This book came out just before the market was flooded with urban fantasy books, and before "paranormal romance" was even a term (I don't think Twilight was around either, but I'm going to be lazy and not look :-) ), and I checked it out of the library at that time over 5 years ago. I foolishly picked the book up expecting something Buffy-esque. I was quite incorrect.

Kiss of Shadows gets two stars for having a pretty well designed fae culture and politics, and the main idea is the main character,Meredith Gentry, being a half-breed related to the Queen of Air and Darkness, has been targeted for assassination. Ok, sounds pretty good. I like politics and intrigue, and the fae magics weren't bad.

Then I got further into the book, and realized how I was very much Not the target audience for this book (nerdy romance novel fans). The interactions between the protagonist and the 3 or 4 male bodyguards/suitors were often bizarre *spoiler?* (Meredith and the knight who dislike each other then do the bathroom sink scene later on)*spoiler? done* in a fashion that can't just be shrugged off as "they're faeries, what did you expect?", and the sex scenes in the book are lit-porn worthy of penthouse, it's impossible for me to view it any other way. Needless to say, this was not my bag, so I ceased with Laurell K. Hamilton.