Advance Review: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Book: THE IRON DAUGHTER
Author: JULIE KAGAWA
Genre: YA FANTASY


I received this ARC from the publisher via Net Galley (ebook format)
Picture courtesy of Good Reads

Advance Review
Meghan Chase makes a return to faery in this follow-up to THE IRON KING. She has to honor the vow that she made to Winter Prince, Ash. Though she, the daughter of the Summer King, and Ash, may not be together by faery law, she is now the unwilling guest of the Winter Queen. Imprisoned in the lands ruled by Winter, Meghan finds herself the pawn of Queen Mab, the other Winter Princes, and even Ash himself.

Then, tragedy comes to the Winter Court. Mab believes that the Summer King has retaliated for Meghan's presence, but Meghan knows the truth. The Iron Fey are alive, and they have a new ruler. She knows that they will be the death of faery, if they continue to thrive. And, she's the only one that has seen them since she killed the previous Iron King. No amount of pleading will change Queen Mab's mind.

Even though, she doesn't fully understand the fae world, Meghan will once more, have to navigate the terrifying creatures that inhabit the Winter Court. Making her way to the Iron Fey's stronghold in the human world, she encounters the stuff of nightmares. All to save Summer and Winter from a catastrophic war.

After reading THE IRON KING, Meghan's first exposure to the fae world, I was truly impressed. Julie Kagawa knows how to tell a story. She is able to pull the reader in, and give them a fabulous experience in her fantastical world. THE IRON DAUGHTER is no exception. Meghan, Ash, Queen Mab, King Oberon, the Iron Fey... and yes, Puck, all make a return in this novel.

The characters are real and flawed. This is one of the best parts of reading the Iron Fey series. There are no perfect people in Kagawa's books. And, I wouldn't want it any other way. Meghan's confusion over Ash's treatment of her, and the blind trust that she still holds is part of who she is. Ash doesn't suddenly become a different person, either. Though he may have feelings for Meghan, he accepts their fate, and knows how to navigate the Winter Court, without exposing those feelings to those who would exploit them.

Every part of THE IRON DAUGHTER is significant to the plot, and moves the story forward to its finish. And, Kagawa is able to explore every part of the plot (the search for the Iron Fey, Ash and Meghan's relationship, Puck's place in Meghan's heart, the war between Summer and Winter, and Meghan's understanding of faery) without neglecting something important, or over-stating a piece of information. THE IRON DAUGHTER is one of the best follow-ups that I have ever read, and one of the best YA fantasy novels that I have read this year.

4.5 for plot
4.5 for characters
4.5 for language

My Rating: 13.5/15 Must Read
Bonus Cover Points: 5/5

A Flash of Fiction: Day Three (MAY)

Book: THE IRON KING
Author: JULIE KAGAWA
Genre: YA FANTASY


I purchased this book (ebook format)
Picture courtesy of Good Reads

Overview
As a child, Meghan Chase witnesses the disappearance of her father. He's there one day...and then gone the next. As traumatizing as that could be for a kid, she never imagines that it might happen again. But, a decade later it does. This time, it is her little brother who is the victim. Only this time, her eyes have been opened to another world.

Meghan now has to travel to the world of the Fae to take back her brother. While she is there, the danger isn't just from creatures that want blood and flesh more than anything on earth. There are also people who have human faces, but no humanity. And, Meghan discovers that she is one of them. Her father is the Summer Court king.

She'll have to journey through the courts of Faery to find where her brother has been hidden. Along the way, she'll be accompanied and protected by a Faery prince; Ash, the son of the Winter Court Queen, a woman who wants Meghan dead.

I Liked -- Plot: Meghan's travels take her through all of the courts of Faery, before she can land in the Iron Court, but my favorite part of the plot was that first part of the visit. In THE IRON KING, when her eyes are first opened to all of the creatures and beings in Faery, and when she realizes that her best friend belongs in this world, Julie Kagawa does such a good job at sharing Meghan's confusion and disbelief at what she sees. Then, also her growing horror at the world around her.

I Liked -- Character: I think that Ash was my favorite character, and not just because he was the bad boy, and the possible love interest for Meghan. I liked him because he was written as the best and worst of the Faery world. Kagawa doesn't write him as a person without pity. But, he is a product of his environment, and I think that Ash showed the dual face of all of the Fey characters. They are practical and sly, and beyond some of the human emotions that Meghan expects them to possess.

My Rating: 13/15 Highly Recommend

Book Review: Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr

Book: RADIANT SHADOWS
Author: MELISSA MARR
Genre: YA FANTASY

I purchased this book
Picture courtesy of Good Reads


Review
MELISSA MARR first created her world of the faeries in the novel WICKED LOVELY. RADIANT SHADOWS is the fourth book in the series and focuses on the High Queen's assassin, Devlin and the half-human daughter of the Hounds, Ani.

Ani is one of a kind. She's the daughter of the Hunt (her father Gabriel is the leader of the Hounds). She's half-human, half-faery. She can feed off of emotions and touch. No other faery is known to do this. And Ani should not be alive.

Devlin, the High Queen's Bloody Hands was meant to kill her in her youth. But, he didn't. Instead, he kept the secret of her existence from both of his sisters. Order and Chaos. Reason and War. The two that keep the balance of the faery world.

Ani and Devlin must race against time to protect Ani's human family, save the faery world, and restore the balance, even while Devlin fears that he might have to destroy Ani to keep his sisters happy.

I was truly spellbound by this book. It wasn't just that I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next in Ani and Devlin's relationship (I did). It wasn't just that I was intrigued by the appearance of Rae, and how she would affect the faery world (I was). It wasn't even that I loved the way Ani came into her own as a Hound (I so want a Barracuda Steed!).

All of these elements came together to make a truly good read. But, MELISSA MARR has done more then just write a good book. She has created a world that I want to return to again and again. RADIANT SHADOWS is a hypnotic book; one that has left me hungry for more.

See my review on Good Reads that delves deeper. Note: This review has spoilers.



My Rating: 14/15 Must Read
Bonus Cover Points: 4/5