The Shadow Prince

Into the Dark #1

by Bree Despain

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Romance, Paranormal, Greek Mythology, Urban Fantasy

512 pages, Hardcover

First published March 11, 2014

About the author

The Short: Bree rediscovered her childhood love for creating stories when she took a semester off college to write and direct plays for at-risk, inner-city teens from Philadelphia and New York. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, two young sons, and her beloved TiVo. The Dark Divine is Bree's debut novel.

The Long: As a kid, Bree would staple folded papers to make her own "novels." As a teen, she wrote stories in notebooks while her friends waited for the next page to be finished. Her teachers told her she should be a writer. But Bree thought only special people could be writers, so as the years past, she settled into the idea of becoming a lawyer or something else just as ordinary.

Bree rediscovered her childhood love for creating stories when she took a semester off college to write and direct plays for at-risk, inner city teens from Philadelphia and New York. With a renewed passion for story, and the young adult audience, she returned to Brigham Young University, filled her schedule with creative writing and literature classes, and started writing stories again. But regular life kicked in, and she soon found herself married with a new baby, working full-time, and with very little writing done.

That’s when the universe threw a pick-up truck in her path. The car accident left Bree with an understanding that life was too short to not do what you absolutely love. A few days later, her husband brought home a used laptop computer, placed it by her bedside, and said, “You’d better start writing.” Her life has never been the same since.

In a moment of karmic perfection, Bree received the offer to purchase The Dark Divine on the 6th anniversary of the car accident that put her back on the path to becoming an author.

Reviews

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 2 out of 5]

You are Haden. An out-of-favor prince of the Underrealm. You are---by miracle to end all miracles, The One.

“I am the infallible voice of the universe,” the priest says, his voice echoing as the Oracle speaks through him once again. “I have chosen my Champion. The boy is the one who can save you.”

You are the savior of your people. You alone are chosen to bring the Cypher back, to restore what the Skylords have taken from the Underrealm.

So, uh, how exactly are you going to do that, young Haden?

“You’re going to have to get her to fall in love with you.”

The powers of Zeus compels thee to go fuck thyself.

This book had a lot of potential that completely and utterly failed when the girl in question appeared on the scene. To give it some credit, it was pretty interesting---at first. This book worked with the myths of Persephone and the Underworld, with quite few liberties taken on the myths of Hades.

That much of the book was enjoyable, which is to say, roughly 100 pages of the actual 512 page length of the book was actually devoted to the plot itself. The rest of the book was filler fluff. The love story between a Garu Stu and a Mary Sue.

Summary: Meet Haden. The prince of darkness. He is The One (as he loves to remind us every few pages). Fallen out of favor with his father as a young child (apparently showing emotion when your beloved mother dies is a big no-no in the Underworld), he has fought against the odds. His people have been awaiting this day for years. Meticulous amounts of planning has been put forth for this day. For today! TODAY! The Champion of the people, the savior of the Underrealm, shall be chosen!

There are no shortage of well-trained warriors, including is astounding, annoyingly perfect twin, Rowan. These hardened young warriors have all been trained within an inch of their lives in hopes of being selected for this favor.

Haden hasn't been so fortunate. He is shit out of luck. His dad (King Ren) hates him, the court thinks he is a simpering coward (who can blame them, really), his twin despises him.

Against all these well-trained warriors, Haden is kind of underwhelming. He is considered a "nursling," he has not had the appropriate training, he is completely ill-prepared for anything thrown at him.

But Haden is chosen by the Oracle, anyway.

"You are the Champion that fate has chosen to bring her to us. This quest is your destiny. The fate of the Underrealm lies on your shoulders, young Haden."

...aaaaaaaaand off Haden goes onto Earth.

Meanwhile, on Earth, specifically, Ellis Fields (Elysian Fields, get it?! Ha ha ha!), Daphne Raines lives with her mother, Demi Raines (Demi => DEMETER! SO BRILLIANT!). Her mother is overprotective...and you can't really blame her. Her daughter is the kind of girl who actually considered walking off with a stranger who showed up in the middle of her hospital room in the middle of the night (no joke, I swear).

So mommy's a little overprotective, and seriously, if you know about the myth of Persephone and Demeter, who can blame her, right? Daphne is 17. Daphne is so loyal to her mother. So loyal to her mom that it took a whole lot of convincing to get her to leave her mom to live with her rich rock-star dad who abandoned both Daphne and her mom when she was just a baby.

And by a lot of convincing, I mean, like, 2 words.

“I’m going,” I say as definitively as I can. “I want to go. This school Joe is offering is everything I’ve ever wanted. I’m going.”

WAY TO ABANDON YOUR MOM, DAPHNE.



Daphne is now enrolled in the super prestigious Olympus Hills High (Olympus! Like Mount Olynpus! So clever!) in Apollo Canyon (BRILLIANT!). She has an audition for this performing arts high school. She needs to practice.

Her dad is a musician. The whole house is a fucking mansion. Daphne feels the urge to go practice her audition in a grove.

Why the grove?

...the grove’s song is calling to me.

Oh. I see. Wait, what?

I am always following some sound or song, trying to find the source. That time I crashed my bike on Canyon Road and ended up in the hospital in Saint George.
"No, it was a Joshua tree. It was singing at the bottom of the hill. Its song was so pretty, I wanted to find it.”

...and that's where she meets Haden. Haden, who has never heard music in his life.

“Singing.” I know that word; I have just never heard the sound that it applies to. It has always been an abstract concept to me until now. “Is that what you call that?”

/facepalm

Daphne. She is his quest. She is the Cypher. According to the legend, she is supposed to come with him willingly. So, naturally, if she says "I'll come with you willingly," that works, right?

“Say you’ll come with me.” She has to say it. I advance toward her. “You have to say you’ll come.”

Because approaching a strange girl and dragging her away always works.

And if that fails, stalk her!

I need to study Daphne’s movements, just like I would with that hydra I hunted down last year for the Feast of Return. I stalked its movements for days. I knew its favorite places to go. Where it ate and slept. Where it was most vulnerable...before I made my move.

Totally not creepy at all.

But Haden is not helpless in his quest! He is a Prince of the Underrealm, after all! He has powerful tools at his disposal, tools like...the iPhone!

“It’s an iPhone,” he says. “And it’s the most important tool you’ll need in the mortal world.”

Not only that! Haden has the use of the amazing, the astounding...Youtube!

“However, this next feature is the most important.” He clicks on an icon that says YouTube and holds the phone up in front of me.

Now, if only Googling actually worked the way he intended.

My online research into “how to get a girl to like me” had suggested, time and time again, that to win a human girl over, I had to be mean to her. I’d spent the bulk of class either ignoring her, contradicting her, or acting like a “bad boy,” which I gather meant showing off my muscles and leaning back in my chair after saying something sexually derogatory.

Meanwhile, girls have been mysteriously disappearing in and around Olympus High. The Mysterious Haden might be in on it, after all, Haden is the creeper who tried to grab Daphne in the grove. Daphne knows NOTHING about Haden, as evident by her list of Things I Know About Haden Lord:

Name: Haden Lord.
Age: 16? 17?
Hair: Dark brown, almost black
Eyes: Jade green (but sometimes look like they have bright amber rings around the pupils?)
Occupation: Part-time pirate

(I'm not kidding, this is a list in the book)

He may be creepy. But he's so sexy in a vampire-pirate kind of way (her words, not mine). Haden may be responsible for the murder and/or kidnap of several girls, but SO WHAT. He's a good person. She just knows it in her soooooooul.

"How do you know he wasn’t the one who was trying to hurt her in the first place?”
I shake my head in frustration. “Because I just do. And I don’t think he had anything to do with what happened to Pear, either. I was mistaken about that. He’s not evil. He’s just different.”

Oh, wait. Haden's supposed to save his people, something like that? I'm sorry, the plot GOT COMPLETELY LOST IN THE HIGH SCHOOL THEATRICS. Literal theatrics. This is a performing arts high school, after all.

Sigh.

The Mary Sue: Meet Daphne. She is gorgeous without knowing it. Daphne is Amazonian in stature, stunningly blonde and tan, which is somehow better than a bitchy mean girl who is blonde and tan, just like her. Daphne is just better.

I realize then that her description would kind of match mine. Tall, tan, and blond. Though she is of the bleached variety and her tan probably comes from an airbrush—while mine is from living in the desert.

Her voice is amazing. Like Adele. Only with a better range.

My normal voice isn’t high-pitched, like most of the female singers’ on the radio. I have a lower, slightly gravelly quality. Like Adele’s. But I can also sing higher if I want.

Other girls hate her for her perfection. They admit it to her face. They sing her praises while hating her.

“You’re a natural blond, naturally fit— hello, all the mayonnaise on that sandwich—and most of all, you’re a natural singer. I, on the other hand, have to go to a stylist every six weeks to keep my hair color fabulous, do an hour of Pilates every morning to look this rocking, and I’ve had six different vocal coaches since I was five years old. I’ve had to work to get this voice. You just have it.”

"Don’t deny it, Daphne, you know you’re special. You’ve just got it, and people can see it. They can hear it.”

And speaking of other girls...

Daphne: Better Than You: Daphne is better than everyone. She does not have a single rival in the book.



Her only passable female friend (who is inferior to her), is a scholarship girl. A dull, brown mouse, unremarkable in every way. All the other girls in the book are bitches. Mean Girls, who call their own clique "The Sopranos" (performing arts high school...Sopranos! Get it? Get it?! Lol!11!1). Eveyone hates her. Everyone envies her.

Her mother is not to be trusted nor loved because she is overprotective. Her closest female friend from home conveniently disappears. The only good friend she has in the book is a guy.

The Gary Stu: The One. The Special Guy (stop reminding us). He has a special destiny. He is a savior. OK ENOUGH ALREADY. So exactly what does he do in order to fulfil his mission?

1. Falls Into Insta-love.

Energy pulses through my body, stronger than my heartbeat. The sunlight streaming through the canopy of the grove glints off her golden hair, and the curves of her body make my hands prickle with heat that is unlike what I normally experience before a surge of lightning. Her blue eyes, brighter than the mortal world’s sky, meet mine.

2. WHAT MISSION? Her hair is so pretty ;_;

A soft breeze catches her golden hair, blowing a few stray strands about her face. I feel the sudden urge to reach out and catch one in my fingers. A strange heat tingles through my body at the thought.

The Plot: Got completely lost in all the romance and all the drama of Daphne's life. She has to deal with a drunk rock star dad. She has to deal with her clingy BFF who wants to be her BF Tobin. She has to deal with all the jealousies of the girls at school. She has to prove that SHE HAZ TALENT. She has to give Haden music lessons.

What plot?

The Romance:

“He’s crazy,” I mumble to myself as I lead Joe toward the house. “He’s daft,” Joe agrees.
“He’s insane.”
“He’s mental,” Joe says.
“I don’t even think he’s human.”
“And I can’t believe I kissed him!”

That pretty much describes the romance in this book perfectly.

If that's not enough, there's a love triangle between the crazy Haden and a nice guy who is so friend-zoned you wouldn't believe.

Don't suffer through 512 pages of this.

Quotes taken from an uncorrected proof subject to change in the final edition.

[Sara Raasch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haden is basically Zuko.

If that doesn't make you want to read this book, well, then...

ZUKO.

I mean, c'mon, now.

[Taschima · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I might not be the biggest fan of The Dark Divine I am a proud supporter of The Shadow Prince. Wow! Shadow prince is full of secrets, magic, and conflict. Bree Despain managed to create not one but TWO interesting worlds in one read, and two distinct voices that propel you to read well into the night.

Haden was a prince in the underworld, that is until he did something to piss off his father. Ever since then Haden has been subject to ridicule and mistreatment. Nobody vouches for him and the underworld people think of him as a fool, a nobody. Haden thus feels the need to prove himself more strongly than others. In an unexpected turn of events (for Haden anyways) the oracle chooses Haden in order to be a champion and complete a quest that will send Haden topside in order to bring back a Boon to the underworld (which is a human girl).

Daphne, said Boon, is a musical prodigy. She sings like an angel, even without having any sort of professinal training, and can hear the symphony inside all living things. She also has a famous father, who is a rock legend, and who decides out of the blue to take custody over Daphne in order to send her to the most private musical school in the country. Little does Daphne know that she is about to get more than she bargains for when she arrives unto said school.. and unto Haden's line of sight.

Haden can be an ass. I'll say it. At the beginning of the story he wants to prove himself so much that he does so by acting like a complete asshole, which is good conduct in the underworld. Once he goes topside he gets better, and it is hilarious to see him trying to acclimate to the rules of above. Seeing act human, and try to get the girl.

"You want to call me Father?" he says. "To be my heir? To have your honor restored?"
"Yes," I hiss through gritted teeth.
"Then you bring this girl to me," he says, squeezing the wound he's carved into my arm. It takes every last bit of strength I have not to scream . "You return victorious, and I will crown you as my heir and allow you to call me Father once again. But if you do not bring her to me when the gate between the Underrealm and the mortal world reopens in six month's time, then mark my words, your hair is not the only thing you will lose."



He is BASICALLY Zuko, for those of you who have watched Avatar: The Last Airbender. He wants to make up for this ridiculous thing he did when he was a kid that his father has always held agaisnt him, and changes his entire personality to please his father...

"I've always been able to read people by the tones and sounds that come off them-but at the moment, I wish I couldn't."

Daphne on the other hand was too good to be true. I mean, she was perfect. She is a saint, and a prodigy at music, and has a special musical power where she can hear the song of everything around her... It's too much sometimes. She has not ONE single flaw. I just wanted her to maybe be a bit more relatable. She seemed too far out of reach, too surreal.

"You're a natural blond, naturally fit- hello, all the mayonnaise on that sandwhich- and most of all, you're a natural singer. I , on the other hand, have to go to a stylist every six weeks to keep my hair color fabulous, do an hour of Pilates every morning to look this rocking, and I've had six different vocal coaches since I was five years old. Don't get me wrong, I know I'm talented, but I've had to work to get this voice. You just have it."

It says something when you have to agree with the "bitch" of the story and give her some credit.

The relationship between Daphne and one of Olympus High's students, Tobin, was a bit too easy to believe. They meet while casting for this role on a school play and he just looks at her from accross the theater and immediately decides they are going to be best buddies forever. Seriously? She isn't even trying to be friendly, people just seem to flock to her. Everybody of course except the queen bees of the school. Sigh, really?

Another thing, this novel is a big advertising venue for IPODS, IPADS, IPHONES... I ANYTHING. Also, Youtube and SWAROSKI crystals. A lot of scenes read like advertisement, and maybe it is or isn't, but if you are to advertise something it shouldn't be so obvious.

"It's an iPhone," he says. "And it's the most important tool you'll need in the mortal world."

Overall though, I enjoyed it. A lot. I enjoyed the new spin on the old tale of Persephone and Hades. I can see this series going places, interesting and exciting places. So I recommend it, and I will be picking up the second in the series because I am sure that it will be worth my time, not to mention money ;)

Old UPDATE:

When I saw this cover for the first time I kid you not my face went like this:



... because I thought that it was the cover for a new Divergent novel by Veronica Roth. But then I saw that the author wasn't actually Veronica Roth...



YOU HAVE DECEIVED ME! You look too much like a Divergent cover! ALL SHALL NEVER BE FORGIVEN!!!! (tell 'em Harry!)



... then again, the cover looks very cool and the summary/title sound very kick ass. Won't hurt to try.



***This update sort of doesn't apply anymore as they changed the cover COMPLETELY. Maybe they listened?

[Melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

1.5 stars

I'm going to try to keep this nice and clear. Do not bother with this book. That is the best and only advice I can give you.

But why Mel? It looks soooo good!

The characters. 

Haden Lord has a pretty crappy life in the Underrealm. He's disowned by his father, despised by his twin brother and shunned by everyone else. However, when King Ren (his father) seeks out the help of the Oracle to see who is most fitting to go on the the quest to save the Underrealm. And just somehow, Haden is chosen. Nope, not his more educated brother, but him. Yet soon, the author manages to turn him into the typical, Gary Stu. When Haden arrives on Earth with the mission to seek out Daphne Raines (who is like the key to deciding the fate of the Underrealm), he's declared as 'hot stuff'. He also has this talent for learning this after seeing someone perform the action just once. Like seriously, can we be a little more realistic?

We also have our Mary Sue, Daphne Raines. When she starts at her new school, Olympus Hills (aww no way), she's envied by everyone. She's got the perfect tanned skin and gorgeous blonde hair, her dad is a famous and rich rock star and Daphne also happens to be really talented herself with her voice and guitar. Daphne, doesn't have much logic though. She kisses Haden when he killed all supernatural and creepy with lightning (she doesn't even know his powers and everything yet at this point) however says he has issues when he has her name engraved on his arms. Okay, so that's really creepy. But isn't the first one really creepy as well? LIKE I'M SO CONFUSED WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING.

The plot:

Well...half of the pages were really irrelevant to the story. They do a little music, do a little stalking, do a little bitching and the plot line just pokes it's head in every 100 pages or so. 500+ pages? Definitely not needed.

The romance:

Instant love. Angst. This was basically a love story. Because the only way for Daphne to co-operate and save the Underrealm is for her to fall helplessly in love with Haden.

In summary:

No. Don't bother. You're wasting your time. I'm a huge fan of Greek Mythology, and while I did like that aspect partially, the other 95% was NOT WORTH IT. Go read Percy Jackson. Sheesh. (They also have a way better ship. PERCABETH)

~Thank you Egmont USA for sending me this copy!~

[❤Ninja Bunneh❤ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll just come right out and say it so you don't run after me with pitchforks later.


***Spoiler Fucking Alert***


Damn. This book started out so good. First chapter in gives us Haden, disgraced son of King Ren of the Underrealm. Haden gets chosen by the Oracle to complete a quest in the Overrealm, much to the disdain of his twin (asshole) brother as well as his father. His quest? To bring back a Boon, a girl. Not just any girl. A very important one. One that is the key to saving the Underrealm. A Cypher. In other words, the fate of Haden's world rests on his shoulders and if he cannot complete his task he's pretty much shit out of luck. Dear daddy will probably kill him and brother will take over the throne. Haden is somewhat egotistical, but at the same time vulnerable. I knew he'd be my cuppa.
How. Fucking. Awesome. Underlords and mythology? This was like book porn. Complete with unicorn rainbows.



Then I met Daphne and the book went to hell in a hand basket. Literally. Daphne is the chick that Haden is supposed to bring back to the Underrealm. She started out ok. Lives in a small town, mom is a bit overbearing and doesn't really allow her to leave the town. For anything. Ever. Red flag? No? Um, yeh.
Of course she isn't a happy camper about being stuck in this tiny town and wishes to venture out into the wild blue yonder. Why? Because she can sing. Not only can she sing, she is really really really really great at it. Really. Like American Idol great. Uh-huh. Fuck, yeh. She also had this slightly odd talent of reading people in tones. Yes, people give off musical tones only she can hear and that helps her learn what type of person that individual is. She can also do this with trees and animals.

Anywhoo, about five seconds after meeting Daphne, we learn what a moron and a half she is. Her dear old deadbeat dad whom she hasn't seen in years pops by. Not only does he pop by, but he says he now has custody of her! What?!?!! Oh yes. Some judge has given him custody of his daughter he hasn't given a shit about for the majority of her life. What does Daphne do? Does she:

A) Tell dad to fuck off.
B) Leave with her mom and get a good lawyer.
C) Both A&B
Or
D) Abandon her mom and go off with a man she doesn't even know.

The answer is............. D!!!!!

Why does she go? Well, dear old dad is a rock star and he has bought a rock star like house in a extremely wealthy area. This area is complete with a super wealthy private school that, guess what? Has a super wealthy music program! And he managed to get her in! The name of this utopia is Olympus Hills. Cue in Captain Obvious.



Off our super special singer goes and, in the meantime, Haden also magically appears in Olympus Hills because the gate to the Underrealm coincidentally exists there.

Now it's Haden's job to convince Daphne to go with him to the Underrealm. Not to go into long boring details (because then you may as well read the damn book), the whole relationship is just meh. The romance is non-existent. We have the typical electricity cracklings when they touch and such. Haden gets more and more like a puppy dog which was disappointing. Daphne is just like an emotionless vessel, and really boring. Maybe I've gotten spoiled lately with all the kick ass heroines I've been reading, but she's a snooze fest.

There's one action scene in the whole book pretty much. The rest is hearing about Daphne's musical talent and Haden swooning over her voice. If you know a bit about the mythology, it's easy to figure out the connections. The one thing that makes no sense at all is why Daphne's mom? We meet her for all of two minutes and are given no reasons why she bore this incredibly important child. It's spoon feeding and we should just swallow it. Nope. Not this chick. Sorry.

The book was also filled with incredibly obvious plot twists. I saw every single one of them coming. From Daphne's dad having made a deal with the devil so to speak, to the missing Boon aka sister of Daphne's friend. What started out as such a potentially awesome book, became YA predictability. I refuse to use the excuse that it's just YA and I should take it as such. No. I've read many YA books that are balls to the wall fucktabulous.


2 Ninja-Bunnehs-Throwing-Lightning-Bolts


(Arc was given to me in exchange for an honest review.)

[Prabhjot Kaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haden Lord is the prince of the Underrealm who is chosen by the oracle to be sent to mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Even though Haden's father didn't want Haden to be the chosen one, in stead he wanted Haden's twin brother to be the chosen on as Haden's father believes that Haden isn't strong enough for the task. Haden poses as a student at the local private school.

Daphne wants to be a singer and she is also the only daughter of a rock star. When her dad suddenly shows up and asks her to move in with her to his mansion and attend a local private school there, she takes him up on that.

The story was quite interesting and I loved most of the characters. The writing was captivating. I really liked Daphne but I loved Haden.

I saw this book at my local library and decided to read it as it is based on Greek mythology and I love Greek mythology. I didn't expect it to wow me but it did. I loved this book. We have Underlords, Skylords, humans, mysteries and some good characters.

5 stars

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for review.

I really enjoyed this one. It was super long but I was never bored for some reason. There was always something happening to keep the plot moving. Not a whole lot of romance which is refreshing! And I love how I'm thrust right into the world, and I couldn't leave. I just wanted to know more. Even though there are multiple point of views, I wasn't confused, and it made the experience that much more brighter.

I really liked the characters! Like how independent and sassy Daphne is. She's definitely one of my fave characters to read about because she's assertive and always ready to dive right in and fight. The way Haden is super determined to get Daphne to fall for him was the obvious plot point, but as we know with stories, they tend to fall in love along the way. And I liked the slow descent. The romance was neither boring or cheesy. It was just right.

What really caught my eye about this one was the fact that it was a retelling of Persephone and Hades. It did have a similar element to the Greek story, but that's where it ends. Set in modern day times and a story-line that keeps you guessing, The Shadow Prince is one of those books I couldn't put down!

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Generally speaking, there are two types of YA books. There are YA books that take place in the modern world in which the MC(s) are 18 or almost 18 and therefore an “adult” and not completely subject to the rules and restrictions of their parents, OR they take place in a post-apocalyptic or fantasy world where age is only obliquely relevant b/c there’s no such thing as high school, and everyone from adolescence onward is expected to contribute like an adult. Then there are YA books that are fully immersed in the high school culture, complete with mean girls, stifling parental units, and no-one-understands-me-I’m-so-alone mentalities.

I very much enjoy many of the former . . . less so the latter. HOWEVER, that is not the genre’s fault. It is my own personal preference. I regularly gift YA books that I probably wouldn’t enjoy much myself to my 14 y.o. sister, and she LOVES them. The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain is one such book.

The basic premise:

Daphne Raines feels smothered by her mother. In Daphne’s defense, her mom truly is a hard case—she refuses to ever let Daphne leave the tiny town they live in. As in N-E-V-E-R. The girl has had her learner’s permit for over a year, but she can’t get her driver’s license b/c she can’t accrue the required practice driving hours in said tiny town, and her mom won’t let her go anywhere else to get them. Why not? you ask. Because BAD things are out there in the world and they will get you (think Mother Gothel from Tangled only with good intentions). So when Daphne’s deadbeat (God of Rock) dad suddenly shows up, claiming that a judge has granted him full custody, and that he’s whisking her away to California where he’s enrolled her in an elite, private school that will nurture her musical talent, Daphne immediately agrees to go.

Haden Lord is the disowned son of Ren Hades, King of the Underworld. Ceaselessly mocked and ridiculed by his peers (including his twin brother, the favored son), Haden has a burning desire to prove his worthiness. So when the Oracle handpicks him to be Champion, the only Champion who can complete some undisclosed task, Haden latches on to the opportunity to redeem himself. But when the time comes for Haden to travel to the Overworld, all he knows about his mission is that if he has any hope of overcoming his disgrace (for actions unknown), he must find and convince Daphne Raines to go through the Persephone Gate and return with him to the Underworld in six months time.

The world-building:

Despain has taken the modern world and overlaid it with Greek mythological nuances. Except that nuance implies subtlety, and subtlety is what this book sorely lacks. The private school that both Daphne and Haden are to attend is Olympus Hills High and it is located in the affluent Olympus Hills gated community. The tiny town that Daphne grew up in is Ellis Fields. The bar where Daphne’s dad makes his deal with the proverbial devil is called Crossroads. If Daphne had a horse, it would probably be named Pegasus. We get it.

My thoughts:

The Shadow Prince is a book that will hold immense appeal for it’s target demographic. It’s straight-forward. Daphne is a strong-ish heroine who refuses to stand idly by when someone tries to dictate her life choices. Haden is a wonderfully broken specimen of a teenage boy. Simon is creepily evil. And who doesn’t love a tiny fuzzball of a black kitten that morphs into a three-headed, car-sized monstercat when it’s angry? BUT this is no boundary-crossing YA novel. If you’re like me (WAY out of high school), I would suggest that you stick to buying this book for your younger family members/children-of-friends. They will love it, and you will be saved the aggravation.

[AH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update 12/25/14 The Shadow Prince was chosen as one of Badass Book Reviews favorite Young Adult/New Adult Fantasy books of 2014. Read all about it here.

I've always been fascinated by Greek mythology. The Shadow Prince incorporates elements of Greek mythology into the narrative, creating an intriguing story set in present day Arizona and California.

Daphne has been hidden in plain sight in the small town of Ellis Fields in Arizona. She is not allowed to learn how to drive, nor has she been allowed to leave town - we'll soon find out why. One day, her estranged rock star father arrives with a custody order. Daphne is whisked away to Olympus Hills, an exclusive gated community where she is to attend Olympus Hills High School.

Daphne's father Joe is really not much of a father figure. He really is a stereotypical rock star and spend a lot of his time recovering from the previous night. Daphne sees the move to Olympus Hills as a way to jump start her own singing career. I thought that Daphne's musical talent was interesting: not only was she able to sing, she was able to hear music in inanimate objects. Daphne is left alone for a lot of the time, so she takes the opportunity to explore her new home.

Meanwhile, Haden and his entourage arrive in Olympus Hills. Haden has been chosen by the Oracle to entice Daphne to return the the Underrealm of her own free will. Our world is very different from what Haden is unaccustomed to how things work. Joe's manager Simon takes in Haden, Dax, and Gavin and arranges for them to attend Daphne's high school.

The story is told from both Daphne and Haden's points of view. I loved Daphne's character, especially how she perceived the world - through music or the lack of music. One of my favorite characters was Brim, the stowaway Hellcat who appeared to be a tiny innocent kitten unless provoked. Then - watch out!

The Shadow Prince was a solid start to an exciting new series. If you enjoy a clever use of Greek mythology, then this book should appeal to you. Fans of the Percy Jackson series should enjoy this series as well. Can't wait to read the next book in this series.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Edgemont USA for a review copy of this book.

[Colleen Houck]

I love Hayden. He's the kind of guy I want to read more about. I loved learning interesting things in this book like about music disorders and how to deal with drunk, rock star fathers. Loved the twist on the Persephone story. Really fun stuff! Favorite thing? The hellcat.

[Jessica (Goldenfurpro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd

MY THOUGHTS
This is a very interesting take on mythology and the Persephone myth! I have never read another idea quite like this one!

Haden Lord lives in the Underrealm and has been disgraced by all of his people, even his own father, the king. So it is a surprise for everyone when Haden is chosen as the Champion, whose job is to go to the mortal world and bring back a boon (a girl). As there are no girls born in the Underrealm). But this time is different as Haden has to bring back a specific girl: Daphne Raines. Bringing this girl back could mean the future of the Underrealm, and bring back Haden's honor.
Daphne Raines has lived in a small town all her life and has never been allowed to leave it (thanks to her mother). Then, her famous father that she never knew shows up, proclaiming that Daphne has to live with him. She moves to a whole other town and into an arts school. But things get odd when mysterious murders occur and she suspects that another new student has something to do with it.

My favorite thing about this book is the awesome world-building and ideas. I also mentioned a few of them in my little mini-summary, but there is so much more involved in this book. Overall, all the the ideas are completely unique and the way they were used in this book was very well done!

This book was told in alternating point of view from both Haden and Daphne. Haden is basically Zuko (from Avatar: The Last Airbender, for those who don't know). He did something as a child that everyone basically judges him for, so he does everything he can to restore his honor, to no avail. He sees being the Champion as his opportunity. I felt a bit sorry for him and hated how much those of the Underrealm treated him. Especially since he shouldn't have to regret what he did (I will not say what he did exactly, as that would be a spoiler). It was very interesting to see him in the mortal world, as he had no idea how to be mortal and what many objects were. As he didn't know how to act, he did act like a jerk at times, though mostly because he isn't really used to the way humans act.

Daphne is a pretty average YA main character. There's not much I can really say about her. She has the usual YA story. It really bothered me that she was just so perfect and I couldn't quite understand why she left with her dad that she didn't know (I know her dad has legal paperwork, but I kind of wish she would have fought more). Overall, she is an okay character.

The romance wasn't bad. I, again, can't say much on it. Not because of spoiler, but because of how I just don't have very many feeling towards it. Did I want them to be together? Sure, but this isn't a new romance. I've read many books with very similar romances, so it didn't wow me.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this was a very interesting take on mythology and the ideas were so unique! The main girl character and the romance are the usual for YA, but they still worked with the book. As for the sequel, I am definitely planning on reading it!

[booknuts_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original Review found at: www.beawesomebeabooknut.blogspot.com

Wow! I loved the creativity behind the world-building! The world building is the first thing you notice in this story.The Underworld had it's own hierarchy system with it's own backstory. The author made this world dark and haunting and was quite fascinating This was a fresh new take on the Persephone & Hades myth, and the world felt so real, with the re-imagining so inventive! I really liked how the author integrated the Greek mythology into the narrative and we got to see all the workings of the Underworlder court and how it came to be that way and it was all original and brings in Orpheus who plays a rather large role in the story as a whole. Taking the Hades and Persephones' myth and twisting it into the author's own creation, somehow making this retelling so much more fascinating. It was all a bit of breath of fresh air. I just love mythology stories and retellings.

We've got the protagonist, Daphne a mortal, and Haden (her male counterpart) an Underlord. We get to hear from both in alternating chapters through their eyes. And the author did a good job with keeping the characters both strong and independent voices.

As the main plotline focuses on Haden's quest which is getting Daphne to consent to accompanying him to the Underworld. Haden didn't have an easy life. His whole journey is by believing that Fate controls everything, and he really has no options. I had a hard time liking him at times because I thought he was self-centered and ignorant at just plain annoying. I kept thinking, "man you are whining and act spoiled!" So he has a quest to find a particular girl (which he's never met a girl before) and get her to come back with him full heartedly. He was never trained for a quest like this because his father and everyone else thought he'd never be chosen so he doesn't realize he has to make this girl fall in love with him till later and it was kind of annoying (to me).
Daphne is set on controlling everything she's stubborn and has some spitfire which is always fun. She has big plans that don't involve staying in her little home town in Utah. One random day her father (whom left her mother just days after their wedding and became a huge rock star) comes back into her life with court papers telling her he now has rights to her and she needs to come back to California with him. Grudgingly she agrees with the main focus that he can help her with her dream of singing and making it on her own.

It doesn't take long for Haden and Daphne to meet and along the way they learn that your destiny (or fate) is shaped by the different choices you make along the way. And this journey is one worth taking with them.

Sexual Content: mild
Language: mild/moderate (PG)
Violence: moderate (PG a little gore not too graphic)
Drugs/Alcohol: none

[Liviania · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked The Dark Divine trilogy, so I was eager to read Bree Despain's next series, Into the Dark. This series puts a modern spin on Greek mythology. THE SHADOW PRINCE concentrates on the stories of Persephone and Hades and Orpheus and Eurydice. If that doesn't give it away, yes this book does deal quite a bit with the Underworld. In fact, protagonist and co-narrator Haden Lord is a prince of the Underworld. A disgraced prince, but that doesn't stop the Oracle from picking him as a Champion. His quest: to go to Earth and convince Daphne Raines to join him in the Underworld in six months, when the gate opens again.

Haden starts the book incredibly arrogant and rather unthinking of others. Luckily for him, both of his companions are excellent at pointing out his selfishness. (They're a bit less awesome about making him do anything about it.) He also manages to drive Daphne away the first time they meet, by trying to get what he wants immediately and not bothering to think things through, which is basically his flaws in a nutshell.

Daphne has lived with her mom her whole life, but moves in with her dad when he gets her into one of the finest music programs in the country. She's talented and plans to use her voice to go places. (And no, places is not code for the Underworld.) She's understandably put off by Haden, and avoids him like a sensible person until she gets an explanation that recontextualizes his actions into something nonthreatening. But Haden and Daphne might have bigger problems than the Underworld, starting with the fact that something is killing people and no one else seems to care.

I thought Into the Dark was a great start to the series. There's some interesting worldbuilding, and Haden's people are neither entirely right nor entirely wrong. There's a fairly large cast, but all of the characters are appealing and at least somewhat defined. The romance is not instant, but developed through interaction. There's another important guy in Daphne's life, but he's just a friend. Love triangle: avoided. If there's one misstep, it's that Despain begins to set up the plot of the second book a bit too far in advance. I spent much of THE SHADOW PRINCE wondering when that plot thread was going to come into play. I must admit, I did not see it slotting into place when it did, which did provide some redemption.

I know Persephone and Hades are super trendy right now. I think THE SHADOW PRINCE succeeds in putting its own spin on the story. Despain's fans won't be disappointed.

[Mihlean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.25 stars


This book was very enjoyable - even though at some points, I wanted to just, bash my head into a wall.

I really liked the twist of the world of Greek mythology - the gods know how much I love mythology - but the characters quite annoyed me at times.
Not the 'I want to jump into this world and beat them up' but (like I said in the first sentence of this review) the 'I want to bash my head into a wall' kind of annoying.

Daphne is that girl. That girl everyone envies. She's gorgeous, nice and talented.
Alright, I can handle that.
She's starting a new school with a music program, moving in with her rock-stargod of a father.

Then, meet Haden. I actually liked his pov's in the beginning, but then he came to earth and met Daphne - her being his Boon and all. Their 'love' kind of really annoyed me (also, Tobin REALLY annoyed the crap out of me) but since I loved the whole new twist to Greek mythology, I kept reading further. And besides, it wasn't like it was /that/ awful.

Anyways. Reading on, you know that feeling?
That you have those moments in books, where you feel like it could be a 4.5 stars rating, and at other points 2.
That's what I had with this book.

It's just, I think this book could've been so much more. But I still liked it and hey, who the hell am I to say such thing, right? :P

[Sara Larson]

Wow, what a ride! I tore through this book. So glad I got the chance to read the arc--except now I have to wait even longer for the next one!!

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Wonderfully woven story with interesting characters, captivating mythology, and action-packed adventure. This is a unique retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth and it was written beautifully!

Opening Sentence: I did the unforgivable the day my mother died, and for that I’ve been punished every moment of my life.

The Review:

Haden Lord has spent most of his life as the disgraced child of the king of the Underrealm. When his mother died he did something unforgiveable and his father disowned him. Now years later he wants nothing more than to redeem himself in the eyes of the court and to gain his father’s favor once more. Every year there is a champion chosen to enter the mortal realm and bring back a boon to help populate the Underrealm, but this year the stakes are even higher. The chosen boon for this year is the girl that can restore order and immorality to Haden’s race. An Oracle is brought to choose the champion and Haden is chosen. He has to venture to the surface where he has six months to bring back Daphne Raines, the girl that will change everything. She has to choose to come of her own free will and somehow Haden has to convince this strong willed girl to give up everything and follow him home.

Daphne has always had big dreams to leave the tiny town of Ellis, Utah and pursue a career in music. But she has a very overprotective and stubborn mother that never lets her go anywhere. As luck would have it, her long time absent father appears on her doorstep with a court order saying that she is to go and live with him. Daphne’s father happens to be a world famous rock star and he has gotten her into a very prestigious school with a renowned music program. Daphne jumps at the opportunity to finally start living her life, but once she moves to the strange private community of Olympus Hills she isn’t so sure she made the right choice in leaving home. Daphne has never believed in fate, but when strange things start to happen and Haden Lord enters her life she starts to wonder if there is such a thing as destiny.

Haden is a beautiful boy who is very broken. He has been shunned for most of his life and it has made him bitter. He can’t believe that he is lucky enough to possibly get a second chance to redeem himself, but once he enters the human world he realizes that everything he was taught was wrong. In the Underrealm it is considered a weakness to show emotions and music has been outlawed. When he hears music for the first time it stirs so many emotions inside him that he doesn’t know what to think. Torn between living the life he always thought he wanted and becoming the man he has always feared he would become. I thought that Haden was a very intriguing character and he was easy to swoon over. With his dark eyes and stunning body he is a looker, but his awkward moments and brooding personality totally won me over. I thought that he was the perfect hero and I can’t wait to see where his journey goes from here.

Daphne has so many great qualities. Growing up in a small community taught her to appreciate people and to not take things for granted. But she has always felt that she was different than everyone else. She has an amazing connection with music and a spectacular voice. Everyone has their own song and Daphne can hear them when no one else can, she knows it’s not normal but she has always been that way. Daphne is sweet, beautiful, and confident, but she also has a feisty personality as well. She doesn’t let what other people think about her bother her, and she is always humble about her amazing talent. I thought that she was very easy to connect with and I loved being inside her head.

The Shadow Prince was full of wonderful characters, interesting mythology, and action-packed adventure. When I read the synopsis of this book, I was instantly intrigued because I love the Persephone and Hades myth. But there have been a lot of retellings of it recently, so I was interested to see if Despain could bring her own unique spin to the tale and I am happy to announce that she did. The world she created was captivating and I loved how she intertwined music into everything. Music has a wonderful way of bringing out emotions in people and Despain really used that to her advantage in this beautifully woven tale of love and destiny. My one complaint is that this was a fairly long book and at times it did drag a little for me. But with the mystery and tension that filled the pages, I found that even though there were times I got a little board, it would pick back up quickly and I would be fully engrossed in the story once again. I completely fell in love the story and I honestly can’t wait to get my hands on the next book. I think this was a great start to what is hopefully going to be a wonderful series. I would highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good YA paranormal read with lots of fascinating mythology weaved into it.

Notable Scene:

There I see a young female, sitting against a strangely shaped tree. She cradles a large object on her knees, and strums the strings that stretch from its wide base up a long wooden neck. The object reminds of the pictographs I often pass in the murals that cover the walls of the palace. It vaguely resembles a lyre—the great weapon the Traitor had used to deceive Hades all those centuries ago. But the object the girl holds does not seem like a weapon. Her picking and strumming the strings are what create the reverberating sound. I remove my sunglasses to be able to see her better in the shady grove, and I watch, curious, as she opens her mouth and starts to speak.

No, not quite speaking. Her voice sounds different from that. Her words are drawn out, ebbing and flowing at times and flitting at others, blending with the sounds that come from her strumming. It grows in intensity, swirling around the grove and washing over me. It pulls at me, evoking something I have not felt since I was in the presence of the Oracle: the feeling of wonder.

When the girl stops speaking and the sound dies away, a gasp slips out of my lips.

She stands, her abruptness making it clear that I have given myself away.

FTC Advisory: EgmontUSA provided me with a copy of The Shadow Prince. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Christa]

I checked this one out from Overdrive and was about half way through when it returned itself. I debated on checking it out again but I wasn't that into the story. Maybe some other time.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Egmont USA and Edelweiss.)
Haden is a disgraced prince of the underworld, sent by his father the king to earth to find a boon – a girl called Daphne Raines.
Daphne lives in a small town that her mother never lets her leave, until her rock-star father bursts in, and takes her to live in a swanky community, and enrols her at a school with a music programme – exactly what Daphne has always wanted.

Haden knows that he must take Daphne with him back to the underworld, but he also knows that she’s very unlikely to agree to it of her own free will.
Can Haden complete his task? Can he have his honour restored? And should Daphne have really left the small town where she grew up?


This was an interesting story, but there were a couple of niggles that annoyed me a bit. I did like the book overall though, and it didn’t feel long, even though it was!

Haden was an okay character. I felt sorry for the way his father treated him, but I also thought that his actions were sometimes inadvisable, and his desire to please people was sometimes a little too great. At times he really needed to think about things, and decide what he thought was the right thing to do, rather than what would get him the most honour.

Daphne was an interesting character, but I didn’t quite get why she didn’t think her mother’s desire that she never leave her home town was maybe a bit suspect. I also thought that Daphne’s actions were a little naïve and un-thought-out. When she was told not to go to the glade, she didn’t wonder why people didn’t go there, or ask why she shouldn’t go, she just thought the acoustics would be good, and went there anyway.

The storyline in this was interesting, and although this was a long book, it didn’t feel long. There were a couple of little things that didn’t quite sit right though. I think if you really loved this book you’d be able to overlook them, but I personally did notice them. When Daphne’s father turned up with a court order saying that he had custody, it was never questioned, yet nobody thought to ask why he had gone to the courts for custody, why he would be granted custody when he’d only met Daphne once in her entire life, and why the hell he suddenly wanted her anyway! And considering that her mother never wanted her to leave the small town where she lived, she didn’t exactly kick up much of fuss that Daphne’s father was taking her away! She just sort of shrugged and said okay!
There were several other little things like this that were a bit silly, but I don’t want to get into any more of them because of the risk of spoilers.

The story was split between Haden and Daphne’s points of view, and at first this was a little strange, as their points of view were very different, and it took a while for this to settle.
There wasn’t really much of a romance in this book. There was one kiss, but there wasn’t really a relationship of any kind.
I did enjoy this story overall though, and I did think that the story was written well, so that the large bits of information didn’t feel too info-dumpy. I also thought that the mythology side of things was integrated well so that it fitted in with the rest of the story without feeling totally foreign.

The ending was okay, but although we had a showdown, a lot of stuff was left unresolved at the end, and we were even left with some extra little bits of information to keep us interested in reading the next book in the series.
Overall; a good paranormal/mythology story.
7.5 out of 10.

[Mitchii · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason, the story reminded me of these post-Twilight books. It was…nostalgic and strangely refreshing. There’s something about these books that is so easy for me to read, not that they are shallow or anything like that. I mean that in very positive way. They are remarkably entertaining for me. I liked Bree Despain’s The Dark Divine series though not so much with the ending; but overall I really liked it. So it was unquestionable that I automatically added The Shadow Prince (it was Into the Dark before, title changed I supposed), her brand new series to my TBR. And luckily I got an advance copy so yeah, I’m lucky, well, because I ended up liking it.

Haden Lord’s new mission is to bring this girl, Daphne Raines who was prophesied to be the Cypher, the key to finding the Key of Hades. Fortunately, Haden found her immediately but getting her to trust him wouldn’t be that easy. Daphne on the other hand, moved to a new place when her father was granted him custody. She is now enrolled in this prestigious school, Olympus Hills High. There he met Haden, who is one time mysteriously materialized out of nowhere when she was singing alone. She thought there something off with me. And once during their class, a heated debate happened between them. He seemed to be defensive about Hades, like he knows something about him that they don’t know, not even in the books.

Haden reminded me little bit of Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender; with his mission of reclaiming his honor as well as his mommy issues. He certainly has similarities to the Fire Nation’s prince. His back-story was definitely interesting, too. It showed how the system in the underworld had changed after Hades’ death. And I really liked that twist that was injected in the story.

Like I said earlier, the momentum sort of resembled those books early post-Twilight years, where the girl meet the mysterious boy. Then girl noticed something different with the guy. Some online researching. Online research will tell her hints that he is indeed otherworldly. Guy will come out clean, tell the girl what he really is and the girl will believe him. But I’m going to stop right there, because I’m relieved to tell you that what they’re doing is more than just the two of them. It’s not just them against the world kind of drama. The prophecy is bigger than what the two of them represents and I really liked that.

The romance was restrained. It was still in the developing stages when it ended. Daphne was at first very distanced to Haden, which I think was an honest to goodness reaction (given how creepy he was at the start). The romance for me moved along with the plot without occupying too much space, dominating the story. So no, at the end of the first book they were not declaring forever. There were far more important things that they need to face and that’s what I liked most about it. It was truly entertaining.

3.5/5

This review appeared first on Aeropapers.

[Jessie Leigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow. That was one of the most boring waste-of-potential I've ever read. I made it to about 65% and them skimmed to the end, and kids? It wasn't pretty.

Short review to come.

[Sana Zameer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love Greek Mythology but this is one of the most boring and ridiculous Persephone / Hades retelling I've ever read!

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Good start to a series. I haven't read a series in a while and forgot how much more slowly relationship building is because they have to arc it over 3+ books. The story sucked me in right away and I actually think my 14 year old would like this series.

[P.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a re-imagining of the Hades - Persephone and Orpheus and Eurydice myths. Although it was a typical teen romance, I did like the characters. Haden's pure befuddlement while trying to decipher American slang was funny as was his ability to learn things by watching You Tube. Daphne's attempt to explain music was also interesting. Haden's heckcat Brimstone was a nice addition. Since this is one that has been on my shelf for a while, I will have to see if I can dig up the sequels.

[Nara · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as I'm concerned, no guy is worth waiting anywhere for, not following, for that matter- prince or not.

Okay, I've been sitting here for 20 minutes unsure of how exactly to start this review. So screw the intro paragraph and let's get straight into it.

A very interesting twist on Greek mythology; it was intriguing to see a book where Hades is a (relatively) good guy rather than completely evil. And the way the author created her own flavour of the Persephone myth was great! Also rather awesome was the ability that Daphne had. She's able to hear the distinctive sound that every living creature emits, and in people, is able to interpret their mood from the tone of the notes. How creative of Despain!

The dual POV was actually done rather well. The only thing I disliked about it was that there was some backtracking so you'd see the same scene twice- once from Daphne's point of view and one from Haden's. That's probably more of a personal thing though, because I do hear that some people quite like that style of writing. The two voices were very distinct, with Haden having a slightly formal tone compared to Daphne's modern one. It was clear at all times who was narrating, which is obviously the way that a dual perspective should be.

Okay, so I realise that Haden is from the Underrealm and therefore doesn't understand normal human behaviour, but seriously, early in the book, every time he interacted with Daphne I was like GAHHH! NOOO DON'T DO IT!!! *facepalms* It was rather entertaining to see him try and acclimatise to the "human world", especially with him utilising Google to its full potential i.e. by Googling "how to get girls to like me" and getting the result "act like a bad boy" and such.

The romance was a bit weak- I mean, it wasn't terribly done, but it definitely wasn't anything fresh either. The ole feeling sparks and heat when the love interest is nearby cliche is used when Daphne and Haden first meet, and I do feel like they hadn't really spent too much time together before declaring (in their respective minds, not actually out loud to each other) their love. Or at least their "falling" for each other. Then again, the romance wasn't really the focus of the book at all, so I thought it was fine that it was a bit shaky. There were other more interesting aspects of the plot to look at.

This book certainly felt a lot like an introductory book to a series and there's therefore a large portion of the book focused on setting up the overarching story arc and introducing all the characters. Hopefully the subsequent instalments will have a bit more action and character development.

[BookLoversLife · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shadow Prince was so so good.
Haden is trying to reclaim his place as his fathers favourite in the Underrealm. He is picked as Champion, much to the chagrin of everyone, and sent to the mortal plain to get his boon and bring her back with him. His mission is special though, his Boon is the Cypher and can repair the Underrealm and return what was lost.
Daphne is the daughter of Joe Vance who is a rock star. She longs to leave Ellis and find fame with her singing. Joe turns up and tells her that he was granted custody and she is to move to Olympus Hills and attend the prestigious school there. Whilst there she meets the enigmatic Haden. He isn't used to flirting with mortals and has to try hard with Daphne. Their lives take an unexpected turn when she decides to trust him.

I loved Bree Despains take on the mythology. Hades is dead and Hadens father is King of the Underrealm. Hadens mother was mortal and he seems to take after her than his cold hearted father. I immediately loved Hadens character. He seems to bundle everything with Daphne but is so nice and sincere that she finds herself drawn to him. The author does a great job explaining Hadens powers. He can shoot bolts from his hands and is an extremely quick learner. He learns music just to get close to Daphne. She was another character I had no problem liking. Even though she has an amazing voice she is so down to earth and doesn't fall for Haden too easy.
The Shadow Prince is an awesome book packed with plenty of mystery, mythology and plot twists. The pacing is fast and the story will draw you in and have you rooting for Haden. The secondary characters add more twists and turns and overall make the book even better. Haden and Daphnes story will stay with me and I'm eagerly awaiting book 2 to see what happens.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good read, especially if you're into mythology and music.

When I first started I was hesitant because of it's length. Normally, books around 400 pages give too much info to take in, but Despain integrates it really well and it never feels like it is too much, and this is at 500 pages. The story really does move fast and builds up but by the end the big confrontation is kind of boring.

The actual myths involved are explained in multiple ways and I enjoyed having both Hayden and Daphne's perspectives because they are so different but similar all the same. We get both halves of the argument and get to see how everyone views things. Both Daphne and Hayden are likable to a fault and the most annoying thing is how naive they can be. Like why would Daphne's estranged father suddenly have custody of her, especially since he's such an alcoholic? Why is that accepted by someone like Jonathan?

The romance in this is perfect for a first in series. There is no instalove, there is no immediate bond, it has to be built up and it really strengthens my opinion about this book and it's characters. Tobin I didn't really like. In fact, the supporting characters are not really interesting to me, but I loved the relationship between Hayden and Daphne enough for me to forget about it.

The end left a lot to be desired, lacks action and leaves us with many unanswered questions which I really hope get answered in the next book. However, I highly recommend this because the mythology is really good, the character building is amazing, and the story itself is insanely interesting. Just don't judge it by it's ending.

[Kirsty (Amethyst Bookwyrm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This and my other reviews can be found at http://amethystbookwyrm.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanks to Edelweiss and EgmontUSA for giving me this book to review.

Haden is the shunned prince of the Underrealm, but he, instead of his favoured twin brother, is chosen by the oracle to be sent to the Olympus Hills in the mortal realm. His job is to gain the trust of one girl in 6 months and bring her back as the boon to the Underrealm. All Daphne Raines want to be is a singer and move away from her tiny town. Her wishes are granted when her absent rock star dad sends her to Olympus Hills and the schools renowned music programme. Haden has to find a way to woo Daphne, but this is difficult as she distrusts him, he is new to this world and might have to become more human. Fate has Daphne and Haden’s destiny’s entwined and their decisions could affect both their worlds.

The Shadow Prince is a good paranormal novel with interesting Greek mythology. However, while good, it is predictable as there was no unexpected surprises and a bit forgettable.

I like Daphne as she likes to be in control but, like Lexie says in the book, she is a natural and finds everything easy which makes her really hard to relate to her. Haden grew on me during the book, as at the beginning I did not really like him, but as he struggled with becoming more human he got better.

I am interested to find out what happens next to Daphne and Haden in the next book. I would recommend The Shadow Prince to fans of YA paranormal book or books about Greek Mythology.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received The Shadow Prince from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley, Bree Despain, and Egmont USA.

I was so pleasantly surprised when I read this - I loved it! And it grew on me even more when I finished it and nothing was living up to this book. I was really excited to get approved for this on Netgalley, especially considering that Greek mythology is one of my favorite things to read about. I just wasn't sure since it mostly had to do with the Underworld so I wasn't sure how the worldbuilding would be, if it would be too dark for me or not.

The beginning is totally different than the rest of the book, so if the first few chapters in the Underworld seem strange at all, keep reading. I loved the idea of a gated neighborhood that is "special" when it comes to the inhabitants and what goes on there. I really enjoyed the majority of the characters and the story was full of suspense. I figured a few things out before they were revealed, but I'm pretty sure I was meant to know those things. The characters were all great as well. I really enjoyed the romance - definitely not a love at first sight kinda deal, even though Haden might have preferred it that way in the beginning.

I would absolutely recommend this to everyone! It is one of my favorites and can't wait until the sequel is out, which sadly will probably be about a year from the release date. In the meantime, I plan to read Despain's Dark Divine series.

[Jeraca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book as a free eARC from Edelweiss in exchange for my review.

I love a good mythology story and this novel did not disappoint! Daphne is a strong willed girl. She has her own ideas for her future and is not going to let anything or anyone keep her back.

And Haden. He is not like the usual bad boy characters that are found in YA novels. In fact, he doesn't really know how to act at all when he gets up top. When he's around Daphne, he is so awkward and it's quite cute!

This book ending with a great ending to go into the sequel. I think readers will enjoy this book, especially if the publisher keeps this cover because it reminds a lot of readers of the "Divergent" series. And the topic is something that teens read a lot in today's literature. It will also be something that I will probably purchase for my YA department when this novel is officially published!

[Debra Elsner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book; I love Greek mythology like I have stated before.
Imagine if Hades was murdered by Zeus and the gates of the underwold were closed except the Gate of Persephone; that opens for a couple of days twice a year. A champion is chosen to go above ground and choose a boon. Haden is the Prince who is chosen to find the Cipher who can find the Key to open the gates once and for all. Very fast paces book.