La Reine des Ombres

Shadow World #1

by Dianne Sylvan, Kurt Martin (Translator)

Dans les coins sombres de notre monde s’étend le Monde de l’Ombre, une société de vampires qui se nourrissent des vivants. À Austin, au Texas, la folie d’une femme va la plonger dans un monde que très peu ont vu — ou dont très peu connaissent même l’existence…

Peu après avoir touché une guitare pour la première fois, Miranda Grey conquiert la scène musicale d’Austin avec le pouvoir nouvellement découvert de manipuler les émotions de l’auditoire. Mais tandis que son pouvoir échappe de plus en plus à son contrôle, son esprit est envahi par des secrets inavouables et une tristesse insurmontable. Incapable de regarder qui que ce soit dans les yeux, Miranda frôle la folie — et personne n’est là pour arrêter sa chute…

Lorsqu’il a interdit le meurtre des humains, David Salomon, Primat du Sud, a déclenché une guerre civile parmi les vampires d’Austin. Sa sympathie pour les mortels irrite la vieille garde qui refuse de contrôler ses penchants violents. David en a plein les bras avec les insurgés, mais il accueille une femme brisée, une musicienne qui a besoin de guidance surnaturelle. Il ignore que Miranda Grey possède aussi le pouvoir de changer son propre monde…

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Magic

440 pages, Paperback

First published July 29, 2010

About the author

Dianne Sylvan, author of the Shadow World novels (Queen of Shadows, Shadowflame, Shadow’s Fall, the forthcoming Of Shadow Born, and at least one more) as well as two books on NeoPagan spirituality (The Circle Within: Creating a Wiccan Spiritual Tradition and The Body Sacred), lives in Austin, Texas, the only sane part of the entire state.

She is an unabashed Mac enthusiast, a froofy iced coffee beverage addict, a chronic Twitterer, a seasoned snark professional, a Spiritual Nomad, a shameless Vampire Diaries (TV) fangirl, a happy herbivore, a bit of a moody Scorpio, a sock junkie, a slightly freaky tattooed postmodern hippie, a cupcake baker extraordinaire, and is prone to hyperbole as well as fits of profanity.

When she’s not glued to the internet or writing about vampires, she works in the veterinary clinic and volunteers as bio writing coordinator for the animal rescue organization Austin Pets Alive.

She collects vegan cookbooks, wacky t-shirts, blank journals, obsessions, and dust.

She lives with two neurotic cats, Stella and Owen.

Reviews

[chan ☆]

dnf @4%

upset i paid for this. there’s a rape scene for absolutely no reason, and no trigger warnings in any of the reviews i read.

how similar are books with the same name?

[MelissaB · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 4 1/2 stars ***

ETA: I will only recommend this book as a stand alone because the author completely ruins the story in her follow up book Shadowflame. It's a shame that the author decided to completely ruin good characters but I guess this book is still okay as a stand alone.

Queen of Shadows was a very good urban fantasy/paranormal romance featuring a heroine, Miranda Gray, who starts out the story almost broken by her newly found ability to sense other people's emotions. The ability has almost crippled her ability to function except for the few times a week she plays music at a local club where she can manipulate the crowd's feelings and feel alive for a few hours. Miranda keeps her head down and lives alone until one night she notices a man whose feelings she can't read. A few nights later she is attacked and raped by thugs but when they are about to kill her, she manages to use her empathetic abilities to kill them first. As she is lying broken in the alley, her life changes when David Solomon finds her and takes her to his home to heal.



David Solomon is the Prime of the Southwestern United States vampires. Basically he is the leader of all the vampires in his territory, which he became by killing the former leader and being accepted by the Signet, a magic necklace that chooses who becomes Prime. David saw Miranda in a grocery store and recognized her empathetic abilities and how much she was struggling to cope in the human world without mental sheilds. He had been at her concert because she intrigued him but was called away on business right before she was attacked. He takes her to Haven, his conclave of vampires where she is allowed to stay and heal. He is fascinated by Miranda but knows that she needs to heal mentally and physically more than anything.



Miranda starts to heal physically but especially mentally because David is able to sheild her from the constant barage of people's thoughts that had almost driven her crazy. As she gets stronger, David starts to teach Miranda how to sheild on her own so she can rejoin the human world. He knows she will not be safe in his world, as an unseen enemy is stratigically attacking his rule over the vampires in his territory by killing humans and then starting to attack his Elite vampires who police the territory for him. Miranda had a lot to deal with but over the weeks she is at Haven she slowly starts to get stronger. She and David definitely have a spark but he is unwilling to take that step because he is afraid for her safety and knows she needs to go back to her world. After an attack on her life at his compound by a traitor, he finally sends her away to a paid apartment.



The time Miranda and David spend apart is actually good for her because she gets stronger and learns to stand on her own feet. She also learns how to fight and use her mental abilities to attack during battle from another vampire. I was glad to see her get stronger because when she and David finally get together she was more his equal than before. Eventually David can't help himself and goes to claim Miranda, which was great to finally see. However, his enemies are very tricky and are coming after both of them. Miranda has a lot to go through but in the end she comes out knowing her own strengths and a match for her vampire lord.



I really enjoyed this book! It was a bit dark but very engrossing. Miranda was a very likable heroine, I was rooting for her to rebuild her life after going through so much. David was a great hero, he was a tough leader but he had a vulnerable side and a soft side for wounded women. He was wonderful with Miranda and really helped her reclaim her life. This book was interesting because the heroine we see at the beginning is very different from the one at the end. She goes through a wonderful change as she learns to accept who she is and use her gifts. The background story was very interesting, there were some really good characters like the Primes second-in-charge vampire Faith who becomes a good friend to Miranda.



This book was a mix of urban fantasy in that the focus of the story was more on the heroine and her transformation, but it's also a paranormal romance because she and David fall in love and have an HEA by the end of the book. I hope this is the beginning of a series because I want to see more of David and Miranda together. For those worried about the rape scene, it was not detailed and the heroine was pretty out of it during the incident so I felt it was handled well for the subject matter. I would definitely recommend Queen of Shadows to those who enjoy paranormal romance and urban fantasy, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this exciting story.

ETA: Here is a link to a deleted scene that would happen right after the end of this book:

http://diannesylvan.com/the_space_bet...

[Laura Lulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was UFR instead of just UF, so I wasn't crazy about that. The book started out super dark & gritty UF, and then turned into total gooey PNR. That lost a star from me. And my least favorite kind of PNR, to boot--the fated-to-be-mated kind. I tolerate it in shifter books, cause well, they're animals. But otherwise I just think it's stupid.

I'm not a big PNR fan--I just don't feel like I get to know the characters well enough to be gaga for the romance, and in turn, I don't feel the characters have gotten to know each other well enough, either.

Call me crazy, but I prefer my heroine & hero to be a bit antagonistic to each other in the beginning of the series. Lends to some juicy sexual tension--I guess I'm just a fan of delayed gratification. ;)

I did like the characters, I'm curious to see what the author does with them in future books. I think it's difficult for authors to write a couple that's already together--so much of this genre is about flirting, angst & tension.

One of the things I really liked about this book was the whole concept of being a victim vs. being strong, and how someone can give you a push in the right direction, but it's up to you to make that choice and get yourself there. I'm never much a fan of a heroine who needs the hero to save/protect her. It's nice when he does, but I need her to be able to do it on her own, too.

Although I thought the end took that a bit too far. So she's obsessed in love with this dude, but she didn't memorize his phone number over all those months of pining for him? Yes, I know we all rely on speed dial these days, but when all is said and done, aren't we all just silly 13 year old girls when we're gaga for a guy? And silly 13 year old girls memorize said guy's phone number.

So, since she doesn't know his phone number, she has to go through her change alone, locked in her human friend's bathroom. Days go by, he thinks she's dead, he's of course pining away, while she finally makes her way to him, of course during the big climactic battle scene. It was a bit over the top for me.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars – Paranormal/Vampire/Urban Fantasy Romance

Thoughts Before Reading:

The fact that this takes place in Austin, TX and the addictive sample on Kindle that gave an awesome glimpse of the author's writing and of the unusual storyline definitely have me intrigued.

Thoughts After Reading:

I'm partly biased because this is set in my own city of Austin, Texas, which definitely contributed to my reading experience, but it's a very well-written, intelligent, and dark paranormal/urban fantasy romance that manages to be unique, despite that there are so many vampire series out there. Miranda's healing and personal transformation is emotionally powerful, gripping, and moving, and Prime vampire of the South David Solomon's sexy, intriguing mix of badass warrior, computer genius, ruthless political leader, and caring protector was swoon-worthy. Their connection is magnetic and believable, and the relationship development is realistically paced, especially considering Miranda's draining gifts and that she's a survivor of a brutal assault. They're wonderful, complex characters, and I really loved them as a couple. There's also a fascinating cast of secondary characters that I look forward to learning more about.

It's a gritty, affecting, and compelling series debut, and I can't wait to see what's next for Miranda and David in Shadowflame. 5 stars!

[Galla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miranda Grey is an empath who has never learned how to shield herself from the constant onslaught of strangers' emotions, and it's slowly driving her insane. The Austin, Texas resident obtains relief while performing onstage, since she can channel the energy of crowds who listen to her music, but the effect is temporary. She's losing weight, not getting enough sleep, and self-medicating with alcohol.

And then she gets gang-raped in an alley on the way home from a performance. I'm not putting a spoiler tag around this one because the attack takes place right after her introduction as a character--it's just 20 or so pages into the book. While I do think Sylvan's choice to include a rape as a plot point makes sense in the overall storyline, and Sylvan handles the aftermath with sensitivity, readers who find rape scenes triggering (or just prefer to avoid them) may want to skip this one. I hadn't read much about the novel before I started it, so I was rather taken aback by the fact that a brutal rape was such a foundational event in Miranda's character development. It wouldn't have caused me to take the book off my TBR list, but I might very well have chosen to read it when I was in a different frame of mind.

Vampire David Solomon, "Prime" of the Southern States, takes Miranda in after her attack. As she recovers mentally and physically from her ordeal, he gradually teaches her better control of her abilities as an empath. Unfortunately, he's also on the brink of war with a faction of vampire insurgents determined to go back to the good old days of unrestrained human slaughter.

The development of the romance portion of the book is a slow burn, which really was necessary after the events of the beginning. Miranda and David are an appealing couple, even when they're being a little dense about understanding their own emotions. I appreciated the fact that Miranda has female friends in this book--more than one, even. UF heroines so often eschew the company of other women that it's nice when the supporting females aren't a bunch of harpies. I also found Miranda's work to develop both her psychic skills and her fighting abilities refreshingly gradual. She doesn't pop into a new chapter and find herself an amazing paranormal ninja; she works hard to get better.

Some of the plot points seemed predictable or contrived, particularly when it comes to the use of foreshadowing and prophetic visions. Some of the plot devices used to keep the lead couple apart at times wore thin, as well. However, I like these characters, I like seeing vampires in Austin, and I like a heroine who orders Shiner Bock instead of Bud Light.

3.5.

[AH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queen of Shadows began as an intense read for me. It was dark and it had a rather traumatic event right at the start of the novel. I actually contemplated setting the book aside and looking for a lighter read. I’m glad I stuck with it because it quickly became a compelling read.

Our heroine Miranda Grey is an empath spiraling on the brink of a mental breakdown. One of the few things that keep Miranda grounded is her music. She is known for the ability to elicit emotion from her audience. David Solomon is Austin Texas’ Prime, the head vampire of the area. When he meets Miranda at the grocery store, he is attracted by her abilities and plans to track her down. He finds her after her attack and brings her to Haven to recuperate.

The main characters were likeable. Miranda starts off as a fragile, broken girl, tormented by nightmares. It’s easy to sympathize with her situation and the author handled her attack and the aftermath well. I liked watching Miranda learn to use her abilities and defend herself. The training sessions with David and later, Sophie were interesting.

David’s character was unexpected. You don’t often see vampires that are techno-geeks and I loved his gadgets and his way with computers. David’s vampire abilities were awesome. I loved him in the battle scenes. I also loved how he took care of Miranda when he first brought her to Haven.

I did feel that the story was a little predictable, and there were several niggling little things that were a tad inconsistent, but aside from that, I had difficulty putting the book down. I’m looking forward to reading the next book Shadowflame.

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick Take: This book gripped from the first page and never let go. The tone is dark, yet filled with tenderness at the right moments. I am officially in love with Sylvan's tight writing style.

For all the urban fantasy I read, I find that I don't delve into the much darker stuff as often as I'd like. Indeed the lighter and more witty fare is so easily accessible; what can I say, I'm a happy-sappy-gal! But when a dark urban fantasy book gets it right, it will knock me out and is ultimately the stuff that stays with me the longest and deepest. This book was just that type of UF.

If you're a frequent reader of urban fantasy, you'll already have noticed that many of the genre's titles are written in the first person. This book--being in the third person and switching narrative perspective amongst a few characters (for development of certain plot points)--obviously differs from the trend but works marvelously. It really boils down to the fact that Ms. Sylvan has a wonderful way with words. I was just as engrossed with her description of an empty room as I was with a fight scene. Given that much, narrative perspective didn't matter. ^_^

I must say, the connection with the protagonist Miranda Grey was immediate. The author shows the character's suffering due to her bizarre powers being raw and uncontrolled; you can easily see the hopelessness of her situation. Things go from bad to worse and are (in a way) painful to follow but impossible to turn from. It was easy to buy into the nightmarish world Miranda finds herself in, as well as her attempts at healing and her struggles to recover.

Dianne Sylvan knows how to put your emotions through the paces! There were times when my stomach was twisted with anxiousness, and others where I felt the sweet flutteries right alongside the protagonists. And regarding the latter…the progression of romance was exquisite! This is an area in which further description on my part is probably not going to be helpful: context is everything.

Sylvan's visuals and well-placed details work such wonders in this book; I could go on indefinitely in praise of them. But I won't. (You're welcome. ^_^) I'll simply say that if you enjoy urban fantasy of the darker variety, you'll need to pick this one up. The series could literally go in any direction based on this first installment…but it's already clear that it's going to be amazing no matter what.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having enjoyed Dianne Sylvan’s nonfiction in the past, I was thrilled to see she had an urban fantasy coming out. I wasn’t sure if Queen of Shadows would live up to the high expectations I’d set up in my head, but I was definitely curious to find out. My expectations were met and then some. Queen of Shadows is my favorite book of 2010 so far.

Ironically, this makes it a little hard to review. When a book reaches in and grabs me emotionally the way this one did, it can be hard to separate the reviewer from the fangirl and articulate why other people might like it too! So to get a few fangirl-type things out of the way, things that resonated with me but might not necessarily translate to every reader: First, apparently Miranda Grey and I have the same taste in music, and so the scenes where she sings are given added emotional weight by the fact that these songs were already meaningful to me. Second, I saw Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at a pivotal point in my early adolescence and now I’m a sucker for any brooding hero who opens his impressive library to the heroine.

OK, on to the more universal reasons why Queen of Shadows is good. I love that Sylvan has given us a musician heroine in Miranda. I like both “old school” and “new school” urban fantasy, but one of the things I miss about the “old school” is the emphasis on the arts. Protagonists would often be writers, painters, musicians, etc., and this would tie in with the magical elements. I believe that art is one of the closest things to magic that we humans can do, and as much as I enjoy books about vampire slayers and PIs and bounty hunters, sometimes I just want to read about an artist again. Miranda is a musician in Austin’s bar scene, who has psychic abilities that enable her to influence the crowd’s moods. This talent helps keep her financially afloat, but also drains her, and as the story begins Miranda is wasting away and her sanity is questionable. It looks like she’s hit rock bottom... and then things get worse.

I’ll admit that I cringed when I saw a rape scene coming, not only because such scenes are wrenching to read but because I’ve too often seen them handled badly. Authors will write them in a titillating style, or they’ll subtly imply that it was the victim’s fault somehow or that it wasn’t “really” rape, or they’ll use it to create five minutes of cheap angst and then have the character just sort of forget about it for the rest of the story. Sylvan doesn’t do any of these things; she handles the attack and the resultant PTSD issues realistically and sensitively. (That’s not to even mention what happens to the assailants, which I’m not ashamed to admit gave me a feeling of vindictive glee.)

The hero, vampire ruler David Solomon, puts Miranda up in his Haven and helps her recover. He has plenty of other stuff on his plate, too, what with the rebellious vampire faction that’s trying to take him down. David has made it illegal for vampires to kill humans, but there are those still loyal to the dead former ruler, Auren, who let them slaughter at will. David is a terrific, layered character whose ethical ideals sometimes clash with the actions required of a ruler. One aspect of David I really love is that he’s a computer geek, and the fact that he’s more tech-savvy than his opposition is a big part of why he’s been able to keep his throne.

He also helps Miranda learn to control her powers. It’s so refreshing that she becomes stronger, not weaker, as she begins to fall in love, and that later when they’re separated for a time, she mopes briefly but then uses this time to do some more growing. She doesn’t start out as the usual tough-as-nails UF heroine, but nor does she stay weak throughout the story. She grows believably and builds up her physical, emotional, and psychic muscles through hard work. When she does see David again, she is able to make a choice from a position of strength, which she could not have done when she was still dependent upon him.

The twisty plot has plenty of emotional highs and lows for our characters, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll be reaching for the Kleenex at the sad parts, grinning like a fool at the happy ones, and pumping your fist in the air whenever a bad guy gets what they so richly deserve. The story is pretty dark, but Sylvan breaks up the darkness with occasional humor, particularly in the dialogue. I love the secondary characters, especially David’s second, Faith, and Miranda’s friend Kat. In fact, if there’s anything in Queen of Shadows that I didn’t quite like, it’s just that I felt that Kat deserved a little more explanation of what was really going on. Even Miranda recognizes this, though, so it’s easy to imagine that this conversation occurred offscreen after the events of the book. (Whether it went well is a whole other question...)

I also enjoyed the evocative prose, which added to the depth and richness of the book, and the diversity of the cast.

If paranormal romance and urban fantasy exist on a continuum, Queen of Shadows is more toward the PNR end of that spectrum. If you just don’t like vampire romance at all, it probably won’t convert you. But if you do like vampire romance, but often find yourself disappointed in it and are looking for a book that reminds you why you liked vampire romance in the first place, you could not do better than Queen of Shadows. Moving, well-written, suspenseful, and sensual, this is a novel you won’t want to miss.

This review originally published at Fantasy Literature

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queen of Shadows introduces us to Miranda Grey, a musician who can manipulate people's emotions through her music. She has spent much of her life avoiding people, never looking anyone in the eye, drinking and trying to keep from losing her mind.

Through random happenstance, she spots David Solomon in line buying ice cream at the market one day. She can't help but notice his stunning eyes. Being a master vampire, he can tell she has power of her own. But, they each go about their business.

Miranda plays her usual set in the club, then heads home afterward. Unfortunately, several men stop her outside in the alley and assault her. I try to avoid spoilers in my reviews, but feel this should be included so that people can avoid the book, if they wish (but, I hope you won't). The scene, while traumatic for Miranda and painful for the reader, is handled in a realistic and sensitive manner. It is at this point in which Miranda learns a little more about her abilities and meets David for the second time.

David is the King of the Southwestern Vampires of the US. He's an uber vamp, but also a brilliant computer engineer who uses technology to protect his vampires.

David is the perfect hero, I immediately fell in love with him. He has all the fascinating qualities we love in vampires, but he's also sensitive and smart. He takes in Miranda, after finding her in the alley, having seen how she protected herself. He takes care with her while she's recovering from the assault and wants to help her learn to control her powers. Miranda's growth throughout the book is believable and the relationship between them is touching.

You immediately connect with both characters, as well as those under David. His second-in-command, Faith, is a hoot. Miranda's sense of humor, despite all that she's been through, provides some laugh-out-loud moments. There wasn't a single thing about this book that I didn't like. I didn't want it to end. I cannot wait for the second book, Shadowflame, which is due out later this year. This is most definitely a series I will pre-order from now on. If you love UF with strong, witty characters, you will LOVE this book!

ETA @ 1/21/11:
Dianne added a "Shadow World Extras" page to her website. It includes a deleted scene called "The Space Between": The immediate aftermath of the climactic battle of Queen of Shadows. You can view it here .

[Regina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reads like a PNR, but the author has said the series will be UF. The world created by the author is strong and while the plot is typical of many PNR stories, it is character based with richly developed characters. I read a spoiler about the end of the book before I really even got started, so perhaps that effected my enjoyment.

This book starts off with a bang, and I would say the beginning is 5 stars. The main female character is in such pain that I felt it – she is awkward and suffering and it is told very well. Her pain is believable. She is suffering from something a lot of PNR heroines suffer from (nothing new here) but how she is able to control it (at least initially) is very unique and how far her powers go – in terms of her control over others is unique. Additionally, we get a spattering of history about the two main vamps, I wish we got more. Hopefully she develops this area.

The struggle – nothing new. Very similar in my opinion to the Breed series (warring groups of vamps, one group is more humane and the other thinks humans are just meat). The good guys have superior technology, are nice and attractive and have a very long history. Again, what we have seen before in many PNR books. I thought the way the main h/h interacted in terms of the relief that the hero gives the heroine was very similar to Elise and Teagan in the breed series and very similar to the main characters in the first LOTU books, I guess also similar to Sookie and Bill in the Sookie series. I am sure other PNR series as well that I can’t think of right now ……Not a spoiler, but the main heroine is an empath – she feels other people’s feelings but can also hear their thoughts and memories and it is slowly driving her (or not so slowly insane). The hero is able to shield her and helps her begin to control her talent. This to me was pretty old hat because it is an oft-used theme in PNR, but what makes it enjoyable and new is the depth of character development. I ended up skimming the last half or so of the book. The book ends on a strong point – which is nice. No cliff hanger.

*****SPOILER*****










I thought the author dealt with the violent rape of the heroine decently, but I am not sure why it is included. It didn’t seem to make her grow stronger – she was pretty independent before – yes she is tormented and has to suffer but she would have with her gift and abandonment by David anyway. It may have motivated her to train to fight, but really this could have been accomplished with the death threats alone – and perhaps almost being accosted in an alley. I guess the author doesn’t spare her characters just b/c it is fiction – and I believe she dealt well with the rape. But I also think this is another over-used theme in PNR and UF.

[Flannery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I'll write a review later, maybe not.

Just a few questions:

(1) If your "best friend" is gone for a month and comes back to tell you she's been "in rehab," what should you do? Answer: Not just say "oh, I thought maybe it was drugs," and shake it off. (The friendship between Mira and Kat was ridiculous.)

(2) If you are getting it on with a vampire and know lots of other vampires, who is the perfect person to call in the event that everyone thinks you are dead and you are actually becoming a vampire ? Answer: NOT YOUR FAIRLY WORTHLESS BEST FRIEND.

(3) If there is a war on and you have vital, time-sensitive information, what should you do? Answer: Take your time going to see a friend and then driving out into the countryside to join the fight, but don't call anyone or try to find their phone numbers. NOT.

[Limonessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Color me shallow. I must be to like this book.

Let's start with what is wrong.
First this:


And then this:


Notice any similarities? No? Then look at this:



and this:



I'd like to compliment the editor for the original choice of the cover.

Unfortunately the similarities with the Chicagoland Vampires series do not end with the cover. Miranda and Merit (from here on M&M's) are both humans who get attacked in the first chapters of the book. While Merit dies immediately and gets Turned, Miranda "only" gets raped but both are saved by their future love interest. David and Ethan are both heads of this "CSI Vampire" show. While David is a PRIME, Ethan is a LIEGE, where one is blond, the other is dark. Both fight off some vampire integralists. So yeah, I'm not going to point out all the similarities in this book but there are a tad too many.

Second. This must be the most predictable book ever written in history. So predictable that you know how it's going to end just by looking at the cover (you see Miranda wearing the Signet that signifies she is the Queen) and reading the title (if the Signet hanging on her neck was not a sufficient explanation, a caption is added to enlighten readers: "Queen of Shadows"). So, apparently, no need to read this book - more kudos for the cover choice.

There's a plot inconsistency about halfway through the book where Miranda falls into a creek, badly sprains an ankle and after a few minutes packs up her stuff - when there is no talk whatsoever of her leaving - and trots outside by herself carrying her suitcase. I think there must be half a scene missing there or there is something I didn't get.
I'd also like to ask Ms. Sylvan why vampires do not have central heating in the huge mansion where they live, where the supreme vampire head is also a technology geek. They live with fireplaces, how romantic is that? (and they love ICE CREAM!)

So why, WHY did I read this book till the last page and even cheered at the end?
I think it was because of David and Miranda. I loved them. Both.
Miranda starts off like a total weak, passive character but she seriously grows some balls during the book. Also, there's never the "loves me, loves me not" gut-wrenching bit we find in so many other books to keep up the suspense. She lives a truly terrible situation at the beginning, grieves and then moves on, taking everything that she is left with and making the best out of it. She gets a bit too much superwoman at the end but at that point I was already cheering too much and loving her too much to notice.
David is my favorite. Finally, finally a non-macho hunk. Rest assured, he is hot and powerful. But, for once, we also see him cry, grieve, give in to his desperation and be fragile. I liked him being a computer geek.
I also liked the fact that they don't exactly fall in love with each other at first sight, he even fucks around a little bit - and to this, I would have totally objected to because she DOES NOT, and it would have only been fair if not for the fact that she had just been raped.
There are some seriously interesting secondary characters, Kat the human friend (cool), Faith the second in command (cooler) and Sophie the fighting mentor (kick-ass cool). Action packed, decent dialogues, this book was worth my money and kept me highly entertained for a couple of nights. I think it completely fulfilled its function.

So yes, I will definitely read the second installment when it comes out (I'm already preordering) and I also recommend it. If you're looking for a light read with heart, action and your usual suspects the vampires, this is a good book.


Follow my reviews at NightReader

[Words · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. In fact I thought Miranda's abilities, and the debilitating effects they had on her, were very interesting. I liked that the leading man was a decent person without being overly obnoxious (as paranormal alpha men so often are). And the author has some memorable one liners, my favorite being, "Something about crushing a man's skull with my brain always aggravates me." Classic.

But, it doesn't make up for the little things, plot wise, that got on my nerves throughout the book. It comes down to three main things that annoyed me:

The prophecy: If you get a fairly descriptive foretelling that something bad is going to happen to your main squeeze, and then it starts coming true, I would think that you'd get super paranoid about it and do everything within your power to prevent it. So when your nemesis says, "I want to see the look on your face when they drag your precious little princess dead from the lake," I would think you'd immediately order an extra battalion of Elites over to guard her, or even better, have her shipped over to your friend's place for safekeeping - the one who's the most powerful Prime in the West. What I don't think you do, is head out to a club at the end of the night, find a woman who looks like Miranda, and then have a little neck sex. I was a little offended to read it.

Miranda's transformation: I think we all know that Miranda won't really die - we've been given enough hints to be fairly certain that she'll end up a vampire at some point in the book. Sure enough, she gets left for dead in a lake, but wakes up and realizes that she's transforming. She's savvy enough to realize that she can't do this by herself, that she needs help and a safe place to change over. So - does she call David, the most powerful vampire this side of the Mason-Dixon, who has an impregnable stronghold named Haven...who is, by the way, her trusted lover and distraught with grief over her supposed death, and who could, at the very least, probably benefit from knowing that 1. there's about to be an attack soon and 2. there are traitors in his guard of Elites? No, she calls her best friend Kat. That's great thing to do when you want to watch movies together, or need a shoulder to cry on, or a second opinion on whether the new top emphasizes your belly chub. It's not great when you need to blockade yourself in her guest room for a week without telling her why, only to emerge with a new set of fangs and a desire to snack on a friend's neck.

Miranda's power: She has an interesting ability to combine her innate powers of empathy and telepathy with her music. Everything we've read about her powers seems to be leading up to a big showdown where she shows us why she has this power. She already demonstrated enough power to kill at the beginning of the book. David trains her to control her abilities and use them to shield, while Sophie teaches her how to use them in combat. After all of this build up, she only uses her empathy training once, against one nameless henchman, during the big fight at the end. I was kind of disappointed because I really wanted to see her use her abilities in a big way - more than I wanted to read about her fighting skills, which I found a little harder to believe she mastered in...three months or so?

The thing is, I don't think it's a terrible book, but the big killer for me were all the little times when actions and reactions didn't follow through believably (or when there was a big build up for nothing).

[Nisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had thought that I will never meet a vampire book that I would like. Considering my previous experience with them, I was disillusioned and jaded by the crap we've been getting. But this book... I don't even feel like I can do it justice. It's really good.

But saying all that, I must warn everyone of the beginning. It's dreary and emotionally painful, and I was ready to stick this in my DNF pile, after reading those first few chapters. But I persevered and was almost instantly rewarded. Unlike most UF, the heroine, Miranda Grey, starts off at the absolute worst point of her life. She battles madness due to her uncontrollable ability to feel EVERYONE's emotions. Her only salvation is in her music. Her miserable existence only gets worse when she is assaulted on her way home. But, luckily, she had caught the interest of the friendly neighborhood Prime, the strongest vampire in Southern United States, and is saved. The Prime, aka. David Solomon, is fascinated with Miranda and wants to protect and help her. Again, Ms. Sylvan surprises us with the most amazing hero you can possibly imagine. Of course, he has his mysterious and violent vampire side, but he is also cute and endearing, compassionate and basically a 'fanged teddy bear' to quote Miranda. David unlife goal is to make humans and vampire live in peace, without savage killings and whatever, so while David and Miranda fall in love, a war arises between vampires about David's reign as Prime. I can't say much else, or risk ruining the story.

Anyway, this is more than just a vampire UF action mash-up. The hero may have helped Miranda protect her mind and heal, it is Miranda who grows stronger on her own accord and develops into a shining star through this book. I was surprised how Ms. Sylvan was still able to write their romance, despite their distance throughout more than half of the book.

The secondary characters, Faith, Sophie, Kat, were great. More than great. I loved seeing Miranda interact with her friends. This is something that UF and PNR usually lacks, as they focus on the heroine's tough girl act or her relationship with the hero.

I was also impressed with the love scene. There was officially only one, really, but it was so sensual and emotional and...sexy.

Overall, this was a great read, worth even a re-read. The only problem I felt was the abrupt end. The last scene was rushed and complete in haste, but knowing that this will be a series, i guess I can forgive. I can't wait to read the next book, and I see lots of promise in this series and in this author.

[Sarah Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

I lack the will to tear into this book the way it deserves. Unbelievable as it might seem, Queen of Shadows sapped my snark. Shocking!

In the meantime, I'll step aside & let Gifftrax speak on my behalf.


Our hero, David:




Our heroine, Miranda:




My reaction to David & Miranda together:




Seriously, guys. I haven't met a bigger Mary Sue/Gary Stu PNR pairing since Cat & Bones. But whereas Cat & Bones have at least some personality, Miranda & David are boring as hell. There's nothing distinctive about them. Nothing worth remembering. Nothing that stands out. (Well, not unless you count Miranda being a blatant Tori Amos clone, but that's not "distinctive" so much as "bizarre.")

Speaking of distinctiveness (or lack thereof), this book has nothing unique to recommend it. The heroine's speshul snowflake empowerment, the obligatory infodumps re: what kills vamps & what doesn't, the Jets v. Sharks clan structure, the goth underpinnings, the urban setting...zzzzz. It's all been done before -- many, many times -- and the opening hooks that might have turned the story different from other chick-centric PNR are abandoned in favor of Miranda's transformation into some Buffy-on-wheels vampire queen with a brainless man-candy vampire king & an ideological bloodsucker war that's been done...oh...73 times before.

Yo, I'm sick of boring vampire books. -___-

[Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5 stars**

W.O.W! I love books that you just can't put down and this was one of them.

***warning: there is some dark stuff that happens in the beginning but it is not extremely detailed if you want to know, look here: there is a rape scene.

I so enjoyed both Miranda and David and loved how their relationship grew. It was so interesting to see how Miranda handled her empathic powers and how David and then Sophie helped her and I thought it was great how music was thrown into the mix. I loved the dueling sides of David....from fearless leader to someone who loves ice cream and a computer nerd.

Faith really grew on me and I hope to learn more about her in further books. I was really saddened about Sophie...I was hoping there would be more of her in future books.

The killer scene was when the signet was flashing and Ariana was holding it....ugghhh...I wouldn't have been able to handle that if it continue to flash. Thank goodness we didn't have to go through that.

I think the only downside of the book was that some things were very predictable. I guess it's kind of hard to write a fresh vampire book and not have some similar things. I do think there were enough new things in it to give it a fresh spin.

I would definitely recommend this book and I can't wait for the next one!

[Umaiya ❄️Ramblings of a Scattered Mind❄️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 "Intense" stars

This was quite an intense read, right from chapter 1.
I finished it in one sitting.
No water breaks, no food breaks, no BATHROOM breaks either.
Oh yeah, I went there or more accurately I didn't go there.
Lol, I'm all kinds of messed up right now.

So even though it was gripping from the get go, I'm not gonna be continuing the series. I mean, this read more as a stand alone than the first book in a series plus I hear the author ruins the story in the later books and since that titbit came from a pretty reliable source, I'm gonna cut my losses here. I'm pretty content with how the book ended, no loose ends.

I had fun reading this so don't just take my word, try it yourself, maybe you'll end up continuing where I left. :)

[Vered · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. I felt the writing was not even at times, some of the dialogs lacked some of the edginess/sharpness I love so much in UF books.
But I really liked the characters, the pace - not too fast not too slow, the development of the story and of the characters. No use of "misunderstandings" which I really dislike, and too many writers of the genre seem to think is imperative.
By the end of it I was really emotionally involve, the romantic scenes were done very realistically (well, we are talking vampires) and tenderly, and during the last few chapters I was more than relactent to leave the book for a second.

All in all, good start to a new series.

[Paradoxical · Rating 1 out of 5]

The start of the book was Very Dramatic. I was probably not in the right headspace when I began reading this book, but for the first few pages I was frowning and sighing and very close to rolling my eyes. Then I got over it and went, "Hey, self? You just began, stop being so critical" and it seemed to move a little better after that. But only a tiny bit. Still, the beginning suffers from information dump and bad melodrama. Sure, the info dump is needed, but at the same time it's laid out for the reader--no, shoved in the reader's face--and I wanted a more subtle entry into Miranda's world, thoughts, and feelings. Something that wasn't designed for the reader to go "oh poor woobie."

And then, as a sort of angsty coup de grace, there was a rape scene. A gang rape scene at that.

Sigh.

It wasn't completely gratuitous; there was a reason behind it. On the other hand, it just made me feel like the author had to make her character, right from the start, hit rock bottom and then slam her into the dirt a little deeper, just because. It was useful to the plot, yes. It also really irritated me.

And then there was the POV switch to random killer vampire whose sole purpose was to give more of background information, and to inform the reader about the male lead, who is the leader and a ruthless bastard (to those that break the laws), while holding up justice for the dead human said random killer vampire murdered.

To be honest, at this point I was just hating with only the slightest reason to hate. At least I'm honest about it, eh heh.

Something about the book feels off to me. I can't take it seriously at all (especially when the book tries very, very hard to take itself seriously) and every time a character speaks, I feel as if all of the words are shallow and that, in the end, the entire tone of the book is the same. It doesn't help that the author doesn't seem to know the meaning of 'show and not tell'.

The saddest part is, as I'm writing this, I'm only about a fourth of the way through this book. It's screamingly shallow and the writing is... it feels undeveloped. It just sounds juvenile and it needs to be tighter. The readers are told chunks of information for no real reason and out of nowhere. Subtlety is for other books apparently--this one wields foreshadowing like a sledgehammer.

How in the world did this book get the reviews that it did? I tried so hard to remain objective in the beginning, but now I'm sort of throwing up my hands and going, "You know what? I'm just going to bitch about this." I can't even give this book two stars. It probably doesn't help that the author doesn't do anything particularly clever or new with her version of vampires, and I wanted more out of that as well. The world, the characters, the plot, and the writing just fall flat. I can't bring myself to care about the characters (this says a lot--I don't even care enough to hate them) and I gave up halfway through the book, skipping from reading to super skimming to get to the end.

Not that that even helped--there was one portion of the book where a bad guy (well, girl) was all "I know that I am going to die, but I hope you kill that traitorous sister of mine as well" or some such. Which is. Wow. That was an extra special kind of terrible. It was like a giant, honking, glaring, 'this is a trap'. Like I said, foreshadowing like a freaking sledgehammer. A sledgehammer that is held right above you where you can't miss it. ...All right, it's not foreshadowing, exactly, but more like terrible planning. Or is it an inability to be anything but transparent?

And then soon after, Miranda is confronted with the big bad, all by her lonesome, and for all of that, she chats with them. She banters with them and this is the point where I just want to close my eyes and slam my head against a wall. I like strong heroines. I adore them. But this crossed the line of strong into impossible as well as really stupid coupled with you'd think she'd feel some fear. Any. At all. And of course the big bad lays out their plans at the main character's feet.

The darndest part of that scene is that said villain actually says:

Ariana’s smile returned. “No more monologuing,” she said. “I’m a better villain than that. Boys, take her. We have work to do here."

Not only is it cliche to... to the stars (what? I can be dramatic too), the villain is a nitwit. Who in the world likes a stupid villain? It doesn't say much about Miranda that she gets killed by said villain. Then again, dying completely never took. ...All right, the last bit is unfair, about Miranda getting (sorta) killed. Doesn't change the fact that the villain is awful.

Though Miranda isn't exactly a genius herself. She's changing into a vampire, she's going through more than a rough time, and she doesn't contact the male lead who could help her through such a transition. She doesn't even make a token attempt to try and get into contact (like sending Kat off to get help or something). What's worse, she knows who the traitor is and she doesn't make the attempt. And, of course, David thinks that Miranda is dead and there's the subsequent angst and then the aftermath of getting friends to slap him out of it and ughhh.

And of course, once Miranda is a vampire, she turns all... super mary sue on us. Complete with large amounts of purple prose. And, ahahahaha, this is priceless:

Power joined into power, weaving in and around itself and each other, and the foundations of the Haven trembled as David stepped forward, a single tear leaving a silvery track down his face.

So terrible. The epilogue only serves to show the reader how utterly kickass Miranda is. This is not a bad thing, but the epilogue served no other purpose than to make Miranda seem that much more awesome. It was even written in a third party POV so that Miranda's awesomeness could be highlighted even more.

Argh to this entire book.

[Vinaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This came as a bit of a shock to me, but I actually liked Queen of Shadows! Well, mostly. It's not some fabulously original storytelling, but unlike a lot of authors out there today, Dianne Sylvan at least knows her job well enough to keep her reader reading till the very end.

Queen of Shadows is about Miranda Grey, a musician and an empath who has the ability to influence the emotions of people through her music. But this ability escalates until she begins to hear the emotions and memories of all the people surrounding her, all the time. It's driving her slowly crazy, and she descends into a morass of drinking and avoiding people until she is rescued after being raped, by Austin's vamp leader, David Solomon, who is fighting his own battle against insurgent vamps who want to regress to the days of uncontrolled bloodlust.

Miranda is a fairly likeable heroine. I am not a fan of passive, 'i'm the little woman' heroines, but that's because most of these women are just born (or created, I guess!) weak. Take for example Bella Swan, who is sadly personality-free and has to wait for the men in her life to rescue her from everything, be it a homicidal vamp, or a papercut. Sheesh.

Miranda, on the other hand, has every reason in the world to be a victim. She has debilitating powers she can't control, she's been gang-raped, and then shoved into a paranormal world she never knew existed. Even one of these would be enough to leave a person traumatised; the combination of them all would have rendered most people incapable of functioning ever again. And yet, Miranda eventually manages to rise above it. And that's another thing I like about Sylvan's plotline. It's not like Miranda wakes up a week after her rape and near-death and decides to become a kick-ass warrior who can immediately control her superpowers. It takes time, baby steps forward, several giant leaps backward and a slow triumph of strong willpower over overwhelming fear.

David's a great character too. He's not one of those annoying, super-mysterious 'I'm facing several life-threatening situations, but I can't tell you about them because you're the little woman' kind of hero. He's open from the start, willing to give Miranda the information necessary to equip her to face the Shadow World. When he falls in love with her, (not instantly, thank god!) he's willing to discuss his problems with her. When he sends her away, he tells her why, and she accepts it. He doesn't pretend to fall out of love with her, or find her annoyingly weak, or stage some big betrayal, or any of the other tired cliches people use for the Big Separation.

So the overall love story is both sexy and sweet, which is a hard thing to achieve these days. I would give five stars to this book just for that, if it had not managed to annoy me towards the end.

Oh, *** SPOILERS *** from here on.

One of the reasons this book didn't rate more than three stars in my opinion was the worldbuilding. Even in a PNR, worldbuilding to a certain extent impacts your story. For example, Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling world is excellent, especially considering the series is straightforward paranormal romance. But Queen of the Shadows is meant to be Urban Fantasy, I think, and that means the worldbuilding matters even more. Dianne Sylvan was smart enough to keep her vampires fairly straighforward. No messing around with sparkles, or angels or demons or anything. Just normal, garden-variety vamps who need to drink human blood to survive, and can't face the sunlight, and have super-strength. Some parts of the book remind me a lot of Twilight, especially when Miranda becomes a vamp, and gets all distracted by the sensory overload it results in. The scene was startlingly similar to the experiences Bella has when she first becomes a vampire. So minus points for lack of originality and very basic world-building.

But all in all, the book was going really well, until it suddenly wasn't. So here's what happens. Miranda gets stabbed in the heart by bad vamps, and falls in the river. Bad vamps then set fire to her apartment building to make David think she's dead. She comes to, and is in the process of turning into a vamp. She gets to her friend's house, where she's told about the fire, and she's lucid enough to worry about all the people who died, but she doesn't bother to try to get in touch with the man she loves, who thinks she's DEAD!!! .

Oh, and she knows he has a couple of traitors with him at all times, but she still doesn't feel any urgent need to contact him. But conveniently, her transformation is complete on the VERY DAY that the bad vamps decide to attack The Haven (the vamp HQ). I can believe in coincidence upto a limit, but this is stretching credulity too far.

And for that matter, why did the bad vamps decide to attack on the full moon night, a whole week after they 'kill' Miranda? There is no arcane reason, since they can't do magic. There are no special plans or people to wait for. They just randomly decided to kill the Prime (David) after he has recovered from his lover's death, instead of striking when he was incapacitated by grief? Yeah, some very smart planning there. Give your readers some credit for common sense, please!

*** SPOILERS *** end here.

But there are several positive things going for this book, not the least of which is an excellent portrayal of women in this story. All of the women in this story (even the dying ones!) are strong, dedicated and likeable. Miranda actually has friends (in the plural!) and I liked all of them. And the gay boys! They were all pretty cool too. (Mom and Baby Cast, read and learn!)

So, will I read the next book in the series? Yes. Despite some fumbling in the end, Sylvan has a nice solid plotline and great characters, so I'd be interested in knowing how David and Miranda get along. Although I must admit, Faith is kind of my favourite person in the book.

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

We will call this one The Book of Faith because that’s exactly what it is. Despite the fact I honestly liked Miranda and David, my personal favorite was definitely Faith. But most importantly, this book restored my faith in urban fantasy altogether.
What’s so great about Faith, you wonder? When she first showed up and started (as his Second) talking David out of bringing Miranda to Haven, I thought: Theeeeere she goes – the typical Mexican-soap-opera-bitch that’s going to stand in their way the entire time. Not only was she the farthest thing from my oh-so-prejudiced initial assessment, but there was no Mexican-soap-opera-bitch at all! Honestly, there wasn’t. There were no love triangles of any kind!
If you want to know how amazing Faith truly is, read the damned book!
So why did I give Queen of Shadows only four stars? Well, first of all, the cover is flat out ugly. I am a cover snob, I’m not ashamed to admit. Have I not heard about this book before actually seeing it, I would never have read it. Second of all, I got a teeny tiny bit bored around the middle. Maybe it was just me.

I highly recommend this book to all you urban fantasy lovers out there (although it’s mostly paranormal romance if you ask me). Even without disrupting any of the UF conventions, Sylvan succeeded in making it quite fresh.

[~V~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars...i LOVED IT!!! Such an unexpected treat!!!..can't wait for the 2nd book!

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Oh, I am very pleased with this book. This is my first exposure to the author and I was not disappointed.

The heroine, Miranda, was a real and believable character. Her suffering, both psychic and physical, was not melodramatic or overplayed. Instead it was dealt with in a sensitive fashion and you never had a moment of, "Oh jeesh! That would never happen!"

I enjoyed the world the author created, and although there was nothing new going on here, the story was well told. For me, that is the more important factor. You can have all the great and original ideas you like but if your writing skill is bland, the story will be as well. This author is not afflicted with the 'bland' problem. :)

The primary and secondary characters in this were evenly addressed and no one overwhelmed the other. I felt I received enough story on them all to either incite my interest of let me get to know them in turn.

This is one that I would recommend to all lovers of UF or PNR. There is something here for everyone and this installment was a strong start to what promises to be a deep, solid, and action-filled series.

[Federica the heir of fire · Rating 3 out of 5]

David and Miranda:

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

~* 4.5 Stars *~
Fantastic Urban Fantasy Debut
She is an incredibly strong empath who can use music to manipulate others' emotions - and get relief from the press of them, but the stress of her combined talents are quickly tearing Miranda Grey apart. Her psyche can't handle the strain. She's cut herself off from people, unable to meet anyone's eyes for fear of seeing too much of the darkness in their hearts, unable to touch anyone for fear of being bombarded by all their dirty little secrets. She keeps her head down and tries not to attract any attention when she's not on stage performing. That's why she didn't see the men as they followed her down the street after a gig late one night. And when they pulled her into that dark alley, hard rain pounding down on Austin as if the city were weeping for her fate, she never even had time to scream.

One of the most powerful vampires in the country, David Solomon is Prime of the Southern United States. He's also a techno geek with a Ph.D. from MIT, an addiction to ice cream...and a growing problem with insurgents, vampires chafing under the no-kill rule of his territory, among other grievances. When he first saw Miranda standing in line at a local mart, he could sense her power. He could sense her crumbling mental state. Then he went to the club and listened to her sing and realized the scope of her skills, but before he could step in to offer assistance with her deteriorating mental health, he was called away by his security team.

The next time he saw her, she was little more than human refuse in that alley - brutally beaten, raped, and almost dead. Just barely more alive than the men she had snuffed out with the sheer force of emotion she wields.

So begins the journey of Miranda and David, two extraordinary...people...whose destinies overlap and intertwine. So begins the Shadow World series, and an incredible urban fantasy series premiere. Original, imaginative, unique, Queen of Shadows is a breath of fresh air in the ofttimes stale genre, and is practically an homage to classic UF with characters who are gifted but flawed, broken, unsure, and struggle with their own demons just as vehemently as they struggle with outside forces.

Told with a flowing, descriptive narrative and vibrant, quick dialogue, this book fleshes out the world of the series and the characters involved with just the right blend of need-to-know-now and wait-to-see-how-this-develops that enhances but never overwhelms the simple but powerful plot. Three dimensional primary and secondary characters who run the gamut from quirky to endearing to a little terrifying ground the story and imbue it with a visceral sense of significance that made me care about their fates - care about them. Made me want to keep reading about them.

I loved Miranda and adored David. While there is definitely a romance between them in this book, the true nature of the story is their journey as individuals, she the victim who needs to find a way to live in this world and he the top predator who needs to find balance between who he is and what he is. With the backdrop of the threat to his territory and the danger to Miranda, their odd friendship and growing emotional connection made for compelling reading as they each travel their paths.

Miranda is far from perfect, and at times very far from strong and independent - someone who occasionally takes the easier, more self destructive way out, and Sylvan allows us to see the goodness in her, the yearning for a normalcy she'll never truly have, and the steel in her spine that will help her become who she's going to become. She crafts Miranda's gifts and curses, strengths and weaknesses, and leaves her ultimately sympathetic and likable...and respectable...without sacrificing her very organic development given her circumstances. Her failures and her triumphs are keenly felt, and it's handled with an aplomb that adds realism and believability.

David is a brilliant character, and I thoroughly enjoyed Sylvan's take on his personality, as well as the vampire mythos and culture incorporated into her world (Twenty-first century vamps! Yay!). The dialogue between him and Miranda and him and his Elite second was saturated with the spectrum of emotions that by nature he as Prime and as a vampire over three centuries old keeps contained. I can't wait to see how he develops as the series progresses.

There are delightful touches of humor in the book that I appreciate, and subtle touches of wit and sarcasm, as so much of this book is more on the dark and serious side. Man's inhumanity to man and...well...vampire's inhumanity to man and vampire both are in unflinching display here, but gentled by the tenderness of affection and humor, the overall picture is far less grim and much more entertaining. I like bleak and tragic as much as the next girl, but it's not to my personal preference for reading entertainment. This book had a nice balance.

Reading Queen of Shadows, it would be easy to see how this could be classified more as a paranormal romance than UF, but it is, actually, urban fantasy, and Sylvan will be continuing the series with Miranda and David as central characters, so there is no traditional HEA. Personally, I find that to be to the benefit of the book, which wouldn't have rated quite so high for me had it been intended as a romance. Too much of the book was centered around David and Miranda individually and independent of each other for me to have fully embraced it as PNR. I can wholeheartedly embrace it as urban fantasy, however.

There were one or two spots that I thought the pace of the plot got a little slow, but nothing so bad that I was overly bothered by it. I do wish that there had been a few things done differently - and almost all are impossible to expound on without seriously spoiling the plot. It's probably safe to say I wish there had been a bit more written out about the character growth for Miranda when she was in her new apartment in Austin. That whole time was seen in bits and pieces and mostly glossed over and summarized and I think it would have been nice to see it in a more real-time fashion. So too the evolution of feelings David had for Miranda. Those issues speak more towards my personal preferences, not criticisms, but I do prefer to see those sorts of transitions written out to better enjoy the transitional stages of character and relationship growth.

Despite that, there's so very much to like about this book and it's one of my happiest finds. It's going to be a long wait until the second book in the series, which isn't going to be out until July 2011. Like Miranda, I may actually pine until I get my hands on that book. I'm trying to control those sorts of thoughts with the reality that there is a second book in the series. It helps. A little. Maybe I should try some Ben & Jerry's, too. Works for David.

~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.

[Emily Kestrel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll start my review with my usual disclaimers: first, while I did not like this book at all, and I am about to share all my reasons why, this is of course just my own highly subjective opinion and tons of other people loved it, so please don't let my dislike keep you from picking it up. Unless graphic rape scenes are a trigger for you, in which case please do let my review keep you away, cause this book has one.

Second, I'll most likely be littering this review with UNMARKED SPOILERS, so if you don't want to be spoiled, don't read on.

So, I was really happy to find this book, because I'm doing an urban fantasy/paranormal romance A to Z reading challenge, and titles beginning with the letter Q are not easy to come by. Also, it sounded interesting. Our heroine, Miranda, is a musician in Austin TX and she's just a few inches away from a nervous breakdown at the start of the book because she's very highly empathic, and while this gift fuels her musical talent, it also wears her down from the constant bombardment of other people's emotions. When the book begins, she's a complete wreck, so skinny she looks like she's a concentration camp victim (I doubt it; but that's the author's description, not mine) and drinking herself to sleep every night.

Then, at a mere 5% of the way into the story, she is subjected to a brutal gang rape. As one of my pet peeves in fantasy fiction is the use of rape as a plot device, this scene pretty much ticked me off. Most of the time, this is just laziness on the author's part and there were plenty of other ways the heroine could have suffered horribly and then went on to become a badass, and that is definitely the case here. I can honestly think of two or three different scenarios that would have achieved the same goals in plot/character development, without a gang rape.

Then the hero, the territory's head vampire David Solomon, swoops in to "rescue" her (she had already rescued herself, but he takes her away to heal in his Vampire HQ). He just happened to be in the area because they met cute while he was buying ice cream and he can't get his mind off her. Then...a lot of nothing happens, really. The middle section of the book was so boring that I struggled to get through it, and if not for the fact that I would have had to find yet another book starting with Q, I probably would have DNF'd.

At one point, Miranda --a petite, red-headed singer/songwriter -- rocks out on a Bosendorfer piano for David, and I wondered if the author was kinda picturing her like Tori Amos. A couple chapters later, she reveals that the song she played for him was "Silent All These Years," and after that, I couldn't stop picturing this book as some bizarre form of Tori Amos fan fic. Another issue I had with the story.

This part is entirely my own personal preference, but I thought these were some of the most boring vampires ever. Actually, I often struggle with UF vampire characters (preferring the traditional, non-sparkly horror kind), because I like my vampires to be scary, mysterious and amoral. I don't like them to be technological geniuses working on their computer networks and making sure they never actually do scary vampire things because that's just not nice.

So at first I actually had sympathy for the villains, a group of vampires who are rebelling against David's rule because they want to be the real, non-sparkly kind of vampire. Until...why did the author decide to make the bad vampires homophobic? They specifically target LGBTQ people and minorities because being murderous vampires isn't enough, they also have to be completely hateful. Again, I thought this was really lazy plotting, a way to make sure everyone would hate the bad guys without question. And then when the leader of the rebel vamps states that they are doing this because...wait for it...God made them superior so they shouldn't have to skulk around in the shadows, I lost it. What kind of vampire worries about God? Especially the "bad" vampires??? This made no sense to me. Just...no.

So why did I rate this two stars instead of one? Because the last 25% of the book was actually pretty good, so it wasn't a total loss.

[Pamela / SpazP · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at WickedLilPixie Reviews

I picked this book up on a whim at the recommendation of a fellow Urban Fantasy fan and reviewer, and I am so happy I did. I was immediately enthralled and could not put this book down.

Queen of Shadows is the first book in the Shadow World series. The story begins with the introduction of our heroine, Miranda Grey, a very tortured musician on the brink of what she perceives as madness. She is drowning in the effects of her abilities as an empath, with nobody to understand or explain to her what she is experiencing and why. Isolated and in despair, her empath ability feels like a curse and prevents her from forming relationships and even being able to look someone in the eyes. Enter David Solomon, vampire Prime of the South, and a computer geek-slash-ninja to boot… be still my heart! After a chance meeting in a grocery store, he finds her after an unimiginable act of violence she is victim of, and helps her heal emotionally and physically with the aftermath. Through his help and the help of his second in command, Faith, Miranda is able to learn to manage her gift and gain back control over her life. After her initial recovery, Miranda returns back to her former life as an up-and-coming Austin musician. She learns how to function with her new coping and survival skills to make a new life for herself on her own with her empath abilities in check. But that’s not the end of her journey by any means, only the beginning…

On a personal note, Queen of Shadows takes place in Austin, TX where I have called home for over ten years. On the one hand I was excited to read a book that takes place in my town, especially an Urban Fantasy book. Then, I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to separate from *my* Austin versus the world building in the book. I am happy to say that it completely worked for me. Ms. Sylvan references several local hot spots, such as BookPeople and Kerbey Lane, which was so fun! Overall, the fantasy Shadow World she created was grounded in reality, and she blended the fantasy and real uniquely and very well.

The characters all have real human components to them, and the landscapes are dark and gritty. There are some jarring and disturbing elements to the story that make it spellbinding. I really connected with both Miranda and David from the get-go, and the secondary characters as well. Miranda is the proverbial phoenix that rises from the ashes. David is the modest leader who wants to advance his vampire population technologically {again, I say “swoon”}, and use his knack for technology to keep the humans safe from rogue vampires. Miranda and David together are a force to be reckoned with and you want them to succeed. If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy with Romance, you will definitely want to read this book.

Dianne Sylvan has announced there is a second Shadow World book, ShadowFlame, to be released on July 26, 2011. I cannot wait to read it, just bummed we have to wait so long for it!

[Sonya Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

FANGIRL SQUEEE!!!

Okay, now that I've got that out of my system, let's talk about the book. Miranda is an empath, able to use music to channel emotions to her audience. The trouble is, she also picks up on other people's emotions, their deepest secrets and fears, and it's driving her insane. When she's brutally attacked in an alley one night, we get our first indication Dianne Sylvan is also writing a master class on How To Do Urban Fantasy Right: in a frightening and uncontrolled display of her power, Miranda saves herself.

David Solomon is the vampire Prime of the South, and one of the most unique alpha heroes I've read. While he outlaws killing humans, he does in fact still drink from humans, via old school toe-curling vampire seduction in one scene. My favorite thing about David is his intelligence. Unlike some vamp stories where the undead characters are living in the past and seem out of place in modern times, David is a master of the most up-to-date technology. He uses it to both protect his vampire world, and drag it into the present. I love this mix of David being a real vampire, and being a sexy nerd.

David finds Miranda after she's attacked and takes her back to his Haven, having recognized that she has abilities she needs help with. Miranda is slowly able to process what's happened and deal with the PTSD aftermath. They begin working together so she can learn to use and control her gifts, and take baby steps toward a relationship. I almost hated how long it took for them to get together, but it was right for it to be that way. Right for Miranda, and right for the story. I loved it that she returned to her own world, taking care of herself.

The mystery of who's trying to usurp David as Prime is well-done, though it feels almost unimportant compared to the story of Miranda and David. There are a couple of great secondary characters. One is Faith, David's second in command, who is awesome in her own right and could carry her own novel if Sylvan chose. The other is the city of Austin itself. The little bits of local color help to keep the book grounded in the real world, something a lot of urban fantasy doesn't even try to do anymore.

If it's not clear by now I'll just spell it out for you: I freaking loved this book. I'm so glad it's the first of a series, and can't wait for the next one. But I'm not at all surprised I loved this book. As a reader of Sylvan's old blog I found her serial Shadow Agency that she posted free online, and loved every bit of it. It's unrelated to this novel but just as awesome - she's got the stories posted on her website now in PDFs you can download. I highly recommend both her Agency stories and her first novel, Queen of Shadows. It's made the list as one of my all-time favorites.

[Vasya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Fucking Shit

This was so amazing. Not amazing, actually, intensely great.

It was so so predictable, bit I am not talking about that. Even though the storyline was actually really interesting, I will put it aside in this review and not discuss it because I have to write about something that is much, much more important (p.s. I'm not disregarding it because it sucks, it was pretty great too) - and those are the main characters and their relationship.

Miranda is a typical damsel in distress at the beginning of this book - guess who's the typical swoop you off your feet hero? If you can't, I'll tell you, it's David. But what makes these characters stupendous is the way their relationship goes from there. It's not love at first sight - it was predictable that they will end up together, but they had some problems that they needed to solve first, and they took their merry time solving them too. I liked that, even though Miranda leans onto David, he still makes her step on her own too feet and not be dependent on him, as is the case for many romance couples nowadays. He pushes and pushes until she does it, and in the end, she takes those steps herself, without him as backup, and I feel all the more in awe of her than I did before.

She really took her fears by the horns and she beat them to a bloody pulp. She even (and mind, don't reveal this spoiler ahead if you haven't read the book, it would be very disappointing for you to know it in advance) got through the actual transition from human to vampire herself and that's not a small feat to do. So I am a total fan of Miranda.

David on the other hand tries to stop their attraction from growing because he doesn't want to get her into a dangerous position, and that's kind of sweet, even if there's not a chance of that happening :)

So I am deeply grateful for Vinaya for recommending this book to me, and will advise every paranormal/romance fan out there to read it. It might not be to your tastes exactly like it was to mine, but you will have a great time, nonetheless.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queen of Shadows starts out DARK!! But the story that unfolds of how Miranda Grey copes and heals and moves forward is pretty Wonder Woman fantastic!!! Below are some of my favorite quotes/scenes. I highly recommend Queen of Shadows, 4.5 stars, and can't wait for the next installment!!!

His blue eyes lit on her, and he smile. "How are you feeling this evening, Miss Grey?"

"I'm fucked up on Vicodin," Miranda told him, keeping the hysteria out of her voice by inches. "Otherwise there'd be a girl-shaped hole in that door."

If only all men felt this way...

He was so grateful that he brought her twice before finishing himself, then again before releasing her. Women, he had always felt, had gotten the raw deal sexually speaking. It was so easy for men, but women took work, and they put up with a lot from the dicked gender. The least he could do was make it worth their while.

Eww, David..

Cheese is the coagulated lactation of a ruminant mammal. It's not even made from human milk, which would make far more sense. Eggs are essentially the menstrual period of a chicken. Honey is mostly bee spit. Shall I go on? Ummm, no! LOL!!

"You exchange blood," Faith went on. Sometimes we do that for sexy reasons. It, ah...what am I trying to say?"

"Gets you off really hard", David concluded for her.

"I'm not going to lie around on a chaise lounge waiting for my prince to come rescue me from my tower. And if he were the kind of guy who'd ask me to, well, he could go fuck himself anyway."