The Iron Knight - Julie Kagawa, ARC review

Je to zvláští, mít doma celou tuhle sérii (zatím publikované první tři díly) v paperbacích a vědomím, že jsem je v papírové podobě ještě nečetla. Ale co jsem se do téhle pohádkové série zamilovala, dosud vždycky jsem podlehla a po nocích četla předběžné ARC kopie... Ani Železný rytíř není výjimkou. Pokud jste nečetli předchozí díly, k review pokračujte jen na vlastní nebezpečí.

Title: The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Expected publication: October 25th 2011

Number of pages: 386

Publisher: Harlequin Teen 

Average Goodreads rating: 4.67 / 5

This review contains only spoilers for past books,

otherwise it's Iron Knight spoiler free.

 

~Promise-breakers
Disowned by his own people, banished from the Iron Realm for his own good by a girl he loves, Ash begins his quest to find a way to get back to her. Winter faery can’t be around iron for long so for this to be possible, Ash has to become a mortal. And for that he needs a soul. Bound by his oath as Meghan’s Iron Knight there aren’t really any other options: he finds a way to be with her or he dies. Wait, there is one other future, because if he failed, Ash wouldn’t be just a regular promise-breaker, he would become something terrible, threatening the newly found balance of the Faery world.

"I'm going to kill you," I said softly, and Puck's eyebrow rose. "Not tonight. Maybe not tomorrow. But soon. Our past is catching up to us, Goodfellow, and this feud has gone on long enough"

~Cost of mortality
Over the first three books Ash has become as human as a winter fey can possibly be and seeing it from his perspective is a whole new amazing experience. But it The Iron Knight there is also his other half – the unseelie half – that often surfaces and makes your blood run cold, makes Ash as dark as never before, because not only he has to earn his soul, he also has to come a long journey for the soul to be able to survive in his body. Those two sides – his dark unseelie nature and his other part that fell in love with half-human girl - battle for control and promise an amazing drama. Ash has to come to terms with his past as a ruthless unseelie prince and give up things that make him what he’s always been. It’s a tough journey full of obstacles and both physical and psychical pain. Will he even want a soul, once he really understands what it really means to be mortal?

His other catches included a yellow boot, a giant turtle that asked us for a pocket watch, and what looked like a large, normal catfish. That is, until it started sobbing enormous tears, begging us to return it to its family. I might’ve ignored the wailing fish and stuck it over the fire anyway, but the softhearted Goofellow let it go.

~Something old and something new
Unlike the previous books, The Iron Knight’s plot is fairly simple and straightforward. Ash has to fight his way through the tests – there is a generous amount of skirmishes and scuffles with all kinds of magical creatures, which don’t really count as my favourite part of the story, but these are regularly punctuated by dream sequences, prophetic visions, memories, witty dialogues and others. Ashe’s vow to kill Puck inevitably surfaces and demands fulfilment he no longer can ignore and results in some – well... heart throbbing scenes that made a brilliantly thrilling horror movie in my head.  Also Ash has a new unexpected companion that makes him doubt everything he believed to be true and unchangeable. 

"I'm not fearless,"  I told her. "There are a lot of things that scare me." Failure. My own savage, Unseelie nature. Being unable to save those I has sworn to protect. Having my heart ripped from me once more. "I'm not fearless," I said again. "Not by a long shot."

~The magic of writing
The writing is impeccable as always – beautiful prose packed with strings of enchanting almost magical words and sentences which made me reread whole paragraphs and bookmark like crazy (all in all 48 bookmarks for my favourite funny, romantic, dramatic and otherwise memorable parts.) I’m in awe of the way new faery creatures and places are presented and described – it all feels so deliciously new and imaginative but ancient – in a way that I believe they all have already existed in some old fairytales (which they probably do) – at the same time. 

~To sum up
Great sequel that puts an end to an amazing trilogy (tetralogy). It’s not a full-fledged five star just because my favourite romantic subplot was overpowered by a lot of fighting.

 

THIS REVIEW ON GOOD READS

~Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for providing me an Advance Reading Copy. Much appreciated ~

The Iron Queen - Julie Kagawa, review

Title: The Iron Queen
Series: Iron Fey #3

Author: Julie Kagawa

Pages: 358

Published: january 2011

GR hodnocení: 4.48  / 5

I thought it’s not possible to love this series even more. I was wrong. I had to take notes during reading, so I could mention all the awesome facts about it and this review isn´t long enough to contain them all. I tried to bookmark all my favorite quotes and scenes but soon I gave it up – I would have bookmarks on every second page.

The storyline is a little bit different – we know that there should be some kind of closure for the “Iron Fey issue” and we expect the final battle, we know when it should lead us. What we certainly cannot expect is The ending, but more on that later.

It´s full of thrilling skirmishes, unexpected complications and heart-stopping scenes. The writing is captivating, descriptions don’t lack in any department and dialogues are funny and witty. Even though I expected one or two twists and Part One was a little bit slow it didn’t bother me much.

There is everything we’ve loved so much in previous books but it´s tinted with desperation and uncertainty about characters´ fates that wasn’t so prominent before. The characters have evolved – I especially loved Meghan’s transformation – she’s no longer self-conscious human girl but a strong summer princess, she stands her ground, she´s learning how to fight with a sword...

Ash is still solemn, chivalrous and pensive but we often see his emotions, hopes and fears. He’s so human as a winter fey can possible be and that’s just amazing to see. And he likes Scrabble (I just had to mention it!)

This book reveals some unpleasant Ash´s and Puck´s secrets. There are some heart-throbbing family reunions, interesting bargains are being made and favors are being called in. We learn more about faery vows and faery lore. And all that is wrapped up in a package together with deathly Iron fey, so don’t be surprised by mentions of Terminator or Star Trek.

That the ending is extraordinary is all can say without spoiling anything. It offers satisfying closure of the trilogy but it won’t let you sleep nevertheless.

Overall: I loved it. Up there with my favourite series of all times!

This is a review of an advance reading copy provided to me by Harlequin Teen and Netgalley. 

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book, I really appreciate it.

REVIEW ON GOOD READS

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz, ARC review

[Snaha o publikování číslo 2]

Pro jednou trocha cizího jazyka, protože předběžnou kopii téhle knihy mi poskytlo na recenzi vydavatelství Harlequin Teen. Pokud by vás tedy zajímalo, jestli kniha stojí za to, nemusíte se bát nějakých složitých větných konstrukcí - maximálně nějakých legračních kiksů :)

V originále kniha vychází 28 června.

Title: Spellbound

Author: Cara Lynn Shultz

Expected publication: June 28th 2011

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

~ Teenage life

I can´t really say that Spellbound put me under spell, but at the beginning it was pretty close. I love books set in today´s New York – Spellbound was deliciously urban: kids are hanging out at bars, using fake IDs, drinking, partying next to the Met (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) wrapped up with some extra witch stuff: spells, prophecies and amulets... It was new, it was fresh and – most importantly it was fun. Great debut novel of an author capable of capturing teenage life and language. Emma´s inner monologues and comments made me love her in more than one way.

Thanks for letting me borrow this. Here´s your stupid sweatshirt, you moron. I totally wish I´d spilled nail polish on this. By the way, do you have an evil twin?

~ Scars for life

Emma is likeable, clever and easy to relate to. She just wants to be one of the crowd, not to stand out in any way but she can´t help but step in when her beloved are concerned. She´s the girl next door, really - loving music, failing Latin, crushing on the most gorgeous guy in school who seems to be ignoring her after one brief sparks-flying moment. But at the same time she´s still bearing the physical scars left by her drunken step-father´s driving and the psychical ones - caused by the deaths of her beloved mother and brother.

“So, like, did your family, like, throw you out?” she sneered, punctuating it with another toss of her white-streaked hair and srossing her red-soled shoes. Of course she wore Christian Louboutin heels. My cheeks got hot.
“So, like, do you have some kind of OCD that makes you toss your hair all the time?” I mimicked her.

~ Girl meets boy

His name is Brendan Salinger, he´s unbelievably rich in having-his-own-floor-in-thier-mansion kind of way. He´s always fighting, looking like he has just rolled out of bed... He even got suspended from the basketball team. He´s trouble. But there is a curse – an old medieval legend about two star-crossed lovers, reincarnating only to be separated again, and Emma can´t stay away in spite of all the signs – bursting street lamps and terrifying dreams warning her to do the only right thing. And Brandon might be the knight in the shining armour after all. Belveder Castle in Central Park is the witness of some pretty heart-fluttering scenes.

It´s not safe with him. Can you stay away?
I knew the answer.
No, I could not.

~ Upper East Side witches

As much as I loved first half of the book, the second - though not bad – was “just OK” in an average sort of way. Such a waste! I didn´t really buy the witchcraft represented by an old pendant and candles blowing in the wind – nothing really new and original. The witches here are the modern stereotype set by girls wearing black, too much eye-liner and carrying around old-looking spell books. Also we all know the high school routine of mean prom queens with flat character trying to make the life of the main heroine hell on earth so I can´t give any point for originality here.

She looked surprised that I approached her before regarding me with serious, red-eyeliner-rimmed ble-gray eyes. “Your energy works for me,” she said, raising her hand, her black-painted index fingernail extended as if she were trying to stir the air.

~ In comparison
I don´t make a habit of comparing books to other books - I´ve seen Spellbound being compared to Twilight and I have to say that I don´t really see any similiraties. If something, it reminds me of The Body Finder - not only because Emma and Violet share the same interest in jogging but because of the high school setting, the way main characters interact and the way plot continues.

~ To sum up

Spellbound is well written and very sweet high school romance tinged with witchcraft and doomed soul mates theme. Dramatic ending and actual playlist (which I listened during writing this review and I can´t stop listening still) included.

GOODREADS REVIEW

 

~Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for providing me an Advance Reading Copy. 

Much appreciated ~

[Credits: excerpts from the book, Images: Belvedere Castle at Night by JoeJosephs , Spell by *lauren-rabbit]

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky, ARC review

Název: Awaken

Autorka: Katie Kacvinsky
Rozsah: 352 stran
Datum vydání: 23. května 2011
Průměrné goodreads hodnocení: 3.91 / 5

Tak tahle knížka mě dostala. Nejdřív jsem ze samého nadšení chtěla hodnotit 5/5, pak jsem to v zájmu objektivnosti snížila na 4/5, po dopsání recenze, která je snad nejdelší a nejvyčerpávavější, jakou jsem kdy spáchala, jsem si uvědomila jak moc se mi to doopravdy líbilo a řekla jsem si čert to vem (a objektivitu vezmi s sebou) a vrátila jsem to na 5/5. Nakonec mi došlo, že na blogu přece můžu dávat půlhvězdičky. A taky že budu! Konečný verdikt tedy zní 4,5/5 a spolu s tímto hodnocením zaznívá moje nejsrdečnější doporučení. :)

Anglicky mluvící (čtoucí), které neodradí délka se můžou pustit do review dole.

 

~Quote:

“Why should I take time to write down my thoughts when no one can even read them? I´m used to millions of people having access to everything about me. I´m used to a fountain of feedback and comments trailing every entry I type, every thought I expose. That makes me feel justified. Is shows that people genuinely care about me that I´m real and I exist. Why try to hide it all in a book? Besides, there are no secrets. Sooner or later, the truth always leaks out. That´s one thing I´ve learned in life.”

-Madeline (prologue)

~Premise
17 year old Madeline lives in a world run by computers. Face-to-face interaction with people is almost extinct- people prefer to stay at home and hide behind theirs computers´ screens. All the kids attend the Digital School (DS) because it´s convenient, accessible and safe.

~Society and style of living
The world portrayed in this book – the world in 2060 – is definitely futuristic, but I have to say I had no problem accepting this “universe”, it all seemed very natural and it wasn´t forced at all. (This is kind of scary, if you think about it, but more on that later.) The thing is – the most noticeable changes and developments which occurred during these 50 years altered the society and peoples´ personal values. Sure, there were some (actually many) hi-tech gadgets and new weapons, but the biggest difference was the new style of living.

~Brief history of...Madeline
Madeline used to rebel against the system and against her parents and she used to be involved with some anti-DS groups. She used to – because one day she went too far. She compromised her family and most importantly her father – the director and inventor of the DS. In order to make things right and save her family, she´s on a good behaviour from then on. She´s quite comfortable living just like everybody else, she doesn´t question it and she´s trying to regain her father´s trust, which seems impossible.

~It all starts with... a guy
Until she starts online chatting with Justin. A guy who convinces her to meet with him in person one day. Madeline has never met anyone like him – not only that this twenty year old guy is drop dead gorgeous, but he´s sworn objector of the whole digital school business. With him she feels alive. He shows her how miserable is the online “life” full of digital friends and virtual walks. How a keyboard and a webcam can´t compensate for a real face to face meeting. When she´s with him, it feels like sensory overload to her and she´s slowly falling for him. Though Justin´s always busy with his work and he has very little time for his friends, he´s spending most of it with Maddie. But he doesn´t show any signs of being attracted to her, which confuses her and makes her heart ache. Is Justin just so good at hiding his feelings, or has he singled her out for an entirely different reason? Will Maddie be able to awake Justin´s feelings just like he´s awaken her to the real life?

~First overall impression
I absolutely loved this book from the very beginning. The first half was pretty much amazing and I just couldn´t stop reading. There was action, uncertainty, suspense and such a romantic quality to it that my heart did flip-flops in sync with Maddie´s. Contrary to my description of Maddie earlier she wasn´t one of those digital freaks addicted to being “plugged in”. She just had no choice and she came to terms with it. She´s lived like that all her life and though she didn´t love it, she didn´t hate it either. She was a strong, clever heroine, sensible but headstrong. She wasn´t used to opening to other people, but when she did, her honesty startled everyone.

~Irresistible any mysterious
Justin on the other hand is the embodiment of mysteriousness and hotness. He´s very responsible and devoted to his mission. Sometimes he speaks like someone with a degree in psychology, but he has the age and experience to justify it. He´s also very capable of keeping his emotions at bay and keeping a distance.

~Slowing down
I have to admit that last 100 pages of the book were a little slow because the action was pushed aside to make room for feelings and emotional growth of the characters. The primary plot was abandoned... And that´s a pity since the action was just as enjoyable – because of that the rest of the book kind of lost one dimension. I can´t really understand the ending – it must have been some kind of transit passage to the sequel (?) because on its own it would be a little unsatisfactory and kind of a letdown for otherwise such a brilliant book.

~Impact
Awaken was actually the first book that has ever made me feel guilty about reading itself – about being at home, looking at the screen of my computer. It made me want to go outside for a walk, for a fresh air (even though it was freezing outside). I´ve mentioned earlier that it was kind of scary - it all felt so real. It was taking place in the future and still it felt so incredibly contemporary, so true, so accurate. So inevitable.I am torn between rating 4 or 5. Exactly halfway. So I´m going to round it up to 5 because it´s a debut novel. And because I can´t wait for some other book by Katie Kacvinsky. Hopefully an Awaken sequel? *subtle hint*

~~~~

 (This is a review of an advance reading copy provided to me by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book, I really appreciate it.)