Shadowspell by Jenna Black
Series: Faeriewalker (#2)
Pages: 295
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: January 4th, 2010
Published: January 4th, 2010
IBSN: 9780312575946
On top of spending most of her time in a bunkerlike safe house and having her dates hijacked by a formidable Fae bodyguard, Faeriewalker Dana Hathaway is in for some more bad news: the Erlking and his pack of murderous minions known as the Wild Hunt have descended upon Avalon. With his homicidal appetite and immortal powers, the Erlking has long been the nightmare of the Fae realm. A fragile treaty with the Faerie Queen, sealed with a mysterious spell, is the one thing that keeps him from hunting unchecked in Avalon, the only place on Earth where humans and Fae live together. Which means Dana’s in trouble, since it’s common knowledge that the Faerie Queen wants her – and her rare Faeriewalker powers – dead. The smoldering, sexy Erlking’s got his sights set on Dana, but does he only seek to kill her, or does he have something much darker in mind?
[Synopsis by Goodreads]
[Synopsis by Goodreads]
I read Glimmerglass a few months ago, not long after its release. I liked the world Jenna Black created to set it in: a unique twist on the Fae world. The plot was captivating, and so I picked up the next book in the series not long after it came out. The following review will contain Glimmerglass spoilers.
Shadowspell continues to follow Dana, new resident of Avalon (the place between the mortal and fae worlds where humans and fae live together) and the only living person with the ability to take magic into the mortal world and technology in the fae world. Dana's Faeriewalker abilities are unique to Faerie stories I've read before, and they put her in a sticky situation that is exciting and enjoyable to read about.
Dana's a likable character. She prefers to solve her own problems than have them solved for her. She lived for so long in the mortal realm that she's relatable despite her Fae blood. She's also resourceful, which is probably my favorite trait in a character.
The plot was excellent - fast and exciting. The twists were clever and unpredictable. I especially like how some of the story's complications relate back to the first book and how others are left open for consideration in the next book.
I liked the romance between Dana and Ethan. Ethan's different from typically perfect love interests - he's a 'player' (a word I would never use, but that's how he's described) and doesn't really think before he acts. Their relationship already had its complications before new bigger ones arise in this book. Though, I don't like how a love triangle seems to be arising (I mean, I saw one coming, but I like to hope).
I love the compound word titles in this series: Glimmerglass, Shadowspell, Sirensong. I also love their covers, which are what drew me in read the series initially.
I give Shadowspell a 4 out of 5, and look forward to Sirensong (July 5th, 2011).
