Cover Release: The Immortal Rules

See, this is what I get for actually doing work when I'm at work and not playing on the computer.  Geez.  Somehow I missed this lovely cover!  Or, at least I think it's the cover for the book seeing the author has it on her site...

Yes, the new series by Julie Kagawa!  This cover is stunning!

The Immortal Rules

By:  Julie Kagawa

Due Out:  April 24, 2012

Looking Forward To...(70)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down. Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

Next Book Is...

Iron Knight

Iron Fey #4

By:  Julie Kagawa

Due Out:  October 25, 2011

I have loved Ash since book one.  I guess I'm a bad boy lover or something.  I don't know.  But This book is from his view, and I can't wait to read it.  Ash wants his own life and one with that special someone.  Yes, he knows how that someone is, and I look forward to seeing his journey to maybe getting there.

Goodreads Synopsis:
Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Book Review: Summer's Crossing

Summer's Crossing

By:  Julie Kagawa

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

Publish Date:  June 2011

Format:  Ebook

Genre:  YA Fantasy, Fantasy

Series:  3.5 in The Iron Fey series; Book 1 ~ Iron King, Book 1.5 ~ Winter's Passage, Book 2 ~ Iron Daughter, Book 3 ~ Iron Queen

Recommendation:  If you've enjoyed Puck in the previous books, this is a wonderful fun read to get a story from Pucks point of view.

Book Synopsis:
A Midsummer's Nightmare?  Robin Goodfellow.  Puck.  Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence - and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court.  Until one girl's death come between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and some one's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help - into the heart of the Summer Court.  And Puck faces the ultimate choice - betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend tuned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

First Sentence:
Names.
What's in a name, really?

My Thoughts and Summary:
Puck has tagged along, un-invited, with Ash to find Grimalkin.  Ash had made a bargain, a rather large one, for his love and now the holder has come calling on it.  So frazzled Ash goes out of character and against what he knows and lives in the fey world, and asks if the favor can wait, which he would never have tried to hold out on a favor before.  But knowing Ash plans a search that could take a long time the holder calls the favor in now, and might be able to help him in the end.

We get to see some of our fun characters again; Puck, Ash, Leanansidhe, and some not so nice but in a fun way...Queen Titania.  I did enjoy the side we got to see of the Summer Queen here.  We see Ash through his old friends, and rival, eyes ~ Puck. This way we see how lost and frustrated Ash is since the end of Iron Queen.

We learn little pieces of things and ways of the fey through this short story.  Like names.  And another part of the Wyldwood that is a dangerous path full of Hedgewolves.  The boys are in trouble here!  And a little secret about Queen Titania.

The friendship/enemy line really gets drawn here between Puck and Ash.  They were once friends, then enemies after the first girl.  Now with the second girl, Meghan, what will they be?  Puck choose to go with Ash, but Ash needs Puck's help in this story.  But Puck could turn on Ash and maybe end up with the girl he too loves.  We do get to see the banter and fun between the two characters again.  They do make a good team.

We get Pucks' view of his kiss with Meghan and more of his feelings towards her and Ash.  Puck is struggling with his feelings.  Ooo, oh.  King Oberon shows up and of all people to suggest what to Puck what he does!  Astounding!  Puck does always have jest in what he does.  There is always a joke there to make you smile or chuckle, even when he and Ash have to go in disguise. I enjoyed that.

But as always... things in the fey world are NOT always as they seem.


I read this short story for my own enjoyment.


This story qualifies for the YA Reading Challenge, and Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books.

Who? What? Where (37)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

(This is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )


I'm in two spots at the moment, but I'll pick the one I'm moving quickly through...

I'm with Puck and Ash, disguised as to hunters who are kind of a joke to the fey, in the Summer Court.  But Ash might be in a tight spot with Queen Titania, and a little flirting.  Yep, that's the Summer Queen and Winter Prince.  Don't sound like they go together.  But Ash and Puck are on a mission to return something stolen, and Puck just might have a hidden agenda here.

Summer's Crossing
By:  Julie Kagawa

Book Review: Iron Queen

The Iron Queen

By:  Julie Kagawa

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

Publish Date:  January 2011

Format:  Paperback 358pgs, trade size

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Series:  3rd book in Iron Fey Series; Book 1 ~ Iron King, Novella 1.5 ~ Winter's Passage, Book 2 ~ Iron Daughter

Recommendation:  If you have read the just the first book or even both of them, you HAVE to read this one!  The series grows stronger and stronger with each book.  And this one is top of the list.  Yes.

Book Synopsis:
My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over.  That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me.  But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming.  Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side.  Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

First Sentence:
Eleven years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeared.

My Thoughts and Summary:
A year since her first step into the fey world, on the verge of her seventeenth birthday, and Meghan is returning home to her Mom, Step Father, and brother with Ash her love.  She's been gone nearly a year now and she's nervous.  Being in the 'real' world now Meghan realizes the things she needs to do and worries about Ash fitting in.  But before entering her home she is snagged in a thin wire net by three small Iron fey.  The False Iron King still wants her.  And here Meghan realizes she can't go home just yet as the False Iron King will not stop coming for her or her loved ones.  As Meghan goes through she learns there is more inside her than she knew.  And will have to make some very important choices.

This is the third book of the Iron Fey trilogy, but not the last.  This book has Meghan completing the tasks she wants to tend to and we get answers to many questions and thoughts we were left with: Meghan's memory she gave up, her father, her love.  Meghan decides she needs to learn to control both her fey powers, and does this in the only safe spot for exiled fey and from the Iron Fey, Leanansidhe's.  Which she has questions for anyway.  The question of Meghan's memories she gave up, she goes to get back.  In doing so we learn more of the forbidden love between fey and humans.

In learning about the difference between the fey and human, or immortal and mortal, Meghan starts to worry about her and Ash.  Her being mortal and him immortal, and what happens when an immortal finally passes from the world.  By the end of this book we learn more of Ash and his history.  And why he is so determined to protect Meghan, to the death.

Meghan is pulled back into the fey world by Oberon and Mab for they knew she went against the Iron King once before, and lived.  The fey world must be fairly bad off to be calling on Meghan the half-breed no one seemed to care for before.  Now Meghan finds she is a vital piece in the war at play for all angles.  All fear and all want her.  Summer, Iron, Exile, Mortals...  Which will she pick?

For me this was the best book in the trilogy.  All has lead up to this ultimate life changing battle.  Meghan as a character has grown immensely for me as a character and a young woman.  She has learned how to be responsible and think beyond herself.  Even Meghan has to make some heartbreaking decisions along the way as well.  Wonderfully played out here from Meghan's personal feelings for friends and loved ones all the way to the fey courtly persona.

In the end we are left with the opening for Ash's story to come in Iron Knight.  I'm longingly looking forward to the book and reading the short story that comes before it.


I purchased this book for my reading pleasure.

This book qualifies for the Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books and 2011 YA Reading Challenge.

Who? What? Where? (28)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

(This is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )

Meghan, Ash, Puck and I just walked through the military camp of the Seelie AND Unseelie just out side the Iron King's realm, into the forest illusion tent of King Oberon.  But Meghan and I are determined to not be to grateful to him for allowing us back into Nevernever, he was the one to summon us here for our help.  I'm curious to see what King Oberon has to say, and that nasty Queen Titania too.

Iron Queen

By:  Julie Kagawa

Book Review: Iron Daughter

Iron Daughter

By:  Julie Kagawa

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

Publish Date:  August 2010

Format:  Paperback 359pgs, Trade size

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Series:  2nd book in Iron Fey series; Book 1 ~ Iron King, Novella 1.5 ~ Winter's Passage

Recommendation:  Yes. Even adults how love to read fey, this is a fun adventure full of love for friends and family.

Book Synopsis:
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere.  Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the winter faery queen.  As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey - ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen.  But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off.  She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help.  Trusting anyone would be foolish.  Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly.  But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

First Sentence:
The Iron King stood before me, magnificent in his beauty, silver hair whipping about like an unruly waterfall.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Meghan has been in the Winter fey court for some time now waiting all the while for Queen Mab to call her for an audience.  And Ash has been no where around.  Meghan questions whether her feeling for Ash were true or a glamour, and Ash's feeling for her.  Could there be a way to live with hiding their feelings from others?  The time of the Exchange of the scepter between courts and changing of seasons comes and King Orebon himself makes the trip, letting everyone know he will get his daughter back.  Then suddenly the Iron Knights appear, with only Meghan and one other seeing them and no one believing her, under instruction of their new King to steal the scepter from Winter Court drawing the Winter and Summer courts into war.  Meghan gets her chance to go home to her family, outside of the fey realm.  But will she choose to go home and try to forget or help the fey she is coming to love?

Now this is what I like to see.  I liked the first book, but it was more setup of the fey realm and the characters for me.  This one was all story.  There are so many different angles to go here.  There is the scepter, Ash, Puck, the between world and what is held there, Meghan's family outside of fey, and family in fey.  So many different degrees blended easily together here.

I loved what I got to learn of the Unseelie court and creatures.  To me I think this part of the fey world is more intriguing and interesting.  But then maybe I'm just drawn to the bad and evil side of things.  Even if they are on the notty side in their behaviors and habits.  Even down right cruel.  But it makes the dynamics of the different fey and mortal world more distinct. 
The characters... we meet new characters that are fun and even strange  Severla of these I hope to see again in the future.  Then we have our main characters as expected.  And they all make their appearances here.  Meghan has grown for me in this book.  She still has her moments of innocence but she thinks more on the bigger picture here.  She is learning and growing.  And we have our boys back as well.  But we have a new ally in this book which brings questions in the end of Meghan and what might be in store for her.

Do you need to read the novella Winter's Passage?  No you don't.  Actually much of it is repeated in the beginning of this book.  But it is a nice addition and verifies a few pieces left out in the beginning, but you definitely don't need it to go on with this book.  Although it is a nice little addition to enjoy.

The series is definitely getting better with this book.  I really enjoyed it and will be picking up Iron Queen soon.


I purchased this book for my own enjoyment.


This book qualifies for Speculative Fiction Challenge hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books and 2011 YA Reading Challenge hosted by Jamie love YA.

BACK Cover revealed!

Are you a fan of Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series?  Well, we got to see the front cover of Iron Knight not so long ago....

Now we get the back cover of Iron Knight! And you are not going to believe your eyes!  Are you ready?

Oh I couldn't believe it! Yet I love it! Hope you do as well.

Cover Release

This is going to be the cover release heard around the world as it's been long anticipated!  What is it, well I'm not going to hold you up any longer.  Here we go!

Iron Knight

By Julie Kagawa

Do you love it!?!

So, I'm only on the second book at the moment, but I have to love these covers.  All are beautiful!

Who? What? Where? (21)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

(This is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )

I'm moving this post from Thursdays to Wednesdays as I have another idea for Thursdays.

I'm walking with Meghan and Tiaothin from Meghan's room in the Unseelie Court. Now that Queen Mag has finally called to see us since our first arrival to Tir Na Nog, which seems to have been quite a while.  And I'm curious about were Ash is as we haven't heard from him.

The Iron Daughter
By  Julie Kagawa

Book Review: Winter's Passage

Winter's Passage

By:  Julie Kagawa

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

Publish Date:  June 2010

Format:  Ebook, 61pgs

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Series:  1.5 in The Iron Fey series; Book 1 ~ Iron King

Recommendation:  Yes.  It you read and enjoyed Iron King you should read this to take Meghan right into Winter Court.

Book Synopsis:
Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess.  After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the eqully dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash.  But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck -- Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon -- who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.

Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed.  They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat...

First Sentence:
In the shadows of the cave, I watched the Hunter approach.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Two days from the end of Iron King while Meghan the faery princess and her forbidden love Ash, are now on their detour to see Puck before returning to the Unseelie Court, as Meghan promised.  Something has the horses spooked after they come through the Trod to find their way to New Orleans and quickly they realize something very powerful is speedily closing the distance between them and is after Meghan.  Meghans journey to one place she doesn't want to be, Winter Court, shortens as she runs there from this haunting creature hot on their trail.

I found I enjoyed this short novella.  It got me to thinking there is another side to Ash, one that could be kind and loving.  He agrees to stop on the way back to Winter Court to see if Puck is well or even just still alive.  We get a touch more of the Unseelie fey and how tough of a crew they are and how unfavorable toward Summer fey they are.  Meghan as a character, we see once again how strong a character she is and her beliefs for what she does.  And Meghan starts to tap into her powers just briefly in this short story, but it shows she could be very strong.

In this I start to feel Meghan and Ash's potential love is moving quicker than I'm ready for.  They seem to need to slow down some.  But, I like the potential of them as a couple.

We meet a fey creature older than the Midsummer Night's Dream characters, and even stronger.  One that you will recognize as soon as mentioned.

We get Meghan's first glimpse of Tir Na Nog and how to enter the city.  Along with the first view of Queen Mab in her own court.


I read this novella for my own enjoyment.

This book qualifies for the Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books, and 2011 YA Reading Challenge hosted by Jamie Loves YA.

Book Review: The Iron King

The Iron King

By:  Julie Kagawa

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

Publish Date:  February 2010

Format:  Paperback 363pgs, 5 1/4"x8"

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Series:  1st book in The Iron Fey series

Recommendation:  Yes, if you enjoy the fey setting and the characters from A Midsummer Night's Dream, with a little twist.

Book Synopsis:
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.

First Sentence:
Ten years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeared.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Meghan is turning 16, and wants what all normal teenagers want; her drivers permit and the cutest football star to notice her.  But when the football star does notice her, it is turned to the opposite of what she wanted.  Ethan, Meghan's 4 year old half-brother, tells her of the "monsters" he's seeing and are scaring him.  Then his stuffed animal the floppy rabbit has Ethan warn Meghan.  With all these crazy things, Meghan starts seeing and dreaming strange things, and having strange things happen to her.  Meghan comes home from the worst day of school to find her half-brother missing and replaced with a changeling.  Meghan convinces her best friend Robbie to not make her forget, as he is to do, but to help her find her little brother.  Meghan is introduced into the Faery world.  Once Meghan is in the Faery world, Nevernever, she meets many different fae and learn different things at each meeting, in a world where humans are a snack or a play toy.  But the Fae don't always play fair and twist words to a new meaning.  So watch what you promise...

This was a quick and easy read for me.  I didn't feel as I had to think hard and concentrate on the meanings behind everything, although I could do so as the fae always have hidden meanings.  And the added fun for me was the twist to the old take of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which I enjoyed in high school when we read it.  But it was a light read for me following Meghan as she learns of her fae half and the world it's from.  Meghan really is a little naive of the fey way and you start to see her open up to it some and learn the way. 

The books full of colorful atmosphere with the fae along with the world created but the story line centers around Meghan trying to finder her brother and get him home safely.  In doing so Meghan learns things about others and and herself, with just how far she will go for her brother and others so quickly be-friends ~ makes promises to some that could lead to a big future in books here.

There is a little possible love story here as well.  Although it's not in full bloom just yet.  But I feel there is going to be two possible love interests for Meghan.  And I find at this point I really like both of them, although I am leaning to one more than the other.  But I'm sure the further I go in the series I might sway back and forth.

I would suggest this read for YA readers as the book kept moving forward and kept the interest with the characters.  The chapters even have short sections with in so you come to stopping points quickly as to read for a few minutes then stop if need be.  Although, they may not want to stop if they start enjoying it.

I won this book from a fellow blogger, Chasity at Livin' Lovin' Life.  Thank you!  As I had been wanting this book for some time before.  I'm glad I finally got to reading it as I did so with a few fellow bloggers on Twitter, and had a wonderful time chatting the book with them.  It really brought me to enjoying the book even more than just speeding through it.  Thank you all!

I will be carrying on with the series as it was an enjoyable quick read for me.


This book was for my own enjoyment.

This book qualifies for the Speculative Fiction Challenge, hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books, and YA Reading Challenge hosted by Jamie Loves YA.

Summer's Crossing Description!

So, yesterday Julie Kagawa and Harlequin Teen shared the cover of Summer's Crossing, the next novella to become available June 1, 2011 in the Iron Fey Series.

Well, today the description is available!  And sounds wonderful!!!

A Midsummer's Nightmare?Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

Cover Release

Many of you know I'm currently reading the Iron Fey series, starting with Iron King.  Well, I think I'm hooked on this quick YA read.  It's nice and refreshing on the fey side of things.  And I was always a big fan of Midsummer Night's Dream.  So, this is a little pleasure for me.

But, on to the main reason for this post.  I just saw on Twitter that Harlequin Teen has just released the cover of the ebook novella Summer's Crossing.  Keep in mind this book will be free in e-format starting June 11th.

Summer's Crossing

Due Out:  June 1, 2011

I have to say I love how these all keep a resemblance to them in a series.

Teaser Tuesday (71)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

Open the book to any random page.

Share 2 teaser sentences from anywhere on the page

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

(Don't Give Too Much Away)

Just enough to pique our interests

This Week:

Her grip tightened, and she steered me to the table where Oberon and the lords of the Summer Court waited.  Oberon's gaze was carefully neutral, but Titania's glare of utter hatred made me want to run and hide.

Iron King

By Julie Kagawa

162 pg