The Iron King - Julie Kagawa

The Iron King
Julie Kagawa
363 pages

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.

I could not put this book down for anything. it was really that good! All kinds of mystical creatures, darkness, humor, forbidden love, adventure, I think this one had it all.

Meghan has just turned sixteen when she discovers the land of Nevernever - the world of the fey and fey creatures. Along with it she also discovers that her father is a powerful fey king and she is half-faerie. After learning that several powerful fey want her, she also discovers that their is a another powerful faerie that wants her that no other faerie can defeat. In her quest she befriends some pretty interesting creatures and people.

I have to say that Grimalkin is one of my favorites! He is witty, snarky and yet loveable. Robbie is another great one - he has a big heart and would do anything to protect Meghan.

Then there is Prince Ash of the Winter fey. Dark, brooding, handsome - what's not to love? I love the chemistry and interactions between Ash and Meghan.

I will probably definitely be talking about this book for a long time and will be impatiently waiting to read the next!

What I give this book:

Follow Friday (3)

This week the feature follow at Parajunkee's View is: Megan at The Book Addicted Girl.

This week's question is:

Let's step away from books for a second and get personal. What T-Shirt slogan best describes you?

I honestly have no idea.... This is such a hard one! Ummm one that I like says:
Insomnia... it's nothing to lose sleep over.
I thought that one was pretty funny.


Over at Alison Can Read the feature follow is The Little Book Blog.

Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall
Rachel Hawkins
323 pages

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

Sophie was a great character. I laughed quite a bit while reading this. I liked it a lot better than I thought I would and honestly had a hard time putting it down. This book was filled with a lot of humor, serious moments, twists, turns, and a lot of other great characters, like Jenna - Hex Hall's only vampire student. You had witches, werewolves, shapeshifters, and fae.

Sophie is sent to Hecate Hall after a love spell gone wrong. Hecate aka Hex Hall is pretty much a reformatory school for Prodigium (magical people). It doesn't take her long to have things go wrong for her - Elodie, Anna, and Chaston, three powerful dark witches now consider her enemy number one and make her a subject of ridicule. She becomes friends/roommates with the biggest outcast of the school, develops an enormous crush on the hottest boy in school, among other things. And to top it all off, there is the mystery in the school of who is attacking fellow students.

I was really impressed with this and look forward to reading the next in the series, Demonglass. I would most certainly recommend this to others and I think you will thoroughly enjoy this as well. At first it seems like it may be one of those silly school girl witch stories, but it really is so much better than that

The only complaint I have is the way it ended abruptly, so that being said...

What I give this book:

The Secret Year - Jennifer R. Hubbard

The Secret Year
Jennifer R. Hubbard
192 pages

Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.

Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one - not even Julia's boyfriend - knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can't mourn Julia openly, and he's tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia's journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he's desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place? (Goodreads)

The bit about being like Romeo and Juliet meets The Outsiders is a perfect description of this novel. The Outsiders has been one of my favorite books ever since I read it several years ago.

Colt lives in the flats and Julia on Black Mountain. They are from two different worlds, him from a home where money is hard to come by and her from one where it is abundant - shiny cars, big houses, country clubs, and parties. One night they meet and things take off, leading them to spending a secret year together - until Julia dies tragically one night.

Colt is trying to learn how to deal with the death of Julia. I could not imagine being in his situation. He couldn't very well talk to anyone about it or grieve publicly since the relationship he had with Julia was a secret. This was a very pain-filled read and most certainly not a light one emotionally. Some parts were hard reading - like the ones that described how he felt about Julia or about how he felt like he was less than her.

All in all, I enjoyed this very much even though it was hard to read. I highly recommend this and I don't think you will be disappointed.

What I give this book:

New Design

I am in the process of changing my layout here, so bear with me. :) I am keeping what you see but tweaking it a little, like the font.

Waiting on Wednesday - 7/27

This is a meme done by quite a few book review bloggers, and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Waiting On Wednesdays shows books that I am stoked about and can't wait to read!

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart. (Barnes and Noble)

Teaser Tuesday - 7/26

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. You can visit her fantastic blog here.

These are the rules (anyone can participate):

- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


This week it is The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard.



"Was I jealous he could go anywhere he wanted with Julia, that they ate at the same lunch table and made out in front of the drinking fountain? Hell, no. I didn't want to be her boyfriend."

pg. 2

In My Mailbox - 7/26

I was going to insert the Goodreads links for these but it said unexpected error on their site so it may be down for maintenance or something. I will try to add them when it is back up!




This week there was an awesome sale at Books-a-Million! I got these for $3.97 a piece. Woohoo! Gotta love a bargain. :)

Uglies - Scott Westerfield

Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick

Claire de Lune - Christine Johnson

Cryer's Cross - Lisa McMann

The Secret Year - Jennifer R. Hubbard

Also....

I GOT A KINDLE!

Since my birthday is next week my husband bought me a Kindle and surprised me with it early. So I was super excited about that. :)

Firelight - Sophie Jordan

Firelight
Sophie Jordan
323 pages

A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

Dragons. Forbidden love. Suspense. What isn't there to love? Unfortunately for me, not enough.

Jacinda is a draki, which a dragon descendant. One wrong move and it forces her mother to flee with her and her twin sister. In this new town with no other drakis, she meets Will -- a dragon hunter. It is pretty much love at first sight for them, but seem impossible due to her being a draki and him a hunter of her kind.

I loved the idea of the story. It wasn't that is was that dreadful, I just couldn't read it any more. I got halfway through the book and it mostly consisted of Jacinda whining about going back home or whining about how she wants/needs Will and how she doesn't want/need him. I thought it started off pretty good and I was getting pretty into it but couldn't deal with any more of the whining (sorry for those who love this book!).


What I give this book:

Abandon - Meg Cabot

Abandon
Meg Cabot
304 pages

New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

In the end, I was really disappointed with this one. I had wanted to get for some time, was in love with the cover and the whole idea of this story, but unfortunately it just kind of fell out to me. I have read other books by Meg Cabot and loved them. I loved the Princess Diaries in middle school and I loved Insatiable.

I tried to like this one, but honestly, it was kind of confusing. It would start out with either the past or present and sometimes abruptly jump to the other and then back again. It felt jumbled - rushed and forced in some places and then slow in others. In this sense, it wasn't consistent.



What I give this book:

Follow Friday (2)

(From Parajunkee's View)
This week the featured blogger is We Fancy Books.




This week's question:

Name 3 authors that you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from?

- Suzanne Collins
- Lauren DeStefano
- Edgar Allen Poe or Ralph Waldo Emerson (this one is a tie)

(From Alison Can Read)
The featured blogger is A Novella's Tale.

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire
Suzanne Collins
391 pages

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster boys for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol. (Goodreads)

DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST BOOK!

I have just finished Catching Fire (the second in The Hunger Games trilogy)and I feel breathless.

I don't know where to start because I do not even want to remotely give anything away. I loved this just as much as The Hunger Games, if not more! I can't wait to purchase Mockingjay and eat it up too.

Katniss Everdeen, after winning The Hunger Games with Peeta Mellark, has found herself an icon of rebellion after the threat of double suicide with the poison berries in the last Games. This has not pleased those who run the Capitol. There are many changes taking place in her home in District 12, and as she learns, the other districts as well.

They are many twists and turns as the 75th annual Hunger Games is approaching, marking a Quarter Quell, in which makes for a sick twist in the way the Games are played.

I don't want to say much more about the plot because it is so exciting. There were many moments I cried and a few I laughed (mostly Haymitch had something to do with it) but I mostly felt solemn and afraid for the whole lot of them. I had a hard time putting this one down and I feel you will too!

What I give this book:

Waiting on Wednesday - 7/20

This is a meme done by quite a few book review bloggers, and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Waiting On Wednesdays shows books that I am stoked about and can't wait to read!

I have a couple this week I'm dying to get my hands on.

My first is Rapture by Lauren Kate. It is supposed to be released early next year. Why oh why does it have to be so far away?! I want my answers!!


The second if Fever by Lauren DeStefano. There is a cover reveal going on!! Woohoo!! If you 'like' Lauren's page on Facebook you can get all the sneak peeks. :) I feel like I am going to spontaneously explode waiting for this second installment in The Chemical Garden Trilogy. You can read my review of Wither here. This is one book I have not been able to stop talking about!

Tune in Tuesday

Tune in Tuesday is hosted by Ginger at GReads (and also made this lovely graphic). Tune in Tuesday features music we love and want to share. Like Ginger, I also have a great passion for music and loved the idea of having a weekly feature to share it with others!


This week it is an oldie, but a goodie!

Imagine by John Lennon

Teaser Tuesday - 7/19

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. You can visit her fantastic blog here.

These are the rules (anyone can participate):

- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week I am reading Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.




"The crowd has fallen silent now, so silent that I wonder how they manage it. They must all be holding their breath".

pg. 61

City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

City of Bones
Cassandra Clare
485

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end. (Goodreads)

I was really disappointed with this one. I was excited to read it, but unfortunately couldn't get into it for anything. After about fifty pages in and feeling like it was jumbled, I just couldn't read any more. I feel bad because I know perhaps I should have been more patient with it, but it just wasn't grabbing me - writing style or storyline.



I hope whoever reads this has a better experience than I did.


What I give this book:

In My Mailbox - 7/18

Not much this week...

Bought:


Abandon

Borrowed:


City of Bones