Book Review: Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: January 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury / Walker
Pages: 288
Series: ?
Acquisition: NetGalley

Summary:

For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife. . . Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric-who may or may not betray them.  (from Goodreads)

I was: caught up in the pace of the story but felt like a lot was missing.

My thoughts:
I don't know if this will make any sense but reading Stolen Away, for me, was like reading a really long short story. All the pieces where there - beginning, middle, end - but after reading the last page I felt like the story itself wasn't complete.

I don’t want to give the impression that I didn't enjoy this book, because I very much did. I'm a huge fan of Alyxandra Harvey's writing and I can't say I've ever really been disappointed with her books. But maybe I was just a little disappointed with this one.

I think the main reason this was a lukewarm read for me was the fact that I never really felt connected to the characters. Everything happens rather quickly - the entire book is only a few days worth of time - so I never really felt like I got to know any particular character very well. Jo, Eloise's best friend, made an impact, but only because she got on my nerves a little. Her British slang just for the heck of it and her insta-love infatuation didn't win her any points with me.

Eloise was a pretty interesting character - or at least her family was pretty interesting. Eloise herself I didn't feel very invested in. Her insta-love relationship got to me as well. It wasn't the relationship itself it was how very fast these characters were thrown together, fought together, saved the world, had time to make dinner and became the bestest omg I can't live without you friends forever - in about 3 days.

Now, the story itself. The fairy lore and the interplay between the different 'families' of fae - this I really loved. There were a lot of characters and a lot of information but I loved it all! I would love to read another book about this world. There were some common fairy themes going on but a lot was new (at leas to me) and there seems to be a lot more to this story that can be told.

Final verdict:
Not my favorite Harvey book but still one that I'm glad I read. If you like faery stories with some suspense and action thrown in, you'll enjoy Stolen Away. I read an e-galley but this is one that I intend to purchase.

Overall Rating:

4 / 5 Stars

Linkage Love:
Author's webstie
Goodreads
IndieBound

Book Review: Percival's Angel by Anne Eliot Crompton

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: March 1, 2011
Pages: 224
Series: no
Acquisition: received for review

Summary:

Lili, an apprentice of the Lady of the Lake, is the childhood friend of Percy, the boy who will become one of Arthur's greatest knights. But as they grow older, Lili begins to see their differences. She has otherworldly magic while he has the magic that lives within the Human Heart. Lili dreams of knowing human love while Percy dreams of finding the Holy Grail. Neither can succeed without the other.Once again Crompton weaves together nature, feminist perspective, and Arthurian legend for a tale that is sure to appeal to readers of all ages.(from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
A very strange read for me. Chapter one was utterly confusing - I had no idea who the characters were and it was really hard to even tell what they were talking (or thinking) about. Some improvement as the book continued but not a whole lot.

The switch between first and third person narrative, with the added sporadic internal thoughts made for a confusing read. I couldn't really warm up to the characters and it wasn't until about half way through the book that I felt like I had a firm grip on the plot.

Also, it was a bit more sexual then I thought it would be. Not gross or over the top but it's there.

But still, not a terrible read. If you're a big Arthurian legend fan, you might enjoy Percival's Angel. The main characters you would expect take a back seat to some quirky fey, human and magic folk. A big mix of things going on really.

Even with the issues I had, the writing itself was strong. I could tell the author had a firm grip on her characters and their actions, even if I didn't and I would defiantly pick up another book by Anne.

Overall Rating:

2.5 / 5 Stars

Linkage Love:
Sourcebooks
Goodreads

Book Review: The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: January 25, 2011
Pages: 358
Series: 3rd in the Iron Fey series
Acquisition: received for review

Summary:

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
Started off a little slow for me. It took me a while to really get into the story and this was a little frustrating because I absolutely loved books 1 and 2. BUT! I really didn't have anything to worry about because by the end of The Iron Queen, I was breathless. I was elated and I was heart broken. I was flipping pages as fast as I could and I was slowly taking in each word, not wanting it all to end.

OMG! And that ending!

For some reason I thought The Iron Queen was the final in the series. I was wrong and I'm glad I was because after finishing it I realized how much more story there is out there that needs telling.

For team Ash fans out there - you will not be disappointed. But I have to say, as a member of Team Puck I was very happy with the way the story line is playing out. I still have no clue what will happen to these beloved characters in the end but looking forward to the ride!

Final verdict:
A must read if you've read books 1 and 2. If you haven't yet picked up this series and you’re a fantasy fan - you really should. A lot of hype surrounds this series but it is very well deserved.

Overall Rating:

4.5 / 5 Stars

Books in the Series:
The Iron King -- My Review
Winter's Passage (ebook short story)
The Iron Daughter -- My Review
The Iron Queen
The Iron Knight - November 2011

Linkage Love:
Harlequin
Author's Website
Goodreads

Tidbits:
*Book 4, The Iron Knight is said to be "Ash's story" - oh baby!

Book Review: Reckless by Cornelia Funke

Publication Date: September 2010
Pages: 400

Series: 1st in a series
Acquisition: received an ARC at BEA10

Summary:

For years, Jacob Reckless has been secretly disappearing to another world, a world behind a mirror, a world for which his father abandoned his family. The mirror world is Jacob's escape from reality. It's a place for treasure hunts and magnificent quests. A world where witches haunt the forests and giants and dwarfs roam. A world locked in a deadly war.

Jacob's secret seems safe, until one day his younger brother Will follows him, with disastrous consequence. Faced with a curse that is quickly turning Will to stone, the Reckless brothers are thrust into a race against time to find a cure before Will is lost forever.

Inspired by the Brothers Grimm, master storyteller Cornelia Funke introduces a lush, enchanting world where fantasy meets reality. Reckless is a thrilling adventure, a tale of heroism and loyalty, filled with danger, mystery, and magic--with fairy tales and legends re-imagined as never before. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
Simply fantastic!  There were so many things I loved about Reckless. The fantasy, the mystery, the adventure. Such generic terms I know, but in the hands of Cornelia Funke, they become magic.

The world Cornelia has created is filled with incredible creatures. Some right out of myths and legends. Some from our very own world. But most seem to be beings of pure fantasy and I so envy her imagination.

So much happens in such a short amount of time but I never felt like the story was rushed.  With only the smallest background given for some characters, I still felt an incredible connection to them. I was in their world because the words brought me there. Completely involved with the story - ever page sucked me in harder. I love when that happens!

Reminded me of:
No surprise here - Reckless very much reminded me of Cornelia's Inkheart series. They take place in different fantasy worlds but the feel is the same. If you enjoyed Inkheart you'll love Reckless.

Final verdict:
Overall - a really big win! I love how seamlessly Cornelia blends reality and fantasy.

If you're a fan of fantasy, YA or otherwise,  I HIGHLY recommend Reckless. It's a book to get lost in, a book you'll find yourself missing after you turn the last page.

Overall Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

Linkage Love:
Little Brown and Company
Author's Website
Goodreads

Book Review: Entice by Carrie Jones

**Warning**

This is the 3rd book in a series. The summary below and my review contain spoilers for those folks that haven't read books 1 and 2

Publication Date: Today! December 14, 2010
Pages: 272

Series: 3rd in a series
Acquisition: received an ARC for review

Summary:

Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever. But that's not quite how things have worked out. 

For starters, well, Nick is dead. Supposedly, he's been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it's taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla? 

And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't just turned. She's Astley's queen. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
I was very pleasantly surprised by Entice. Sorry to say, I didn't love the first two books in the series. I have issues with the characters and the setting. I still have those issues but overall, Entice was a much better read for me.

One of the main reasons I'm not a huge fan is Zara. I still haven't warmed up to her. She comes off rather dull and somewhat unintelligent. She's dealing with some pretty huge problems. Problems that force her to turn pixie. Does she face these problems head on? She does. But at the end of the day we get a little too much 'bad Zara - now go to your room young lady' from her mother and grandmother. I didn't feel like Zara was allowed to develop as a character and she defiantly didn't develop her pixie side to it's fullest.

What saved Entice for me was Astley. I'd sign up to be pixie kissed by him any day! The way he cares about his fellow pixies and the way he tries to take care of Zara despite what her friends and family think of him,  really made my heart melt a little. He really cares for her. Very different from Zara's relationship with Nick, which I always felt was a little fake.

So yeah, Nick...Nick I never really liked. He reminds me of Edward from Twilight - which might do it for some but not for me. I didn't mind him so much in Entice because, well, he wasn't really in it :) We do get to see how much his friends really care about him and that I did like. And when he does show up on the scene? A bit predictable but I'm thinking his time away as changed him in ways that will make book 4 really interesting.

Oh, and I'm just assuming there is a book 4. There better be a book 4!

Final verdict:
A must read if you have already read books 1 and 2. If you haven't picked up this series, despite what my review ratings might show, I would actually recommend these books to fantasy YA fans.

I gave Need a 2.5 out of 5 Star rating. Captive got a 3 and Entice is getting a 3.5. Even if Zara still bugs me, I'm warming up to the series as a whole.

Entice has a pretty good ending but there is a lot more of Zara, Nick and Astley's story to be told. I still love the fantasy world Jones has created and I can see this series going far.

Overall Rating:

3.5 / 5 Stars

Books in the Need Series:
Need
Captivate
Entice
Book 4 ?

Linkage Love:
Bloomsbury
Author's Website
Goodreads

Book Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Age: 12+
Publication Date: August 2010

Pages: 353
Series: 1st in a trilogy
Book Acquisition: bought new hardcover

Book Summary:

Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal. 

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. (from Goodreads)

Quick Thoughts:
Loved it! Read it in a few hours - I just couldn't put it down!

What I didn't like:
So hard to think of something. Really, the whole book just worked for me. If anything, I would have to say that because the characters were so interesting, I would have liked to have seen more points of view through out the story. Really, I just want more - of everything!

What I liked:
Um...everything?

Seriously though, this book was fantastic. I was hooked from page one. Evie was such an enjoyable character to read. Her life has never been normal. Luring, catching and tagging vampires, werewolves and their like is just another day on the job for her. Through it all though, she's still a teenager. She's still real. I felt like, if she were taken out of this story and dropped into say, a realistic teen fiction sans the paranormal creepy crawlies? I would still love her.

There is some romance, but it's cute and realistic. No - 'I just know we are meant to be together even though we just met and I know nothing about him - seriously, did you see him? He's so perfect and my body makes all these strange noises when he's near, even though I've never had a boy like me before I'm sure he's the only one for me and I cry whenever he walks away, even though I never cry because I'm so different then other girls - it's all him - he does this to me - that has to be love right?'

Sorry, I've had my fill of that type of romance in YA fiction! None of that here!

Reminded Me Of:
Lili St. Crow's Strange Angels series. Young girl, fighting the bad guys that normal society knows nothing about. Living with old secrets and discovering new ones.

Who Would Enjoy It:
Fans of paranormal young adult book (duh :) Also, maybe those who have been reluctant to pick up on the paranormal craze. The story is entertaining and there is lots of action. Also, lots of paranormal elements that work really well together. No wishy washy characters here.

Overall Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

One of my top reads of 2010

Books in the Series:
1. Paranormalcy
2. Supernaturally (Fall 2011)
3. Book 3 (?)

Linkage Love:
Harper Teen
Author's Website
Author's Blog
Goodreads