Stacking the Shelves

This weekly meme is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Stacking The Shelves is all about the books we are adding to our shelves each week, sharing with you our excitement for our newest titles and maybe have you discover a new book in the process!

Had a nice week! Didn't add too much but got some good stuffs!

Allegiant by Veronica Roth (of course!)

Drop Dead Beauty by Wendy Robets

Found by Alyssa Rose Ivy--loooove this cover! Very hawt!

Bought the last two as ebooks so I would have them for my ebook challenge that starts on Friday!

I also ordered some business cards that has my blog picture on it that arrived this week.

It's hard to see my extra writing, but I do have my blog address in the bottom left corner and the bottom right has my email address. Thought it would be nice to have some of these since I notice other bloggers having them!

Plus I was making up a new set of my "aspiring author" ones since I didn't care for my first set!

What did you all get this week?

2014 Challenge

Already planned a challenge for 2014, one of the same I've done the past two years now I believe!

Challenge Guidelines:

1. This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2014 - Dec 31, 2014.
2. Anyone can enter! You don't have to be a blogger, as long as you review the book you've read! (On your blog, Amazon, Random Buzzers or Goodreads/Shelfari!)
3. Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Short stories and novellas are OK, too! Only books released in 2013 and earlier! NO 2014 ARCs and 2014 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!
4. You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
5. When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the 2013 TBRPILE Reading Challenge. (If you don't have a blog, post about it on Facebook or Tweet!)
6. You can move up levels, but no moving down.
7. Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2014, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.
8. On the 20th of each month we will post a wrap-up post, here, on BOOKISH. Every wrap-up will have it's unique theme, a mini-challenge, a giveaway and place for you to link up your reviews from this month. For each review you link up, you will get one entry in a drawing of one book of choice from Book Depository. It's open to INTERNATIONALS. The giveaway will be open until the next wrap up post goes up! (i.e. the entire month)
9. If you miss a wrap-up post + giveaway, you can link up your reviews next month. Do not, however, try to link up one review twice - we will be checking ;)
10. December is a wrap-up for the whole year. All the book reviews you linked up January-November + the ones you'll link up in December will be entered into a GRAND PRIZE giveaway.
11. You don't have to follow Bookish Blog to join the challenge, but you do have to follow us to be entered in giveaways!

Levels:
(how many books you're planning to read for this challenge in 2014)

1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - First Kiss
31-40 - Sweet Summer Fling
41-50 - Could this be love?
50+ - Married With Children


What's New!

1. 2014's edition of the TBR Pile Reading Challenge will be hosted EXCLUSIVELY on Bookish. Co-hosting with other awesome bloggers was fun, but due to too many hiccups along the way, our Bookish Team has decided to take over to ensure that everything goes smoothly this time.
2. For your convenience and to ensure you won't miss any important posts / wrap-ups / updates / contests, we have created a mailing list! We invite you to sign up to receive all the important news in the mail (no more searching the web for wrap-up posts and missing out on all the fun!). You can sign up here: !! JOIN 2014 TBR PILE READING CHALLENGE MAILING LIST!! !!
3. To help you tackle your TBR Piles, we will also be hosting monthly Read-A-Longs with prizes! And this time, you'll get to VOTE on the book we'll read together! Join the mailing list mentioned above to never miss out on the fun! Please note: You don't have to take part in our read-a-longs to participate in the TBR Pile challenge - or you can just take part in some of them, and skip the rest - participation is optional, tho we would certainly love to discuss the books with you!
4. We have sponsors! Which of course means more fun prizes!! YAY!

Got Questions?

If some of the details are unclear, please don't hesitate to ask us for explanation! You can leave your question in the comments below, tweet @SeoEvie or email evieseo@gmail.com or bookishbookblog@gmail.com and we'll be sure to get back to you soon!


So How to Join?

1. Write a post about joining the 2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge on your blog. If you don't have a blog, post about it on Facebook or tweet about it via Twitter. 
2. In your post, don't forget to include: the button/banner, link back to our sign up page, the level you're aiming at and - if you want - a list of books you're hoping to read for the challenge. 
3. Place the challenge button in your sidebar (please use the grab link at the top of the post). Link up in the linky below using the link to your post/tweet. 
4. Join the mailing list for updates! Again, the link is here: JOIN 2014 TBR PILE READING CHALLENGE MAILING LIST!! 
5. That's it! You're done! Welcome to the challenge, stay tuned for lots of fun! And most importantly, good luck with tackling your TBR Pile! 

Click here to join in!

Review--The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.

In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties for Ingrid, and, disturbingly, the house her twin brother, Grayson, was sent ahead to secure for the family isn’t a house at all. It’s an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.

And Grayson is missing.

Yet no one seems worried about his whereabouts save for Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.

Ingrid is sure her twin isn’t dead—she can feel it deep in her soul—but she knows he’s in grave danger, and that it's up to her and Gabby to find him before all hope is lost.

The path to Grayson will be twisted, leading Ingrid to discover dark secrets and otherworldly truths that,  once uncovered, can never again be buried.

The Beautiful and the Cursed is Page Morgan's debut into the book world and I gotta say, she picked a great subject; gargoyles!! I love gargoyles! Probably dates back to my obsession with the cartoon show from the 90s! Talk about awesome!

The Beautiful and the Cursed is very much a mystery. Where is Grayson? What's happened to him? The book is told in third person from multiple points of view; Ingrid, Gabby, Luc and Grayson himself. Although when we get to Grayson's mind and what's going on with him, we still don't get a clear idea of what's happening to him. He's being held prisoner somewhere dark and creepy and is being tortured.

Then there's Luc, our beloved gargoyle who is supposed to protect the abbey where Ingrid lives and all who live there and that includes her and her family and even the servants. He is sworn to keep them safe, because the streets of Paris are not at all safe. Young girls are being killed, torn to shreds. Hellhounds roam the streets attacking these girls. Luc does his best to keep Ingrid and Gabby safe, but never before has he dealt with more stubborn humans. Gabby and Ingrid are intent on rescuing their brother despite not knowing where he is.

The sisters meet a group of teens who are apart of a larger group known as the Alliance--ironically, all the adults were called away to Rome so the teens are left in charge. The Alliance basically works to protect the city from the hellhounds and demons that have been wreaking havoc lately. They are sort of partners with the gargoyles also known as the Dispossessed. There are a few varieties of gargoyles too, basically categorized as to what their gargoyle form is for they also take the form of human for the most part.

With so many characters, it's hard not to be overwhelmed with the story, but I found it fascinating! I must admit that at times I really do love these multiple points of view. I found myself so immersed with each character's voice and what was going on with them, their feelings and all that jazz!

I found myself more attuned to Gabby, the younger sister's story moreso than Ingrid. Ingrid is our heroine of course, she naturally falls in love with Luc, but gargoyle-human relationships are forbidden. Then love triangle appearance of Vander, a member of the Alliance is also a contender for Ingrid's heart. But back to Gabby, she was one feisty character. Not yet sixteen, but ready to take on whatever she had to to find her brother. She was daring and bold, but yet...at times I felt like she was shunned. As we learn there's something special about Ingrid and her twin brother, Grayson, but poor Gabby is just plain human, normal. And the Alliance members aren't very considerate of her feelings.

Which brings me to Nolan, the pseudo leader of the teen Alliance members. His father is in charge generally, but with him away, Nolan takes charge of the remaining teens. Gotta say though, I love his Scottish brogue! Nolan gets under Gabby's skin. They don't have the insta love thing going on, which is probably why I enjoyed them so much. Gabby has snark and doesn't always follow Nolan's rules...besides, he's told her more than once she will not be allowed to fight with the rest of them. And so naturally, Gabby does everything she can to defy him.

Gabby does have a hard go with this book. One bad thing after another seemed to happen to her, but I gotta admit to gushing towards the end for her! Go Gabby!

Ingrid was still a great heroine though. I did enjoy her role. I wasn't annoyed by her, I just felt for Gabby a bit more. Ingrid isn't without her own problems though, for Luc has the whole "I love you but I can't be with you" crap going on. And there is logical reasoning behind it, but then he wants to get all he-man jealous when Ingrid is friendly with Vander. And that kind of behavior always drives me crazy! I want to throttle the jealous jerky guy who says there can't be anything between him and the heroine. *Note it also didn't help that I watched an episode of Roswell from season 1 today, where Max was doing the exact same thing to Liz!

But overall, I really, really enjoyed this book! Gargoyles are finally making their way into books and it excites me! I would've written one myself, but a gargoyle hasn't yet to come to me and tell me his/her story...yet...maybe, who knows?! The pacing to this one was fantastic! Never a dull moment and the transitions of narrators was done nicely. You could always tell when there was a new narrator, but sometimes it took a few lines to tell who it was exactly. So very happy that I managed to snag an ARC of the next book which will definitely be making it into my reading queue next week!


Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars

Follow Friday

This is a weekly blog meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

Here are the general rules to Follow Friday:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts and any one else you want to follow on the list

2. Follow our Featured Bloggers

3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.

4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments

5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can

6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers

7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

8. If your new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

 

 

This week's question is: Bookagram: Photograph your fave read in a funny place.

 

 

MY ANSWER: Oh cheeseballs. Mine's not that funny!

 

The fridge shelf was pretty empty, so I thought, why not?!

 

 

 

Review--Moonglow by Kristen Callihan

Once the seeds of desire are sown . . .

Finally free of her suffocating marriage, widow Daisy Ellis Craigmore is ready to embrace the pleasures of life that have long been denied her. Yet her new-found freedom is short lived. A string of unexplained murders has brought danger to Daisy's door, forcing her to turn to the most unlikely of saviors . . .

Their growing passion knows no bounds . . .

Ian Ranulf, the Marquis of Northrup, has spent lifetimes hiding his primal nature from London society. But now a vicious killer threatens to expose his secrets. Ian must step out of the shadows and protect the beautiful, fearless Daisy, who awakens in him desires he thought long dead. As their quest to unmask the villain draws them closer together, Daisy has no choice but to reveal her own startling secret, and Ian must face the undeniable truth: Losing his heart to Daisy may be the only way to save his soul.

I read Kirsten Callihan's Firelight a long time ago as an ARC. I remembered liking it, but not totally loving it. I decided to give the other books a try and to my surprise I quickly fell in love with Moonglow! Granted, I couldn't quite remember much from Firelight and some of the previous occurrences and causes for tension between characters, but I soon pushed past that and enjoyed the incredible story. I find that I am total sucker for werewolf stories! Vampires were my first love, but somewhere down the line, I think I became more enamor with werewolves! 

Daisy has just finished her "mourning" for her a-hole husband--yes, he was an a-hole and yes, society still expected her to "mourn" him properly by wearing black and basically not coming out in public unless necessary--and is ready to get on with her life. Her husband was not the good sort and she was wanting to find a connection with someone, it didn't have to be love. When she went to a party she was close to finding that with a young man, but then the werewolf attacked and that pretty much put the party to an end.

Ian, our lycan from last time--as there is a difference of sorts with weres and lycans, lycans is more the man holding the wolf and a were is more wolf than man, it sounds better in the book, trust me--ends up there because he smelled the wolf. The wolf has been wreaking havoc around town and when he comes across an unconscious Daisy, he is stricken. Not only is her scent alluring, but there's something about her that has him left wanting.

And so begins the complicated romance between Daisy and Ian and yet I gotta say, that I loved it! It wasn't the insta-romance kind, yay!, but there was definitely a lot of tension between them. Daisy has quite the mouth on her and I love her for that! She says what's she thinking and isn't the obedient type. Ian is your classic he-man-wolf type. I wouldn't quite say he's an alpha male, I've read books with alpha males and he doesn't fit the bill, but he is still protective and a mite possessive when it comes to Daisy. Pretty much it's the wolf in him.

Daisy insists on helping him solve the case of the renegade were, for the were seems to be attacking women who are wearing Daisy's personal perfume. A concoction she created for herself, so the fact that other people have her formula upsets her and she wants to figure out who stole her formula.

I was surprised to learn that Miranda isn't the only "special" one amongst the sisters. Daisy too learns she has a power when it suddenly pops up in a moment of distress. And we soon learn a little insight to the sisters and their abilities. Not a full blown explanation as to the whys and hows, but it's enough to satisfy for the moment!

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Having recalled only mildly enjoying Firelight, I was expecting something similar here, but I ended up loving it! Daisy and Ian were quite the pair, they are quite literally perfect for one another. There was lots of delicious tension between the two, each fighting the other over some matter or another and then there's finally the romance! Wow. It was very nicely done, as I can be a stickler for having too much romance in my books, this one just flowed nicely. The scenes were built into, they weren't random nonsense there for the sake of sex on the page. 

This one does end happily, albeit being a part of a series, it does read as a standalone. So a happy ending becomes necessary! Plan on reading Winterblaze soon, as Moonglow does build up some threads of that particular storyline. At least with the tension between those characters and they're already married! So that one will definitely be making its way into my reading que shortly, I hope!


Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars

Random Thursday

Does anyone else remember Puffkins?

They were out around the Beanie Baby craze time although they weren't as popular, I don't think. I had three! And they were really cute! They were this little ball shape practically with cute little legs that stuck out. They had names, a poem...pretty much like a Beanie Baby except they were different shapes and by a different company obviously!

So anyone else remember these?

Waiting on Wednesday

I hate waiting...

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

After Xandra’s nasty run in with the Arcadian Council of Witches—where she was almost killed and her boyfriend, Declan, was almost framed for it—her plan is to lay low and figure out why its members would torment the people they are supposed to protect. Declan, temperamental and protective warlock that he is, doesn’t feel so reticent. And when violence erupts again, there’s no stopping him from pursuing revenge…

When a council member is murdered in a fashion that screams dark magic, Declan claims someone else beat him to it. Xandra doesn’t want to believe he could commit such a brutal act, but she knows he has a dark side—one that his former love interest Tsura understands better than she ever will. With Tsura back in town, Xandra doesn’t know whom to trust. And a killer targeting witches and wizards is still at large…

Cannot wait for this one! The bad part about reading a new release at the beginning of the year and having the next one come out at the end of the year is that you've read a LOT of books between and I can't quite remember what was going on, only knowing that I liked it!


TITLE: Flamebound
AUTHOR: Tessa Adams
PUBLISHER: Signet
GENRE: Urban Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: December 3, 2013

Love, power, and magic collide with war in the second book of the Falling Kingdoms series

Auranos has fallen and the three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now united as one country called Mytica. But still, magic beckons, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the world...

When the evil King Gaius announces that a road is to be built into the Forbidden Mountains, formally linking all of Mytica together, he sets off a chain of events that will forever change the face of this land, forcing Cleo the dethroned princess, Magnus the reluctant heir, Lucia the haunted sorceress, and Jonas the desperate rebel to take steps they never could have imagined.

 This is a series I still need to start! But it's just one I feel so strongly about that I believe I will love it! So I can't wait for this one either! The covers are stunning too!


TITLE: Rebel Spring
AUTHOR: Morgan Rhodes
PUBLISHER: Razorbill
GENRE: Fantasy YA
RELEASE DATE: December 3, 2013

Review--Roaring Midnight by Colleen Gleason

Amid the glitzy age of Jazz, when gangsters and bootleggers control the cities, there lies another, more insidious threat....The Undead. 

Macey Gardella is a typical young woman of the Roaring Twenties: she works a job, has her own flat, and loves to dance the Charleston. But when a mysterious man named Sebastian Vioget informs her she belongs to a family of vampire hunters, Macey is stunned and disbelieving. 

Yet, strange and frightening things begin to happen, and when Macey comes face-to-face with one of the fanged creatures, she has no choice but to believe Sebastian. And when she learns his own soul depends on her willingness to carry forth the family legacy and hunt the undead, Macey capitulates and joins the fight. 

As she begins to learn about her new life, Macey meets the handsome newspaper reporter known as Grady--who seems to know more about vampires than he should. When he begins to ask too many questions, she has to juggle her strong attraction to him with the need for secrecy. 

Slipping into speakeasies and sampling bootlegged whiskeys, dodging gangster gunfire and trying to keep her nosy landlady from finding the stakes in her flat, Macey Gardella must navigate through a world of stunning violence, passionate romance, and dark betrayal...

When I heard Colleen Gleason was going to continue with the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, but in a new era, I was ecstatic! And to have Sebastian join back in I was even more delighted! Roaring Midnight was definitely more than I expected! It was pure awesomeness! And definite props have to be given to Macey, for she has a harder time than Victoria did of having to hide a stake! Macey wears the revealing flappers dresses while Victoria had the over the top dresses with lots of layers and all that, so kudos to you Macey!

Macey doesn't realize that she is the descendant of Victoria Gardella, the Ill Gardella from many centuries past, but when strange things start to happen and she kills her first vampire...she is starting to wonder what her life is about to become. She was already reading a book about the ill fated Venators and to learn that she is to become one herself is a little hard to accept. Joining her in her journey is Sebastian, of course, and a surprise appearance and role, Chas Woodmore. I did read The Vampire Narcise so many, many books and years ago, but I can't quite remember what happened to him that led him to here. But oh well!

Macey has a similar tale like Victoria did, but I feel like Victoria was better prepared for her role as a Venator. Macey is completely in the dark, until she is accosted by Chas and friends. She soon accepts her plight and begins her training of becoming a Venator and basically saving the world! Of at least Chicago. Which is currently terrorized by two other bigwig vampires and ol' Al Capone himself! Yes, big Al is in this book and boy does he have one critical role in the story!

Then there's the character Grady. Grady is definitely one delectably intriguing man! He's a reporter and yet he seems to know quite a bit about the darker side of Chicago and has gotten under Macey's skin. But the life of a Venator is dangerous and to all who know her, it's best that Macey doesn't have close relationships at all, but she learns that lesson a bit too late and finds herself falling for Grady. Me as well! Grady isn't quite like our beloved Max from Victoria's tale, but he pretty swoon worthy. The way he comes through for Macey a lot is definitely a plus on his side. He's not as snarky and snide as Max was, but he's definitely got a touch of something himself. The romance factor to this story was beautifully woven into the story and I much enjoyed its part, which has becoming a growing thing for me over my reading years! It's just enough to add to the story but doesn't take it over completely! Which is the way I like my romance in books!

I can't quite tell if Colleen is going to pull another love triangle on us like she did with Victoria. Grady is obviously a contender for Macey's heart, but I can't tell if there's meant to be another. Chas has quite the attitude problem going on and I know his role in The Vampire Narcise probably has a part in it...really wish I could remember that one...but he is there throughout helping Macey. He's got the attitude and snark that Grady doesn't. He can be a bit of a jerk, so it makes me wonder if something might be happening between them that has yet to show itself.

Sebastian wasn't quite in this as much as I thought he would be. He believes Macey is the one who will be able to help him fulfill his destiny, one that started at the end of Victoria's series. He wishes to save his beloved Giula's soul and his own as well, since he's a vampire and has not partaken in human blood for a hundred years or so now. I initially thought he might be a contender for Macey's heart as well, but I am having my doubts on that. I can't quite tell what role he might play in this series just yet, other than a mentor.

Roaring Midnight was deeply entertaining! I recommend this series to all Gardella Vampire Chronicle fans, you will not be disappointed! As to those who haven't read the first series, it's not necessary to read that one and enjoy this one. It merely gives you a bit of previous knowledge to Sebastian and his cause. And I haven't read that series in years, as well as The Vampire Narcise, and still I totally enjoyed this one! I cannot even wait to read the next in this series because it does have quite the ending. Not quite cliffhanger material, but still leaves you wanting more!! 


Overall Rating 5/5 stars

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a page

3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE

4. Name the title, author, etc.

"More screaming. More shouting. More awful, ugly gurgling, suctioning sounds. People pounding on the walls, or doors, on the floor..." p 21

TITLE: Roaring Midnight

AUTHOR: Colleen Gleason

PUBLISHER: Avid Press, LLC

GENRE: Paranormal Historical Fiction

RELEASE DATE: June 7, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list  that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

This week's topic is: Top Ten Character Names I Love/ Top Ten Unusual Character Names

*in no particular order

1. PIETR

from 13 to Life series by Shannon Delany

Just liked the unique spelling!

2. JANCO

Study/Glass trilogies by Maria V. Snyder

Such a unique and different name! And what a character!

3. XANDRA

Immortal Empire series by Kate Locke

Another name that's just awesome!

4. ASH

Iron Fey Chronicles by Julie Kagawa

Such a short name, yet so powerful too!

5. MAC

Fever series by Karen Marie Moning

Continuing with short names, love a powerful name for the heroine too!

6. YELENA

Study/Glass trilogies by Maria V. Snyder

Yelena was another cool name that I had never heard of before!

7. CHARLEY

Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones

Guess I like the names that can be guy or girl but sometimes more guy for the heroine's name! Charley is freaking awesome!

8. FAYTHE

Shifters series by Rachel Vincent

Guess it's moreso the spelling that I like of Faythe's name! She was quite the character too. Difficult to like, but in the end I did like her!

9. KISTEN

Hollows series by Kim Harrison

Kisten was such an awesome name and character! Oh how I miss you still!

10. FOUR

Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth

True, it's not his real name and his real name is pretty cool too. But how hot is it to be named such a small number because that's how many fears you have?!

ARC Review--The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

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.

I received this ARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.


Julie Kagawa has done it again!! The Iron Traitor was a freaking incredible read that totally blows you out of the water! Seriously, I am shaking with emotions and I cannot even begin to describe them!

While it's been a year too long since I read The Lost Prince, only a week has passed since its events. And things aren't going too good for Ethan. The word on the street is that he kidnapped Kenzie and took her to New York. Not only are teachers and students giving him looks and trouble, but now Kenzie's dad is stepping into the picture and forbidding him to see Kenzie. Like that's really going to happen!

The big issues in this one are that Keirran is missing, Meghan comes to Ethan wanting to know if he knows where he's at and he doesn't. Then Annwyln comes to Ethan and is practically dying...or fading away. If she doesn't get back to Faery soon, she will be gone forever. So Ethan sets out to help her find Keirran so that they can try to find a way to save her from totally disappearing.

Kenzie tags along as well, much to Ethan's disappointment. His overprotecting, overbearing self, wants Kenzie to stay as far away from everything faery as possible, but Ethan has yet to really learn how stubborn and determined Kenzie can be. She will do what she wants when she wants and I gotta say, I love that about her. Ethan's icy demeanor and sometimes hostility do nothing to deter her from her goals. And I think that's what makes them perfect for one another. I have to admit, that I was peeved with Ethan for his overprotective streak. The problems that caused between the two so early in their relationship had me worried.

But Julie never disappoints, as the two somehow manage to work together anyway, I guess because it goes back to their stubbornness. They team up with Keirran in order to save Annwyln's life by doing a favor the Summer Queen. Which just so happens to take them to Tir Na Nog and create a bit of chaos.

Old faces return once again! I was ecstatic to see Grimalkin and Puck return! Meghan made a brief early appearance and yes even Ash! I gotta say I totally love Grimalkin and Puck! Those two are a riot! Grimalkin just has that attitude that is too funny! I totally hear his voice when I read his lines!

I gotta say that I am always tickled with the romance between Kenzie and Ethan. Ethan still shocks with me by how much he's grown, but still, I love the guy! A little thickheaded at times, but aren't most guys? Kenzie definitely has her hands full but she knows how to handle her tough guy!

The pacing in this one was perfect! I'll admit I kept wondering when we'd get to something, but Julie gives us a nice slow simmering that when I look back on it, was awesome! We move from one problem to the next. One quest to complete before another is thrown towards the gang's way. And of course problems occur during each "quest."

But what really, really killed me? The ending! OMG! The ending is without a doubt the worst shouting cliffhanger ever! I was just left shocked when I saw the end coming up, I was in denial because I thought there's no way Julie would do that to us...but then authors do get a sick pleasure in leaving us readers hanging! I knew ahead of time there was a dastardly cliffhanger, but still I HAD to read this one and I still highly recommend reading this one as well. Why wait another year to read the two back to back? Us readers are always enduring torture!

An overall fantastically fabulously epic read!! I am sooo ready for the finale! Bring it on, Julie! 


Overall Rating 5/5 stars


The Iron Traitor releases October 29, 2013

It's Monday! What are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I Read:

The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke (4 stars)

Oath Bound by Rachel Vincent (5 stars)

After Daybreak by J.A. London (4 stars)

Currently Reading:

Darkness Splintered by Keri Arthur

What I Plan to Read this Week:

Roaring Midnight by Colleen Gleason

Moonglow by Kristen Callihan

Other Posts of Interest:

Spooktacular Giveaway!

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

Waiting on Wednesday

Random Thursday

Release Date--Wings by Elizabeth Richards

OMG!!! The Watchers Book 5 Revealed!

Follow Friday

Top 5 Sundays

Stacking the Shelves