Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

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 Publisher: HarlequinTEEN (October 25, 2011)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Paperback): 386
Series: The Iron Fey (Book 4)
Source: NetGalley
ISBN-13: 9780373210367
Genre: Fantasy (Faeries)
Author: Website | Twitter | Blog
Series Reviews: Book 1 (4.5★) Book 2 (5★) Book 3 (5★) Book 3.5

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn.


I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.

My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

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Overview:

I have spent the last 300+ pages indulging in my secret love affair with Prince Ash. What is entirely unique about this story from the other books in the series is that Ash is on an impossible mission to keep his vow to Meghan. From the beginning we know what the plot of this book is and it is just a matter of whether or not he succeeds or fails. It is an interesting journey that in the end is gripping and you won't want to put it down.

Review:

Julie Kagawa has perfected the fairy tale ending. The ending to The Iron Queen was devastating and left a void in our hearts where closure belonged for surely that could not be the end to Meghan and Ash. What Julie gave us in this book was magnificant; a journey of sheer impossibility but bold strength and devotion. Twists, turns and confrontations were the key to unraveling the mystery that Prince Ash was.

For the first part of this series, we were in our story from the eyes of Meghan, the human who's fate had become saving all of Nevernever. In Summer's Crossing, we have a brief glimpse into the chaotic yet striking personality of Puck. But here, in The Iron Knight, we grow intimately close with the monster, the pain, the anger, and pure love that Ash is as he begins to grow and sort through his mess of entangled emotions. The true depth of this character had been sealed off from Meghan, and the reader, and this book unleashes a flood of what  it means to be Unseelie. In seeing Ash's history as Winter Prince and knowing who he is now, we can see that this is a tale about overcoming, a strong ideal that all of us are our own person.

The other character favorites we love, Grimalkin and Puck, accompany Ash on this treacherous journey and we are introduced to some new faces that bring an interesting dynamic to the trio. This book, while about Ash, gives a little more insight into Puck; through his interactions with Ash, the prince and the readers begin to have a little bit more of an understanding about the pain that Puck really tries to hide. As an extra bonus, you don't even really have to miss Meghan; Julie has done a fantastic job of intertwining all of the favorite characters.

I loved the characters and I loved the journey that Ash was on to maintain his vow but there was still something missing from this book that I thought was pretty prevalent in the other books: mystery. It isn't anything detrimental and I still loved this book, but from beginning to end we know the journey that Ash has embarked upon and it is only a tale of whether or not he succeeds; can he succeed? It traded mystery for suspense and a long, timeless journey and while the action that occurred was riveting, I felt the journey was just mildly off-pace for such a phenomenal ending.

This book comes with an Epilogue that returns to Meghan's point of view and serves as a non-encompassing ending that still allows our imagination to bloom into the "what shall become of them" and fills that void that we had after The Iron Queen. Also included in the book is a small interview with the author and some wicked guests. The interview actually made me giggle out loud. It was witty and a great addition/end to a book. Also be sure to check out the letter that Ash wrote to Meghan before embarking on his journey. This was released at the Twitter launch party and is a great piece to the puzzle.

Rating out of 5:

Playing Catch Up (date)

In the past month or so, I have fallen extremely behind in my reading, my posting, my seemingly everything. I have two books that are nearly finished and several things that are lined up that need to be done. However, I do apologize for the slack lately. I got overwhelmed after my break up, after needing a place to live, stuck in the middle of a terrible job I hated and a desperate job search that was going no where.

Things have settled down now and by the end of November I have a place to live and as of yesterday, I am employed in my local public library! I can't tell you how awesome that is. I also have another job to help supplement for the holidays and things. I am finally able to even contemplate free-time and blogging business again. My brain particles aren't stretched quite so thin. At least until I have to really sit down and start studying for the GRE so I can apply to Library Science school!

On the upside, I have some things lined up (not many due to being behind) and I finally was able to sit down and watch The Iron Knight trailer that debuted last month. I'm finishing up the story right now for the review, so be on the look out for that. In the meantime, if you haven't seen it, check out the awesomeness that is The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa, releasing October 25!

This just screams like it could be a movie. It is phenomenal! I love the dynamics, the iceyness, the aging technology, the shadowing, the EVERYTHING. The only thing...I never really imagine Mab being Asian.

As a Kentuckian, note that Julie Kagawa announced on twitter that she will be doing a launch event at Barnes & Noble in Louisville on release day! Squee!

Review: Eve by Anna Carey

Eve by Anna Carey

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Publisher: HarperTeen (October 4, 2011)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Hardcover): 3
Series:  The Eve Trilogoy (Book 1)
Source: NetGalley
ISBN-13: 9780062048509
Genre: Dystopia

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

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Overview:

This book takes some digesting; with ideas and realism, the concept of survival is wonderfully crafted. Eve is a wonderful, true heroine and we watch as the whole idea of truth begins to unravel as she experiences the world with us. A great dystopian society set in America in Anna Carey's new novel!

Review:

This book is thick and heavy with realistic ideas and concepts that could face the world's population someday. In a dystopian environment, in a world where the government sets such beautiful imagery, the truth behind such ecstasy is ugly and harsh.

In this world, one of the ugly truths is that children are squandered into the unknowing labor to the King. Eve is one of these bright young girls to whom we travel through this story with. What we see about Eve is that she is unique in this world; her determination, her intelligence, her truth, her cowardice, and her hidden strength. Eve is an amazingly true heroine for teens reading Young Adult literature right now. She is well structured, entirely not prepared, and begins to question the reality of the world and the truths that she has always known.

The pace of this book is steady, even if the idea of staying on the run to merely survive is a little overdone. Books like this, regardless of the expertise in its crafting, can tend to lean the reader towards the hopeless side. The same struggles that cycle repetitiouslyare there and in this way, Eve isn't perfect; she doesn't have all the answers. That is what makes her realistic and true in my eyes.

Anna Carey has set us into a world of chilling truths and suspenseful possibilities. With a character as individually unique is Eve, it will continue to be interesting to see this fight for survival. Will Eve grow into a strong, defined heroine? Will she continue to be a budding but utterly confused by the truth teenager? What will book two in this trilogy hold? I'm interested to find out.

Rating out of 5:

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

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Publisher: Quirk Publishing (June 7, 2011)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (eBook): 225
Source: Bought
ISBN-13: 9781594745133
Genre: Historical/Paranormal
Author: Twitter | Website

A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
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Overview:

Ransom Riggs has created a naturally creepy world within reality. Focusing on Jacob and the mission he undergoes after the death of his grandfather, we are introduced to some of the most unique characters YA may have ever seen. This historical fiction set September 1940 is slowly paced but packs interesting twists and riveting detail. However, the ending, while it is sophisticated and realistic, is not what one would expect from a stand-alone read.

Review:

This dual genre selection is a wonderfully, chilling creation by a talented writer. This book and its cover set you up to believe that you might just be in for the haunted thrill ride of your reading life; but instead, you get an unraveling mystery and the dangers of the peculiar world.

This book is hauntingly paranormal yet oddly contemporary even in such a historical setting. The story is deep and the vintage photographs adds a new and interesting dimension to the book. However, some of the images are difficult to really understand what is going on. I understand they're vintage and authentic but at a certain point the lack of clarity in the images hinders the usefulness of it, but they were still very unique and effective.

What was most impressive was that the images were so relevant and integral to the description of the characters. The characters all had such unique and individually defined personalities that they were all stars of this book. In some instances, the naming choices tended to run together and left me sorting through the character list to make sure I knew who I was reading about.

The implementation of the plot throughout the entire book is fantastically well done but the book still lacked a strong pace. In the beginning, before finding the house, the story was drudgery. There was no solid indication of the things that would later blow our minds, there was no significant action, just a slow introduction to what might be a delusional 18-year-old boy.

Overall, this book could very well be a stand alone but it left me with a sense of a cliffhanger; perhaps something more is in store for the peculiar children, but maybe not. The ending was a little sudden and wasn't definitive enough for me to enjoy the fact that this was intended as a stand alone.

Rating out of 5: