Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
First published: October 23rd, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Format: eARC
Pages: 379

Goodreads Summary:
Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My Rating: 4.5 / 5

First thoughts:

As another wonderful addition to one of my favorite series, The Lost Prince turned out to be a very fast and entertaining read that left me craving more. With Julie's amazing style of writing and a new twist in the Nevernever this start of the spin-off series will definitely not disappoint fans of the original series.

More detailed:

Usually I'm a bit wary of spin-offs as they often cannot live up to one's expectations after having read the original series. But considering the fact that I have fallen in love with every single one of Julie's stories, I was actually looking forward to reading The Lost Prince and luckily I wasn't disappointed.

The story is told from Meghan's not-so-little-anymore brother Ethan who tries to live his life while knowing and seeing the hidden faerie world all around him. Of course that complicates his life on more than one occasion, until he is - just like his sister in The Iron King - pulled into the Nevernever and has to deal with many new problems.

I was actually quite surprised by the new plot line Julie came up with, because until I started The Lost Prince I was a bit skeptical as to whether this story could be actually something new. Luckily - or not - new dangers are slowly invading the world of Faery and make sure that Ethan has his own mission in the Nevernever.

Of course we get to meet some old favorite characters again that made me squeal a tiny bit whenever they appeared. But there are also a couple new characters that will definitely make the story even more interesting and whose motives and definite traits have not been revealed completely yet. I'm also very curious about how the love story will develop, because so far it has the potential to be a quite heartbreaking one.

All in all, I recommend you to pick up The Lost Prince if you've already read and loved the first four books of the Iron Fey series. While there are some explanations about what happened in those previous novels, I would definitely recommend though to read these before starting the spin-off - it'll be a lot more fun when you've already met certain characters before.

Have you read The Lost Prince? If yes, what did you think about it?

If no, do you plan to read it?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Carina

Short Story Review: Iron's Prophecy by Julie Kagawa

Iron's Prophecy by Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey #4.5
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
First published: September 1st, 2012
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback (part of The Iron Legends)
Pages: 76

Goodreads Summary:

Meghan Chase is finally getting used to being the Iron Queen, ruler of the Iron Fey. Her life may be strange, but with former Winter prince Ash by her side at last, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

But when they travel to the Summer and Winter courts’ gathering for Elysium, the oracle from Meghan’s past returns with a dire prophecy: “What you carry will either unite the courts, or it will destroy them.” Now Meghan faces a devastating choice that may determine the future of all fey—and her and Ash’s unborn child…

This review might include spoilers for the previous books of the series.

My Rating: 5.0 / 5

What I thought about it:

I've been in love with this series ever since I started reading the first few pages of The Iron King and still cannot get enough of its characters and world-building. Julie Kagawa has managed to create such a beautiful albeit slightly scary world that sucks you in even with the smallest snippets of writing - so of course I ended up loving Iron's Prophecy, too.

This is set not too long after The Iron Knight and gives us a tiny glimpse into Meghan's life as the Iron Queen. It ends up setting the scene for The Lost Prince and gives us a few ideas about what Julie might have in store for those characters that we've fallen in love with. I just absolutely adored the little adventure that brought a couple of our favorite heroes back together and made me reminisce about their previous adventures.

I definitely recommend reading this before reading the first installment of the spin-off, The Lost Prince, because even though it's not necessary, it makes certain scenes and actions a bit more understandable. All in all, Iron's Prophecy is another wonderful novella and adds very interesting facts to the Iron Fey series.

Have you read this series? If yes, have you read Iron's Prophecy, too, or do you plan to read it?

If no, what are you waiting for?!

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Carina

Review: Ironskin by Tina Connolly

Ironskin by Tina Connolly
Series: Ironskin #1
Publisher: Tor Books
First published: October 2nd, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Format: eARC
Pages: 304

Goodreads Summary:

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.

Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

First thoughts:

Mysterious and fascinating, Ironskin is a compelling read and made me crave more. In a world where beauty is a curse and you wish for your children to grow up being ordinary, Jane has to fight for the life she always dreamed of and pulls the readers right into the journey. At times though I wished for the story to move faster to capture my attention even more and make it impossible to put down. 

More detailed:

I read and thoroughly enjoyed Jane Eyre a couple of years ago, which was why I was dying to get my hands on Ironskin as well. And when thinking back to this retelling, the first thing that comes to my mind is its uniqueness. I've loved fey stories for a while now and Tina Connolly has created an amazing tale of mystery and fear that surrounds these creatures.

The story is told from Jane's point of view and she turns out to be a very entertaining character to listen to. There are lots of things she's thinking but not saying out loud and witnessing her interaction with the people she meets in various social circles can be anything - nerve-wracking, annoying, slightly scary, funny, and exciting.

For me the most important aspect in novels is always the love story, which sadly doesn't get too much attention in Ironskin. Jane and Rochart's interactions happen too infrequently and I had wished for a faster progress (no matter how slow the love story developed in the original story). Overall, I would have liked Ironskin to have a faster pace, because at times I felt as though the story dragged on slightly.

Nonetheless this is an interesting read that should be on your to-read list, if you are looking for a new and different take on worlds in which fey and humans interact. It's a story of beauty, both out- and inwardly, of loss and pain and of fighting for your life and to be the person you truly are. So, even though this might not have been my favorite book, I enjoyed it a lot and will definitely pick up its sequel.

Buy this book:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Have you read Ironskin? If yes, what did you think about it?

If no, do you plan to read it?

I'd really love to hear your thoughts.

Carina

Review: Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan

Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan
Series: Songs of Magic #1
Publisher: Self-Published
First published: September 16th, 2011
Source: Received from author
Format: eBook
Pages: 196

Goodreads Summary:

A rock & roll fairy tale.

Jason plays guitar in a teenage garage band called the Assorted Zebras, but they have no fans, no gigs, and they're going nowhere. Even worse, Jason has a crush on their lead singer, but she doesn't seem interested in him at all.

Then Jason steals instruments from the fairy world. Soon the band is enchanting crowds, and Jason is a step closer to the girl of his dreams, but the new gear is brimming with dangerous and destructive magic they can't control.

Their shortcut to success has cost a troupe of innocent fairies their livelihood and turned Jason and his band into enemies of the powerful Queen Mab, who sends supernatural bounty hunters to track them down, including one of the most dangerous horned creatures in Faerie...a small unicorn named Buttercake.

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

First thoughts:

With a very imaginative fairy lore, lots of humour and a small but sweet love story, Fairy Metal Thunder was a very fast and easy read for me and ensured that I'll be picking up its sequels as soon as possible. If you're looking for a Young Adult novel that is suitable for a younger audience and want to delve into a world of magic, be sure to add this one to your to-read list. 

More detailed:

Before I started reading Fairy Metal Thunder, I didn't really know what to expect except that some of my favorite bloggers absolutely love J.L. Bryan's books. Therefore I had fairly high expectations for his fairy novel and was quite happy when I realized that most of them were actually met. 

What I didn't know but maybe should or could have guessed is that it is definitely more suitable for a younger audience or for readers who prefer Young Adult books that lean more towards the Middle Grade genre. For me, though, that's the main reason I "only" rated this with three-and-a-half stars, since I usually prefer more grown up YA stories.

But to be honest, that's the only negative thing I have to say about Fairy Metal Thunder and it's also a very subjective aspect. Besides that I really enjoyed the first novel in the Songs of Magic series because it sucked me into the world of four teenagers who get to experience fame because of very beautiful fae magic. 

J.L. Bryan has not only created a stunning and fascinating fairy world but incorporated these paranormal elements very nicely into the "real world" our main character Jason grew up in. The love story is not the novel's focus, but will definitely warm your heart and make you wonder what these two will have to face in the future.

All in all, I really liked Fairy Metal Thunder and even though I usually prefer to read more mature YA novels, I'm looking forward to find out what the Assorted Zebras will experience in the next novels. And I also can't wait to see more of the intriguing fairy world which might turn out to be one of the most imaginative out there.

Buy Fairy Metal Thunder:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Have you read Fairy Metal Thunder? What did you think about it?

Do you plan to read it?

I'd love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to leave a comment below.

Carina

Review: Heaven by Christoph Marzi

Heaven by Christoph Marzi
Publisher: Orchard Books 
First published: February 2nd, 2012
Source: Received from publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 384

Goodreads Summary:
The night that Heaven lost her heart was cold and moonless. But the blade that sliced it out was warm with her dark blood...

David Pettyfer is taking a shortcut over the dark rooftops of London's brooding houses, when he literally stumbles across Heaven: a strange, beautiful, distraught girl who says that bad men have stolen her heart. Yet she's still alive...

And so begins David and Heaven's wild, exciting and mysterious adventure - to find Heaven's heart, and to discover the incredible truth about her origins.

Part thriller, part love story and part fairy tale, this brilliantly original novel from a bestselling German author will take your breath away...

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

First thoughts:

This story turned out to be as fairytale-like as expected. Christoph Marzi created a magical world that is both beautiful and imaginative and will leave its readers wanting more. While I had a few problems with the pacing, I loved the plot and the lore which is used in Heaven and that always made me want to continue reading. If you're looking for a modern fairytale, this could be the right one for you.

More detailed:

Heaven is a book that makes me curious to find more works of its author. It has originally been written in German, and while I had planned to compare this translation with the original, I sadly couldn't do so yet. But of course I enjoyed it nonetheless and especially liked its magical and fairytale-like feeling.

I have to admit that the beginning was a bit too slow-paced for my taste and the narration made it a bit hard for me to connect with the characters immediately. Heaven is told by a third-person narrator from David's point of view and while I love reading books from a male POV, it took a while for me to truly care about David and Heaven.

Nonetheless they are very intriguing characters who you can't help but sympathize with once you get to know them more. David has had a difficult past, but despite that he manages to ignore his own fears and problems and help Heaven deal with the danger she suddenly finds herself in. And while you only get to know her from David's point of view, it's hard not to like a girl like Heaven.

Most of the other characters are either good or evil and even though I'm not a fan of one-dimensional characters, it worked well with Heaven's fairytale-like composition. The things David and Heaven experience are crazy, but I loved how Christoph Marzi managed to incorporate the paranormal elements in an almost realistic and very believable way.

All in all, I ended up liking Heaven a lot. Sadly it took a while for me to get into the story and while I didn't want to put it away during the second half, I had some trouble getting through the first half of the book. But once you start caring for these characters, you will turn the pages as fast as possible to find out whether everything will turn out alright.

Click here for more information about Heaven and read its first chapter.

Have you read Heaven? What did you think about it?
Do you plan to read it?
Carina

Review: My Enchanted Life by Laura Eno

My Enchanted Life by Laura Eno
Publisher: Self-Published
First published: December 5th, 2011
Source: Received from author
Format: .mobi (Kindle)
Pages: 256

Goodreads Summary:
An American teen finds herself thrust into a world she never knew existed in England's magical community of Wode Gate. While dealing with gnomes, a cranky dragon, murder and mayhem, Emma tries to cope with her unwanted duties as Sentinel and fights to get back home again.
She finds that things aren't always what they seem, people aren't who they pretend to be, and someone wants her dead. The king of the underworld wants her too, but he may be the least of her problems as Emma struggles to control her powers—while losing her heart to a demon.

My Rating: 3.0 / 5

First thoughts:

I wasn't really sure what to expect of My Enchanted Life, but it turned out to be an enjoyable read. It's very fast-paced, at points maybe even a bit rushed, and I finished it without even realizing that I had read a complete novel. I really hope that this wasn't the last we've seen of Emma, because I'd still love some questions to be answered and to find out more about certain characters and the world they're living in.

More detailed:

Emma, My Enchanted Life's main character, is a very likeable girl who is thrust into a magical world that overwhelms her in the beginning but soon becomes an important part of her life. To me, she sometimes seemed to be slightly naive, but then she would do or say something that surprised me. While I love reading about complex characters, Emma was not very easy to figure out and I had some problems being able to relate to her and understand her (re)actions.

In My Enchanted Life we encounter many different characters, some of which were lovely surprises, others were a bit one-dimensional. Nonetheless they were the most important part of this story for me and constantly made sure to move on the plot and keep reading My Enchanted Life interesting. I'm definitely hoping for a sequel, just to see how some of them (especially Matthew and Randolph) will develop.

The world in My Enchanted Life is very imaginative and full of surprises as well. Faerie stories often get their beauty from the many different creatures and dimensions they include and Laura Eno's novel is no exception. I might have preferred the world-building to be a bit slower and more detailed, but especially the Underworld and its inhabitants captivated me.

All in all, I enjoyed reading My Enchanted Life and really hope that Emma's story is not over already. Sometimes it might have been a bit rushed and I might have wanted a few parts of the story to be more elaborated, but I really liked it nonetheless. Laura Eno created a wonderful world with intriguing characters and exciting events, and if you're looking for a light-hearted but suspenseful faerie novel, this one could be right for you.

Laura Eno online:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Have you read My Enchanted Life? What did you think about it?

Do you plan to read it?
Carina

Review: Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey
Publisher: Walker Children's Books (Bloomsbury)
First published: January 17th, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Format: eARC
Pages: 288

Goodreads Summary:
For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife. . . Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric-who may or may not betray them.

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

First thoughts:

This is a very intriguing fae story that definitely made me want to read more of Alyxandra Harvey's books. While I would have loved for the world building to be a little bit more elaborate and had a few little problems to connect with some characters, I definitely enjoyed this novel and can recommend this for people who want to read a bewitching story about faeries.

More detailed:

Since I've heard many good things about Alyxandra Harvey's books, I was really looking forward to read Stolen Away. And while it's not necessarily going to become one of my favorite novels, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I can definitely imagine reading more of her novels. Despite being very busy during the time I read it, it was easy to remember the storyline and to get back into it.

The story is told from two different points of view - Eloise and Jo. While Eloise is the "real" main character of Stolen Away and I thought her story to be very interesting, I definitely preferred reading Jo's narrations. Especially her love story was a lot more intriguing, although that might be because of my unexplainable weakness for the bad guys.

I have to admit that I was a little bit indifferent to some characters' fates which is one of the very few reasons why I didn't rate this book higher. Somehow I couldn't connect with most of them and even though I was hoping for a happy ending, I would not have been devastated without it.

I also had hoped for the faerie world to be a little bit more magical. While I might be biased after having read the amazingly creative and unique Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa, I felt as though this world was lacking some more explanations. I could definitely see a high potential and loved the basic idea of Alyxandra Harvey's faeries, but in comparison to other fae novels, I missed something special.

But all in all, I definitely enjoyed Stolen Away and can recommend it for everyone who is looking for an easy and fast paranormal read or who wants to try reading a faerie story which is not as complex as most of the others.

Alyxandra Harvey online:
Goodreads | Website | Twitter

Have you read Stolen Away? What did you think about it?
Do you plan to read it?
Carina

Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Expected Publication: October 25th, 2011
Source: NetGalley
Pages: 361

Previous books in the series:
The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, The Iron Queen
Winter's Passage (# 1.5)
Summer's Crossing (# 3.5)  

Goodreads Summary:
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.

My Rating: 5.0 / 5

First thoughts:

What a brilliant ending for such a fantastic series. While the ending of The Iron Queen broke my heart a little bit, The Iron Knight put it together again and made this series even more wonderful than I ever expected. I am incredibly happy that Julie Kagawa had decided to write this fourth novel and at the same time I'm sad to see this series come to an end. 

More detailed:

The Iron Knight finally gave me the closure I needed to deal with the ending of The Iron Queen. I loved that this story is told from Ash's point of view, making it possible to really understand the prince of the Winter Court. The glimpses we get into his former life, his life before Meghan, are very interesting to witness. In the previous novels it was easy to forget how his past made him the person he is, but in The Iron Knight we get to see the real Ash.

His journey to fulfill his promise to Meghan is full of surprises, dangerous situations and heart-breaking moments. Before I read this, I had already heard that this novel is able to make you cry, but I only believed it when I had to suppress my own tears while reading. Ash's story is so wonderfully written and with every new chapter I was hoping more desperately that he and Meghan will get their happy ending.

I also loved the characters who accompanied Ash on his journey. We already know Puck and Grimalkin, but there are a few surprising appearances. I loved how his companions force Ash to acknowledge his past and deal with his problems. Of course, my favorite character is still Puck and I am a little bit sad to see that he hasn't find someone who loves him yet. But since Julie Kagawa is writing a spin-off series, I'm still hoping that he'll get his happy ending, too.

Julie Kagawa's writing in The Iron Knight is just as beautiful as it was in the previous novels. And while I almost thought it was impossible to create even more elements in this wonderful faerie world, I am surprised by how many more creatures and places we get to encounter and experience. The Nevernever is a beautiful and almost overwhelming place that I hope to see in the spin-off series again.

All in all, I am very happy with the way this series ended. The Iron Knight is a great novel and while I'm sad to see this series come to an end, there couldn't have been a better ending for it. Julie Kagawa has created a wonderful and very unique world with amazing characters and I'm looking forward to read everything else she will write in the future.

---

Have you read this series / The Iron Knight? What did you think about it?
Carina

Review: Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr

Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date of Publication: January 1st, 2009
Source: Bought
Pages: 389

Previous books in the series: 
Wicked Lovely - my review
Ink Exchange - my review

Goodreads Summary:
Aislinn never expected to rule in Faerie--but that was before Keenan stole her mortality to make her a monarch. Now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever dreamed of.

Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone--but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he's ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on a new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.

My Rating: 3.0 / 5

First thoughts:

While I had a hard time with the first half of the book, I really enjoyed the things that happened in the second half. Especially Seth's development during this novel was lovely to watch and I'm looking forward to see how his decisions will affect the rest of this world. 

More detailed:

Fragile Eternity is the third novel in Melissa Marr's faerie series and gave us a more detailed experience of this fairytale-like world. Unlike the second book, it concentrates on Aislinn and Seth's relationship again and showed us how Keenan and the faerie courts affect them.

I have to admit that I struggled with the beginning of this novel. While I grew more attached to this series after reading Ink Exchange, this reminded me of the problems I had while reading Wicked Lovely: I couldn't really connect to the characters and never felt like I had to continue reading.

But after some time I started to get into the story again and really enjoyed the rest. We finally get to find out more about the fourth court, the High Court, and its queen Sorcha. She plays a very important part in Seth's plan to save his relationship with Aislinn and was a very interesting character to meet. I really hope that we'll get to see more of her in the last two novels.

I'm still on the fence when it comes to Keenan and Seth. While I really started to like Seth a lot, I also enjoyed to see Aislinn and Keenan's relationship develop. At the same time I'd also love Keenan to be with Donia. So all in all, the love stories are very interesting to watch and I'm looking forward to find out who will end up together.

Like always, Melissa Marr's writing was very vivid and made it incredibly easy to imagine the world she created. I'm sure that the faeries in this story will become even more cruel in the final two novels and I'm excited to see whether the impending war will claim many victims. All in all, Fragile Eternity was an interesting sequel with a few flaws, but I'm still looking forward to continue this series.

Following books of the series:

4. Radiant Shadows

5. Darkest Mercy

Have you read this series? What did you think about it?

Carina