Even though this was the fourth book in the series I still loved it (which is somewhat surprising as in my experience the quality of a series decreases with the number of novels as the author tries to lengthen the plot) - the only exception being the ending but I guess this way the author saw more possibilities for the future. (And its not that I found it horrible - I would simply have preferred Eugenie choosing the other option in her last personal conflict in the book.) Update (August 2012): Just found out that Shadow Heir was actually the last book in the Dark Swan Series! NOOOOO, No, No, no! And I didnt even realize this until now because the book ended like just another one in the middle of a series - not the FINAL one!! How could Miss Mead do that to the readers?!?! This book leaves us with so many questions and the heroine is even unlikeable at times so I had completely counted on there being more books to come. This is no real ending at all! And I hope Miss Mead realizes this (/comes to her senses) and picks the series up where she left off!