Review: Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

Shadow Heir (Dark Swan #4) by Richelle Mead
Publication Date: December 27, 2011
Publisher: Zebra
Number of Pages:390
Format: Paperback
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Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld. . .

The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't—or won't—reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon—and risk the ultimate sacrifice. . .

  The conclusion to Mead's Dark Swan book picks up a few months after the last one left off. Eugenie is pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl. And she has decided to have the babies, prophecy be damned. But there are those who will do anything to kill her unborn children even if that means killing Eugenie. Including Kiyo, ex lover and the father of her children. Which means she has has to avoid her home in Arizona, spending majority of her time in the Otherworld. Only going back to the human world for doctor appointments in Ohio. But when her secret hid out has been discover, Eugenie faces a difficult decision; she must leave everyone she knows and love behind and go in hiding.

The first half of the book is kind of uneventful. But once she has the twins, Roland comes to see her. There has been a winter blight to fall over majority of the kingdoms in the Otherworld. It doesn't take long for them to figure out that the Yew Land is behind it. Eugenie makes the difficult choice in leaving her babies behind, and with a team head to the Yew Land to save the other kingdoms, including Kiyo.

I loved that we found out Volusian's backstory. I hated that he ended up being banished. Yes he wanted to kill Eugenie, and was sick and twisted, but he was also very amusing. I loved the fact that the love triangle was non existence in this book.

And of course this wouldn't be a Mead book without some twists and turns. At the end Kiyo reveals a very surprising twist that made me very happy. But I wished Eugenie would of told Dorian. And the Storm King's heir turns out to be someone we weren't expecting. Which looking back it made sense. And at the beginning of the book there were hints. But this doesn't mean the twins are out of danger.

The only thing I hated about this book was that it didn't feel like an end to a series.  Things were left very open ended. It feels like there should be another book, which Mead has said she would love to do but doesn't have plans for the immediate future. I hope she doesn't wait too long.

Rating: 4/5

 

Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead

Iron Crowned (Dark Swan #3) by Richelle Mead
Publication Date: March 1, 2011
Publisher: Zebra
Number of Pages: 375
Format: Paperback
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Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land's queen, she's fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear...

Who Eugenie can trust is the hardest part. Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda for aiding her search. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her along the way. To control the Crown's ever-consuming powers, Eugenie will have to confront an unimaginable temptation - one that will put her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal peril...

Iron Crowned picks up where Thorn Queen left off. Eugenie and Dorian are not only back together as a couple, but are united in a war against Rowan Land and Queen Katrice. Desperate to end the war in a peaceful way, Eugenie hears stories of the legendary Iron Crown. A crown hidden somewhere and one must venture through mines of iron along with other obstacles to obtain it, not to mention the crown itself is made of iron. Dorian claims the crown has no real power, that it's just a symbol of the trails one goes through to get it. And that enough would make Katrice end the war. Not initially wanting to go after it, Dorian pushes her towards it. He even convinces her to take Kiyo with her, who even though isn't involved wants to see the war ended peacefully.

Getting the crown wasn't easy, but she realizes that Dorian had lied to her about the crown. Unable to trust his motivations anymore she breaks things off with him. And this is the one thing I hate about this series. The back and forth between Dorian and Kiyo. Not to mention she jumps right into bed with Kiyo after the breakup.

I really loved the fact that Jasmine has turned over a new leaf, or maybe not so. But the two have become closer and towards the end of the book Eugenie feels she can trust her enough to take off her cuffs and even takes her back to her house in the human world.

If you've read any other Mead's series you should noticed that the third book in the series is a heart breaker.  Not only does Eugenie find a way to end the war without anymore bloodshed, which is a big shock. At first reaction the twist at the end will make you gasp. But at the same time it's kind of foreseen, especially with earlier events in the book. Now fearing for her life from one man in her life she must seek protection from the other man. She's not entirely sure she can fully trust either one.

Rating: 4/5

 

Jen's review of "The Lost Prince" by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1) by Julie Kagawa
Publication date: October 23rd, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Number of pages: 400
Format: Kindle \ Netgalley ARC
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Description: Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’s dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.

My Review -- 

I know many people, well okay, pretty much the whole fandom has been looking forward to this book. To be able to hear Ethan's story after what we thought was the end. 
I was happy to receive a digital ARC from Netgalley and the publisher, and was excited to get back into the world that Julie created with the Iron Fey and Meghan's story.

We get introduced to Ethan's life, after years in the real world. He hasn't seen or heard from his sister in longer than he can remember, but he hasn't been fey free. Not at all.
Ethan is seventeen years of age and has just started at a new school after being kicked out of his others from things he couldn't control, and his parents hope that this will be the one school where he will stick around longer than before.
All he wants is to live normally, and wants nothing to do with the fey, but it seems they don't want to get rid of him, because they are around constantly, or maybe its that he is capable of seeing them wherever he goes whether he like it or not.

Soon after a friend's disappearance, and with the help of a new friend of his, Ethan finds himself having to go back to the one place he wished he could forget and never return, but sometimes, Ethan soon learns that you can't always get what you want.
With new friendships, a potential romance, mystery and intrigue, Ethan's story is one that you would want to read.

I really liked Ethan and his POV. Maybe even more than his sister, Meghan. I liked seeing things from his view and how his life has changed over the last few years, and even more so, ever since he was a child when he went through a horrible experience in which never to be repeated.
I also really liked Kenzie. She is strong, independent with an open nature that makes her a great heroine for this story.
You find out enough to want to know more about who she is, and her life. She even helps center Ethan, who I felt was a little misunderstood, but she understood him perfectly and never gave up on him.

There are appearances by some of our favourite character from the original series, and we also get introduced to another main character who has connections to Meghan and has a connection to the human world who has his own story to tell.

This was a great first installment to the new series, I look forward to reading more about Ethan and his friends as they continue onto this journey of theirs.
If you are a fan of The Iron Fey series, then there is no doubt you'll adore this book. So better put it on your to read list, otherwise the Fey will be after you.

Rating --- 4 out of 5