Buddy read with AlyDaughter of the Blood may have been an incredibly dark and at times shocking story but I loved every minute of it so although I had to brace myself beforehand I couldn't wait to continue reading Jaenelle's story in Heir to the Shadows. I was expecting an intense read when I picked up this book and I wasn't wrong but I was also pleasantly surprised to find it isn't quite as dark and disturbing as the first book. Although this sequel wasn't quite as painful to read it does still contain scenes of mental and physical torture so I should probably warn anyone new to the series that you need to prepare yourself for the worst. I'm not trying to put anyone off because it's a FANTASTIC series but if you don't know what to expect you'll end up getting quite a shock! You also need to make sure you read this series in order, the world building is detailed and complex, there are a lot of different characters to keep track of and they have all had significant growth just in the first two books. You'll be completely lost if you pick up the books at this point and I would hate to see people to ruin the series for themselves.As much as I enjoyed Daughter of the Blood I loved Heir to the Shadows even more, I can't tell you how grateful I am to already have my hands on the next book because as soon as I've finished writing this review I'm diving straight back into the world Anne Bishop has created! I just can't wait any longer to discover what happens to all of my favourite characters next. I don't think I have it in me to write a review that will fully explain what an amazing book Heir to the Shadows is or just how much I adore this series but I'm going to do my best in the hope of convincing you to read it for yourself.At the end of the previous book we saw Jaenelle suffer the worst kind of physical and mental torture imaginable, it actually hurt my heart thinking about everything she went through and it's the kind of thing that no woman should ever have to deal with - let alone a 12 year old child. It was hard to see how Jaenelle would survive, let alone come out of the ordeal mentally stable but I had underestimated the amount of love and faith her friends and adopted family have and they pulled together to help her through. It takes 2 years for her mind to heal enough to return to her body but Saetan never loses faith in her. She has blocked the memory of the event that nearly killed her but she is still a very different girl to the Witch we met in the beginning. She is much more wary and finds it hard to fully trust even the people she was closest to before, she is also angry and has much less control over her temper. It takes a long time and the help of some very close friends before she starts to emerge as the fun loving and friendly girl she used to be but even then there will always be lasting effects from her trauma.I absolutely loved meeting some of the friends that she'd spoken of in the previous book but that we hadn't been introduced to. We knew she visited lots of people besides Saetan, Daemon and Lucivar but now we get to meet her Kindred friends for ourselves along with the other young witches and warlords she has met over the years. Jaenelle draws both people and animals to her, they feel her power and know that she is the longed for Witch who has the ability to bring peace to the realms but that isn't the only reason they care for her. Jaenelle has no intention of setting up a court or taking over the duties of running a territory but she is still incredibly protective of the people she cares about and will use the power she was born with to keep them safe no matter what it costs her.One of the characters who nearly broke my heart in the first book was Lucivar, every time we saw him he was either being tortured or being forced to watch someone else suffer and his POV made for some uncomfortable reading. I badly wanted to see him escape and find some happiness so I was absolutely thrilled with how things progressed for him in this book. He is finally reunited with his father Saetan and he is at Jaenelle's side like the protective older brother he's always wanted to be. Jaenelle needed men around her who had no interest in her sexually and I loved her interactions with both Lucivar and her adopted father Saetan. Their family dynamics are difficult at times because they all have reasons to distrust each other but there is such a sense of love between them and that really shines through in every conversation.The one person missing from the family reunion is Daemon and although I understood his absence I'll admit I missed him because he doesn't play such a big role in this part of the story. Daemon is the one who saved Jaenelle's life but mentally throwing himself into the abyss to reach her cost him dearly and now he's paying the price. Daemon's memories of what happened to Jaenelle are vague and now he's not even sure if she's dead or alive. Worse still, he can't remember what caused her injuries and he is terrified that he did something to hurt her. His anguish over her possible death and the role he may have played in it have caused him to lose his mind and now he is walking in the Twisted Kingdom completely lost and alone. The only person who has the power to reach Daemon and bring him back is Jaenelle but when she blocked the memories of what happened to her she also blocked out the time she spent with Daemon. The most important question is will she remember who he is in time to save his life?I've already said that this story isn't quite as dark as the first one but that doesn't mean things are all plain sailing and there are still plenty of enemies out out there making plots against Jaenelle and her family. I was glad we see some people start to get what they deserve but others like Hekatah and Dorothea are still plotting and getting ready to cause more trouble. In a lot ways the focus of this story is Jaenelle's recovery and seeing her build a network of close friends and allies that I think she will need on her side in the next book though. This instalment almost feels like the calm before the storm and I have a feeling things are going to go downhill fast for our favourite characters as the series continues in Queen of Darkness. I just hope Jaenelle and her allies are strong enough to face whatever is about to be thrown at them.
OH ANNE, you expectation-shattering fountain of COYlicious sauciness, you completely drenched me in surprise on this one. After spending much of Daughter of the Blood setting up a dark, violent, matriarchal fantasy realm full of sexual sadism, rape and men wearing “rings of obedience” on their ROOSTERS, you pivot 90 degrees, throw back the covers and reveal a three dimensional fantasy world full of as much goodness and evil. You really blew my expectations and you came “THIS CLOSE” to getting a full 5 stars from me because of it. Well done, Ms. Bishop, well done. Please don’t infer from the above that I did not like Daughter of the Blood, because I really did as I hope I made clear in my review. However, there’s no denying that it was brimming with dark imagery and mega doses of “non comfy” sex though, in my opinion, done in a non-gratuitous fashion by having most of the darker aspects occur off stage. In this second installment, the rapey non-niceties are completely absent and we have instead a deeply emotional story of friendship, love and the bonds they create giving the strength to overcome trauma. Sorry if that sounds a bit Hallmarky but it really was evocative. This installment picks up shortly after Jaenelle has been “broken” (i.e., raped) in her enemies’ attempt to prevent her from coming into her power as Witch. While physically surviving the attack, emotionally and spiritually Jaenelle has been deeply scarred. Most of this book deals with Jaenelle’s slow physical and psychological recovery while living in safety under the angry, paternally badass protection of her adopted father, Saetan SaDiablo, who is easily my favorite character in the series. The relationship between the two is some truly epic. The story also follows Daemon Sadi, my second favorite character, who was also brutally injured in his rescue (though a bit late) of Jaenelle from her attackers. In addition, he has suffered a complete mental breakdown as a result of being falsely told that it was he who raped Jaenelle in a fit of madness. All the while, Dorothea and Hekatah the two vile BITCHillains of our little tale continue their plots to permanently destroy Jaenelle. There is much melodrama in the story and some might find it a bit much, but I loved it. The dialogue between the characters is heavy with emotion and depth and gives a sense of vitality to the narrative. The biggest shocker for me, which I alluded to above, is that while still containing the lush, sensual prose and imagery that made Daughter of the Blood so fun to read, this middle volume feels much more like standard fantasy (in a good way). Sex is almost completely absent and there is a greatly reduced amount of violence. We also meet the “kindred” who are intelligent animals born of the Blood and include unicorns, dragons and other fantasy staples, but with an excellent flavor to their back story. Most importantly, for me at least, we learn that the cruel, sadistic relationship between women and men in the realm ruled by Dorothea IS NOT the norm for the rest of the world. We learn of the strong bonds of fidelity and friendship between the strong Blood males and the wise Blood females who they serve, not through coercion but through more powerful bonds of mutual loyalty, respect and love. I know, I know, another Hallmark ad, but this is really what I found most rewarding about this story. As much as I enjoyed the darker, grittier aspects of the first story, it only really has power when it is contrasted against the light and this book really does a great job of expanding the world so that it becomes a true home….granted with some very nasty nasties. So why ONLY 4 stars? Well as with many middle volumes, this feels a bit like a bridge between the first book and the final installment (which I am now very much looking forward to reading). The middle section of the book plodded a bit and the frequent change of POV characters made the narrative stall a bit. However, the good far outweighed the bad and this is still a strong 4 stars. My favorite moment from the book requires a spoiler as it happens near the end of the book. (view spoiler)[ Here is Jaenelle, come full into her power, making it CRYSTAL that she will protect those under her (including the much persecuted “kindred”) from any who try to harm them: That is a list of the Territories that yielded to Ebon Askavi. They now stand within the shadow of the Keep. They are mine. Anyone who tries to settle in my Territory without my consent will be dealt with. Anyone who harms any of my people will be executed. There will be no excuses and no exceptions. I will say it simply so that the members of this Council and the intruders who thought to take land they had no right to claim can never say they misunderstood." Jaenelle's lips curled into a snarl. "STAY OUT OF MY TERRITORY!" (hide spoiler)]
Do You like book Heir To The Shadows (1999)?
Omg this series is just one big clusterf@ck. I mean honestly, this book had SO MUCH going on and because of that, the story was all over the place. It was hard to concentrate, so I lost interest real fast. There were so many loose ends and things weren't consistent and all the main characters were acting so different in this book compared to how they were in Book 1. Saetan was a bumbling idiot in this book. You're the dark lord! How are ppl able to trespass onto your property without you noticing? Why are you fretting over killing bad guys? Why are you letting ppl walk all over you?!!!! Jaenelle was still annoying because since she doesn't have a direct pov it's hard for me to understand her character. She has no personality. She's just this person that can do no wrong and that's not really entertaining to read about. New storylines kept getting introduced. Now there's talking animals in the mix? Hey, don't get me wrong, I like UF's with talking animals/shape shifters etc, but there's too many fantasy elements in this series already for me to keep up with. I just wanted to know what was happening with Daemon and Lucivar. I kept hoping Daemon and Jaenelle would finally reunite at some point but nothing happened. So now I have to read Book 3 to know what happens with them but I don't feel like reading another 400+ pages of nonsense. How does this series have such a high rating? what am I not getting? :(
—Jenny
2 1/2 stars. Very little happened to move the plot forward. Anne Bishop’s books aren’t action packed, and I don’t expect them to be. I do expect something interesting to happen. Most of this book rehashed the same problems from Daughter of the Blood. This covered Jaenelle's teenage years, which were relatively uneventful. She recovered from the traumatic events in the prior book, hung out with her friends, and learned how to hone her craft. *yawn*Hekatah hatched a few desperate attempts evil plans to destroy Jaenelle’s chances of coming into power as a queen. Hekatah was spoken about as if she was some extremely deceptive, manipulative person. Her actions indicated that she attempted to be those things but failed. Her plans were weak and desperate nor did they involve much intelligence or plotting. She doesn’t stand a chance. Frankly I wish she’d been killed off because I don’t want to waste my time reading about her since she is insignificant.Lucivar’s role in the first book was small. His role in this was much bigger, but he went from being interesting, intelligent, and strong to a fool. He followed Jaenelle around like a lost puppy, and I desperately wish she would have told him to get lost. Also he is one or two thousand years old but he acted like a teenager.The majority of this was told from Saetan’s perspective since Jaenelle was with him most of the time. He is the lamest character ever!Seriously grow some fucking balls Saetan! He is long lived and the High Lord of Hell, so stop acting like some driveling idiot! Saetan should be a bad ass, but instead he is the kindest, fairest ruler of them all. He is so intent on following the rules that he sacrificed his two sons to horrible fates all because of protocol. Instead of being a BAMF all Saetan did was think about Jaenelle to the degree that he is blind to anything else going on in his realm including threats to Jaenelle. He is a horrible leader. He would be a loyal friend but is way too weak to be an effective leader. He’s also a shitty father to Jaenelle. He took great care of her but didn’t give her any direction. When she wanted something to be a certain way, she got her way. Daemon was barely in this, and he is the most interesting character in the series by far. His absence deeply impacted the book and not in a good way. There was a point to it, but so many other inconsequential things didn’t need to be focused on in his abscence. He sacrificed almost everything for Jaenelle in Daughter of the Blood, but did anybody give a shit about what he sacrificed for her? Nooooooo. He’s expendable, but apparently Jaenelle is not. She was the only one that cared about him at all, but she failed to show the outrage I wanted to see from her.I’m still going to read the next one, but my expectations aren’t as high as they were when I started this book.
—Kira
After the excruciating ending of Daughter Of Blood Jaenelle needs to piece back her crystal chalice and this takes time...a long time. While she tries so hard there are three men fighting for her, Saetan who unmercifully demands the Guardianship of Jaenelle before the Dark Council. She is after all the daughter of his soul. Lucivar who holds evidence of Jaenelle's torment and howls his pain to the winds and then there's Daemon. What he did for Jaenelle demanded a price and he's barely holding on to sanity when he descends into the Twisted Kingdom. Things do not look good for the main players as enemies recover from their failure and start scheming again. All consuming...if I could only use one word to describe Heir To The Shadows it would be this word. It is not unusual for a second entry in a continuous trilogy to be perceived as "just" a connecting read between book one and three. It doesn't have a real beginning nor a true ending and this sometimes leaves the reader unsatisfied or the story has less of an impact. Well not with the Black Jewel trilogy and not with the kind of writing skill Anne Bishop once again portrays in Heir To The Shadows! She threw me back into the Shadow Realm of Kaeleer, Hell and Terreille where old and new characters awaited my return to join them in an extraordinary journey. From the rich foundation created in DoB the story deepens in Heir To The Shadows and it is told in 5 parts. It holds heart shattering tender moments, malevolent cruel events but also the healing of a young woman blooming into a Queen unlike the Shadow Realms has ever seen before! The raw emotions protruding from this tale creates a mesmerizing vibe between the reader and the story. I was unable to put the book aside for more than a moment or so. Jaenelle is a combination of immense strength and power as Witch but hidden beneath it there is also a fragile young woman not many get to witness. The duality of the young woman that needs guidance and Witch that holds ancient wisdom way beyond her years possesses many facets that results in a vivacious leading female character. Jaenelle is headstrong enough to go her own way and she meets many people that - in the end - will come to mean so much to her. Saetan is her father by choice, by heart, and in many ways it feels like a father/daughter relationship, but an intricate one. As everything is intricate and multi-layered in Bishop's world. Saetan is more than aware of her power but these years are the years that will shape Jaenelle in what she is meant to be. He allows her to be and watches over her wellbeing but still holds that aura of danger about him. He still is the High Lord Of Hell after all. Lucivar has a larger secondary role than in DoB and speaks of his dream to one day serve a great Black Jeweled Queen. His years as a slave in Pruule's salt mines have wreaked havoc on his wings and spirit and when evidence is presented his dream is shattered into pieces. However, as the story progresses his true nature arises of an Eyrien Prince and he is cocksure of himself but also has a teasing playful side. Never underestimate him though, he kills as easy as he will smile. And then there's Daemon, he isn't all that much in the picture but because he dwells in the twisted Kingdom he doesn't stray far from one's thoughts. The implication of it all - of Daemon's situation - can have a devastating effect on Jaenelle as she eventually has to form her court. Everything has a price and Daemon's storyline is the embodiment of this phrase. Jaenelle, Saetan, Lucivar and Daemon remain the primary focus of Heir To The Shadow but there is a diversity in secondary characters that each plays a vital part in this novel. If only to think of the Dark Council with its scheming members or Hekatah and Dorothea, also two Queens who desire more power. It is essential to Jaenelle's healing in the early stages of this book that she meets her friends again and Morghanna, Karla, Gabrielle, Chaoti, the Kindred and many others come to join Saetan and Jaenelle in their first summer. There is not really a main or secondary plotline because it is all important. Minor details become significant in the end when all separate threads come together and drive towards a conclusion that is both an ending as it is a beginning. Jaenelle will baffle you at one time and surprise you the next but never is the warning of her power far gone from her. Though she only wants to be responsible for her own life, it is that same life that leads her down another path and when the child becomes a woman the reckoning will be at hand for those who wrongfully cross her path! With 400 pages there isn't one page that didn't contain the wealth of the author's imagination. Each page claimed a bit more of me until I was completely absorbed by the thoughts, feelings and actions from each character. I laughed with the shopping spree of Jaenelle or when her power went berserk again with the simplest form of the Craft. I cried when the sacrifices had to be made or when the kindred had to suffer the cruel intensions of power hungry Queens. To see a young queen mature with her friends was an incredible trip and while I can honestly say that this is not a light-hearted story, for those who are willing to go the distance in all the light and dark emotions this is the novel and the Shadow Realm is the place to be! I did not read Heir To The Shadows, I felt it, lived it and experienced it. An unforgettable entry in the Black Jewel trilogy!
—Leontine
