Book Review: 'Til The World Ends... by Julie Kagawa, Ann Aguirre, and Karen Duvall

Title: 'Til The World Ends (Blood of Eden #0.5) 
Author: Julie Kagawa, Ann Aguirre, and Karen Duvall
Release Date: January 29th 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Luna
Source: Received from the publisher via NetGalley

Dawn of Eden by Julie Kagawa

Before The Immortal Rules, there was the Red Lung, a relentless virus determined to take out all in its path. For Kylie, the miracle of her survival is also her burden-as a doctor at one of the clinics for the infected, she is forced to witness endless suffering. What's worse, strange things are happening to the remains of the dead, and by the time she befriends Ben Archer, she's beginning to wonder if a global pandemic is the least of her problems....

Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre

After a catastrophic spill turns the country into a vast chemical wasteland, those who could afford it retreated to fortresses, self-contained communities run by powerful corporations. But for Mari Thistle, life on the outside-in the Red Zone-is a constant struggle. To protect her family, Mari teams up with the mysterious Thorne Goodman. Together, they'll face an evil plot in both the underworld of the Red Zone and the society inside the fortresses that could destroy those on the outside...for good.

Sun Storm by Karen Duvall

Sarah Daggot has been chasing storms since she was a child. But after the biggest solar flares in history nearly destroy the planet, she becomes a Kinetic, endowed by her exposure to extreme radiation with the power to sense coming storms-in the cosmos and beyond. And she's not the only one. Sarah believes the Kinetics are destined to join forces and halt the final onslaught of the sun. She'll vow to keep trying to convince the one missing link in their chain of defense, the enigmatic Ian Matthews, up until the world ends.

My Thoughts

Let me start by saying, I only got this book from NetGalley in order to read Dawn of Eden, the Blood of Eden prequel by Julie Kagawa.

I've not always been a fan of this authors writing, but I'm always happy to be surprised and proven wrong; and I can say, hand on heart, that I was entirely surprised by this short story - I LOVED it!

Not only did I think it was very well written, but I absolutely loved where Julie Kagawa took her characters. Kylie and Ben were a joy to read, the emotional connection I had with them, and the connection between themselves, was incredible. If only the author had used the same technique for BoE.

Unlike BoE, Dawn of Eden is definitely more adult, having quite an intense sex scene between our two heroes. I actually felt that this was a more comfortable story from the author as I've always found her YA characters feel a little forced. If Julie Kagawa wrote like this (adult) more often, I'd probably be a bigger fan.

A fantastic glimpse into the origins of the Red Lung virus, and my favourite Julie Kagawa story to date.
5 Stars ~<;]

I read the opening few pages of both Thistle & Thorne by Ann Aguirre and Sun Storm by Karen Duvall and found that neither story took my fancy and so I wont be reviewing either of them - sorry

Book Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Release Date: October 23rd 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Received from the publisher via NetGalley

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’d 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 myth 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 Thoughts

Well, I cant say I'm impressed at all.
Was the story good? - it was okay but it was all just a little too familiar and predictable. Yes there were different characters, different fey, but after it's all said and done; it's the same scenario, the same formula, the same fight as the Iron Fey series.

Sigh...I feel like I'm going to repeat myself, in fact, I think I will...
There were no surprises, no twists and turns, nothing to make me gasp and squeal with shock, sorrow, happiness...it was all very...meh.

Yep, that's exactly what I said about The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4), and I wasn't terribly fussed with the entire series, which means I probably won't bother reading anymore of Ethan's books. I will say however, that I think the author writes a much better male voice than she does a female, even if Ethan is an annoying little snot.

The writing is okay, the characters are okay, perhaps a little shallow, but okay, the storyline is okay - it was all okay, nothing flash, nothing to WOW about.

Lovers of the original Iron Fey series will no doubt love this book, but as far as I'm concerned, The Lost Prince is a only worth a read when there's nothing else to do.

3 out of 5 stars :]

Book Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley

MY VAMPIRE CREATOR TOLD ME THIS:

"Sometime in your life, Allison Sekemoto, you will kill a human being. The question is not if it will happen, but when. Do you understand?"

I didn't then, not really.

I DO NOW. 

 

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for. 

My Thoughts

For me, The Immortal Rules started off slowly. 

I wasn't sure if I liked Allie, I didn't really feel anything for her, and I found myself eye rolling a bit with the background story.

Its been 60 years since the plague and yet there is still food to be found in abandoned stores and houses...really? are you sure? if everyone is so starving and destitute don't you think that after 60 years it would of all been picked over years ago?
That seriously did not make sense to me, but maybe I'm just being overly picky.

Anyway, after 50 pages I was considering turfing it on the DNF pile, but I persevered...and around about page 195, I thought 'Okay, now we're on to something'

Even though I may not have always enjoyed her storytelling, I can't deny that Julie Kagawa writes beautifully.

Her words are descriptive and flow easily through the mind creating some great mental pictures, and I loved her vicious, more traditionally styled vampires and rabids.
And Allie grew on me, probably more than I care to admit.
Her struggle to adapt to being a vampire yet still aching to cling on to her humanity struck a chord, it felt real and believable. She showed great strength and tenacity.
And then she meets the mysterious Zeke and his motley crew of survivors with all their quirks and beliefs.

But then towards the end I started eye rolling again.

Eden's only a day or so's ride away from Jackal and his vampire city and he never stumbled upon it? really? after years of searching for Jeb and Zeke it was never discovered by anyone? after all these years? and then the only voice of suspicion, the 'thorn' in Allie's side gets killed right near the end, just as they approach Eden...
Am I the only one finding too many threads conveniently tying themselves together in a nice tidy bow?

All in all, I enjoyed the fresh take on vampires, the zombie like rabids, and the idea of an Eden waiting in the wastelands.
But I just felt it was all too safe, the ending too predictable.

A 3.5 Star read for me ;]

Book Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Release Date: October 25th 2011

Publisher: Harlequin

Source: The publisher via NetGalley

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn.

I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.

My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

My Thoughts

So I'm probably not going to win any fans with this review but hey, thems the breaks.

Considering that The Iron Fey series has become so well loved, and so near and dear to so many teenage (and not so teenage) hearts and that this is reportedly the last in this series I was expecting more, a whole lot more.

While no one can deny that the author's writing style is beautifully lyrical and vivid in its imagery, I have to say I find her story telling weak.

Don't start throwing stones at me yet, let me explain!!

I really did enjoy the first book, The Iron King, very much and really did think that I would love the following books.

Sadly, I found them boring.

And The Iron Knight was no different.

There were no surprises, no twists and turns, nothing to make me gasp and squeal with, shock, sorrow, happiness, etc. It was all very......meh.

For all the trials and tribulations up to this point, I was expecting something spectacular to happen in order for Ash to become human. 

And all I got was a mediocre, predictable, and yes boring, quest that lets be honest, was such a let down I was glad to see it end.

Ahh the ending......I also have problem with the ending.

Three hundred odd pages of tiresome reading and the final coming together of Meghan and Ash......gets a mere handful of pages, really?!!

A very unsatisfying end to what could of been the best book of the four.
I'm struggling to even give it 3 Stars.

I Was But I Wont

I was going to blog about the book I just finished, The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. 

But seeing as I loved it so much and have already started book 2 The Iron Daughter, I've decided to complete the series before reviewing it.

I will say however that the world the author has woven with her ridiculously gorgeous words is FAN-TAS-TIC.

I have read similarly themed books before that I've found to be flat and dull, and left me feeling nothing but disappointment, but right from the get go I was caught up in the story and didn't want to put the book down. 

I found The Iron Daughter to be fast paced, full of adventure, and sweetly dipped in shy romance.

I have high hopes for the remainder of the series and will definitely share my thoughts with you.

So I was wondering,

Do you wait to read a complete series? 

Or do you read them as they become available over a period of time?