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: There You'll Find Me

Book being reviewed: There You'll Find Me

Author: Jenny B. Jones

I give this book:

5 out of 5 owls!

 Grief brought Finley to Ireland. Love will lead her home.

Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will.

She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane.

Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.

Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise?

Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along?

**SPOILER WARNING**
 

Some would disagree with my rating of 5 out of 5 owls for this book, but I would have to stand firm behind this decision.  My decision is mainly based on how much I can relate to Finley and her story.  While I haven't lost a loved one, I have, however, been through some very trying times over the last year and a half which lead to some of the most difficult days I've faced thus far in my life.  Also like Finley, I didn't rely on my faith in God while going through those hard times.  I was stumbling along blindly in the darkness never searching for His light to lead the way.  I eventually hit my breaking point and turned to my faith to pull me through.  It hasn't been easy, but I've realized that I don't have to face my hardships alone, all I need is prayer and to have faith.  And you know what?  I've been much happier and have found an inner peace since then.  Just like Finley.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not some crazy, Bible-thumpin' Christian who's going to condemn you to hell for not believing, that's not me.  I was just simply saying I could relate to Finley's story and her renewed faith in God.  So please, if you don't believe, don't degrade me or tell me how I'm believing in a god that doesn't exist.  I respect you, you respect me -- to each their own.  Besides, this was still a great book to read!!

The two characters that I absolutely adored most in the book were Mrs. Sweeney and Erin.   I knew there was something more to Mrs Sweeney than that surly, mad at the world demeanor she first portrayed.  That bad attitude was something she used as an armor to protect herself from the world.  She knew people judged her for the mistakes she made without anybody really knowing why she made the choices she did.  All she ever cared about was protecting her sister and her son, but most never knew that. 

I won't deny the fact that I shed some tears when Mrs. Sweeney died.  It was sad that she finally received her sister's forgiveness at the very end of her life, but I'm glad she still did nonetheless.  She was able to pass on into the next life with a clear conscience and with more love in her heart than she had felt in years.  Life isn't always fair, and in Mrs. Sweeney's case, it most definitely wasn't.  She deserved to pass on with her soul at peace.  

Poor, poor Erin.  This girl was one of the sweetest characters I've ever seen in a book.  She was so kindhearted and nice to everyone, yet she was the most bullied by Beatrice and her crew.  Even though there was obviously a romantic connection bubbling between Finley and Beckett, I was silently hoping Beckett would take Erin as his date to the dance.  What better way to get back at the bully than to be the date of the most popular movie star on the planet?   Beatrice's evil ways knew no bounds when she wanted something exactly her way.  Erin being Beckett's date showed Beatrice that she couldn't control everyone's lives.  

Erin was also the first to hone in on Finley's possible battle with an eating disorder and the poor girl tried so hard to help Finley, to get Finley to talk to her, but Finley wouldn't because she was in denial.  Erin seemed to be mistreated the most in the book, it seemed she was even mistreated by Finley sometimes.  Not that I think Finley would intentionally hurt her, just that the eating disorder caused Finley to act selfishly at times which can hurt those closest to you.  

And because I usually do, we'll touch base on the lead male character, Beckett.  The Irish-born, American-raised, famous movie star had his moments where I felt I was being swept off my feet right along with Finley.   Between the accent, the charm, his devastatingly good looks, it seemed Beckett Rush had it all.  You eventually find out that this heartthrob is carrying around a ton of problems that have been weighing him down for years.  

Like Finley, Beckett was also in denial.  He lived each day thinking that he had to do what he was told and live this fake life that the media portrayed because his dad had convinced him that that's how he was suppose to live.  It was amazing to watch the two main characters come together and help each other while figuring out who they themselves were. 

Just for the inspirational aspect alone, I would highly recommend this book.  But I would also recommend this book simply because it was a refreshingly good read, and there were also many lines in the book that brought me many good laughs.  Jenny B. Jones is a very talented writer with a very quirky sense of humor.  If you pick up a copy from the store or a library, I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!

Happy reading, 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: 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 Queen

Book being reviewed: The Iron Queen

Author: Julie Kagawa

I give this book:

3 out of 5 owls.

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.

This book, oh this book... I don’t even know what to say.  I’m at a loss with The Iron Queen since it is my least favorite in the series.  To be quite frank, I don’t even know why, either.  It took me almost a week to read this one.  When compared to the other two books, I flew right through those two novels within three days of each other.  My children were fed and attended to, but that’s about it.  I do believe my husband made a comment about the laundry and the fact that he needed something washed for the previous day, but I was in a Faery-induced haze.  I don’t remember much from those days.  That’s how absorbed I was into The Iron King and The Iron Daughter.  But I digress.

Thinking about it, I guess my reasoning behind the aforementioned opinion would be how I rolled through the book with the thought of, “Okay, Meghan has to kill the false king..... but, what else?”  We knew this was going to happen, it was inevitable.  Regardless of of this fact, give me something more. Which, in my opinion, I didn’t get.  All the action happened in the last part of the book, during the Faery battle.  It drove me nuts, I wanted more action like what occurred in the two previous books.  I understand Meghan and Ash’s love needed more time to blossom and grow since their love didn’t get much of an opportunity before, but there could have been more to the story.  I can say, however, the moment Ash vowed to be Meghan’s knight I may have sighed like a love-struck teenage girl.  It was such an amazing moment between the two characters, which only strengthened their love even more.

There was also the issue of me predicting most of the story, “MOST” being the key word here.  I predicted who the false king was at the beginning of the book.  I also predicted Meghan becoming Queen of the Iron Realm.  That was a given.  The girl wasn’t bestowed those powers for nothing.

Despite my feelings towards most of the book, I still enjoyed reading the end.  The end was action-packed with a heart-wrenching moment between Meghan and Ash.  Not gonna lie, I happened to get a little teary-eyed when Meghan decided to sacrifice herself but chose to save Ash by banishing him from the iron realm.  I could only imagine how hard that moment was for not only her, but Ash as well. They’re love is beautiful, that much is certain.  I don’t know if I’d ever be strong enough to do as Meghan did and watch my true love walk away knowing I’m about to die.  Call it selfishness if you choose, but Meghan’s was an act of courage and selflessness.

I can honestly say though, in all the series that I have read before in the past and loved, there is always that one book that was my least favorite.  That book is usually the one where my attention wains a bit, and The Iron Queen was that book.  And even though I’ve ranted some about the parts I didn’t particularly like, or the parts that I wish had been present, I would, without a doubt, recommend The Iron King series.

So if you haven’t already picked up the first book to read it, which I’m sure you have as I’m behind with the times, please do it.  Now.  Yes, obviously I’m a little bossy today. ;)

Until next time, bookworms,

First Book Review: Unearthly

Book being reviewed: Unearthly (Unearthly #1)

Author: Cynthia Hand
I give this book:

3 out of 5 owls

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

I must say with a heavy heart, I wasn’t fortunate enough to like this particular book. I had such high hopes for it, especially since so many of my Goodreads friends had rated it highly. But I just couldn’t get the feel of the story. Not to mention the book’s events seemed very predictable to me. Halfway through the book, I was hoping to blame the fact that I was slightly doped up on pain meds after having my wisdom teeth removed. But even then, I couldn’t. I kept telling myself that I may have to reread the book to possibly get the feel again, thinking that I may have forgotten what the book was about. But, again, I couldn’t blame that either. I just truly couldn’t get into the book. 

As I previously stated, the book was highly predictable. Girl moves away from all she’s known, girl isn’t very pleased about it, new girl is hardly accepted within her new town and school, new girl hates her life, and so on and so forth. I think you get the point. The only difference is, the new girl happens to be part-angel. I can honestly say that I liked that little twist, seeing as most angel-type books I’ve read usually have the angel being the lead male character.

The other part that wasn’t very predictable at first, although eventually became predictable, was the love story aspect of the book. When you first begin reading through the chapters, you get the inkling that the heroine, Clara, is going to fall in love with Christian, the oh-so-beautiful-popular-boy-toy. But such is not the case after we meet Tucker, the completely handsome and rugged cowboy. Clara's feelings battle it out between the two. And in the end, Tucker the cowboy wins Clara’s heart.

All in all, I wouldn’t exactly recommend this book to a friend. There are many other books I’d choose before this one. If you’re one of the readers who enjoyed reading Unearthly, then I’m glad you got something out of the pages that I didn’t.

On to the next book, I say!

Read on, Bookworms, read on,