This book was fantastic! It was my first book by this author, but I can guarantee it won't be my last. CJ Redwine knows how to bring a character, a kingdom, to life... and make you fall in love with it all! 
 Lorelai has been running for years, making plans to take back the throne from Irina, the mardushka who stole the throne and is poisoning the land with her foul magic. Ravenspire is dying, and it's people, and Lorelai is the only one who can save them. Kol is the new king of Eldr, a position he never expected or wanted. But now he is responsible for Eldr, and desperate to save his people from an invasion of ogres who have somehow gained magic of their own. He and his people may be able to shift in to dragons, but they aren't able to stand up to the ogres. These royals are both getting ready to face the battles of their lives, and they both might not make it to the end. 
 Lorelai is a breath of fresh air. She is an incredibly real character. From the beginning of the story, I could understand her every action. I knew and understood her motivations. She was fierce and brave and loyal. She was unsure of herself, but she never gave up. Kol had the position of King thrust at him in the worst possible way, and instead of pitching a fit and fighting it, he decided to do his best for his kingdom. The romance between them is sweet and innocent, but borne of something they both understand. I loved them together from the beginning. There are several other characters that play important roles that deserve a mention, and they are all fantastically written. Gabril and Leo, Trugg and Jyn! Y'all are awesome! 
 Irina is the villain in this story, and she is a dang good one. A lot of times, there is something about the villain that I can relate to. An underlining reason for the thing they have become that I can understand and sympathize with. Not so much with Irina. She became who she was out of pure spite ad jealousy, and I can't sympathize with that. But man, she was a dang good villain! 
 The Shadow Queen was just a good book, through and through. The characters are beautifully written, and the world-building was done very well. The use of magic, and how the magic is achieved was an interesting aspect of the story. And the dragons are awesome! Now I can say that I finally understand the CJ Redwine love! What a great story!