Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

Shadow Heir (Dark Swan, #4)

by Richelle Mead

New York Times bestselling author Richelle Mead returns to the Otherworld, a mystic land inextricably linked to our own - and balanced precariously on one woman's desperate courage...

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...

Reviewed by Linda on

5 of 5 stars

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Yes!!!!!

"What wouldn't I do for you?" was the best phrase of the book, repeated several times by Dorian to Eugenie :) And I was right!! Dorian is the twins father!!! I'm so happy about that :) It started out pretty slow, but it built up very nicely. Eugenie had to hide for the last few months of her pregnancy, in order to keep herself and the twins alive. Kiyo continued to be a real asshat, and I can't believe I actually liked him in the first book. I wish someone would just kill him off already!

While Eugenie was away in the normal world, bad things happened in Otherworld, and as soon as she came back, she had to make things right, with Dorian's help of course. Even Kiyo showed up, and most of the people on the rescue Otherworld party wanted only to kill him. It's too bad none of them ended up doing it.

We got some extremely interesting background on Volusian, and it made him a lot easier to understand. Eugenie continued to be strong, thinking of everybody else's safety before her own. I loved how hers and Jasmine's relationship developed, they are real sisters now, and they finally love each other. Jasmine has grown a lot, and that was really good to see.

There were some truly amazing fight scenes, both with and without magic, and a really heartwrenching death. Maiwenn and Kiyo are on top of my 'Eugenie needs to kill' list, and I doubt anything will ever happen to take them off it.

Excellent book, I feel very satisfied, although I wish it was longer... that's always the problem with a great book, though.

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  • Started reading
  • 29 December, 2011: Finished reading
  • 29 December, 2011: Reviewed