The Iron Knight - 5 Star Review

Title: The Iron Knight
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey #4
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Page Count: 400 Pages
Published: October 25, 2011 by Harlequin Teen
Rating: 5/5

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

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.

*Received a copy from Netgalley for an honest review*

My Review:

Now that was an epic journey! I was completely immersed in Ash's voyage to the end of the world. I actually preferred his point of view to Meghan's, as he actually knew what was going on, and exactly how much danger they were in. Puck and Grim were hilarious and entertaining as usual, and the cast of other characters were both unexpected, and wonderful.

There were a few different points in the story where I would think, "shouldn't this be the end?" just to have a giant twist come out of nowhere and knock my socks off.

This is a great series, and I am so thrilled that Julie took her editor's advice and added this book. It brought everything together and tied up some of the loose ends that left you hanging at the end of The Iron Queen.

I loved every minute of reading The Iron Knight!

* As a side note, since it took me so long to get down my TBR pile and read this one, my paperback copy had already arrived - so I read both the galley from Netgalley and the hard copy. My only complaint about this book is the printing. I thought that the rough edges were a neat touch when I bought it, but I found it hard to turn the pages and that took away from my reading experience. I would suggest buying a copying with regular paper - there is a paperback and a hardcover.

Fav. Quote(s):

"I promised I'd find a way for us to be together. I intend to keep that promise." Ash (narrating) - pg 13

"What we had was a dream, and it was beautiful, but it was just a dream. It's time for us to wake up." Meghan - pg 135

"I never thought I'd see the day when Grimalkin was wrong." Puck - pg 209

"I am happy that you have finally found peace." Grim - pg 361

My Rating: 5/5

Other books in this series

(Click highlighted titles for my review)

Novels:

1 - The Iron King
2 - The Iron Daughter 5/5
3 - The Iron Queen 5/5
4 - The Iron Knight

Prequels and Short Stories:

1.5 - Winter's Passage
3.5 - Summer's Crossing
4.5 - Iron's Prophecy

You'll like this series if you liked

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, Need by Carrie Jones, Lament by Maggie Stiefvater, Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

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Soul Screamers Breakdown

By now you should all know of my love for all things Rachel Vincent. After finishing the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge and being involved in the video spoiler chat for Before I Wake I was reminded of some awesome artwork I stumbled on last year by Marta Dahlig over on deviantArt.

It's a 7 Deadly Sins series, and I thought it would fun to match up her rendition of each deadly sin with the corresponding Soul Screamers book now that we know where each one fits in.

*NOTE: I do not own any of this artwork, and if you like it please head on over to Dahlig's deviantART gallery and give her the praise she is due.*

Vanity - My Soul To Take

Avarice (Greed) - My Soul To Save

Gluttony (Addiction) - My Soul To Keep

Envy - My Soul To Steal

Lust - If I Die

Sloth (Interpreted as fighting Depression) - Before I Wake

Wrath (Rage) - With All My Soul

I love the omnibus set and have even purchased the 4th volume for the only short story I don't own but I irrationally want to own them all, even with the individual books 1-7 and 3 anthologies on my shelf--I have a sickness! To order the 4 omnibuses click on the images below:

Room - 5/5 Review

Title: Room

Author: Emma Donoghue 

Genre: Fiction

Page Count: 321 Pages

Published: September 13th 2010 by Little, Brown and Company

Rating: 5/5

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.

My Review:

I was a little late on this one, but a friend of mine was raving about it and I couldn't decide what I wanted to read next, so I finally caved and decided to see what all the fuss was about. I'm very glad I did.

It's a touching and riveting book that captured a terrifying situation in a non-threatening way so that I was comfortable reading it. The pacing was a lot different than I expected, but in the end I agreed with the author's choices and was happy with where it left off.

Reading from Jack's perspective was an unexpected treat. I loved seeing the world through his eyes - even the twisted world he is forced to grow up it. His fears and the things that make him happy are so pure and innocent that I couldn't help but be endeared to him immediately.

I was hesitant to read Room because the idea of a captive girl is to real and scary to me and I thought that I would spend my time while reading it disturbed and depressed, but Emma Donoghue did a fabulous job with this book. Telling it through Jack's perspective gives you a removed view of events without downplaying the drama or high tension moments.

A great read and a welcome change of pace for between series.

Fav. Quote(s):

"I don’t know which manners so I say, 'You’re welcome.' " Jack - Pg 159

My Rating: 5/5

Similar Titles:

Stolen: A Letter to My Captor by Lucy Christopher,  Entangled by Cat Clarke,  Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

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Soul Screamers 6 - Before I Wake - 5/5 Stars

Title: Before I Wake
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Soul Screamers, #6
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Page Count: 346 Pages
Published: June 26th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Rating: 5/5

I died on a Thursday-killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it. The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school...

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life...

My Review:

My first thought after turning the last page of Before I wake was 'I have to wait a whole year for more?!' Followed immediately by 'OMG that was sooooo good!'

Totally different feel in this one than If I Die but just as riveting and heart stopping. I have to say that being a Tod fan made this my favourite book in the series, even with the heartbreak and turmoil throughout. There are so many perfect scenes with Tod and Kaylee and finally some sexual tension and heated moments that felt effortless and perfect. With Nash she was always second guessing either herself or him, or she was worried or afraid. With Tod everything just clicks into place and their chemistry flows right off the page.

My favourite part about Before I Wake was finally seeing Kaylee have some real powers. In the other books she had the heart of a hero but was so often powerless to help those she loves. Her new abilities give her the extra power behind the intent that I have waiting to see - to see the bad guys scared of her for once.

Obviously there are some major sad moments in Before I Wake, but I won't spoil them. I felt like they were necessary and added to the build up of what is to come in the final book, but they hurt and totally sucked at the same time.
A fast-paced and action-packed chapter in the Soul Screamersm even more excited now to find out how it all ends.

What happens when you piss off an Undead Bean Sidhe? I don't know but I feel like some hellion heads are going to roll.

Fav. Quote(s):

"She just got out of the hospital. Why don't you go gossip behind her back, like decent people?" - Emma (Ch 2) 

"I think death looks good on you." - Tod (Ch 3) 

"What happened to the good little girl who blushed and covered her face at the thought of what you're doing right now?" "She died," I whispered into his ear. -Tod and Kaylee (Ch 4)

"Avari had woken me up and given my afterlife purpose. He’d awakened my rage." Kaylee (Ch 21)

*Side note: as a bonus there is "A Day in the Afterlife of Tod" at the end of the book that made me smile, which was welcome after the intensity of the last chapter.*

My Rating: 5/5

Other books in this series

(Click highlighted titles for my review)

1 - My Soul to Take
2 - My Soul to Save
3 - My Soul to Keep
4 - My Soul to Steal
5 - If I Die
6 - Before I Wake
7 - With All My Soul

Prequels and Short Stories:
0.1 - My Soul to Lose
0.2 - Reaper
0.3 - Fearless (Kiss Me Deadly - Anthology)
4.2 - Niederwald (Enthralled - Anthology)
5.1 - Never to Sleep

You'll like this series if you liked

Shifter series by Rachel Vincent, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong

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