Book Review: THE IRON TRAITOR by Julie Kagawa

Book:  The Iron Traitor (Call of the Forgotten book #2)
Author:  Julie Kagawa
Publisher:  Harlequin TEEN
Category:  Young Adult Fiction

 “He has no idea what this means, what it has started.  Neither of you realize what could happen now….”- Meghan

“I don’t care what the courts say;  I cannot stand by and watch you fade from existence…I will stop this….the price doesn’t matter; I will do whatever it takes…”- Keirran

“You can’t save everyone.  You have to make the decision to let them go.”- Guro

DESCRIPTION VIA GOODREADS:

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice. 

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again. 

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

MY SUMMARY:

Ethan is finally home.  He left The Nevernever believing he would never have to go back to the place he loathes, the world that stole his sister away from him, one where beings from his nightmares live and thrive.  He hates The Nevernever and everything in it..... Except perhaps his sister Meghan, The Iron Queen and her son, Keirran, the Iron Prince, who has become a friend.

Then the inevitable happens.  Keirran has once again disappeared, leaving Meghan distraught.  Ethan doesn't want to get involved but he couldn't refuse when asked to help by Annwyl, the beautiful exiled fey Keirran left the kingdom for.  She is fading fast and Keirran is desperate for anything to save her.  Anything..... even if it means sacrificing his own life.

Ethan tries to leave Kenzie safe with her family, but his strong willed yet very sick girlfriend follows him back to the other world... Unfortunately she now also has the gift of Sight, which allows her to see what Ethan has been seeing since he was a small boy, the fey.

The three find Keirran and eventually find a way to temporarily halt The Fade on Annwyl with the help of Guro, Ethan's (Filipino martial art) Kali master, who happens to believe in magical creatures and is skilled in making amulets of light and dark arts.  But the price for this is very high, a part of Keirran's soul is disappearing along with Annwyl's.  They have to find a solution fast or The Iron Prince will die.

MY REVIEW:

I have had a copy of this book for weeks before I pushed myself to read it.  Why?  It is not that I thought this would disappoint me.  In fact it is the total opposite.  I knew, being a fan of the author, that I would not only be satisfied, I would be devastated.  I knew this would break my heart.  I was right.

I have always said that Julie Kagawa is amazing.  From the author's very first book The Iron King, she has immersed me in the world of the fey, so much so, that years later, I am still enthralled with the story of Meghan, Ash and Puck.  I have never let go of this world, and The Iron Traitor is just another reason for me to continue living in it.

The twists and turns in this book are unpredictable, shocking and even deadly.  The very end made me stop breathing and shout at nothing.  There is now a void that can only be filled once I get the 3rd and supposed conclusion of this story next year.

What made this book extra special is the presence of my beloved Iron Fey.  Meghan, Puck and (my forever crush) Ash.  Any story involving Ethan, Keirran and The Nevernever can not possibly be complete without the three and once again my need for the them is temporarily sated by the author's inclusion in this book.

Keirran.... what can I say? He is what I expected him to be based on his father's love and loyalty to his mother.  The apple does not fall far from the tree.  However, Ash, for all his faults and failings, never made me hate him.  Keirran is imperfect, yet he is the most powerful fey who is predicted to destroy their world; Powerful but also weak. There is a quote that says "the sins of the father shall be visited upon the son a thousand times" and that holds here.  But who is truly at fault? The one who unknowingly began or the one who willingly ends?

As for Ethan.... I admire his strength of character and loyalty to those he loves.  The depth of his hate for Ash just shows the opposite of his love for Meghan and her son.  But at what cost?

A special mention for Guro which means teacher or instructor in Filipino. He, who helped Ethan become a hero and is instrumental for Keirran losing his soul.

Ahhhhh.... so much to say but I'm afraid I have to stop for letting you know more of the story would be an injustice to the author and the wonderful book she has written. 

Just know that Julie Kagawa has done it.........AGAIN.

An advice to those who want to read this series.  Begin with The Iron king (The Iron Fey series). But get the complete set on the get go, because once you start, you wouldn't want to stop.

You may visit the Author’s site at:

www.juliekagawa.com

My review of Julie Kagawa’s other books:

http://readingtsinoy.blogspot.com/2012/08/book-review-lost-prince-by-julie-kagawa.html

http://readingtsinoy.blogspot.com/2012/05/book-review-immortal-rules-by-julie.html

http://readingtsinoy.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-review-iron-knight-by-julie-kagawa.html

http://readingtsinoy.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-review-iron-queen-by-julie-kagawa.html

All photos have been lifted from the Author's site.

Book Review: THE REUNION LIE by Lucy King

Book:  THE REUNION LIE

Author:  Lucy King

Publisher:  Harlequin KISS

Category:  Contemporary Adult Romance

“So what do you want Zoe?”- Dan

“Ok well, the thing is I rather think I want you.”- Zoe

“What for?”- Dan

“Some fun.”- Zoe

Description via Goodreads:

It was only meant to be a little white lie.

Inventing a fake fiance was an act of desperation for Zoe Montgomery; a knee-jerk response to her horrifying high school reunion! But now that she's convinced London's most unattainable bachelor to play the part, her little white lie is spiraling out of control. 

Because everyone wants a piece of tycoon Dan Forrester. Including Zoe! Especially once she's seen the view from his bedroom; this might be a fake engagement, but she's certainly not faking anything else. 

Now the reunion is over, and Zoe and Dan have convinced the world they're meant to be! But convincing each other? A whole different challenge.

My Summary:

Zoe is desperate.  With teenage demons and insecurities popping out at her class reunion, she could only do one thing; Invent the boyfriend of her dreams and jump the first good looking man that entered the bar.

A stranger’s unwelcome and unexpected kiss was shocking enough but more so was Dan’s instinctive reaction to Zoe’s assault.  He liked it! And the aftermath was so unlike him too.   Instead of leaping out of the bar, he played along and helped Zoe pretend to be the happy and loved-up woman she claimed to be.

Everyone believes their instant relationship…. including the whole nation, which happens to be invested in Dan as he is the country’s 2^nd most eligible bachelor.  But playing a couple is much easier than being one, especially when both know nothing about the other.

My Review:

The whole premise, though much used, had promise.  But alas, the author failed to live up to my expectations.  From the very first chapter, I wanted to drop the book and stop reading.  But a review had to be written so I plunged ahead.

Long winded.  Wordy. Exhausting to read.  Getting to any point I had to go through seemingly endless pages of self-doubts, questions and realizations on both Zoe’s and Dan’s part.  The entire thing was tiring to read.  I had to skip pages that the book could have done without.  If edited better, the book would have been cut into half.

In other words, I didn’t like it.  The chemistry between the two protagonists were forced at best.  The pace was hurried and I felt no love lost for both Dan and Zoe.  Sweet?  Romantic?  Sexually enticing? Not quite.  Repeat reading material? Definitely Not.

Book Review: THE UNEXPECTED WEDDING GUEST by Aimee Carson

Book:  THE UNEXPECTED WEDDING GUEST

Author:  Aimee Carson

Publisher:  Harlequin KISS

Category:  Contemporary Adult Romance

“What I can’t figure out…is why I can’t stop thinking about how it used to be between us.  Your touch was poison Mason.  But I also think I was just an inexperienced girl who didn’t know any better.  And in the interest of science, I was hoping I could test that theory out and prove myself right.”- Reese

Description via NetGalley:

"Surprised to see me?" 

Getting caught in her wedding dress by her drop-dead-gorgeous ex-husband is Reese Michael's worst nightmare. Especially when her perfect-on-paper fiancé then cancels their wedding!

Reese has spent years trying to forget how her marriage to Mason Hicks crashed and burned-yes, their chemistry was incredible, but a girl can't live on lust alone! And what's a jilted bride supposed to do when the one man she could never forget is back in her life, as irresistible as ever? Mason might be her own personal brand of Kryptonite, but surely life is meant to be lived a little dangerously...?

My Summary:

An ex-husband showing up while a woman is in her bridal dress is never a good sign…even though they’re not at an actually wedding….yet.  

Reese didn’t think fitting her beautiful gown 4 days before walking down the aisle would be eventful.  But lo and behold, her ex-marine ex-husband walks in for no reason other than to talk about their past.  What’s worse, her wonderful fiancée suggests to postpone the wedding just so Reese can figure out who she really wants!

Mason only wants closure with Reese…plus his doctor encouraged him to speak to people from his past, thinking it might help jog his memory as he suffers from short term memory loss from a bomb explosion that nearly killed him during his tour of duty.

Sexual tension and animal attraction aside, Reese decides to ignore her leftover feelings for Mason seeing that she already has the perfect fiancée, one that her filthy rich parents finally approve of.   It took years to get over mason, and him showing up is merely reminding her of all that she has lost, including self esteem from a marriage that crumbled because he closed himself off from her and everyone else.

But what if she never lost her feelings for Mason?  What if, after all these years, all he really had to do, was come back to her?  Will her head give in to her heart?

My Review:

The tension between these two characters was thick enough to slice.  So much so that I couldn’t read fast enough to see if they would or would not get back together.  Though of course, knowing that this is a lighthearted romance, I already knew coming in the ending would be happy.  But it is written well enough that I still had doubts about its finality.  So kudos to the author for the really good build up.

The 1st in the Wedding series  

I like both main characters Reese and Mason.  Reese is a sweetheart, a Southern belle type born into money whose parents had grand expectations about.  Mason was…. Mason.  A simple man who just wants his wife and serve his country as best he could.  The other characters, the three best friends of Reese, were likable characters as well (the very ones we should watch out for in this series).  And I love Dylan, the fiancée.  He has very few scenes devoted to him yet you already know the good and gentle man that he is.  I hope he serves as one of the main characters in the series’ follow up books.

Passionate and Hot.  The sex scenes are scorching.  However is it believable that within four short days a woman would jump from her wonderful fiancée back to an ex husband?  Realistically speaking, I’m not sure, but this author sure made me believe it.  Overall, this is a fun read.  Well enough that it may make you believe that a second chance at love can be a good thing.  

Book Review: THE PERFECT MATCH by Kristan Higgins

Book Review:  THE PERFECT MATCH

Author:  Kristan Higgins

Publisher:  Harlequin HQN

Category:  Contemporary Adult Romance

Release Date:  October 29, 2013

“As I understand, you were in love with a bloke who was clearly using you for sex and is now marrying your best mate…. you backed the wrong pony and is now a bit desperate.  Want to get married, prove you’re over the wanker, pop out a couple of kids while there’s still time… That’s all fine.  As for me I need a green card.  Not sure about kids just yet, but I say let’s get married and figure that out later.  You’re female, you’re not old, you’re not ugly.  Sold!”-  Tom Barlow

Description via NetGalley:

What if the perfect match is a perfect surprise?

Honor Holland has just been unceremoniously rejected by her lifelong crush. And now—a mere three weeks later—Mr. Perfect is engaged to her best friend. But resilient, reliable Honor is going to pick herself up, dust herself off and get back out there…or she would if dating in Manningsport, New York, population 715, wasn't easier said than done.

Charming, handsome British professor Tom Barlow just wants to do right by his unofficial stepson, Charlie, but his visa is about to expire. Now Tom must either get a green card or leave the States—and leave Charlie behind.

In a moment of impulsiveness, Honor agrees to help Tom with a marriage of convenience—and make her ex jealous in the process. But juggling a fiancé, hiding out from her former best friend and managing her job at the family vineyard isn't easy. And as sparks start to fly between Honor and Tom, they might discover that their pretend relationship is far too perfect to be anything but true love….

My Summary:

Friends with benefits, thats what Honor has had with Brogan for years, hoping that eventually, Brogan would fall in love with her, just as she has with him.  But alas, he not only turns her down, he goes and falls in love with her best friend Dana.  So what’s a girl to do? Start a catfight at a bar!

Tom Barlow, an Englishman looking for a way to stay in the US, not only gets a prime seat at the match, he also finds a potential wife.  He needs to stay for Charlie, his should-have-been stepson whom no one seems to want…except Tom… and yet Charlie loathes him.  Tom is desperate for a green card and will do anything, even marry a stranger.

Honor promises to help Tom.  But before the wedding itself, they decide to live together for compatibility as well as for the benefit of the INS.  Eventually Honor falls in love with Tom.  But what happens when the man you love refuses to believe he has the capacity to love you back? What if in his heart, he has nothing left to give?

My Review:

This is the 2^nd book in Kristan Higgins’ Blue Heron series.  The first book titled The Best Man was hilarious, the characters were beyond crass and crazy, especially Pru.  I’m happy to say that The Perfect Match is even better.

All the characters I fell in love with in the previous book are here, so liking it was a given.  However I did not expect the deep affection I would have for Tom and Honor.

Tom is beyond funny.  His English humor, his play with words, is so hysterical, I found myself snorting and laughing out loud by myself.  Plus he’s HOT!  Higgins’ description reminds me of Tom Hardy in the movie The Warrior, which incidentally is mentioned in the book because Tom himself is a boxer.  Honor is the more serious of the two, yet she’s also fun and sweet, a thirty something whose a bit desperate to start a family, so much so that her eggs actually speak to her (the eggs are extra characters in this book). 

Plus this book is sexy.  Not porn type 50 shades of grey sexy, but sweet yet hot sexy.  This has just enough sexy to keep the blood flowing and the story moving.

The other characters I loved were of course Faith and Levi (from the 1^st book) whose affection, aka lust, for each other is at an all time high.  Goggy and Pops, Honor’s constantly bickering grandparents can be annoying at times but they do add humor to everything.  Plus there’s Pru, Honor’s sister whose main goal in life it seems is to spice up her marriage (imagine different ways of using ice cream), embarrass her children, overshare with her brothers in law and ogle at Tom.  Yes, she is a pistol.

Then there’s Charlie.  My heart broke for the boy.  He made me angry but mostly he made me sad.  I like that this book devoted so much on him and his relationship with Tom.  Because really, he is the whole point of Tom’s desperation to remain where he is, Simply because he loves his “son”.  They broke my heart and I’m unashamed to say my tears flowed freely at the end.

I like Kristan Higgins.  She does not disappoint.  Her story telling is essentially flawless.  Her characters are lovable and there’s always a happy ending.  I know some people don’t like that predictability, but for people like me who just want to relax, let go and be happy, her books are the perfect therapy.  I am looking forward to the 3^rd in the series, which, if I am correct, will be about Jack (Honor’s witty brother) and Jessica (Levi’s beautiful but misunderstood ex).  Here’s hoping I’m right.

You may visit the author’s site at:

http://kristanhiggins.com/

My reviews of Kristan Higgins’ other books:

http://readingtsinoy.blogspot.com/2013/02/0-false-18-pt-18-pt-0-0-false-false.html

http://readingtsinoy.blogspot.com/2012/03/book-review-somebody-to-love-by-kristan.html

http://readingtsinoy.blogspot.com/2011/08/book-review-until-there-was-you-by.html

All photos have been lifted from Harlequin.com