The Iron King | Book Review

Title: The Iron King (The Iron Fey #1)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Published: February 1st 2010 by Harlequin Teen

Goodreads summary: 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.

REVIEW

I would have loved this book if I had read it in 2010, when it was first published. Alas, I read it in 2015, when I have a YA master degree (or so). Still, I enjoyed this book, like every other book Julie Kagawa has written, and I'm looking forward to catch up on this series, since The Iron Warrior is coming out very soon.

In the beginning, this book was slow, I have a feeling it took forever to learn about faeries, especially when Meghan was feeling something was off since the first pages. Nevertheless, these faeries creeped me out, because a hat was there when it wasn't Meghan's family, and so on. I'm glad I was a little frightened, because it hasn't happened in a long time, it reminded me of the pixies in Need by Carrie Jones, whose had the same effect on me.

I really liked that the faerie world was inspired from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and how it was explain because this way, it made sense. Those faeries were everything I expected from them: in an eerie world, made bargain after bargain, had magic and pointed ears. Apparently, there is also a very diverse cast of faeries, I'm eager to know more about them.

The fact that the villain was distinct from the faerie world while being in it was really interesting, because he was deadly to other faeries, because iron (it's no spoiler because it is in the title!). Moreover, we learn at the end that there might be 'regular' faeries involved, which means... The characters need to find the great evil. 

I have mixed feelings about the characters, for now. I don't like Meghan, because she was so clueless about everything and made stupid choices, I just wanted to strangle her. I'm not really surprised she's this way, because it was often the way YA authors were writing their main character in 2010. Still, I don't like it. I think I like Ash, but I'm not really sure yet, because we don't really know him, even if we know a little about his past. Puck is a total cliché, the funny character in love with a clueless heroine, but I loved him anyway, he was well portrayed and reminded me of Peter Pan. Grimalkin was the best, in my opinion, he was just the Cheshire cat incarnate. He's a peculiar character that resolves anything by saying it's 'because he's a cat'.

I'm rooting for the romance, but I think it was a little too fast and should have happen later on in the story (insta-love). However, there might be a love triangle, and I totally don't want that, because I'm pretty sure I know how it would end.

The ending wrapped the book up nicely, we know where we're going. As a debut, it was highly enjoyable, I'm looking forward to see where it goes.

Have you read this series? Do you know other great books with faeries in it?

The Girl at Midnight | Book Review

Title: The Girl at Midnight (The Girl at Midnight #1)

Author: Melissa Grey

Published: April 28th 2015 by Delacorte Press

Goodreads summary: Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.

Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.

Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, though if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.

But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.

REVIEW

I was hesitant to read this book, because a lot of people said it was very similar to Daughter of Smoke and Bone. To be honest, it was. From the doors to go all around the world to a forever-going war between two species or even the resolution of the firebird arc (I expected it, but was so disappointed when I realized I was right), it was Daughter of Smoke and Bone. If you haven't read this one, then it won't be a problem in the Girl at Midnight, I'll advise you to read DOSAB though, because it is much better. 

That being said, I loved this book. I felt like Melissa Grey had read a lot of YA and done a list of dos and don'ts to apply at her novel. Secondary characters had their backstories, they were diverse characters, it is even asked why the main character has to be the hero. There were Lord of the Rings references, it was really funny. Moreover, the writing was beautiful.

"Ever since she'd found that music box, Echo's world had tilted on the axis, just a few degrees, but enough so that everything was different. She saw colors differently, smelled things differently, heard sounds that she had never deigned to notice before. It was as though she was experiencing the world for the first time, and everything was new. "

For this series, the main plot it to bring peace between the two species fighting, the Avicen and the Drakharin, who have been at war since the beginning of times (or so). This first book had his own plot, with finding the firebird. I really enjoyed that I knew what the book would bring to the bigger story, because sometimes, you don't really see the point. Speaking of which, finding the firebird felt like planning an enormous heist, because of the characters involved, like Jasper. It was a fast-paced book, with a lot of different settings, because it starts in New York and finish in the Black Forest. It made the book really rich, especially with places like the Oracle, I loved that part. 

I really enjoyed reading about these characters. Our main character, Echo, has been taken in by one of the Avicen, the Ala, when she was seven, and since then, she tried to belong. This is the reason she gives to Ivy when she asks her why she has to go on. It was interesting that she had a boyfriend before  the beginning of the book, because this way, she wasn't the kind of heroine who was almost waiting to fall in love (even if...). She was strong and witty, I enjoyed reading about her, and can't wait for more.

"Careful is my middle name."

"I thought your middle name was danger," he said.

"That was last week."

"Of course."

"Of course."

Caius was also a very interesting character, he intrigued me at first because I didn't understand why we got his point of view, but it made sense. He has a rich backstory (even if not surprising, see DOSAB), which is the reason we want to find the firebird. Secondary characters were diverse and they didn't feel useless: Jasper, who made me think of Magnus Bane, Dorian, who had a strong reason to be there, and Ivy, Echo's best friend who was there by mistakes but useful because a healer. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I recommend you to read it, it was a strong debut, even if there is another book I mentioned you should read first. I'm excited for The Shadow Hour, because I think the series will go in its own direction and not be so much like other books.  

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Walk on Earth a Stranger | Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine where I discuss the upcoming releases that I'm most excited for. 

Title: Walk on Earth a Stranger (The Gold Seer Trilogy #1)

Author: Rae Carson

Published: September 22th 2015 by Greenwillow Books

Goodreads summary: Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety? Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research.

MY THOUGHTS

I didn't finish The Girl of Fire and Thorns to be honest, the main character annoyed me and the plot was really slow (um unpopular opinion here!). However, I wanted to give this author another chance, because the premise of this book intrigues me. Also, I watched a western movie a few weeks ago, now I really want to know more about America at this time period. I think historical fiction and fantasy could be a great mix here. Lee's power makes me think a little of Hazel's in The Heroes of Olympus, by the way!

Are you excited for this book? What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Ten finished series that I have YET to finish (but won't) | Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created by The Broke and the Bookish. 

The more I read, the less I am likely to finish series, because I lose interest in it. It's rare that I haven't finished a series I'm interested it, the only example I have in mind is for the Gemma Doyle trilogy, because I haven't read the last book yet, but I'm planning to, I'm just waiting for Halloween. 

1. ERAGON BY CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI

I loved the first two books but I had to wait forever to read the third, and when I did... I couldn't remember anything about this world or the story, except who Eragon and Saphira were. To read the fourth book, I would have to reread the first three books in the series, and I have so many other things to read that I don't have the time.

2. THE WOLVES OF MERCY FALL BY MAGGIE STIEFVATER

I loved Shiver and I started Linger but I couldn't get back into the story, unfortunately. I never succeeded in finishing The Scorpio Races either, but The Raven Cycle is one of my favourite series. Go figure. 

3. BEAUTIFUL CREATURES BY KAMI GARCIA AND MARGARET STOHL

The only book I didn't read was the last one, and in fact, it was the smallest, haha. Anyway, I don't have any interest for Lena and Ethan anymore, even if Liv and Ridley were great characters. But not enough to read Dangerous Creatures, actually. 

4. THE WITCH HUNTER BY MICHELLE KRYS

I wanted to like Hexed so much, but failed. There is only one other book I have to catch up on, but I won't. 

5. SLAMMED BY COLLEEN HOOVER

I looooved Slammed. However, I don't like to read contemporary series because there is so much drama. There are two other books and when I read the summary of Point of Retreat, I felt it would go this way, and I hate that. So, no matter how much I love CoHo's books, I won't continue with this series.

6. THE MAZE RUNNER BY JAMES DASHNER

I really enjoyed the first two books, but I heard The Death Cure was really disappointing, so I never tried it. I read the prequel, The Kill Order, and never finished it. Still, I will watch all the movies but I'm not interested. In fact, I don't even remember what happened at the end of The Scorch Trials, which means I'm not interested anymore.

7. MATCHED BY ALLY CONDIE

I enjoyed the first book, two years ago I tried to read Crossed, failed, then tried again last year, then failed. Yeah. It's sad because I own all the books in that trilogy, but book two wasn't working for me, it was painfully slow.

8. THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER BY MEGAN SHEPERD

I found this novel to be gross. It disgusts me so much I don't have the will to go on... Moreover, the plot wasn't fantastic, and there is an unnecessary love triangle.

9. SERAPHINA BY RACHEL HARTMAN

I didn't really enjoyed the first book. I struggled to finish it, so there is no way I'll be able to read Shadow Scale...

10. KANIN CHRONICLES BY AMANDA HOCKING

When I read Frostfire, I was so confused because I hadn't read the main series (it's a spin-off) and it felt so much like previous YA series that I hadn't any interest to continue. However, the covers are GORGEOUS.

Did you finish any of these series? Are there series you're late and haven't finished yet?

Let me know in the comments ;)

Seasons for Books? | Book Discussion

With the change of seasons comes the change of clothes. The Fall is coming (Winter too, yes), which means coats and warmer clothes. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't want to depress you, so I'll talk about something that makes us all happy:

B   O   O   K   S

I don't know about you, but I noticed that I read more of certain genres during some seasons. For example, I like to have cute contemporaries for the summer, or more "heavy" books for the winter, I mean high fantasy, dystopia, sci-fi...

I'm so excited that the Fall is coming, because it is my favourite season, I love to see the colour of the leaves changing, that it's Halloween (even though we don't really celebrate it in France). Because it is that time of the year, there are certain types of books that I'd rather read than other. Of course, I'm also a mood reader and a sucker for high fantasy, so it doesn't mean I'll only read from the genres I'm going to list. 

WESTERN

I've never read a book from this genre before, to be honest, but I really want to try it. Western's landscapes always make me think of the Fall, with its brownish colours. Two books I'm anticipating are being released in this genre this Fall and I can't wait to get to read them: Vengeance Road and Walk on Earth a Stranger.

PARANORMAL & FANTASY

The right time to read paranormal books is Fall, let's be real. It's Halloween time, what's better to read about paranormal creatures? I don't have that much books of that genre on my TBR right now, buuut Lair of Dreams or Slasher Girls & Monster Boys. I can't wait to get my hands on Library of Souls because the photographies are a little creepy and create such an atmosphere. It's also the time to read about boarding school (because school is here again) like The Copper Gauntlet or The Sweet Far Thing. Witches is also something I want to read about, for example in Firewalker.

I can't really talk about seasons without mentioning one book in particular, coming out this October, which is Ice Like Fire. This high fantasy series is based upon seasons: the main character is coming from Winter's kingdom, for example.

Seasons totally make in a mood for a certain type of books, don't you agree? What are the kind of books you're eager to read during the Fall?

This is What Happy Looks Like | Book Review

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Published: April 2nd 2013 by Headline

Goodreads summary: If fate sent you an email, would you answer? 

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds. 

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs.

REVIEW

For this book, the title won't play trick you. This is exactly what it is about: make the reader happy. This is the kind of book that reminded me why I love reading so much: because I want to have a smile on my face while I read, and to be happy that I read it. This is a cute contemporary, perfect for summer time, really.

I really liked the premise of this book, how it was just luck that made the two characters starting talking to each other. Both of them had their own personalities and their own secrets, they were very realistic. On one hand, Ellie has reasons of her own not to want to be in the spotlight, because of her past. I enjoyed that aspect of the story, because it made the book more important than the romance: family, but also friendship, are important, it's still sometimes ignored in YA. 

On the other hand, we saw Graham struggling with his celebrity (of course, it's a classic, but it's something I love reading about) and his ordinary life, like how to interact with his parents now that he lived alone at seventeen. The way Jennifer E. Smith talked about celebrity, with its scandals and everything else felt true. Honestly, I cried a little at the end, because it was so beautiful. 

Of course, some people will say this book was predictable and that the situation was a little unrealistic - which explains why it won't be a 5 stars book - but that's why we love to read that kind of book, don't we? Because it makes us happy and confident in ourselves in humanity.

The Copper Gauntlet | Book review

Title: The Copper Gauntlet (Magisterium #2)

Author: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Published: September 1st 2015 by Scholastic Press

Goodreads summary: Callum Hunt’s summer break isn’t like other kids’. His closest companion is a Chaos-ridden wolf, Havoc. His father suspects him of being secretly evil. And, of course, most kids aren’t heading back to the magical world of the Magisterium in the fall.

It’s not easy for Call . . . and it gets even harder after he checks out his basement and discovers that his dad might be trying to destroy both him and Havoc.

Call escapes to the Magisterium -- but things only intensify there. The Alkahest -- a copper gauntlet capable of separating certain magicians from their magic -- has been stolen. And in their search to discover the culprit, Call and his friends Aaron and Tamara awaken the attention of some very dangerous foes -- and get closer to an even more dangerous truth.

As the mysteries of the Magisterium deepen and widen, bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare take readers on an extraordinary journey through one boy’s conflict -- and a whole world’s fate.

REVIEW

"Well, I'm no library expert, but A for Alkahest seems like a safe bet," said Tamara, skipping ahead. She was obviously thrilled to be back.

The Copper Gauntlet was better than the first book in the series, The Iron Trial. It is definitely a fast read, but I'm pretty sure I felt that because it is middle grade, so for a younger audience, I read it in a few hours. I loved the beginning and the ending, but had a harder time with the middle.

I liked that because of what was revealed in the first book, Callum was thinking a lot about his actions and the balance between good and evil, which is a very good thing for a middle grade book. The characters were well developed and I was able to understand them a little more, mostly because of the party we saw at Tamara's. Jasper was a pleasant surprise in this book, I came to respect him. I think he'll be a lot more with Tamara, Aaron and Callum, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I think the romance aspect was a little rushed, even if it was expected, because the characters are only thirteen and wouldn't act this way. However, we only see one side of the barrier, so I'm looking forward to see how the other character will react.

There was a point in the story, to find the Alkhahest, a copper gauntlet that can withdraw chaos magic (I think?). It was well executed, I liked that the apprentices weren't able to find it because they were the best and so on, but because they had been manipulated to do so.  However, I'm a little disappointed we didn't see much of the Magisterium.

"Call," said Tamara. "Is there someone in the bathtub with you?"

Call sighed. He hadn't expected his truth telling to bite him back so quickly. "Havoc," he admitted.
"Call!" Tamara said. "That is so disgusting." 

  

It was a fun read, especially with the Assembly, I'm still laughing when I'm imagining their faces. This book was also a little creepy because of the tomb and everything in it, so in my opinion, it's good for Halloween.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, even it still feels a little too familiar to Harry Potter. I think that if I was younger, I would love it so much more, even if I would still feel the similarities.

Did you read the previous book? Are you excited for this one?