Review: Thorn Queen - Richelle Mead

Eugenie Markham is a shamen for hire.  She's paid to bind and banish creatures from the Other world...

But something happened after her last battle.  She became the queen of the Thorn Land.  That said, with her kingdom in tatters, her love life in chaos and Eugenie eager to avoid the prophecy about her firstborn destroying mankind, the job's really not all it's cracked up to be.

Now young girls are disappearing from the Otherworld and no-one seems willing to find out why.  Or put a stop to it.  Not that Eugenie's fazed by spilling fey blood, but this enemy is shrewd, subtle and dangerous - and nursing a very personal grudge.

Eugenie must venture deep into the Otherworld and trust in a power she can barely control.  She may be a reluctant queen but she's vowed to do her duty, even if that means facing the darkest - and deadliest - side of her own nature...

Dark Swan Series:
Storm Born
Thorn Queen
Iron Crowned (2011)

Visit Richelle Mead's website for more information

Review:
This is the second book in Richelle Mead's Dark Swan series & although I won't give spoilers for this book in my review it is almost impossible not to give spoilers for the first book Storm Born.  If you are new to the series I highly recommend you don't read any further with this review - instead check my review of Storm Born.

I really enjoyed Storm Born so was excited about reading this book but Thorn Queen surpassed my expectations and was even better.  Life hasn't been easy for Eugenie recently - at the end of Storm Born she became a reluctant Queen of the Otherworld kingdom Thorn Land.  The land changed to reflect Eugenie's favorite place and is now a desert kingdom that her subjects have no idea how to survive in.  Her people are starving and she feels duty bound to help them.  On top of that young girls are disappearing, possibly being taken by a group of bandits who are causing trouble in some of Eugenie's villages.

Kiyo is spending more and more time with his very pregnant ex-girlfriend which is something Eugenie finds very hard to deal with.  She loves him and is happy for him but is also jealous that he is going to have a lifetime bond with Maiwenn and their child.  In Kiyo's absense it is Dorian who is there to help her with the problems her kingdom faces and she finds it hard to fight her growing attraction for him.

I know you can always expect plenty of action from a Richelle Mead novel but this book had twists and turns galore & was full of the unexpected.  Eugenie finds herself in a very vulnerable situation which I think Richelle handled excellently.  I didn't see that coming but I think it is going to lead to an important change to Eugenie's character.  This book was a lot darker than the Storm Born but it kept me gripped & I can't wait to read the next installment.  The only disappointment is that we've got to wait until 2011 for Iron Crowned.

Source: Library

Other Reviews:
Tynga's Reviews
I'd So Rather Be Reading
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