Review: Iron King & Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Summary: Meghan Chase has never fit in at her small-town high school, and now, on the eve of her 16th birthday, she discovers why. When her half brother is kidnapped, Meghan is drawn into a fantastical world she never imagined--the world of Faery, where anything you see may try to eat you, and Meghan is the daughter of the summer faery king. Now she will journey into the depths of Faery to face an unknown enemy . . . and beg the help of a winter prince who might as soon kill her as let her touch his icy heart.

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Summary: Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

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Review: I read these two books back to back, and it was a while ago, before life got totally crazy. Because of that the books kind of run together in my head, which is not a bad thing. I loved these two books, and I'm really looking forward to the third book, The Iron Queen, which comes out in February.

First I have to say I love the concept of the Iron Fey. Fey who go against everything in the canon of Faery, and they know it. One thing I love about faery stories is that there is a pretty set canon that is followed. There is always Titania and Oberon, Puck is always the jocker of the group and Mahb is always the evil one. It makes it really easy to jump into any book about faery. It also makes me feel like all the books, even when written by different authors are connected. As if Kelley Winslow from Lesley Livingston's Wondrous Strange, Laurel from Aprilynne Pike's Wings and Meghan Chase (from these books), might all bump into eachother someday during their adventures in Avalon, discover they are all related by virtue of Oberon's many dalliances, and become friends somehow. I LOVE that. The canon can also be troublesome, because it makes it hard to really do anything new and unique. How do you stay true to everything that came before, while still breating something new and exciting? I think Kagawa nailed it. the Iron Fey exist in the familiar world, but contribute something so unique that it creates a new story and world. It's hard to do, but I think here it is a complete success.

Another success is the characters. Meghan Chase is fabulous as our heroine who finds out she is 1/2 summer faery princess. She is tough as nails, but still maintains that uncertainty that comes with being a teen, especially one who discovers nothing is what it seems. Robbie aka Puck is great as the best friend. He's there every step of the way for her, and provides some great comedic relief. Ash, as our angry yet oh, so intriguing Winter Prince is also great. I love the fighting between Ash and Robbie and that the backstory for it was so fleshed out and believable (and heartbreaking). You can really understand his actions and the conflict within him.

There was alot of action in these books- which I really loved. Sometimes we get aot of magic and romance, but miss out on how violent fey can be. I think Kagawa found a great balance. The tension between the summer and winter courts was great, and with Meg and Ash in the middle, you could really feel that it could all go too far at any minute. Add in the Iron Fey lurking at the edges, waiting to take advantage and it was a perfect mix of action and restraint.

Overall- great books. I'm dying to get my hands on The Iron Queen. I wnat to know what happens with Meg and Ash, how Puck will fit in, if Meghan's father will be found, if an alliance can be forged between the Winter and Summer courts and if the Iron Fey can be defeated, or at least controlled. So many unanswered questions! I can't wait :)

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In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. The idea is to share what books you got your hands on in the last week. This week was pretty good to me, with a few books from the library, a few that I won in contests and one on review!

Contest Wins:
The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz- Logsted (ARC)

Lucy Sexton is stunned when a disheveled woman appears at the door one day... a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lucy's own beautiful mother. It turns out the two women are identical twins, separated at birth, and raised in dramatically different circumstances. Lucy's mother quickly resolves to give her less fortunate sister the kind of life she has never known. And the transformation in Aunt Helen is indeed remarkable. But when Helen begins to imitate her sister in every way, even Lucy isn't sure at times which twin is which. Can Helen really be trusted, or does her sweet face mask a chilling agenda?

Filled with shocking twists and turns, The Twin's Daughter is an engrossing gothic novel of betrayal, jealousy, and treacherous secrets that will keep you guessing to the very end.

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

Stork by Wendy Delsol

Sixteen-year-old Katla has just moved from Los Angeles to the sticks of Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, she learns to her horror that she’s a member of an ancient order of women who decide to whom certain babies will be born. Add to that Wade, the arrogant football star whom Katla regrettably fooled around with, and Jack, a gorgeous farm boy who initially seems to hate her. Soon Katla is having freaky dreams about a crying infant and learns that, as children, she and Jack shared a near-fatal, possibly mystical experience. Can Katla survive this major life makeover and find a dress for the homecoming dance? Drawing from Norse mythology and inspired by The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, debut author Wendy Delsol conceives an irreverent, highly entertaining novel about embracing change and the (baby) bumps along the way.

For Review:

She Smells the Dead by EJ Stevens
It's the beginning of senior year and Yuki's psychic awareness of ghostly spirits is threatening to ruin her life. Her ability to sense spirits of the dead isn't glamorous like the ghost hunting on television.

SHE SMELLS THE DEAD.

The smell impressions are becoming stronger. Yuki is being visited in her dreams, and she suspects that her friend Calvin is involved in something strange. To make matters worse her crush on Garrett is going unrequited, Yuki's friend Emma is on a rampage against bee oppression, and annoying Calvin Miller mysteriously disappears.

Will Yuki be able to focus her powers in time to save the lost soul who is haunting her? Meanwhile, who will save Yuki from following the spirits into the light?

From the Library:

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
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.

*All descriptions from goodreads.com*