Published by St. Martin’s Press
Released January 4, 2011
295 pages
Where I got it: Public library
Rating: 3 stars

When we last saw her, Dana was basically under house arrest by her powerful Fae father while her weak, alcoholic human mother dried out.  The reason for the house arrest: Dana is a very rare Faeriewalker, able to pass between both the human world and Faerie, and able to bring magic and technology into either.  This makes her a very desirable potential pawn in the constant struggle for power.  As if that were not enough, the Erlking has entered Avalon on the Wild Hunt and has set his sights on her.  Dana must rescue a friend who has become a bargaining chip in the Erlking’s efforts to get to her, and Dana still doesn’t know what he’s really after.

The sequel to Glimmerglass, Shadowspell was a true extension of the larger story.  There is a main plot–getting a certain somebody away from the Erlking–but really the story is a continuation of Dana’s struggle to regain control over her life, and her fight to not get killed in the process.  The book also has a heavy dose of sexuality, much more than the first of the series.  The issue of her virginity is up for grabs *cough*, and she even almost gets raped at one point.  This is much more intense than I thought the series would become, and I’m not sure that I like it.

The Erlking is an interesting character.  He’s at once repulsive, beautiful, and charismatic.  As a reader, I actually began to like him, even though he’s a cold-blooded killer who is out for only himself.  Introducing him into the story definitely livened up the overarching plot.  I wish that we would get more of an introduction to Faerie, though.  As readers, we’ve never ventured into that world, so I can only assume that we’ll go there in the next book, Sirensong.

Sirensong is set to be released by St. Martin’s Press on July 5, 2011.