The Shadow Prince is the prequel to O'Neale's debut series, Mortal Enchantment. As far as prequels go, I thought it was pretty good. She definitely includes plenty of detail, without boring the reader, so I could get a feel of what to expect with the series. We're introduced to these elemental creatures as well as key characters and a bit of what kind of danger is yet to come. I really liked that I got a clear sense of this world and these characters right from the start and I can only imagine the actual first book will be even better. 
 I think the only thing that bugged me about this book was how quickly and easily Rowan fell for Kalin. I expect this kind of thing in a romance novel, but I always hope for more from a fantasy novel. That's not to say that their relationship progresses at an unbelievable pace, it's just the way he feels for her, what he risks for her so quickly was a bit unbelievable for me. 
 Aside from that, this was a good read. O'Neale tackled the fantasy and paranormal aspects very well and she created a few characters I'm dying to get to know better. I'll be sure to check out the next book in this series and get the full effect, but if you're looking for a good introduction to a promising series, you'll definitely want to check this one out.