Blog Update + 4x Reviews

 No I’m not dead... but I had you fooled didn’t I? Sorry for the recent AWOL status. The last couple weeks have been madly hectic. I’ve been travelling, both on Holiday and also to visit relatives, moved house, and been applying to go back to school (and all the nuisances that go along with that).No need to mention it’s been pretty stressful, but hopefully things are back on track :)

So anyway I thought since I’ve read quite a few books over the last couple weeks and I’m too lazy to go writing full reviews of each, I’d do a catch-up post with a few short paragraphs covering the highs and lows of the books that have graced my presence recently. So here it goes....

FOREVER                                                             My Rating:4/5                     

I thought this was the perfect ending to the series. I like that the author didn’t try and drag it out into more books like many authors do today. My one pet peeve for this book is the last line. I actually thought there had been a page ripped out for about 30 seconds until I realised that what I had read was the actual ending. It is very much left up to interpretation about what may happen from there. There is no cut and dry, happy or sad ending. You can imagine it how you want, which was a nice touch (although a little frustrating). 

                                           

                  NAOMI and ELY’s NO KISS LIST   

                My rating: 5/5                                                        

This book contains a crap-load of POV from many different characters, which I didn’t know going into it. I felt that some of the POV’s really weren’t worth the time, since they didn’t add much to the overall plot and detracted away from the story of the main characters. (I also really HATED they way NAOMI wrote in her chapters, that shit pisses me off!) However, despite my grumblings. I liked the fact that both Naomi and Ely’s characters developed and matured by the end of the story. Naomi realised that regardless of her fantasies her and Ely would never be together, and accepted this moving on with her life. And Ely, learnt how to sustain an adult relationship.                                                                     

THE FUTURE OF US                                                      My rating: 5/5

I completely fell in love with this book! It was a little on the junior side, and the idea could have been executed a little better, but something about it just drew me in. I’ve always wondered about my own future and how it will turn out and secretly I think everyone wishes they could just log on and find out, altering aspects they wanted to change. I found it fascinating how small choices the characters made in the book, transformed their futures dramatically, and it brings to mind how in the real world every decision you make affects your future in some way. The 90’s references were a nice touch and I got a kick out of them, being a 90’s baby myself. Overall a fun, enjoyable read, which makes me think about the choices I make.  

       

CROAK                                    

             My rating: 3/5

It was nice to read a YA supernatural book without vampires and werewolves for once. Having Reapers as the main race (?) was very refreshing. I did have some issues with the pacing of the book. However being the first book in the series, there was a lot of world building involved along with character relationships, and a structured plot didn’t really develop until the last half. For many this would be a deal breaker, but the book managed to hold my attention till the very end. I look forward to reading the next in the series.                      

Review - The Iron King (Julie Kagawa)

 Synopsis

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.                                                                        -Goodreads.com

 My Review

As a child, I had an obsession with the movie ‘Labyrinth’ needless to say; it is still one of my favourite movies to this day.  So when I read “The Iron King” I was immediately thrown back into a similar narrative of the movie. In saying that, the storylines are very different, but there’s definitely a feel to the book that is reminiscent of the movie. A teenage girl’s younger brother is stolen by the Faery/Golbin King, and she has to travel into the Faeryland/Goblin kingdom to save her brother before time runs out. 

Elements of Midsummer Night’s Dream and Alice in Wonderland are also present, with Grimalkin the ‘cat’ as a guide to Meghan during her adventure in the Nevernever. Kagawa is able to take this mash-up and create a thing of beauty, which is fast-paced, full of adventure, danger and budding romance.

Unfortunately ‘The Iron King’ doesn’t have David Bowie in tight fitting pants *Mmm*...but it DOES have Ashallyn' darkmyr Tallyn aka Ash, with his dark mysteriousness, and stoic nature, and many other interesting and well developed characters.  

Kagawa did a fantastic job of creating the world, and the different fey. Overall this book was a great fast-paced adventure, just sadly with fewer dance numbers...

My rating: 4/5

For those of you who have not seen Labyrinth before, or are too young to know of it (your missing out) here’s a sneak peak:

My Book Boyfriend (2)

My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme hosted by The Unread Reader , in which we swoon over boys in books! This week my Book Boyfriend is Prince Ash from the Iron Fey Series.

 

Ashallyn' darkmyr Tallyn aka (Ash):

• Strikingly handsome, with pale unblemished skin, topped with tossled black hair, bright silver eyes and pointed faery ears to match. Aka tall, dark and handsome.

• Prince of the Winter/Unseelie court in the Nevernever. He is the youngest son of Mab, Queen of the Winter Court, and younger brother to Sage and Rowan.
  
• Cold and mysterious, with a lack of emotion. You never know what he’s thinking, and his face never gives away his true feelings. He can be quite ironic with a dry sense of humor.  
  
  
  PROTECTIVE
  “This one," Ash growled "is off limits.” “Touch her, and I'll freeze your testicles off and put them in a jar. Understand?”- Ash (Iron King)
  
  
  EVER THE JOKER 
  “He shook his head, examining the wound again. “It's not frostbitten,“ he muttered. “It'll blister, but you should be fine. You might only lose a couple fingers." I glanced at him sharply, but he was smirking.-Ash (Iron King)
  WEARY OF EMOTION
   “I’ve seen mortals ‘in love’ before. They’re blind and foolish, and their hearts are fragile. What would I do with such a thing if I had it?”- Ash (Iron King)
  
  
  Who is your book boyfriend this week? Which character has you madly crushing and why? What do you imagine Prince Ash to look like? 
  
  

  Disclaimer: The image above is not mine and I claim no rights to it. I would put a link to the original Author but unfortunately I have lost the link.