Shadow Prince

Kingdom of Monsters #0.5

by Harper A. Brooks

I am the Prince of Shadows, the future leader of the Shadow Realm.

With my entire life tailored to fit my royal role, I thought I had everything figured out. I was to follow in my father's footsteps and be the king my fellow monsters respected and looked up to.

Until she came into my life.

Stella.

Now, my life has been turned upside down all because of a human girl. She's special -- I can sense the magic beating inside her, calling to me, but I quickly learn that I'm not the only one drawn to that call.

As much as I tell myself I shouldn't care about her, I can't help myself. She's become my obsession, the spark of light against my infinite darkness, and I'll do anything to keep her safe.

Anything.

Even break her heart.

Shadow Prince is a Kingdom of Monsters Prequel. Discover how Prince Airic first met Stella and how their epic story began.

Genres: Paranormal Romance

57 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2023

About the author

Harper A. Brooks may be a Jersey girl at heart, but now she likes to hideout in the mountains of Virginia with bigfoot and all his little woodland friends. Even though classic authors have always filled her bookshelves, she finds her writing muse drawn to the dark, magical, and romantic. When she isn’t creating entire worlds with sexy shifters or legendary love stories, you can find her either with a good cup of coffee in hand or at home snuggling with her furry, four-legged son, Sammy.


RONE Award Winner
USA Today Bestselling Author
Amazon International Bestselling Author

Reviews

[sairs_readsandreviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is one of those scenarios where the author has written a prequel after the series, and to enjoy this it would be better to understand the world and have already read the books.

As it was and having not read the books, the story was interesting but I found the style a bit disjointed and jumbled.

As it was a very short novella, a lot of the story was told and not shown in the form of short thoughts about previous events or diary entries. It was fine but I didn’t really feel like I got to the meat of the story, it seemed a bit vague to me. Some pages only had a single paragraph on and gave fleeting explanation of events that took place inbetween the diary entries.
I’m not adverse to this style but I just felt this lacked a bit for me personally.

It’s a prequel novella so a set up for the rest of the series and presumably gives some back story as to why the Shadow Prince and Stella know each other and are the way they are.

I felt the characters lacked some depth and this only really scratched the surface of the world.

[Toubob · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would think that the point of this novella was to let the readers know the background for the rest of the series. If that was supposed to be the case, then this novella fails hard. Basically the prince and the h meet up as kids. Then some things happen, what those things are is very, very unclear and barely mentioned. But those supposedly huge, impactful things that were barely mentioned are the reason why the prince needs to forsake the h. Which he does without really talking to the h. Basically he pushes her out of his realm and closes up the doors/portals.

If the entire plot of book 1 is this problem in the realm that is so dire and terrifying that he had to throw out his love interest. I would expect a little more than 1-2 sentences (and those 1-2 sentences weren’t very long) about the problem.

The pacing, world building, backstory etc were really brief, spotty, inconsistent, nonexistent. Not a good start to the series.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Shadow Prince is the prequel novella to the Kingdom of Monsters series and is a wealth of new information that has me asking a lot of questions. Like what really happened to Stella's parents? What about Airic's Mom? What does the king know? What happened to the Shadow World? What's up with Stella? I've finished the series and now I realize there are a lot of questions I didn't realize I should have been asking. Well, I get some of those answers in this story but funnily enough not all of them.


Little Stella is back to being an unreliable character, something about the accident which sets off a bunch of alarms for me but she's also adorable. Very girl power. As for Airic, he was very much the sad princeling so much did change. At Airic's and Stella's first meeting he was a little snot, Stella calling him high-strung was a moment, and I loved it. I could see how they fell for each other.


A sweet story of childhood friendship turning into romance. Following young Airic and young Stella as friends who run loose in the castle to a young Airic who wants to change the world and a determined Stella who is fierce. Airic learns of something shocking which he glances over, I couldn't believe it. Also, the reasoning behind a lot of their issues is revealed and it's shocking. It was good to see Airic before everything got to him when it was just Stella and Airic before the world moved in. I love it when authors add extras to a story, this one has secret notes and Stella's journals which are enlightening.


Shadow Prince was quite the revealing read. I know it's a prequel so it's meant to be read before the series but I'm glad that I already completed the series before picking this one up. It gives me great insight into a lot of what happened in the series. I'm not gonna lie, I still have plenty of questions and I want more of the story. Maybe a future novella? Either way, Shadow Prince is a nice addition to the series.

[Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great prequel to the Kingdom of Monsters! We finally get more in depth to how Airic and Stella met and how they interacted in the beginning.

It’s clear they were both smitten instantaneously from the beginning with each other. We knew what had happened from the last book but this just solidifies it all for us.

”She’s the key to everything, but as long as the key is lost, things are safe.”

It’s always great to have as much backstory as possible, so I love that the author wrote this little piece so we got to know how it all began. Also, with Stella and Airic’s meeting in the beginning, it pretty much set off everything. It was because of her that his father brought his cousin, Wels over and enforced that Airic should choose Reis as his second. It set the course for both of their futures without even realizing it.

A great prequel to a great story!

“You have magic. Real magic. The change the world kind of magic.”

*Overall 5/5
*No heat
*Dual first person POV
*Super quick read
*Perfect prequel to series

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of "SHADOW PRINCE"
This was very interesting to get more background on how Prince Airic & Stella's story began as kids a great part of this excellent series you don't want miss reading.
Prince Airic is the leader of the Shadow Realm he was to follow in his father's footsteps be King to his fellow mobsters then Stella comes into his life turning him inside out all because she's human, but she special he senses the magic in her.
Stella feels the same call Airic does there's a pull she visits him over the years as kids she's become his obsession she light to his darkness & he'll do everything to keep her safe even break her heart by sending her away.
I definitely recommend to get this short interesting story giving more about Prince Airic & Stella's start secrets get revealed, their destined to be with one another, you learn more about why he's the way he is very well written with awesome characters & twists that pull you right into the story you can't get enough of I loved it.
AWESOME PREQUEL TO THIS PARANORMAL ROMANCE 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

[Laerke55 · Rating 5 out of 5]

H.A.P written such Amazing books i loved her book shadow Prince . I love following stella in her journey and i loved to read her growth as a character…. I just really love the Way this author writes… all the books she writes is always soo good and always keeps me on my toes… the Way she writes is soo intresting.. i have loved all the books i have read by her… i love Stella story and i love watching her realstionship with the guys grow stronger and stronger…. i really loved the twist and turn…This really Kept my interest the whole Way and i really loves this book…this book was freaking good.. i really loved this prequel and I’m exicted to What the author comes up with in the future

I highly recommed that people read her book shadow Prince and if you haven’t read this book yet Then What are you waiting for you are really missing out on something …

This book is really a must read book!!!

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this prequel! It was such a great read, I love having the backstory to characters, sometimes it's necessary because we have no idea why a character is the way they are. With this prequel, we were able to see how Stella and Airic met, and how their interaction was.

We can see that they're totally taken with each other but, trying to bring their lives together isn't an easy one. I loved seeing that we got to see how their relationship started and how much they went through. Airic is the leader of the Shadow Realm and Stella appears to be a human, but Airic senses magic in her. Stella feels a pull towards him and they do try and make it work.

If you haven't dived into this world, definitely start with this prequel, it was great to read!

[Book Life With Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadow Prince by the fabulous Harper A. Brooks is a monster loving romance prequel to the Kingdom of Monsters series and a definite must read for any monster paranormal loving fan and a quick fun read that’s sure to leave you begging for more! If you haven’t already taken a dive into the Kingdom of Monsters series then what are you waiting for?!?

If you’re a fan already if the KOM series by Brooks and like me, always wondered how Stella and Airic met or what happened to Stella's parents—this prequel is for you!!! I’ve always loved Airic and Stella’s connection and Shadow Prince just showed me how meant they were to be even from the beginning..and that nothing could keep them apart. Not different worlds, races or time itself.

[Kayla T · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the Kingdom of Monsters Prequel. I went out of my comfort zone to read this book. I love how Stella wasn’t really phased with who Prince Airic is. This prequel is told in Dual POV from both of the main characters. I did like the incorporation of the secret & official journal throughout the book. I also enjoyed seeing how the characters met and engaged with one another throughout this novella. I felt bad for Stella when Airic told her she should go and what happened from there.

I’m not 100% sure if I will check out the series just yet but this was a good introduction into what is to come.

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadow Prince is the novella that introduces readers to the characters back when they first crossed paths. Stella has somehow crossed over into the shadow realm after a tragic accident. She has no idea how she got there, but that's where she is. Who does she meet? The prince himself.
Short, sweet, and to the point, this book gives readers what they've been craving. How it all started, and how the story moves forward from there.
It's an okay read, since it's just setting the groundwork for the series. Not a lot of drama or anything, but something worth checking out.
4 out of 5 stars

[Tara Syrnyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the prequel I didn't know I needed! It was the perfect glimpse into the past. We learn so much , so many questions are answered and we get to see where it all started. Whether you've read the series already or are starting with this book, it's perfect either way! It either tells you the little tidbits that you always wondered, or it hooks you so you cannot wait to dive into the series! It was really fun seeing young Stella and Young Airic and their dynamic and leaves you wanting even more!

[Jessica DeLaune · Rating 2 out of 5]

📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Kingdom of Monsters
📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Fantasy, Monsters, Paranormal, Dark
📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Death, monster romance, mental health
📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: a short and sweet novella that provides some backstory on things that you might question throughout the series.
🌶 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 🌶
🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: I would read this after book 1 since I provides some “history” on the lovely shadow prince and Stella. There really isn’t a lot of depth or details in this book but it does answer some questions that arise as you read the series so overall not useless. I didn’t hate this book but I did not love it either.

[Angela Denny · Rating 4 out of 5]

We finally get to see how Stella and Airic meet. As children they never knew that their friendship was destin to change not only their lives but the world. Stella visits often as the years go by but secrets are revealed that change everything. We finally get to see just how Airic sends her away and part of what she ends up going through after it all. Great short read that builds you up to an amazing series.

[Joy Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harper gives us a short, sweet and sexy prequal in the Kingdom of Monsters series! From Stella's first visit and meeting Airic to when he forces her to go home to stay and supposed to be forgetting about him and his Kingdom. Very well written with complex characters and plot twists that keep you turning pages throughout, this book is sure to become a favourite. I loved reading this story and highly recommend it. Don't miss out on this book!!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This prequel really helped validate Airic's feelings and actions towards Stella for me in the Kingdom of Monsters series. I think something I struggled with in that series was understanding their pre-existing "love" when he was so harsh with her at times. This pieced together a lot of that puzzle for me. I also just found the way he spoke of Wels in this book interesting in comparison to the trilogy. My favorite bit was Master Ysaig's part in this story.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore the story of how Prince Airic first met Stella in this Monster Romance prequel! A quick read, it really was eye opening to see these characters from the very beginning. It gives such a deeper and rich understanding of them that opens up a whole new perspective for the rest of the series too! This truly is a wonderful addition to this series and the characters' initial growth of what set everything into motion!

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a prequel to Kingdom of Monsters where we get to see the story from Airic point of view. In this story we get to see how Airic meets Stella and how they begin their bond. This gives us a better understanding of their dynamic from Kingdom of Monsters and why he seems to push her away and act so grumpy towards her. I loved getting to see these characters in a different view point. This was another great book and I definitely recommend reading this!

[Mikie Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great beginning to an amazing world

This is the prequel to the series. It was great to see how Stella and Airic met, and seeing how that friendship started and grew into what it was at the start of the series.
Seeing a young Stella call Airic high strung was a definite laugh out loud moment. Little did we know that Stella and Airic were destined to change everything. There were a lot of questions from the series that get answered in this book.

[Rachel Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read the kingdom of monsters series before this prequel novella, I had many questions on Prince Airic and how he met Stella. This novella gave me a wealth of information and I adored the story. This book sets up the series is a beautiful way and entices you to want to keep reading. It's a nice quick introduction and I loved the writing. It was a beautiful story and is a great addition to the series as a whole. Great read!

[Lene Blackthorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This prequel to the main series provides very valuable insights into Airic and Stella's backstory, how they met, and how the events in the main series actually begun. For those who already read the main series this is a complementary information to what is being known from the last book, yet it provides a better and fuller picture. It is a very fast read with no heat contrary to the main series, though no less enjoyable.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous prequel to the Kingdom of Monster’s trilogy! Readers get to experience Stella and Airic meeting for the first time as young children, developing a relationship overtime with frequent visits, and the heartbreak both experience when they can no longer see each other again. Definitely recommend reading this before (or even after) the trilogy!

[Jacqueline Chappell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this prequel novella. I enjoyed the series so this provided a wonderful chance to see how the characters met and became involved. It’s a nice quick read but full of tidbits that fit into the rest of the series. I highly recommend this story and don’t forget to read the rest of the series- you’ll love it.

[Ashley Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the prequel to Cruel Shadows the Kingdom of Monsters series. This one tells how Stella met Airic. How she came to be in the Shadow Kingdom. The things her and Airic did there. The truth about what happened to Airic’s mother. How Reis became Airic’s Knight? How Wels comes to live with Airic. Why Airic makes Stella leave the Shadow Kingdom.

[Boo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A prequel we get to learn what started it all and How they met. It’s interesting to go back and see them before there happy ever after. This little back story helps put Stella and Airic's relationship into focus. I also like the little extras about our two other male characters added in too. Great pre read.

[Arielle stahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading the shadow Prince Prequel as it gives us it gives us the back story of how prince Airic and Stella found each other and the way they first interacted.

I wish we knew more about what happened to Stella's parents as we still dont have a true explanation, but overall it gave us alot of answers to other questions from all the books.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This prequel novella was a nice bonus, after reading the rest of the series. It was a quick, easy to read glimpse into how Stella and Airic first met, the beginning of their story. It adds some nice context to things that happened that had been mentioned in other books. This was a nice addition to the series.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadow Prince is the prequel to The Kingdom of Monsters series. It gave us an insight and a much needed background to Stella & Prince Airic. What happened in their lives and how they both met each other. It was a short read but a great addition to the rest of the series and I really enjoyed reading it.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic prequel to the Kingdom of Monsters series. We get to learn more about Stella’s back story and she and Airic meet as kids and how they build their relationship. It’s gives us a ton of insight into everything that then leads us into the incredible monster series which I very much enjoyed!

[K Huskić · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story was a prequel to Cruel Shadows, providing background to Stella and Airic's initial meeting. This had been spoken about in the series, but it was good to get more detail into their relationship.

The way it was written, in super short chapters and journal entries, was a fun way to do it.

I enjoyed this prequel and enjoyed the series as a whole.

[Channy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a prequel to the Kingdom of monsters series and I feel like I know so much more about how we got to where things picked up in book 1. This book gives so much more appreciation for how much Stella and Airic grew through the series. Definitely a fun short story to set up the series for a first time read or a magical peak in the past for us that want to revisit this world.