Book Review: The Iron Traitor

The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2)
by Julie Kagawa
ARC, 304 pages
Expected publication: October 29th 2013 by Harlequin Teen
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

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.

Review:

I am not a big fan of this book, is what you should know before you continue on with reading this review. But also, you should know that I love The Iron Fey series, and it is the primary reason why I cannot bring myself to let go of this series even though The Iron Prince left me beyond disappointed.

The story picks up from where The Iron Prince left off. Ethan and Kenzie have just gotten back from the faery world and the "tough guy" that Ethan is, he gets all the blame for bringing Kenzie with him inspite knowing about her illness. In the first book, the greatest problem Ethan and Kenzie had to face were the fae but in this book, they get to face the wrath of her dad too. I thought it was the beginning of their normalcy but when Ethan finds out that Keirran is missing, he is suddenly thrown back into the world of fae to search for his missing nephew.

I was reeling with anger and frustration toward the characters as I read the book, but wait! Before I go on with the rant, let me start first with the things I like in The Iron Traitor. Like in the first book, I was filled with shortlived joy when Grim, Puck and Ash appeared. Ash joined the band later in the book but Grim and Puck were able to join the fun. I liked the times when Puck was all-too nostalgic during the journey, always associating Keirran and Ethan's encounters to those that he and Ash once had. These were the few moments that I truly enjoyed in the book. I also like that despite their differences, Keirran and Ethan still have some grave similarities. They are basically living in the same situation - with both Annwyl and Kenzie's lives on the line. They are offered the same options but each chose differently. It has a dramatic feel to it, but too bad the characters essentially killed it. It goes to show that not everything is either black or white; Not because Keirran chose to bargain for Annwyl's safety in exchange of his everything doesn't automatically make him a saint and the fact that Ethan didn't make a bargain for Kenzie's doesn't make him a bad person. The Iron Traitor delves into the various consequences those two choices present; but regardless, the result is ugly.

So here I go with the rant:

Majority of the things I disliked in the first book, sadly, are still present here. I'm grateful that Julie finally lessened the overly-romantic moments between the couples and I could finally read them without cringing but in place of this, Julie has gone over the board with reminding her readers of how tough Ethan looks like to the unsuspecting eyes. Kenzie already nicknamed him "tough guy" so I don't need Ethan himself to constantly remind me how parents, highschoolers and strangers probably see him as a "brooding thug" or a "dangerous hooligan". Don't flatter yourself too much, Ethan! Kenzie, as well, still did not impress me in this book. Her supposed strong points as a character such as courage and cheerfulness in the lieu of her illness fell far too short for my liking or for my sympathy, for that matter. There's also the matter of Annwyl. I didn't even like the girl in the first book but she still managed to disappoint me in this book. Annwyl is such a weak character. She could've done so many things to prevent Keirran from all the insanity he's doing but oh, she looks so beautiful and delicate and she's useless and oh, sometimes I want to strangle her! Julie spent more time shaping her not as her own character but as Keirran's love interest. But speaking of strangle, the person I really want to hurt the most here is Keirran. They said love can make people do stupid things and if there's a competition for whomever does the stupidest thing because of love, I bet my two cents Keirran would win it. I understand that he is truly, madly and deeply in love with Annwyl and the fact that he's willing to do anything to save her is very chivalrous and romantic but for the price of what? The dude still keeps throwing his promises away (like in the first book) and killing ancient faeries to uphold something that's not even a sure bargain.

The Iron Traitor presents answers to the questions that stemmed from the first book and even from its parent series. The readers will learn a lot more about the Forgottens like where they came from, as well as the real reason why Meghan cut-off all her ties to her family since all those years ago. I know I didn't like this book and the book before this but ohhh I still want an ARC of the third book! (Even though I'll probably end up ranting about it again. My heart is confused! T_T)

Rating: 2/5 stars

Disclosure: This book was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Lost Prince (ARC)

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1)
by Julie Kagawa
Expected publication: October 23rd 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Source: NetGalley
Pre-order it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

From Goodreads:

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.

Review:

The Iron Fey has been of my all-time favorite series. I loved all the books in it as well as the novellas (save from the last one). That said, this being the spin-off, I had high hopes that this would live up to the awesomeness of The Iron Fey, but though I tried my best to like the story and the characters, the story and the characters themselves were making it hard for me to do just that.

At first, I was really intrigued with this new Ethan Chase. We know him from The Iron King as Meghan's cute little brother with wide blue eyes and calls her big sister Meggie. In The Lost Prince, we see him as an anti-social brooding teenager who seems to hate the world and all the people living in it. We see the world from his perspective. Frankly, I probably would have liked this much better if this were told from another character's POV. You see, Ethan comes off as one of those dark, mysterious and brooding hotties we all love and getting to hear his thoughts was a...turn-off. Especially when he's so lovestruck. And speaking of lovestruck, my qualms with Iron's Prophecy were the same with this one. Julie always injects romance wherever she can. To be upfront, I didn't like it at all. The way she emphasized how Ash/Keirran looks at Meghan/Annwyl like she was the only person in the world grated on my nerves. Once or twice, I might have viewed those scenes as sweet and aww-worthy but said scenes were all over the place that not even halfway through, the romance already got old. About the same was the problem with Ethan and Kenzie. You know the drill: Ethan thinks Kenzie is so different from other girls - and I mean so veeery different - and thinks he likes her but he can't divulge his feelings for her because their lives are in danger and therefore it's not the right time! He also can't stop apologizing to her for bringing her in the world of fey aka danger.

Another problem I have with this book is the characters's - I'm sorry for the word - idiocy. If you've read The Iron Knight, you'd know about Keirran. Keirran is described as having silver hair and piercing blue eyes *swoon* His playful character was so like Puck that it was easier to think of him as Puck and Ash's lovechild. But lo, he's - I'm sorry for the word again- an idiot. Because really? Ethan seems to know more about the fey shenanigans. Keirran throws away his promises without so much thought. Seriously, I weep for Ash and Meghan. Also, Kenzie and Annwyl. They're bland characters and I think they're an unnecessary addition to The Lost Prince. I think Julie wants Kenzie to come off as strong and brave for a human, but most of the time, she was a dead weight. Annwyl was useless too. Julie didn't even give a valid reason why Keirran likes her except that she's very beautiful.

The only redeeming part of The Lost Prince was Ash and Puck. I was going to give this a 1.5 but since they showed up and they were really awesome, it deserved an additional .5 stars. Overall, I didn't really like The Lost Prince, but that doesn't mean I'm going to abandon the series. I still love the world of Iron Fey and I'm willing to give the second book a try.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Disclosure: This book was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Iron's Prophecy

Iron's Prophecy (Iron Fey #4.5)
by Julie Kagawa
Kindle Edition
Published September 1st 2012 by Harlequin TEEN

From Goodreads:

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…

A novella from the bestselling Iron Fey series.

Review:

I had mixed feelings for this novella and the spin-off series of The Iron Fey. I was excited for both but after reading The Iron Knight, I sincerely thought that Ash and Meghan's story could finally be left alone and that any other additional story was unnecessary. The rainbows, butterflies and peace and quiet at the end of The Iron Knight screamed happily ever after to me and now this! Poor Ash and Meghan. Julie can't seem to stop torturing them.

Iron's Prophecy starts off like having a big ball of fluff thrown at you square in the face. Imagine yourself Meghan waking up to see a sleeping half-naked Ash and then you Meghan and Ash coddling...I could feel my toes curling in their sweetness! I was grinning like an idiot while flailing my arms around and kicking the air like a lunatic because of all the emotions I could not contain.

However, on the second part, when I started really noticing things beyond Ash and Meghan's sweetness, I couldn't help realizing how Julie always inject romance wherever she can even when the scene doesn't call for it. After that, all those sweetness between Ash and Meghan seemed forced. It was hard to enjoy their cuteness after. Though of course, Puck and Grim were there to rescue my decreasing interest for the story. Puck's humor was very refreshing however, there were also moments where I found his humor not so very spontaneous. I also loved the detailed descriptions of how Grim did all those cat-like gestures in between the dialogues. So cute!

In the end, I'm still not sure what I think of this novella as an addition to The Iron Fey series. But as an individual novella, I enjoyed pretty much most of it though there were also some parts that I found hard to make sense of.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Book Review: The Iron Knight

The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4)
by Julie Kagawa
Paperback, 386 pages
Expected publication: October 25th 2011 by Harlequin
Source: NetGalley

Summary:

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.

Review:

The Iron Fey has been one of my favorite series and it was very sad to see this finally come to an end. But also, I feel gratified for having given the chance to read such wonderful books. Excuse me for being cheesy but really, the moment calls for it. Le sigh.

The Iron Knight picks up after Summer's Crossing. Puck and Ash travel to the End of the World to fulfill his vow, to find a way so he can be with Meghan again. Along the way, they are reunited with friends, as well as non-friends. In this book, we get to learn more of Ash's history when he was still the cold-hearted Winter prince - the terrible things he did that he longed to forget. We also get to learn more about Ariella, as well as his history with Puck.

I think Iron Knight was the BEST and the most emotional book in the series. I swear I cried a bucket! I don't know how Julie does it, but by some fluke of nature, (or probably because she's just that awesome kind of writer), her books just keep getting better and better. At first, I was a little scared to read The Iron Knight. I've always viewed Ash as the personification of perfection and I was afraid that by reading his POV, he would seem out of character and not-so-perfect. Turns out, he is not perfect. But, he didn't come off as OOC instead, he came off as just... Ash. Instead of feeling awkward for his character, I grew to love him even more. In other words, The Iron Knight did not disappoint.

Rating: 5/5 stars!

Disclosure: This e-ARC was received from the publisher (Harlequin Teen via NetGalley) for free in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Summer's Crossing

Summer's Crossing (Iron Fey #3.5)
by Julie Kagawa
ebook
Published June 1st 2011 by Harlequin Teen
Source: Free from Harlequin ebooks

Summary:

A Midsummer's Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

An ebook exclusive novella from Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series.

Review:

Summer’s Crossing picks up right after The Iron Queen. In The Iron Queen, Ash vowed to find a way to be with Meghan no matter what. In Summer’s Crossing, he is about to set off on a journey to fulfill the vow with the help of Puck, who unabashedly invited himself. However, a fey suddenly steps in the way, interrupting Ash and Puck’s plan, to collect a bargain from Ash - one that involves setting up a very dangerous prank top retrieve an object from a very powerful fey from the Summer Court.

The plot covers Ash and Puck’s journey to the Summer Court. As we all know, Puck + Ash = Neverending amusement, so their constant banters and Puck’s infamous pranks provide for a very entertaining read. I just wish this was a novel instead of a novella. I love reading from Puck’s point of view. Here, readers get to take a glimpse on how Puck truly and still feels for Meghan. I know Iron Fey readers already know that he’s deeply in love with her, and was really hurt when Meghan chose Ash over him. But as he is Robin Goodfellow and is known for being awfully cheerful and sarcastic, sometimes, it is easy to forget that he’s still in love with her in a romantic way. And is actually capable of being hurt.

Summer’s Crossing is a perfect read for all Iron Fey lovers out there, whether you’re on Team Puck or Team Ash. You may download this for free from Halrequin ebooks.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Download HERE for free.