The Shadow Prince: 1 (Into the Dark, 1) - Hardcover

"This new young adult series offers a twist on the tale of Persephone and Hades and will have fans clamoring for more. An intriguing cast includes strong main characters; Daphne, a songstress with miraculous capabilities and Haden, underworld lord, tell the tale from their perspectives in alternating chapters. Supporting characters will feel familiar to those who know the myth, as will Olympus Hills, the setting for special teens. Despain's descriptions however, and the introduction of the bloodthirsty Keres set the tale apart from other mythological fiction currently available. Add me to Despain's fans; I am looking forward to the remainder of the Into the Dark series. Recommended." --Library Media Connection

"In this nod to the Greek myth of Persephone and Hades, a prince from the Underrealm must somehow convince a modern girl to come with him willingly to the underworld. Enter teens Haden and Daphne, who can't deny their immediate attraction, even while Haden tries to remember his mission and Daphne juggles a new school, a drunken rock-star dad (whom she only recently moved in with in order to attend a better music program), and her musical ambitions. Destinies, mysteries, and real and mythological difficulties all arise, but at the core this story is best when it is pure romance, even if it is a slightly unsettling one. The novel almost pulls off the elaborate plot, but ultimately, neither Daphne nor Haden feel like realistic individuals: Haden adapts almost instantly to contemporary life after spending his childhood as a disgraced prince in the Underworld, and Daphne is simply too perfect as an innately talented musical genius who never truly struggles for anything. In addition, their love story, while passionate, is rushed, and it's more than a little creepy given the fact that he knows she is doomed in the underworld (like his own mother was) and she knows that he has her full name tattooed on his arm before he ever meets her. Even so, a smoking-hot romance and plenty of unresolved plot threads should be enough to keep readers looking out for the next installment." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

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. A pulsating romance of epic proportions, Bree Despain's The Shadow Prince will leave her fans breathless for the next book in the Into The Dark series.