Julie Kagawa | Books: The Cheapest Vacation You Can Buy

{April 15, 2014} {ARC Review} The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa (Blood of Eden #3)

From Goodreads: VENGEANCE WILL BE HERS.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster?

With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

MONSTER

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, triumph is short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

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While I have thoroughly enjoyed this vampire series by Julie Kagawa, I have to admit that this final installment didn’t stand up to my expectations. Sequels and final installments are always extremely difficult to craft, and while Kagawa’s novels are always very well written, this one was just a tad too predictable and repetitive for my liking. Though action packed, I felt that every fight scene was the same as the many that came before it, with Allie slicing through rabids, getting knocked down, nearly succumbing to her enemies, and finally triumphing. After a while, these scenes became longer, more drawn out, and overly predictable.

Likewise, the truth of Zeke’s death is also predictable, and while I was glad to find I was right in my speculations, I wanted the truth to be a little more spicy—to throw me for a loop, blindside me, make me gasp. But it didn’t. Instead, the novel carries extremely depressing undertones, and with two of the main characters constantly contemplating death and wishing to no longer exist, fighting themselves and everyone else around them, I found myself feeling depressed as well. While the tasks and overall plotline of this final installment is certainly not supposed to be one of cheer, the mopiness of the characters and situations became a bit overbearing and draining as I read. It is definitely a darker tale, and the characters have much to prove and learn about themselves as they attempt to save humanity and stop a sociopathic vampire.

And yet, this novel really encompasses the idea of coming of age, facing our fears, and doing what is right, even when we know it’ll be near impossible to achieve. Though the repetitious fight scenes and predictability bogged me down a bit, I found the character’s struggles with themselves to be completely believable. Allie has grown a lot in the year since she’s become a vampire, and she’s struggled much. With the possibility of a new, even more deadly virus on the horizon, and a psychotic vampire always one step ahead of the gang, the events unfold quickly and do keep reader attention for much of the novel. Though it’s not the final installment I was expecting, I still liked it overall. Three stars.

In exchange for an honest review, Harlequin publishers have been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel prior to its release on April 15, 2014.

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{October 27, 2013} {ARC Review} The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2)

From Goodreads: 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.

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This is another fantastic novel in the Iron Fey spin off series, and I must say, it’s utterly perfect. Kagawa has a way with words and her storyline is enticing, energetic, and breathtaking all at once. Of course, she leaves us with a rather awful cliffhanger that will have readers biting their nails and dying to know what happens next, especially as it seems the prophecy is about to swallow all those we’ve come to love.

I was floored by this novel—it was absolutely wonderful! From the characters to the plot and all that came in between, Kagawa’s world is stunning and almost makes me wish it were real—though I’m not really sure I’d want to be surrounded by the fey, if you know what I mean.

Ethan Chase once again finds himself on the wrong side of reality, trekking through the fey underworlds in order to try and locate and save his nephew, Keirran, as Keirran defies all those around him in attempts to save his beloved. The twists are even more sinister in this novel, especially as Keirran refuses to listen to logic and is set on doing things his way, regardless of the cost to those around him. There are some jaw dropping scenes, especially toward the end as it all comes to a head, and I just adored it, even though it’ll be another year until I can find out what’s next for Ethan and Keirran, because right now, things aren’t looking up. Five stars.