Review: Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Tiger Lily 

by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Published: July 3, 2012 

Publisher: HarperTeen

Hardcover, 292 Pages

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything--her family, her future--to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "Peaches" comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.--Goodreads

3.5 Stars

Review:

I had a bit of a love-hate with this book...

It's a retelling of Peter Pan, so of course this book is a good book. I'm bias, I know. Peter Pan is one of my favorite stories ever! Also it's in Tinkerbell's point of view! Tink is the BEST! I wish she could talk though....

The story being in Tink's point of view was really different because this is a secondary character, one that no one really notices in the book, telling the whole story. If it was in Peter's or Tiger Lily's point of view that, in my opinion, would be a lot better because you get more of an insight to what the main characters are thinking. When I said I wish Tink could talk, I really wish that Tink could take because that would help solve the problems in the story a whole lot better, but I guess since she saw the problems faster than the main characters did if she talked then the book wouldn't have any big issues occurring.

In every single book I have ever read, there is always a character I feel bad for. In this novel at first it was Phillip, because his whole crew died and he was attacked by pirates, but later in the book it was Tik Tok that I felt bad for. Phillip is not a bad person, but he got into everyones' heads and made them think that Tik Tok dressing and acting feminine was not OK, so Tik Tok, who was the head of the village, is now shunned by everyone. Ah I felt sooo bad for him!

What is wrong with Smee and Giant?! What the heck! They are beyond creepy! Smee likes to kill people he admires (yeah people he admires!), to feel sadness and pain and Giant is just a giant creep, who Tiger Lily unfortunately has to marry (she was forced! It's not her fault!). Since it's based off of the original Peter Pan, is Giant in the novel just to make it different than the originally story? Smee is a Peter Pan character, so it makes sense he's in the book.

Basically if you know the story of Peter Pan, at least a little bit, you have the general idea of what's going on in Tiger Lily. BUT in no way was Tiger Lily the same as Peter Pan.

Purchase this book at: Amazon / B&N / The Book Depository

Cover Reveal: Release by M. R. Merrick

Release (The Protector #3)

By M. R. Merrick

Release Date: December 10, 2012

After uniting the shifters and calling in reinforcements, Chase has to face his toughest challenge yet: learning to control his emotions. But as tensions rise and his powers grow, controlling his emotions becomes the least of his problems.

Terrorized by a multi-shifter who is hell-bent on turning him, Chase questions just how far he’s willing to go to stop his father. Meanwhile, Tiki’s virtuous nature has placed him in the middle of Vincent’s past, leaving Chase to oppose a senate of vampires and defend a demon he hates.

Trying to balance his friends, his enemies, and his inner demons, Chase is left searching for answers about the Mark, his destiny, and where he can find the next soul piece. Stopping Riley is his top priority, but as more obstacles arise, he finds himself doubting all the decisions he’s made - especially regarding Rayna.

One thing is for certain: Chase has finally realized that he doesn’t know anything. The light doesn’t always quell the darkness, the monsters don’t always stay in the shadows, and the past doesn’t always stay in the past - sometimes, the demons inside are the hardest to fight. --Goodreads

M.R. Merrick | Goodreads | Exiled (Protector #1) | Shift (Protector #2)

Review: The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan

The Demigod Diaries (Heroes of Olympus #2.5)

By Rick Riordan

Published: August 14, 2012

Publisher: Hyperion Book CH

Hardcover, 242 pages

What dangers do runaway demigods Luke and Thalia face on their way to Camp Half-Blood? Are Percy and Annabeth up to the task of rescuing stolen goods from a fire-breathing giant who doesn't take kindly to intruders? How exactly are Leo, Piper, and Jason supposed to find a runaway table, dodge a band of party-loving Maenads" ("who just might be a little psychotic), and stave off a massive explosion...all in one hour or less?

With his trademark wit and creativity, Rick Riordan answers these questions and more in three never-before-seen short stories that provide vital back-story to the Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson books. Original art, enlightening character interviews and profiles, puzzles, and a quiz add to the fun in this action-packed collection. --Goodreads

3.5 Stars

Review

Note: I am not going to review the "original art, enlightening character interviews and profiles, puzzles and a quiz."  

Now, I shall begin my rant on what could have been the salvation for my dying obsession with this series, but ended up to be a ridiculously awkward round trip back home full of disappointment. I'll give a basic rundown of the whole book and my feelings of these four short stories.

"The Diary of Luke Castellan": Rick Riordan begins The Demigod Diaries with the story of Luke, Thalia and Annabeth's first meeting. Didn't we already hear of this? Of course we have, but this story goes further back and explains everything that lead up to the fated meeting between the three. I cannot deny that it was intuitive to finally take a peek at the dastardly Luke Castellan's mind, but there doesn't seem to be a purpose to this. This book is supposed to help readers to have a better grasp of what is to come in the next books in the series; however, this book just seemed to be a filler. Otherwise, it was a nice, refreshing action-packed adventure that is typical of Rick Riordan.

"Percy Jackson and the Staff of Hermes": Oh Percy, how much I have missed your first person narratives. Basically, this is a classic Percy Jackson and the Olympians story with Percy talking, Annabeth thinking and Greek mythology going gaga for humor and ridiculousness. This time, Percy and Annabeth are fighting a giant with an obsession with the counterfeit luxury items so famous in NYC for Hermes' staff (no duh...) As awkward as this was, I really loved revisiting the old times prior to the whole The Heroes of Olympus blah. Let's just say, the old times were the best and will be forever more.

"Leo Valdez and the Quest for Buford": As probably on the of the biggest fans of Leo Valdez, I can guarantee that this was the most refreshing story of them all. There was the hilarious mixed with the serious and not to mention, the bizarre. The bizarre being Mr. D of course. After missing him for two books, I was glad to see him make an indirect appearance in this book, albeit it being kind of short and over the top. Jason and Piper are still the same dull worriers as they were in The Lost Hero, so I don't expect much change when the time comes for The Mark of Athena, but at least they keep Leo from creating total mayhem, like he almost does in this story.

P.S. Buford is a walking table.

"Son of Magic": Rick Riordan's son, Haley, has created an accurate portrayal of the demigods in the world created for him by his father in this story. Compared to the other short stories, this one felt the most compelling and had me really pumped up for what is to come in The Mark of Athena.  This story offers up an explanation of Mist and the fate of the demigods who sided with Kronos in the Great Titan War. Although this lacked the humor and childish qualities of his father's writing, Haley has managed to create a vivid story full of betrayal, bitterness and love.

Overall, The Demigod Diaries was a decent filler book to keep my hunger for The Mark of Athena  satisfied for a short time. There were a few shaky moments in each of the stories, but each one managed to hold on its own nicely. I will not say that it met my expectations, but it was still an enjoyable pleasure read that will surely keep readers excited for what is to come.

Purchase this book: Amazon/ Barnes&Nobles/ The Book Depository

Waiting on Wednesday 9/26

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event that features the books that we (the bloggers) are highly anticipating. "Waiting on Wednesday" was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Jenny is "Waiting On":

Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Expected publication: January 22nd 2013 by EgmontUSA

There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away. 

That’s why they make the perfect assassins.

The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.

Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.--Goodreads

Pre-Order Nobody at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

Rosie Really Wants To Read

Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway
Expected Publication: January 15 2013 by Spencer Hill Press

Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.

After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.

Jodi’s deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Jodi discovers she’s the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can’t figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct. --GoodReads

Pre-Order Touch of Death at: Amazon/ Barnes & Noble/ The Book Depository

~M is eagerly anticipating:

Death and the Girl Next Door (Darkling #1) by Darynda Jones Release Date: October 2nd, 2012

Ten years ago, Lorelei's parents disappeared without a trace.  Raised by her grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home.  For Lorelei, life goes on.

Death and the Girl Next Door (Darkling 1) by Darynda Jones Release Date: October 2nd, 2012High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as normal as they can be.  Until the day the school's designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it,  standing outside her house in the dark, night after night.  Things get even more complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to school.  Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity.  What does Jared know about her parents?  Why does Cameron tell Jared he can't have Lorelei?  And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real?  --Goodreads

 Pre-order this book at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

 Angie is impatiently dying for:

The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan

Release Date: October 2, 2012 by Hyperion Book CH

In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six—who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?

The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophecy remains a mystery. . . .

With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan. --Goodreads

Pre-order The Mark of Athena: Amazon/ Barnes & Noble/ The Book Depository



                                Maggie is looking ahead to:

Falling for You by Lisa Schroeder
Estimated Release Date: January 1, 2013 by Simon Pulse Publishers

Rae's always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her...and the less she wants to give. 

As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous. 

Then a tragedy lands Rae in the ICU. Now, hovering between life and death, Rae must find the light amid the darkness…and the strength to fight for life and the love she deserves. ~Goodreads




Pre-order Falling for You: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

Freebie Alert!

Hurry! Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs is now free on Kindle, Nook, and KOBO!

Get yours: Kindle / Nook / KOBO


Make sure you double check the pricing before you purchase! Hurry this deal only lasts for a limited time!


Information from Tera Lynn Childs' blog CLICK HERE

Review: Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Tempest Rising (Tempest #1)

By Tracy Deebs

Published May 10th 2011

 Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers

Hardcover, 352 pages

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance. --Goodreads

Review

The reason why I decided to read Tempest Rising, was that I hadn't read a mermaid book in a while, and I wanted more, mermaids are one of the less written about YA subjects, so I jumped at the chance to read this. Not only is it about mermaids, but it seems like it has a good plot. Let's begin.

I, personally, like Tempest. You can't help but feel sorry for her when you learn about everything she has on land, like her family, surfing, and a boyfriend, which she has to continually fight for in the pull between being mermaid and human. Also, instead of the average monster slaying heroine, Tempest actually feels guilty when she has to kill in self defense, feeling regret and remorse.  

With the love triangle it was hard to choose a side. I liked Mark, and how he loves and supports her, and truly thinks that she is the one. The best side of him though is how he see's through Tempest's lies and tries to talk to her, and really fights to keep her. On the other hand, there is Kona, who is totally right for Tempest in that he really understands and connects with her. He also has long, dark hair and mysterious eyes, and can make me totally forget about Mark. Sigh . . . 

The end of the book is ok . . . I mean it isn't one of those terrible-leave-you-hanging endings, but with this ending Tempest Rising could almost be just a solo book, and it doesn't quite need a sequel, but there are still somethings that I want to find out about. I liked the setting, first on the California beach, where the author really dives into Tempest's surfing life. The underwater aspect was also excellent, and I enjoyed how it wasn't only about mermaids, but other creature too.

I am highly looking forward to reading the sequel, and would recommend this to anyone who loves mermaids or is looking for an introduction to mermaid fiction. With an amazing setting and lovable characters, Tempest Rising is a fast paced watery ride through the life of someone with the difficult choice between the land and the sea. 

Purchase this book at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Movie Trailer: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

My Thoughts: I dunno... It looks kinda stupid. Don't get me wrong! I loved this book, well the first book. The second book of the series was kind of bleh for me. But look at this! The guy playing Ethan looks too old to be in high school and the window blasting out scene felt so fake. Not to mention, it feels like the dark atmosphere is forced, instead of naturally being the setting. Maybe it's just me.

What do you guys think?

 

Cover Reveal: Just for Now by Abbi Glines

Just for Now (Sea Breeze, #4) 

by Abbi Glines

Release Date: October 23, 2012

Cover Designer: Stephanie Mooney of Mooney Designs

Book Trailer Designer: Hellion Works

Event Host: AToMR Tours

The day Preston Drake figured out that wealthy women paid well for a set of tight abs and a pretty face his life turned around.

The run down rat-infested trailer he had shared with his alcoholic mother and three younger siblings was now only a place he visited to pay the bills and stock the pantry with food. 

He no longer worried about his family starving or living without electricity. The money he made entertaining rich older women more than covered his family’s needs and his own. He had it all figured out. Except…

There was this girl.

She was as innocent as he was tainted.

Amanda Hardy wished her knees didn’t get weak when Preston walked into a room. She hated the fact her heart raced when he flashed his smile in her direction. He had a different girl in his bed every night. He was the kind of boy a smart girl ran from. So, why was she coming up with ways to get close to him? Even when it was obvious he wanted to keep her at a distance.

Maybe her heart knew something the world didn’t. Maybe Preston Drake was more than just a pretty face.

About the Author:

Abbi Glines can be found hanging out with rockstars, taking out her yacht on weekends for a party cruise, sky diving, or surfing in Maui. Okay maybe she needs to keep her imagination focused on her writing only. In the real world, Abbi can be found hauling kids (several who seem to show up that don’t belong to her) to all their social events, hiding under the covers with her MacBook in hopes her husband won’t catch her watching Buffy on Netflix again, and sneaking off to Barnes and Noble to spend hours lost in the yummy goodness of books. If you want to find her then check Twitter first because she has a severe addiction to tweeting @abbiglines.   Facebook is also somewhere she visits a little too often. She blogs regularly but rarely about anything life changing. She also really enjoys talking about herself in third person.

Find Abbi: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Book Trailer Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn0yOaSnVQE&feature=youtu.be

Review and Giveaway: Any Love but Mine by Debbie Davies

Any Love but Mine (The Erosians #1)

By Debbie Davies

Published: March 3, 2012

eBook, 285 pages

Look but don't touch has never been more true.

The gods forbade her to love, but love is a powerful force. Acacia has been created purely for Eros' pleasure but discovers within moments of being summoned into his presence that he has no interest in her whatsoever. Rejected, she is banished to Earth to serve as Eros' minion with the task of promoting the blissful state of love among all those around her, a state she must never indulge in with a human being herself on pain of immediate destruction. And then comes Josh, someone whose power of attraction over Acacia is so intense she will find it utterly impossible to resist him. But is he human? Is he a god? Or is he a trick of the gods? And what would happen should they kiss? --Goodreads

3.5 Stars

Review

Another Greek mythology soap opera is what someone expect from a title and a blurb like this. The whole thing about love, except "mine" and the mystery about Josh is the total melodramatic-ness that is expected from a book like this. Unfortunately for you soap opera lovers, Any Love but Mine is a charming romance that totally has you renouncing any questions that you had prior to reading the book, like me.

The book begins with Acacia and her tragic life. Rejected by Eros, thrown away like dirt, yet still under Eros' control, Acacia is living a hard life as an outsider at the school she is attending. She detests, but accepts her fate as a rejected lover of Eros until she discovers that she cannot fight her attraction to Josh. Acacia's journey to break free of the life she was forced upon and discover true love is an unpredictable roller coaster that is full of thrills and relatable emotions.

I know that none of you readers can't really relate to the idea that you can't love someone because you're a slave of someone. But Acacia was a character who was pretty accessible when it came to her yearning for freedom and experience love. Acacia just had pure, raw emotion when it came to loving Josh, which I found really special. Although their love was kind of insta-love, I really enjoyed cheering Acacia on with her relationship with Josh because one, Josh is a total sweetheart and two, Eros is a bipolar possessive a-hole. 

My only really major complaint of Any Love but Mine was its totally random plot at the end. For some reason, another love interest is added in the story for Acacia. I have nothing against love triangles (usually), but this whole new guy felt out of place. After all, I really fell for Acacia and Josh together, and seeing Acacia falling for another guy just because Josh wasn't around made me question whether Acacia ever actually loved Josh. Maybe I'm just too hooked on Acacia+Josh.

There is just some magic about Any Love but Mine that will have you cheering on Acacia and everyone else. Even the characters who don't receive much screen time (book time?) have conflicting emotions that couldn't make me hate them, which is really rare considering that I usually hate everyone (It's actually true).

Anyway, Any Love but Mine is a refreshing take on the true meaning of love and the power of love that will totally rock your world of fantasy and paranormal.

Purchase this eBook: Amazon (Kindle)

Debbie Davies was generous enough to offer 3 eBook copies up for giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview: Debbie Davies, Author of Any Love but Mine

Yup! This time we have the fantastic Debbie Davies here to answer our questions about her book, Any Love but Mine, and her writing life.

Check out our Any Love but Mine review and giveaway here!

YA N:When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

 From a really young age actually. I started creating picture books with one of my friends when we were in primary school and then I progressed to writing poetry in secondary school and it all grew from there!

YA N:Where do you get your information or ideas for your books? 

The idea for Any Love But Mine came from Greek mythology. I have a lot of books about greek mythology which I used as my main reference texts for the story and then a lot of the emotions and relationships were inspired through music. I look at parts of the book and I can tell what I was listening to when I wrote it.


YA N:What do you think makes a good story? 

I think the writer needs to know the story and needs to have a clear direction for where the story is going and where it should end. Otherwise the writing will become confusing and the readers won't connect with the words. I also think the characters need to be well developed so readers can form relationships with them. If readers don't care about the characters they won't care about what happens to them.

YA N:What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

How hard it is to write a story, how wrapped up in the story you can be and how much you end up loving the characters you create. I have had countless conversations with my friends who have read the story about the lives of the characters as if they are real people!

YA N:What do you have in store for the future in writing? (*hint, hint for Any Love but Mine*) 

The sequel to Any Love But Mine is well under way. In addition to the sequel I plan on writing a prequel of sorts which tells the story of Eros and also a side novel telling Allana's story.

YA N: Whoot! Whoot! Totally cannot wait!! So, who is your favorite character in Any Love but Mine and why?

I love them all (with maybe a couple of exceptions) for different reasons. I love Acacia's bravery in going for the things in life she wants. I love Allana's strength that she shows through carrying on with her life after all she has been through and I love Amora for being completely evil.

YA N:Would you like to tell our readers anything else?

I'd like to thank everyone of them that has read Any Love But Mine and also I suggest everyone who loves reading joins a site like goodreads.com I have found so many amazing books through this site that I otherwise would never have heard of! And finally as they say in Cinderella "whatever you wish for will come true" so keep wishing!

Thank you Debbie Davies for coming out and answering our questions. We are totally in agreement with the Goodreads thing, so come check out Debbie's Goodreads page, right here!

Review: Ascend by Amazon Hocking

Ascend (Trylle Trilogy #3)

By Amanda Hocking

Published: April 24, 2012

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Paperback, 326 pages

Wendy Everly is facing an impossible choice. The only way to save the Trylle from their deadliest enemy is by sacrificing herself. If she doesn’t surrender to the Vittra, her people will be thrust into a brutal war against an unbeatable foe. But how can Wendy leave all her friends behind…even if it’s the only way to save them?

The stakes have never been higher, because her kingdom isn’t the only thing she stands to lose. After falling for both Finn and Loki, she’s about to make the ultimate choice…who to love forever. One guy has finally proven to be the love of her life—and now all their lives might be coming to an end.

Everything has been leading to this moment. The future of her entire world rests in her hands—if she’s ready to fight for it. --Goodreads

4 Stars

Review

At last, the end draws near to an action-packed series. After experiencing the ups and downs the first two books, I am proud to say that I actually really enjoyed this series despite its faults and cannot wait to see what else Amanda Hocking has in store for in the future.

Ascend begins right after the bleak ending of Torn. Trylle world is in a state of chaos with their queen dying, numerous Vittra raids and an unhappy marriage between Wendy and Tove. So it's totally expected that everything is mellow for the first chapters. Compared to the previous two books, Ascend was better in presenting the tragic scenes as actually tragic. Instead of facepalming myself when I read the cheesy depression that the characters were going through, I really felt a tug in my heart during the desperate points of each character.

I've read some reviews that are annoyed with the epilogue at the end of the book. They comment on how the book does not resolve the flaws within Trylle society. It is true that not every problem is resolved, but Wendy does claim that they are working on the faults that have still yet to be resolved, so I don't really see why the big fuss. Well, anyway...

My only complaint is probably going to be the climax. After all of this tension built up in the past three books, you would expect the climatic battle to end this all would be one of the grandest or largest like in history. Unfortunately, the battle was wrapped fairly quickly and only lasted like 2 pages. It was a little disappointing when you consider that the same king who is extremely feared is so easily defeated.

Overall, I felt that Ascend was the most solid and the best book of the Trylle Trilogy. There is just something that Amanda Hocking just improves on each time she picks up the pen. Whether or not it is character depth or plot pacing, the journey that has been taken in this trilogy has been a great one for Wendy just as much as the author. Both have matured significantly, with Wendy being less rash, irritating, not to mention selfish, while Ms. Hocking just having a story with better flow. This is definitely a series worth trying and I recommend it to you all.

Purchase this book: Amazon/ Barnes&Nobles/ The Book Depository

Cover Reveal: Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

GUYS, IT IS FINALLY HERE!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series!!! Ahhhh...

Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

Release Date: December 11th 2012 by Entangled Publishing

Excerpt Reveal:

No one is like Daemon Black.
When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love. After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Pre-Order Opal at: Amazon / Barnes&Noble / The Book Depository

Bookmark this page for an EPIC giveaway: (begins Oct 1)

http://jenniferarmentrout.blogspot.com/p/october-1-2012.html

USA TODAY Bestselling author, Jennifer L. Armentrout, lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.

Find JLA at: Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Website / Blog

Review: Iron Fey Series

SUMMARY OF IRON KING

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. 

--GoodReads

4.5 Stars of Awesomeness

Iron Fey Series (Books #1-3)

Iron King, Iron Daughter, Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Published from February 2010- January 2011 by Harlequin Teen

Alrighty then, I think it's safe to say that this is the first series review Ya Novelties has ever accomplished!!! Whoot whoot! Yes, yes, for those of you that are already familiar (and in love) with this, you might know that there is, in fact, a fourth novel of the Iron Fey series. *Gasp!* Yup. It's called the Iron Knight, and it is also (quite expectedly) written by the amazing author Julie Kagawa. Aaaand why didn't I include it in my fabulous review? Well, ma chère, it's because I haven't read it yet. *boos and hisses* Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll get to it. *Looks off into a faraway land* Yes.... s o m e d a y.

How can she hold that smile for so long? It's magic! Magic I tell you!

Onto the review. This will obviously be an overall review, so that will mean spoilers. Don't worry, I'll warn ahead of time for those who do not enjoy spoilers. I'll try to keep clean of any secrets.

Now, let's start off with the characters.

CHARACTERS - OK, even I have to admit--this series may be a bit cheesy, but I tell you, it's good!

OK. I've read the summary of Iron King. The first thing that comes to mind is LOVE TRIANGLE. Yup, there is one heck of a love triangle in this story. It's the usual cast of characters - the one clumsy girl that'll save the day, the cold-hearted-cool-but-so-hot-in-an-attractive-sense-prince boy, and the cute-funny-I-don't-want-him-to-get-hurt-in-that-love-polygon-gosh-darn-it best friend.

Key to the Stereotypical Charcters:

Clumsy Heroine = Meghan Chase

Cold Prince Dude = Prince Ash

BFFL of Heroine/Funny Guy = Puck

Although the characters may be (really) stereotypical and cliché, you WILL fall in love with the characters. Their personalities are quirky and funny, and really quite human (well, if you ignore the fae part). I truly enjoyed reading about Meghan. I loved reading and watching how she matures and grows mentally and physically in this story. My favorite book in this series would be the second part of Iron Queen. That is the part of the series where you can truly see how much Meghan has grown as a person and fae.

As for the classy love interests, I have to say, I was sooo on Team Puck. Well, actually.... now that I think about it...I think that I liked both Ash and Push so much, that I decided to be on Team Meghan...oh, I don't know! All I can say is that I definitely wasn't disappointed in Meghan's choice. Poor Meghan. If I had to choose between Ash or Push, I would be so lost! I wouldn't know who to pick!

STYLE -

I really love Julie Kagawa's writing. Kagawa is one of the few YA authors that can write a book that I won't ever want to put down. Usually, Kagaway writes through the character's eyes, which my favorite style. I love how Kagawa can capture what a character is feeling, thinking, and perceiving the world around them in a way that seems to be so effortless.  Her writing flows and is easily understandable that it's like Kagawa plops you right into her own fantasy universe. Not to mention, Kagawa always plans the perfect joke at the right time!

The whole series is written as though through Meghan's eyes, except for the last book, Iron Knight. That book is the adventure of Prince Ash, and is narrated through him. (Unfortunately, that's all I can tell ya without giving away key info....) Honestly, with the Iron Fey series, you can really stop reading after Iron Queen. (Hey, that's what I did, and I'm here giving you a review of what I thought of the "whole" series.) 

PLOT - 

As I said earlier, the Iron Fey really isn't to be enjoyed for its originality or uniqueness, because you WILL find that there are many cliché/stereotypical/predicted things in this series. I mainly enjoyed this series because it was a mix of everything I liked. Fantasy, action, well-timed humor, love triangles, awesome kick-ass heroine, and 2 loveable guys that weren't total jerks/creepers to the heroine *cough**cough* Edward.

OVERALL - 

Overall, if you hadn't guessed, I really enjoyed reading this series. Personally, I don't think it's necessary to read the fourth book, which was really, it seems to me, written for the hard-core fans out there. I was perfectly happy to stop after reading #3. 

I gave this series a 4.5 because I felt some should be taken off for its lack of originality in some parts. Other than that, this series was perfect.

I loved the characters, their personalities, the cute plot, the great and forever amazing Puck and Ash, and of course, Kagawa's amazing writing prowess. The Iron Fey series is definitely one of my all time favorites and it could be yours, too, if you gave it a chance. So as they say.... 

PEACE OUT!!!

 See ya next week! Happy readings to all.

Purchase the Iron Fey Series (Box Set) at: Amazon/ Barnes&Noble/ The Book Depository

Purchase The Iron King at: Amazon/ Barnes&Noble/ The Book Depository

Purchase The Iron Daughter at: Amazon/ Barnes&Noble/ The Book Depository

Purchase The Iron Queen at: Amazon/ Barnes&Noble/ The Book Depository

Purchase The Iron Knight at: Amazon/ Barnes&Noble/ The Book Depository