July 22, 2013

DragonSpell by Donita Paul

One Dragon Egg Holds the Key to the Future.

Once a slave, Kale is given the unexpected opportunity to become a servant to Paladin. Yet this young girl has much to learn about the difference between slavery and service.

A Desperate Search Begins…

A small band of Paladin’s servants rescue Kale from danger but turn her from her destination: The Hall, where she was to be trained. Feeling afraid and unprepared, Kale embarks on a perilous quest to find the meech dragon egg stolen by the foul Wizard Risto. First, she and her comrades must find Wizard Fenworth. But their journey is threatened when a key member of the party is captured, leaving the remaining companions to find Fenworth, attempt an impossible rescue, and recover the egg whose true value they have not begun to suspect…

Weaving together memorable characters, daring adventure, and a core of eternal truth, Dragonspell is a finely crafted and welcome addition to the corpus of fantasy fiction.
 
DragonSpell follow the unique and thrilling adventure of a young girl, Kale. Although the writing is a bit dry, the plot line kept me reading this book, for it is a truly remarkable idea.
 
I was surprised by the amount of fantasy concepts introduced in one novel. From magical urges to multiple races, light magic, mind-speaking, and one cannot forget the Dragons. I am, by no matter, a newbie to the fantasy genre, in fact, high fantasy is one of my favorite genres, it's just surprising that so many types of magic were used. I'm still trying to decide whether I like it or not.

July 16, 2013

Montana Sky by Nora Roberts

In life, Jack Mercy hadn't been a kind man. In death, he was no different. His daughter Willa expected to inherit his ranch, the place she'd put her heart and soul into. But at the reading of the will, she learns that her home has been given not just to her, but to two sisters she barely knows as well. And in order to inherit, they must all live on the ranch for a period of one year.

None of the three sisters are happy with the arrangement. And apparently, neither is someone else as deadly incidents begin occurring around them. Willa, Tess and Lila find themselves fighting for their lives alongside the men who have become part of the lives and their hearts.

Okay, I just want to start off with, I fell in love with the movie about five years before reading this, so I had prior knowledge to who the killer is, how everything turns out. You know, the whole 'mystery' part of the novel?

I have to say, the funniest part of reading this book was trying to figure out what was different between the book and the movie. Characters have different careers, events happen in a different order, more murders happen in a book, important events in one are downplayed in the other. I have to say, though, I loved the book about as much as I loved the movie.
 
Anyway, like all of her other books that I've read, Nora Roberts is an expert in the Mystery Romance category. She deserves a gold medal, or something. 
By the way, I'm watching the movie as I'm writing this review. :D

July 1, 2013

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?


When I first read the summary, I said to myself "Assassin nuns? WTF?" But then I read the first few chapters and it made sense. It took me 4 days to read the first half of the book. But only 4 hours to finish it.

It is rare to find the perfect match of multiple genres, but Grave Mercy has it all; fantasy, action, historical fiction, romance. I loved it!

Ismae is one of the best female protagonists I have read about in a while. She is strong, stays true to what she believes in, doesn't let a man stand in her way (even as she's falling in love with him) and puts her Duchess and country before herself and her love.

On a side note, I loved that this was set in Brittany. I've always wondered about the history of the Kingdom (Duchy, Province, whatever), as I share the same name!

I highly recommend this book/series to fans of Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore and Cinda Williams Chima.

June 28, 2013

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

NOTE: Opinions stated in the book summary do not represent my opinions.

Don't even think of starting this book unless you're sitting in a comfortable chair and have lots of time. A fast-paced, impossible-to-put-down adventure awaits as the young orphan Peter and his mates are dispatched to an island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They set sail aboard the Never Land, a ship carrying a precious and mysterious trunk in its cargo hold, and the journey quickly becomes fraught with excitement and danger. 

Discover richly developed characters in the sweet but sophisticated Molly, the scary but familiar Black Stache, and the fearless Peter. Treacherous battles with pirates, foreboding thunderstorms at sea, and evocative writing immerses the reader in a story that slowly and finally reveals the secrets and mysteries of the beloved Peter Pan.

Okay, I'm going to just come right out and say it. I HATED this book. It had a boring plot. It had almost zero character development. It was all around just B.A.D. (Not A Wrinkle in Time bad, but bad.)

Peter is an annoying little kid who doesn't know when to leave stuff alone. And Molly is just... don't get me started on her. Just don't.

I'm sure that from the 3.99 rating on Goodreads, people like this book, but I don't. Just saying.

(I had to retype the 3.99 multiple times, for some reason they wanted to put a $ in front... I wonder why... )

June 7, 2013

Venom by Fiona Paul

Love, lust, murder, mayhem and high society converge in one thrilling debut

Cassandra Caravello has everything a girl could desire: elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, invitations to the best parties, and a handsome, wealthy fiancĂ©—yet she longs for something more. Ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

 When Cass stumbles upon the body of a murdered woman—with a bloody X carved across her heart—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of secret societies, courtesans, and killers. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a poor artist with a mischievous grin . . . and a habit of getting into trouble. Will Cassandra find the murderer before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancĂ© or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?

Beauty, romance, and mystery weave together in a novel that’s as seductive and stunning as the city of Venice itself.


I'm not really a fan of mysteries. I've never really had the patience for them, I guess. So I shouldn't really be taken seriously about this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the romance aspect of the novel, but I didn't really like the ending. It seemed too rushed and altogether messy. The love triangle was poorly handled.

May 23, 2013

Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike

Aprilynne Pike, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Wings series, shines in this stand-alone novel that offers a humorous twist on ghosts and is perfect for fans of Ally Carter, Rachel Hawkins, and Kiersten White.

Kimberlee Schaffer may be drop-dead gorgeous . . . but she also dropped dead last year. Now she needs Jeff's help with her unfinished business, and she's not taking no for an answer. When she was alive, Kimberlee wasn't just a mean girl; she was also a complete kleptomaniac. So if Jeff wants to avoid being haunted until graduation, he'll have to help her return all of the stolen items. But Jeff soon discovers that it's much easier to steal something than it is to bring it back.

Paying for your mistakes takes on a whole new meaning in this hauntingly clever twist on The Scarlet Pimpernel.


I'm not really a fan of ghost stories, but I enjoyed Aprilynne Pike's Wings series so I figured I would give this one a try. I wasn't disappointed.

It's rare, in my opinion, to find a good YA in a contemporary setting (such as a school) that has a twist, like a ghost. Most are dry, or don't represent the characters or twist very well. But this is a pretty good one.

The relationship between Kimberlee and Jeff is absolutely hilarious, but more importantly, it's real. Their banter is real, and so are their fights. They argue over simple and difficult things, just like normal friends. The only difference in this case is that no one else can see Kimberlee.

I recommend this to fans of Rachel Hawkins' Hex Hall series. It doesn't have the magic aspect, but the characters seem similar to me.

May 5, 2013

Life Drawing for Beginners by Roisin Meaney

From the author of Semi-Sweet comes a delightful new novel about the art of friendship, love, and (still) life.

When Audrey Matthews offers an evening class in life drawing, all she's looking for is a little extra pocket money and something to fill her Tuesday nights. So she hires a model and recruits five students - each of whom have their own reason for being there.

For Zarek, a Polish immigrant, the class is a welcome distraction and a place to escape his dull cafe job and noisy roommate.

Then there's the handsome, mysterious James who has moved to the small town of Carrickbawn looking for a new start for himself and his daughter. He's vowed to keep to himself, but then his interest in Jackie, the class model and single mom, takes a more personal turn.

While Audrey has just fallen in love -- with the adorable puppy in the window of the local pet shop. Will she be put off by the store's brusque owner or does she find out that his bark is worse than his bite?

As the weeks pass, it becomes clear to the members of the drawing class that their fellow students aren't exactly who they seem...

This was a very confusing book. The constant change in characters and complex plotline was intriguing, yet disappointing at the same time. I enjoyed the story as a whole but I wouldn't read a similar book if the opportunity presented itself.

It took me over a month to read this because the complexity drove me to read other books and put this one on the back burner.

I originally got this as an ARC through one of GoodReads' giveaways.

March 24, 2013

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another.

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined
.


This is an amazing book! I honestly don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that. I remember marking to-read for the book a long time a go and being pumped to read it. Then, I kind of forgot about it. Sad, I know. So when I got it from the library I thought to myself, where did this book come from?

Celaena is a strong protagonist. She knows what she wants, and she isn't afraid to take it. No matter who or what gets in her way. I like that in a protagonist, especially a female one. It's rare in the fantasy genre to see kickass females, but when I find one, they're either poorly written, or absolutely breathtakingly awesome. I'll leave you to figure out which one Celaena is.

March 21, 2013

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancĂ©e of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.


Wow. I read the last 200 pages in about 2 hours. (That's fast, even for me.) I wasn't all that impressed by this book. Delirium absolutely blew me away. Pandemonium was good. Not great, but good. But Requiem just didn't do it for me. I'm pretty disappointed by it, to be honest.

I was racing to the end of the book mostly because there was nothing that kept me reading all that closely. To me, Hana's parts were completely unnecessary. They didn't add anything to the story.
Maybe I am being a little harsh on the book, but it just seemed to me that Lauren Oliver just wanted to get the series over with and rushed through this book. There was no real ending, and there was no finality. It was just suddenly over.

All in all, I think I was just too impressed by Delirium that Requiem didn't stand a chance.

March 18, 2013

The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

WANTED:

One young woman to take care of four-year-old boy.  Must be cheerful, enthusiastic, and selfless--bordering on masochistic.  Must relish sixteen-hour shifts with a deliberately nap-deprived preschooler.  Must love getting thrown up on, literally and figuratively, by everyone in his family.  Must enjoy the delicious anticipation of ridiculously erratic pay.  Mostly, must love being treated like fungus found growing out of employer's Hermes bag.  Those who take it personally need not apply.


Who wouldn't want this job?  Struggling to graduate from NYU and afford her microscopic studio apartment, Nanny takes a position caring for the only son of the wealthy X family.  She rapidly learns the insane amount of juggling involved to ensure that a Park Avenue wife, who doesn't work, cook, clean, or raise her own child, has a smooth day.


When the X's marriage begins to disintegrate, Nanny ends up involved way beyond the bounds of human decency or good taste.  Her tenure with the X family becomes a nearly impossible mission to maintain the mental health of their four-year-old, her own integrity, and, most important, her sense of humor.  Over nine tense months, Mrs. X and Nanny perform the age-old dance of decorum and power as they test the limits of modern-day servitude.


This was a hilarious book. I was cracking up the entire time. My friends would look at me strangely, and I would try to explain it, but they wouldn't understand. Now I'm forcing them to read the book. Yay for (positive) peer pressure!

Really, the only reason it took me as long as it did to read the book was because I had so much homework.  But then again, I used this as an excuse to not to do my homework. :)


 

March 3, 2013

Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder


That was. Just wow. I love Maria V. Snyder. I've read all her books except for Inside Out and Outside In. This is probably in the top three of my favorite books by her (Poison Study and Storm Glass being the other two)

I liked that Snyder split the points of view between Kerrick and Avry. It gave a different perspective on their relationship and allowed for more plot to be covered.

Hunted, Killed—Survived?

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.


If you're a huge High Fantasy fan like me, this is a great add to your bookshelf. (Though I recommend reading Touch of Power first)

 

November 19, 2012

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.


Honestly, this book didn't really live up to my expectations. I guess they were abnormally high, though... I just didn't feel it with The Lost Prince like I did with The Iron Fey . It just didn't feel... right? I don't know.

The first thing that disappointed me was when Ethan's token was supposed to bring someone to help him, I thought it meant Puck... but, you know, I'm just fangirling... But why did it have to be Grimalkin? He's a lazy jerk with a God complex.


I didn't really enjoy the whole "younger brother of the heroine" as much as I thought I would. It just seemed like Julie Kagawa was grasping at straws and this was the first idea that made any sense at all.

But I have to admit, that is an awesome cover.

September 20, 2012

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

Ugh. I. Hate. Cliffhangers.

Usually.

:) But definitely this time.

When I started The Crown of Embers it had been seven months since I'd read The Girl of Fire and Thorns. I'd forgotten most of it, and I didn't really know what to expect. The only things I remembered about it was that Elisa was very religious and that she had fallen in love with a desert nomad. Or something like that.

So when I started reading and I noticed the love intrest between Elisa and Hector I was confused. Very confused. But as I kept reading, I caught on quickly and started to LOVE their relationship. (And by the way, I love the last few pages, they are amazing.)

Since I started this while trying to read The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne for English class, I was surprised how fast I read it. Normally I focus on my school books and my free reading books take a back burner, but for once, I actually said, "Hell with it, I'm not going to read that!" Well, maybe not those exact words. But close.

:)
 
Anyway, here's the summary of the book:
In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.

Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone's power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy.

May 2, 2012

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

My first reaction to finishing Bitterblue was "It was amazing".  Then I thought "Wait, it's over?"

Bitterblue was my favorite character in Graceling, and when I heard that Kristin Cashore was writing a new book that was about Bitterblue, I squealed! Literally, not metaphorically. Sound actually came out of my mouth. I liked Fire better than the other two, but this one still made my hair stand on end at some points. Which is what we all look for in a book right?

The characters were so real. And so much like I remember them from Graceling. I was kind of disappointed at how little Fire was in the book, but that's okay. But, Saf (Sapphire) was OMG! I loved the relationship between them, the banter, the laughter, the disappointments in each other. It seemed like the real thing. I was so sad when he decided to leave for the Dells! I wanted to cry, but then I remembered the Bridge scene (I swear I read that five or six times, thinking "did that really just happen?" I was so sad when he decided to leave for the Dells! I wanted to cry, but then I remembered the Bridge scene (I swear I read that five or six times, thinking "did that really just happe0

The setting was perfectly described. The bridges, every time we encountered a bridge, I could see it in my mind, it was amazing.

The way Cashore described the many sculptures and paintings in the book made me think "How did she come up with all those statue ideas?" And then I remembered that she's an author. And authors are amazing.

Here's the summary:
The long-awaited companion to New York Times bestsellers Graceling and Fire

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck's reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle--disguised and alone--to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

February 29, 2012

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

*Warning, there are a few spoilers in this review, I apologize, but it's just one of those books where you can't explain how you're feeling without spoilers, if you know what I mean.* 
Well, didn't know what to expect after Delirium, but if definitely wasn't that. And that ending? Where did that come from? (view spoiler)I was just getting used to the fact that Alex was dead and Lena now belongs with Julian, and BAM! Alex is alive and he's in the same place as the pair. Uh, oh. Heads are gonna roll.

The writing, again, was amazing. Lauren Oliver never ceases to amaze me. I liked how the book flipped between how Lena got out of Portland and into her new life, and her new life in New York.

(view spoiler)P.S. I totally saw that bit with her mom coming. I mean, really, who wouldn't? It was so obvious!

All in all, this was an amazing book. READ IT!!!
After falling in love, Lena and Alex flee their oppressive society where love is outlawed and everyone must receive the "cure" - an operation that makes them immune to the delirium of love - but Lena alone manages to find her way to a community of resistance fighters. Although she is bereft without the boy she loves, her struggles seem to be leading her toward a new love.

December 25, 2011

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Maria V. Snyder has been one of my favorite high fantasy authors for about 3 years now. I love how she can create a whole new, believable, world and still make an interesting plot line and romance.
Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....

In her new series, Healer, Maria V. Snyder follows a young healer who is on the run. In her land, disease is slowly destroying everything, yet her people distrust magic and refuse to accept that magic could heal the world.

December 22, 2011

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

Since It's Winter Break, I took my annual WB gander through my library to find all sorts of books to read over break. I always spend most of my time in the New Shelf of the Teen Section; it has a good number of YA books released in the past year. When I saw the title The False Princess, it intrigued me, I thought; that is new, never in my many years (7, to be exact) of reading YA books, have I been so dragged in by a title. I imediately added it to my pile. (Which would be expanded to 9 books by the end of my trip.) At the time of this particular trip, I had been reading the amazingly attention-grabbing Clockwork Angel, so I finished that and immediatly started reading this. It took me less than a day to finish it; partly because it was only 323 pages, but more importantly; it was AMAZING!!!
Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.

Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.

A dazzling first novel, The False Princess is an engrossing fantasy full of mystery, action, and romance.
Doesn't it sound amazing? With passionate love of friendship, her country, and her past, Sinda is attempting to reconstruct a plot to set a 'False Princess' on the throne; someone other than her, that is.

December 4, 2011

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

That ending was crap. I hated it. It came out of nowhere! Now I need the next book. Ugh.

Lena is just your average girl. Living in a society where love is a disease. Love! A disease! They say that without love there is no hate and without hate there is no violence. But what happens when you fall in love? That is what Lena is about to find out.

They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever.

And I've always believed them.

Until now.

Now everything has changed.

Now, I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.

Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.


Honestly, I finished this book in about 2 days. Which isn't normal for me. It usually takes about a week and a half to finish a book of this size. But I read the first 5 chapters in a preview and I was hooked from that point on.

December 1, 2011

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

I thought the series was amazing during the first two books. This one blew. Me. Away. I swear, I was in shock after reading this. Again, I highly recomend this book to anyone who reads Paranormal romance, fae books or low fantasy. It's just that awesome.

Here's the summary:
The "New York Times" Bestseller The Iron Queen

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

November 28, 2011

The Iron Duaghter by Julie Kagawa

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

The first book in the Iron Fey series really hooked me. I got all three of the books from the library and read them in sessesion. Let me tell, you. If you love Paranormal romance, Fae, or just plain fantasy, this is a series for you. The way that Kagawa encorperates our world into the world of the fey just makes me... speechless. There is nothing more that I can say that has not already been said.

READ IT!