Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King (Book 1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: February 1, 2010
Format: Trade Paperback ($11.99 CDN) 
Age Group: Young Adult
Copy: Provided by Big Honcho Media
Click here to read chapters 1 - 3 of The Iron King 


From the Publisher: 


Meghan Chase has a secret destiny--one she could never have imagined...

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school...or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth--that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face...and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

My Review:

It seems that all I have been reading this past month is young adult modern faery tales and while each novel has been unique and entertaining I was at first apprehensive about picking up yet another story about a half human half faery princess.  I had thought to myself, how many more times can I read about the seelie and unseelie court and still be entertained?   It wasn't long before I realized at least one more time!

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa was the most outstanding young adult faery novel I have read in a long time!  As a matter of fact I think it may just have been THE BEST young adult faery novel I have ever read.  The Iron King had a Labyrinth feel to it with a darker twist.  The pace of the novel was perfect, the plot and character descriptions were done just right but most importantly I was charmed and captivated from the very beginning to the bitter sweet end. 

I feel as though Julie Kagawa reached into my brain and took little pieces of all my favorite faery tales and wove it into something that managed to honor the best of traditional feary mythology while adding a unique and modern twist to the story that truly showcased the authors creativity.  From the very first chapter the characters came alive for me and through them I saw the feary realm with whole new eyes.  Julie Kagawa created a world both beautiful and terrifying with complex and dynamic characters that I fell completely in love with.  I can not wait to read the next two novels in this series, The Iron Daughter and The Iron Queen.

If you haven't yet read The Iron King then this novel needs to move up on your summer reading list. I hope you will be as enchanted by this modern faery tale as I was and like me wonder if all those things you "think" you see out of the corner of your eye and quickly dismiss deserve a second look....

My Rating: 5/5

Review: Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Title: Wondrous Strange (Click here to browse inside this book)
Author: Lesley Livingston
Publisher: Harpercollins
Published: December 23, 2008 
Format: Mass Market Paperbound ($17.99 CDN)
Age Group: Young Adult 
Series: Wondrous Stranage, Darklight & (unnamed 3rd novel)
Copy: Provided by Harpercollins Canada 


From the Publisher: 


Kelley Winslow is living her dream. Seventeen years old, she has moved to New York City and started to work with a theatre company. Sure, she’s only an understudy for the Avalon Players, a third-tier repertory company so far off- Broadway it might as well be in Hoboken, but things are looking up—the lead has broken her ankle and Kelley’s about to step into the role of Titania the Faerie Queen in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Faeries are far more real than Kelley thinks, though, and a chance encounter in Central Park with a handsome young man named Sonny Flannery plunges her into an adventure she could never have imagined. 


Sonny is a Janus Guard, charged by Auberon, the King of Winter, with watching over the gate into the land of Faerie, which lies within Central Park. For Sonny, the pretty, young actress is an enigma. Strong and willful, she sparks against his senses like a firecracker, and he can’t get her out of his mind. As Hallowe’en approaches and the Samhain Gate opens, Sonny and Kelley find themselves drawn to each other—and into a terrible plot that could spell disaster for both New York and Faerie alike. 


My Review:


I picked up Wondrous Strange many times while browsing the shelves at Chapters but never could commit to buying the book for reasons I can't remember. This was one of four novels sent to me by Harpercollins Canada and one of the many books I read on my vacation.  To say the least I am now kicking myself in the pants for not picking up Wondrous Strange sooner! 


In Wondrous Strange Lesley Livingston has created dynamic, endearing and genuine characters that by the end of the book felt like old friends and hated enemies.  Her writing and dialogue seemed effortless and while the story itself was not as dark as many of my favorite faery books I found this to be refreshing.  I enjoyed the variety of mythical characters that were included in this story which appear to be very well researched.  I feel Lesley Livingston did an excellent job weaving mythical characters in a new and modern way that will appeal to fantasy addicts and faery enthusiasts. 


The story of Kelley's history and parentage is creative and full of surprises and the plot twists continue to the very end of the story.  The book takes place in New York and while I have never been all that interested in visiting the renowned city, after wandering through Central Park with Kelly as the author describes various monuments and later with Sonny as he works to protect the gates of faery I have changed my mind.  If ever I get the opportunity to visit Central Park I am sure I will be unable to resist looking for faeries around every tree and under every bridge.


This review wouldn't be complete without mentioning the chemistry filled relationship that develops after a chance encounter in Central park between handsome Sonny Flannery and Kelley Winslow.  It won't take long for you to fall a little bit in love with Sonny and by the end of the novel when they are both risking everything they have and everything they have ever known to be together you'll be gripping the pages with white knuckles in suspense and anticipation. 


If you enjoy young adult fiction I highly recommend you add this book to your summer reading list.  If you have previously read the works of Melissa Marr and Holly Black then I guarantee you will love Wondrous Strange. Darklight, the second book in the planned trilogy is already available and I am sure after reading the first novel you will be as eager as me to get your hands on a copy! 

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr

Title: Radiant Shadows (Click here to browse inside the book)
Author: Melissa Marr
Publisher: Harpercollins Publishers
Published: April 10, 2010
Format: Hardcover ($18.99 CDN)
Age Group: Young Adult
Copy: Provided by Harpercollins
Extra: Click here for the official Wicked Lovely fan site
Purchase: Click here to purchase this novel 

From the Publishers: 

Hunger for nourishment.
Hunger for touch.
Hunger to belong.

Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers.
Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries' coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani's death.

Ani isn't one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin's plans-and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?

Alluring romance, heart-stopping danger, and sinister intrigue combine in the penultimate volume of Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series.

My Review: 

I have long been a fan of Melissa Marr and my initial love for young adult "faery tales" began after reading the first novel in the series Wicked Lovely.  Over the years I have been very interested in faery mythology and one particular myth I have always been fascinated with is the Wild Hunt so when I began to read this novel and discovered that Ani is the half mortal half faery child of the leader of the Wild Hunt I was hooked. 

Of all the protagonists in the Wicked Lovely series I enjoyed reading about Ani the most.  I love how her vulnerabilities and insecurities are balanced with inner strength, a courageous attitude and a great love for family.  Ani's love interest in this novel Devlin also happens to be an assisin for the High Queen Sorcha and is the brother of both Sorcha and her "evil" twin sister Bananach.  You learn early on in the novel that Sorcha ordered Devlin to kill Ani and the suspense of waiting for that information to become known to Ani and my interest in understanding why Sorcha ordered the kill in the first place held me captive and on edge throughout the novel.  While I enjoyed the pace and emotional connection between Ani and Devlin I was left with the impression that Devlin was much older then her.  At times I feel that a relationship can seem inauthentic when a young protagonists in a novel falls for a man who although may have been their age when they died or were created are now centuries older in maturity due to life experience (such as Devlin or Edward from Twilight). While Devlin did give me the impression of being older then Ani I still felt that they are well matched and I enjoyed reading the progression of their relationship and how they coped with the unusual and serendipitous circumstances of their meeting.

Additionally I found the plot of this novel to be incredibly creative and entertaining and I was fully immersed and captivated by the story from beginning to end.  The novel was filled with action, passion, emotion, creativity and clever characters.  Radiant Shadows fully met my expectations and at times exceeded them and I think fans of the Wicked Lovely series will not be disappointed.  Whether or not you are a young adult if you haven't yet read this series and are a fan the fantasy genre this novel should be at the top of your "to read" list

My Rating: 4/5

Review: Black Magic Sanction

Title: Black Magic Sanction
Author: Kim Harrison
Publisher: Harpercollins Publishers
Published: February 23, 2010
Format: Hardcover ($33.99 CDN)

From The Publisher:

Rachel Morgan has fought and hunted vampires, werewolves, banshees, demons, and other supernatural dangers as both witch and bounty hunter-and lived to tell the tale. But she's never faced off against her own kind . . . until now. Denounced and shunned for dealing with demons and black magic, her best hope is life imprisonment-at worst, a forced lobotomy and genetic slavery. Only her enemies are strong enough to help her win her freedom, but trust comes hard when it hinges on the unscrupulous tycoon Trent Kalamack, the demon Algaliarept, and an ex-boyfriend turned thief.  It takes a witch to catch a witch, but survival bears a heavy price.

My Review:

Kim Harrison is one of my favorite authors so my anticipation and expectations for a Hallows novel always have me eagerly awaiting the release date with the certainty that I will be in for an entertaining reading experience.  I love Urban Fantasy novels and Kim Harrison does an excellent job of weaving a vast array of supernatural elements into the known world but what she does even better is create dynamic, fierce, lovable and sometimes detestable characters.  In the Hollows series Kim Harrison has created characters that I have become attached to and depending on the direction the plot is going you can find me laughing so hard the tears stream down my face, gripping the book with white knuckled anxiety, holding my breath in anticipation, or biting my bottom lip while softly crying.  Over the course of reading Black Magic Sanction I experienced the full array of the aforementioned emotions and at one point I was so fearful for the direction she was taking a beloved character I was ready to chuck the book across the room. With each addition to the series I feel as though the protagonist, Rachel Morgan is continuing to discover more of herself and in the process she is truly finding her voice.  The plot of this novel really helped to re-solidify the bond Rachel has created between herself and her chosen family as well as question her personal morals and values.  I think lovers of this series will immensely enjoy the plot of the novel, the further development into why Rachel is able to twist demon curses, the new romantic interest, the lovable connection to Bis, Rachel's Gargoyle, and the always entertaining, lovable, laughable Jenks.  As you can tell I have attempted to write this review spoiler free and I hope I have succeeded in gaining your interest in this series without giving anything away.  I hope that if you have not read a Kim Harrison novel you will take the chance on picking one up because I would be very surprised if you didn't like it if you are a lover of the Urban Fantasy genre.  I eagerly await the next novel in the Hollows series which I have heard rumor will be released in Spring 2011.  With possibly a year to wait until the next novel is out I hope to find a new series or two with characters and plots that grip me as much as this one does.

My Rating: The best I have!

Book Release: April 20, 2010

Radiant Shadows by: Melissa Marr

Release Date: Tuesday April 20, 2010

Publisher: Harpercollins Publishers

Format: Hardcover 

From the Publisher:

Hunger for nourishment.
Hunger for touch.
Hunger to belong.

Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers.
Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries' coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani's death.
Ani isn't one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin's plans-and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?
Alluring romance, heart-stopping danger, and sinister intrigue combine in the penultimate volume of Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series.

Extras:

Download a free version of Wicked Lovely by, Melissa Marr from Harper Teen (shortcut).

Themed Post Winner: Books or Series that take place in a boarding school

Big thanks to all those readers who voted in my pole on what my next themed post would be.  As you may have guessed by the posts title, boarding schools won!  I hope you enjoy this first installment of many for books or series that take place in a boarding school!

Hallowmere Series by: Tiffany Trent

Series: Hallowmere
Author: Tiffany Trent
Publisher: Wizards of the Boast, Inc
Price: 8.95 (11.95 Canadian)
Website
Blog
Hallowmere Web Site

Click here to read the first chapter of first novel in the series, In the Serpant's Coils.

From the Publisher:

As the Civil War ends, Corrine's nightmare begins.

Ever since her parents died, Corrine's dreams have been filled with fairies warning her of impending peril. When she's sent to live at Falston Manor, she thinks she's escaped the danger stalking her. Instead the dreams grow stronger, just as girls begin disappearing from school.

Then Corrine discovers letters of forbidden love by a medieval monk who writes of his entanglement with a race of vampiric Fey -- the same Fey who haunt Corrine's dreams. Who are these creatures and what do they want? Corrine knows only one thing for sure: another girl will disappear soon, and that girl just might be her.

My review:

I began this series about a year ago with the first novel, and recently purchased the rest of hte series when Chapters had a great sale going on.  I would consider these books to be paranormal fantasy/fiction and they are published for young adults.

While I don't believe they are the best books in this genre they are a very entertaining read and I am eager to read the rest of the novels in this series.  What I liked most about this series thus far, is the mystery element in regards to both plot and character as well as the somewhat spooky atmosphere the author creates. Additionally I found the flow and pace of the novel to be perfect for my reading tastes and her writing style was eloquent and easy to read and understand.  Her characters were believable and genuine and the author didn't force too much information about them on you at any one given time.

I am absolutely captivated and obsessed by books that take place in boarding schools, especially when you involve the "magic" element.  The idea that somewhere out there, a school exists, where all fantastical things are possible (and I am crazy enough to believe this is true) makes my little whimsical heart sing!  Her descriptions of mythical creatures, sch as faeries, are not modernized or romanticized but rather stayed true to traditional descriptions which I found rather refreshing.

While as a series, these novels are not as popular as others that take place at a boarding school they are well written, entertaining, and will hopefully keep you turning the pages in eager anticipation.

Lastly I will include a list of all the books in this series in order with pictures and for your viewing enjoyment I have included the teaser trailer for the Hollowmere series.  I hope you have enjoyed the first installment of my newest themed post featuring books that take place in boarding schools,  Thank you all for voting for boarding school books to be my newest feature.  It worked so well that I think I will continue to base my themed post choices on your votes! (See upper right poll with new voting content).

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Book 4

Book 5

Book 6

The Hollows series by: Kim Harrison

As you may have already guessed the vast majority of the books I read would be considered urban fantasy. It is my drug of choice and like any addict I can’t wait to get my hands on the next fix. Kim Harrison’s series, The Hollows, is one of my top five favorite urban fantasy series of all time. Below is a brief teaser that suggests juicer things to come as well as a link to the authors web site.

All the creatures of the night gather in "the Hollows" of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party ... and to feed.


Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining -- and its Rachel Morgan's job to keep that world civilized.
A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead ... or undead.

Click here to go to Kim Harrison's web site.  I HIGHLY recomend that you pick up a copy of Dead Witch Walking the first book in the series.  I promise you won't be dissapointed.

Happy Reading!

Meredith Gentry series by: Laurell K. Hamilton

Quite a few years ago now Laurell K. Hamilton came out with a new urban fantasy series called the Meredith Gentry series.  I am a long time, dedicated reader of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series so I had no hesitation to pick up the first book in her new series, A Kiss Of Shadows. Like the Anita series these books bring the fantastical to life and seamlessly weave it together with our own reality but instead of vampires, shape shifters, and necromancy she brings the world of faeries to life in a whole new way. In this series her writing remains as descriptively delicious as always with tasty characters and highly sexual plot lines that I wouldn’t recommend to anyone’s young teenage daughter. The idea behind this series is that Meredith Gentry, a half human half faery princess is in line for the throne along with her cunning and sadistic cousin, the son of The Queen of Air and Darkness. As the world of faerie and all those of faery decent are becoming infertile the throne will be given to the one to conceive first. With a band of “Merry Men” at her side she does her best to be the one to get their first. See below for a synopsis of the first book!

“My name is Meredith Gentry, but of course it’s not my real name. I dare not even whisper my true name after dark for fear that one hushed word will travel over the night winds to the soft ear of my aunt, the Queen of the Air and Darkness. She wants me dead. I don’t even know why.”


Meredith Gentry, Princess of the high court of Faerie, is posing as a human in Los Angeles, living as a P.I. specializing in supernatural crime. But now the Queen’s assassin has been dispatched to fetch her back–whether she likes it or not. Suddenly Meredith finds herself a pawn in her dreaded aunt’s plans. The job that awaits her: enjoy the constant company of the most beautiful immortal men in the world. The reward: the crown–and the opportunity to continue to live. The penalty for failure: death.

I seriously eat this stuff up. Click here for Laurell's web site which has links to all her books, her blog (which I read every day), and a sneak peak at many of the first chapters of her novels.

WARNING to all parents that there is a very high volume of sexual content in this series that may not be appropriate for your children.  For everyone else enjoy :)

Happy Reading!