.
Shadowed Skies by Haley Cavanagh sweeps readers into a broken world where survival is uncertain, trust is a luxury, and love just might be the key to reclaiming hope. With dual perspectives, a richly imagined world, and characters that leap off the page, this YA novel will keep you turning pages long into the night.
A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.
Shadowed Skies Summary:
In Shadowed Skies by Haley Cavanagh, River Shaw is the last of his kind—an Evol-human with wings, hiding from a world that fears him. When fugitive Delene Fairborne crash-lands into his secluded life, their fragile connection sparks something powerful. As they face drones, soldiers, and a sinister scientist bent on control, they must decide if love is worth the risk. This YA dystopian romance is a soaring tale of survival, trust, and the courage to fly free.
Shadowed Skies Giveaway – Win a $10 Gift Card:
Haley Cavanagh will award a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
Shadowed Skies Book Review – YA Dystopian by Haley Cavanagh
Book Details
Shadowed Skies By Haley Cavanagh
Published by Independent Publisher on April 1, 2025
Genres: Dystopian, Romantic Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 208
River - He’s the last of his kind, a winged warrior hidden in the mountains. River Shaw has lost everything: his sanctuary, the only shield from a world that fears and hunts him. When Delene, another of his kind, crash-lands into his life, wounded and on the run, his solitude is shattered.
Delene - She’s a fugitive with a secret, escaping the clutches of dark forces that took everything from her. Delene Fairborne’s flight to freedom leads her to River and the spark of a bond neither can deny.
In a landscape scarred by betrayal and danger, River and Delene must navigate their growing feelings and the sinister scientist who will stop at nothing to harness their power. Shadowed Skies is where love takes wing, hope soars, and destiny entwines.
Dive into a world where every heartbeat is a rebellion, every glance a promise, and every flight a taste of freedom.
Source: Goddess Fish Promotions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shadowed Skies Excerpt – A Glimpse Inside the Story
I wake to a muscular, silent figure looming over me, his wings casting unnerving shadows. Intelligent dark eyes scrutinize me from his smooth, brown face framed by cropped black hair and raven quills. He’s been around the block.
My guard shoots up. I’d stand, but my body’s too weak from the climb. “Your nest, huh? Sorry, I didn’t see your name on it.”
“It’s carved right over there.” He points past me to the rockface. My eyes travel over the stone, where he’d etched River in craggy letters. The carved name is so tiny I didn’t notice.
“Now you’re supposed to tell me your name. That’s how this goes.”
I blink. “Delene Fairborne. Listen, would you mind if I–– ow,” I scrape against the wall and suck air through my teeth. I clamp my eyes shut.
“Are you okay?”
I shrug the blanket off, and my injured wing flops lamely near my shoulder. River’s eyebrows lower, and he comes closer.
“Let me look.”
He stows his serrated hunting knife, presents empty hands, and crouches to examine my injury. “Relax. I won’t hurt you. Let’s see the damage.” He’s gentle, avoiding the wound and handling my feathers softly. He lightly touches the bandage.
“Dr. Lytle runs the Stockade, the underground bunker and lab where the humans imprison and experiment on our kind. His men hunted me down and shot me with a crossbow as I tried to escape. The wound is still healing–I changed the bandage earlier, but without a spare set of clothes, I had to tear strips off my pants to re-dress it.”
“Hmm.” He examines the back with a frown. “There’s an exit wound.”
“Yeah, I pulled it out.”
“Well, that was stupid of you. You could have died if those goons pierced a blood feather.”
My temper flares. “Oh, as opposed to leaving it in. I’d rather take my chances, thanks.” My voice is hostile, though I’m grateful for his help. I still don’t know who he is or what he wants, and my mother warned me to be on my guard.
River sits back on his haunches, sighs, and meets my eyes.
“Doesn’t look good. How long have you been here, kid? A day or so?”
“I’m no kid. I’m seventeen.”
“Well, I’m eighteen. So, you’re a kid.”
“By what, a few whole months?” I snicker. “Okay. If a kid free-climbed in the pitch-black up a hundred-foot cliff to get here, I guess I’m a kid.”
After examining the wound, he says, “The damage looks fixable. Let’s clean this well to prevent infection.”
“I’ve cleaned the wound.”
“Clean deeper,” he admonishes. “I don’t have antibiotics, but I’ll try to get some. Or at least honey. Honey heals.”
He hesitates before retrieving water, then takes a rag from his pouch and soaks the cloth. With the knife still in hand, he comes closer.
“Look … You seem all right, but I’m a lone wolf. I operate solo. You have a target with a big ‘X’ on your back. I feel bad for you. I do. But you know how it is with our kind.” He gives me a blatant look, so here’s your cue to leave.
“Gee, I’d kindly vacate the premises, but I can’t fly.”
He rubs the back of his neck, agitated. “The valley’s full of drones. And they’ve got at least a dozen soldiers combing the forest.”
“I’m sorry.” I shift my eyes down. “You never asked for any of this.”
“None of us did,” he waves me off. “The soldiers are here. I’m screwed either way.” He pauses and assesses me. “Stay the night. Then after that, I’m sorry, but you need to find somewhere else to hide.”
The night might be all I need. “Thank you.”
Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where to Buy Shadowed Skies (Kindle, Paperback, Bookshop)
If the above links do not direct you to your country's Amazon page, please let me know, and I'll be happy to provide you with a link.
Using my link does not change the price you pay. Amazon pays me a minimal amount from their share, and every penny helps support this blog.
Purchase Shadowed Skies from YOUR local Bookshop!
(For anti-BigStore readers, Bookshop.org is an excellent way to support your favorite authors…and bloggers.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shadowed Skies Book Review – My Thoughts
“They weren’t made to be caged. They were born to rise.”
Shadowed Skies expertly blends action and heart. River and Delene are both beautifully layered characters, and their dual POVs bring out the raw emotions and high stakes of their world. Their dynamic shifts from guarded suspicion to deep connection, all while evading a villain who embodies calculated cruelty.
I especially loved the balance between introspective healing and outward danger. Scenes in the mountains pulse with quiet intensity, while encounters with Dr. Lytle are chilling and deeply satisfying. Haley Cavanagh’s writing makes you feel every bruised wingbeat and unspoken word.
Shadowed Skies by Haley Cavanagh delivers a compelling blend of dystopian grit, romantic tension, and emotional depth. With a richly imagined world and unforgettable winged protagonists, this YA novel explores what it means to survive, trust, and love in the face of relentless danger. If you enjoy slow-burn romance, dual POVs, and stories that mix sci-fi with heart, this one’s well worth the read.
Thanks again to Haley Cavanagh, Our Street Books, and Goddess Fish Promotions for the opportunity to review this captivating story.
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway—and let me know in the comments: Do you love dystopian novels with a romantic twist?
I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review represents my honest and unbiased opinion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love my Amazon Kindle Unlimited Subscription. So many books, so little time!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Haley Cavanagh is a military veteran, wife, and mother. She is a multiple award-winning and best-selling author and the two-time recipient of the League of Utah Writers Silver Quill Award in 2020 and 2024. Haley is an alumna of Columbia College, a musical theater nut, and she loves to dive into any book that crosses her path. Haley resides with her family in the United States and enjoys spending time with her husband and children when she’s not writing. She loves to hear from her readers and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media. About Haley Cavanagh
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enter the Shadowed Skies Giveaway
Visit more stops on this Goddess Fish tour for extra chances to win!
Official Tour Page for Shadowed Skies
Full Tour Schedule:
June 5: Karen J. Mossman
June 5: Gina Rae Mitchell
June 12: Books in the Hall
June 19: Country Mamas With Kids
June 26: The Faerie Review
June 26: Boys' Mom Reads!
Having trouble seeing the widget?
👉 Enter to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC - a Rafflecopter giveaway
📚 This review is part of a virtual book tour hosted by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Goddess Fish Promotions for including me in this tour. Be sure to visit the official tour page to find more stops, interviews, and chances to win!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look for me here ⇓
If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to like, follow, share, and comment!
#BookSky 💙📚
This post will be auto-shared with the above accounts, even if I am not active there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let's talk books! Or Food! Or Crafts! No matter the subject, you can find civil discussions in the chat. All mean, spammy, derogatory comments will be deleted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you would like to review books for Goddess Fish Promotions, please click the link below:
Goddess Fish Virtual Book Tour Host
Discover more from Gina Rae Mitchell
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
[…] 📚 Featured Book: Shadowed Skies […]
[…] Shadowed Skies by Haley Cavanagh […]
I have this one on my TBR! Thanks for the excerpt & your review! 🙂
This should be a very interesting novel. Thanks for sharing.
The book sounds like a fascinating read. Great cover.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it.
Sounds like a great book, I'm a big fan of dystopian novels.
I bet you would love it.
You would absolutely love this book, then!
It's on my TBR, I'm excited to check it out when I get some more time to read next month!
Sounds interesting
Thank you so much for this thoughtful and insightful review! I'm so pleased you enjoyed the book. I'm available to answer any questions for readers. I hope you all enjoy Shadowed Skies!
All the best,
HC
Thank you for reviewing SHADOWED SKIES today.