Sunday, March 31, 2013

Review: The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) by Julie Kagawa

Publisher: October 26, 2011 Harlequin Teen
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy
Format: Kindle
Source: Purchased


*Please note that it is very hard to review books past the first one in the series without having any spoilers at all. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as I can, but if you haven't read the first book in this series, you may just want to read that review instead of continuing with this one.
Goodreads Summary
"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..."To cold faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase--a half human, half fey slip of a girl--smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the unwelcome company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end--a quest to find a way to honor his vow to stand by Meghan's side.

To survive in the Iron Realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. And along the way Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

To Fulfill a Promise

This book was so different from the rest in the series because I was in Prince Ash's head for the duration. I will say that Kagawa does a great job of letting you know that you are with another character because the writing style was distinctive and Ash doesn't think like Meghan does so the story feels altered. It will be hard for me to review this the way that I would like to simply for spoiler's sake.

The Good


I love Ash. Getting to see how he ticks was like opening my presents on Christmas morning. He is not all unicorns and glitter, but would I want him to be? Of course not. He has some major regrets, and he should as he has done some terrible things in his lifetime. He has doubts like I do. He constantly questions everything and is deeply thinking about how useful emotions are as well as which path is really the best for him. In short, it was a very realistic journey into his psyche. Did I get upset with him some while reading? Yes. Did I wince at some of the things I learned. Yes. In the end though, I am glad for every revelation, every doubt, and every obstacle that led to the conclusion of this book.

I also loved a new character that was introduced in this one. I don't want to say a whole lot about him and give too much away. He was the perfect off-set of Grimalkin and their banter was on par with Ash and Puck's. Speaking of, Puck on the ride with Ash for the sake of Meghan's happiness was something that had my skin tingling. I loved it. These two are so good together and watching their rivalry through the books has been a tough process when I want nothing more than them to be the best of buds. From the beginning with Puck antagonizing the witch (that I am assuming is the Baba Yaga), to the end with Puck going his separate way because he's angered Oberon again, I thoroughly enjoyed their deep-seated friendship even if they don't always see it themselves.

It's hard to say everything that I really loved about this book without too many spoilers. This was a journey for Ash so that he could be with his love again. It entailed most things that journeys do...battles, hard decisions, good traveling companions, and revelations. Kagawa's writing was beautifully done. There were times when I had no idea how this was going to end up, but she pulled it off perfectly.


The Bad

There were slow moving parts as there often is in a book about a quest. I also wasn't too sure how I felt about the conflict that was added into this book. If you have read this one, you will know what I am talking about. In the end, I am glad it was done the way that it was, but I admit that I wasn't so sure how I felt about it at first.

The Romance

Since Meghan and Ash are not together in this one the romance is really not a physical aspect so much as one that is in the mind keeping Ash going. It is more about what Ash really wants and what he is willing to do to achieve it. There are some small romantic scenes though.

Conclusion

This was a fantastic conclusion to this series. I feel like I loved it more book by book. Kagawa knows how to get you fully invested into her characters and make you really want to root for them. Especially the side characters which I love more than I think any other series I've read. Recommended for anyone that enjoys paranormal reads.



Excerpts

“There is a reason the Winter Court freezes out their emotions, why feelings are considered a weakness and a folly among the Unseelie fey. Emotion corrupts the senses, makes them weak, makes them disloyal to kith and court."

"There are only seven of them." Drawing my sword, I stepped out of the trees and started toward the camp. Puck sighed.
   "Or we could do the old kick-in-the-door approach " he muttered, falling into step beside me. "Silly me, thinking there was another way.

"What do you think?" He bared his fangs at me. "Be careful, boy. In some tales, the hero gets eaten by the monster after all."

"Yeah, your perfect kitty vision does us no good if you don't warn us that something is coming once in a while. Poofing away doesn't count. This way, we can at least have a heads-up."
    The cat thumped his tail.
"Additionally, you can paint a neon sign over our heads that says, 'Easy meal, follow the flashing lights.'"
   "Or we could use you for bait..."

"Wow," Puck muttered, dusting off the front of his shirt, "now, that was weird. And to think, I never thought I'd live to see the day..." He trailed off, grinning.
   I eyed him wearily. "Fine, I'll bite. You don't mean the scorpions or the sphinx. We've seen much stranger than that."
"No, ice-boy. I never thought I'd see the day when Grimalkin was wrong."
   Grimalkin, still on his broken pillar, didn't react, but I saw his whiskers bristle as he glanced our way. "Goodfellow," he said with an enormous yawn, "I feel obliged to point out that, had I been wrong, you would all be full of tiny holes right now. Anyway, we are wasting time. I suggest we move out, quickly.

ARC Review: The Seven Swords (Otherworld Chronicles #2) by Nils Johnson-Shelton


Publisher: January 2, 2013 HarperCollins
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Middle Grade
Format: ARC Paperback
Source: ARCycling

*Please note that it is very hard to review books past the first one in the series without having any spoilers at all. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as I can, but if you haven't read the first book in this series, you may just want to read that review instead of continuing with this one.
Goodreads Summary
Across both worlds are seven legendary blades. Some have been uncovered, Some forgotten, Others secreted away.

Very soon all must be united.

Spending the summer fighting dragons, rescuing wizards, and leaping through portals into the Otherworld was only the beginning for Artie and Kay Kingfisher. The two worlds remain divided, Merlin is missing, and worst of all, Qwon Onakea, their kidnapped friend, may be lost to the Otherworld forever. It seems the only way to save both worlds—and to save his friends—is for Artie to claim his throne as King Arthur reborn.

To do this, Artie must gather his knights so they can venture forth and recover each of the Seven Swords. Finding them all is Artie's only hope for victory.

But all the video games in the world haven't prepared Artie for the battles to come against giants, dragons, ogres, and sorcerers. Nor is he ready for the unexpected threat of the Peace Sword, a mysterious weapon used by the treacherous Mordred to kill the original King Arthur more than a thousand years ago....

He's on His Side

The Seven Swords is a fun follow-up to The Invisible Tower. Artie and his knights are looking for seven swords so they can reach Avalon and Artie can become King.

The Good


Artie is a teenager that loves video games who found out in the first book that he is the reincarnation of King Arthur. His sister Kay is one of his knights as well as a group of other friends they made in the first book.

I really enjoyed the parts with Qwon where she was being held by Dred along with the fairy Shallot. The fairies in this story expel scents that have different effects on their victims. Shallot has an incredibly sweet scent that renders people stupified. Dred appears to have a crush on Qwon so he doesn't make the best kidnapper. Given that he's doing it at his mother's insistence doesn't really help matters either.

Dred's mother is the evil witch Morgaine. She is their nemesis and is trying to have Qwon killed so she can get Artie there and retrieve his swords. I love Dred's growth in this book as he goes from just doing what he is told in the beginning to really questioning morals and who he should be by the end.

Artie, Kay, and the group are still a lot of fun and the action starts early in the book. Johnson-Shelton is great at making me laugh aloud while reading. Also, there is a mysteriousness surrounding Merlin that adds layers to an already known character which I really enjoyed.

I also loved the chapter titles which normally I do not even pay attention to! A couple of examples include: Chapter 1 In Which Qwon Thinks She is in Canada and Chapter 13 Concerning a Bunch of Stuff Including a Surprise for Kynder.

The Bad

I wasn't really a fan of how this one ended. It was a complete cliff-hanger in my opinion and left me wanting the next book pronto.

The Romance

Since these are Middle Grade books there is no romance really to speak of other than some crushes. Artie really likes Qwon and this one throws a wrench in his plans when it appears that Dred does as well. Also Kay has a crush on guy knight Erik Erikson.

Conclusion

This is a really fun read that is pretty quick to get through. It picks up where the other lets off well and dives into action rather early. It moves at a great pace and is light-hearted and funny. Definitely recommended for anyone that enjoys a Middle Grade read.



Excerpts

They'd been moving fast for about thirty minutes when Kay said, "I feel like we're in the second Lord of the Rings movie!"
   "At least we're not hunting orcs," Artie said, taking a gulp of water from his canteen.
"You said it, Bro," Kay replied, winking at her brother.
    Erik didn't say anything. Since dragons existed, orcs probably did too. He hadn't even thought of that. Erik didn't want to meet an orc. Ever.

Sunday Cover Scramble [10]



Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until the end of the day to let you know if you are right, allowing other to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. If you need hints, I will only post covers of series talked about on my blog previously. Here we go:







Saturday, March 30, 2013

Sidekick Saturday [16] - Mysterious

Sidekick Saturday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted here by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in this week's type
• Share a picture and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• Put your link in the Linky thing and comment

This week is Mysterious

My choice is Jericho Barrons from The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning




Mac meets Barrons of Barrons Books and Baubles when she stumbles into the bookstore while looking for a safe haven.

According to Mac: "He studied me with his predator's gaze, assessing me from head to toe. I studied him back. He didn't just occupy space; he saturated it. The room had been full of books before, now it was full of him. About thirty, six foot two or three, he had dark hair, golden skin, and dark eyes. His features were strong, chiseled...He wasn't handsome. That was too calm a word. He was intensely masculine. He attracted. There was an omnipresent carnality about him, in his dark eyes, in his full mouth, in the way he stood. He was the kind of man I wouldn't flirt with in a million years."

Barrons just gets more enticing from there as they spend time together. Hot one minute and cold most of the time. He is extremely mysterious...always seeming to be lying to her or withholding information. Frankly, he drives Mac crazy. His enigmatic nature was something that I loved a lot while reading The Fever Series.

Quotes:

“I was about to look away when he reached across the seat, touched my jaw with his long, strong, beautiful fingers, and caressed my face. Being touched by Jericho Barrons with kindness makes you feel like you must be the most special person in the world. It’s like walking up to the biggest, most savage lion in the jungle, lying down, placing your head it its mouth and, rather than taking your life, it licks you and purrs.”

_______________________________________________________

“Dying is overrated. Human sentimentality has twisted it into the ultimate act of love. Biggest load of bull in the world. Dying for someone isn't the hard thing. The man that dies escapes. Plain and simple. Game over. End of pain...Try living for someone. Through it all-good, bad, thick, thin, joy, suffering. That's the hard thing.”

_______________________________________________________

“Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. It is never an easy thing to do. It is one of the distinguishing characteristics between survivors and victims. Letting go of what was, to survive what is.”

_______________________________________________________

“I’m asking the questions tonight.” One day I was going to write a book: How to Dictate to a Dictator
and Evade an Evader, subtitled How to Handle Jericho Barrons.”

_______________________________________________________

“Punch me."
"Don't be absurd."
"Come on, punch me, Barrons."
"I'm not punching you."
"I said, punch--OW!"
He decked me.”

_______________________________________________________

“I'm sorry your pretty little world got all screwed up, but everybody's does, and you go on. It's how you go on that defines you.”

_______________________________________________________

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Feature and Follow Friday [16] - Emotional Scenes


Alison Can Read Feature & Follow

This is a weekly blog meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

Here are the general rules to Follow Friday:
1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - This week's feature is: Insightful Mind Reviews and Book Sniffers Anonymous
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
8. If your new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's question is: Tell us about the most emotional scene you've ever read in a book - and how did you react?


It's very hard for me to describe the most emotional scene without huge spoilers. I will say that some of the most emotional books that I have read so far were Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) and Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4). If you happened to have read these, you will understand why they were so tough and emotional. Richelle Mead isn't afraid to hit hard and bring you to tears. She takes characters away from you even if you love them. See the summaries of these books below.

A couple of other really emotional scenes for me include Dobby in Harry Potter and the ending of The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa.

Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) by Richelle Mead

Published: November 13, 2008 Razorbill
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Goodreads Summary
It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all... might be seeing ghosts.

As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose's forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line - and choose between the two people she loves most.



Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4) by Richelle Mead

Published: August 25, 2009 Razorbill
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Goodreads Summary
Rose Hathaway's life will never be the same.

The recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters . . . Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa—her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She'll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?

Now, with everything at stake—and worlds away from St. Vladimir's and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?


Wednesday, March 27, 2013

My Letter to Authors


I know that without authors I would not be able to indulge in my favorite hobby of all time...reading. So I’m writing this to authors everywhere to let you know how I feel.

Did you know that I don’t like whipped cream? I don’t care for pies either or peach cobbler for that matter. I don’t drink coffee and I don’t like horror movies or roller coasters. I also can’t stand Thanksgiving Day food and Oreos give me Migraines. Someone out there gasped at one of those! This just goes to show that we all vary widely in our likes and dislikes, and as the old saying goes, “one person’s garbage is another’s treasure”.

I’d like to think that my role in the process is to get word of your work out to more readers whether I loved your book, liked your book, or thought it was ok. No matter my personal rating, I still feel that someone, somewhere would enjoy knowing more about it and may find those particular things about it that I didn’t like more to their tastes.

Just because I didn’t like one aspect of your book (like insta-love, a love triangle, or a character’s reaction to a circumstance), there are other readers out there who crave these elements in their readings. I like to be specific when I say that I felt something was ‘bad’ in a book because other readers out there may really enjoy it instead.

Now, let me just say that I’m in graphic design and have been for 11 years now. I hear comments like, “I hate that!” and “Oh, that’s beautiful!” all the time. Generally, without anything constructive said. It is a good thing that I have thick skin or the comments would probably bother me. Thankfully, I know that we each have different tastes so I don’t take things personally when I hear them tear down something that I may have spent days on with a one sentence comment of dislike.

I hope that by mentioning all the things that I do like about the books that I read along with whatever I disliked, you don’t feel like you have to be as tough-skinned because someone is tearing apart your baby. What I mean is that I hope you focus on those positive statements and only look to the negative if you agree that those are ways that you can improve your work.

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts, ideas, and stories with me. I have the utmost respect for the imaginative worlds you can weave with your words and the characters you create that I dearly want to learn more about.

Thank you!

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday [18]



"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Reboot by Amy Tintera



Publisher: May 7, 2013 by Harper Teen
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Goodreads Summary

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.


Monday, March 25, 2013

Baseball Season

Hey everyone! You may have noticed that I am not as quick at replying and I am certainly not as quick at finishing the books that I am reading. That is because baseball season is upon me again and Zane is practicing most nights of the week and playing games until about 10:00 every night. So while I will certainly still be posting and viewing all your blogs, I am going to be cheering my little man on. Please be patient with me because I already work full-time and this takes up my nights. I'm holding off on any new review requests for now.

Zane up to bat

"Good Game" - He won his first tournament game

Here is my little Muddawg

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Sunday Cover Scramble [9]



Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until the end of the day to let you know if you are right, allowing other to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. If you need hints, I will only post covers of series talked about on my blog previously. Here we go:







Saturday, March 23, 2013

Sidekick Saturday [15] - Magical

Sidekick Saturday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted here by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in this week's type
• Share a picture and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• Put your link in the Linky thing and comment


This week is Magical

Zane drew the picture of Dobby from Harry Potter and I turned it digital

Dobby has to be one of my favorite under appreciated magical creatures. He wasn't even in the movies for most of his book parts!

Dobby is a house elf that is one of the most magical creatures in the Harry Potter world being able to apparate and disapparate even when wizards cannot. They are not allowed wands and are servants which cause Hermoine to create S.P.E.W. or The Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare to help them get more rights. Dobby is an unusual house elf that loves freedom and does all he can to help Harry even when helping sometimes hurts.

Quotes:


“What's that supposed to be anyway?" said Fred squinting at Dobby's painting. "Looks like a Gibbon with two black eyes!"
"It's Harry," said George pointing at the back of the picture. "Says so on the back."
"Good likeness," said Fred grinning.
Harry threw his new homework diary at him.”

____________________________________________________

“So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm. . . ." He shook his head. "You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you.”
____________________________________________________

“Offend Dobby!” choked the elf. “Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard — like an equal —”
____________________________________________________

“But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter! ... He got up, face livid, and pulled out his wand, but Dobby raised a long, threatening finger. "You shall go now," he said fiercely, pointing down at Mr. Malfoy. "You shall not touch Harry Potter. You shall go now.”
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Thursday, March 21, 2013

Feature and Follow Friday [15] - Guilty Pleasures


Alison Can Read Feature & Follow

This is a weekly blog meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

Here are the general rules to Follow Friday:
1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - This week's feature is: Cherie Reads and Author, Shiloh Walker
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
8. If your new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's question is: What is your guilty pleasure as far as reading? Is it a genre, or is it a certain type of book?


I love it when the nemesis becomes the close friend later on in the books. Something about the friction and hatred in the beginning and watching the characters get past it to become friends later - and usually better friends is a favorite of mine. I really like this in romantic relationships as well. Reading the ones where they don't really get along at all at first, but then gradually grow to tolerate, to accept, and then to love. Nothing better than reading funny arguments.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

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

Publisher: January 25, 2011 Harlequin Teen
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy
Format: Kindle
Source: Purchased


*Please note that it is very hard to review books past the first one in the series without having any spoilers at all. I will try to keep it as spoiler free as I can, but if you haven't read the first book in this series, you may just want to read that review instead of continuing with this one.
Goodreads Summary
The "New York Times" Bestseller 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.


Summer, Iron, and Winter Side-by-Side and Across Enemy Lines

The minute I put this book down, I picked up the next one so I could immediately dive right back into the story.

The Good


I have always thought the supporting characters in this series are exceptionally wonderful. They are unique and lovable and strong-willed. The world is an old idea with a new fascinating concept melded in. It is certainly a great series that I have been enjoying. However, I have made no secret of my sometimes dislike of Meghan...especially in The Iron Daughter. I found her whiny, selfish, and annoying in moments. Now, I LOVE the direction Kagawa went in The Iron Queen and the remarkable growth of Meghan Chase. Everything that I have disliked about her before has been completely turned around and she is now a heroine that I can stand behind.

Meghan has some high odds stacked against her. She has some very tough choices to make as well as some great people on the path with her. I have never been emotionally attached to her before so the books were fantastic, but didn’t move me. This one had me laughing harder, brought me to tears, and had me gasping in surprise.

Plus, there was a TON of fantastic action. I like it when books keep moving. Kagawa kept up a steady pace of entertaining dialogue, twists and turns, and sword-play (complete with battle clothing in gauntlets and armor).


The Bad

The only bad that I caught while reading this one was that Meghan got so upset with Puck over something that should make her upset, but not as outrageously as it came across. Something similar had happened previously with a different reaction from her. However, given how quickly she moved away from this and began growing into a stronger more selfless character, I was not very bothered by it.

The Romance

I must say that I love Ash. The two of them around each other now are wonderful. He was so different, so open, and was a character that it's obvious has a wall up but has let Meghan in and therefore me as the reader. There's some definite romance in this one.

Conclusion

Anything that I didn't like about the previous books was absent from this one. The Iron Queen is a fantastic read with absolutely fabulous characters, a story that was beyond entertaining, and an ending that made me dive into the next one immediately. WHILE I was reading parts of the book, I still didn't know how things were going to turn out just two paragraphs later. It was more intense and had more twists and turns. Please read this series because I absolutely have to talk to you about it!! Definitely recommended.



Excerpts

“Oh, of course, I thought, as my gut twisted and sank down to my toes. This impossible situation also comes with a time limit. No pressure."

"For a moment, I had the surreal feeling of being in the center of a medieval fantasy film, Lord of the Rings style, with all the knights and horses rushing back and forth. Then the full realization hit, making me slightly nauseous. This wasn't a movie. This was a real battle, with real creatures that would do their best to kill me."

"His candor surprised me. I was still getting used to this new Ash, this faery who talked and smiled instead of hiding behind an icy wall of indifference."

"How are you doing this, human?" he demanded, lashing his tail in agitation. "You have been here only once, and it is impossible for mortals to memorize directions so quickly. How do you know you are going the right way?"
     "I don't know," i muttered, taking us down yet another side passage. "I just do."
Puck's bark of laughter startled me. "See?" he crowed, pointing at Grimalkin, who flattened his ears at him. You see how irritating that is? Remember that, next time you - hey!" he called as Grimalkin disappeared. "Yeah, I can't see you, but I know you can still hear me!"

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday [17] - Is the Grass Greener?



"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

3:59 by Gretchen McNeil



Publisher: September 17, 2013 by Balzar and Bray
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy

Goodreads Summary

Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.

Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.

Jo's life is everything Josie wants: she's popular, her parents are happily married, and Nick adores her. It all seems real, but they're just dreams, right? Josie thinks so, until she wakes one night to a shadowy image of herself in the bedroom mirror – Jo.

Josie and Jo realize that they are doppelgängers living in parallel universes that overlap every twelve hours at exactly 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to jump through the portal and switch places for a day.

But Jo’s world is far from perfect. Not only is Nick not Jo's boyfriend, he hates her. Jo's mom is missing, possibly insane. And at night, shadowy creatures feed on human flesh.

By the end of the day, Josie is desperate to return to her own life. But there’s a problem: Jo has sealed the portal, trapping Josie in this dangerous world. Can she figure out a way home before it’s too late?

From master of suspense Gretchen McNeil comes a riveting and deliciously eerie story about the lives we wish we had – and how they just might kill you.


Cover Reveals: Surrender and Justice (The Ferryman and The Flame Books 1 and 2)

SURRENDER (The Ferryman + The Flame #1)
Author: Rhiannon Paille
Cover Design: Regina Wamba of Mae I Design
Exclusively on Amazon / Kindle- Free today, March 19th only

How far would you go to save everything you ever loved?

Kaliel was warned about her love for the Ferryman. One day he will marry the land and leave Avristar forever. She doesn't listen, and because of what she is-- a Flame-- one of nine apocalyptic weapons, she sparks a war. In a desperate attempt to save her home and her love, Kaliel tries to awaken Avred, not knowing she may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
JUSTICE (The Ferryman + The Flame #2)
Author: Rhiannon Paille
Cover Design: Regina Wamba of Mae I Design
Exclusively available at Amazon / Kindle - FREE Today, March 19th

How far would you go to destroy yourself?

Krishani always knew he would have to go to the Lands of Men, but he never thought it would be like this. Enemies everywhere, an ancestor he can't respect, elders he can't trust, a curse he can't stop and friends he can't help but hate. Desperate to end the pain, he sets out on a quest to find the other Flames and face the enemy that took everything from him.

Author Rhiannon Paille

Rhi was never a normal girl. Her life was an urban fantasy wrapped in a paranormal romance and served with a side of horror. To escape her everyday weirdness she began writing fantasy. She studied at U of Sedona and MIMT, obtaining a PhD in Metaphysical Science and Parapsychology. She's married to a chef/comic book shop owner and has a fondness for architecture. She frequents twitter and facebook, but if you really want to get to know her you should visit her site: www.yafantasyauthor.com

Find the Author: Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Website




Monday, March 18, 2013

Teaser Tuesday [14] - The Shrew Can See Reason




Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa


Teaser:

Bristling, I was about to tell him what he could do with his reason, when a noise stopped me. A soft noise. One that, for whatever reason, raised the hair on the back of my neck.

Goodreads Summary:

Out here in the Fringes, there is only one rule: Blood calls to blood. She has done the unthinkable: died so she might continue to live. Now Allie, the reluctant teenage vampire who was cast out of Eden, and Zeke, the human boy who loves her, must attempt to save the world from a deadly new strain of plague. In order to do so, they must first hunt down the monster who holds the promise of the cure—and Allie’s beloved mentor—in his sadistic grip…. Joined by Allie’s blood brother, Jackal, this unlikely posse of companions will brave a landscape stalked by raiders, rabids, and rogue vampires. But even if they survive, they’re bound for the Inner city, and a vicious showdown that will test their bonds in ways they never expected. It may just be that becoming undead was the easy part. Confronting the horrors of Allie’s awakening hunger, her growing feelings for Zeke, and the uncertainties of their future is going to be the ultimate challenge.


Sunday, March 17, 2013

Sunday Cover Scramble [8]



Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until the end of the day to let you know if you are right, allowing other to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. If you need hints, I will only post covers of series talked about on my blog previously. Here we go:








Friday, March 15, 2013

Sidekick Saturday [14] - St. Patty Day Edition

Sidekick Saturday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted here by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in this week's type
• Share a picture and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• Put your link in the Linky thing and comment


This week is the St. Patty's Day Edition

My choice is the leprechaun from The Hollows


I can't think of another one that has a leprechaun...if you know one, please let me know!

This one works at The Blood and Brew pub and starts out the story as Rachel's first run is to nab the tax-evading leprechaun. She gives Rachel three wishes which really get the story moving and even come back later. Although she seems like a character that I wouldn't see again, she does pop up in later books. Basically, I think she is the catalyst for the series.

Quotes:

"Interland Security," I said, slapping my I.S. identification down. The rush was gone already. "You stand accused of fabricating a rainbow for the purpose of misrepresenting the income generated from said rainbow, failure to file the appropriate requisition forms for said rainbow, failure to notify Rainbow Authority of said rainbow's end-"
"It's a lie!" the woman shouted, contorting in the cuffs. Her eyes darted wildly about the bar as all attention focused on her. "All a lie! I found that pot legally."
____________________________________________________

"You canna catch me!" the leprechaun threatened, struggling as the crowd's shouts became enthusiastic. "Rings of steel alone canna hold me. I've escaped from kings. and sultans, and nasty little children with nets!"
____________________________________________________

"No! Wait!" the leprechaun shouted as I grabbed my bag and hauled her butt to the door. "Wishes! Three wishes. Right? You let me go, and you get three wishes."

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Feature and Follow Friday [15] - YAY Warm Weather Finally!


Alison Can Read Feature & Follow

This is a weekly blog meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

Here are the general rules to Follow Friday:
1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - This week's feature is: Bookaddict Bieke and Pinkindle
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
8. If your new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's question is: ACTIVITY! Hopefully warm weather for most of us is here soon…so tell us about your favorite outdoor reading spot. Or take a picture.


I actually go for 2 walks most days at work and when I can't convince anyone else to walk with me, that's great reading time. I know a lot of people don't move while they are reading, but I really enjoy walking around and reading my Kindle. Right now, most of the trees on the blocks that I walk through have pretty flowers blooming from them (I'll take and add a picture tomorrow since I'm posting late Thursday night). Today was about 80 degrees here in Northeast Texas.


Review: My Summer Vacation by Terrance Wade

Publisher: December 17, 2012
Genre: humor/adventure
Format: Kindle
Source: ebook *gifted by the author for an honest review

Goodreads Summary
When Terrance's mother comes in through the window, she says, "Terrance, your dad doesn't want me to show you the world. But we're going - tonight, now." With that, she scoops him up and rushes from the house. Terrance, a naive yet astute 7-year-old, is kidnapped by his mother. Told from his perspective, Terrance believes he's on an adventure to save the world in this short, witty novelette. 


Secret Agent Ninja Robot Pirate

This is a fun quick read told from the point of view of 7-year-old Terrance, but with an adult overtone that is a completely separate story than the summer vacation that he lives out. My 10 year old son and I both read it and I'm doing a quick review as well as an interview with Zane.

The Good


My Summer Vacation with Terrance Wade is an interesting read about a vacation that a boy takes with his mother. It moves at a nice pace and the characters are intriguing. There was an air of mystery to the story that was quite fun. This is because the story is told from the point of view of 7-year-old, Terrance, as a school assignment about his summer vacation. As an adult, I can tell that his mom is taking him without permission since there are cops involved and she sneaks him out of a window, but to Terrance it is all part of a grand adventure with his mom the Super Agent Ninja Robot.

Terrance repeatedly says he knows his mom isn't crazy so he is making up things to have them make sense. It is a very funny ride. I enjoyed jumping into the mind of a 7-year-old and the innocence of him thinking that his mother could take on the world. I like hearing about diabeetles and his mom's 'eat your spinach' look.

The Bad

It's a very short read and I usually prefer longer books that are in a series.

Conclusion

My favorite parts of this story are the prologue and the epilogue (you'd have to read for that to really make sense). It is a nice, funny, short story about a boy who saves the world while seeing a situation in a completely different light than what it is.



R.A. Desilets graciously let me have my 10-year-old, Zane, read the book and I interviewed him for his thoughts.


JC: The book starts off with Terrance’s mother taking him on a trip...tell me a little bit about it.
Zane: Well, he goes to Paris, France to save the world from aliens.

JC: Does he talk about his dad at all?
Zane: His dad doesn’t appear much until the end of the story when they are back home at the end of the trip.

JC: Why doesn’t his dad go on the trip with them?
Zane: Because his dad doesn’t want him to see the world.

JC: That doesn't sound very nice. How old is Terrance and does he act his age?
Zane: About 7 and yes he does usually act his age. He even calls his backpack Duckie.

JC: Tell me about this backpack:
Zane: It is extremely important and I’m not going to spoil the story.

JC: Mmmm hmmm. What was your favorite part while reading?
Zane: Everything he calls his mom…from a secret agent to a ninja pirate.

JC: What was your least favorite part of the book?
[he sits and thinks for five minutes and comes up with nothing]


JC: What are your final thoughts on the book?

Zane: I would give it 4 stars, I really liked it!




Excerpts


“She’s testing me to find out if someday I will be able to be a secret agent ninja pirate robot like she is.”

“We’re saving the world, Terrance.”

“I tug on her shoulder because I think she took some money from the board game that we have back at home. Why else would it look so fake? She ignores me”