[Review] Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty
Rosamund Hodge
YA, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Published: January 2014 (Balzer + Bray)
Format: digital
Pages: 342
Rating: 3 of 5
 

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Warning: Spoilers!!

Nyx was a fun character - snarky and determined, but when you really look at her, she was so confusing. She could never make up her mind and didn't try to infiltrate at all like she was supposed to. She trained basically her whole life to marry Ignifax and then when she finally is married to him, she allows her anger to take over her multiple times. She doesn't try to hide her rage. I found her to be a weak and immature girl that tried her best to act strong but simply couldn't control her emotions. It do find it endearing that Ignifax could look past her faults and still love her.

Shade was the shadow of the Gentle Lord and bound to him. He was a captive of a curse and due to this, Nyx empathized with him. She found herself to be rather drawn to him and this feeling of companionship caused her to kiss him in a moment of thoughtlessness. I mean, that's all good and well. I don't particularly commend the idea of kissing random men, but I get it. But the problem arises when Nyx starts to read into it. She deceived herself into the idea that Shade loved her and she loved him. I seriously doubt that she did, I suspect that the lack of emotional support she received in her life drove her to believe this.

Ignifax, the Gentle Lord, was much better to me, but that could be because we weren't in his head. He had experiences with people that made him dislike humans for their pettiness. But he seemed to understand how corrupt the people that wanted to make deals with him were and thought they deserved what came to them. I honestly agree with him. It was their own foolishness that caused them problems. Past his initial characterization of being sort of a jerk, Ignifax turns out to be a charming and intelligent man that wants companionship.

The love triangle aspect was sorta annoying, but I forgave it for reasons that are revealed at the end.

I did feel that the relationships between the characters could have been expanded upon. It felt like they were glossed over and left to a time skip to say, "they spent time together." I did like how all the lust was called "lust" and not sugar-coated with the word "love" for a long time. I seriously wish that this was a New Adult or Adult book because I would have loved more of the "steamy" scenes. At the point in the story where Nyx and Ignifax were in a relationship, it really bothered me because she would hit Ignifax a lot. I know it didn't hurt him, but the emotional implications behind her actions can hurt more than the actual act itself. She did apologize at one point, so there's that. One other thing that bothered me, though, was when Nyx returns home and her sister tells her that if she truly loved her, she would kill her husband. Nyx was so quick to agree and I really hate that. Her character seemed so much more than that and I feel that maybe this could have been accomplished in another way.

The writing itself was very lovely and I will probably be reading Hodge's other books. The pace was alright. The beginning was boring and full of information, but it was important to read. The middle had parts that dragged and were repetitive. The ending was... I don't know how to describe it. It was trippy and I still don't really understand how it worked. I know what happened, it's just I don't get why it worked out like it did.

The world building, though, was odd and confusing. I liked the mixture of Roman/Greek mythology, but it was mentioned so often. I don't know why it would be as it didn't add anything to the actual story at points. I feel that it could have been less defined, especially since I don't really know that much about it and it just served to confuse me for a brief moment and didn't add much to the story. The magic element was also confusing to me. I just think it was badly explained at first, but as the book went on, I started to understand how it worked a little bit more. This take on Beauty and the Beast was new to me and I really did enjoy it, even through all of my complaining. I enjoyed how Hodge seemed to mix together more than one fairy tale, as well.

TL;DR

Good:
+ unique twist on fairy tale retelling
+ mixture of multiple fairy tales
+ complex characters
+ lovely writing
+ lusty scenes were spot on

Bad:
- Nyx couldn't decide what she was doing and feeling half the time
- magic was confusing and explained badly, imo
- overkill with mythology references
- can start to drag at points
- love triangle/insta-love vibes
- confusing ending
- character relationships were lacking

Final Rating:
3 of 5

[Review] Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood & Starlight
Laini Taylor
[Daughter of Smoke & Bone #2]
YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Published: November 2012 ( Little, Brown Books for Young Readers )
Format: digital
Pages: 517
Rating: 4.5 of 5
 

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war.

This is not that world.

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. For hope.

But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

I was quick to dive back into the story of Karou and her companions after I finished Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Admittedly that may have been part of the reason it took me so long to finish. Sometimes I get tired of reading the same characters and their struggles. At some point, though, I started to pick up pace with the help of a few fan mixes.

The story picks back up pretty close to where it left off, but, wow! So much happened in this book! There were so many twists and turns of the plot. It always seems that nothing ever works out right for our poor MCs, which always makes for an interesting read. The plot advancement in this went all crazy! I don't even know how to explain it. You just have to read it. Just do it. And, as always, Laini Taylor has a nice way with words even if she makes me have to look a few of them up.

The character of Karou developed so far in this book. She's such a strong character, not only in all of her strengths but also in all of her weaknesses. She never backs down from what she feels is right no matter how difficult the journey will be. She bares so much weight on her that I'm surprised that she can handle it. She could simply leave the chimaera and return to her old, easier life, but she never does.

The return of Zuzana and Mik was a nice one. I dislike when authors make these side characters to just forget about them and they never reappear in the story. But that's not the case at all in this book! The bond that Karou and Zuzana have was shown to be important to both of them. The love between Mik and Zuzana is always a little awkward for me to read. They are so touchy in that love-sick mushy way, but it's not really a complaint.

And of course, Akiva. He also shows a lot of growth in this book. He's not just around to love Karou, he makes himself useful in his own world with his family. It's good to see that they can be without each other. Sometimes I feel that characters become too much of one another and they cannot exist freely. I mean, of course that doesn't mean that they don't think about the other. Akiva is pretty set on loving Karou and Karou is pretty set on trying to hate him.

The Wolf aka Thiago was such a mighty character to see return from Karou's past. He was always trying to use Karou for his own benefit and he makes for an upfront villain. He's asserting and wants what he wants without caring for the good of everyone else.

The relationship between Karou and Akiva was so strained and emotional that I really started to care about it. The past they have and the reasons they can't be around each other are hard to read because you don't want that to be the reality of the situation. I feel that Karou is justified in her thoughts because of what Akiva did to her.

TL;DR

Good:
+ character development like woah!!!
+ numerous side characters
+ plot advancement
+ writing
+ characters can exist on their own
+ relationships are top notch material

Bad:
- a bit longer than necessary but c'mon, that's not really that bad

Final Rating: 4.5 of 5

[Review] Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke & Bone
Laini Taylor
[Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1]
YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Published: September 2011 ( Little, Brown Books for Young Readers )
Format: digital
Pages: 418
Rating: 4 of 5
 

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

The world building in this was fantastic! Like, I cannot stress enough how well done it was. There was lore shoved in there and things I didn't know I wanted, but I got them. The myths of how the angles and chimera came to be were interesting and I like how each race had their own view of it. The settings were a nice change from the typical American, as well.

The characters were fun to read. What's not to love about a girl with blue hair? Karou was interesting. Being her friend would be an adventure every single day. Her knowledge of languages and her drawing abilities is just the surface. She was always trying to protect, but her curiosity would often get the better of her. I love her relationship with her best friend, Zuzana. They had a nice thing going, which is another reason why what I'm going to mention later disappoints me.

Then there is Akiva, an angel that was compelled to follow the girl with the blue hair. Honestly, I hate using the word angel to describe his race of people. It is merely a placeholder of a word. It implies that he works for a god, but in reality the idea of "angels" as we know them are completely different in this book. It's really interesting and I prefer this to what my mind conjures up when thinking the word. His role was to seal off the doors to Brimstone's (Karou's mentor and friend) shop, which plays a very large bit in the ending of the book. Akiva was ridden with inner anguish that is explained and justified. I really liked this. In books that I've been reading lately, all the main male characters seem to want to be a hero. They always want what's best for the MC right away with no hesitation. But Akiva expresses doubts and reservations about telling Karou about things she should know to make it easier on himself.

The problem I had between this pairing is that it was instantaneous love. It really hampered me from fully enjoying the story because it felt like it was such a cheat. I understand the reasoning behind it, in the case of Karou and Akiva. (spoiler!!!) But in the past, the love between Akiva and Madrigal seemed to pop up out of nowhere and then they even had intimate relations. I understand infatuation, falling prey to it myself on the occasion, but I cannot excuse these spur of the moment love declarations. Getting over this, the relationship between them was alright. Very full of butterfly moments, which gets a bit tedious to read after a while.

The writing was lovely. The sentences were woven together in a way that most YA books don't bother to take a hand at. There were a lot (a lot is an exaggeration) of random words I didn't know, which would interrupt my reading pace a bit, but I suppose expanding my vocabulary is a good thing. I also really like the way this was written, with the flashbacks unfolding the story. I like when movies jump around like that and the same with books. It could be confusing to read if you put it down, though, so there's that.

The plot is hard for me to describe because at one point there is a certain point where the story is going, then it changes. At least that's how it seemed to me. I could be wrong.

I think I've mentioned everything without giving too much away. I would recommend this book if only because of the way Taylor writes. It is so nice to read. Seriously.

TL;DR

Good:
+ writing!!
+ interesting and quirky characters, including side characters
+ strong female relationship
+ lore and legends
+ world building

Bad:
- insta-love
- special snowflake syndrome

Final Rating:
4 of 5

[Review] End of Days by Susan Ee

End of Days
Susan Ee
[Penryn & the End of Days #3]
YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Published: May 2015 (Skyscape)
Format: digital
Pages: 344
Rating: 3.5 of 5
 

End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

My nails to celebrate completing the trilogy!
On to the review!

Warning: spoilers to the max, baby

This book was sorta disappointing for me. There was all this great build up to an ending that didn't deliver.

The characters grew a nice amount and the banter was as good as always. Raffe was more present and that's a plus. Penryn accepted her place in helping the humans that survived the beginning of the end and everything up to that point. I like that, even in the end, she wasn't trying to be a hero. She was still having reservations about saving everyone, but knew it was for the best. (Just a side note: Obi was my favorite and it's a shame he had to die for Penryn to reach her full potential.)

There were parts I didn't like, but the main one that stands out is when they went to the Pit. Like, time travel? How confusing and why does that work? The descriptions of the Pit weren't the best and I couldn't imagine it at all. There was just a lot of plot convenience going on and I can't say I appreciate that.

Also, the ending. I don't agree with most of what happened. The locusts attacked before the angels because?? And then when Raffe calls the Pit lord. I understand that his sacrifice of his wings is supposed to show how much Penryn means to him, but it seemed so out of character. He worked so hard to get them back and nothing stopped him, not even his feelings for Penryn. So why now? And his Watchers seemed so casual about having been in the Pit. They joke around like it didn't cause them any harm. Also, there were a lot of them introduced at once and I couldn't keep track.

I believe I am done with my raving. I just can't agree with the way this book was handled. It felt like two books packed into one and I believe that if two books were written instead of just the one, everything would have been handled better. I am not placing the blame on the author for I think she would have been more than capable to deliver.

There were things I did like. The chemistry between Raffe and Penryn near the beginning of the book was more well done than the stuff packed into the end and I wish it had been conveyed during the rest of the book. I appreciate what was there, though. I like them together, they really compliment each other.

TL;DR

Good:
+ Penryn and Raffe go well together
+ character development
+ unique resolution

Bad:
- weak descriptions
- ending was rushed
- out of character moments

Final Rating: 3.5 of 5

[Review] World After by Susan Ee

World After
Susan Ee
[Penryn & the End of Days #2]
YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Published: November 2013 (Skyscape)
Format: digital
Pages: 314
Rating: 3.5 of 5
 

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister, Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

Warning: Spoilers ahead! Advert eyes!

So, after blazing through Angelfall I picked up World After. To me, this book falls into the category that a lot of second books in trilogies do. It is used as filler, with bits happening up until the end result that will eventually lead into the third book. And I get it. I don't seem to mind so much as other people do when a book is used to set up the next one. This results in the plot being slower than the previous book. The action packed parts are around the end of the book, well past the 50% mark. I am all for a slow build up, so this is not considered a weakness for me.

The suspense of Raffe not being around was also killing me.

Penryn had plenty of time in this book to find herself and learn some new things about the Raffe's sword. There were a few cop out parts, such as dream training but it gets by since the sword has a conscious and abilities without Penryn having to do anything. Otherwise, Penryn herself doesn't change all that much. She has a few moments of "maybe I should save humanity and not just my family" but it's not long before she's back to saving her family foremost. Once he reappears, Raffe is the same stubborn and selfish guy he was before. His standoffish attitude is fun to read. I almost wish that the love that is inevitably going to take a hold of him wasn't around. It seems so off for the character the author is trying to go for. Especially after a millennium of telling himself to never fall for one. It was basically, "give him a few days with a human, he'll break," and I find this unrealistic.

The thing I didn't like about World End is that the basic building blocks of the book are structured the same as the previous book. A lot of parallels happen. Even with this, though, the book still makes for a good read with enough differences that it's not that big of a deal.

The world building wasn't as high end as it could have been, but at some point I believe I can imagine it quite clearly, if only for the reason that the destruction is laid out well and I have previous knowledge of what California looks like. Still, it is better than in Angelfall, so I count it as a bonus.

And once again, I still feel that the writing is drab. I will reiterate myself and say that is my personal choice and not the author's fault.

Overall, I enjoyed everything this book was dishing out. The characters are still fabulous and the plot itself is interesting. The side dish of love is happening and...well, it's happening, whether I like it or not. When I think about it without thinking about it (whatever that means), I like it and that's enough for me.

TL;DR

Good:
+ Build up and suspense
+ Good setup for last book
+ Characters are still great!
+ Love is not main focus
+ World building

Bad:
- Love is sorta unrealistic
- Writing is ehh

Final Rating: 3.5 of 5

[Review] Angelfall by Susan Ee

Angelfall
Susan Ee
[Penryn & the End of Days #1]
YA Paranormal Urban Fantasy
Published: August 2012 (Skyscape)
Source: Recieved from publisher
Format: paperback
Pages: 284
Rating: 4 of 5
 

It's been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain.

Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.

When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back...

Warning: Spoilers

Disclaimer: I recieved this book from the publisher for review, but this in no way affects my thoughts and opinions.

Going into this, I wasn't sure what to expect. I have never read an angel book before and, to make matters worse, paranormal books aren't exactly my forte. Although, I have to imagine that the image that the word "angel" brings up isn't exactly what happens to be in Angelfall.

The character of Penryn (whose name I love, btw) is a sharp and snarky girl whose sole thought is the survival of herself and her family, which consists of her crazy mother and her disabled sister, Paige. The fact that her sister is in a worse off state, since she can't walk, weighs heavily on Penryn's mind. She constantly thinks of her sister and what is best for her. When her sister is stolen away by an angel, she vows she will do anything to get her back. This is where Raffe is entered into the mess. A fallen angel whose wings were ripped straight off his back, he has bigger things to worry about than this human girl pestering him about a sister that's probably dead. This noncommittal behavior from Raffe makes it interesting to read. It seems he could leave at any moment. Also, the banter between Penryn and Raffe was fun to read. The love spark between them doesn't happen until pretty late in the book, but I personally could have went without it. It was light, but unnecessary. I am sorry, but I am biased. Some people will love it, but I am not one of those people.

As for Paige, she had a kind of innocent thing going on with her. She didn't have very long to fit in the character building, although I have to say that she survived the angel's experiments at all shows she is much stronger than Penryn seems to give her credit for.

One thing I really liked about this world was that it seemed very open world, I suppose. If you have ever played Fallout: New Vegas, this is what I mean. The going ons of characters are not directly related to what Penryn is doing. She isn't a part of the resistance that wants to save the world, all she wants is her family. The actions of the other characters do not stop simply because the main character isn't around. The world building was well enough. I felt it was a supple amount and that it can be filled in more in the other books. The plot is quick paced and survival is always a key feature at the back of Penryn's mind. I appreciated this consistence.

The writing is where I have to say the book was lacking for me. It was easy to read, but there was nothing that stood out to be as amazing and unique. I am very picky about that sort of thing, so it's not really the author's fault that I do not like her personal style. Also, there were some moments that had me rolling my eyes. Like,when they go to the angel party and Raffe calls Penryn beautiful. I did enjoy the moments of suspense, though. The emotions of the characters are conveyed very clearly (or not so clearly, if you know what I mean) and they are fluid with the personalities they have.

TL;DR

Good:
+ Characters are great, with awesome side characters
+ Interesting and unique take on angels
+ Very mood heavy
+ Open world
+ Light on the love

Bad:
- Writing is lacking
- Some moments are silly to read

Final Rating: 4 of 5

[Review] Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

Mystic City
Theo Lawrence
YA Paranormal Dystopian
[Mystic City #1]
Published: October 9th 2012 (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
Format: ebook
Pages: 384
Source: Bought
Rating: 3.5 of 5

A magical city divided. A political rebellion ignited. A love that was meant to last forever.

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

In a post-apocalyptic Manhattan, two feuding families rule: the Rose's and the Foster's. Aria Rose, daughter to a high ranking official, has an easy life. Yet, even so, it feels empty. That is where Hunter is concerned. His life is one very opposite to her's, and that draws her in.
The writing of Lawrence is lovely and well done. There isn't too much happening at once and it is all very understandable. The characters have a very classic Romeo and Juliet feel to them. There isn't all that much to say about it. It is a very standard story. The difference comes in with the usage of magic. The story is added to with this feature.
Final Rating:
3.5 of 5
& 1/2

[Review] Black City by Elizabeth Richards

Black City
Elizabeth Richards
[Black City #1]
YA Paranormal Dystopian
Published: November 13th 2012 (G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR)
Format: Hardback
Pages: 384
Source: Bought
Rating: 4 of 5

A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war.

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

There are numerous reasons as to why I read this book, the main one being that I envied all the people that had read it and raved about it. I had to get my hands on it! So after the first failed attempt at Sam's due to a pre-shelving incident, I got it a few days after the release date. My sister was even nice enough to buy it for me.

Black City is a mesmerizing story about Natalie Buchanan and Ash Fisher. There meeting was an unlikely one, yet for them it was the beginning of something to be desired.
Natalie's family had once lived in Black City, during a time when her father was still alive. After his death they moved to a richer city. Due to her mother's job they return to Black City. In those first few days back, Natalie has a chance encounter with Ash. They meet for the first time under a bridge as he is dealing Haze, a potent drug that comes from the venom of Darklings. It was here, under that bridge that their story began.

Natalie and Ash are both very interesting characters. I was not at all surprised that Natalie was not a stuck up character, even with her rich status. She is actually easy to relate to, as well. She reacts to situations normally.
Ash is a half-blood, or a human-Darkling offspring. For this reason, he is often ridiculed and looked down upon. It is almost too easy to sympathize with him. In a way, it reflects the way of society today and how race carves out people's opinions of others. Due to the alternating points of views, both Natalie and Ash are well shaped characters. The style casts a better look into each characters thoughts and values.

Beetle and Day are what I consider major-minor characters. They are the best friends of Ash and Natalie respectively. Beetle is addicted to Haze and is part of an organization called Humans for Unity, which fights to eliminate the segregation of humans and Darklings. To me, Beetle was just kinda there. You know Ash and Beetle are best friends, but you didn't get the interactions. The opposite can be said about Natalie and Day. The relationship building between is there and it makes sense. Day is a smart girl, but she is on the poorer side, meaning she will have to work incredibly hard to get anywhere on intelligence alone. She is also very opinionated. She feels strongly and expresses her feelings fairly clear. On criticism I have is that sometimes her actions don't seem to match up with her character. For example, Day would tease Natalie about liking Ash, but then when they got together, she was personally offended. It made no sense at all. I like that she felt betrayed, as it fits her personality, but I hate that she was a hypocrite about it.

The plot takes you on a nice ride that keeps you turning the pages. I think I only got bored once during the whole course of the story, but it wasn't long lasting and the next chapter staved it off. K enjoyed the interactions and the twists. I have very few problems with the book, but the ones that I do have can be a major make or break.

For one, the love between Natalie and Ash struck me as fast paced. It was going good at first, then it was like someone stepped on the gas pedal at a caution light. That deserves a warning! They seemed to be weary of each other to begin with, then Ash has a sudden revelation and decides that he wants her. Natalie had little qualms to that little tidbit. After that, the love takes an even faster pace. At times, it seemed as though Ash forgot about Natalie when they weren't together, then other times he wouldn't stop thinking about her. Confusing, really. Also, there is this part about Blood Mates that seems like an excuse to me. The funniest part about that once Ash explains it to Natalie, she know the rituals and seems to understand what's going on. Personally, I don't think she does know.

Overall, I liked the book. To me, the flaws can be overlooked. I figured, seeing as this is a review, I still needed to call them to attention. Even so, I plan on reading the second book and encourage everyone to give this one a try.

Final Rating:
4 of 5

[Review] The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King
Julie Kagawa
[Iron Fey #1]
YA Fantasy
Published: February 1st 2010 (Harlequin Teen)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 363
Source: Bought
Rating: 4 of 5

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.

 
The cover of the book is what drew me in. I didn't know what it was about, but I didn't care. Only when I began to read it did I realize that it was about Fey, or a being having or displaying an otherworldly, magical, or fairylike aspect or quality (FreeDictionary.com). I don't know what I was thinking, but it wasn't that. I had never read a book about Fey before, and I wasn't sure that I wanted to. Yet, I still ventured on.

The Iron King is about a girl named Meghan Chase, and she is in for some real surprises in the book. When she was young, her father suddenly disappeared without a trace. One day he was there, then "poof!" he was gone. In light of that, her mother decided that it was time to move. She got remarried to a man named Luke and they had a son, Ethan, together.
For some reason, people are always forgetting about Meghan. Everyone, except for Robbie, her best friend. On her birthday, her younger brother is stolen from their house, and after a few secrets are revealed, Meghan decides to venture into the Nevernever (the Fey world) and rescue him. With the help of Robbie, of course.

To start out, I thought Meghan was an "okay" main character. I felt that she didn't do much, though this is redeemed by the fact that she didn't know how to. After getting Puck to take her into the Nevernever, and going on a wild chase, she meets up with a cat named Grimalkin.
I'd like to criticize one thing. Puck is named for a character from A Midsummer's Dream. I wish this were explained further, as I have never read it before. I hate when books make big references, then don't explain them. Subtle ones I don't mind, but ones where it is explained as being a reference, I hate.

Puck was an interesting character, and the kind of boy that I like: he is goofy with a bit of seriousness that doesn't always show. It reminds me of Naruto and I love Naruto! Actually, Puck, Meghan, and Ash all reminded me of Naruto characters. Which can be a bad thing in some retrospect, but I liked it. It was kinda like reading a fanfiction.

Grimalkin was a character that I loved and he was such a cat! Literally! But, I think that the cat attitude was down pact. He did things that benefited or amused him. I was starting to think that he wasn't, but in the end, it seemed like he still was. In a way, I'm glad to see one character not change themselves too much because of the main character.

The last character to mention is Ash. He is son of Mab, the Winter Queen, and reflects that himself. He is cold and as deadly as the icy land he lives in. I don't want to give too much away, but just know that he has a warm streak.

As the plot progressed, I found that Meghan was still not doing anything particularly useful, except making goo-goo eyes at Ash. She made the wrong decisions and got others around her hurt. I was tired of everyone sacrificing themselves for her sake. It got old fast. The romance is another thing I can't decide about. I don't know if I like it or not. Everything about it was slow and minuet, which is good, up until something actually happened with it, then it seemed to go too fast. Then again, maybe I'm reading it wrong.

Even so, I had no problems getting to the end of the book. It was a fast read and an enjoyable one. I'm planning on getting the second book, actually. I would probably even read it again. I definitely recommend it to anyone that likes magical creatures.

Final Rating:
4 of 5