Review: WINTER’S PASSAGE by Julie Kagawa

TITLE: Winter's Passage

AUTHOR: Julie Kagawa – Web, Blog

GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy,

PUBLISHED: Name & Date

FORMAT: eBook

SOURCE: Free Download from Author's Site

SYNOPSIS & REVIEW:

I love novellas. They tend to be a delightful extension to a larger story. WINTER’S PASSAGE by Julie Kagawa (2010) is a 65 page novella (E-book only) extending the story. I had just finished THE IRON KING and found out that there is a novella that takes place before the next book. So I Googled it and found it for free. (Awesome!) (Sorry, Amazon doesn't sell this one! Check out the publisher's website: Harlequin.)

Megan Chase has made a contract with a Faery prince in exchange for help rescuing her kidnapped brother. They had completed the mission, returning the boy home but Megan is bound by the laws of faery contracts--she must keep her word. Ash vowed to bring her in and is obligated by the law to keep his word too. This little novella shines a light upon the conflict of both of these characters having to keep their word, but there's something else between them too. They are being pursued by some frighteningly large beast while trying to sort out their feelings as Ash brings Megan to the land of Winter.

RATED:

Her story telling is superb and has left me wanting to know the rest of the story. She enriches her two main characters in this snippet. There beautiful details about the land of Winter brought to life in this little adventure. Rated 3. Good, no regrets! (How can you regret anything that takes so little time to read!) I can’t wait to see what’s next in the THE IRON DAUGHTER.

Check out my Reviews of the Iron Fae Series:

Book 1: THE IRON KING
Novella: WINTER'S PASSAGE
Book 2: THE IRON DAUGHTER
Book 3: THE IRON QUEEN (Yet to be released at the time of this review.)

Review: THE IRON KING by Julie Kagawa

TITLE: The Iron King
AUTHOR: Julie Kagawa – Web, Blog

GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy, Faeries

PUBLISHED: Harlequin Teen (Feb 2010)

FORMAT: Paperback

SOURCE: Personal Library (Purchased from Amazon)

SYNOPSIS:
A teenage girl who doesn’t seem to fit in stars in THE IRON KING by Julie Kagawa (Feb 2010). Iron. Ice. A love doomed from the start.

Megan Chase’s brother is kidnapped. She will stop at nothing to get him back and to get her family back to normal, although nothing has been normal since her father disappeared when she was six. She learns how far she will go to save someone she loves: her brother, her best friend (who turns out to be a faery), the handsome prince of an enemy faery kingdom.

REVIEW:
The twists and turns of this story are great fun. I don’t even want to reveal too much about the story because it’s so thrilling to read through the secrets held within the pages. There were so many questions with a horde of answers and yet I’m still thinking about it and asking more questions.

THE IRON KING engaged my imagination. I loved the imagery, the Summer and Winter faery kingdoms and, of course, the Iron kingdom. At first it was hard to accept the addition to the natural realms, a realm of machinery, but if you let the story carry you, there is much to the story to like.

RATING:
I give this book a 4: Very Good. I anticipate reading the next in the series to find out about this original idea of the Iron Kingdom.




Check out my Reviews of the Iron Fae Series:
Book 1: THE IRON KING
Novella: WINTER'S PASSAGE
Book 2: THE IRON DAUGHTER
Book 3: THE IRON QUEEN (Yet to be released at the time of this review.)

Review: CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins

TITLE: Catching Fire
AUTHOR: Suzanne Collins – Web
GENRE: Young Adult, SciFi, Action/Adv
PUBLISHED: Scholastic (September 1, 2009)FORMAT: Paperback
SOURCE: Personal Library

SYNOPSIS:

THE HUNGER GAMES’ second installment called CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins has really got me hooked. It is separated into three parts: Katniss and Peeta take their mandatory victory Tour around the 12 districts of Panem, the preparation for next Hunger Games, and another game played quickly, smartly and strategically that drives you to keep flipping the page. (I'm not sharing any more details... about plot!)

REVIEW:
After reading the first book, I just thought it was a cool story. This second book brought me deeper into the characters. I care a lot more for them now. Katniss is developed even more. Even though she is a confused, emotional teenager, she at least makes some sort of choice, even though she can’t act on it yet. I’m thrilled there is a third book. Bring it on!! (Book 3: MOCKINGJAY ~ Release Date: August 24, 2010)

This book gives a better look at the dystopia that is Panem. (dystopia=opposite of utopia) It was hard to read about this terrible nation that uses their people like slaves and punishes them like dogs. It was most of the reason I didn’t like the first book much—to oppressive. But there is hope in this book. I like hope.

RATING:
So I’d have to say this book surprised me in its overall plot. I expected something else entirely. I’m rating CATCHING FIRE at a 4: Very Good: A very good choice to read. What I’m saying is that the hype is right… great story… great ending hook… I need more!

PS: If this doesn’t become a movie—and Twilight did—someone should really get kicked in the neck! (FYI It's not as violent as book one though.)


Check out my Reviews on the Hunger Games Trilogy:
Book 1: THE HUNGER GAMES
Book 2: CATCHING FIRE
Book 3: MOCKINGJAY

Review: ARCHENEMY by Frank Beddor

TITLE: Archenemy

SERIES: The Looking Glass Wars

AUTHOR: Frank Beddor – Web

GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fairytale

PUBLISHED: Dial (October 15, 2009)

FORMAT: Hardcover

SOURCE: Borrowed from Library

The last book in the Looking Glass Wars Trilogy, ARCHENEMY by Frank Beddor (2009) is a climactic war for Wonderland and for imagination. I enjoyed all three books. The world Beddor created is truly magnificient and thoroughly planned out. He’s created an entire line of weaponry, measurements, phrases and more for this trilogy. It is quite impressive. I would dare say that the last one was the most intricate. And if you’re new to this trilogy, start at the beginning with THE LOOKING GLASS WARS then SEEING REDD.

SYNOPSIS:In this book there is a three-way war for Wonderland. The heart crystal has been zapped of its energy and therefore affecting imagination everywhere. Alyss, Redd, White and Black imaginationists alike, as well as those in the parallel universe on earth have been drained of imagination. Arch, King of Borderlands is the culprit and has taken over the queendom as King. Imaginationless Alyss must fight to win back her rightful place as queen. Powerless Redd is on the run looking for a way to regain the power to the throne. It is a three way battle over Wonderland with many underlying storylines: the oracles, Alyss’ family in England, Homburg Molly, and the introduction of the Everqueen. It kept me guessing until the end and I couldn’t stop thinking about it afterward… see, I’m still thinking about it.

REVIEW:
All in all this book was a good read. It was more intense with war strategies and not a lot of character depth but by the third book, how much deeper can you go into characters we know so well? At least we get to see more deeply into some of the secondary characters, such as Homburg Molly (my fav) and the oracles.

RATING:

I’d rate this book, by itself, at a 4: Very Good: A very good choice to read.

To rate the series (an average of all the ratings… which they were all rated 4.) I guess I’d say it was worth the read. It’s not on my favorites list (I’m not a big fan of war strategies) but it was a great storyline, an imaginative world that blew me away with the details and the characters were likeable.

MOVIE GOSSIP: I can’t wait for the movie!!! Rumor has it the screenplay is written, the director has been chosen, and they are casting for Alyss and Dodge. They are doing the “wait and see” after the Tim Burton “Alice in Wonderland” was released.

See my Reviews of the rest of this series:
Book 1: THE LOOKING GLASS WARS
Book 2: SEEING REDD
Book 3: ARCHENEMY