Top Ten Tuesday - Books I recommend

So I've been trying to get into one of the many weekly book blog themes, and today I've decided to bite the bullet and do it! There are many, many books that I would recommend, but here's my top ten at the moment...

1. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

I totally fell in love with the Morganville vampires - I came to this series after reading Twilight and getting back into YA, and I have to say Morganville is everything that Twilight isn't. It's kick-ass, full of action, with enough lurving to satisfy the romantics amongst you. The series is coming to a close at the end of this year, and with 15 books there's enough to keep you going for a while!

2. Saving June by Hannah Harrington

If you don't dig the paranormal/supernatural/fantasy/dystopia aspect of YA fiction, then Saving June is exactly what you need to read. A wonderful road-trip book full of emotion and great music! Read my review here.

3. Shiver/Linger/Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Warning - do not attempt to read this trilogy without having them all to hand - you'll regret it if you finish Shiver and can't start on Linger right away! Stiefvater's writing is sublime. This is a werewolf legend with a difference, so beautiful it will linger in your heart forever. Read my review of the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy.

4. Die for Me trilogy by Amy Plum

Just gorgeous. I've been waiting impatiently for the final book in this heart-rending trilogy for what seems like forever. Full of evocative Parisian scenes and sexy revenants, this is a zombie love story that will totally reconfigure your take on zombies! Die for Me review.

5. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

I'm not always a huge fan of fairies/faeries/fey/whatever you want to call the winged critters, but Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series totally sucked me in. Her characters are so strong, you can't help but fall for them. Grimalkin is quite possibly the best character ever. I've reviewed The Iron King here.

6. Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

Lots of the books I recommend are trilogies or series, which is great in a way - more to read is always a good thing, but sometimes a stand-alone story is kind of refreshing. Technically Blood Magic is the start of a series, but I'm counting it as a stand-alone as it doesn't leave you hanging. No freaky monsters here, but a very believable and quite scary kind of magic. It's dark, thrilling and very interesting. Read my review of Blood Magic.

7. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Werewolves again, but awesome ones! Another trilogy that I advise you procure before you start reading, because once you start you really won't want to stop. A brilliant cast of characters and the ultimate love triangle. Check out my review of Nightshade.

8. Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

This is a brilliant Christmas present to give someone who enjoys YA fiction. A book for book lovers, a charming love story and just an all-round beautiful Christmas tale. Review of Dash & Lily's Book of Dares.

9. The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe

If you're looking for a brand new book, give this one a go - it's out on April 9th. A gorgeous story with a romantic first world war setting, and an intriguing paranormal element. Read my review of the rather wonderful Sweetest Dark here.

10. Sorry I don't have time right now!

I'll think of no. 10 later! Or even better, let me know what you think number 10 should be!

Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

I just can't get enough of Kagawa's world. If you loved the story of Meghan and Ash, the half-human daughter of Oberon and the winter prince son of Mab, then The Lost Prince will surely hold you transfixed as I was. Meghan's story, told in the first three books of the Iron Fey story, blew me away. Ash's part came next with the Iron Knight, and I fell in love even more - both with the gorgeous ice prince and with Kagawa's writing. I thought the story ended there, but then came The Lost Prince - Ethan's tale.

Kagawa has an innate feel for what her readers want. Meghan's adventures were a rollercoaster ride of dark thrills, romance and danger. Ash turned from the bad-boy we all fell for, into a swoon-worthy hero with a story of his own. Then, when it seemed like the world of the Iron Fey would have to live on in our imagination alone, Kagawa comes back with a doozy! Rather than attempting to continue with the lives of Meghan and Ash directly, Kagawa has drawn Meghan's little brother Ethan into the Nevernever.

If you're reading this review, I hope you've already read the first four books of the Iron Fey series. If not, go away and read them now! I'm doing my best not to reveal any spoilers, but it's hard to talk about this book without mention of what's gone on before. So I'm going to assume that anyone reading on knows the series, and knows Kagawa's spell-binding talent. I could wax lyrical for an age about her amazing writing, about how she brings her world to life with an ease that makes me incredibly jealous as a writer. I could spend a good few paragraphs praising her incredibly well-formed characters, realistic and engaging dialogue, and perfectly detailed descriptions. But let's leave it at that. You all know she's awesome! 

We met Ethan Chase a long time ago - the four year-old little boy who could see faeries was the reason Meghan was dragged into the world of the fey in the first place. Now he's grown up, but he's damaged. Being able to see the Fair Folk, being constantly tormented by them, has turned his into a bitter, wary and harsh character. He can't let anyone near him for fear that the fey who make his life hell will transfer their attention to anyone he becomes close to. When Kenzie St James forces herself into his life though, he doesn't have any choice.

Ethan just wants to live a normal life, away from faeries of any type. Unfortunately, that's not an option. They know he can see them, and they won't leave him alone. Pesky piskies and mischievous gremlins are one thing, but when scary, ghost-like fey attack him in public and his half-phouka friend goes missing, Ethan, along with Kenzie, is forced to enter the Nevernever and seek Meghan's help.

Enter Grimalkin! You may have thought you'd seen the last of the sarcastic cait sith, but no, Kagawa has given us a gift of more dry wit and timely appearances from our favourite cat. He's not the only old friend to have a place in this tale either. Brief appearances from Meghan and Ash assure us that their story had the right ending, and the introduction of a character called Keirran will certainly mean something to those of you who have read the Iron Knight. Leanansidhe has her place in the proceedings, but it's Robin Goodfellow's guest appearance that will make the most people happy I feel. Good old Puck jumps in to save the day once or twice, and although his part isn't a big one, it's good to see that he's still around.

I don't want to give too much away so I won't mention any more. Suffice to say that there is a good dose of adventure, just the right amount of romance, some kick-ass moves, and I am now on tenterhooks waiting for the release of The Traitor Son (expected Sept 2013)!

See my review of The Iron King, first in the Iron Fey series. One day I'll get around to writing reviews of the other books too! 

Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

If you've been reading my reviews you'll know that I'm a bit sceptical when it comes to good faery fiction. I resisted reading Kagawa's Iron Fey books for ages, thinking they would be more of the usual airy-fairy fey with the same old stories. I came across a review that stated parallels with the old film Labyrinth though, and I was intrigued. I love that film, always have, and any book that has been inspired by it can't be all bad. So I ordered a copy of the first book of the series, The Iron King, from my local library. Here's a hint by the way - you can reserve kids and YA books online for free and collect them from your local library, it's a great way to try out new authors!

I have to admit it, I was totally drawn in from the start. Yep, the parallels with Labyrinth are there, but it's really not a bad thing. The little brother being stolen by faeries, a friendly troll, an evil faery king... it's all there to see, but it's not like Kagawa is copying the brilliant old Bowie film, it's more like a nod of respect to it. These are but small parts in the rich tapestry that Kagawa weaves, full of wonderful details and inventive characters.

All the pageantry of the Seelie and Unseelie courts are there to be enjoyed and feared. Ancient characters such as Oberon, Titania and Puck take their parts and play them perfectly, creating a supporting cast for our original heroine Meghan Chase. The introduction of the Iron Fey is the perfect foil for all the traditional faery references. Kagawa has created an enchanting world, where the industrial age has fuelled the glamour and dreams of the fey in a new way, creating a new court, one that is deadly to the ancient characters that have come to optimise the world of faery.

I love the level of detail Kagawa uses. She guides us through the dark world of the Nevernever with consummate ease, showing us everything we need to see without getting bogged down in the glory or a piskie's wings or some such nonsense. Meghan comes into her heritage slowly but surely, and as we follow her quest, we are reined in ever tighter, until we feel we are in another world ourselves, one where we can't stop turning the pages for fear of losing something ephemeral and special.

I'll be adding The Iron King to my wish-list for sure, along with the rest of the series. Look out for my review of the next intallment - The Iron Daughter - soon.

Buy The Iron King (The Iron Fey - Book 1) on Amazon.