The Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa [Review]

4 out of 5 Robots!

The Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #3
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release: October 27, 2015
Hardcover: 384 Pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
My Copy: Purchased
Reviewer: Shannon

Book Summary:

The Iron Prince—my nephew—betrayed us all. 

He killed me. 

Then, I woke up. 

Waking after a month on the brink of death, Ethan Chase is stunned to learn that the Veil that conceals the fey from human sight was temporarily torn away. Although humankind's glimpse of the world of Faery lasted just a brief moment, the human world has been cast into chaos, and the emotion and glamour produced by fear and wonder has renewed the tremendous power of the Forgotten Queen. Now, she is at the forefront of an uprising against the courts of Summer and Winter—a reckoning that will have cataclysmic effects on the Nevernever. 

Leading the Lady's Forgotten Army is Keirran himself: Ethan's nephew, and the traitor son of the Iron Queen, Meghan Chase.To stop Keirran, Ethan must disobey his sister once again as he and his girlfriend, Kenzie, search for answers long forgotten. In the face of unprecedented evil and unfathomable power, Ethan's enemies must become his allies, and the world of the fey will be changed forevermore.

(Courtesy of the Publisher)

Shannon's Thoughts:

I liked this book, but find I have very little to say about it!  I don't have any complaints really.  I think I liked this final book this best out of the Call of the Forgotten series and it was a great ending to the Iron Fey series (which is divided into two parts: 4 books in the Iron Fey, which follows Meghan and Ash's story and 3 books in the Call of The Forgotten series, follows Ethan, Meghan's little brother).  

The book starts out at the worst it can possibly get and I was a little worried how they were all going to get out of it. But it had a very satisfying ending. I loved that everyone makes an appearance, even some from the earlier Iron Fey books.  Some of my little annoyances (like constantly referring to people by their title/nickname instead of their name, e.g. The Winter Prince, instead of Ash) were not as prevalent in this book, so I was happy.  Overall, a fun read if you like faeries!  

I don't think you necessarily need to read the first four books to read the Call of the Forgotten, but it would certainly give you a lot of context.

Books in the Series:
1. The Iron King
2. The Iron Daughter
3. The Iron Queen
4. The Iron Knight
5. The Lost Prince
6. The Iron Traitor
7. The Iron Warrior

Rogue by Julie Kagawa [Review]

4 out of 5 Robots!

Rogue by Julie Kagawa
Series: Talon #2
Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal
Release: April 28, 2015 
Hardcover: 464 Pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
My Copy: Publisher
Reviewer: Shannon

Book Summary:

Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can't forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he'd signed his own death warrant. 

Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order's headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember's own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George. 

A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?

(Courtesy of the Publisher)

Shannon's Thoughts:

Rogue is definitely an action packed sequel!  Action!  All the time!  But that is kind of Kagawa's forte.  I enjoyed the sequel pretty well, but I wasn't into the inevitable love triangle at all.  

Here is what I liked:
**As I mentioned, this book is very fast paced.  Stuff is happening all the time.  There are ton of big fight scenes.  Everyone gets to show off their badassery.  It was fun.

**I love that Cobalt, Garrett and Ember had to be in the most awkward situation possible.  I didn't like the love triangle part, but I did like Cobalt and Garrett circling around each other.  They have a ton of bad blood between them, but are forced to trust and help each other.  Awkwardness ensues.  I cackle with delight.

**Actual dragons!  A big complaint people had in the first book is where are the dragons? Well, that problem is solved in the sequel.  We get to see almost everyone shift.

**I like Garrett and Ember's tentative relationship.  I admit, in general, I like  "we're from two different worlds, this will never work" relationships.  Garrett gives up everything once he realizes how wrong his life has been and it is obvious how much he cares for Ember.  Ember definitely has feelings for Garrett, but is less sure who she belongs with.  My heart breaks a bit for Garrett, which brings me to the things I didn't like as much.

Here is what I didn't like:
**The love triangle.  I'm not an automatic hater of love triangles, but I just couldn't get behind this one.  I think it's because I don't really like Cobalt all that much, so I don't see the appeal at all.  Garrett and Ember are barely a thing because Cobalt comes crashing onto the scene and that is probably my least favorite set up.  Also, I find it a little icky whenever Ember's "dragon responds" to Cobalt.  Too much like an Inner Goddess for me.

**As I mention above, I don't really like Cobalt.  I can't pin it on any one thing.  It's more of a general feeling.  Part of it is he has this personality I see in these type of urban fantasies book with the cocky attitude and he stalks around and growls and incessantly calls people by nicknames (Firebrand gets old real quick).  I just don't jive with that type of personality.  It didn't even help that we also get Cobalt's perspective this time around.  I still don't really care for the guy.

Overall:

If you liked the first book, you'll like the sequel.  It's very much on par with the first book.  It seems a tad long, but there is definitely a lot of action and fighting.  Oh, and actual dragons!

Other Books in the Series:
1. Talon
2. Rogue

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa [Joint Review]

3 out of 5 Robots!

  

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden #3
Genre: YA Paranormal
Release: April 15, 2014
Hardcover: 416 Pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
My Copy: Purchased
Reviewer: Shannon and Julia
Buy the Book: Amazon

Book Summary:

Vengeance will be hers.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON.

(Courtesy of the Publisher)

Shannon and Julia's Thoughts:

1. In one sentence, tell me how you felt about The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa.

Shannon: I was a little disappointed because I felt the series started on such a high note, but it didn't carry through to the final book.

Julia: The Forever Song is boring, redundant and somewhat predictable ....yet satisfying with a good plot.

2. The main character - was she a good heroine? Why or why not?

Shannon: I really do like Allie.  She is a survivor but tries to do the right thing.  She's one of those "honorable" vampires.  I think she really struggled to hang on to her humanity, especially since she found out Zeke died.  I admire her struggle.

Julia: She is a great heroine, and I fell in love with her in the first installment The Immortal Rules. Though Allie is flawed, she is always trying to do what's right, to an almost annoying extent. She's hanging on to her humanity as much as she can.
 

3. Which characters did you enjoy the most, why?

Shannon: Probably Allie.  She's a steady character and I appreciate her sarcasm, especially when she is sparring with Jackal. 

Julia: I liked Kanin and Jackal the most. My enjoyment of Jackal slipped in The Forever Song because he kept taunting the other characters and calling them the same names over and over... Though it was suppose to be comic relief (I think) it just got annoying.

4. What about The Forever Song could you have lived without?

Shannon: Unfortunately...a lot.  There were some real Scooby Doo endings going.  Some things were just SO. OBVIOUS.  And some things were just too easily resolve.  But what REALLY got on my nerves was how often things are repeated.  I mean, it borders on ridiculous sometimes.  First of all, everyone gets ONE nickname.  And then that person is only referred to by the nickname.  Sarrin = Psycho, Allie = Vampire Girl, Kanin = Master Vampire, Jackal = Raider King...over and over and over.  It irritated me to no end and was incredibly distracting.  But also, plot points were repeated over and over.  At some point, I just wanted to scream "ok, I GET it!  Vampire girl is going after the psychotic serial killer Sarrin with the Master Vampire and the Raider King!"  I felt a lot of time was spent treading water until the epic showdown.  I probably would have been more onboard if the book moved at a snappier pace.

Julia: The majority of the book, honestly. It felt nothing like the book I fell in love with - The Immortal Rules! The characters kept saying the same things over and over, Allie's thought process through things is also extremely repetitive. I had to skim this book A LOT to make it to the end or I would have just put it down without finishing. And like Shannon said, there are some super super predictable things and you're just like really? Eye roll. And like Shannon- there were times that I wanted to yell at the book, "I GET IT ALREADY!" The plot has outstanding potential, but the rest just sorta flopped for me. I mean, I almost felt like nothing happened until the very end... just, filler.

5. The Forever Song is the ending in this trilogy- did it provide closure? What did you think of the ending?

Shannon: I didn't love everything about the ending...which I can't really talk about without major spoilers.  But I do think it was satisfying considering the direction the series went in.  The ending had a definite conclusion and did provide closure, which I liked.  

Julia: It provides all the closure any fan of this trilogy could possibly want. It is a satisfying, super cheesy ending. The Forever Song, in my opinion, isn't very good, but at least all of our questions are answered. 
 

6. Who would you suggest this book or series to?
Shannon: I think dystopian fans will appreciate the dystopic elements and people who like gritty, more urban fantasy style vampire novels.

Julia: I don't think I would recommend this book, but I would recommend the first book in the series, The Immortal Rules to any paranormal fan that loves a good dystopian vampire novel with lots of action. THEN maybe if you love that one, read the second and skim the third :)

Other books in this series in the order that they should be read:
1. The Immortal Rules
2. The Eternity Cure
3. The Forever Song

Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa [Review]

4 out of 5 Robots!

  

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten
Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy
Release: October 29, 2013
Hardcover: 342 Pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
My Copy: Netgalley
Reviewer: Shannon
Buy the Book: Amazon

Book Summary:

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

(Courtesy of the Publisher)

Shannon's Thoughts:

The Iron Traitor is the second book in the Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten series which is a off shoot of the Iron Fey series.  The Iron Fey series focuses on Meaghan Chase and Prince Ash of the Winter Fey.  Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten follows Meaghan's younger brother Ethan and Meaghan and Ash's son Kierran. 

The Iron Traitor is a solid follow up to the first book, The Lost Prince.  Taking place a week or so after Ethan and Kenzie return from the Nevernever, they find themselves soon caught back up in Kierran's drama.  It seems Kierran has gone missing and Ethan and Kenzie go back into the Nevernever to find him. Kierran, meanwhile, is searching for a way to save his love, Annwyl, who is fading away from existence.

 In all honesty, I don't love these characters as much as I loved the original Iron Fey characters, but I do like that we have a male POV.  Ethan, normal angry and prickly, becomes more cuddly this book, tempered by his girlfriend Kenzie and a desire to better himself.  Kierran, however, becomes less sympathetic in his desperate attempts to save Annwyl at any cost.

Actually, this book poses two sides of the same coin.  Both Kierran and Ethan are involved with a dying girl.  But each handles it differently. Kierran will move hell and earth to save Annwyl, even if at the expense of others.  Ethan, on the other hand, seems more willing to let Kenzie live what life she has left and then let her go.

The action is pretty intense, including some really great fight scenes.  A few old characters make a some fun cameos.  And the ending ends on a huge cliffhanger, so be warned.  It is going to make for a long wait to the last book.  This book is pure Julie Kagawa.  If you are a fan of her books, you will definitely want to read this series.

Other books in this series in the order that they should be read:
1. The Lost Prince
2. The Iron Traitor
3. Untitled (Expected Publication 2014)

Disclosure: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa [Joint Review!]

4 out of 5 Robots!

   

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden #2

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian/Paranormal

Release:  April 30, 2013

Hardcover: 446 Pages

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

My Copy: Netgalley

Reviewer: Shannon and Rex

Buy the Book: Amazon

Book Summary:
Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike. (Courtesy of the Publisher)

 
Our Thoughts:

We had so much fun with our last joint review, we decided to do another one! This time we read the second book in the Blood of Eden series which is due to be published at the end of April.  We both loved the first book, The Immortal Rules, so we were anxious to get our hands on the sequel.  So, how did the sequel hold up?

1. What was your favorite part?  What was your least favorite part?

REX: My favorite part was everything Jackal. I thought his character was the only one that always made sense. Well, Kanin too, kind of, but he isn't around that much in this story. (Sad face) But I loved Jackal's reactions, dialogue, everything. I KNEW it was going to turn out the way it did with him at the ending.
My least favorite part of this novel was probably the writing itself. This story is amazing, but the author has trouble telling it. I just felt like it wasn't written to its full potential. I mean, really, lets come up with some new things instead of reiterating what the reader already knows! I was bored up until about 75% of the book was left.
 
Shannon had this awesome idea for a drinking game while reading this book. HAHA. Every time someone calls Sarren psycho- drink. Every time Allie thinks about biting Zeke. Every time she tells Zeke she's too dangerous to be with him. Drink every time Jackal (my love) is called sadistic.

SHANNON:  I liked Jackal too.  I liked the tension between Allie and Jackal.  Sibling rivalry!  Jackal totally reminded me Klaus from The Vampire Diaries TV show.  His moral ambiguity really made the story more fun and interesting.  I was happy Kanin was back...but I felt his awesomeness was underutilized. 

I think the writing was my least favorite too. I felt the the book was a little long...some parts seem to drag on forever!  I felt like the same things were being said over and over again.  And we were being told things, instead of shown things.  A big pet peeve of mine.  I don't need the characters to fill in all the holes for me.  There were a lot of convenient plot twists that I saw a mile away.  


2.  What did you want MORE of?  What did you want LESS of?
 

REX: I wanted more of Kanin being badass and more action in the novel, instead of having to constantly hear Allie's thoughts about what we just saw happen. I really wanted less of Zeke being a sad puppy dog following Allie around. I mean, I really loved his character in the first book. I was rooting for these two. But this book kind of killed it for me. Zeke is a hunky survivalist that can kick ass. Why wasn't he acting like that!? I guess I just like my men mysterious, none of that wear my emotions on my sleeve business.

 

SHANNON: YES!  More Kanin!  I was so disappointed when he disappeared 1/2 through the first book.  I was excited when he came back.  Buuuttt, he was missing his...je ne sais quoi.  He started to get it back to the end, so I'm excited to see him in the third book. 

I, personally, wanted less Sarren.  It just got old after awhile - his machinations and his brand of moustache twirling evil.  It was just a little too over the top.  All he was missing was a maniacal laugh.  Also (and I think this is just because I've read several books that end like this) I wish there was less focus on finding a cure. 

 

 

3. We both agree there was a lot of repetition.  Let's making a drinking game!  Drink every time:

REX:  Zeke tells Allie he is madly in love with her, Allie says she is too dangerous for him.... THEN she kisses him. Every time Sarren is called psychopath

 

SHANNON: Every time Jackal is called sadistic.  Every time Allie thinks about biting Zeke.  Every time Allie calls herself a monster.  Every time Jackal calls Zeke a Bloodbag.  We're going to be really really drunk by the end.

 

 

4. The ending.  Go.

 
REX: One word. Predictable. Also- the only thing that makes me want to read the next book. I knew the ending was going to be the ending waaaaaaay too early in the book. Regardless, the ending also sort of made me want to read the next book. So I guess that is a good thing, buttt uhhh... I don't know. Like, wow, how convenient.

 

SHANNON: Ugh!  Yes.  Predictable and convenient.  That said, it wasn't a BAD ending.  Some of it didn't really make sense, but it does set up some potentially  interesting things.  I agree that it makes me want to read the next book.

 

5. How did it compare to the first novel?  What are your thoughts on the series so far?

REX: This book doesn't compare to the first novel. The first book was SO MUCH BETTER. I don't have much else to say other than that. I was so let down by this book. Funny I'm only complaining, I mean, I'm still giving it like... 3.5 stars. Haha. But I think this series has so much potential. Here is to praying that the third book is exactly like the first! This would make a much better movie than Twilight ;)

 

SHANNON: I agree.  The first book was surprising and unexpected.  I liked the characters, the setting, the premises.  But this book almost felt like Kagawa didn't really know what do with all the plot points, so it got a little overarching and a little too cliche.  But I also agree that this series still has a lot of potential.  I want more dystopic vampire stuff and less running around in the sewers, trying to find a cure.   

 

 

6.  If you were dying and given the choice to be Turned....would you?

 

REX: I want to say no, because I like to think that I'm a good Catholic and you know, my soul and all..... but that is just too tempting. I'd probably buckle at the last minute and say TURN ME! PLEEAAASSSEEE! I'm a survivalist. I couldn't just let myself die if I could live...and live....and live.

 

SHANNON: I want to say that I would accept my death and be ok with it, but really I would probably want to be Turned too.  Especially if I got a katana out of the deal.

 

 

  

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa [Review]

4.5 out of 5 Robots!

   

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Release: October 23, 2012

Hardcover: 379 Pages

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

My Copy: Netgalley

Reviewer: Shannon

Buy the Book: Amazon

Book 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. (Courtesy of the Publisher)

 
Shannon's Thoughts:

Julie Kagawa has done it again! The Lost Prince is an awesome follow up and companion piece to the Iron Fey series.  If you haven’t read the Iron Fey series, I suggest you do!  And if you have read it, then I think you will like The Lost Prince.  

For those who haven’t read the Iron Fey series, here is some background.  When Ethan Chase was 4 he was kidnapped and taken to the Nevernever (Fairy Land).  Meghan Chase, his older half sister, went to the Nevernever to get him back.  She succeeds in doing so, but ends up falls in love and marries Prince Ash from the Winter Court and becomes Queen of the Iron Fey.  She hasn’t been back to the Mortal Realm for a very long time.  

The Lost Prince follows now 17 year old Ethan as he tries to live a normal life.  As normal as one can when they have the Sight that allows them to see the normally invisible Fey.  Ethan has a bit of a chip on his shoulder and chooses to push people away rather than see them get hurt.  He is known as a troublemaker.  But after some events at his new school, he finds himself getting involved anyways. He eventually has to travel back to the Nevernever and confront his past in order to help those in need.

The Lost Prince introduces some fun new characters, such as Kenzie, Anwwyl and Kierran (and for those who have read the novella, Iron's Prophecy, then you are keeping a close watch on Kierran). There are also some welcome cameos from some Iron Fey series characters.  I really enjoyed Ethan. It was refreshing to have a male narrative and I enjoyed his attempt (and dismay) of bad boy behavior.  Deep down Ethan is a puppy and he knows it, even though he fights himself the whole way. The only thing I can say is that Ethan is pretty dense when it comes to his feelings.  Kagawa knows how to write an exciting and fun story.  The action never dies down for long and will keep you reading the whole time. I'm very excited to see where Ethan's story will take him.  

A definite read for fans of the Iron Fey series!  For newcomers, I think you can enjoy The Lost Prince without reading the Iron Fey but you will probably want to go back and read it afterwards. 

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa [Review]

5 out of 5 Robots!

  

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden #1

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Dystopia
Release: April 24, 2012
Hardcover: 485 Pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
My Copy: Publisher
Reviewer: Shannon
Buy the Book: Amazon

 Book Summary:
Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.
 
Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabid, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass as human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for. (Courtesy of the Publisher)

Shannon's Thoughts:

I have finally found a worthy predecessor to The Hunger Games.  The Immortal Rules has it all:  a kick ass heroine, a dystopian world, a plot fraught with danger and excitement, and just a dash of romance.  

This is the second series written by Julie Kagawa, author of the Iron Fey series.  While I enjoyed the Iron Fey series, The Immortal Rules blows them away.  It is being marketed as yet another vampire book, but it is so so much more.  It falls even more with those great dystopian novels.  Vampires are just the icing on the cake.  At its heart, though, it is about all about humanity - what it means to be human and what separates the monsters from the humans.  And The Immortal Rules is a story about survival.  This world is dangerous and brutal.  The characters suffer greatly, but ultimately have to choose to persevere.

The Immortal Rules is split into four parts as Allie comes to terms with her situation.  In some ways the beginning of the book seems like a different story than the end.  It isn't until the very end that you start to see how everything fits together.  The action really ramps up as you read too.  By the end, it is almost non stop.  There are quite a few passages I white knuckled.

The main character, Allie, is about as ass-kickery as they come.  She and Katniss would get along well, I think.  Having grown up as a "Fringe Rat", Allie knows to survive she can only trust herself.  But after she becomes a vampire and is shunned by humans, she finds herself learning to trust others even as she struggles against their prejudices and her Hunger for human blood.

I also really enjoyed the other characters, especially Zeke (her love interest) and Kanin (her vampire Sire).  The characters are complicated and have a ton of depth to their feelings and emotions.  Just when you think you know them, they surprise you. I honestly cannot do this book justice in this review.  If you like The Hunger Games or Divergent, then you MUST read this book. You won't be disappointed!!

Giveaway & Q&A! The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa!

About The Immortal Rules:

You will kill. The only question is when.

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

 Q&A with

New York Times Best Selling Author 

Julie Kagawa!

After writing the Iron Fey series for so many years, how difficult was it to immerse yourself in a futuristic world filled with vampires, rabids and an enslaved human race?

It was...very different. I think the hardest thing for me was the fact that this story does take place in the real world -- a futuristic, vampire-infested world, but the real world nonetheless. Things had to make sense, for example: how far can a large group walk in a single day if there were no roads, they were going through thick woods, and there were children in the group? I had to have logical reasons for everything; I couldn't just make something work "because of faery magic," lol.

Just like Meghan Chase in the Iron Fey series, the main character in The Immortal Rules, Allison Sekemoto, is a “take charge and kick butt” kind of girl. Is this intentional? What woman – real or fictional, alive or deceased – do you look up to or admire?

Yes, Allison comes from a very different world than Meghan Chase. Meghan's upbringing was pretty normal; Allison grew up among vampires and monsters, where every day was a fight to live, so she couldn't afford to be weak. While Meghan had to learn to "take charge and kick butt," Allison's first impulse is stab first, talk later.

As for female role models, the first that comes to mind--when it comes to kicking vampire butt, anyway -- is Buffy Summers. Thank you, Joss Whedon, for making me love feisty, snarky, heroines who can dust all sorts of nasties but who also look good in a cheerleading outfit. ;)

You mention in your acknowledgements in The Immortal Rules that at the beginning of your writing career you promised yourself you wouldn’t write a vampire book. What changed your mind?

Well, there were already so many really good books about our favorite bloodsuckers, so many stories and ideas, I thought I didn't have anything new to add to the masses. I was actually toying with a post-apocalyptic YA novel when my agent mentioned I might want to try writing a vampire series. I wasn't intrigued with the idea at first, but then I thought about combining vampires with the post-apocalyptic novel and then rest sort of fell into place.

Allison claims she hates vampires and believes they are monsters yet when faced with a choice of die or become one, she becomes a vampire. Would you have made that same decision?

Me personally? No. I'm like Zeke in the belief that there is something better waiting for me beyond this life, and I just have to do my best until it’s time for me to go. Besides, I love pizza and Mountain Dew too much to give it up.

Who do you think the most complex character is in The Immortal Rules?

Probably Kanin, Allie's sire. He's a vampire who has made his peace about being a monster, yet chooses to live by his own set of moral rules. He warns Allison about getting too close to humans, yet he does not kill unless he absolutely has to. He is tormented about something in his past that he refuses to share with anyone. He is certainly the most mysterious of all the characters, if not the most complex.

How many books will be in the Blood of Eden series? When will the next book be coming out?

At the moment, there are three books planned, with the second coming out sometime next spring, after the release of the new Iron Fey series this fall.

Before you starting writing full time you were a professional dog trainer. Do the professions share any similarities?

Lol, well you have to think on your feet a lot. And some of the small dogs could be compared to tiny snapping goblins, but writing requires less dodging skills, though perhaps the same amount of creativity and problem solving.

When starting a new series, like Blood of Eden, do you have the entire series mapped out in detail or do you let the story develop book by book?

I have a high point that I write toward in each story; I know this and this has to happen, but getting from point A to point B usually develops as I go along. 

And for the speed round: 

What book have you read and re-read, and read yet again?

Any of the Harry Potter books.

Favorite song to play when writing a fight scene?

My "favorites" change daily. Right now its "Awake and Alive" by Skillet.

Worst job?

Working a kiosk in the mall during Christmas. It sold glass figurines, and the maneuvering space around the hundreds of very breakable merchandise was quite small. I was like a bull in a china shop.

Best vacation spot?

Walt Disney World

Sweets or salty?

Sweet.

One thing most people don’t know about you – and would never guess!

I used to play the flute when I was a kid. I was really good at it too, but my instructor stopped teaching to have a family, and I never went back to it. 

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa [Review]

5 out of 5 Robots!

  

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
Series: Iron Fey #4
Release: October 25, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
My Copy: NetGalley
Reviewer: Shannon
Buy this Book: Amazon

Book Summary:

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn.

I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.

My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

My Take:

Well, Goodreads' synposis doesn't really tell you anything, but I guess that's ok.  Most people who would read this book will be familiar with the story and characters.  So, what can I tell you?  For full disclosure, I only read the book previous to this one (The Iron Queen).  But I feel that The Iron Queen gave me enough background information to understand the story and characters.  The Iron Queen left things...unfinished.  I was pretty unhappy about the ending until I learned there was going to be another book.  So, I was quite excited to read The Iron Knight!

The Iron Knight takes place awhile after The Iron Queen.  Meaghan is now the Iron Queen and ruling the Iron Kingdom.  Ash, an Unseelie Fey prince from the Winter Court, is desperately trying to find a way to be with her.  Iron is poisonous to the Fey and Ash would suffer greatly if he were to go into the Iron Kingdom.  So Ash is on a quest to become human.  He is accompanied by his "frenemy" Puck (aka Robin Goodfellow) and some special guests.  (To tell you who they are would give a lot away!).  Ash's journey takes them to the End of the World and back, literally! 

This book is told from Ash's perspective, which I really enjoyed.  He is of the "brooding" type and keeps things close to his heart. It is really awesome to get inside his head and get to know his emotions and feelings.  The story itself is really exciting as well.  Non stop action basically, each obstacle harder than the next.  It is the quintessential quest story, with twists and turns and revelations. Ash finds the journey much harder than he ever realizes and finds that become "human" is not as easy as he thought.  I really liked this book and was very happy to see the end be extremely satisfying.  I think anyone who enjoyed the previous books would definitely enjoy this one (and hopefully find the ending satisfying as I did).  If you haven't read the previous books, I suggest you at least read the The Iron Queen, otherwise you might not understand WHY the quest is so important to Ash.  

Books in this series in the order they should be read:

1. The Iron King - Amazon

2. The Iron Daughter - Amazon

3. The Iron Queen - Review - Amazon

4. The Iron Knight - Amazon

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa [Review]

Title: The Iron Queen
Series: Iron Fey, #3
Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release: Jan. 25, 2011
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN-10: 0373210183
ISBN-13: 978-0373210183
My Copy: Publisher
Reviewer: Shannon

4 out of 5 Robots!

   

My Review:

I have heard a lot about the Iron Fey series and was very excited to get a chance to review the third book in the series, The Iron Queen.  The story picks up with Meaghan and Ash returning to the mortal world to see her family.  But before she can see them, they are attacked by minions of the "false king." Meaghan quickly realizes though that in order to keep her family safe she will have to return to Faery and defeat the false king.

Since I have not read the first two books in the series, starting with the third book is a little like going to a new friend's engagement party.  You are aware of where they are as a couple, but you learn about their relationship in bits and pieces picked up along the way.  This doesn't bother me too much, but if you don't like this kind of thing I would recommend reading the first two books first.  The author does do a good job of throwing in little asides here and there to give you enough information previous major plot points.  It was enough for me to follow along, but it wouldn't be distracting to people who had read the other books.

The story is steeped in Celtic and British mythology which I love.  The book is well paced and exciting as the Summer and Winter courts battle the Iron Kingdom for the fate of Faery.  The characters are likeable and thankfully NOT whiny (as so many teenagers are in YA).  I liked to see the deepening relationship between Meaghan and Ash.  Meaghan also decides that she needs to learn to fight and not rely on others to protect her.  I appreciate this because it makes her a stronger character and definitely adds an element of excitement as she starts to take her destiny into her own hands.  The characters are not particularly flushed out and fairly familiar tropes.  But I found the plot driving the story more than the characters anyways. 

My only complaint was I am not completely sold on how the story ended between the characters.  I personally felt a little cheated.  But the epilogue suggests that that may be rectified. 

All in all, I think this is one of the better fantasy YA out there.  I definitely want to go back and read the other books!