This is why you don't judge a book by the cover. I so often think of this to mean great books might not have great covers. The Shadow Queen reminds you that great covers also do not equal great books. Luckily, this was free for May's Scribd selects. 
 You know how you know when the characters are cardboard cut outs? When the bird is the best character in the book. You know how you know the plot of a book is ridiculously contrived? When the author feels the need to explain why every possible alternative to a problem won't work. It was just boring and redundant and I was tired of being smashed over the head with the repetitiveness. 
 This was a lot of wasted potential. I think if a hundred pages of redundancy and "battle strategy" and feelings were cut out it would have been significantly better. There were some good points. I liked the way the magic system worked, and it was a big focal point. There was plenty of action. Unfortunately the action was lost in the redundant language reiterating for the umpteenth time: "Gabril is my protector, I am his queen", "Must do this for Leo", "I love Kol", "I am the true queen of Ravenspire", "Woman murdered her kids and herself." 
 Like I get it okay? Life sucks. You love Kol. Can we stop talking about it already? 
 Some of the plot points were ludicrous. I'm not sure why dragons can't defeat a magic ogre in battle. I mean, they are dragons, right? I'm also not sure what the point of burning armories and communication towers was if the point was just to go head to head with Irina. Or why Lorelai knows Irina is weakening in Nordberg, and doesn't pick that moment to go attack. Surprise!! Is one of the best battle strategies ever. Uhtred knows. Lorelai knows how magic works!! She definitely knew a spell like that would be draining. Tear some shit up. You have to suspend some serious disbelief to find anything about the plot reasonable. Everything that happens between the beginning and the end feels like filler to give Lorelai something to do until she meets Irina for the battle royale. 
 What makes me extra sad is that I already bought the second book in the series, The Wish Granter, because it's a re-telling of Rumpelstiltskin. Which is one of my all time favorite fairy tales ever. And while there are a hundred re-tellings of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, I haven't heard of many Rumpelstiltskin books. It was only $1.99, so no big loss there, just a time suck. I really hope the next one is better. 
 If you are looking for a good Snow White story I highly recommend The Last Wish (The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski). It's only a single short story, but Snow White plays an assassin courtesan who runs a mercenary gang. Who could say no to that?