Review: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
Release Date: 5th Otober 2012 (UK)
Publisher: MIRA (UK)
Source: Netgalley
Reason for Reading: It's Christmassy!
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads description:

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.


My thoughts:

I'd been slogging my way through Game of Thrones (which I still haven't finished, I love it, but it just seems to last for ever...) and was in the mood for something a little lighter. This was Christmassy so I thought, I will give it a go! I love David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy so much so I figured it was a fairly safe bet, and I was totally right.

I loved how the Christmas setting made me feel really festive, though I was a little sad a large body of the story happened just after Christmas, I guess it needed to for everything not to feel so rushed. I love the idea of Christmas in New York, so the setting was a huge bonus for me.

I think I liked Dash a little more than Lily,even though he's a Christmas hater. He was mildly sociopathic, rather intelligent and pretty funny. Yeah okay, so maybe very few teenagers use huge words, but there are some out there that do (and I have known a few of them) so I can excuse that. Cause I know they exist.Lily I did like cause she was so exuberant and enthusiastic, and yes she was a little naive but I found that okay, she had been extremely sheltered her entire life. But I definitely found Lily's narrative the funnier of the two, especially her mentions of her 'Shrilly' alter ego. I actually laughed out loud, in public, several times which is always highly embarrassing.

**Somehow, my review managed to get deleted after this point, before or after I posted it I don't know, but I can't remember what I put exactly. Note to self: back reviews up somewhere**

I loved the story, the idea of a part treasure hunt, part game of dares, part confessional. It was cute and funny and really worked in a city like NY. I didn't find it over the top or unrealistic at all which was good.What I mostly loved was how down to earth both characters were about the outcome of the game they were playing, about the reality of their relationship. Neither of them acted as though they'd met their soul mate, or were madly in love. They questioned whether they'd actually work in person, work as a couple when all they knew of each other was contained within the pages of a red moleskin. They didn't hit it off immediately and were both very restrained which I really liked. It was also great to see an initial attraction based not off looks but off the intellectual stimulation and ideas and secrets and confessions shared in the notebook. I loved that it was a clear example of personalities winning out over anything else.

My one issue with it was down to what I have dubbed 'John Green Syndrome'. Whilst not as bad as a JG story, this book definitely had an element of that pretension and faux-philosophy I sorta resent. I hate the profound statements, the comments about life, the universe and everything. I find it fake and totally unnecessary, hence the dropped star from me.

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares is fun, it's festive and it's a fantastic read. Perfect for the holiday season.

Review: If I Die by Rachel Vincent

If I Die (Soul Screamers #5) by Rachel Vincent
Released: 3rd February 2012
Publisher: MIRA
Source: Bought
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads description:

No one wants to be this teacher's pet…

The entire school’s talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr Beck. That is, everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee’s no ordinary high-school junior. She’s a banshee — she screams when someone dies.

But the next scream might be for Kaylee.

Yeah — it’s a shock to her, too. So to distract herself, Kaylee’s going to save every girl in school. Because that hot new teacher is really an incubus who feeds on the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine — her boyfriend’s needy ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr Beck…before he discovers they aren’t quite human, either.

But Kaylee’s borrowed lifeline is nearing its end. And those who care about her will do anything to save her life. Anything

My thoughts:

This is my favourite Soul Screamers book (so far) by a long shot. Almost instantly we're hit with a shocking revelation....Kaylee is going die. I mean, when was the last time you read a book where the main character DIED? Not only is that shocking in itself, but it added a whole different level to the book...a sort of dreadful anticipation, how will it happen, exactly when will it happen...will she ACTUALLY die?

I was a bit fed up of Kaylee in MSTS; but she pretty much redeemed herself in this book. She took the news of her impending death so well, and instead of going out and being totally crazy she chose to spend her last days of life helping people who would never know what she'd done for them; and that's so completely selfless, and so NOT what I would have done. I really admired her. She really held it together in the face of something no one should really have to experience and wanted to do something beneficial with her final hours. At the same time, she sorta let me down a little. All that APOLOGISING to Nash....in my opinion she had very little to actually apologise for, I really wish she'd been a bit stronger, had a bit more of a backbone and said "you know what, this is what has happened and that's it" no crying, and apologising and begging. 

Speaking of which...what happened....OMG. I mean, FINALLY. I totally didn't expect what happened on a more personal level between the characters; I wanted it to happen, but it's so...different to what would traditionally happen in YA that I never thought Rachel Vincent would go there, but she DID and it was EPIC. I am SO happy it did happen, and if you've read this, you know what I'm talking about ;)

Nash...I am so done with Nash. That's pretty much all I have to say about him. You can defend him all you want, but his behaviour in this book was despicable and in my mind, indefensible. He behaved appallingly and honestly I would not be bothered if he had a terrible, tragic accident in Before I Wake. Sabine...yeah, I still like her, I liked her a lot in this book as well, more than the last one because she was a bit less psycho and a bit more....humane. Tod...wow. Just wow. That guy is just, fantastic. He is everything Nash is not, everything Nash should be. We had HUGE Tod breakthroughs in this book and they were a long time coming IMO!

Plotwise outside of the whole 'Kaylee's gonna die' thing, I thought it was one of the strongest of the series. Kaylee was so focused, so determined to do the right thing, and she relied on the others instead of shouldering all the burden herself, plus she was pretty cutthroat about everything which I liked. The ending was totally awesome, I figured something like that would have to happen, but at the same time it didn't feel too predictable.

I thought at times the writing was a little melodramatic, but that's to be expected when everyone is doing big tragic speeches. It's not something I like to read, but it probably worked for a lot of readers.

I am so so excited for Before I Wake, I'm actually going to buy the US edition, because the UK one comes out TEN DAYS LATER and I just cannot wait that long! 

Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: 24th April 2012
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads description:

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

My thoughts:

I tried not to compare this to the Iron Fey Trilogy, but it was sorta hard as I'd not read it that long ago. I felt Julie Kagawa's writing style has definitely improved in this latest offering and as that was one of my main criticisms of her Fey series I was pleased about that.

Allison was definitely an improvement on Meghan. She was a survivor; strong, ruthless and determined. She wasn't afraid to go off on her own into unknown territory and I liked that. I thought her transition into a vampire was a bit unrealistic; she didn't seem to struggle much with the blood lust, even with the constant temptations of the humans she was travelling with. Despite this though, she was a likeable heroine. 

The plot was definitely interesting; I loved the idea of vampires being in control and the humans being repressed and living in poverty. I also loved the hints that all was not as well in the vampire world as they were led to believe. The book says a lot about oppression and human spirit and determinsim which I liked. A realistic picture was painted both of the vampire cities and the areas in between, and of the circumstances that led to this point. I did feel the book was a little long, and at times slow moving, but nevertheless I really enjoying reading it and most of the plot felt like it unfolded naturally which I liked.

Zeke didn't particularly appeal to me as a love interest--he was a great character, with lots of development and good qualities but he wasn't the sort of character that I take to. That's completely a personal thing though, objectively speaking he was a great love interest for Allie and I liked how their relationship panned out. Most of the other characters were equally developed but I couldn't help feeling that Kanin was a little bland, which is a shame as I really thought I'd like his character. 

I wasn't a huge fan of the ending if I'm honest, the decision Allie makes towards the end was pretty awful, I can't believe she'd ever choose that really, I think it was all author set-up for her mental state and realisations right at the end. It ruined the book for me slightly. But other than that I really enjoyed this book, it was an interesting spin on vampire mythology, a great post-apolcalyptic read and Allison is a likeable and tough heroine. 

Review: My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Keep (Soul Screamers book 3) by Rachel Vincent
Publisher: MIRA
Released: 15th April 2011
Rating: 4/5
Challenge: Soul Screamers Reading Challenge hosted by Fiktshun

Goodreads description:

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them. Until something does.

Demon’s breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow, the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked. And when the epidemic hits too close to home, Kaylee will have to risk everything to save those she loves.
My thoughts:

I'd forgotten how much I loved Rachel Vincent's writing and her Soul Screamers world, and I thoroughly enjoyed falling back in love with it.

Kaylee is a headstrong and no-nonsense heroine. Fiercely loyal and brave almost to a fault, she really showed off her best qualities in this book. Her determination to save those around her, even at great personal risk is both admirable and intensely frustrating; but on both counts her behaviour illicits strong reactions. I felt sh grew again in this book, partly from her growing knowledge of her Bean Side heritage and from her developing confidence. 


Nash, on the otherhand, I was so unimpressed with. His poor decision making and attitude towards Kaylee has pretty much cemented the poor opinion I already had of him. I know I complain about parental input in YA; but if Nash had gone to his mother for help the whole situation in this book would've been avoided and that irritated me more than I can express. What happened to him wasn't his fault; but how he dealt with the situation was truly appalling. Nash will never redeem himself in my eyes, no matter what happens in the rest of the series.


Tod....whether due to Nash's failings or his own successes...I am so Team Tod. He felt almost like a completely different creature in this book, whist still retaining what we loved about him from the previous 2. He was a bit more helpful, more sensitive and considerate yet as snarky, unpredictable and flippant as ever. I adore him, I can't wait to see more from him in the later books! 


The plot was gripping and intricate, but slightly predictable. I did enjoy it but at one point towards the end, Kaylee made a decision that really, I don't think she would have made. She didn't chose the lesser of two evils; instead putting a lot of people in danger to make herself feel a bit better. I felt this decision was made more because it advanced the plot than because it was the right thing to do, and it really pulled me out of the book.


Despite that little niggle at the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the third instalment of this series, and I'm so grateful to Rachel from Fiktshun for hosting the Soul Screamers Challenge as without it, I don't think I would have read this book for a long long time. I can't wait to read the 4th book in April!

Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: MIRA Ink
Released: October 26th 2011
Rating: 3/5

Goodreads description:

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

My thoughts:

Reading this, I couldn't help but think of that Buffy episode where Spike gets a soul. This is how I imagine that episode looking if it were dragged out and Spike had taken people with him. 

I finished the Iron Queen with, as I imagine most people did, an OMGG!!!!  and immediately bought this for my kindle. I settled down, prepared to fall back in love with all the characters, to get transported to a magical world and go on an epic quest to the very ends of the Earth...literally.

Unfortunately, this time, that didn't happen. I don't know what it was, but the story didn't grip me as much as the previous 3 did, and without that avid attention, I began to notice the flaws.

Ash's narration was a lot duller than I expected it would be. He was a lot less snarky, less witty than I imagined, instead coming across as bland. I disliked his constant asides, his musings about the past, his revisitings to events we've heard about countless times. I got fed up with all that and honestly, a little fed up with Ash too.

Puck as well, I found irritating, and even Grimalkin, the wonderful Grimalkin, lost some of his appeal. I've said it all this week but I don't actually think Julie Kagawa is that good of a writer, despire being an amazing creator of stories, and by this book we're seeing a lot of repetition in terms of conversations, banter and memories. I got fed up of hearing Ash referred to as 'ice-boy' or 'prince' or Ash moaning about Puck's inability to stay quiet, or still, or out of trouble. I don't feel like there's been much organic growth in terms of the characters and so I've struggled to make any lasting connections to them.

The plot seemed to be dragged out, I did get a bit fed up of the trip at a few points. Though I did like the final bit, with the tests, I thought that was clever though again I could see several points where Julia Kagawa has pulled inspiration from other things (the riddle, for example, hello Fifth Element?) and ultimately it was unshockingly predictable.

For me, there was a general air of not caring very much present throughout this. I felt a bit like Julie Kagawa was coerced into writing it because it'd sell loads of copies, not because she actually wanted to. I also had issues with the editing; at one point a character shows up knowin exactly what Ash wants to do and then later in the book asks him about his quest. Plus the constant repetition of words/phrases/actions etc really should have been addressed. I think reading all 4 in very quick succession (just over a week, I think) has really impacted my view of them. Having each one so fresh in my mind has really allowed me to draw comparisons and notice similarities more than I usually would. Whilst this is a shame as I think it has affected my enjoyment of this final book, I enjoyed reading a series in it's entirety in one fell swoop, not something I get to do often.

I really wanted to like this, having loved the previous 3, but ultimately I think I would have preferred it if this one hadn't been written, if we'd been given the tragic ending of The Iron Queen instead of this half-hearted attempt at a happily ever after. 

Review: The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Queen (The Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Mira Ink
Released: 21st October 2011

Rating: 4/5

**This is the third book in the series and therefore the description and my review may contain spoilers for the first and second books**

Goodreads Description:

My name is Meghan Chase.


I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

My thoughts:

This is definitely my favourite of the quadrilogy (I've read them all now) and I'm so glad that I actually decided to read this series! The Iron Queen picks up pretty much where The Iron Daughter left off. Cast out into the human world, Meghan and Ash have an exhilirating yet frightening prospect....freedom. Freedom from the fey world, from their manipulative parents, from the rules that keep them apart...but what do they do now?

When  I finished The Iron Queen I thought, where can they go from here? Surely, we weren't going to have a book full of Ash's first day at school, Ash's first homework assignment, Ash's first shopping trip...and thankfully, we didn't get any of that. If possible, this book was more action packed and full of more twists and turns than the previous two.

I did warm to Meghan slightly in this book, she shouldered more responsibility for herself, learning how to fight rather than just blindly crashing around and relying on others to save her skin. She made some pretty tough calls in this book and ultimately, I think I did end up respecting her...though it took a lot longer to happen than I would have liked. 

The plot of this one was....intense. I liked how they were all dragged, reluctantly, back into the action on the promise of a prize too tempting to forfeit. I loved all the action scenes and dramatic moments and build-up, it all worked really well together to create an enchanting tale.

Again, I struggled with the writing, especially when it came to Puck. Understandably he was feeling a little hurt  in this book, but I got so, so fed up of his dialogue. EVERYTHING was said with a smirk or a sneer or a leer. NOTHING could just be SAID oh no, there needs to be a verb in there too. I think Puck's dialogue really demonstrates what I mentioned about the weaknesses of Julie Kagawa's writing in my review of The Iron Daughter earlier this week. I found myself wishing her editor had had a bit more of a backbone and said "actually, Julie, Puck's already smirked 14 times this chapter, how about we just have him say that line normally, hmm?". It did bug me, and it did pull me out of the story slightly.

The ending though, boy was that ending worth it. I think I pretty much held my breath for most of it. I was pretty sure I knew how it was going to end, but for a while there it seemed to be going in totally the opposite direction to the point where I actually stopped and thought "surely she wont go through with this!" It was very intense and very emotional and I cursed myself for having not bought The Iron Knight before finishing this!

As mentioned at the start, this is my favourite of the series. I liked the level of growth in Meghan, how all the plot strings and characters came together and especially the huge, dramatic and emotion-ridden finale. It would be a 5, if it weren't for my continued niggles about the writing.

Review: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Daughter (The Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa
Released: May 2011
Publisher: MIRA Ink

Rating: 4/5

**This is the second book in the series and therefore the description and my review may contain spoilers for the first book**

Goodreads description:

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

My thoughts:

I find this series so addicting; once you pick it up it's really hard to put back down. I flew through this book, desperate to find out what happens in the aftermath of The Iron King.

We start off with Meghan in the Winter Court, having been brought there after her contract with Ash. I found Meghan especially annoying during this time. She already knows that she and Ash cannot be together, that she really shouldn't reveal the extent of their feelings for each other, yet she pretty much goes and does it anyway! She also cried a lot in this book and that annoyed me too. I really wanted to tell her to pull herself together and get a grip.

Prince Ash was back to his frozen self, yet you get hints of his true feelings for Meghan throughout. I didn't really find this totally realistic, I think it was too obvious how he felt for Meghan all the way through. If I'm honest, I don't think Julie Kagawa is that strong a writer. Her stories are imaginative and engaging and full of adventure, but they're let down by the way they're told. I never felt the relationship between Ash and Meghan to be totally realistic, and whilst it definitely improves the longer it goes on, I was never fully convinced.

However, the plot really saves this book. Forced to flee the winter court into the mortal realm, needing to recover a stolen object to avoid all out war, I was totally riveted. I loved everything about the plot, it was action packed, with rest stops when we needed them, with a host of colourful characters both new and returning. I really loved Leannansidhe, she was a personal favourite of mine. Ironhorse too, excelled in this book.

The end blew me away; I don't think I expected that AT ALL and it made me very glad I already had The Iron Queen waiting for me ;)

This is the sort of series you fly through, desperate for the answers and I love that about it. Whilst I do take issue with the writing and some of the characters, the complex worldbuilding and well crafted storylines really save it for me. I'm glad I decided to give this series a shot.

Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King (The Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa
Released: 1st February 2011
Publisher: MIRA Books
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads description:

Meghan Chase has never fit in at her small-town high school, and now, on the eve of her 16th birthday, she discovers why. When her half brother is kidnapped, Meghan is drawn into a fantastical world she never imagined--the world of Faery, where anything you see may try to eat you, and Meghan is the daughter of the summer faery king. Now she will journey into the depths of Faery to face an unknown enemy . . . and beg the help of a winter prince who might as soon kill her as let her touch his icy heart. The Iron King is the first book in the Iron Fey series.


My thoughts:

I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did, but I loved it! I LOVED the sort of adventure/quest aspect of it, it reminded me of Eragon or Percy Jackson in that way: action-packed and full of problems to solve and obstacles to overcome. I've not read a good fantasy book for a while so I really appreciated that element.

I loved how Julie Kagawa stuck to traditional fey lore with the Unseelie and Seelie courts and yet adapted it with the including the Nevernever and other such things. I loved the sort of moral to the story with the iron fey being because humans have become so technically minded and not all imaginative and fantastical any more, that was really clever. I loved how closely the fey world is tied to the human world and yet how derisive the fey are towards humanity. 

Character wise I really liked Puck and Grim. What IS it about sarcastic cat characters that is SO appealing? I love Mogget in Sabriel and what's-his-name in the Inheritance series (It's been a while since I read it) so Grim was an excellent character. I love how you never know what his motivations are, or what he's upto or anything. I loved how Puck was the  same Puck from Midsummer Night's Dream, he really is a total trickster but h could be serious when needed. He provided some much needed light relief in the book.  I liked Ash too, of course, as a love interest and a character. He's definitely the sort of love interest that appeals to me, but I wish he'd stayed all frosty for a bit longer. He thawed a bit too quickly for my liking, and the romance between him and Meghan was again a bit too quick. I like long, dragged out affairs. Meghan...we had a bit of a love/hate relationship. She was SO stupid sometimes and so frigging reckless. She knows she's going into Faerie and that it's dangerous so she packs one change of clothes and a can of coke...what the hell??? Where's your sleeping bag girl! Your survival kit! Trail mix! WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT? I also hated the way she kept rashly making deals with various fey, offering them 'whatever they wanted' and saying that she'd 'do anything' and THANKING them despite being repeatedly told TO NOT DO ANY OF THAT. I wish she'd been a bit more level-headed. 

So overall, I loved the plot, I loved the world-building, I loved most of the characters but I wish the romance had panned out a bit differently (personal preference) and I wish I'd liked Meghan more. I am totally addicted to this series now though, at the time of writing this  I've just finished The Iron Queen (OMG the *end*) and have the Iron Knight ready to go on my Kindle. You really get sucked into the plot and I desperately want to know what happens, and this is a great achievement for the author.