I is for Iron Queen

Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal
Release: February, 2011
Source: Netgalley
Rating: 4/5

Description: 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.

Review: Julie Kagawa does it again. I tell you, I have enjoyed this series. For those who don't know (where have you been), this is book #3 in the Iron Fey series. Book #1 is The Iron King and book #2 is The Iron Daughter.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

• It was slow at times, especially at the beginning.

• I have to wait for book #4, The Iron Knight.

WHAT I DID LIKE

• Meghan's growth. In my review for The Iron Daughter, I mention how I found her to be whiny at times. I'm glad to say she's matured considerably. She's more confident in her abilities. She's deeply in love with Ash, but not to where she can't let him go. And man is she kick ass in this book! I like Meghan more now than in the previous 2 books. Seriously.

• I like Ash's growth. We saw more emotion in this book. While I'm still Team Puck, I actually like Ash's and Meghan's relationship here.

• Puck is able to let Meghan go. He still loves Meghan and would rather she be with him, but he didn't let the fact that she chose Ash stop him from fighting with them. A lesser man would've left them to fight on their own, but not Puck. Can Puck please have his own book? PLEASE? It would be so awesome if he found love. *sigh*
  

• Oh, the action! Like I've said before, I'm an action junkie. Give me a book or a movie that pumps up the adrenaline and I'm a happy woman! The fight scenes here...I could so imagine them on the big screen.

• Ms. Kagawa's world building. Her descriptions are awesome.

• The book pulled my emotions, especially towards the end. I felt Meghan's emotions.

• The ending. Whoa boy that ending. I did NOT expect it, but boy did I love it.

The Iron Queen is awesome. Point blank. I'm so looking forward to see what Ash is going to do in The Iron Knight. I. Can't. Wait.

ARC Review: The Fairy Godmother

Author: Mercedes Lackey
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Fairy Tale, Romance, Fantasy
Release: July, 2010
Source: Net Galley
Rating: 3/5

Description: In the land of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, if you can't carry out your legendary role, life is no fairy tale….

Elena Klovis was supposed to be her kingdom's Cinderella— until fate left her with a completely inappropriate prince! So she set out to make a new life for herself. But breaking with “The Tradition” was no easy matter—until she got a little help from her own fairy godmother. Who promptly offered Elena a most unexpected job….

Now, instead of sleeping in the chimney, she has to deal with arrogant, stuffed-shirt princes who keep trying to rise above their place in the tale. And there's one in particular who needs to be dealt with….

Sometimes a fairy godmother's work is never done…

Review: I rather liked this fairy tale/fantasy. It had a different take on Cinderella. The main character, Elena, was born to be her kingdom's Cinderella. Both her parents died; she had the horrid stepmother as well as the two annoying stepsisters; she was even treated as a mere slave in her parents' own house. When she turns 18, though, no prince arrives to take her away. Instead of becoming Cinderella, she becomes an apprentice to the Fairy Godmother, Bella, who takes Elena under her wing and teaches her everything she knows. As an apprentice, Elena learns about "The Tradition," the force that makes everything happen in fairy tales. Eventually, Elena takes Bella's place as Fairy Godmother and does an excellent job.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

• Alexander, a prince and Elena's love interest, didn't transform on his own. He was supposed to learn his lesson and be transformed, but he had help. I would have liked for his change to come from within...not without.

• The story got became too long at times. It was almost as though she was trying to cram everything into one book.

• The sex scenes. It would've been ok if they fit in, but they didn't. The scenes came out of no where and completely threw me off. Here's an example: "...and it wasn't until he'd stolen up her skirt and suddenly his head was - good heavens! What was he doing between her legs..." Ms. Lackey didn't need the scenes. The book would've been fine without.

WHAT I LIKED:

• I loved the character of Elena. She was strong, despite horrible circumstances. When she became an apprentice, she worked hard at learning. That's why she became one of the best.

• I loved the different take on Cinderella, featuring a strong character. Cinderella was never really my favorite fairy tale, but I loved this take.

• I liked the storyline and the idea of "The Tradition" and how fairy tales worked.

Overall, this was a pretty good book that I enjoyed reading.

Book Review: Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation

Author: Matt Myklusch
Genre: Middle Grade; Fantasy
Release Date: August, 2010
Source: Library
Rating: 5/5

Description: All Jack Blank knows is his bleak, dreary life at St. Barnaby's Home for the Hopeless, Abandoned, Forgotten, and Lost, an orphanage that sinks further into the swampland of New Jersey with each passing year. His aptitude tests predict that he will spend a long, unhappy career as a toilet brush cleaner. His only chance at escape comes through the comic books donated years ago to the orphanage that he secretly reads in the dark corners of the library.

Everything changes one icy gray morning when Jack receives two visitors that alter his life forever. The first is a deadly robot straight out of one of his comic books that tries its best to blow him up. The second is an emissary from a secret country called the Imagine Nation, an astonishing place where all the fantastic and unbelievable things in our world originate - including Jack.

Jack soon discovers that he has an amazing ability--one that could make him the savior of the Imagine Nation and the world beyond, or the biggest threat they've ever faced.

Review: Two words describe this book: so awesome! I loved it. There are similarities between this series and the Harry Potter series - orphan boy discovers powers he didn't know existed; orphan boy goes to a hidden world - but that's where the similarities end. Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation is in a class of its own.

What I Didn't Like...

• Um...nothing. I couldn't find any unlikeable thing about this book. Oh, I didn't like that it had to end. I have to actually wait for the next book in the series. Oh, the pain!

What I Did Like...

• Jack Blank - I loved this character. He's memorable, likeable, funny...I found myself rooting for him throughout the whole book, which is what writers aim for when coming up with protagonists. His last name isn't really Blank, that's just the name they gave because no one knows who his parents are.
• Imagine Nation - The name of this world is cool in itself, but the actual world is cool, too. Imagine Nation is where you find all creatures that come from the imagination of humans - superheroes, supervillians, aliens, etc. Many of the inhabitants of Imagine Nation are from the comic books Jack loves to read.
• The Whole Story - This book is full of action! I loved it from beginning to end. It was like one big adventurous ride. The descriptions were awesome. I could actually picture what was happening and what the world would look like. The cover is what drew me in. The story is what kept me in.

I loved loved LOVED this book. I highly recommend it for anyone who likes a good read...especially if you like fantasy books. Boys will love this book. Girls as well as adults will too. I so cannot wait for book #2, Accidental Hero to come out (April 26th).