The Shadow Queen

I love fairy-tale retellings. However, it can be hard to find good ones. The Shadow Queen is definitely a good one. This loose retelling of Snow White has gripping action, creepy villains and lovable heroes, which ensure a thrilling read.Firstly, the writing of Redwine is superb. She really delivers a page-turning read. Never did I feel bored, or like I was just skimming pages. I really felt immersed in the story, and it still felt original, even though it was a retelling.This book had some truly dark and creepy moments, but provided the perfect balance for me as I love the slightly more sinister touches like the use of blackened apples and the enchantment of vines (reminded me of Maleficent, another story I love).The characters were all interesting, and I liked the heroine Lorelai. She is both brave and smart; she's kind and sincere but isn't naive about the task ahead of her and the threat that the main villain, Irina, poses (something I appreciated).Kol, the other ~main character~ really goes through a significant character journey, which I enjoyed reading. He's funny and honorable and noble and honestly a little sassy, which is great. He is the perfect companion character to Lorelai's sometimes more serious nature (she's facing death, totally understandable), and I loved their story together.There IS romance, which sometimes I'm adverse to if it's done poorly, however there is no insta-love here, and the relationship blossoms over time and trials etc. etc. which is exactly what I'm looking for in a book.Overall, this is a really satisfying take on the story of Snow White and definitely worth a read. I'm excited for other additions to the series, however I'm hoping they will be companion novels, set within the same universe but with different characters, as the story to this book was wrapped up quite nicely, to be honest.

Honestly, when I look for a new book to read, I generally avoid fairytale re-tellings. I grew up with fairytales, I know the stories and importantly, I know how they end.However, this book was different, besides the fact that there are a few similarities in the story with Snow White, like the evil queen and a huntsman, other than that, it's has it;s own right as it's own story. I find that it's got more action than Snow White, for sure, and includesEither way, I believe the Author took a risk with this book, and personally I think it paid off.I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I think anyone that like fairytales with a twist will too.

I found this to be a really interesting read. When I started to read it I wasn't totally hooked which I thought was a bad thing but the more I read the more I got into it. I was actually lured in by the book cover and then the blurb. I thought the idea was unique and enjoyed the story till the last page.

I honestly didn't know what to expect with this so got a bit more than I was originally hoping for.A complete retelling of Snow White but a whole lot more in the process. Written well, with enough action to keep things moving along. Beautiful settings and just great characters!

It's one of my favourites. I loved Leo so much and this type of story really suits me. I think it's a great approach to the YA fairy tale fantasy genre Super excited to read the rest in the Ravenspire series.

One of the better written stories in this fantasy genre for teeen/young adults inspired by traditional tales.

I absolutely loved loved loved this book it's everything you want in a fantasy :) fantastic and compelling characters I've read it half a dozen times already

Loved this book. Made fall in love with fairytales all over again