Review: Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead

Thorn Queen (Dark Swan #2) by Richelle Mead
Publication Date: August 1, 2009
Publisher: Zebra
Number of Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
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Eugenie Markham is a shaman for hire, paid to bind and banish creatures from the Otherworld. But after her last battle, she's also become queen of the Thorn Land. It's hardly an envious life, not with her kingdom in tatters, her love life in chaos, and Eugenie eager to avoid the prophecy about her firstborn destroying mankind. And now young girls are disappearing from the Otherworld, and no one--except Eugenie--seems willing to find out why.
Eugenie has spilled plenty of fey blood in her time, but this enemy is shrewd, subtle, and nursing a very personal grudge. And the men in her life aren't making things any easier. Her boyfriend Kiyo is preoccupied with his pregnant ex, and sexy fey king Dorian always poses a dangerous distraction. With or without their help, Eugenie must venture deep into the Otherworld and trust in an unpredictable power she can barely control. Reluctant queen or not, Eugenie has sworn to do her duty--even if it means facing the darkest--and deadliest--side of her nature. . .

Eugenie can't deny her Otherworld heritage, having inherit a kingdom she didn't want. In which Eugenie's solution is to ignore all problems. She still pops in every now and then since she's connected to the land. But all other problems she lets her servants handle. Not to mention Eugenie has conflicting feelings about Kiyo and Maiween. Yes Kiyo claims to love Eugenie, but Maiween is the mother of his child. That's a connection that is hard to overcome. Traveling back to her castle from the baby shower she comes one of her villages, and she realizes how bad off her kingdom really is. Which makes her more involved. And to find out young gentry girls are being kidnapped from her kingdom.

In the process of looking for missing girls, her guards eventually find Jasmine, Eugenie's 15 year old half-sister, who is determined to get rid of Eugenie and have the Storm King's heir. Even for a re read the book is a big page turner. I began to hate Kiyo even more than I did in the first book, if that's even possible. Yes I understand he wants to be there for Maiween, but I don't understand why he needed to spend majority of his time with her before the baby was born. Not to mention when the baby was born it took him at least two days to contact Eugenie to let her know the baby was born. I don't really use love or connection like she has with Dorian. All I see between Eugenie and Kiyo is really good sex.

And it wouldn't be a book without some traumatic event. I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read. But the fallout of the event brings about a war between the kingdoms. I wanted to shoot Kiyo for not standing up and being a man and doing everything he could to protect Eugenie.

Once again Richelle really hit the nail with this one. I can't wait to finish my re read.

Rating: 5/5