The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain Review!

Title : The Shadow Prince
Author : Bree Despain
Pages : 512
Published : March 2014
Publisher : Egmont 
Source : Edelweiss

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.

My Thoughts : 

The Shadow Prince was so so good. 

Haden is trying to reclaim his place as his fathers favourite in the Underrealm. He is picked as Champion, much to the chagrin of everyone, and sent to the mortal plain to get his boon and bring her back with him. His mission is special though, his Boon is the Cypher and can repair the Underrealm and return what was lost.

Daphne is the daughter of Joe Vance who is a rock star. She longs to leave Ellis and find fame with her singing. Joe turns up and tells her that he was granted custody and she is to move to Olympus Hills and attend the prestigious school there. Whilst there she meets the enigmatic Haden. He isn't used to flirting with mortals and has to try hard with Daphne. Their lives take an unexpected turn when she decides to trust him. 

I loved Bree Despains take on the mythology. Hades is dead and Hadens father is King of the Underrealm. Hadens mother was mortal and he seems to take after her than his cold hearted father. I immediately loved Hadens character. He seems to bundle everything with Daphne but is so nice and sincere that she finds herself drawn to him. The author does a great job explaining Hadens powers. He can shoot bolts from his hands and is an extremely quick learner. He learns music just to get close to Daphne. She was another character I had no problem liking. Even though she has an amazing voice she is so down to earth and doesn't fall for Haden too easy. 

The Shadow Prince is an awesome book packed with plenty of mystery, mythology and plot twists. The pacing is fast and the story will draw you in and have you rooting for Haden. The secondary characters add more twists and turns and overall make the book even better. Haden and Daphnes story will stay with me and I'm eagerly awaiting book 2 to see what happens.