This is a spoiler free review. The big bad spoiler will be referred to as “The Event”.It’s hard to avoid the controversy surrounding this novel unless you were on a deserted island for the last few weeks. It’s also hard to avoid the big bad spoiler for this book but to say that a lot of readers were disappointed would not be an understatement. I usually go into a book without any preconceived notions. I want the author to wow me and make me believe that their paranormal world is real. I really enjoyed Queen of Shadows and I was excited to read Shadowflame. Then the early reviews came in. The rumblings and grumblings began…I did my best and avoided the spoiler in question and I strongly urge those who have not read the book to avoid it as well. I will start off with the good. There were things that I liked about this book. I like the author’s take on vampires and how she set up the organization of their world. I like the world of the Primes, the Elite, the idea of the signet, etc. The politics were intriguing. I was fascinated with the idea of the Firstborn. I liked the fact that the main character was a geeky techno guy who used technology to monitor his population. The author also writes some pretty impressive fight scenes as well.The thing is, I didn’t particularly care for this book. Prior to The Event, I had difficulty focusing on the book. I found myself putting the book down and actually going to do the dreaded housework. It just didn’t have the draw of the previous book. It was a little dull.After The Event, I was angry. Why do something like that? I needed a timeout. I did come close to tossing the book across the room, something I don’t want to do because I am a little OCD about keeping my books in pristine condition. Even though I was mad, The Event didn’t really ruin the book for me. I kept telling myself that they are fictional characters and they don’t have any impact on my life. Should there have been a fuss? Probably. Unfortunately, The Event took away from the story rather than added to it. The story itself? Meh. Here’s the big question: Will I go and read the next book in the series? The jury’s still out. I honestly can’t say if I’m done with the series or not. I am curious and I wonder what direction the author could take the series. I probably will read the next book, but not right away. Check out my review on Badass Book Reviews
