Kaylin McFarren, indeed, has one of the most vivid imaginations of any author I have ever read. Requiem For A Queen is filled with dark imagery, layered plot twists, and many multi-faceted characters that keep the reader’s mind engaged and turn pages as fast as you can. In addition, this colorful story of the war between Heaven and Hell is laced with themes of friendship, love, birthright, and the devotion between mother and son.

We are introduced to the main character, Samara, as she has escaped from Hell and gives birth to her son, the secret son of Lucifer – ruler of Hell. She is all alone in a cave in the woods as demon soldiers search for her while giving birth. With the help of a shapeshifter, sprite, and soldier, she is on a quest to keep her son, Papillon, out of harm’s way from Lucinda. His sister, the heir to the throne of Hell, wishes to remain the heir and is threatened by the birth of her brother. Samara’s only wish is to protect Papillon, who has unique powers, and give him a happy life. However, after Lucinda steals Papillon and hides him away, Samara is forced to confront Lucifer and confess that he is the father, her only chance to save her son from the sister who wants him dead. 

I found Requiem for a Queen to be an enjoyable yet challenging read. The abundance of characters and intricate plot keep the reader engaged but also challenge them to remember the picture and retain all that has occurred in the story. From demons, witches, Cambion soldiers, shapeshifters, archangels, and the devil, there are many types of characters to try to comprehend the complex relationships between them all. Readers who enjoy mind-bending fantasy with the flair of good versus evil will devour this book and beg for more!

Pages: 341 | ASIN: B0BBJTR8BD

Requiem For A Queen by Kaylin McFarren takes the classic tale of good vs. evil and gives it a sultry twist. As the Red War rages between heaven and hell, Lucifer is on the hunt for the prisoners that escaped him and his soulmate. Those who oppose him have scattered to various locations in order to evade capture or are injured from previous battles. But how are they going to win if they cannot help one another?

Readers of the entire Gehenna series will appreciate the way in which the author evolves her characters within each book and over the series. The conflict in the story is one dark fantasy fans will be familiar with but the characters are the reason you keep reading, their relationships are the reason you will find this book hard to put down, and your desire to just know how it all ends will keep you coming back to this book again and again. Every good fantasy novel has a good villain and Requiem For A Queen does not disappoint. I was enthralled with the Black Dragon.

This novel also takes the trope of strong female character to a new level with Samara giving birth by herself in difficult circumstances. This reminded me of the way Margaret Atwood handles the emotional turmoil that females face in her stories. When chapter one ended with ‘Lucifer’s child was coming into this world whether Samara was prepared or not,’ I had to make sure that I was prepared to read the next chapter because Kaylin McFarren holds nothing back and I was sure we were going to be in for a ride. The author is a master of scene details and situations really come to life once we’re in the thick of the action.

Requiem For A Queen is a fiery paranormal romance that will be devoured by long-time fans of the series. Excellently combining the paranormal romance genre and dark occult fantasy I was really intrigued by the lore and backstory built into this story. It always felt like this world was lived in and we are only just now discovering it. I enjoyed the way this story tested its main character and put her in desperate situations. I know it sounds awful but this is why I love fiction and Kaylin McFarren creates some compelling situations that are superbly entertaining.

Pages: 341 | ASIN: B0BBJTR8BD