Review: Shadow's Claim by Kresley Cole

Title:  Shadow's Claim
Author:  Kresley Cole
Series:  The Dacians, #1
Publisher:  Pocket Books
Release Date:  November 27, 2012
Pages:  481
Rating:  

 
Shadow's Claim features Prince Trehan, a ruthless master assassin who will do anything to possess Bettina, his beautiful sorceress mate, even compete for her hand in a blood-sport tournament—to the death.

He won't be denied...

Trehan Daciano, known as the Prince of Shadows, has spent his life serving his people, striking in the night, quietly executing any threat to their realm. The coldly disciplined swordsman has never desired anything for himself—until he beholds Bettina, the sheltered ward of two of the Lore's most fearsome villains.

She's bound to another...

Desperate to earn her guardians' approval after a life-shattering mistake, young Bettina has no choice but to marry whichever suitor prevails—even though she's lost her heart to another. Yet one lethal competitor, a mysterious cloaked swordsman, invades her dreams, tempting her with forbidden pleasure.

A battle for her body and soul...

Even if Trehan can survive the punishing contests to claim her as his wife, the true battle for Bettina's heart is yet to come. And unleashing a millennium's worth of savage need will either frighten his Bride away—or stoke Bettina's own desires to a fever-pitch...
 

Between gritted teeth, he said, “I am Prince Trehan Cristian Daciano. And you are my woman.” Pinning her arms above her head, he vowed, “After tonight, little Bride, you will never mistake me for another again. . . .”

SHADOW'S CLAIM was one of those books I have been so excited about! All I could think about was that this is going to be awesome! And 100% of the time Kresley Coles books are fucking amazing! But I didn't take into account that the heroine would screw over this book!

"Words tumbled from her lips: “What would you do if I died? If I was . . . murdered?” His brows drew together. “I don’t want to speak of that.” “You said you’d answer any question.” His hand squeezed hers. “Avenge you.” He pinned her gaze with his own. “Follow you.”

I loved the storyline and the settings as well as the characters, well some of them! The heroine, Bettina really just ruined the book for me though. Every now and then I'll read a book and get a annoying heroine that I could have lived without. And I think the heroine wouldn't have been that bad if there wasn't a love triange involved here. I for one love them in Young Adult books and even urban fantasy, or any other genre, except Romance novels.

He took her hand, smoothly returning her panties. “One day you’ll convince me that you’ll always want him.” Just before he traced away, he murmured in her ear, “Take care, lest you lose a male who’ll desire only you—and gain a male who’ll desire only others.”

And my reason for that is, because this is suppose to be a romance book and that is what I expect and I guess it could work if it was done differently or something, but I didn't like it. I felt bad for the hero, Prince Trehan a lot of the time. And Bettina talked about Cas, the one she is in love with so many times, it made me want to gag! She was freaking obsessed with him! And so many of her actions and what came out of her mouth. The ending was the worse part for me. I seriously wanted her to end up alone. BUt this is a romance so of course that wouldn't happen.

“But I love Cas.” “Know that I’m rolling my eyes right now.” At her glower, he said, “Of course you love him! In a certain way. You were two orphans that hit it off and bonded. He was your only friend in this entire kingdom. Pair that uncommon tie wiv his uncommon good looks, and any female’s judgment would get cloudy. Trust me on this—I used to leave chits addlepated whenever I walked by.”

SHADOW'S CLAIM started out amazing, but the more I read, the more I got disappointed and I felt it could have gone a different way if the love triangle situation wasn't there. I most likely would have liked it more. But on a side note, I did enjoy it, every thing else was absolutely amazing! But I seriously hope Kresley Cole will do no more situations where the heroine thinks she is in love with anyone other than her mate. But I am looking forward to the next book in this wonderful spin off series!