Why do I do this to myself? Kiyo better die in this one!Finally a cover! Did you read the blurb? The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't--or won't--reveal. What uneasy truce????3 - 3.5 stars - Not what I expected after seeing a lot of reviews - Updated - 1/27/12Shadow Heir had been staring at me for a few weeks now. It’s pretty pink cover mocked me, dared me to read it. Reviews had started to come in and a lot of the reviews were not very positive. I enjoyed the first two books in the series Storm Born and Thorn Queen, but that third book Iron Crowned made me want to scream. You see, Eugenie doesn’t make very good choices in her life and there was a certain foxy man that needed to be eliminated, taken out of the equation, made into a fur coat, etc.So it was with great trepidation that I picked up this book. I had to see what all the fuss was about. Why were people so angry? Much to my surprise, I found myself enjoying the book.Looking back at my notes, I did have a few “Eugenie, what an idiot!!!” notes jotted down but they seemed to be offset by quite a few “Dorian is amazing” notes. And Dorian is the reason why I love this series. Dorian is there for Eugenie throughout the series. No matter what stupid decision she makes, Dorian is there and he offers his support. Dorian’s character is exactly what this series needs. Partly conceited, mostly high up on himself, well versed in diplomacy, brave, good looking, and talented in the bedroom, Dorian is one of the best characters Mead has written. I had to giggle when Dorian renamed Eugenie’s son Thundro because it sounded like a conqueror’s name. Eugenie’s sister was another surprise. Back in the earlier books Jasmine was the bane of Eugenie’s existence. Then something happened in Iron Crowned and I had a new respect for her. In this book, Jasmine matured gracefully and there is a touch of badass in her. We also learn more about Volusian’s background. Volusian is Eugenie’s minion and is forced to do her bidding. I’ve always loved this character and the tenuous hold Eugenie had over him. One wrong move and he would have been ecstatic to kill her, yet he was a valuable member of her team. In a way, I’m kind of sad that the series has ended. There were so many loose ends I would have liked to see wrapped up, but I was still happy with the ending. I’m hoping that Mead will write a spin off series eventually. Review posted on Badass Book Reviews,
