YA Review: The Shadow Prince (Into the Dark #1) by Bree Despain

Title: The Shadow Prince
Author: Bree Despain
Series: Into the Dark
Book #: 1
Pages: 512
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: .5
Goodreads Rating: 3.78
Published: April 1st, 2014

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

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

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

Taschima's POV:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It says something when you have to agree with the bitch of the story.

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

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

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

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