Book Review: The Raven Boys

Book being reviewed: The Raven Boys

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls.

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

I just want to start off by saying that I am undoubtedly impressed by this book.  It's no secret that I'm not a fan of Mrs. Stiefvater's Shiver.  I remember being bored with it and couldn't grasp that reader connection we all hope for in a book.  With The Raven Boys, however, I had an undeniable connection as a reader.

There are so many detailed aspects to this book.  The characters themselves were so well thought of and brought to life with so much detail, and each and every single one of them were completely different from one another.  This is saying a lot, since there are TON of characters you come to know within the story.

I enjoyed getting to know characters like Blue, Adam, Gansey, Noah, and even Ronan at times.  Even though Ronan scared me, he's still a character that has much more to him and we have yet to see exactly what it is.  Every character had their strengths and weaknesses pointed out in many ways, which gave way to so much detail about them.  And one aspect that I truly enjoyed was, despite all their differences, they all had so much love for one another and showed it earnestly in anyway each one of them knew how.   Even Ronan, who acted like he could care less about anything in the world, showed he cared in his own way.

This could just be my own personal observation, but one thing I noticed in Shiver that I also noticed in The Raven Boys is Maggie Stiefvater's unique style of writing.  I didn't particularly care for it in Shiver, I thought it was odd, but it fit with this novel.  Some authors like to incorporate humor in their writing, and Mrs Stiefvater does but hers is a dry type of humor.  You either get it or you don't, you either think it's funny or it isn't.  I found myself laughing periodically through the book. 

As much detail as there was in the book, there's still so much mystery that has yet to be discovered.  The Raven Boys gave you enough to keep you hooked through the book, but now I'm itching to get my hands on the The Dream Thieves to get one step closer to unlocking the mystery that is The Raven Cycle series.

Might I add, thank you to those book buddies of mine who insisted I read this book!  You were right, The Raven Boys is a great book!

Raven Boys fan signing out,

Book Review: Switched

Book being reviewed: Switched

Author: Amanda Hocking

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls.

Possibly 3.5 owls.

I can't make up my mind, as usual.

 When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She’s not the person she’s always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel—all because of Finn Holmes.

Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken…though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she’d ever admit. But it isn’t long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth—and he’s come to take her home.

Now Wendy’s about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that’s both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she’s meant to become…

Switched is truly an interesting read.  I took an entire Saturday and blew right through this book.  Some would say I wasted the day away, but did I?  I think not. This book was worth it.

The book revolves around mythical creatures known as Trolls, or the Trylle as they prefer to call themselves.  Rather than being the ugly creatures we've come to know, the Trylle in Switched are stunningly beautiful.  They have a hierarchy system with the Queen being the head honcho, and the higher you are up on that system the more powers you'll likely have.  Now, where the Trylle are similar to the ugly Trolls of legends, they take from others to gain for themselves without remorse.  They switch out their own babies with a baby born in a rich human family, which is how they make their money.  It's evil and they have no respect for their human counterparts at all.

The lead female in the book, Wendy Everly, was a girl I enjoyed getting to know.  In some ways she was your typical teenage girl, like the ones we've come to know in most paranormal YA novels, but the girl knew how to throw a punch.  Literally.  She wasn't afraid to fight to defend herself, and she didn't back down from a fight by expecting everyone else to save her.  Of course she had her Trylle gift of persuasion, but that wouldn't necessarily come in handy during a hand-to-hand fight when Wendy still doesn't quite understand everything about her gift. 

Wendy always knew something wasn't right with her as she grew up, she never fit in anywhere and she could never connect to the other humans around her.  Her "mother" tried to kill her when she was six simply because she knew Wendy wasn't her daughter.  The only two people in her life that accepted Wendy unconditionally was her Aunt and her brother Matt.  Then Finn came along and completely turned Wendy's world upside-down.  He introduced her to a whole knew world, and deep down, Wendy knew that's where she belonged.  She had to choose between staying with her Aunt and Brother, or go with Finn and find out who she was born to be. 

I absolutely adored Finn.  Being very mysterious, yet never being able to tell a lie to Wendy because he promised her he wouldn't, he was always so sweet and very considerate of her.  To be honest, I have having a difficult time finding a flaw in him.  Anything he did that irritated me always had to do with what he thought was best for Wendy, I couldn't very well stay irritated with him because of it.  Very swoon-worthy, for sure.

This book was all over the place, but in a good way.  The plot flowed easily enough, it just seemed to jump around a lot.  Usually I don't like reading a book like this because the jumping around can leave a lot of holes, but it worked.  Somehow.  And my reasoning behind the possible 3.5 owls is because I didn't like where the book ends.  You know we've all been there, not liking the way a book ends.  And now I'm itchin' to get my hands on the next book to see what happens next.  With that aside, truthfully, Switched was a very entertaining read, and I would easily recommend it to any of you paranormal YA lovers.

Have you read Switched?  What did you think?

From one book lover to another,

happy reading,

Book Review: Override (Glitch #2)

Book being reviewed: Override

Author: Heather Anastasiu

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls.

Override

Zoe is free. She has escaped the enslavement of the Community, disconnected from the hardware that had controlled her every thought and emotion, and evaded capture by the Chancellor intent on killing her. She is finally free, but she is far from safe.

Zoe and Adrien hide themselves from detection at the Foundation, an academy that trains teen glitchers to fight in the Resistance movement. Together, Zoe and her new team of superhuman fighters must risk their lives to rescue other glitchers and humans from the Chancellor's control. Challenges abound at every turn, and Adrien, who has become silent, distant, and tormented by his visions of the future, only adds to the growing certainty of defeat. But worst of all, as Zoe's team fights against impossible odds, distrust and betrayal leads to the terrible discovery that their greatest threat could already be lurking behind the safe walls of the Foundation.

Full of high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Heather Anastasiu's Override is an exciting continuation of this popular young adult trilogy.

Wow!  Wow!  Wow!  I was pleasantly surprised with this one!  After having read Glitch and not liking it as much as I had hoped,  Override made up for everything that the first book was lacking.  

The story did start off a little slow, but eventually picked up after awhile and I couldn't put the book down.  One part of the book I really liked is Zoe's character and the role that she plays.  She's such a strong female, even in the times when she think thinks of herself as weak.  She lives through half of the book thinking that she can't live up to the image of this heroine that every sees her as being, mostly because she had no control over her telekinesis powers because they terrified her.  Finally, halfway through the book, she learns to control her telek powers by reigning in her fear.  I really enjoyed reading that part of the book where Zoe is mentally challenging herself to gain control over her power and let go of the fear that has control over her. 

One aspect I could never quite understand is how with all the amazing technology that's been developed, how could Chancellor Bright never exactly pinpoint the location of the Foundation?  I understand that anyone who has visited the place could never remember anything about it due to Simin's unintentional power of making people forget everything when they're around him, but it seemed like there could have been a way outside of the Foundation.  With all the immense technology and endless amenities that the Chancellor had control over, it seemed like she could have found a way to locate the Foundation and ultimately Zoe.  Maybe it's just me, but I felt that because there was so much intrigue detail to all the technology, there could possibly have been a lot room for gaps within the story.  And Zoe being Linked when she went to sleep every night, wouldn't that have been a way to track her down?  That question might have been addressed in Glitch and I just don't remember, but it's something I asked myself often while reading Override.  This is probably just me being critical and looking too deep into it.  I've always been the person who constantly looks for holes in the story and questions the what-if's and whatnot, but that didn't make me enjoy the book any less!

The part when Max switches himself with Adrien after the task force's first mission, I wouldn't exactly call it predictable, but I knew immediately Max was using his power to pretend to be Adrien the night of their date.  I could tell by Max-pretending-to-be-Adrien's reaction (wow, isn't that a mouthful?) that his conscience was weighing on him.  He couldn't bring himself to do anything sexually with Zoe because he knew it was wrong.  This is the point where I actually do believe Max when he told Zoe he was truly sorry for what he had done.  As Zoe always wanted to believe in the good in Max during the first part of the book, I will continue to believe in that good now.  Zoe has every right to be angry with Max's betrayal, but I believe that if Max were truly evil he wouldn't have stopped Zoe and would have continued doing "the deed".  I really do think that Max loves Zoe, and I also believe he's going to play a bigger and better part in the next book.  I hope, anyways.

I think I've covered all the points I wanted to bring up in my review.  I will say that I am now excited for Shutdown, the third book in the series.  And I would recommend this series to any dystopian fan who enjoys a little sci-fi kick thrown in the mix.

Until next time,

happy reading, fellow book nerds,

Book Review: Everbound (Everneath #2)

Book being reviewed: Everbound (Everneath #2)

Author: Brodi Ashton

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls.

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.

After I read the first book, Everneath, I wasn't all that impressed.  I decided to give Everbound a shot anyway.  I'm glad I did because I liked the 2nd book so much more.  The plot flowed easier and it was more fun to follow.  The story seemed like a roller coaster of high points and low points stacked with plenty of drama.

Like Nikki, I'm still completely entranced by Cole.  Maybe it's the bad-boy persona he lets off, or maybe it's the fact that we're still left with so many unknown facts about Cole.  Although, in Everbound, we do learn more about Cole and how he became an Everling, but it is still quite obvious that he is withholding many more dark secrets.  Cole truly seemed like he wanted to help Nikki find Jack simply because he loved her and doesn't wish to see her waste away in her own pain and guilt.  As the book ends, however, we find out that once again Cole has tricked Nikki for his own selfish reasons.  This is where I'm on the same level as Nikki, because throughout the book I also felt like Cole could be trusted and there was a good side to him that would win over the bad side.  I still have a small glimmer of hope that he'll change and for once actually put Nikki's needs above his own.  Will this happen?  My more rational side is telling me no.

As for Jack, the other lover boy, the entire book was based around saving him.  Poor, sweet Jack.  This kid is hopelessly in love with a girl who seems will only unintentionally break his heart.  He sacrificed himself in order to save Nikki, and I don't know many teenage boys who would act so selflessly.  Jack is the good boy while Cole is the bad boy, both of which you find yourself caring about at different times.

Maybe it's because I'm a my parent myself, but I became irritated with Nikki when she would continue to act so carelessly where her father was concerned.  Doesn't she realize she's going to give that poor man a heart attack?  I understand that teenagers are going to do what teenagers want to do, and we really only understood just how Nikki felt, but I couldn't help but think about how her dad must feel after all he's been through.  First losing his wife and then thinking he had also lost his daughter.  In my opinion, Nikki's dad deserves an extended vacation.

Overall the book was good.  As for the paranormal romance factor, this series is up there with the all the good ones.  And the simple fact that I was introduced to a new and refreshing world that's filled with fictional characters like the immortal Everlings, and a different take on Greek mythology, both of which were different from most paranormal romance novels that are out there today.  I can always appreciate new reading material that introduces me to an entirely different magical world.

Spreading the bookish love,

Book Review: The Storyteller

Book being reviewed: The Storyteller

Author: Antonia Michaelis

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls. 

The Storyteller
 
Anna and Abel couldn’t be more different.  They are both seventeen and in their last year of school, but while Anna lives in a nice old town house and comes from a well-to-do family, Abel, the school drug dealer, lives in a big, prisonlike tower block at the edge of town.  Anna is afraid of him until she realizes that he is caring for his six-year-old sister on his own.  Fascinated, Anna follows the two and listens as Abel tells little Micha the story of a tiny queen assailed by dark forces.  It’s a beautiful fairy tale that Anna comes to see has a basis in reality.  Abel is in real danger of losing Micha to their abusive father and to his own inability to make ends meet. Anna gradually falls in love with Abel, but when his “enemies” begin to turn up dead, she fears she has fallen for a murderer.  Has she?

Award-winning author Antonia Michaelis moves in a bold new direction with her latest novel: a dark, haunting, contemporary story that is part mystery, part romance, and part melodrama.

There is so much that can be said about this book and I just don't even know where to begin.   I guess I can start by saying that this book is completely out there in a multitude of ways, ways that one might say shouldn't be considered young adult content.  It's possible that the adult content within the book is due to the author being German. I know different countries have different viewpoints on what is adult and what isn't.  Usually young adult novels written by American authors stick to story content that most Americans would deem appropriate for a young person to read, and, in my opinion, The Storyteller definitely crosses that thin line.

Don't get me wrong, in no way am I bashing the book, I'm just stating my opinion after having read a countless number of young adult novels.  This book consists of a somewhat detailed rape between the two main characters, Anna and Abel, and also another somewhat detailed account of a sexual interaction between the two.  This book is very dark, and the light and happy moments are few and far between.

The relationship between Abel and Anna is a strange one.  As much as I liked the book, I didn't really like either of the main characters (I know, this makes absolutely no sense).  There were so many times I wanted to knock some sense into Anna.   I know they say love is blind, but in Anna's case, I think she lost every single one of her senses when it came to Abel.  The first red flag for me was when I knew Anna had fallen deliriously in love with this boy, but she didn't know ANYTHING about him. Seriously, NOTHING about him.  He continually lied to her and never revealed any of his dark secrets when she would question him.  I just didn't understand how she could let it all go so easily and love him unconditionally.

Then there's the major problem of him actually raping her.  Because of the way the book was written, you didn't find out who the REAL Abel was until the last few pages of the book.  Truthfully, I actually liked that the reader is left in suspense and confused until the very end, but I kept thinking that because of the fairytale that Abel told all throughout the book, there might be a paranormal factor that played into his raping Anna, as if he was possessed by some sort of evil.  Not that that would excuse him from taking Anna's virginity by rape, I just hoped that there was more to it than what met the eye... and there wasn't a paranormal factor, he had the choice and he didn't stop himself.

Then in the aspect of most YA novels having a hero who comes to the aid of the lead female character, Abel wasn't the hero.  Now, of course, he could be considered Micha's hero after sacrificing himself for her on top of murdering anyone who he thought could be directly involved with his little sister being taken away from him.  But as for him ever saving Anna? I think it was Anna who continually came to Abel's rescue throughout the book.

And Abel being a murderer is another factor I don't quite understand.  Anna had her suspicions that Abel was the murderer and still chose to love him despite those suspicions.  I think Anna was living in her own fantasy world that was fueled by the fairytale.  Gitta's "little lamb" nickname for Anna was perfect because she was naive like a young child would be and ignored all those warning signs about Abel that were practically slapping her in the face over and over again.

In all honesty, I think Anna and Abel connected and their relationship bloomed more through the fairytale Abel told, while living solely on hope in the real world.  I, too, read through hoping that something more would come, that these two would actually run away with Micha and live happily ever after, and maybe, just maybe, Abel didn't actually rape her, maybe Abel isn't the murderer. Yeeeaaaah.... that didn't happen.  As I recall, as soon as I finished reading the last page, I shut the book, then proceeded to stare off at nothing while trying to wrap my brain around what just happened.  Two days later and I still can't comprehend the dark ending of the book, or all the dark content within the book.

That all aside, I still loved the book.  It didn't end in the usual happily ever after way that makes you want to dance around while singing and smiling to yourself like an idiot.  Not that I've ever done that, but you know, there are those books out there that have that effect on you.  This book left me speechless and sad, confused and angry.  Such a strange combination for a book that I actually enjoyed reading.  I guess what I'm getting to is, if you choose to pick up this book, just remember that it isn't an easy read.  You may cry, feel like screaming, and become angry all while hanging onto that hope that it will turn out better in the end. Trust me, it won't.

Confused and in need of some lighter reading material,

until next time, Bookworms,

Book Review: Incarnate

Book being reviewed: Incarnate

Author: Jodi Meadows

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls.

New soul 

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why. 

No soul  

Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame? 

Heart 

Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies--human and creature alike--let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all? 

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

So first of all, I feel like I have some 'splaining to do.  I haven't been around much lately due to the craziness of life.  I actually finished this book review a while ago, but because of of spring cleaning, family coming for a visit, and a sickness that could only be compared to as a plague of sorts traveling around my family, I haven't had much time to even power up the laptop.  And what about reading? This must be a record or something because it took me well over 2 weeks to finish just one book.  And it's quite a short novel, might I add.  But I did finish it yesterday, and I'm hoping to write up the review in the next coming days.  I'd like to get back into a bloggy routine again.

Anyhoozle, bookworms, thanks for lending an ear to my mental chatter!  Now let’s get on with my review, shall we?

I truly, truly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. Granted, there were a few parts that were a little fuzzy because I only wanted the story to “get on with it already.”  But even so, the book was great.  I commend Ana on being such a strong person after all that she’s went through in the past and all that she goes through throughout the book.  The poor girl just never seemed to catch a break!

There happened to be a few aspects of Ana’s character that didn’t sit well with me.  The first being how she was always trying to convince the reader and herself that she was so sure of how strong she was, how she was on a mission and no one would interfere with that mission.  Yet, Ana seemed to always completely contradict herself shortly after when she’d second guess herself.  I know this seems like a harsh judgement when you consider all that she’s been through, but this flip-flopping happened A LOT throughout the book.  It became very redundant and unnecessary.

Another thing, Ana wanted to hear straight from Sam’s mouth how he felt about her, how he meant to kiss her when they finally did kiss. And when he voiced this, she shot it down by saying it was hard to believe. The girl could never make up her mind. She wanted one thing, then would completely act another way.  Once again with the flip-flopping -- it was absurd.

As for Sam, he seemed to be one of the very few people who genuinely cared for Ana the moment he met her, and didn’t try to punish her for being a newsoul.  He was always sweet and considerate towards Ana and her feelings.  The only oddity about him that I noticed?  He had a tendency to be somewhat feminine.  I guess when you consider his past lives as a female, this does make sense. It was only odd to me since I don’t think I have ever read a book that had the lead male character living past lives as a female.

What I really liked about that book was how it seemed to be based off of the realities of our world. There was some who believed in the higher power Janan, but there were also others who didn’t, or even some were not sure if Janan was truly there.  There was also the issue of discrimination against Ana because she was different. Some people chose to see past her being a newsould and became her friend, others couldn’t because they were either scared of the “nosoul” or they just simply hated what she was.

In the end, I would definitely recommend this book to any of my friends. I enjoyed it thoroughly and can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Happy reading, my fellow book lovers, 

Book Review: Pure

Book being reviewed: Pure

Author: Julianna Baggott

I give this book: 

4 out of 5 owls.

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .
Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run. 

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .
There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.

Within the pages of Pure, there's a post-apocolyptic world that has left many fused and disfigured people suffering after the Detonations, while the Pure's live under the Dome's protective roof.  The wretches, as the people in the Dome call those on the outside, believe those within the Dome must live a perfect life where no one dies from breathing in the ash that cakes everything, or dies from starvation or suffering.  Which isn't entirely true.  Many who live in the Dome do believe themselves to be lucky, but  every aspect of their lives is controlled, including the way they think; especially the men.  Pure is a book filled with nightmarish creatures and scary situations that one would never want to encounter or endure.

To be fair, I was on the fence over the rating for this book.  I was originally going with 3 owls but decided to go with 4 instead.  I figured that the creativity alone made this book worth the read, because Julianna Baggott's characters are an amazingly brilliant concept.  Everyone alive now who was outside the Dome when the blast occurred is fused with something, or even someone.  This definitely causes your imagination to run wild.  The main heroine, Pressia, has a hand that was fused with a doll's head when the Detonations went off.  The doll has become a part of her body, so much so that she feels when the head is touched, as if she has nerve endings beneath the plastic.

Another example is Bradwell, Pressia's love interest in the book who was fused with birds in his back. The birds are still alive, so their wings tend to flap and flutter underneath whatever shirt he's wearing depending on the mood he's in at the time.  It seems to be a little unsettling to most until they get to know him, but this is basically the same for most of the characters that are fused with some oddity.

You also get to know a few Pure's who've lived under the Dome their whole life.  Their skin is unmarked, they've been able to breathe clean, filtered air, nor have they ever had to go hungry for lack of food since they take pills to satiate their hunger and the pill also gives them the nutrients they need to survive.  They've also been afforded an education, which is not something that happens on the outside of the Dome.

We meet Partridge, he is a Pure who has grown up inside the Dome because his dad is the head-honcho in charge of everything.  We read part of the book in his account of how certain things happen. He has always believed his mother to be dead, but because of a few small instances, Partridge begins to wonder if his mother is, in fact, actually dead.  This leads him to break out of the cozy confinements of the Dome and head on a potentially deadly wild goose chase.

Pure is one of the stranger dystopian novels I've read.  But because of this, it made for one interesting read.  It's filled with suspense and heartbreak, so I'd recommend for you criers out there to at least have some tissues handy if you ever want to pick up this book.  All in all, I'd definitely recommend this book  if you're itchin' for a little something different.

Happy reading, bookworms,

Book Review: The Iron Knight

Book being reviewed: The Iron Knight

Author: Julie Kagawa

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls.

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless 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 solemn 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. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

**SPOILER WARNING**

Another huge win for Julie Kagawa and her The Iron King series!  This book was angsty, tragic, beautiful, all read from within Ash's POV, and, of course, it kept me mostly entranced from beginning to end.  Speaking of the end, I LOVED the way Ash revealed himself to Meghan.  I figured they would reunite at some point, and when they finally did, holy toledo did I ever have butterflies in my stomach!  I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again: Meghan and Ash's is an undeniably sweet and true love.

Did you ever notice how multiple enemies throughout the books turn out to be a trusty side-kick to Ash or Meghan?  The Big Bad Wolf must have been my favorite in The Iron Knight.  Just like Ironhorse, he was definitely a scary character at first.  Well, he was scary for most of the book, but then at the end he sort of grew on you.  I don't know if it was the fact that he was willing to sacrifice himself in order to save Ash just as Ironhorse did for Meghan, or the fact that he finally softened some in the end.  Somehow, it just happened.  The Big Bad Wolf's constant banter with Grimlakin was also quite entertaining.  I personally think they don't hate each other as much as they let on.

While we're on the subject of Grimlakin, what is his deal?!  I honestly assumed that we'd find out more about what's going on behind the cat, what's made him the way he is?  Or at least the reason why he seems to know every-darn-thing under the sun.  That cat is too smart for his own good and I think he knows it.

As far as an aspect of the book I didn't particularly like, but I also knew it was a key point in the story, was when Ash was tested in the end of his journey in gaining a soul and saw what his life would be like as a human.  As I've said, I totally understand why he had to see this, but it was long and drawn out.  Maybe it was because I began to pity Ash.  I pitied him because of what he potentially would one day become and how weak he possibly might be.  It was truthfully hard to comprehend, seeing as I've always viewed him as such a strong character.  Regardless of this insight into my brain, it didn't end that way.  And for the record, I'm glad of it.

There's no mistaking the possibility of me going on and on forever about The Iron King books, I honestly could.  This beautiful and imaginative Faery world kept me entranced and pining for more.  I figured, however, that I've gotten most of those adamant thoughts and opinions that were bursting to come out while reading the books.  So I'm satisfied... for now. ;)

So, fellow bookworms, pick up a copy of The Iron King if you haven't already.  You won't regret it.  And if you already have, then you were way ahead of me.  Kudos to you.

Spreading the Team Ash love,

Book Review: The Iron Daughter

Book being reviewed: The Iron Daughter

Author: Julie Kagawa

I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls.

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.

Spoiler Warning: Don't read ahead if you haven't already read the book and are planning to do so.  I wouldn't want to ruin it for ya. ;)

I am, without a doubt, into the Iron Fey series.  What took me so long to finally read the books?  I keep asking myself this exact question.

Let me just start off with Ironhorse.  How did this enormous Iron Fey go from being a scary, creepy, I may possibly have nightmares about him enemy, to an ally of Meghan’s??  A loyal friend, even? This little twist in the story seriously threw me for a loop.  While reading The Iron King, I remember being truly frightened of him and his booming voice.  Also feeling relieved that I’ll never realistically have the opportunity to come across a fictional creature such as he.  But then, during The Iron Daughter, Ironhorse had to go and make one of those super intense Faery promises, vowing that he will protect the princess at all costs, or die trying.   Ironhorse began to grow on me.  It was a little shocking, to say the least.  Then, what happened next? Ironhorse up and died on me.  He ultimately kept his promise to Mehgan, and I ultimately shed a tear or two for the iron giant.

As for Meghan, she still had a tendency to annoy me at times.  Don’t fret, my friends!  My like for the Princess definitely out-weighs my dislike.  And what was up with her suddenly having iron glamour powers?! I can say I never saw that one coming, but I liked it.  A lot. I’m making the assumption right now as I start book 3 in the series, her power over the Iron Fey is going to play a big part in who becomes leader in that side of the Faery world. It obviously already has, but I’m thinking more power will come to her. With that said, whether she actually becomes Queen of the Iron Fey as I’m speculating, remains to be seen for me.

I also enjoy watching Meghan grow as the books progress. She’s accepting the fact that her life will never be the same again, and instead of dwelling on a lot of the negativity, she’s beginning to embrace it more and more. Of course she misses home, misses some of the normal teenage moments she use to take for granted, but she’s realizing that there’s much more to the life of an Erlking’s daughter.

Is it just me or does anyone else find Grimalkin to be a little odd?  I’m curious to find out what the cat’s deal is.  From his stand-off-ish, careless attitude, to the reason why he always seems to disappear when sh*t hits the fan.  Then he mysteriously reappears when they need him as a guide to their next destination.  And let’s not forget his constant reply of “I’m a cat” whenever anyone asks questions.  There’s something fishy about that cait sith. Very fishy.

And lastly, I LOVE how intricate Julie Kagawa is in her descriptions of the different types of fey.  She goes into great detail, and each time I read a description of how one looks, I find myself wishing I was a talented artist who could put my mind’s eye of these characters onto paper.  The descriptions seem amazing -- some sound truly frightening and some devastatingly beautiful.  Definitely something to ponder.

On to the next book in the series, The Iron Queen!

Stay bookish, my friends,

Book Review: The Iron King

Book being reviewed: The Iron King (Iron Fey #1)

Author: Julie Kagawa
I give this book:

4 out of 5 owls.

"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."

I know I’m a little behind on this one, since many of my friends have already read it.   The Iron King has been on my Goodreads to-read list for-ev-ah!  Just bear with me on this one.   First of all, I ABSOLUTELY adored this book.  I love it!  Now whether its one of my all-time favorite reads is debatable.  I’ll have to judge that after I finish the entire series. 

To be quite honest, I’ve never really gotten into the whole fairy/faery/fey thing while reading other fairy novels.  They’re either not very entertaining to me, or just lacking that particular spark that I like to feel while reading a good book.  You know the one.  I live for that spark as a book-lover.  THIS Fey book, on the other hand, had THAT spark and was chocked-full of adventure and suspense.  Not to mention, there happens to be more than one choice of heroic males that we all love to oh-so-crush on.  I myself am leaning a little more towards Ash and his all around bad-boy demeanor.  Regardless of me having a little soft spot for Puck's witty style and humor, I'd probably only choose to love Puck as a best friend.  I'd definitely want to have him around on bad days to make me laugh, while snuggling up next to Ash whenever I felt like it.  Sound good?  Coolness.  I can roll with that.

As for the main heroine, Meghan Chase, I truly felt for the girl many times within the book.   She went through a whole lot of not only emotional pain, but physical pain as well.  Much, much more than most 15/16 year olds go through.  Ever.  She did tend to get whiny at times -- which was what annoyed me the most about her -- but I’m certain I would too if  I went through the same experience at that age.  Hell, I’d probably whine right now as an adult.

All in all, as I’ve said, I truly adored this book.  I’ve got high hopes for the rest of the Iron Fey series, In which I highly doubt I’ll be disappointed.  I would without a second thought definitely recommend The Iron King to anyone with a love of YA supernatural romance.   I’m sure they’d feel the same way I do.

I’m definitely looking forward to diving into the next three books in the series.  If they’re anything like The Iron King, with all the book’s nail-biting, heart-pounding moments, I’m sure I’ll love them all just the same.

Spreading the literary love from mine to yours,