The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight is my DREAM-COME-TRUE and my WISH-GRANTED! Boy! I was definitely surprised and delighted when I realized that what I'm reading is Ash's POV!!

Reading the last book was bittersweet. Their problems finally resolved and the Iron Realm is in the hands of the new Iron Queen, Meghan Chase. But one thing that left me in a state of utter disbelief is the tragic truth that there will never be a future for Meghan and Ash. So please bear with me and my slightly discombobulated thoughts because I just finished the book a minute ago and here I am making a review yet my mind is still trapped in Nevernever.




 I love Happily Ever Afters, especially one that is Ash-Tallyn related. I love him too much. Okay, I am not going to gush like a fangirl anymore because I tend to do that when it is about him. Let's talk about the plot. We all know that the Nevernever is in harmony after the epic battle but not quite right?



Being the queen of the Iron Kingdom means Meghan cannot be with Ash because just like any faery he cannot endure iron, for them it means death. So Ash embarks in an impossible quest to become mortal. He faces different obstacles and tests just to have the chance to be with her. Even if being human brings him weakness, conscience, and mortality. Then Ariella shockingly appears in front of them. Yes, I was shocked, didn't see that coming. My jaw dropped while reading that part. For I knew Ariella's unexpected return is a complication to their love story, Ash might waver and doubt his feelings for Meghan. But I admire him still, in the end he was able to make the right choice and prove that the one he truly love is Meghan. He's a true knight and shining armor. I felt it, his love, his effort, everything. I also salute the other characters. Puck for being the good friend. Despite his own loss, he learns to let go the person he loves for her happiness. Grimalkin for somehow being their genie in the bottle, always there to guide and help them in times of need. 




 I didn't expect so much from this. The other books in the series are probably better when it comes to the plot. The story was supposed to be a trilogy so I'm just thankful for this. The loose ends are tied and I was able to really know Ash, his thoughts, and his past, and his true feelings for Meghan. Reading the Iron Fey books for three consecutive days was an amazing experience. I loved it! And it'll surely be one of the series that I won't forget. Thank you Julie Kagawa for bringing such wonderful creations to the literary world!




My Rating: 5 of 5 stars! Plus my LOVE for the Series!! 

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

“I will always be your knight, Meghan Chase. And I swear, if there is a way for us to be together, I will find it. No matter how long it takes. If I have to chase your soul to the ends of eternity, I won’t stop until I find you, I promise.”


What is this I'm feeling?... 
I can't think of anything else. 
He's everything I want and everything I think about. 
Could this be... 
The in-love-with-Ashallyn’darkmyr-Tallyn feeling?


Indeed it is!
^_^


First of all, I want to say that Julie Kagawa is my new favorite author! I love the way she writes, the 
way she always leaves me breathless, amazed, and satisfied. The third book in the Iron Fey Series is a great reading experience! If you think second book is awesome, you better read this because you might just change your mind!


Meghan and the fey world finally face the most dreaded war against the Iron Fey. To withstand them, they must join forces and do the most crucial sacrifices. I have to admire Meghan for her bravery as well as Ash for making me swoony everytime he utters cheesy lines and for being an amazing knight. It makes me want to have a knight of my own. As for Puck, I feel sorry for him because somehow I know that behind that teasing and happy-go-lucky facade is a heart breaking for the love he cannot have. The ending left me contented and emotional. I don't know why but it brought tears to my eyes, as in A-Walk-to-Remember-kind-of tears. 


It's really sad that Meghan cannot do anything to alter her fate, she has no choice but to accept it. Now I'm dying to read the fourth book because I know there'll be more surprises,especially after Ash says he will not give up Meghan, that he'll find a way for them to be together. Gosh! Ash Tallyn I wish you were real!!! No forget that, I wish I was Meghan!! She's lucky lucky girl!!


Well. I'm not a fangirl. But reading this.. I think I have to give an exception ^_^

 I ABSOLUTELY recommend this!!




My Rating: 5 of 5 stars!! 

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Just when I thought I wouldn't like this any better than the previous book, I was so 
wrong. The much awaited fifth installment of is packed with awesome action and surprises. And let us not forget the romance, and well, the lost souls....




After the disappearance of Jace and Sebastian, The shadowhunters, Clary, Alec, Magnus, Isabelle, and Simon try to search for the whereabouts of the two. But things change when they discoaver that Sebastian did not just kidnap Jace. They are now bound to each other. And to destroy one of them means destroying the other. Together they must find a powerful weapon to sever the tie between the two before it's too late.






Actually, I was really bothered throughout the most part of this novel. Part of this is because of their somehow futile search for the weapon, and the other part is for Jace. He is not himself that is sure. But the way he is described in the story is like he's hopeless. That who he turned into is impossible to change. I felt it. I felt what Clary must have felt during those times. Because I know it's hard to be with someone you love who isn't what he used to be. You tell yourself that everything is fine but deep down you know it's not the same anymore. That's probably the reason why I thought the story would just be another not-good-enough story. Because I didn't like it that Jace has to always be the one possessed or the one who's not himself. He seems vulnerable that way. And fake by the way. But that disappointment was only short-lived because of how everything turned out.




I guess there were so many scenes that I like. The omniscient point of view helped a great deal in building up the hype. I am entertained by their conversations sometimes. I liked Simon. His personality makes the situation much lighter, like his SMURFS and Star Wars thingy. The other characters are also interesting, like Maia and Jordan, and Alec and Magnus although I'm not really a big fan of their relationship. And the ending, boy it was exactly what I've hoped for! It's incredible and made me wish to read the next book right away!


There's no surprise that Cassandra Clare again made a great shadowhunter novel. She has proven herself so many times. So now I'm waiting more from her.

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars!

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

FANTASTIC!! I was fascinated by the fey world the first time read about it, and now I'm

 loving it!

The second book of the Iron fey series is just as magical and engaging as the first book, and maybe even better!! After Meghan rescued Ethan and killed Machina, her journey has gotten more complicated. Unfortunately, the Iron fey has not ceased to exist but has only gained a new leader to rid the Nevernever of faeries. In the midst of this, the Scepter of the Seasons has been stolen causing a war between the Winter and the Summer Court. In order to end this fatal war, they must return the scepter to its rightful place. But doing so could mean imminent danger, death, and sacrifices.

This fantasy novel is an interesting read. I enjoyed every bit of it. I like the characters' personality, strength, and boldness. The romance is totally unbelievably amazing and riveting! The first part of the story broke my heart because of how impossible it is for Ash and Meghan to love each other. But I'm glad the ending stitched it back in place. Although, fate may have not favored them I admire their choices. I loved Ash for having the courage to admit his love for Meghan to the Queen, and I loved him even more when he'd rather be banished to the mortal world than forget her.

ASH, You're the Man!! 

I assure you the ending is a satisfiable one. There are so many questions in my mind after reading this. I want to know what will happen next right away so I'm definitely going to read the next book after making this review! I can't get enough of the fey world and the romance!!

My Rating 5 of 5 stars!

Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout

Life can be tough when you're moving to a new place. But it's a whole lot tougher when there's a reason for it, when it entails moving on, and starting afresh.

Katy and her mom decides to move to Virginia to start a new life, to leave Florida where memories of her dead father linger. New home, new friends, new school, Katy sure needs to come out of her shell to survive it all. But when she finally makes an effort by introducing herself to the neighbor. She comes face-to-face with Daemon, a gorgeous boy who has a whoa-oooh-la-la-perfection-all-over-boy-next-door-thing going on ( Well, it's hard not to gush when he was incredibly described in the story.) She finds out that he clearly wants to let her know he dislikes her, wants her to stay out of his life, which is impossible because she immediately struck out a friendship with his sister, Dee. For whatever reason, she is considered a threat, a liability. Then everything becomes clearer but definitely more complicated and out of hand after she discovers what they truly are..

A-L-I-E-N-S...

Yup. Aliens.  That good-looking boy together with his equally good-looking sister is an alien! And there are hundreds of them on earth! I totally agree with Kat for the absurdity of it all. “Aliens—if they exist—are little green men with big eyes and spindly arms or…or giant insects or something like a lumpy little creature.” They came from a faraway planet called "Lux," and they're called "Luxen" which means "light" because of their incredible powers that I do not want to spoil. :)

I admit the first part of the story reminds me so much of twilight. But I have to say it turned out to be new, and unique. I liked that it introduced aliens in a different way. The characters are adorable. Katy is not just some damsel in distress but a fearless girl in the face of adversity. She loves books and blogs about them which makes her more admirable for me. And all the bonus points for Daemon because he's amazing. Every conversation or the love-hate thing they have is fascinating. I enjoyed every bit of them anatagonizing and teasing each other. It's great reading how their romance unfolds.

Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout is a worthwhile read. It's perfect if you're looking for an interesting, and relaxing YA paranormal with enough action and romance. I'd recommend this to people who are fans of the genre.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

This book plunged my mind into a whirlwind of thoughts, and almost drove me mad. Its sheer awesomeness  is great as it is intriguing and disturbing. The mere unpredictaility of it all  drew me in. I was amazed for very few books made me feel that way. 


My usually placid mind was filled with questions of what is really behind the death of so many people or what are they're up against. Did some unfortunate events caused the deaths? Are they up against something otherworldly like the ghosts of her friends? Or is it Mara herself who caused havoc? How does the Palmer trial fits into the bigger picture? 


I was constantly guessing, making asumptions, and predictions because to say that the plot is inexplicably bothering me was an understatement. But the conflict is not the only thing that kept me awake at night. The romance between Mara and Noah made me giddy to the core. I'd give Noah all the swoons in the world for his panty-dropping looks, for making Mara feel special, for protecting her, and for his perfection. It's good that the ending was a sigh of relief but at the same time it left me breathless. 


I wanted to read the second book right away. I still wanted to continue reading the author's engaging storytelling. So let me give Michelle Hodkin the praise she deserves for coming up with a phenomenal mystery thriller that will captivate you until the very end.  


My Rating: 4 of 5 stars!

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

All I can say is that it was a great read! Suduggery Pleasant taken its spot alongside some of the famous fantasy novels for children.


Although it has a cliche for a story with the usual kid figures out that there's a whole different world around her, gets fascinated by it, wants nothing more but to be a part of it, so she gets tangled in a web of risky adventure. However, what shocked me the most is that the main character is a human skeleton! complete with detective attire. It was fun imagining it walking among the people, battling enemies, protecting the heroine, and being the good guy for a change. It's new and you can't help but to like Skulduggery albeit his appearance. The story ended satisfyingly well but not quite because we all know it's a series. I would absolutely recommend this one to children or anyone who wants a thrilling adventure with lovable characters. 

I give this 4/5 stars!

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

I've read enough of dystopian novels to know which society is believable or not, which is likely to happen in the future or not. I can say that Uglies is one that is impossible to happen, far-fetched even. I mean how in the world would we find solution to the world's biggest problems by merely turning pretty. After reading the first few chapters, those are my thoughts. The main character may have contributed a lot to my lack of interest. Tally is so vain that she feels being pretty is the only thing that matters and without it your life is miserable being ugly. I admit I was kind of annoyed by her shallowness and also her longing for Peris whom I also dislike because he's not a true friend with his we-could-friends-again-only-if-you-turn-pretty attitude. So I was hesitant to continue, but thankfully I gained interest as the story progresses. I realized that this attitude that i hated at first are the doings of the authorities. They are the ones who manipulate and control the people. It gets interesting when Tally changes her outlook. That even though a person doesn't have the perfect symmetrical features, he/she could be beautiful inside, as in the case of Tally and David. I think this moral is what makes the book interesting. Indeed, true beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Bottom line is the story is good with an insightful lesson we often deny but we become victims of for so many times. It's slow and boring at first, but it gets better afterwards.The ending went quite well that it will surely leave the readers anticipating the next book.


I give this book 4/5 stars!

Wicked by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

The first time i was introduced to magic, I was amazed. I liked how it makes broomsticks fly, how it casts cool spells, how you go to the most awesome wizard school to learn it. Indeed, Harry Potter made magic seem a peculiar yet a special thing, it highlights all the good side about magic. Wicked, however, is the other way around. It's dark, gloomy and tragic. I was struck by how dark the story unfolds with the terrible conflict between the warlocks and witches. At first I didn't want to continue reading because it started out a bit slow but I'm glad I did because it got better. I commend the authors for producing an incredible narration, especially the scenes with Isabeau and Jean. It'll give you the feeling that you have yet to understand the bigger picture. Bits of flashback helped a lot in filling the void about the centuries-old feud between the Devereaux and the Cahors. I also liked how the present time is connected to the past and there is this history-repeating-itself between Holly and Jeraud. I think one downside to the story is the romance. I didn't feel the chemistry between the two as well as the intense love they share for each other. Maybe because the plot doesn't necessitate it to be well-developed, so it was already given that they've been in love for centuries. And what's with the ending? the plot itself is quite huge so i thought it would entail an epic ending, but it was simple,wierd and inaproppriate. I just really wished the ending went great so i would've been excited for the next book.


I give this book 3/5 stars!

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

Reading the first two books, I thought it was okay. Theme was good. Mediocre storyline with few good fight scenes. I used to look at it displayed at bookstores and think of its undeserved popularity like some novels I've become tired of mentioning. Couldn't believe I'd eventually like the series. Because yes now it's true! 

After reading the first novel, it was good, a bit predictable, and depressing in the end. I didn't even want to make a review, not with disappointment in the back of my mind. Well, it's different now, all because of how I engrossed I was reading this. 

Praising this novel not just because of the good news everyone's been waiting for (Finally Jace and Clary are not related!) but also because of the complexity the plot has turned into. The ending was epic, the battles were great and exciting. I like that how everything tied up, wasn't at all disappointed with the well-written revelations. I also came to adore how the characters developed. Jace and Clary, their risks, and decisions. Simon who's always the good friend, mundane, but no more cause he's now a vampire! And Sebastian, who would have thought of a new character who plays a big part on the story. I was truly caught off guard by the revelation of his true identity. And of course, special mention to Jocelyn Fairchild, finally! That's a relief. I thought she'd be a sleeping beauty forever. I'm also glad that Valentine's already taken care of despite the questionable death/disappearance of Sebastian. Now, I'm looking forward to what will happen in the fourth book. The demons or enemies they have to face, the unexpected twists to their story, and the romance people can't get enough of.

"I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there's a life after that, I'll love you then."

I give this an epic 5/5 stars!

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase is the typical high school girl who wants to fit in. She's unpopular, not that rich, and has a big crush on the football player . You would take one look at her life and decide it's boring. However, everything turns upside down after her little brother, Ethan, disappears. She discovers the children stories she's known when she was a child were true, that faeries are true, that her bestfriend, Robbie is one of them, and his name is Puck, not only that, she's the daughter of King Oberon! She goes to Nevernever on a quest to find her missing brother. But she'll soon find out a deeper dilemma that is much bigger than her losing her brother.


The Iron King by Julie Kagawa brings back the pleasure of reading fantasy novels like The Harry Potter series, The Fablehaven series, with all its magical creatures and a new facsinating world (Nevernever) you'd surely want to explore. It also reminds me of Narnia, I guess it's because how they first got there is through a closet. It is divided into two courts : the summer court (Seelie Court) and the winter court (Unseelie Court) where a winter prince named Ash lives. He's handsome but I didn't like that he's cold I mean literally cold because i can't imagine it without a vampire stalker lurking into my mind. I also hoped it didn't made references to A Midsummer's Night Dream because I was clueless as to what it is. It became interesting because its characters are personified in the book, namely Robin Goodfellow, Tatiana, Oberron, etc. But it's probaly for those who have read and can relate to it, right? The heroine is great, she's brave and has a heart to the ones she loves. And I also like Grimalkin, always helpful and interesting. It reminds me of the cat in the Alice in Wonderland. Also, the author made emphasis on the baneful effects of technology, it's definitely cliche but it's good to read a different plot now and then. 


The ending went pretty well and it kept me guessing whether Ash will still surrender Meghan to the queen. So I have to read the next book to know what'll happen! All in all it was a good story, this is a must read to anyone who is a fan of fantasy novels. 


I give this 4/5 stars!