Book Review: The Iron Queen

The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3)

By: Julie Kagawa

Published By: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: January 2011

Page Count: 358

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: Purchased by Reviewer

Audience: Young Adult - Fantasy

P.E.R.F.E.C.T.I.O.N. in EPIC proportions! 

BRILLIANT! I read the netgalley of The Iron Queen before the book was released (thank you Netgalley and HarlequinTeen!)... it was so good I immediately had to reread the series up to and including The Iron Queen again. I am still blown away! Julie Kagawa is a master story teller. She has the ability to paint the scene with her words and describe the characters so richly, it's like a movie is playing in my head as I read. 

Julie masterfully orchestrated the perfect faerie story with a modern twist. It will touch on every raw emotion you have so be ready for a very emotional roller coaster ride. 

The Iron Queen starts off with a bang and keeps a full pace throughout. Meghan and Ash have been exiled to the mortal world. Meghan is, in her mind, planning her future in the mortal realm after some rather life-altering events that took place in the previous books. However, this book proves that those thoughts were futile from the very beginning. Meghan's destiny has other ideas. 

Meghan has to be my favourite heroine/protagonist EVER! She is tough yet vulnerable. Her character develops and matures in a believable and yet dramatic way. She's not perfect, and still tends to revert back to her 17 year old idiocies at times, but that grounds her, in my mind. But when the chips are down... she's got plenty of courage and determination to fulfill what she sets out to do. She sacrifices so much for the greater good... that's a huge part of her character and is so very integral to the story... it's all about sacrifice for those she loves. What I also adored about Meghan is that she is the sort of person who just brings out the best in everyone around her. You can't help but want to be her friend. 

I still have a real soft spot for Puck. He, of course, has to be where Meghan is... old habits die hard.... and so we find out that he has chosen to follow her into exile as well. Puck continues to be sharp witted, and there is a bit of a bitter edge to him now. It's a tough pill for him to swallow, seeing Meghan and Ash together... happy. My heart really goes out to him. 

And Ash... oh where do I begin?? Meghan has grown by leaps and bounds since the beginning of this series... but perhaps the most astonishing transformation is in Ash. The former prince of the Unseelie Court sheds several layers of his icey facade and displays what has been hiding behind his (beautiful) mask, and it reveals a wonderful hero. In The Iron Queen, we learn a lot about Ash's background, and why he puts up that blank mask -- for protection -- both for his heart and from the Winter Court. It's heart-warming that it is Meghan who touches his heart and brings out the real Ash. He hit all the right buttons for me. Ash was fiercely protective of Meghan, yet tough on her too... for example, when she asked Ash to teach her to fight. He was not gentle with her. He loved her enough to teach her to fight for real... with skill, instincts and cunning, which in turn, also boosted her confidence, and helped make her a stronger person all around. Ash is the epitome of the perfect "knight in shining armour"... literally. In my eyes, he is the perfect love interest, leading man, hero. There is nothing I don't love about him. 

Grimalkin is back... popping in and out as required...always in time to save their butts, along with his infamous retort when asked to explain himself, "I am a cat". 

We meet some "friendly" Iron Fey, too: Glitch, Razor (I LOOOOVE Razor!!), and some of Iron Horses's kin. 

All the characters, good and bad, come alive... no one is superfluous... each has a purpose, and are rich and dimensional. Each and every character pulls some sort of emotion out of you. Julie made me care so much for all of them. 

There is TONS of action sequences and surprises with just enough "I knew it" tidbits thrown in to make you clap to yourself! And with Meghan and Ash, there is NO shortage of romance. *sigh*... beautifully written and perfectly balanced. 

I will not give the ending away but I will say that it literally left me emotionally drained. This story sat with me for a very long time afterwards. That's how I know it was so good... it leaves an impression that doesn't easily fade away. And regarding the ending, THANK GOD I knew ahead of time that there will be a fourth book in this series, The Iron Knight!!! Knowing there will be more story got me through the ending of this one, even though the plot of this book had its conclusion. 

I tell you honestly... if you haven't started this series yet... YOU HAVE TO... RIGHT NOW!! This is EPIC... PHENOMENAL! Well done, Julie K! Well done! And I still say... if I could give it a hundred birdies, I would!

Summary:

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.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Last Echo

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where she spotlights upcoming releases.

This week I am waiting on....

The Last Echo (The Body Finder #3)

By: Kimberly Derting

Release Date: April 2012

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet's talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it's Violet's job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by "the girlfriend collector" she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new "relationship" and Violet may have caught his eye....

YA Paranormal Activity Giveaway Hop!

A BIG thank you to all those who entered. The winner has received an email concerning their prize. They have 48 hours to reply with their shipping information. If they fail to do so, a new winner will be chosen in their place.

The winner of the SIGNED copy of Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer is...

Lisa R.

popcorn farts

high on FIRE album art & giant tiger

new h.o.f. album out soon, lehi

over 6 ft. long painting  commissioned by barnaby from 3 floyds brewery , lehi

Book Review: Tiger, Tiger

Tiger, Tiger: A Memoir

By: Margaux Fragoso

Published By: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Publication Date: March 2011

Page Count: 336

Buy it at Amazon or IndieBound

Source: Purchased by Reviewer

Audience: Adult - Memoir, Abuse

This is a very difficult book to give a star rating to. On the one hand, it was absolutely compelling and I read it in a single sitting. On the other hand, the subject matter is frankly disturbing and I would feel wrong about giving it five stars. So I'm going to leave this one without a birdie rating... I'm sure you will understand why through reading my review.

This is a memoir (the first memoir I have ever finished) which details a woman's memories of growing up in the thrall of a pedophile. A friend's husband recommended this to me, as it was required reading on his teaching course, and I think this is an important book to read for everyone. It is not necessarily a pleasant read, far from it as there are scenes where the author was coerced into sexual acts at the tender age of 7/8, but I have learned a heck of a lot about what it is like to be the object of a pedophile's attention, and how they can convince their victims into thinking what is happening is right. I have seen this book on YA bookshelves, but I really don't think that it is something you want anyone under 16 to be reading; it isn't graphic but it is disturbing. 

The prologue and afterword were very interesting, as the author stepped away from the past and described things as an adult. It is very scary just how locked into the relationship she was as a young girl - thinking she wanted the relationship and what came with it, but having painful physiological reactions brought on from mental anguish, it seems. It was like her body knew deep down that it was all terribly wrong, but she just couldn't consciously deal with that. 

I really need to think on this book a lot more. I don't really want to put it on my list of recommendations, despite how compelling it was, and I don't want to keep the book in my home at all, but I do feel like this was a very important story that got told, and I think more people need to hear it to try and save future victims from suffering. I was quite appalled that throughout, the girl's mother (who was not entirely 'there' mentally) didn't have the slightest inkling of what was going on, and she thought the whole thing was very innocent. I'd say this is an important book for mothers to read; you just never know. 

Summary:

One summer day, Margaux Fragoso meets Peter Curran at the neighborhood swimming pool, and they begin to play. She is seven; he is fifty-one. When Peter invites her and her mother to his house, the little girl finds a child’s paradise of exotic pets and an elaborate backyard garden. Her mother, beset by mental illness and overwhelmed by caring for Margaux, is grateful for the attention Peter lavishes on her, and he creates an imaginative universe for her, much as Lewis Carroll did for his real-life Alice.

In time, he insidiously takes on the role of Margaux’s playmate, father, and lover. Charming and manipulative, Peter burrows into every aspect of Margaux’s life and transforms her from a child fizzing with imagination and affection into a brainwashed young woman on the verge of suicide. But when she is twenty-two, it is Peter—ill, and wracked with guilt—who kills himself, at the age of sixty-six.

Told with lyricism, depth, and mesmerizing clarity, Tiger, Tiger vividly illustrates the healing power of memory and disclosure. This extraordinary memoir is an unprecedented glimpse into the psyche of a young girl in free fall and conveys to readers—including parents and survivors of abuse—just how completely a pedophile enchants his victim and binds her to him.

Teaser Tuesday: The Baker's Daughter, Until I Die, Destined, & Starters

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly feature, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Jane smiled. "Just 'cause you're born in a place don't make it home. Sometimes I watch the trains go by and wish I could jump on. Watch the planes scratch the blue and wish I was inside. Mom's always called me a daydreamer, a stargazer, a rambler - whatever I am, I wished to God I wasn't. Dreaming doesn't do me a bit of good."

~ The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy, pg. 10

"Now that you are here -- now that we're together -- I can't imagine going back to the life I had before. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you now. I love you too much." My throat constricted. He said the three magical words. Out loud. When he registered my stunned expression, his lips curled up at the corners. "But you knew that already, didn't you?" My heart became a gooey mess inside my chest, and then he said it again.

~ Until I Die by Amy Plum, pg. 71 (ARC)

He couldn't say the words. Couldn't say anything. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't see. Blackness descended around him. He had to get to her - he couldn't live without her, didn't know how. Didn't know how to breathe in and out in a world she wasn't a part of.

~ Destined by Aprilynne Pike, pg. 185 (ARC)

It was a war, people. Nobody won. Not us, not the Pac Rim countries. In less than a year, the face of America changed to a sprinkling of Starters like me in a sea of silver-haired Enders, well off, well fed, and oblivious. They weren't all rich, but none of them were as poor as we were, because we weren't allowed to work or vote. That nasty little policy had been in place before the war, with the aging population, but it had become even more of an issue postwar.

~ Starters by Lissa Price, pg. 28 (ARC)

Book Review: Goddess Interrupted

Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2)

By: Aimee Carter

Published By: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: March 27, 2012

Page Count: 304

Buy it at Amazon or IndieBound

Source: Graciously Provided by Publisher via NetGalley

Audience: Young Adult - Paranormal Romance

Check out my review of book #1, The Goddess Test

Aimee Carter has outdone herself with this one. I was so impressed with how much more solid her writing was this time and how she totally stepped up the suspense. I did enjoy The Goddess Test - don't get me wrong - but I have to say that I enjoyed Goddess Interrupted more. The pacing and sense of urgency kept my heart racing until the very end. Carter has taken the traditional Greek myths and added her own spin to them that makes them delicious and addictive. I am already craving book three.

Goddess Interrupted picks up the summer after The Goddess Test. Kate has spent her summer traveling through Greece with James, but she's looking forward to heading into the Underworld to spend some time with her husband, Henry. For those who haven't read this series, its closely related to the Persephone and Hades myth. Persephone, is in fact, Kate's older sister. However, when Kate arrives she finds that Henry is distant and the Underworld is in chaos. Calliope is bent on revenge and Kate is most certainly the target. To make matters worse, Calliope has allied herself with Cronus, the trapped Titan. Titans are the only beings that can kill an immortal. A battle is brewing and humanity hangs in the balance.

I enjoyed the plot of this one. I couldn't put the book down for long. The anxiety over what was going to happen to Kate and Henry kept me wanting to read. I loved losing myself in this world and this story. After a really stressful week, it was the perfect medicine. Carter has created characters that I love in spite of their flaws. Furthermore, I really liked that Kate's apprehension concerning Persephone come to the forefront in this one. Kate has always seen herself as a consolation prize living in the shadow of her long dead sister who still owns a portion of Henry's heart. It is apparent that Kate and Henry can never truly move forward in their relationship until the past is resolved. The conflict between Kate, Henry, and Persephone made for some pretty intense moments. I also don't feel like this book is a bashing of Persephone at all. Each one of these characters makes mistakes concerning relationships and seeks to work through those issues.

In addition, I also liked the change of setting for this one. In book one, the reader becomes familiar with life on the surface at Eden Manor. However, in this book, everything happens in the Underworld. I found it fascinating to learn how Henry's Underworld works in comparison to the traditional version from the original mythology. The segments of the book in which Kate is outside of the palace and interacting with her environment were some of my favorite.

One issue I had with this book was Kate's attitude about herself. I understand that she feels she can never live up to Persephone for Henry or her mother, but I hated when she would put her self down. She constantly did this through the first half of the book. I always find myself getting frustrated with main characters who can't see their own true worth. I could understand her second guessing Henry's intentions and emotions, but she should be able to have some faith in herself. She seemed to be very whiny and self absorbed during this one. While I understood where she was coming from, I wish that there had been a little less of this happening. I was pleased to see Kate start to change in this respect by the end of the book; she started to show some of the old spark that made her so appealing in The Goddess Test.

Overall, I loved this one. I do have to say that Carter is just cruel - the cliffhanger in this one will have your mouth hanging open and tears threatening to spill over. I wasn't sure how to feel or respond. If the ending doesn't leaving you wanting book three immediately then there is something wrong.

One Last Gripe: It was very confusing to remember which God and Goddess went with each modern name. I had to keep my copy of The Goddess Test nearby to use as a reference.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: The plot

First Sentence: Calliope trudged through the sunny field as she ignored the babble of the redhead trailing behind her.

Favorite Character: Henry

Least Favorite Character: Calliope

Summary:

Kate Winters has won immortality. 

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it. 

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. 

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. 

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

Music Monday: KT Tunstall

Music Monday is our chance to feature music that we really love. Many writers use a writing playlist to help set the mood and tone of the scenes they are writing. We like to spotlight music from our favorite authors' playlists, but sometimes we just go with our favorite songs.  

This week we are featuring a song from Catherine McKenzie's Spin.

Cover Crazy: Ultraviolet

 The purpose of Cover Crazy is to feature a cover each week for us to admire its beauty. I really like this idea since there are so many great covers out there! Cover Crazy is a meme that was started by The Book Worms.

I admit that I knew nothing about this book before seeing it on a friend's GoodReads feed. The cover drew my eye, though- I was at first puzzled about whether the girl is a real human, because her facial expression reminds me of angel statues I've seen in cemeteries. Next I noticed the hair: long, wild, and tempestuous. The face seems so stony and lacking life, while the hair is uncannily lively. I love the fade to black as the eye moves down the page, and the unfocused tree leaves in the background, lending the picture an imaginary soundtrack. And then I read the synopsis. . . and immediately put it on my to-read list!
Readers, what do you think of this cover?

.

Cover Reveal: Luminosity

LUMINOSITY (Luminosity, #1) by Stephanie Thomas (September 11, 2012)

"My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win."

Paperback Available for Pre-Order from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Luminosity-Stephanie-Thomas/dp/1620611279/ref=lh_ni_t

Add to your Goodreads TBR:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13425149-luminosity

Guest Post with J. Bennett

Please welcome to the Nest the fresh voiced J. Bennett, the author of Falling, the first book in her Girl With Broken Wings series. I hope y'all enjoy her as much as I have!

Anatomy of an Angel

Thank you to the lovely ladies of Reading Lark for hosting me and for supporting so many talented authors. Since this blog is geared for savvy and passionate readers, I thought it would be fun to write about one of the most rewarding and challenging aspects of writing paranormal fiction. Without further adieu…

“It’s a legitimate question,” my sister insisted over the phone.

“Is not,” I shot back.

“Well….if you don’t know the answer…”

“Of course I know,” I snapped at her. “It’s just…does it really matter?”

“It does to me. Maya doesn’t eat human food; she feeds off human auras, so… does she poop or not?”

Writing my first novel has been an amazing adventure. I knew it would be hard. I knew there would be plot holes to fill, dialogue to carefully craft (and then re-craft and re-craft and re-craft…), and pacing knots to patiently untangle. Did I ever think that I would spend several days contemplating whether or not my main character poops?

No, but that’s both the fun and challenge of writing in the paranormal genre. You can make your characters do the most unbelievable things…as long as it’s believable.

What I mean is that the paranormal elements must work; there must be some rudimentary foundation of logic, some master plan or map that the author has built behind the scenes.

Let me take a step back and provide a little context. I recently released my first novel, Falling , book one in the Girl With Broken Wings series. Falling is a paranormal adventure featuring Maya, a college sophomore who is abducted and changed into an “Angel”. My angels aren’t of the fluffy-wing, harp-wielding variety. They are a group of genetically-enhanced super humans who possess extremely keen senses, reflexes and strength. Additionally, they can see emotions as colors in the auras that each human exudes. Angels feed off these auras, making humans their number one snack of choice.

When I created Maya as a character, I had to develop her unique voice, define her motivations (easy – she mostly just wants to find and kill the one who changed her), and figure out how her new body worked. It was kind of a cool process. Not only did I need to chart the mechanics of her new abilities, I also had to demonstrate how this change affected her life.

I spent a lot of time imaging how Maya interacted with a world in which she could hear the other end of a phone conversation from across the street, run a sub-four minute mile and lift three hundred pounds overhead easily. Then there was the hunger. Enhanced senses are great, but I also had to describe what it was like for Maya to live every day tempted to feed off the energy of the humans around her (including her two vigilante rescuers who also happen to be her half-brothers).

Probably the most difficult aspect of creating Maya was figuring out how the auras worked and defining a consistent system wherein different colors, movement and brightness all helped Maya read the emotional patterns of the humans around her. It didn’t help anything that I decided everyone’s aura was slightly different or that one of her half-brothers, Tarren, starts catching on to Maya’s abilities and locks down his emotions.

I have a whole color chart that correlates to emotions. My sister has a habit of peppering me questions like, “what color is angst?”, “what about hubris?”

Hubris? Seriously? I need to have an aura color for hubris?

The easiest paranormal element for me to write was the actual way in which Maya feeds. It’s kind of funny how some things can be so very clear, and other aspects are a struggle to define and develop. Maya’s feeding as definitely on the “very clear” side of things. In fact, it was almost the first part of her I ever saw.

Like most of the things I write, Falling started out as a single scene that materialized inside my head and then wouldn’t leave. I imagined a young woman approaching a bed where her brother slept (this would eventually turn out to be Gabe). To her enhanced eyes, he is cloaked in a beautiful blue aura. She hungers for that aura, for his energy. The addiction is so strong that she cannot fight it.  As she drifts closer to the bed, the skin peels back from her palms and vein-covered bulbs lift out of each hand. Unable to stop herself, she reaches out her hand, ready to attach her feeding bulbs to his aura and drain him.  

This scene eventually became the prologue of the novel, and I built the angel feeding mechanics around that central vision of the skin peeling back from Maya’s palms and the bulbs slowly lifting out. I added more details and even drew up an “angel anatomy outline” for myself, but the essentials remained the same.

I think readers may be interested to know how much thought writers put into all the background details of how paranormal elements work in their stories and how many reams (electronic reams now) of charts, anatomy outlines, lists of aura-color correlations never see the light of day.

I wonder this myself when I pick up a new paranormal novel (by “pick up” I mean download onto my Kindle). I’m sure it varies from author to author. I imagine some authors are obsessive like me (must make more charts), while others  put more faith in the reader’s ability to suspend belief. Personally, I really like when I can really visualize how a certain element works.

I love details. I love feeling the story in my bones, and I love it when readers come to me with questions like “Does Maya need to brush her teeth?” “Can she get pregnant?”  But even I have my limits…which is why the poop question will remain unanswered!  

Falling is J Bennett’s first novel and the first book in the Girl With Broken Wings series. It is currently available as an ebook for $2.99 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords. J Bennett is a professional copywriter and copyeditor. She also writes the blog www.ShyWriter.com  

Book Review: Falling

Falling

Book #1 in the Girl With Broken Wings series

Author: J. Bennett

Release Date:  January 2, 2012

Published By: Smashwords

Buy it at Amazon (Only $2.99, y'all!)

Source: Provided By Author

Audience: YA/Older Teens/Urban Fantasy

My Thoughts:

Fresh - That's my first thought. Falling a fresh take on the paranormal/genetic engineering world, with a refreshing voice.  Maya is imperfect, sarcastic and believable; and her plight is heart-poundingly realistic. Tarren and Gabe also fall into this category and can barely be called secondary characters, because their voices and personalities are strong and defined.

The author crafts (and crafts very well in my humble opinion) a dark world where Angels are anything but angelic and more vampiric in nature. One thing remains true, however - Brothers are a pain in the ass, even when they're saving yours. The trio have a really great dynamic going on between them, and I having a brother myself, I enjoyed it very much. (Speaking of siblings, you can read all about the author's most pressing questions, often asked by her own sister, here, as well as get a peek into the writing process)

I also loved the detail that went into creating the auras and their colors, as well as the feeding and how it all affects Maya. It's a world and a family I want to know more about. It is classic good vs. evil but with so much more going on underneath the surface.

As far as debut novels go, J Bennett has hit the ground running and I can't wait to watch her pick up speed and take off!

Summary:
The intellectual challenge of college and the warm embrace of a serious boyfriend have given Maya the wings she needs to break away from her bookish and shy reserve. Her ideal life comes crashing down when she and her boyfriend are accosted by a stranger. A stranger with glowing hands.

Maya's boyfriend is killed. She is kidnapped. Changed. 

A rescue comes, but not soon enough. 

Maya’s senses sharpen, her body becomes strong and agile, and she develops the ability to visually see the emotions of those around her as colorful auras…beautiful auras…tempting auras. 
 
And then there’s the song…

Now, Maya must struggle to control the murderous appetite that fuels her new abilities, accept her altered condition and learn to trust two vigilante half-brothers she never knew she had. As she joins the battle against a secret network of powerful and destructive beings that call themselves "Angels", Maya vows to find and destroy the one who changed her.

On the bright side, at least Maya's oldest half-brother has stopped trying to kill her.

February Emptying the Nest Winners!

A BIG thank you to all those who entered. Each winner has received an email concerning their prize. They have 48 hours to reply with their shipping information. If they fail to do so, a new winner will be chosen in their place.

The winner of Bloodlust (Vampire Beach #1) by Alex Duval is Kelly M.

The winner of The Betsy-Tacy Treasury by Maud Hart Lovelace is Linda I.

The winner of The Twilight Companion by Lois Gresh is Linda I.

The winner of Eragon by Christopher Paolini is Ashley @ WhollyBooks

The winner of Eldest by Christopher Paolini is Kelly M.

The winner of Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees is DJ Librarian

The winner of The Time in Between (ARC) by Maria Duenas is Margaret