Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick


Rating: 3.8 stars

Synopsis: Hot. Cold. Deadly. Britt Pfeiffer has never been very adventurous, but that's about to change. Wanting to impress her ex-boyfriend, Britt convinces her best friend Korbie, to take a hiking trip with her. But when a freak storm leaves the girls stranded, they seek shelter in a secluded cabin - where they find two handsome rescuers. Or so they think. Britt realises she and Korbie need to get off the mountain fast, and so begins a treacherous journey through the ice and snow. But is gorgeous, mysterious Mason an enemy - or an ally?

Review: I'm not completely sure how I feel about this book, hence the insanely precise rating above. Originally, I was going to give it 4 stars but then I realised there are a few things I didn't really like about the book. You know the kind of things you don't realise irritate you when you're reading but after you've finished the book and think about it, you realise they're there. Don't get me wrong, it was a good book and I did enjoy it - I read it in about a day so the plot really did grab my attention. It was just little things that knocked the rating down for me.

There are quite a few reviews on this book already and most of them say what I'm going to say now. Britt needs to grow a backbone in terms of her relationships. In terms of survival skills, she's got it down. She knows what to do to stay alive in the mountains, but when it comes to relationships she needs to grow up. We get it, you loved Calvin and he broke your heart, but whinging for him every ten seconds isn't going to do anything. It just felt repetitive. Every time I wanted Britt to stand up and help herself, she'd spend five minutes wishing Calvin was there to do it for her. And then with Mason; the constant internal monologue of I can't fall in love with him, he's my captor got really repetitive. I just wanted to shake her and tell her to snap out of it. Apart from this though, I thought in general, Britt's character was quite well developed and she had an inner strength that you could see develop over the course of the book. The initial need to prove herself to Calvin turned into her wanting to prove herself to everyone - including herself and it was nice to see this change.

I hated Korbie. There was no chemistry between her and Britt and it was difficult to understand why they were best friends. When we first join the story, you get the impression that Britt has only asked Korbie along because of Calvin and not because she's her best friend. As you delve into the pairs past you really get the sense that this is a mismatched friendship if I ever saw one. There is no chemistry and, while Britt really seems to care about Korbie's well being in the cabin, trying to protect her (in a way that I personally didn't understand because surely it would have just sealed Korbie's fate if it was true?) Korbie seems to only care about herself. She doesn't seem to give Britt a second thought throughout the book, focusing only on herself and that just turned me off her completely.

I thought the premise of the book was really good and you could tell that Becca Fitzpatrick had really done her research on the area and how you could survive the situations Britt and Mason were thrown into. The book moved along at quite a fast pace and, like I said, I read the book in about a day so I did enjoy it a lot. I think this is mainly to do with Mason. I thought he was a really complex character who had a lot of secrets to his past. I didn't see his connection to Shaun until it was almost revealed and then it was pretty easy to guess but, apart from that, I did really like his character, and the way he put up with Britt was commendable. Like I said, she did have a few 'stupid' moments in the book.

The final 'action scene' was probably the best part because you really saw a mature side to Britt that, until then, you had only caught glimpses of. Other reviewers have said that they had guessed the ending, but it came as a surprise to me and I didn't see it coming. I guess you guys will have to make your own minds up about it. For me though, I thought it was a satisfying conclusion to the time on the mountains. The way that Britt handled everything during those few chapters was really satisfying as a reader because you finally saw her accept everything and accept that she wasn't as helpless as she had previously made herself out to be.

The actual ending itself was also something I really enjoyed. Some people might have found it cheesy but we all need a little cheese in our life and I thought it was a satisfying conclusion, with the romance that you really wanted to see continue after everything on the mountain and a little bit of humour thrown in there. It was a satisfying, relaxed conclusion which I thought the book needed after all the action throughout the book. It was also nice to see that Britt had learned that Korbie wasn't right for her - I half expected her to forgive her for everything, so it was nice to see that that wasn't the case.

All in all, it was a good book and I did enjoy it. The parts that let it down for me, didn't completely hinder my enjoyment of the book at all and I really only focused on them completely once I came to write this review. Considering I hadn't read Becca Fitzpatrick's 'Hush Hush' series, I thought this was a great introduction to her work and I'll probably pick up the 'Hush Hush' series at some point. Give it a go and tell me what you think.


Image from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21943246-black-ice - no Copyright intended

Wings of Arian by Devri Walls

Wings of Arian by Devri Walls

Rating: 4.8 stars

Synopsis: Kiora thought she'd never heard a lie until she was sixteen. But she was wrong. Her entire existence was based on nothing but. She thought that magic didn't exist. Lie. That magic wasn't real. Lie. And that the land of Meros was all there was. One more lie. With Aleric telling her that evil is knocking on the door and that she's the only one who can stop it, she has a choice to make. Refuse, or start the wildest most painful ride of her life. She reluctantly dips her toes into her new existence of magic and threads, dragons and shapeshifters, and the person who wants to take control of it all: the evil Dralazar. This journey isn't just for Kiora to undertake alone, she will have a Protector to help her. To her disbelief and utter irritation, they name the hot headed, stubborn, non-magical (albeit gorgeous) Prince Emane. They will have to trust each other with their lives but right now Kiroa would settle for a non hostile conversation. And now it comes down to this: if you had never heard a lie, how would you know when you heard one? Is knowing good from evil innate? Kiora soon finds herself having to decide who lives and dies based on these questions.

Review: I picked this book up on Kindle on a whim. I was looking for something that I hadn't read before and Wings of Arian seemed to be it - and I wasn't disappointed. Wings of Arian is the first book in The Solus series and is described on Amazon as being a paranormal romance novel. And I loved it. I feel like I don't read enough fantasy books, which is how I would describe this book, rather than paranormal, especially since when I was little I loved them. The thing is, fantasy books can be hit and miss with me. The world building is key to fantasy books and I've found in some books that it can be a little lacklustre in the whole world-building department. Devri Walls is a pro at world-building. The land of Meros is so well thought out and you can tell that she's really put a lot of thought into the dynamics of the world and why things happen the way they do. Meros is a land with supposedly no magic. At least, this is what the villagers have been told but little do they know that they are surrounded by magical creatures and this is how we start the book; with Kiora finding out about magic.

Kiora is a really good heroine for me. She's feisty and stubborn but she still has weaknesses and, because of her sheltered upbringing, a sense of innocence and naivety which I found quite endearing. This doesn't normally happen - many heroines who have these characteristics are more innocent and naïve than feisty and stubborn but Kiora has a good mix of both. What made Kiora really interesting to me was the whole 'feeling emotions on a deep level' thing. I wasn't sure how I initially felt about this and there were times when it was a little irritating but on the whole I thought it worked well. Kiora can feel things on such a deep level - she can be insanely happy or insanely sad, there's no real middle ground for her. So when she's forced to kill people, you can imagine how that makes her feel. I thought that this quality made her quite interesting because it made her stand out from other heroines. For example, Katniss in The Hunger Games, isn't a killer, but she doesn't kind of think about her actions during the games because she wants to get home to Prim. Kiora on the other hand, agonises over the people she's killed, despite them trying to kill her. The guilt she feels is immeasurable and in this way, Kiora stands out from Katniss in that while both are forced to kill, Kiora isn't able to compartmentalise the guilt she feels like Katniss can. Despite this guilt, Kiora does continue and overcomes this weakness; she knows what has to be done and, while she's not exactly thrilled that she has to be the one to eradicate evil, she still does it and she tries her hardest to do it right. But she's not perfect and she doesn't try to be. That's where Emane comes in.

Prince Emane. Ah. You gotta love a Prince. He's not quite Prince Ash but hey. Emane's role as Protector is literally that - to protect Kiroa as she tries to defeat evil. The only problem is, he doesn't have any magic. So while Kiora kicks butt with her magic, he has an assortment of non-magical weapons, leaving him feeling a little bit useless. Until the whole - we can make you magical deal breaker comes into play. Emane for me was brilliant. The relationship between him and Kiora was really nice - I love my hero's to be sarcastic - and Kiora gives as good as she gets. He makes up for her weakness; knowing that people will die during this and being okay with that in the most part. He's never really cared about anyone other than himself and it was quite funny to see him realising that he cares for Kiora outside of his protection detail. One of my favourite moments in the book was the ceremony that was performed for Emane in order to give him magic so he can better help Kiora. I felt like you really got to see the relationship between Emane and Kiora in a better light and I liked how, for the first time, Kiora was taking care of Emane, rather than the other way around.

The plot of this book is incredibly intricate. There are quite a few battles and fights that occur but it's not difficult to follow which is what I initially expected. In fact, it's a really comfortable read. Devri Walls has spent so much time on both the world building and the plot that you can really imagine this happening. The way that magic is worked into the very essence of the world was really well done. I loved the idea of threads - being able to sense someone nearby and whether they're good or evil based on their thread was quite a good idea. Every plot point worked together and there wasn't really anything that was unnecessary like you sometimes get in fantasy books. The only thing that confused me was the appointment of Emane as Protector. We're told that a Protector will be assigned and then, the next minute, Emane has popped out of nowhere and is suddenly our Protector. I felt like there should have been an extra chapter or scene where Emane is told about his role, rather than him just popping up out of nowhere. That's why this book didn't get a full five stars for me. Apart from that though, I thought the whole plot was really well thought out and the story and characters as a whole was really enjoyable.

If you're looking for something a little different, or if you enjoy fantasy/paranormal books, I'd definitely recommend picking this book up. It's a great read and for me anyway, something a bit different. 

Image from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517384-wings-of-arian - no Copyright intended

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black


Rating: 4.5 stars


Synopsis: Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. It's an eternal party, shown on TV twenty-four hours a day - gorgeous, glamorous, deadly. The problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave...



Review: Welcome to 2015! It's only taken me a month to pick up a new book but hey, I'm so glad it was this one. Finding myself in a book rut, I visited my library with the plan to pick up one or two books to ease myself back in. Typically, I leave with five, this being one of them. I'd picked this book up last year and started reading it and I got about a quarter of the way through before putting it down and not picking it back up. And I've been kicking myself for it.


This is how you write a vampire book with a modern twist. This book has the spark that I was missing from the Immortal Rules series - the connection between the characters and the way the plot was so thought out was what I expected from the Immortal Rules and more. This book is amazing.


Tana is a seemingly normal teenage girl in a world where vampires are not just the thing of legends. When a sundown party goes terribly wrong and Tana is the only human left alive, her life goes from normal to crazy in the space of twenty seconds. Tana leaves the remnants of the party with her ex-boyfriend who is in the process of going Cold and a vampire who may or may not be in serious trouble.


Tana is a strong character who knows what she wants and has the ability to kick herself and get a job done even when all she wants to do is sit in a corner and cry. Unlike Allie in the Immortal Rules though, Tana is human. She is affected by the death of friends and family and is terrified at the idea of going Cold herself. She has a family that she cares about and gives her the motivation she needs to go into the local Coldtown.


The idea of Coldtown's is genius. This is what gives this book a modern twist. When the infection that turns you into a vampire started to spread, Coldtowns were built in the quarantined areas, locking in those who have turned, are in transition, and are still human. The idea is that, if you become infected, you go to a Coldtown and turn yourself in. But the Coldtown's are in chaos, with the vampires ruling the roost. People can watch the elite vampires inside of Coldtown online twenty-four hours a day in a reality show type scenario. The vampire life is made out to be parties and drinking and eternal happiness. What Tana soon finds out, is the picture that is painted to those outside the walls is just that. A pretty picture for the few lucky enough to get in.


Gavriel is a very complex character. An insanely old vampire, who has gone a little off the deep end during his life. We don't know much about his motives throughout the book, except that he and Tana really hit it off together. We gradually learn that Gavriel is seemingly running from vampires intent on torturing him for a crime that caused the spreading of the vampire infection. It was really interesting getting to know Gavriel and Holly is so good at dropping little bits of his backstory in at just the right moment, giving you the information you need but still keeping you pretty much in the dark about who he is.


I thought Lucian was also a great character. One of the elite vampires that stars in his own reality show, Lucian is a manipulative old vampire who turned Gabriel in Paris back in the day. He's not a major player in the book until you've really got into the plot but you don't notice it the way you did with the Immortal Rules for example, where you needed the presence of a villain to kick the plot forward. There were enough little, interlinking plot points throughout the book that meant I never got bored of reading it and never wanted to put the book down.


The structuring was also very good. There are a number of moments throughout the book where the point of view changes. This way, we get to see Gavriel's past and how he became a vampire, we get to see a little bit of Lucian and how he played into what kind of vampire Gavriel became and we get to see Pearl, Tana's little sister, and see the fallout from the party hit her. In most books, this change would probably have irritated me a little but here it made sense to write the book like this because, by the end, when all of these stories finally came together, it made the impact of the ending so much better. You needed to know about these characters and their thoughts, as well as Tana's and Holly did it really well.


I did not expect the final showdown scene. It was so well done that it shocked me when it was finally revealed. Not many books do that. You really don't see it coming because Holly masks it so well and the characters are so believable in their actions and motives that the big reveal really is a shock but it still feels right and believable for it to be that way.


The only thing I didn't like (and it is only minor) is that on the final page, while all the questions seemed to be tied up for the most part, there are still questions that I want to be answered. Holly hasn't said whether there will be a sequel (please, please, please, please) but I'm hoping. Basically, I just wanted more! While it's a satisfying ending to this book, there is definitely potential for another and I think Holly is clever for leaving it in such a way that she can come back to it one day if she feels like it.


A brilliant read and I'm so glad I picked it up again.


No copyright intended - image from: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12813630-the-coldest-girl-in-coldtown

The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa

Rating: 5 million stars (I can do that right?)

Synopsis: The Iron Fey Saga recounts half human, half-faery Meghan Chase's battle to claim her birth right. To rescue her half brother Ethan she must face unimagined dangers, unpredictable powers and forbidden love.




Settle back because this is the review I've been promising you all for so long now and it's finally here. A note, I'm going to try and summarise each book as best I can without giving too much away but it's not going to be fantastic. I'll review the whole series at the end but for now here's a little preview, just in case you're short of time - this series is awesome and you need to read it. Now. Like now. This series, should definitely be on your TBR list!!

The Iron King (1) ~ Okay, here goes for my longest review ever. The Iron King is book 1 of the Iron Fey Saga and is where we meet Meghan for the very first time. A seemingly normal girl who gets bullied at school and has a crush on the hot guy. Very typical and dull and you start to wonder where the magic happens. Bear with. When her brother Ethan is kidnapped, Meghan follows her best friend Robbie (AKA Robin Goodfellow/Shakespeare's Puck) into the Nevernever to get him back. And then things get good.
Wandering the Nevernever, even with Puck, is never a good idea and so Meghan is thrown right in at the deep in and, with barely enough time to catch her breath and admire the scenery her and Puck are running for their lives from a mysterious huntsman. Barely escaping, Meghan meets Grimalkin, the trickiest cat in the Nevernever who, after some detours takes her to Arcadia where she just happens to run into the guy who tried to kill her. Who happens to be called Ash and is a Prince of Winter. And is H.O.T. After some more twists and turns (and an uneasy deal between said Prince and Meghan) our three heroes set off towards the Iron Kingdom where Ethan is being held to battle King Machina. Which, for a once ordinary high school girl, is a lot to ask. But that's what happens when your a Faery Princess.

Winter's Passing (1.5) ~ this book picks up right where book 1 leaves off with Meghan having to uphold her deal to Ash. This is a very short novella and, like the other novellas, aren't needed to understand the whole story but there are subtle references to them in the first three books and so are useful to give some background. The story takes place on the journey to Tir Na Nog, Ash's home and we get to see some more romance bubbling between the two of them. Until it's ruined with an encounter from the one and only Big Bad Wolf who is just as bad as he seems. Like I said, the other novellas aren't truly important but the Big Bad Wolf does play a part in Book 4 - just a heads up.

The Iron Daughter (2) ~ Meghan is now stuck in Tir Na Nog and Ash is nowhere to be seen. Unlike Arcadia, pretty much every fey who resides here has bad intentions and you have to constantly be on your guard. This book focuses on the tradition of the passing of the Sceptre of the Seasons which is passed between both Summer and Winter throughout the year to mark the change of seasons. When this is stolen by the Iron Fey and Prince Sage, Ash's oldest brother is caught in the crossfire, Meghan takes it upon herself to try and get the sceptre back. Unlike last time though, Ash leaves to try and find the sceptre alone which, as you can guess, doesn't end well. With a battle between Meghan and the Iron Fey AND the two courts, it's a race against time to try and find the sceptre and restore nature's balance. Can Meghan and Ash survive the trials and the centuries old traditions followed by the courts?

The Iron Queen (3) ~ Exiled from the Nevernever, Meghan thinks her time in Faery is over. Yeah, like that's gonna happen. The Iron Fey are back and are once more threatening those Meghan loves, forcing her to go back and make yet more sacrifices. Meghan's powers are causing more harm than good and she, typically, the pieces don't click for anyone until the last second. Ash and Meghan's relationship is seemingly sealed until, during the final battle, Meghan is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice. What will happen to Meghan, Ash and Puck?

Summer's Passing (3.5) ~ Our second novella is told from Puck's POV which is a nice change and you really get a chance to see Puck's dilemma of loving Meghan but valuing his complicated friendship with Ash. This is the story of what happens when a certain Dark Muse calls in a favour at the worst possible time and asks for what seems to be the impossible. For everyone...except Robin Goodfellow.

The Iron Knight (4) ~ And so we come to book 4 which is told in Ash's POV and tells his story of the trials he faces as he tries to keep his promise to Meghan. We see some old faces such as the Big Bad Wolf and some new faces which really add a surprising twist to the story. Will Ash find his Queen again?

Iron's Prophecy (4.5) ~ Our third novella which tells the story of what happens after the Iron Knight and what happens when a prophecy foretold in a previous book is brought to light once more.


Okay, so I love how those synopses got shorter and shorter as we went along but I really don't want to spoil you guys. So why do I love this series so much? The characters are so complex and entertaining. Meghan really grows as a character throughout the series - something I really didn't get with Allie in the Immortal Rules. Meghan is just a lot more relatable to me and I felt like I connected with her a lot more. Puck added so much humour to the series, he has some seriously brilliant one liners that just make you laugh out loud. As does Grimalkin actually. Both are seriously funny characters. Ash is more serious but it's really interesting to watch him change as a character and to watch his barriers break down as he gets to know Meghan more.

The entire world is so well created - again so different from the Immortal Rules where I didn't feel as captivated by the world. In the Iron Fey you want to know everything there is to know about the world as well as the characters because it's so well crafted it's a huge part of the story. A character in it's own right.

The plot as well is so intricate but it's not complicated in that it's difficult to understand. You can clearly see what's happening and why but there are lots of little parts to it, each plot point has a twist which you don't see coming which keeps it interesting. The love and romance is also really well done. Despite seeing the initial love triangle in the first three books, the love triangle that appears in book 4 shocked me. As in I actually said out loud 'What? No! Really?" in public. I got a few strange looks but it takes a lot to make me do that.

So a shocking review on what is actually a fab series. If you've stayed this far - well done. I applaud you because I wouldn't have! Seriously though, read these books you won't be sorry! Oh, and have a very happy new year. Make 2015 a year to remember (for the right reasons) :)


Image from http://wecritics.blogspot.co.uk/ - no Copyright intended

Neverland & Pan's Revenge by Anna Katmore

     Neverland and Pan's Revenge by Anna Katmore


Rating: 4 .5stars

Synopsis (Neverland): Why is there a boy who doesn’t want to grow up?
How can an apple start the sweetest romance in fairytale history?
And what does a ruthless pirate have to do with it all?


Angelina McFarland loves reading fairytales. But she never dreamed of falling right into one herself. That’s exactly what happens when she slips on her balcony and a flying Peter Pan catches her mid-fall.

Ending up in Neverland where no one seems to age and laws of nature are out of control, Angel has no idea how to get home. Worse, the ruthless Captain Hook captures her and keeps her trapped on his ship, the Jolly Roger, where she gets caught between the lines of a timeless battle. But the more time Angel spends with the captain, the more she sees beneath his ruthless façade.

As Angel desperately tries to find a way to return to her real life, she discovers a train ticket to London in her pocket. It won’t be any help in getting off the island, but as her memory fades away the longer she stays, this is all she has left to remind her of her former life and why she can’t give up trying.

Or is staying in Neverland forever the better choice after all?

Review: I love, love, love, love, love this series. I bought Neverland on a whim - it sounded interesting and it got great reviews and I'm so glad I did! Neverland is written in a dual POV - Angelina 'Angel' and James 'Jamie' Hook. Angel is thrown into Neverland when she falls off her balcony but don't go expecting this to end up like the Disney fairy tale. While Peter Pan does catch her, they soon part ways after an argument and Angel ends up in the hands of notorious pirate Captain James Hook.

The characters in this are so great. Angel is a strong heroine who knows what she wants and won't put up with anything that could deviate her from her path. Except maybe, possibly falling in love with a Pirate. Angel and James (or Jamie as he's also known) get off to a rocky start - he is a pirate - but, after saving her from one of Peter Pan's pirate traps, the pair begin to grow closer.

I love James. You really get a feel for him as a character. His life is balanced between being a pirate and being the person he wants Angel to see and get to know. It's quite funny to see the moral dilemma James faces as he starts to fall in love with Angel and, fair warning. Pirates do swear - a lot - so if you're against swearing in books this probably won't be for you, but for me it just added to the authenticity.

In this series, Peter Pan is James' little half brother. They're past is quite complicated but it wasn't an easy childhood and both have suffered for it, leading to the ultimate decision from Peter to never grow up and to battle with his brother over...well...everything. This added a unique twist to this tale because, while it's something I've never really thought about until now, it does answer the question of why Peter and Hook are enemies.

The romance is cute. Again, another warning, there is a lot of fluff between Angel and James which isn't going to be for everyone. Personally, I love a good romance (don't know if you can tell ;) ) so it didn't really bother me but like I said, I know it isn't for everyone. The only reason this book isn't 5 stars is because the romance does seem to develop quickly - one minute they hate each other and the next they're kissing. But it's very easy to overlook this one little flaw. I completely fell into this story and loved every single second of it.

                                                               
Pan's Revenge

Rating: 4 stars

Pan's Revenge (Adventures i“Are you ready to be kissed?” he breathes against the corner of my mouth.

My knees start to tremble and there are butterflies in my belly now. Way too many. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“I think it’s the best idea I had in a long time.”



Desperate to leave Neverland and find his love in this notorious town called London, James Hook makes a gravSynopsis: Desperate to leave Neverland and find his love in this notorious town called London, James Hook makes a grave mistake. He puts his own wishes above those of his half-brother and once-arch-enemy, Peter Pan.

The consequences alter Peter’s life in a way no one could have foreseen. The boy who wouldn’t grow up swears revenge, and what better way than by stealing Hook’s girl?

The first to arrive in London, Peter finds Angel once again without any memory of ever being in Neverland. That gives him time to plant the idea of a ruthless pirate captain in her mind—someone who tried to kill her once and is now on his way to kidnap her again. If only this stubborn girl would stop playing with Peter’s head. He’d completely forgotten how beautiful she was. Or is it only because he sees her through different eyes now?

Through a shower of falling stars, a loop around the moon, and then a hard left at the Clock Tower—when James Hook finally arrives in London, he has to fight with a vengeance for his love and face a boy who grew up after all...

Review: The second and final book in this duology and while I enjoyed this one almost as much as the first I didn't really like the evolution of Peter. The premise was good. Three months after book 1 ends, Angel has forgotten about her adventures in Neverland but James hasn't - far from it. He's desperately trying to find a way to be with Angel again but, during these attempts, James manages to get Peter to destroy the watch (read book 1 to understand this bit because I don't want to give away too many spoilers). This means that Peter Pan who was once the boy who never grew up - is growing up and fast.

Determined to take revenge on James for ruining his life, Peter figures out the way to London and tries to steal Angel away from James. This started well but I didn't like who Peter turned into. As he grew older, he became more and more cynical and bent on revenge and I didn't think this evolution necessarily worked.

James and Angel are thrown back together and, because Angel doesn't remember James, hilarity and chaos ensue when James finally gets to London. He has three days to win Angel back but Angel is incredibly stubborn so, James does what any pirate does, and kidnaps her. Again. I loved this plot point because the two characters are so stubborn and so insistent that the other needs to listen to them and do what they want that the whole situation just makes you smile, especially as it's so reminiscent of how Angel and James originally met.

The ending of this is so sweet and perfect and just...argh! I loved it and it leaves it open for another book. Anna Katmore has said that she isn't planning a third book but the option is there if she wants it. Despite this the ending is satisfying and draws everything to a conclusion. But, on the off chance that Anna Katmore is reading this (she's not but let me pretend for a minute) then a third book would be great. Maybe? Possibly?

This series is a really easy read - I got through one book in a day I loved it so much. Definitely a duology to pick up!

(Just a quick note regarding Julie Kagawa's Blood of Eden series. I'm not going to be reviewing the third book the Forever Song because I haven't really enjoyed the series and I can live without reading the final book which means for me, that I haven't really enjoyed the series. I'm sorry to all those who are waiting for the review but my review for The Iron Fey should be up soon - there's just a lot of them to do so it's taking a while)

No copyright intended, images from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22056857-pan-s-revenge & http://annakatmore.com/2014/03/21/neverland-story-and-cover/

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

Synopsis:
Out here in the Fringes, there is only one rule: Blood calls to blood.
She has done the unthinkable: died so she might continue to live.
Now Allie, the reluctant teenage vampire who was cast out of Eden, and Zeke, the human boy who loves her, must attempt to save the world from a deadly new strain of plague. In order to do so, they must first hunt down the monster who holds the promise of the cure and Allie s beloved mentor in his sadistic grip....
Joined by Allie's blood brother, Jackal, this unlikely posse of companions will brave a landscape stalked by raiders, rabids, and rogue vampires. But even if they survive, they re bound for the Inner city, and a vicious showdown that will test their bonds in ways they never expected.
It may just be that becoming undead was the easy part. Confronting the horrors of Allie's awakening hunger, her growing feelings for Zeke, and the uncertainties of their future is going to be the ultimate challenge.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Okay. So Book 1 of the Blood of Eden trilogy left me a little disappointed but the ending definitely saved it for me. Book 2 - was so much better. It still started a little slow for me but there was a lot more action throughout the book.

I liked that we got to see a little more of Jackal, Allie's blood brother. He's a really interesting character and reminds me a little of Peter in Divergent, he's in it for himself and, if he's not on the winning team, he'll leave. This provided a great source of conflict for the group and helped keep the book moving as you're never truly sure about Jackal's motives.

Allie finally came through! She turned into someone who I can start to relate to a little more. I mean, she's still not on the same level as Meghan is for me (review definitely coming guys, promise!) but she's getting there. She seems a lot more sure of who she is in this book. She's not so hung up on her choice to become a vampire. The topic does still come up and she still thinks about it, but not as much as Book 1 which really helped me get to know her a little more.

Zeke. Oh Zeke. I do love you. Again, not as much as Ash but, you're still lovable. I'm glad that Allie found Zeke again in this book - their goodbye seriously almost broke my heart - and I'm glad that Zeke fought for Allie. He seemed a little...I don't know...not weak but afraid maybe in Book 1? He really came into his own in this book and stood up for himself a lot more.

And now we come to Stick, or Mr Stephen as he's now known. I was a little unsure of this character in Book 1 and I'm still unsure now. I knew Stick would come back in this book, I feel like it was an obvious plot point, but I love how Julie takes what should be an obvious plot point and makes it into something so completely un-ordinary. Stick is now chief advisor to the Prince in New Covington and is acting all high and mighty about himself. I really didn't like him. Not just in a 'you've turned on your best friend and sold her out' kind of dislike (although that was there) but in a 'I don't truly buy that you'd change this much' kind of dislike. Because I didn't. I can totally buy that Stick would turn to the Prince - I get that. I don't understand why he'd completely turn on Allie after everything. I'd like to think that if I was in that situation and I knew my best friend was a vampire but HADN'T eaten me yet, I'd hear them out. Maybe it's just me on this one but Stick for me was a really awful character and I couldn't really buy into any of his actions.

Overall, this book was waaayyy better than the first one but again it did take a little while to get into the book, despite picking it up straight after finishing Book 1 and that brought the rating down for me.

No copyright intended - image from http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Eternity-Cure-Blood-Eden/dp/1848451857 

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

                                                        The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (Blood of Eden Book 1)

Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis: In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. She must decide what - and who - are worth dying for.

I found Julie Kagawa through The Iron Fey series which I love. It's probably my favourite series at the moment (and a review of the series will be coming soon). I was sceptical about picking up the Immortal Rules because I loved the Iron Fey so much and I thought at first I had been proved right. It took me so long to get into this book and it really disappointed me in the beginning. It wasn't until about 240 pages in (242 if we're going to be exact) that I finally found myself being sucked into the book and enjoying the story.

And I'm not sure why it took so long. I have two theories. Theory number 1: this is a dystopia/supernatural book so it's very different from the Iron Fey which is fantasy. This may have hindered Julie's writing as it takes a while to get used to writing in a new genre and therefore, limiting my enjoyment of the book. Theory number 2 (which is a lot more probable): I didn't care about Allie. Not until 242 pages in did I really care about what happened to her. She's the main protagonist in this book and I didn't care about her - BIG problem.

I kept comparing Allie to Meghan, the lead protagonist in the Iron Fey. Meghan is a lot more relatable in my mind. She went through normal struggles and you could clearly see her grow into a strong person. Allie was a strong person at the beginning of the novel and maybe that was the problem. A lot of the things thrown at her, she could handle. Lack of food for example? No problem, I'll go hunt in the rabid infested area outside the wall! As well as this, when she was turned into a vampire, she kept second guessing Kanin which really irritated me. She acted like she knew everything when, in reality she didn't, and the whole time I wanted to shake her and tell her to stop acting like a little know it all and LISTEN to what Kanin was telling her.

The relationship aspect of the novel took agggeeessss to get to. I'm a believer that, although you don't necessarily need a romance early on to help the book, it does help. In this case, it would have definitely helped. You're left wondering if Allie is ever going to find someone when eventually Zeke turns up.

Zeke...is a good character is most respects. Better than Allie, I felt like I could relate to him more than I could to Allie but there was still something missing and I'm not sure what it is. Again, I compared Zeke to Ash and there is no comparison. While both are strong in their own ways, Ash can carry a good portion of the story (or a whole book in the case of the Iron Knight) and I can't help but wonder if Zeke could do the same. Maybe in Books 2 & 3 the character's will progress a little more but in Book 1, I was a little disappointed.

Overall, the plot was good, especially once we got out of New Covington and met up with Zeke and the other humans. It really started to pick up pace and I did end up starting to feel something towards Allie and Zeke and wanting Zeke to realise that Allie isn't a monster. The whole thing with the sires and the blood siblings was a nice touch although I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at the whole 'big brother little sister' thing that was done in the Mortal Instruments. I didn't see it coming anyway so that's a plus.

I loved Caleb and Bethany. The two kids were only minor characters but they really lifted the story for me. They're so innocent and blunt in the ways that only small children are. When Caleb is asking Allie to bring his sister Ruth back from the dead I almost shed a tear. That tear then turned to laughter when he was distracted by the prospect of getting jelly. The scene with the goat as well was really sweet, with Bethany trying to name the goat Princess I think and Caleb shooting her down. It was really well done and really sweet.

Overall, I'd say stick with this book because it does get better despite a ridiculously slow start. If you're not sure about this I'd definitely suggest picking up The Iron King which is book 1 in the Iron Fey series because that is ten million times better and, like I said, a review of the whole series will be up soon but I have a lot of reviews to catch up on first!

image from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10215349-the-immortal-rules - no Copyright intended