Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Book Review: The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, #1) 
By Julie Kagawa
Release Date: October 23rd, 2012
Format: Ebook (ARC)
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ 1/2

Blurb from Goodreads:

Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he's dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.

My Review:
A very big thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I was really excited when Julie tweeted that The Lost Prince is available on Netgally. I was really ecstatic when my request was immediately auto approved. I read it that very night and finished in the early morning. Yeah, I couldn't sleep because I wanted to keep reading it.

I could see some similarities in style to The Iron King in the sense that Julie's first book in a series always seemed to start slow. In The Lost Prince, we get to see inside Ethan's head - it's in his POV after all which is really cool frustrating. The pace of the story flowed from day to day, we get to know more about Ethan and actually see what happened to the cute 4 years old I fell in love with in The Iron King. At 17, Ethan is no more the happy and bubbly kid we knew. He has grown hostile, lonely, bitter and totally messed up. Ethan kept everyone, including his parents, at arm's length; afraid that anyone associated with him will be used and get hurt by Them to get to him.  His attempts to push people away with his deliberate hurtful and thoughtless remarks made me want to wring his neck. It was frustrating. Ethan has also grown bitter and very angry because he still felt that his sister, Meghan, chose Them over her own family. Poor Ethan. He really missed Meghan, his older sister.

Kenzie. It actually took time for me to like her. In the beginning, I found her okay when she boldly approached Ethan for the first time. After that, I grew annoyed with her relentless questioning, stubbornness, determination and persistence in "chasing" after Ethan for an interview. Maybe I was affected by Ethan's emotions regarding Kenzie. He was irritated and at the same time attracted to Kenzie. But anyhow, I grew to like her as the story progressed. She was really brave, intelligent and funny. She changed Ethan in lots of ways as the story went along as Ethan began to understand why Meghan did what she did. She kept on pushing Ethan and dragging him out of his protective shell. She understood Ethan and accepted all the weirdness with a level head. But, I could already guess her secret early on in the story. I wonder how Julie will go about it. Hmmmmmm.......

Todd, the half-breed was awesome. I loved him the moment he was introduced. It was so refreshing to have a character who was cheeky and hilarious. I was really sad to see him out of action throughout Ethan and Kenzie's journey in the Nevernever. I really hope he will remain as one of the main characters throughout this series. It was devastating to see what happened to him in the end.

There was also Kierran and Annwyl. I won't tell you who Kierran is because it'll be no fun if I spoil the surprise. I will just say that Annwyl is an exiled Summer faery who was taken in by Leanansidhe, the Exile Queen. They were an interesting pair and their romance was bittersweet. You'll know why when you're reading it.

Other than that, the former characters from The Iron Fey reappeared. We get to meet Grimalkin, Glitch, Ash (YAY!!!), Meghan, Leanansidhe, Puck (Woo-hoo!!) and the beloved gremlin , Razor.

The Lost Prince was a good read in a way. The actions only come later in the book but there is just something magical about Julie's writing that keeps you engrossed. At the end of the story, you'll realized that it is just the beginning of a big battle soon to come and I'm pretty sure it is just not the end of those glamour-eaters.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Book Review: The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) by Richelle Mead

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) 
By Richelle Mead
Release Date: June 12th, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


Blurb from Goodreads:

The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.

My Review:












Sunday, August 5, 2012

Book Review: The Devil's Match (The Devil DeVere #4) by Victoria Vane


The Devil's Match (The Devil DeVere #4) 
By Victoria Vane
Release Date: August 24th, 2012
Format: Ebook (ARC)
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Blurb from Goodreads:
Once burned twice shy… but when old flames come together…passion reignites...

When burned once… 
Arriving in London as her goddaughter's chaperone, Baroness Diana Palmerston-Wriothesley wants to avoid her erstwhile lover at all costs. Once nearly consumed by passion, four years has reduced the former inferno to bitterness and ashes.
By an old flame... 
A world-weary master of seduction, Ludovic "The Devil" DeVere is bored with his chosen life of debauchery. When Diana's charge disappears, she is forced to seek help from the devil's lair, and their mutual desire reignites with undeniable ferocity.
Fire is best fought with fire… 
While DeVere is hell-bent to have her back for keeps, Diana is equally determined to bring him to his knees…by acquiring some sensual secrets of her own.

My Review:
A very big thank you to Victoria Vane for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. You know I love you lots ♡ 

After those fateful moments, four years later, Diana has grown angry and bitter. Expecting too see her attraction to Ludovic wane and diminish after all these years, she was dismayed that it has grown stronger and fiercer than before but she was very adamant in avoiding and denying it.

On the other hand, Ludovic has traveled abroad during those missing years and engaged in every manner of debauchery to purge himself of his feeling of something for Diana. Alas, it failed as when he meets her again, he becomes restless and bored of his usual activities. They became meaningless. All he could think of was wanting Diana.

It was awesome to see the fiery interactions between our beloved hero and heroine. I was also glad to see that our main characters from the first two books were regulars in this book. I had only two issues for this book. Salime played a pretty distinct role somewhere towards the middle but she quickly disappeared from her role after that as I was pretty much looking forward to Diana dancing. Another is the transition to the "fourteen months later". I didn't mind the time transition. I just thought that the flow towards it was rather abrupt. But these are just very, very minor issues because I A.D.O.R.E.D the epilogue. It was really sweet and utterly complete.

The Devil's Match has been a delightful, exciting and naughty read. I can definitely say that it is the hottest and sexiest book among the rest in the series. I am really sad to this amazing series finally come to an end. I hope Victoria Vane will continue to deliver many more tantalizing treats of the same kind in the near future.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Book Review: How to Romance a Rake (Ugly Ducklings #2) by Manda Collins

How to Romance a Rake (Ugly Ducklings #2)  
By Manda Collins
Release Date: July 31st, 2012
Format: Ebook
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


Blurb from Goodreads:

You can lead a wallflower to the ball, but you can’t make her bloom—unless one daring young bachelor turns up the heat…

DANCING WITH DANGER

What’s a nice girl like Miss Juliet Shelby doing at a place like Lord Deveril’s ballroom? With her shy demeanor, she’s a total stranger to the dance floor and a source of mockery for the ton. So imagine her surprise when Deveril gallantly comes to her defense—and offers to teach her to dance! Juliet can hardly believe the most handsome bachelor in London would notice her, until he takes her in his arms and sets her heart ablaze…


PLAYING WITH FIRE

Lord Alec Deveril has never felt such a spark of attraction for an unmarried lady before. Unlike the “fashionable” ladies he’s accustomed to, Juliet possesses a generous spirit, a fiery intelligence—and an explosive secret. Deep in the London underworld, a dear friend has vanished, and Juliet fears the worst. Deveril insists on helping, escorting her through the darkest alleys in town. But he too is hiding a shocking secret—and the only way he can defeat the devil in his past is to seduce the angel in his arms…

My Review:

It is just soooooo good and I'm so sad to have finished it in one seating. I was really impatient for the release of How to Romance a Rake and pre-ordered it in Amazon Kindle. Doesn't matter that it's priced the same as a paperback because by the time the paperback arrives, I think I've already wilted from the waiting.

How to Romance a Rake was a really sweet, cute and romantic read. I always have a penchant bluestocking heroines and Juliet was one along with her other two cousins. What more that she was crippled in one leg - which is a huge defect in the eyes of the ton - and made her more appealing in my eyes. Juliet was a wonderful heroine who was known to be the most animate among her three cousins before the fateful accident.

Alec was in no way rakish at all. He just gave off that illusion to people. He was a real gentleman, sweet, kind and thoughtful. I enjoyed Alec's and Juliet's scenes together. The romance between Alec and Juliet was so sweet and romantic. *Sighs dreamily* The mysteries were really good, the missing women, Lady Shelby's push to get Juliet married to Lord Turlington and the secret of Juliet's Vienna accident. They kept me guessing and I had several theories all at once.

I enjoyed How to Romance a Rake immensely and as usual, the secondary characters were wonderfully fleshed out. It was so cute to see her cousins playing matchmaker to Juliet and Alec.

Thank you Manda for this amazing story and series. I think I may love you. *grins impishly* I really look forward to How to Entice an Earl.