Demon Princess: Reign or Shine by Michelle Rowan

Format: Paperback
Pages: 284
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 29th 2009
Series: Demon Princess #1
ISBN: 0802784925
ISBN13: 9780802784926

Synopsis from
As if trying to fit in at a new school isn't stressful enough, sixteen-year-old Nikki Donovan just found out that her long-lost father is, in fact, the demon king of the Shadowlands—the world that separates and protects us from the Underworld. When she is brought there by the mysterious—and surprisingly cute—messenger Michael, she learns that her father is dying, and he wants her to assume the throne. To complicate matters, a war is brewing between the Shadowlands and the Underworld, her half-demon qualities are manifesting, and her growing feelings for Michael are completely forbidden. Ruling a kingdom, navigating a secret crush, and still making it home by curfew—what's a teenage demon princess to do?

Why I Read This: It was about a subject that I'd never read about, demons. I just didn't think they were creatures that you could turn around and have a happy ending with them. I was looking to be briefly delighted and surprised. And I was.

Plot: Nikki Donovan is a girl who just recently moved to Canada with her mother who is forever marrying. One day at school, a dark-hair guy shows up, right after super hottie, Chris Sanders asks her to Winter Formal. While destroying her buzz with his bad news and cute face, he tells her that she is a demon princess. I know, laughable, right. After much resistance, Nikki goes with him, meets her nicer-then-she-thought daddy and her seemly nice aunt. Her daddy has a fatal sickness and there's a catch.....He wants her to take the throne, but she doesn't have to do it if she drinks the potion. And her aunt's only pushing her to drink the potion because she cares, right? Yeah, no.

Characters: Nikki is very down to earth and quite girl next door. She is kind of naive at the beginning of the story, but she grows wiser as it goes on. I liked the darkling transformation, even though she said she was ugly. Micheal, her beau, is a shadow and in my opinion, is way better than Chris any day, which she soon discovers. This story was an awesome short story and beginning of a series, but I disliked the ending. Then again, does anyone ever like cliffhangers?

Reliability: Nikki was not popular where she lived before and that stops her from getting a big head when she hangs with her BFF, Melinda. Also, Micheal, himself, thought that his position below Nikki would change the way she thought about him. I like it when books with supernatural subjects find a way to include just a little bit of realistic plot and character growth.

Next in the Series......

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Nikki Donovan was a demon princess. Now she’s a demon princess in love.

Fresh from finding out she is a demon princess and meeting her father for the first time, Nikki Donovan is looking forward to getting back to her regular high school life. But then Rhys, the handsome teenage king of the faery realm, enrolls at her school as a “foreign exchange student.” Her conflicted feelings for Rhys and her boyfriend are getting in the way of her new relationship with the Shadow-creature Michael. But this love triangle from hell isn’t even Nikki’s biggest problem: There’s a new prophecy that claims she will destroy all the demon and human worlds. Her best friend Melinda just might be a demon-slayer-in-training. Throw in a field trip to none other than the Underworld itself . . . and Nikki’s going to be hoping for a rain check on more than just her homework!