Today is release day for THE SHADOW PRINCE by Stacey O'Neale! Help us celebrate the release of this amazing novella and enter to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card!
Every sacrifice has consequences.Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission: Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king. Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he's capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?
I really enjoyed this prequel novella. At only 76 pages, it’s short, but definitely leaves you wanting more. I thought it was a great introduction, to which I believe will be a very promising series by a talented debut author. It is amazing story, written well, with a unique story and intense plot. O’Neale is one hell of a storyteller. I was instantly drawn into this world of elemental courts and odd shape-shifters that were nothing more then slaves. She kept the world-building simple, choosing to leave aspects up to my imagination instead of describing everything. This novella has both an adult flavoring, but a YA backbone (Recommended for a PG-13 crowd, because of mild violence and some mature themes).
In Avalon, I enjoyed the concept of the four courts, I thought the characters we were introduced to all seemed interesting in their own ways and it seems like there will be some good intrigue here.
The Shadow Prince follows Rowan, the son of the fire court Queen. Sixteen year old Rowan has spent his adolescent life living amongst the mortals, learning to control his fire element, waiting for the day his vengeful mother Queen Prisma will abdicate her throne.
Rowan’s never been shown any love from his mother, who believes love is a weakest, but when she announces she will be stepping down from her throne and he she wants Rowan to take her place, he’s surprised. But he knows his mother and he knows she will not give up her throne without wanting something in return…and she does. When this day finally comes, his mother sets one final task. She wants Rowan to kill, the half-human, half-elemental daughter daughter Kalin, of the air court king Talon. But can Rowan complete a task that goes against everything he believes in?
For what he believe and stand - Rowan is pretty much a loner. His morals keep him away from his mother’s court, especially in how the Hounds, half-breed, shape-shifting, elementals, are treated.
Marcus is a Hellhound and Rowan's best friend. Marcus and Rowen have such a awesome friendship, their banter shows how much time they've spent with each other. A servant and a prince are friends. Normally in the many other books I've read the prince is a guy, and he falls for the servant girl. But no this is another refreshing change. My heart aches for Marcus by the way...Rowan too but poor Marcus. . Also loyal and strong like Rowan.
The character of Kalin has me intrigued. Even though we didn't see any interaction with her and Rowan just yet, I am very anxious to see the relationship between them. She is the daughter of King Taron of the air court. We only get to see Kalin from afar. Her father has kept her in the mortal world with her mother until her 16th birthday. I am anxious to hear more about her and see how her story unfolds!
When she's not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging,
watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and
hanging out with her husband and daughter.Her career in publishing started as a
blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. Stacey writes
young adult paranormal romance and adult science fiction romance. Her books
always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing.Stacey loves hearing from readers.
Follow her on Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Pinterest, and GoodReads. You can also visit her blog at http://staceyoneale.com/.
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