Shalador's Lady (Black Jewels) Mass Market Paperback – March 1, 2011

I love all her series. Have them all in hard cover and now finding them as e-books to more easily take along. Note this series is not a kids read but is a very good adult read.

Awesome characters, love the story lines. Just when ya think ya know where the story is goin, it changes directions lol

I’ve enjoyed the Black Jewels series. We’ve now made it past the main conflict story of the first three books and Shalador’s Lady doesn’t have all the horror of the first trilogy. What it does have is an interesting tale of trying to rebuild a land after most of the corruption has been cut out.Cassidy is so likeable that she is an easy character to root for. I’ve enjoyed how in her kind and simple ways she has taken over the care of the land in Dena Nehele and it is starting to prosper. The only person in Dena Nahele that hasn’t been completely charmed by her is Theran and since he is the only living heir of The Gray Lady and the owner of the residence, they are lining in currently he still has some sway. I can’t help but think that Jarrod would be so disappointed in his heir.When Kermilla, the Queen that stole Cassidy’s first court shows up, Theran finally feels the draw to the beautiful Queen he thinks would be great for Dena Nehele. As Theran tries to find a way to make Kermilla the new Queen lines will be drawn, lands with be divided and people will be tested. Is Cassidy going to lose another court to the pretty Queen or can she hold on to them and this land that calls to her.I get so caught up in the day to day of the people living in these books. I enjoyed the story of Cassidy and Jared Blaed Grayhaven. The way that he came out of his shell for her was fantastic. The slow growing love story between them was totally adorable. Jared had some good teachers in Sataen, Daemon and Lucivar so I think Cassidy is going to have her hands full with him.I’ve grown to love this world and the characters in it. This tale was a little anticlimactic in the resolution, but I didn’t see that as a really bad thing. This is the new world that Witch gave her power for and I think that the resolution was perfect for that. I also LOVED the Queen Theran ended up serving in the end and how funny Janaelle can be.Wonderful conclusion/beginning to Cassidy and Shalador’s story.

Lady Cassidy is trying to be a good Queen for Dena Nahele except Theran Greyhaven is undermining her at every step. He isn't shy about his disappointment that she isn't prettier and more powerful. Fortunately the rest of her dozen sworn Warlords and Warlord Princes are much happier with her. So are the landen and the other people she rules over in Greyhaven.She takes a trip to the Shalador Reserve in Eyota to meet more of the Shaladoran Queens and discovers a land parched and almost barren. She knows how to transfer her power to enrich the land but she has never dealt with a land so empty. She almost drains all of her power and shatters her jewels before her Court realizes what's happening and takes her away.After she recovers, she returns to Greyhaven to find the she has a visitor. Lady Kermilla, the Queen who took her Court away from her and ruined her confidence, has come for a visit (and to demand that Cassidy give her money to run her Court). Cassidy tells her to leave but Theran takes one look at her and realizes that Kermilla is the Queen he has been waiting for to cure Dena Nehele. Cassidy is ready to give up and leave until her loyal Court convinces her to return to Eyota and take her Court - minus Theran, there.The story splits viewpoints. We see Cassidy and her Court in Eyota, Theran dealing with Kermilla and Dena Nehele, and Kermilla who is self-absorbed, selfish, hedonistic, and has a major sense of entitlement. It was painful watching Theran making excuses for her and dealing with her very expensive tastes. The contrast with Cassidy and her behavior couldn't have been clearer.This story also saw Gray finally maturing after the trauma he suffered at age fifteen. He picks wonderful role models and teachers in Saetan, Daemon, and Lucivar. I loved the scelties who came to Cassidy's Court to help and teach and herd their human sheep.This was a very entertaining entry into the Black Jewels series.

I absolutely love Shalador’s Lady. The characters are, as always in Anne Bishop books, terribly fun. She has created a world with built-in reasons for people to be high-tempered, dangerous, and larger than life, and she wields that milieu with style. I enjoy Cassidy as a character. For a brief time I felt a little frustrated with her inability to see past what happened with her last court to the loyal court she has now, but to be honest she has been sufficiently scarred by her past experiences that it makes sense for her to be blind to certain details. I also like watching Gray develop–he starts out as a broken man with a stunted emotional development, but in wanting to be good for Cassidy he starts putting the pieces of his life back together. It’s so sweet to watch. (I cried.)The hilarity in this volume (and some of the darkness as well) comes from the introduction of a bunch of Scelties (a ‘kindred’ race of dogs, who are considered to be of the Blood and who have the same range of powers as the human Blood, including the ability to speak mind-to-mind with others). An entire dozen comes to Cassidy’s relocated home and decides to settle in. They range from a small, over-excited mutt to a rather scary adult. While they’re often used for comic relief, they also instigate at least one of the darker moments of the book. (Additional tears may have been shed.)There are plenty of ups and downs, laughs and bloodshed, romances and enmities. The plot and events provide plenty of tension–I stayed up late to finish the book because I couldn’t put it down. Frankly I read so many books that this doesn’t happen often any more. I also liked that Kermilla shows how thin the line can be between a Queen who’s spoiled, selfish, and narcissistic, and a Queen who’s evil.

I agree with many others that this is another excellent addition to the Black Jewels universe. It takes us deeper into the trials and tribulations of Cassidy and her fledging court of Dene Nehele and deals well with them. It has the touches of humour that mark Anne Bishop's book and lighten what are often some very gruesome subjects/scenes.The one small criticism which doesn't lessen its five-star rating for me is that I feel Theran gets off too lightly. We already know he's disappointed in Cassidy as a Queen from the novel "The Shadow Queen". When Kermilla arrives on the scene he's ready to do the dirty on everyone to put her in Cassidy's place. This isn't unexpected and while in the end he comes to understand Talon's remark of "Sometimes it's better to break your heart than break your honor" I feel a slightly different ending where he admitted that understanding and apologised for the problems/heartache his actions caused would have made the ending more satisfying for me. As it is he turns up at the celebration at the end of the book, Sceltie Queen in tow, and is immediately forgiven. Kermilla meanwhile has been suitably punished, so given that it took two to make the mess as bad as it was, the final balancing of the scales for me is uneven.It'll be interesting to see if Anne Bishop has further adventures in mind for the peoples of Dene Nehele and Shalador Nehele. I for one would like to see how the relationships between the two territories develop given their acrimonious parting of the ways.

I love Anne Bishop and her novels. I had extremely high hopes for this book (following the first book) and Bishop delivered... but the ending disappointed me. I felt the story had been dragged out to make sure there was enough material for a third book and I just wasn't satisfied with the way certain characters were let off the hook so easily (don't want to give away the story!). Having said all this, you can bet I'll still want to read the next book when it comes out, so I still enjoyed it.

Thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Fitting conclusion to the Shadow Queen.

Great book

"Shalador's Lady" continues immediately on from "The Shadow Queen"; in which plain faced rose jewelled Queen Cassidy was selected by Jaenelle to rule the territory of Dena Nehele for a year. As the year passes Cassidy's relationship with her First Circle strengthens, yet her relationship with Theran, her First Escort remains strained as he continues to believe her unworthy of ruling Dena Nehele. Unfortunately Theran is soon in turmoil, as he meets a Queen he is willing to serve; the very Queen who destroyed Cassidy's self esteem when she stole her first court away from her.Beautiful, vivacious and flirty Kermilla is everything Cassidy is not. She is also petty, conniving, greedy and all out nasty when she doesn't get her own way. Expecting Theran to hand Dena Nehele to her on a plate and keep Cassidy on for the daily duties required of a Queen that she is unwilling to carry out herself, Kermilla has no idea of the enemies she makes as she attempts to usurp Cassidy with Theran's all too willing help.Jaenelle, Daemon, Saetan and Lucivar may not directly involve themselves in the conflict brewing in Dena Nehele; however they are far more than mere observers as they tactically and subtly show their support of Cassidy. Surreal at last makes an appearance, and has become if possible even sassier following an extended stay with the Dea al Mon after her "spooky house" experience (see "Tangled Webs"). Gray, Cassidy's potential lover in "The Shadow Queen" certainly steps up his game in this book; his development from a tortured boy to a Warlord Prince who is ready to ride the Killing Edge if his beloved Cassidy appears threatened is a wonderful subplot as Cassidy herself grows in power and self belief whilst bringing hope to a people long brutalised by cruel Queens.AB is skilled beyond belief and has created yet another brilliant addition to her "Realms of the Blood" series. Whilst "Shalador's Lady" is predominantly Cassidy and her Court's tale, the strong presence of favourites Jaenelle, Daemon and Saetan make this book an absolute winner. Again AB adds laughter and delight to contrast her darker, more unsettling scenes; imagine twelve Sceltie pups invading your home and declaring random humans as "mine" or perhaps the normally sublimely skilled Daemon falling asleep mid seduction after running himself ragged babysitting one small Eyrian boy. Yet AB can quickly turn a reader's smile to a frown, and a twinkling eye into one that mists with tears during particularly heart breaking moments, which are sometimes as brief as just one small conversation between significant characters. A talented author able to completely immerse her reader in the dark world she has created, any "Realms of the Blood" books AB writes are definitely an automatic buy and ones for the keeper shelf.