IT'S FEY DAY! MINI-REVIEWS: THE LOST PRINCE and IRONSKIN

Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: 10/23/12
Format: eARC
Pages: 379
Source: Received from publisher, via NetGalley.

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.

Why I  Read The Lost Prince:
I am a huge fan of the Iron Fey series. When I learned that Julie Kagawa had revisited the Nevernever with Ethan as the lead character, I was so stoked.


Engaging and enchanting, The Lost Prince is a much-welcomed revisit to the Nevernever.

As someone who is a giddy fangirl for the Iron Fey series, I had high expectations for The Lost Prince. And I've promised myself over and again that I wouldn't read and compare this book to that fantastic series. It's not fair to the story and it's not fair to Ethan, because, really, NO ONE can compare to Ash. But I did. I compared Ethan's reluctant journey to Nevernever to Meghan's and I spent most of the opening chapters anticipating a reappearance of the beloved characters. When those characters actually did show up, I was beyond thrilled, which is awesome, but also not so awesome because I did miss them when they were gone. I wanted more of them, less of Ethan and his journey.

But once I got over myself, I really enjoyed The Lost Prince! Ethan is not the sweet, lovable little boy we knew. He's almost grown now, and a life spent tormented by the fey has made him irritable, sullen, and aloof. Ethan is resentful of his sister, who left the family behind to become the Iron Queen, his parents just don't understand what he's going through. He doesn't want friends, or to be anyone's hero, but helping a bullied, half-fey schoolmate land Ethan exactly where he doesn't want to be: in the Fey's sights. Along with Kenzie, a beautiful, sweet girl who won't let Ethan push her away, Ethan travels through the one place he swore he'd never return to, reuniting with family and old acquaintances, and becomes the hero he never expected to be.

Julie Kagawa's Fey world is by far my favorite. Her descriptive story-telling is highly visual, but not so heavy handed that it becomes boring or overwhelming. The action sequences are exhilarating, the dialogue is light and intense all at the same time. Her characters, whether you love them (Ash and Puck) or love to hate them (Leanansidhe) are always engaging. Wherever her next story leads, I will surely follow.


Favorite Quote:

  "Kenzie held up her hand, and several more tiny lights hovered around her, landing on her fingers and making them glow.
  For a second, I couldn't look away. My heartbeat picked up, and my mouth was suddenly dry, watching the girl in the center of the winking cloud, smiling as the tiny lights landed in her hair or perched on her arm.
  She was beautiful."   (eARC, 36%)


  " 'You do not know as much as you think you do. Besides...' He blinked, raising his head imperiously. 'I am a cat.'
  And that was the end of it."  (eARC, 37%)


  "As the eerie music swirled around us, I knew that if I remembered anything about this night, it would be this moment, right now. With Kenzie less than a breath away, the moonlight spilling down on her as she danced, graceful as any faery."  (eARC, 68%)


You can purchase at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository


Series: Ironskin #1
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: 10/2/12
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 304
Source: Received from publisher.

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.

 

Why I Read Ironskin:
I noticed this book on a lot of Waiting on Wednesday posts, but wasn't sure it was the book for me. When I received a surprise copy from the publisher, I decided to give Ironskin a try.


Back before I became obsessed with YA and hot rock stars, I was in love with broody English men. Seriously, I could not get enough of men like Maxim de Winter, the Mr. Darcy and Heathcliff. I loved that these men seemed cold and indifferent, until a pivotal moment would loosen their control and each declared his mad love to the sweet, young woman (Not Catherine, she was awful.) who stole his heart. Something about a repressed English man really gets to me, I guess. Then you have the heroine, a girl who is convinced that this sophisticated, aloof man could never love her. She believes that he is still in love with the ghost of a woman long gone. And lastly, you have the setting. Dark and broody English moors, the homes that seem to be alive with memories, secrets in the dark corners. All of these elements made me a young lover of Gothic Romance (I know P&P is not Gothic, but I'm still including it.), and they made me so completely happy that Ironskin landed in my hands.

Author Tina Connolly took inspiration from a classic story, and gave it a magnificent spin by adding a world in which the fey exist, and have terrorized humans for years. Jane is a casualty of the Great War. She is scarred and cursed by the fey, with a rage that can only be contained by her ironskin mask. When she becomes the Governess to a young girl, mysteriously afflicted by the fey, she unexpectedly falls in love with the child's father, Edward Rochart.

Humans, though still frightened believe the Great War is over, but the fey will not stay in the woods forever. As Jane slowly pieces together the horrible truth about the cursed, and her own boss, she uncovers the fey's horrific plan to retake the land.

I was stunned and captivated by the beauty of Connnelly's writing. From the moment the story began, I began, I was enthralled and happy to be in this frightening, haunting, and beautiful world. I was hooked until the shocking end and will be desperately waiting for the next installment.



Favorite Quote:

  "Jane emerged into the round blue-lit foyer, half-thinking he was going to ask her to leave and not return. Despite her desperation - perhaps it would be for the best. To be stranded here in this house that reeked of fey, with this man who ripped down her barriers, who loomed over her with unreadable eyes...perhaps it would be easier if he dismissed her now."  (pg. 16)


  " I don't understand why you need a reminder of how evil people can be,' she said. 'It's something I try to forget.'
   He moved closer, the formality fizzling off and away, as if by coming to the studio Jane had given him the necessary permission to indulge in speaking with her, watching her. His lean frame was so near her own. 'Sometimes we have to remind ourselves we are capable of.' "  (pg.64)

You can purchase Ironskin at:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Review ~ THE IRON KNIGHT (IRON FEY #4), by Julie Kagawa

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…
(From GoodReads) 

In One Word ~ Magnificent

What a fantastic, in every sense of the word, ending to a brilliant series! I would be lying if I said I didn't have ridiculously high hopes for THE IRON KNIGHT. This book was everything I hoped for and more. In hindsight, I don't think there is one thing Julie Kagawa could have done to make this book any better.

In the interest of remaining spoiler-free, my hands are sort of tied when it comes to details. Let me just share some of my feelings while reading THE IRON KNIGHT. I laughed, mainly at Puck and Grim. I was shocked. But I can't say why. I was angry. Again, can't say why. I cried. Because there were lots of goodbyes, reunions, and general angst and pain. The IRON FEY series has consistently brought these feelings to the surface with each book, building a little more with each book. All of that emotional build-up crested and then overflowed in THE IRON KNIGHT.

THE IRON KNIGHT isn't an easy book. It's easy to read, of course. Just not an easy journey to take. Julie Kagawa is not afraid to bring it, and bring it hard, to her characters. I jokingly sent a tweet to my friends (and IRON FEY experts) Jaime and Patricia at Two Chicks on Books saying something like "What's going on here? I thought this book would be sunshine and rainbows." To which they replied (and I am generously paraphrasing) "Are you freaking kidding me? You know that's not Julie's style." It's not Kagawa's style. Ash got blown wide open emotionally in this book. It was tough to read, seeing his pain, seeing who he used to be. But it was something he, and the reader, must go through to gain resolution.

And my goodness! I really loved Puck. He was my favorite guyin THE IRON KING. Then, in THE IRON DAUGHTER, I jumped ship and became Team Ash. Don't get me wrong, this is Ash's book, but Puck shone brilliantly, reminding me why I fell in love with him in Book One. His lines were among my favorites. His actions were beyond admirable. I love Ash, but sometimes I just want a guy with an easy laugh and open face.

And Grim. He has single-handedly made me want to own a cat. That's not good, I'm allergic to cats! He is the curmudgeonly old man who gripes at the kids, but secretly hopes they'll succeed. He is the guide, the truth, and in some ways, the soul of the series. Yoda. Every question aimed his way is easily answered with "I am a cat". He has easily kicked the Cheshire Cat off the perch, becoming The. Best. Cat. Ever.

I just realized, this isn't really a review. It's more of a "love letter" to the IRON FEY series. I know I'm so dramatic sometimes. And this review may not seem objective. But it is my honest feelings and opinions. And I'm okay with that.

Favorite Quote~
(There were many. This is only one of my favorites.)

" 'You think I don't know pain?' Puck shook his head at me. 'Or loss? I've been around a lot longer than
    you, prince! I know what love is, and I've lost my fair share, too. Just because we have a different
    way of handling it, doesn't mean I don't have scars of my own.' "

THE IRON KNIGHT Trailer

(Trust me, it's perfect.)

Paperback, 361 pages

Published October 25th 2011 by Harlequin

You can find THE IRON KNIGHT at :

GoodReads |  Book Depository  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Amazon

You can find author Julie Kagawa at her website.

Review - The Iron Queen (Iron Fey, #3), by Julie Kagawa

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.

(From GoodReads)

My Review

I have to start by saying, I'm exhausted. The Iron Queen is such an insanely intense book! This book had me flying high one minute and sobbing like the over-dramatic drama queen that I am the next.

  When Book Two, The Iron Daughter, ended, Meghan and Ash had both been banished from Faery. They faced an uncertain future, but they were together, free from the constraints of their Courts. Sounds to good to be true, right? It is. Meghan and Ash are quickly pulled back into the Faery world, because it seems only Meghan can save Nevernever. What happens when they go back is a fantastic, terrifying ride.

  One of the things about author Julie Kagawa's writing is, her characters never stop surprising me. Every time I feel confident in my knowledge of a character, I'm thrown for a loop. Grim, Meghan, and Ash all made choices I didn't expect. But noone, and I mean no one, surprised me more that Mab. Could that viscious ice queen actually have a heart?!

 Another aspect that I love about this series is that no character truly feels expendable. I was happy that Leanansidhe was back in The Iron Queen. She is absolutely ridiculous. I know I should despise her, but I can't help but chuckle at her evil ways.  Charlie's story continues to be explored, and Ironhorse even place a substantial role in the story.
 Annnnd, the romance. Yeah, I know that's an incomplete sentence. But when I think about the swoony, kissy romance in The Iron Queen, that's about as much as my brain will compute. In other books, sometimes I see these romantic scenes, and I don't buy. But not here. Meghan and Ash continue to burn it up in The Iron Queen. The moments they shared gave me chills!

  In addition to the kissy moments, The Iron Queen also includes some kickass battle scenes. The battles are fierce, bloody, frightening and invigorating. The way the scenes were written made me feel as if I were watching a movie, The Lord of the Rings is what comes to mind.
This book, and series, really does have it all. Everything that a reader comes to expect from a young adult fantasy is right here. I can't wait (CAN'T WAIT!) to find out what happens in The Iron Knight. I'm sure many tears, smiles and fist pumps will be involved.

Favorite Quote(s):

"I learned that love can transcend race and time, and that it can be beautiful and perfect and worth fighting for but also fragile and heartbreaking, and sometimes sacrifice is necessary. "

" 'For the record,' Grimalkin stated as we ventured, single file, into the black, 'I do not think this is a good idea. But, as no one listens to the cat anymore, I will have to wait until we are completely lost to say 'I told you so.' "

" 'Not bad, Goodfellow,' Glitch said with grudging respect.

  'Oh, so glad you think so, socket-head. My mad crocheting skills finally came in handy for

  something.' "

Paperback, 358 pages

Published January 25th 2011 by Harlequin Teen  

Find The Iron Queen at:

GoodReads  |  Barnes & Noble   |  Amazon  |  Book Depository                 

*The Iron Queen is a book I purchased.*

Review - The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2)

 

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.

(From GoodReads)

 

My Review

Can I just start by saying "Squeeee!!"? Whew, I feel better now. Thanks for letting me get that out of the way. If I could sum up The Iron Daughter in on word, it would totally be that one. This book had me all over the place, crying, laughing, swooning. At one point, I was literally bouncing on my bed! It took me longer than it should have to read because I kept stopping to tweet my friends. The tweets included a lot of virtual screams and sighs.

I don't even know where to begin with my love for The Iron Daughter. How about the tag line: "Love and Betrayal. A Faery World Gone Mad." ? Yep, just about sums it up. The shite figuratively hits the fan with this one. Meghan is stuck in the icy Winter Kingdom, with Ash's very hostile family. The Summer and Winter Courts are about to go to war. Ash has turned away from Meghan. And, oh yeah, the Iron Fey are still out there. Things are about to get very interesting.

The Iron Fey series is on serious overload with all of the fantastic characters it contains. Grimalkin, the manipulative, but oddly likable cat is back. Ironhorse is back, in ways unimaginable in The Iron King. A new fabulous character was Leanansidhe. I know I shouldn't, but I loved her! She is devious, dangerous and so, so funny. All of her insults or threats are ended with an endearment of  "darling" or "dove".

Meghan, that poor girl. Once again, she must endure entirely too much. She is constantly subjected to hostility from Mab or a member of her Court. She's still struggling to control her power. And on top of that, there are these two very different, very alluring men in her life. Puck and Ash.

Just as I did in The Iron King, I adore Puck. He's sarcastic, fiercely loyal and...maybe in love with Meghan? The guy has literally followed Meghan to death's door and back. You can't help but just want to smack him then kiss him on the cheek.

As for the other man, Ash. I maintained firmly while reading The Iron King that I was not fully on board with the Team Ash phenomenon. And I still held that position going into The Iron Daughter. Well, now I'll say it loud and proud: I'M TEAM ASH!!! I felt the tide turning in his direction bit by bit throughout the book. And I won't say what he did to seal the deal, but Oh My Gosh!!! That was a moment I was not expecting and it totally blew me away. As tense as the dangerous situations were in the book, they have nothing on the tension and stress surrounding Meghan and Ash's tenuous position.

The Iron Daughter just killed it. So hard. I was so nuts by the time I finished. I wanted to crawl under my covers, curl up and cry. Cry in sadness, but mainly for joy.

 The Iron Daughter is a book chock full of action, adventure, laughter, romance and forbidden love. In other words, WIN!! This book does not disappoint in the slightest.

Favorite Quotes (One that made me laugh, one that made me sigh):

"If this faery bitch wanted a fight, bring it on. I'd do my fair share of clawing, too."

" 'You've seen me without the glamour and the illusions, even the ones I show my family, the farce I
   maintain just to survive. You've seen who I really am, and yet, you're still here.' He brushed his
   thumb over my skin, leaving a trail of icy heat. 'You're here, and the only dance I want is this one.' " 

 

The Iron Daughter Book Trailer

Paperback, 359 pages

Published August 1st 2010 by Harlequin Teen                                         

Find The Iron Daughter at:

GoodReads  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Amazon  |  Book Depository

*This is a book I purchased myself. *

Review - The Iron King (Iron Fey #1), by Julie Kagawa



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.

(From GoodReads)

My Review

For as long as I've been on GoodReads, Twitter and blogging, I've been hearing a constant phrase: "You haven't read The Iron Fey? You must read it NOW!" Author Julie Kagawa's fans are a loyal bunch. They love their Puck, Ash and Meghan. And you can now add me to that rabid group of readers.

I've read my fair share of faerie books. And I really like them. But, I think I was hesitant to start a new series because I was afraid of burnout and disappointment. You know, that feeling you get when you start a new book, only to discover you basically just read that same book, only with a different name.

Crises averted. Kagawa took the fae legends and gave it her own tweaks. The imagery given is vivid, almost alive. When Meghan steps into Nevernever, the descriptions Kagawa gives put me in mind of The Wizard of Oz. That magical moment when Dorothy steps out of her black-and-white world into Technicolor Oz. Just magical! Life in Nevernever is not all flowers and sunshine, though. The other side, the land ruled by Mab is frozen and icy and in it's own, different way beautiful. The creatures of Nevernever are appropriately violent and scary. Full of creatures such as goblins, ogres, trolls, red-caps. They all want a bite out of Meghan.

 But here's the main thing Kagawa did right. She made the fey world the basis on which major works of art were inspired. Such as "A Midsummer Night's Dream". I loved the way she incorporated aspects of that famous play into her own story, the characters of the play based on her fae characters. When I realized this, I then began to read The Iron King in a whole new light, sludging through my high school memories of the play, gleaning comparisons. If your a literature geek like me (I've read The Iliad and The Odyssey for fun), well then you know that's tons 'o fun!

Another aspect Kagawa nailed? Grimalkin, the talking, disappearing cat. He took The Iron King to a whole new level of fun for me. He was exactly how you would expect your cat to be. If your cat could...um... you know...talk?

In fact, I enjoyed all of the characters. Meghan's real-world life is so sucky that you have to like her. Nobody ever seems to notice her. She's made fun of for her clothes and living on a pig farm. She's an after-thought to her mom and step-father. The only thing going for her is her friendship with loyal, feisty Robbie. Going with Meghan on her journey of family and self-discovery is a treat.

The two Fey men accompanying Meghan are Puck and Ash. Both of these awesome guys have devoted, fierce fans. Puck's fans made a nice showing in this summer's YA Crush Tourney. And Ash's fans powered him through to the semi-finals. He beat Dimitri Belikov from the Vampire Academy series. Dimitri! The only dude who could take him down was Jace from The Mortal Instruments. That is saying something. Anyway, Ash is cold and aloof and beautiful. He is a knight bound to an evil queen, who happens to be his mother.  Cue the dramatic music!

I know most swoon over Ash, myself included. But I happen to have a soft spot for Puck. He is such a treat to read. He (and Grimalkin, of course) always have the best, funniest lines. He's wry, funny and doggedly loyal to Meghan. He also has a soft side. His endless battle with Ash, and the reason behind it, is a great source of pain to Puck.

Even if Meghan manages to complete her journey (no spoilers here), life will surely never be the same for her, or her family. I can't wait to take the next step with Meghan and her lovely band of friends in the next book in the series, The Iron Daughter.

Favorite Quote:

"Belief, worship, imagination - we were born of the dreams and fears of mortals, and if we are
 remembered, even in some small way, we will always exist."

"I licked my lips and whispered, 'Is this where you say you'll kill me?'
 One corner of his lip curled. 'If you like,' he murmured, a flicker of amusement finally crossing his
 face. 'Though it's gotten far too interesting for that.' "

The Iron King Trailer

Paperback, 363 pages

Published February 1st 2010 by Harlequin Teen            

Find The Iron King at:

GoodReads  |  Barnes & Noble |  Amazon  |  The Book Depository

* The Iron King is a book I purchased myself. *