Author:Richelle Mead
Release Date: January 1, 2012
Publisher: Zebra
Dark Swan Book #4
ISBN: 1420111809
ISBN13: 9781420111804
Genre: Urban Fantasy
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..
Their were A LOT the twists and turns. The Beginning was a bit slow but the middle and end were fantastically paced and full of drama and action. I have really loved this series. I'm really sad this is the last book, I have in no way had my fill of Eugenie (even though I admit I still have no clue as to how to pronounce her name correctly) and her friends. I have really enjoyed the characters of the series. Dorian is by far my favorite even though he can be a total @ss sometimes and Jasmine Eugenie's sister has grown so much that I fell in love with her too. I have always loved the descriptions and imagination that Richelle has put into the series and SHADOW HEIR lived up to the other books in that sense. We get all the answers we always wanted to know about Volusian. I understand him so much better after SHADOW HEIR. There were a lot of things resolved but so much that was not and has left me guessing.
I'm disappointed by the ending. I kinda understand why she chose to do what she did but I think she is wrong. Eugenie tends to do things for reasons that are based on a distorted understanding of something. It was extremely frustrating to read what she was doing, so much so that I almost put the book down at one point .She ended up being manipulative and a total hypocrite. Uggh so sad I want more, there is so much more I need to know. I'm having a really hard time on picking a rating for SHADOW HEIR because I really loved the story but hated Eugenie's decisions. One thing She did get right is the man she chose to be with and the reason in which she is staying with him.
After much deliberation
I gave it 3.5/5 stars
