Review: The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Traitor
Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: young adult, supernatural
Series: The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2
Pages: 348 (ARC)
Published: October 29 2013
Source: publishers via NetGalley
Rating: 4/5

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.

Julie Kagawa takes a break from writing post-apocalyptic vampires and to return to her fae roots with The Iron Traitor. Picking up about a week after the events of the spinoff series' first novel (The Lost Prince), original protagonist's Meghan Chase's little brother Ethan continues his story with the author's trademark action, brisk pace, and creative worldbuilding. With solid writing and an authentic male voice, Kagawa eagerly jumps into an all-new adventure featuring her newest addition to the Nevernever -- the antagonistic Forgotten.

The book is at its best when it focuses on action and suspense. Kagawa has always been an author who can write the heck out of an action scene and that is prominently on display here (the epic battle with Ethan, Keirran, Ash, and Puck versus a forest spirit is particularly memorable). She struggles a bit with the first hundred pages. Not only is there a pretty detailed rundown on the previous novel (which was personally helpful but does weigh down the pace), but nothing much of note happens to anyone. It all reads like filler, like a set-up to the main attraction.

Once Keirran is finally found, the book takes off. Before, Annwyl, Ethan, and Kenzie were all hunting for him, and the book lacked a spark --- but once they're working together to hunt down a cure for the Fading Summer Court exile, the pacing and the action improve. Kagawa has room to breathe and her visual style of writing works well to foster a sense of place for both mundane and action scenes. There is a nice balance between the romance and real life for everyone involved. It's obvious that there will be romantic tension forthcoming, but it's kept to a minimum plot point.

As for characters, they are not as strong as they could be. Keirran and Ethan are probably the most rounded with Kenzie being the least dimensional. Whereas Ethan has grown past some of his immature behavior and prejudices, Kenzie is stubborn. And sick. That's really all there is to her in both these novels. Moving beyond one character to the group as a whole, there are surprising parallels between Kenzie/Annwyl and Ethan/Keirran. Annwyl's Fading (aka dying) mirrors Kenzie's sickness plotline pretty closely. It's also incredibly refreshing that there are zero love triangles in The Iron Traitor. For a YA novel that heavily focuses on two couples...well, that's unheard of. But appreciated.

Part of those enthusiastic four stars is down to pure nostalgia. While I do enjoy Ethan's story more on a technical basis, and Kagawa has improved greatly from her first efforts, the first Iron Fey quartet is my sentimental favorite. Kagawa is smart and is aware of her dedicated fanbase and thus throws in some fun cameos throughout the novel. Meghan, Ash, Puck, Grimalkin, and Razor all play various roles in the plot of The Iron Traitor. Most are either helping or chasing Keirran, Ethan, Kenzie, and Annywl as their go about their various quests throughout the novel, but their continued appearances are charming.

And as for the ending... well, if you know fans of the series that have read this I am sure you have heard EARFULS about it. All I can say is... that's one way to end a book. I may go insane waiting for the third novel, but sure, we can go with that, Julie Kagawa. It doesn't break my brain at all no I am lying tell me what happens because holy shit cliffhanger.

(This is the actual note I wrote down about how this book ended.)

 

Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Eternity Cure
Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: young adult, supernatural, post-apocalyptic, dystopia
Series: Blood of Eden #2
Pages: 448 (hardcover edition)
Published: April 30 2013
Source: publishers via NetGalley
Rating: 3/5

In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one rule left: Blood calls to blood

She has done the unthinkable: died so that she might continue to live. Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie's birthplace in New Covington, what Allie finds there will change the world forever-and possibly end human and vampire existence.

There's a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago-and this strain is deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries, if Allie can get to him in time.

Allison thought that immortality was forever. But now, with eternity itself hanging in the balance, the lines between human and monster will blur even further, and Allie must face another choice she could never have imagined having to make.

I like Julie Kagawa. I like her books. I like that she doesn't conform and does her own thing, tries out new ideas, writes unlikeable or complicated characters. While I have had fun with and been entertained by almost all of her novels, I've rarely loved one (the only exception: The Iron Knight) . Unlike most of my friends, I was pretty underwhelmed by the second Blood of Eden novel. It's time for an unpopular opinion alert: I thought this was a weaker, bloated sequel to The Immortal Rules. Most friends are "ooh"ing and "aah"ing and I am over here with the "meh" sign.  Some things in the story worked well enough, others didn't, but in the end I never really cared enough to invest.

The actual book is 450 pages (and every edition of the novel, kindle, hardcover, etc. are all over 430 pages), and my ARC only has 350 and yet that felt waaaay too long and drawn out. It wasn't horrible, it wasn't great, but it definitely didn't live up to expectations. The plot takes a lot of twists and turns, there are betrayals and reunions and betrayed reunions, but it all takes too much time to develop. And, a lot of The Eternity Cure feels rehashed, like I read it before.. in book one. Allie wrestles with her "humanity", Kanin wants to fix old wrongs, Sarren wants to kill everyone, there's a threat the human "food supply", etc. There are varaitions upon the theme, but this is very much a second novel; a bridge book. The only new aspect is Jackal's inclusion to the central plot. Out of everything, he is the only truly unpredictable element in the story.

The uneasy and temporary alliance between Jackal and his younger blood sister Allie makes for the most entertainment that The Eternity Cure has to offer. As I am not a fan of this romance (Zeke bores me, sorry ladies), the only conflict that genuinely intrigued me was the one between Allie and her struggle to trust and rely on the unpredictable raider king. His known-only-to-him agenda makes him a free agent with uncertain motives and hard to gauge motivations. Allie is still a decent protagonist, but so much of her own conflict feels repetitive from The Immortal Rules. She faces some new obstacles and old enemies but mainly, she fights to resolve her humanity with her monstrosity, her attraction to a human with her need to feed on his species.

This is where it gets SPOILERY so stay away unless you've read it/don't care/are a spoiler whore.

The twist with Zeke - the whole he's dead-wait-no-he's-alive is pure cheap storytelling and blatant emotional manipulation. It's lame. The lamest of the lame. I wish Kagawa had actually gone through with it and offed a main character. She'll kill side pieces and bit parts easily enough as book one showed, but never a narrator or a love interest. As Renae puts it, Zeke is a huge Mary Sue. By dying, he does much more for both the story and Allison's personal development than he ever would alive. I would've liked the book more if it had been real, rather than a lame plot device used to manipulate both Allie and the reader. Ugh.

Other readers seem to love Sarren's menace and presence. I found both... lacking, to say the least. His whole attitude seems so laughable, with all the "sing a pretty song" and "little bird" nonsense constantly going on. Kagawa tells me repeatedly that he is insane, but she doesn't really go to any lengths to show it. Sure he kills people and is violent and vicious, but that's what the majority of vampires do in this new world. It's only his endgame that really sets him apart and shows his madness... but that comes into play way too late in the game to make much of an impact or reinforce his insanity. And oh boy, I thought I had read villains with Syndrome Syndrome before, but oh boy does Sarren believe in the power of the Antagonist Monologuing Everyone to Death. Stop talking about what you plan to do and actually do it, for cripes sake.

End SPOILERS.

That said, The Eternity Cure is alright. It suffers from a few missteps with plotting, pacing and characterization but what Kagawa does well, she does really well. The action scenes are tight and written believably. The post-apocalyptic world is thought-out down to small details and has an evocative atmosphere. All in all, this is a mixed bad of good, medium, and not-so-good. I mean, it's worth reading for the lack of love triangle alone. I will still read the sequel that is sure to be out, but I won't work myself into a frenzy of anticipation.

Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Lost Prince
Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: young-adult, supernatural 
Series: The Iron Fey: The Call of the Forgotten #1
Pages: 375 (Nook ARC edition)
Published: expected October 23 2012
Source: publishers via NetGalley
Rating: 5/5

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’s dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

The Lost Prince was exactly what I hoped it would be. I devoured it entirely in just one day, unable to stop myself because I was having such a good time back in this unique world, filled with cait sith (and one of my favorite fictional felines of all time -- Grimalkin!), human struggle, humor, and magic. Another winner for this strong author, this series is off to a great start.

 "I've also spoken with a talking cat, fought a dragon, and watched the Iron Kingdom light up at night. I've seen a faery queen, climbed the towers of a huge castle, flown on a giant metal insect, and made a deal with a legend." - The Lost Prince, p. 244 (ARC)

This book just seals it: I am a a Julie Kagawa fangirl. While I didn't loooove the first two Iron Fey books about Meghan, or her vampire post-apocalyptic dystopia The Immortal Rules, between reading The Iron Knight and The Lost Prince, I find myself in firmly stuck fangirl territory. I am am totally okay with it -- this is an author that continues to grow, and improve, and one that can consistently entrench me in her vivid imagination, realistic characters, and fabulous worldbuilding.  I will read anything this woman writes because she just does it so well across the board; her skills in action scenes, big reveals, and in conveying pure emotion are among the best of young-adult authors, and never fail to make me care intensely about her cast of fey, humans, and cats. It's a wonderful thing, to have a new Julie Kagawa novel, and I can only hope that The Traitor Son (ominous title is ominous), book two in this well-crafted spinoff series, isn't too long in the offing. 

The Lost Prince is a thoroughly fun, consistently action-packed, and involving read - one that builds on the fey and mortal worlds established so well in the previous four novels about Kagawa's unique Iron Fey, but is ultimately also a novel that can stand firmly on its own two feet. Reading the first four would be helpful in understanding some of what goes on here (and with the reasons for Ethan's major 'tude problems) and the backstory, but is not really required to get the full picture of this first in a spinoff series. The protagonist of the novel, Ethan Chase, is very different type of person than his sister was in her arc of books. Whereas Meghan is nice, occasionally obsessive about boys, and outgoing, Ethan has a host of issues and has no problem being a bastard. While it took me a while to warm up to this bitter, self-loathing character, and eventually, charminly arrogant main character, the first person POV does a world of good in establishing who he is, how he thinks, and most importantly, why is the way he is. His inner monologue shows how well-rounded he is, his unresolved issues with his sister's abandonment leaves him alone, resentful, angry, scared, and he thinks, unsafe. His maturation and evolution as a person is subtle and well-handled; the Ethan Chase of the final pages is vastly different from the one in the first chapter.

Another thing I like immensely about this prolific author is how inventive she allows herself to be with her novels and creatures. She didn't just create the concept of a new kind of fey once before with the Iron fey (as opposed to the two traditional ones: Seelie and Unseelie), but does so again here with the idea of the Forgotten. New ideas are spun off of old ones, new plots, new dangers, new concrete characters -- all are covered ably and well by this seasoned author. From individual characterization to the Hit-People-With-Sticks action scenes, this is a woman who can write, and be starkly original while doing so. I've read a lot of fey/fae/fairy novels, and not once does the work of this author seem derivative, or really, anything but her own creation.  The Forgotten fey, in all their creepy forms and facets (the cat-thing! The piranha goblins with mouths in their hands! The tall thin ones with knives for fingers!) are as creative and new as the Iron fey were back in the first series. 

Fans of her first series Nevernever novels will find a lot more to enjoy in the new trio of Ethan, Kenzie, and Keirran. While they might not be quiiiite as charismatic as the first group of Ash, Puck, and Meghan, they have several more books and hundreds of pages to live up to that high standard. And I fully believe that they can and will, ominous promises and behaviors permitting. And an added bonus, there is no love-triangle between them to try and make me crazy detract from the story at the heart of the novel. These new characters aren't just Ash, and Puck, and Meghan recast as different people - besides Ethan's vast differences from his sister, both Kenzie and Keirran have their own histories, motivations, wants, and needs. I will be definitely counting down the days til tuning in to the next installment in the Call of the Forgotten to see where Kagawa will take her band of unique characters.

If I am going to complain about anything, it's that some ideas and sentences were used a bit repetitively throghout the nearly 400-page length, and that Ash/Puck/Meghan weren't nearly around enough to satisfy my need to read more about them. (Four books and several novellas will never sate my love for Ash.<3) I know this is Ethan's arc and not his sister's, but I can always use more time with Robin Goodfellow, the Winter Prince, and the Iron Queen. 

Fans of Julie Kagawa will love this. Readers looking for strong characters and fun plots will find a lot to enjoy about The Lost Prince. All in all, this is one of the strongest spinoff novels I've ever had the pleasure to read, and excuse my fangirling, but I love it to pieces after just one read. If you love or even like any of Julie Kagawa's previous novels, do yourself a favor and pick this one up as soon as you can. It's a winner, and it's damn fun to read.

Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules

Author: Julie Kagawa

Genre: young-adult, supernatural, dystopia, post-apocalyptic

Series: Blood of Eden #1

Pages: 504 (Nook ARC edition)

Published: April 2012

Source: publishers via NetGalley

Rating: 3.75/5

 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.

 I'm of mixed feelings about this book. I want to "really like" this book and therefore award it 4 stars, I do, I swear. But, I just can't do more than that 3.75 when I look back at the novel as a whole and how dissatisfied I was with aspects of it. What sticks out in my mind are both the good and bad. The not-so-good: frequent lulls in the beginning/middle-ish with Allison receiving infodumps training from her sire vampire or her alone and walking forevvver, and the cliched treatment of secondary characters. The good: interesting history leading up to the current post-apocalyptic scenario, a strong, believable female main character, strong fight scenes when they finally appeared, a novel in which vampires are monsters and not something to sigh over and long for. While this obviously wasn't the "YAY"-type start I'd hoped for with this new series, I also had a less-than-enthusiastic start with The Iron King but went on to love the sequels. Here's hoping.

The Immortal Rules certainly has a lot going for it on the surface: it's engaging, fun, appropriately full of horror and death, but I have Issues. My first issue is the whitewashing of the cover- I can't go on without mentioning how irritating and sad this trend is. Allison Sekemoto is Asian, and for everything else about her, a goddamn badass. She should be represented on the cover as such - not this generic, Caucasion-ish woman. Superficiality (or not...) aside.. There's not much that is new here, for all this being a mix of the vampire novel genre and post-apocalyptic/dystopia genre. Allison wrestles with her nature at least as much as her feelings for human love-interest Zeke, but it's been done before. The vampire system here is creative and relatively well-thought out but "humans as cattle required to bloodbands" idea? I've also read that idea before (Blood Rights and also The Morganville Vampires series.) Another predictable trend I was sad to see Kagawa use was the instant, useless and baseless "girl-on-girl hatred" side character Ruth exhibits towards Allie simply for being another girl. As a reader, I gather I'm supposed to hate Ruth; she's shrill and prejudiced against Allie and openly vicious and stupid for no real reason. However, to do so and dislike her feels like off-sides manipulation. I'm just bone-tired of girls in YA seeing one another as threats for mates boys' attention just for cliched drama. Ruth is needless, useless, cliched and ultimately, just underdeveloped and obvious.

I do have to admit that Julie Kagawa has proven she can definitely write much more than just her faerie novel series - The Immortal Rules is drastically different from The Iron Fey, in tone if not as much in the style. Main character Allison has her own unique and distinct voice, even if like Meghan, this is sole POV novel told from the perspective of a very special young girl. She lives in a dark, harsh world and the author isn't above taking out some characters to enforce just how cruel life (and unlife?) can be there. I also like that Allison frequently is the hero of the situation - both pre and post-vampirism. She helps her friends and herself, not waiting around for Zeke or any other male (or Prince. Sorry, Ash.) It's a nice change, like the use of a nonwhite race for main character. Though this is romantic-love-triangle free (whodathunkit?), there are multiple external pressures levered against Allison for motivation. She's constantly torn between being as "human" as she can with her intrepid band, or becoming what she sees as a true monster. (view spoiler)

It can't be said that The Immortal Rules is lacking for many things when the ball finally gets rolling: atmosphere, anticipation, action... all there aplenty once Allison leaves the introduction and New Covington. Julie Kagawa is a rare author who can definitely write a tense, crisp fight scene. Though I'm often guilty of giving "Waif Fu" the side-eye, it becomes more understandable when it is a katana-wielding terror of the night. I may have issues and quibbles but I do have to give credit where it is due and the novel ups the ante late in the game, both action and character-wise. The last Part of the book is both the best and the most action-packed - rabid fights, vampire fights, roving biker gangs... Kagawa pulls out all the stops and ends her first Blood of Eden novel with (several) bangs and dead bodies.

So despite the fact that my expectations for this weren't quite met, I had a good time with The Immortal Rules. The good eventually outweighs the negative I took away from reading and I'm cautiously optimistic for the forthcoming sequels. Allison is a compelling narrator and her story obviously goes on, and I will be tuning in to see how the chips fall.

Top Ten Fantasy Novels of 2011

I didn't read as much fantasy as I usually do this year (I blame my recent and often looooong forays into good YA).  I did manage to read more than a few impressive examples of my favorite genre when I wasn't distracted by another market.

1. The Crippled God by Steven Erikson

(The Malazan Book of the Fallen #10)

Some might be surprised that the long-anticipated A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin isn't in my top spot for how much I waited and loved it when it came, but this novel takes the cake. One of the most impressive. sprawling, imaginative, creative, unique fantasy series out there, Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series does not disappoint with its 10th and final volume. One of the few authors that hasn't let me down with epic series finales, I am eager for more books from Mr. Erikson.

My advice: 

 If you have trouble with the first novel Gardens of the Moon, as so many new readers do, just stick it out. It's a rewarding series to pursue to the finish.

2. A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin

(A Song of Ice and Fire #5)

 

You knew it was going to be in here somewhere: I loved and absorbed the most recent novel from Martin. Long anticipated and awaited since the arrival of A Feast for Crows nearly 6 years before, I was one of the few fans A Dance with Dragons did not disappoint. While my opinion is far from universal and Martin is wearying on even my patience, I was grateful for such a long, complete trip to Westeros. Not the most exciting novel to date (but hey now, will anything in this series ever top the Red Wedding?), A Dance with Dragons is a solid offering in my still-favorite on-going series.

My advice: 

Don't expect Red Wedding-esque events but you will be engrossed and entertained in the continuing tale of the Lannisters, Starks and Targaryens.

3. Heartless by Gail Carriger

(The Parasol Protectorate #4)

Gail Carriger's lively and imaginative books consist of my favorite steampunk series and one of my all-time favorite heroines in Alexia Maccon. Heartless is another on-point addition to the three-book tradition established: funny, inventive, unique, and a race to the finish. I loved Heartless from start to its all-too-soon-finish: full of Carriger's trademark humor and wit, tea,  researched thoroughly for an authentic and real feel, I defy anyone's inability to be charmed by Alexia's latest escapades.

My advice:

Go to your nearest bookstore/favorite online retailer. Order Soulless, the first in the series, and don't look back. Be prepared for cleverness, wit, and humor in a familiar-yet-foreign locale peopled with drones, werewolves and preternaturals. Continue reading until reaching book four, whereupon you must wait impatiently for the fifth and final book, Timeless, due out February 2012.

4. The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

(The Kingkiller Chronicles #2)

Second in a planned trilogy, The Wise Man's Fear delivers what so many fantasy fans were craving after The Name of the Wind. Like denner resin, Patrick Rothfuss world is easily addictive and immensely colorful. The mysterious, aloof but incredibly alluring Kvothe is back, with more of his mysterious past and tale to unravel at his Waystone Inn. More answers are provided from events in book one, though not as much action takes pace during this sequel.   

My advice:

The strength of this second novel is in the rich, developed characters at the heart of the story. Kvothe, Bast, Tempi, etc. fill in the black and white of Kvothe's tale. Don't get frustrated that not all answers are provided, that Ambrose and Kvothe's rivalry isn't as engaging as before: focus on the characters and Rothfuss great talent for telling a compulsively readable tale.

5. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

(Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1)

My love for this book is far and wide and often shown on this blog. It's made two of my "Top Ten" lists for the year (Best Young-Adult Novel #1, Best Covers #2) and my love for it is totally warranted. Karou is strong, independent but not perfect: she's relatable and grounded in a world of magic and teeth. Taylor earns major major kudos for her intelligent treatment not of only her female protagonist, but for her handling of the
romance angle to her novel. The love story isn't overwhelming or saccharine for a change. This novel has many nice twists on many of the prevalent tropes seen in YA novels: angels, devils, seraphim, forbidden love... all receive new ideas and representation in Taylor's evocative novel.

My advice:

If you're a fan of great visual description, beautiful prose, a teenage romance that feels genuine and appropriate,  pick this up the first chance you get. I think this is a nice segue for readers who love YA but haven't read much fantasy: Taylor has a great blend of genres at work within Daughter of Smoke and Bone - it's never boring!

6. The Broken Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

(The Inheritance Trilogy #2)

Though the first in author N.K. Jemisin's fantasy trilogy does appear in this Top Ten list, it is surprisingly after its direct sequel here at #6, The Broken Kingdoms. With less of the pacing and plotting issues that the first had, The Broken Kingdoms is an exciting and new addition to this series: gone is the first main character but a just as strong and even more likeable one has replaced her. So much of the typical fantasy structures are just a little different in this series; it's one of the reasons I rate them so highly and eagerly await a new release.

My advice:

Do yourself a favor and break from the old fantasy standbys like Cook, Wolfe, Lackey, etc. Give this newish series and author a try with the first novel, but if it's not precisely to your taste: keep going. The second is even better than the first and I have very high hopes for the conclusion to this creative and individual fantasy series. 

7. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

 One of the few books that I saw the movie before buying and reading, Stardust is a delight. Though oftentimes quite different from the on-screen version I loved, Gaiman's tale is just as charming and engaging when on the page. Inventive, quirky and engrossing, this was my first thought surely not last foray into Mr. Gaiman's bibliography.

My advice:

Read this is you're searching for a bit of fun and don't need dragons to enjoy your fantasy. Be prepared to want more than is there, as this is quite a short little novel filled with lovely and lively people.

8. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

(The Inheritance Trilogy #1)

The introduction to Jemisin's exciting and fresh series, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is a very strong beginning and a solidly entertaining fantasy novel. With new ideas and magics and Gods, Ms. Jemisin's world is indelibly her own and very interesting. Reminiscent of fantasy great Roger Zelazny with its familial internecine intrigue, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms does so many things right and uniquely.

My advice:

This is another must-read for any fantasy fan that likes unique and creative magic with their dose of escapism. Much like Brandon Sanderson, Jemisin doesn't rely on old hat tricks and ways of magic: her methods and ideas are unique to her novels and people. 

9. Enchantment by Orson Scott Card

A time-traveling tale of faeries, Baba Yaga and love across time, Enchantment is a one-off and sadly so since I'd love to continue . Though I despise its author, this was a charming, whimsical and all-around fun read. A nice mix of folktales and myths from Russia and other places keep it fresh and less fantasy than other entries, but hey this is my list and blog, I can do what I want.

My advice:

Read if you're looking for a fun, easy read with creative twists and turns. Some readers may have issues with the religion aspects to the novel and characters, but they were easily dismissed by my liking for the plot and characters, especially the villains.

10. The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Fourth and final novel in the much loved and read Iron Fey series, The Iron Knight is a change from the first three and refreshingly so. Not told from Meghan Chase perpective, this is a close look at Ash of the Unseelie Court. Long my favorite character of these books, I loved this trek from his mind: a nice contrast from Meghan's usual views. Conclusing a well loved series with aplomb and some serious twists, The Iron Knight is a winner from beginning to end.

My advice:

If you don't like fae/fairy novels give this series a try. The first is the weakest by far, but hold out for the better, stronger novels further down the line.

Honorable Mentions:

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick

Theft of Swords (The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha) by Michael J. Sullivan

Top Ten Book Covers of 2011

Out of a field of 212 books I've read this year, here are the ten best covers:

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

 The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

 Though I love both, the first is both the one I own and my favorite. Gorgeous cover for a gorgeous novel.

2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

 Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

 Another gorgeous cover for one of my favorite reads of the year, I have the first (the U.S. edition). I utterly love the U.K. edition as well; both are very appropriate for the story Laini Taylor has so expertly crafted in this novel.

3. The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

 A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13 year old child during WWII. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiance jilted her in 1941.

Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in ‘the distant hours’ of the past has been waiting a long time for someone to find it.

 I loved this book so much I still can't articulate my thoughts enough for a real review. Almost matching my love for the novel itself is my love for the (left and the one I won) cover: detailed, intricate and showcasing the Milderhurst Castle.

4. The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.  When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love.  When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.

But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead.  His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

This is due to be published in early 2012 so there is only the one cover so far. I love the detail of the eye: you can see the reflection of Prague in Nora's (? I'm guessing) eye. The setting is so alive and vibrant in this novel I love that it is hinted at right on the cover.

5. Embassytown by China Mieville

 In the far future, humans have colonized a distant planet, home to the enigmatic Ariekei, sentient beings famed for a language unique in the universe, one that only a few altered human ambassadors can speak.

Avice Benner Cho, a human colonist, has returned to Embassytown after years of deep-space adventure. She cannot speak the Ariekei tongue, but she is an indelible part of it, having long ago been made a figure of speech, a living simile in their language.

When distant political machinations deliver a new ambassador to Arieka, the fragile equilibrium between humans and aliens is violently upset. Catastrophe looms, and Avice is torn between competing loyalties—to a husband she no longer loves, to a system she no longer trusts, and to her place in a language she cannot speak yet speaks through her.

The first is the hardback edition, the latter the paperback version. I own and prefer the hardback, with the dark background and the letters being light. The cover definitely underscores the importance of words and language in life and in the novel itself.

6. The entire Iron Fey series (as one, it's unfair otherwise!) The Iron King, Winter's Passage, The Iron Daughter, The Iron Queen, Summer's Crossing, The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

 Summary from book one, The Iron King:


Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

The whole series, novellas included, really hits it out of the park where covers are concerned. I would say The Iron Knight is my favorite, mostly because the scheme used is blue/white/silver and I love those colors together. Ash doesn't hurt though, either. ;)

7. Blood Rights (and sequels) by Kristen Painter

 

Summary from book one, Blood Rights:

The lacy gold mapped her entire body. A finely-wrought filigree of stars, vines, flowers, butterflies, ancient symbols and words ran from her feet, up her legs, over her narrow waist, spanned her chest and finished down her arms to the tips of her fingers.

Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle’s body bears the telltale marks of a comarré—a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world…and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.

Now Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign.

Though I've only read book one, I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning to this series. Plus, they look GREAT on a bookshelf. An eye-catching cover for a magpie-like eye like mine.

8. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

 

 

And a look at the type of artwork by Arthur Rackham in the inside cover over the first version:

 

A foundling, an old book of dark fairy tales, a secret garden, an aristocratic family, a love denied, and a mystery. The Forgotten Garden is a captivating, atmospheric and compulsively readable story of the past, secrets, family and memory from the international best-selling author Kate Morton.

Cassandra is lost, alone and grieving. Her much loved grandmother, Nell, has just died and Cassandra, her life already shaken by a tragic accident ten years ago, feels like she has lost everything dear to her. But an unexpected and mysterious bequest from Nell turns Cassandra's life upside down and ends up challenging everything she thought she knew about herself and her family.

Inheriting a book of dark and intriguing fairytales written by Eliza Makepeace - the Victorian authoress who disappeared mysteriously in the early twentieth century - Cassandra takes her courage in both hands to follow in the footsteps of Nell on a quest to find out the truth about their history, their family and their past; little knowing that in the process, she will also discover a new life for herself.

How gorgeous is that illustration? I loved this novel, though not as much as The Distant Hours, and Arthur Rackham's whimsical illustrations are perfect. 

 

 

9. The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison

Penelope (Lo) Marin has always loved to collect beautiful things. Her dad's consulting job means she's grown up moving from one rundown city to the next, and she's learned to cope by collecting (sometimes even stealing) quirky trinkets and souvenirs in each new place--possessions that allow her to feel at least some semblance of home.

But in the year since her brother Oren's death, Lo's hoarding has blossomed into a full-blown, potentially dangerous obsession. She discovers a beautiful, antique butterfly pendant during a routine scour at a weekend flea market, and recognizes it as having been stolen from the home of a recently murdered girl known only as "Sapphire"--a girl just a few years older than Lo. As usual when Lo begins to obsess over something, she can't get the murder out of her mind.

As she attempts to piece together the mysterious "butterfly clues," with the unlikely help of a street artist named Flynt, Lo quickly finds herself caught up in a seedy, violent underworld much closer to home than she ever imagined--a world, she'll ultimately discover, that could hold the key to her brother's tragic death.

I loved this: very visually striking but still true to story of the novel. I wish that this was a series in fact: more covers like this and more time with Lo would be much appreciated by me.

10. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

 

 "Let me make it in time. Let me meet Shadow. The guy who paints in the dark. Paints birds trapped on brick walls and people lost in ghost forests. Paints guys with grass growing from their hearts and girls with buzzing lawn mowers."

It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.

His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.

Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.

But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.

 I honestly love both versions. I like the hazy background of the first and the starkness of the second. I don't own a copy of this yet (I read a digital ARC) but can't wait to see which one I come across first,

Honorable Mentions:

Broken by Kelley Armstrong

The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegan

Angelfall by Susan Ee

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber