TALON by Julie Kagawa

Talon Series Book 1

Harlequin Teen

November 1^st, 2014
978-0-373-21215-6
Young Adult Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Action-Adventure, Dragons
Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read282gmail.com)
Obtained by self-purchase

5 hearts

 

In the Talon organization, hatchlings must spend around three months showing Talon they can blend with the humans and hide their true nature. But for Ember and Dante Hill, twin sibling dragons, this summer of fun and relaxation is not what it was supposed to be. Rogue dragons, the Order of St. George are just the tip of the iceberg as these two siblings try to navigate their accelerated training and find out what careers they will have in the Talon organization. But for Ember, change is coming and it’s going to take all her strength to break from the past and fly to the future because when the mortal enemies of the Talon organization, The Order of St. George, there will be death no matter what. Take a leap and see what Ember is willing to do to have the future she wants; not what others want for her.

TALON just blew me away. I had this series on my bookshelf for a while now and I am so glad I decided to try it after finishing the last mediocre book. This is a story of not just the dragons, which by the way are awesome but also of their enemies, the order of St. George as well. TALON gives you a fast-paced story that literally leaves you gasping in disbelief as you flip the pages quickly to see what is happening next. Ms. Kagawa delivers a story that is equal parts action adventure, romance and thriller. You have dragons, those glorious dragons, so delightful and so different than I have read before. I loved how this author delves in to the world of dragons and the history behind them. I loved how this author gives us such amazing and entertaining characters to fall in love with, even those ‘bad guy’ St. George soldiers. This is an author who knows how to let her characters shine in all ways, to show their vulnerabilities and flaws to the reader and to get you, the reader, to fall in love with them all. I’ve always loved this author’s work but TALON just takes the reader for a ride and doesn’t let them off till the last page is read and even then, you are left eager for more.

Meet Ember and Dante Hill. Twin sibling dragons, an anomaly in the dragon world. Dante has always walked the straight and narrow but once Ember tastes the breath of freedom, well let’s just say she tests her limits and rules to the max. I adore these two, not because they are dragons but also because the author does such a wonderful job in keeping them as different as night and day yet also have a strong bond between the siblings that tug at the heartstrings. Dante is trusting, a follower and believes in Talon 100%. Ember on the other hand is willful, determined to carve her own path even as she chafes at the strings and restrictions Talon organization has placed upon her. The characters are what makes this series so downright enjoyable. Ember is snarky, determined and fearless. Dante is methodical, a thinker and determined to toe the line with Talon. The secondary characters deliver more punches to the storyline and keep the reader guessing on what happens next.

TALON is a delight to read and one I am eager to read again. I am looking forward to seeing where this author will go in the series as Ember, Dante and the rest of the cast of characters find themselves on the front line of a war that if it got out to the humans, would be devastating to them all-Dragons, St. George soldiers and humans. Run-don’t walk-to grab this wonderful entertaining novel and settle in for some amazing storytelling.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

 

THE IMMORTAL RULES by Julie Kagawa

Book One in The Blood of Eden Series

Harlequin Teen

May 2012

9780373210510

Paranormal, Vampires, Young Adult

E-ARC from Netgalley

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Publisher via Netgalley

 

The world has changed and vampires rule as humans become their food supply or human cattle. Allison Sekemoto lives on the fringe as it is called, the outskirts of a vampire town, scavenging for food and trying to stay out of the vampire’s way. There are days where she hates with a passion the vampires and what they do to the humans who are their cattle. Until the day Allie is attacked and given a choice-become a vampire or die. Allie now has to learn the rules at being an Immortal and finding out that is you go long enough without human blood, you can literally go insane. But when she is forced to leave the vampire town and go into the unknown beyond it, she falls into a rebel group searching for a mythical cure, one that will cure the disease that killed most of the humans as well as created the rabids, a group of beings that hunt human and vampires alike. But pretending to be human as a vampire is harder than it looks and when Allie meets the human Zeke, she finds herself drawn to the young man even as she tries to keep hidden she is one of the vampires from the rebels.

Julie Kagawa is one young adult author that I have on auto-buy no matter what. With her trademark writing style, she gives the readers a new series to sink their teeth into. This time she takes the tired vampire genre and turns it inside out and upside down with a new series that will blow you away from the first page. With a fast paced storyline, the reader is drawn into a dystopian world where vampires are the rulers and humans are either blood cattle or rebels hiding from the vampires as they try to survive. This is one story that you won’t want to put down. I know I didn’t, not until the wee hours of the morning as I just had to find out what happens next for Allie and the rest of this amazing cast of characters in THE IMMORTAL RULES.

Meet Allison. A seventeen human, she skulks on the outskirts of vampire town and hopes like mad they don’t notice her. She has days where surviving is the only thing she thinks of and other days hating with a passion the vampires who have turned the last of the humans into their blood source. But Allie’s world changes when she is attacked and given a choice- Die or become one of the vampires. Determined to live, Allie becomes a vampire and her world changes into someplace where the rules are ever changing and if you go long enough without human blood, you can become insane. I really loved Allie. She was a force to be reckoned with and her interactions with her vampire mentor were very intriguing. The world building was phenomenal and quite intriguing. It’s a world where humans are a minority, no laws to govern behavior, no food, shelter and there were much worse hidden in the shadows.  The characters grow on you-there is no ‘instant fall in love from page one’ characters….here we get to know them slowly and steadily. This is the author’s perfection besides her fabulous storytelling. The characters are well written, multi-dimensional and downright scary at times-be it a main character or a secondary one.

THE IMMORTAL RULES begins the first chapter in a world gone mad, where rules are tossed out the window, survival is the key and a legendary cure for the disease that killed most of the humans haunts them even as they try to keep out of the shadows and from the vampires. If you have not picked this one up yet, what are you waiting for? I urge you to race to grab it so you can enjoy the world of vampires, dystopian world and a cast of characters that steal your heart without you knowing it. I am eager to see where this author goes in the next book.

If you enjoy a new take on vampires and dystopian fiction then try The Blood of Eden series and settle in for one wild ride from start to finish. Ms. Kagawa is on track of becoming a force to be reckoned with in the young adult fiction world and one author I highly recommend.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

 

THE IRON KNIGHT by Julie Kagawa

Book 4 in the Iron Fey Series
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date published: October 25th, 2011
ISBN 9780373210367
Fantasy/Young Adult
Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained E-book ARC from Publisher via Netgalley


For Winter Prince Ash, falling in love with a human was nothing short of a weakness. Finding Meghan, now Queen of the Iron Fay, has smashed the barricades around his heart and has given him something to smile about…until she severed the bond they had. Now Ash has to find a way to be with the one girl who he has fallen in love with for where Meghan Chase is, no winter or summer fey can survive. But Ash is willing to do whatever it takes to be with his love again or die trying.

When I picked up the first book of the Iron Fey series, I was sucked into a world of the fae, of love and loss and of doing the right thing even as I felt my heart break while doing it. Julie Kagawa is a very talented author who has delivered a series that had me and other readers enthralled till the very end. THE IRON KNIGHT is told from Ash’s point of view and it details his journey to find a way to be with his love, Iron Fey Queen Meghan Chase, again. What he finds is secrets, challenges and more that will change him in ways he had never anticipated. Along with Ash, readers are treated to Puck going along with his once best friend and Grimalkin, a Cait Sith as well a few new characters that I was intrigued about. This is an author who knows how to tell a story. She gives her characters free reign and man, they take over. I highly recommend holding onto your hats because this journey that Ash goes on is full of mysteries, revelations and more.

The story is fast paced, the writing tight and the characters are very well defined. It’s the characters who make this series so enjoyable in every possible way. The journey Winter Prince Ash takes will show him how strong he is in every way, his determination in finding a way to be by Meghan’s side as her knight and love, and the friends he has in Grim and Puck will show a human side to this cold fairy prince that will appeal to you. I fell for Ash the minute he came onto the scene in THE IRON KING (book 1). He was multi-dimensional and only with Meghan did the readers see his heart, a softness that he only showed her that stole my heart. From then on I was eager to see if he & Meghan would get their own happily ever after. I was shocked at the ending of THE IRON QUEEN (book 3) and felt Ms. Kagawa did a beautiful job in tying all the loose ends in THE IRON KNIGHT.

THE IRON KNIGHT is the culmination of this author’s Iron Fey series and delivers a strong story that will leave you feeling satisfied when that last page is read. With the right amount of laughter, tension and plot twists, the reader is taken on a journey alongside Ash, Puck and Grim and I can safely attest I was at the edge of my seat several times as surprises in the story had me going “Oh My God!”. If you enjoy a fast paced, enjoyable fantasy series, I highly recommend you grab the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. It is truly a series I have read continuously and plan to read again. I do suggest you read it in order to get the full story of Meghan, Ash and Puck’s journey.

I look forward to seeing what else this author can conjure up in the future for her readers as I read Ash’s story again. Run-don’t walk-to grab this series and settle in for a journey that is far from over as the Unseelie and Seelie fae find that one half human/half fairy girl is the sole salvation of their entire world.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

THE IRON QUEEN by Julie Kagawa

Series: The Iron Fey, book 3
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date Published: January 25th, 2011
ISBN 978-0-373-21018-3
Fantasy Young Adult
Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher by Netgalley


It’s been a year since Meghan Chase went into the fairy world of Nevernever and in that time battled the Iron Fey, fell in love with a Winter prince and found that she is also part Summer Fae, Part mortal. She thought the battle was over when she’d killed the Iron King, but a false king sits on the Iron throne and this time Meghan will have to beat this false king and hope to the heavens that the price won’t be too high for her to bear. This time, Meghan has no choice but to embrace her destiny or watch as the fairy world dies one inch at a time.

I have to admit, I cried like a baby at the end of THE IRON QUEEN. I was sucked into the continuation of Meghan, Ash and Puck’s story, so when a completely unexpected event happened, it had me shocked speechless for thirty seconds then the tears started. Ms. Kagawa delivers a story that leaves you feeling the gauntlet of emotions, ranging from fear, acceptance, determination and finally, love. I fell in love with this author from the first book, THE IRON KING, and found the story of the fae so fresh and unusual that I was spellbound from start to finish. The writing is tight and the story flows seamlessly from one part into another.

The reader is taken on a journey with Meghan, Ash, her Winter prince and all their friends and allies. It is one fraught with peril and in the quiet corners, of a love that refuses to die between one half mortal, half fae girl and a Winter Prince of the unseelie Court. The characters really grow into their own in this installment and we finally see past the icy camouflage of Ash. Meghan finally sees that she has to grow up and stop having others fight her fights for her. Ms. Kagawa delivers a story with a few twists thrown in, to keep the reader from becoming to complacent and I was struck at how much this author grew as a writer in her third installment in the Iron Fey series. I never would have anticipated what would happen in the rush to the climatic ending and found myself gasping in disbelief when I read the final pages.

If you are looking for a different take on fairy lore and a fast paced tale, then I highly recommend the entire Iron Fey series (IRON KING, IRON DAUGHTER, and IRON QUEEN) to enjoy. I do have to say that you should read this series in order as each book capitalizes on what happened in the past book. THE IRON QUEEN is one story I plan to read again in the future. I just hope I am not running through another box of tissues again. I am eager to see where she goes next for the Iron Fey series and hope I don’t have to wait too long for the next book.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

THE IRON DAUGHTER by Julie Kagawa

An Iron Fey book #2
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date published: August 2010
ISBN: 978-0-373-21013-8
Young Adult Fantasy
Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Library


Meghan Chase is half Summer Faerie and Half Human. Caught in the Winter Kingdom, she is cut off from her family, friends, her magic and worse, Ash, the Winter Prince she fell in love with. Now the Scepter of the Seasons is stolen and chaos rules the kingdoms of Summer and Winter as war looms between them. What Meghan soon realizes is that the Iron Fey are back and determined even more so to rule Nevernever and wipe out the Summer and Winter kingdoms once and for all. Can Meghan escape the Winter Kingdom and find the Scepter of Seasons before it’s too late?

THE IRON DAUGHTER continues right after THE IRON KING left off and it is one madcap ride from start to finish. I started this in the afternoon and could not put it down. It was one wild ride that had me on the edge of my seat wondering if Meghan, Puck, Grim and all her allies would be successful in their hunt for the Scepter. Twists abound and the reader is drawn into a world where faeries are not all sweetness and light but deadly to humans as gremlins, goblins and other fantasy creatures come alive amid the pages. Ms. Kagawa delivers a story that will leave you spellbound till the very end and eager for more. This author is fast becoming my favorite to read in YA Fantasy.

Meghan Chase found out she is the daughter of the Summer King, Oberon and fell in love with the Winter Prince, Ash, in the first book, THE IRON KING. Now she tries to figure out how to make the fey believe that the Iron Fey are coming after them and not for tea either. Danger mounts as she tries to deal with heartbreak, chaos, power mad fey and more as the Iron Fey advance into Nevernever and steal the Scepter of the Seasons. Meaghan has a chance to retrieve it and save not just the Fey but also her human world as well. I really enjoyed Meaghan as a person in this series. She does have a few faults in my eyes (a little too whiny at times or refusing to listen to advice) but I chalked it up as being a teenager. It worked well in this latest installment and had Meaghan grow as a character nicely. The characters from the first book (Grim the cat, Ash, Puck) are back and helped move the story along nicely as well as introduce a host of new secondary characters that had me very intrigued about them. I hope they pop up in the future books.

Well rounded and enjoyable, the characters were the stars of the story as THE IRON DAUGHTER continued Meaghan’s story and the twist at the end had me gasping in surprise. If you haven’t picked this series up yet, what are you waiting for? Run-don’t walk-to grab THE IRON KING and THE IRON DAUGHTER and settle in for one pulse pounding ride from beginning to end. I do suggest reading THE IRON KING first as the events that took place there are the center of this story. I am eager to see what is next for Meaghan, Ash and the Fey in the next Iron Fey book, hopefully coming soon.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

WINTER’S PASSAGE by Julie Kagawa

Part of the Iron Fey Series, book 1.5 in series
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Date published: June 2010
ASIN: B003N2QUZG
Fantasy Young Adult
E-book
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Meghan has just found out she is half-fey and a princess to boot. After the battle with the iron Fey, Meghan and Ash go back to her home to go to the Winter Court. Meghan asks to visit her friend Puck, a servant to her father, King Oberon. On the way to visit Puck, Meghan and Ash find out that something is hunting them and it may be that Ash isn’t able to stop whomever it is in time.

I absolutely loved THE IRON KING (Book 1 in series). It was a wonderfully told story that had fairies, magic, secrets and more all wrapped up in the pages and in this short novella, we get to see what happens in between THE IRON KING ending and the beginning of THE IRON DAUGHTER. Writing in the same way as her first book, THE IRON KING, Ms. Kagawa delivers a story that is full of action, mysteries and more that will hook you until the very end. I don’t want to say too much as this is a short story (about sixty pages) and I don’t want to give away too much.

In WINTER’S PASSAGE, Meghan and Ash have left her home in the human world and are traveling in the Fairy world. On their way to visit Puck, who was injured in the fight against the Iron King, Meghan and Ash find themselves being hunted by a foe that Ash may not be able to defeat. Can they figure who is hunting them and survive to get to the Winter Kingdom? A great cast of characters continue in this short book. We have got some returning friends (Meghan, Ash) and a few new ones to enjoy in WINTER’S PASSAGE. I loved how multi-dimensional the characters are. They fairly simmer with emotions and literally step off the pages and into your living room. The secondary characters keep the story flowing smoothly and enjoyable.

Tight writing, fast paced storyline and more make up the Iron Fey series. If you haven’t picked up THE IRON KING yet, I highly suggest you do before reading WINTER’S PASSAGE. It might confuse you on events that happened in the first book in WINTER’S PASSAGE. Julie Kagawa has a surefire hit in her series, The Iron Fey, and one I am eager to know more of. I am looking forward to reading more of her Iron Fey in the future. Run-don’t walk-to grab the Iron Fey series. This will truly deliver an afternoon of reading pleasure in more ways than one.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

THE IRON KING by Julie Kagawa

Publisher Harlequin Teen
Date published February 2010
ISBN 978-0-378-21008-4
Young Adult/Fantasy/Contemporary
Mass Market Paperback
Obtained via: Library
Reviewed by Dawn




Meghan Chase is a lonely, unpopular girl who is about to find her entire life as she knows it is about to change when she turns sixteen and finds a past and a future about to collide in a way that will change everything she ever knew. Sixteen was to be the year for Meghan…what she gets instead is secrets, wars and a life irrevocably changed…for good or bad even Meghan doesn’t know. Can Meghan steer her way thru faerie court and rescue her brother before it is too late…for herself, her family and the faerie world?

THE IRON KING is a story that will leave you spellbound. I could not put this one down, it was that good. It has been a bit since I read a young adult story that has kick butt action, intriguing characters, a new spin on faerie worlds and has me eager for the next book in the series. Ms. Kagawa does an amazing job incorporating faerie myths into her new take on it and delivers it with a dash of the matrix, romance, danger and some interesting secondary characters that had me grinning in delight. A new to me author, Ms. Kagawa writes an intriguing story that will have you flipping the pages to see what would happen next.

Meet Meghan Chase, a girl who thinks the best thing in her life is getting her permit when she turns sixteen. What she gets instead is secrets revealed about who and what she is and danger on every corner. Meghan was a fun heroine to read-sassy, vulnerable and determined to do the right thing even if it meant her death. She was a strong and intelligent heroine who connected with me as a reader. It was a nice change of pace to see how this author created such a wonderfully complex character in THE IRON KING. Then you have Puck and Ash, two very different heroes yet they really keep the reader glued to the pages as well. Puck made me laugh as he tried to lighten up things and Ash was the opposite with his sometimes stern and cold demeanor. Total opposites but both held a place in Meghan’s heart. Ms. Kagawa delivers some wonderful secondary characters as well to keep the story flowing smoothly.

THE IRON KING is a story that will literally transport you into this wonderful world Ms. Kagawa created. Full of interesting and complex characters, a fast paced storyline and a romance that leaves you wishing for a happily ever after, this is an author that must be on your reading list. The setting itself was a contrast, one minute all sweetness and light, then next it was edgy and danger filled. It was a nice mixture to keep the reader entertained till the very end. THE IRON KING is a story that will literally keep you guessing from all the plot twists. One minute you might have figured out what happens next then this author will turn it on its head and deliver something else that has you go “oh my god!”. If you haven’t picked up THE IRON KING, then I urge you to do so quickly. Ms. Kagawa is a masterful storyteller who will literally keep you spellbound until the very end. I am eagerly waiting the next book The Iron Daughter, in August and cannot wait for more adventures of Meghan, Puck and Ash in the world of faerie. Run; don’t walk, to grab this one. This is one book I am definitely reading again.


THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF THIS BOOK. THIS IS AN OBJECTIVE UNBIASED REVIEW