Review: The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Queen
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey #3
Publication: January 25th 2011 by Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young Adult
Format: Paperback, 358 pages
Cover Rating: 5/5
Overall Rating: 2/5
Purchase: The Book Depository ~ Amazon ~ Fishpond ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo

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:

First of all I'd like to say that The Iron Queen wasn't entirely bad. There were definitely some awesome moments but they didn't overshadow all that I disliked.
I think my issues with it are more with Meghan and Ash than everything else. I'm just not feeling her as the heroine. I know from myself, that I'm really tough on my heroines in books and Meghan just didn't do it for me. I just find her annoying. 
I used to love Ash. I really did. But in this book I didn't like him at all and even wished for him to go away. Meghan and Ash might be meant to be but I found myself skimming, something I usually never do, over the parts of them together. It was rather boring.
Normally I love action in a book. But all the battle and action scenes in The Iron Qeen were making me frustrated. I didn't like them at all and just wanted them to be over.
I'm not trying to discourage anyone from reading this book but it's just how I feel.
I hated the end. I really did. I hated that Ash was gone and Meghan hadn't seen him again and I hated that Meghan had to say goodbye to her family. That part was really sad. 

Now, luckily there were some good parts in it too like every scene where Puck was in! I love Puck so much. Actually every since I recently read William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream I've loved him. I used to be team Ash but I'm now totally on Puck's side. I love that redhead. I like that he's going with Ash to wherever they're going and I sincerely I hope that I'll like The Iron Knight better. I'm definitely gonna read it. 
I also loved the scenes with Grimalkin. I love that cat! It was also terribly sad when he said goodbye to Meghan. 

So except for Puck and Grim this book was just okay for me. I hate that I felt like this because I do think Julie Kagawa is an amazing writer and I did love The Iron King, the first book in this series. So I wouldn't discourage anyone for reading this book and series. There's still some pretty amazing characters in this book and the fae world is wonderful and magical to me.

~Favorite Quote~

"Goodfellow?" Glitch stared at Puck nervously. "Robin Goodfellow?"
"Oh, look at that, he's heard of me My fame grows."
Puck snorted and leaped off the rood. In midair, he became a giant black raven, who swooped toward us with a raucous cry before dropping into the circle as Puck in an explosion of feathers. "Ta-daaaaaaaaaa."

~About the author:

Julie Kagawa, the New York Times Bestselling author of The Iron Fey and Blood of Eden series, was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn't getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

Visit: http://www.juliekagawa.com

Find her also on: Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Blogspot ~ Goodreads

Mini Review: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Title: Peter Pan: Peter and Wendy and Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens
Author: J.M. Barrie
Publication: 1st 2005 by Penguin Classics (first published January 1st 1991)
Genre: Childrens
Format: Paperback, 234 pages
Cover Rating: 4/5
Overall Rating: 5/5
Purchase: The Book Depository ~ Amazon ~ Fishpond ~ 
Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo (free)

Peter Pan, the "boy who would not grow up," originally appeared as a baby living a magical life among birds and fairies in J.M. Barrie's sequence of stories, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. His later role as flying boy hero was brought to the stage by Barrie in the beloved play Peter Pan, which opened in 1904 and became the novel Peter and Wendy in 1911. In a narrative filled with vivid characters, epic battles, pirates, fairies, and fantastic imagination, Peter Pan's adventures capture the spirit of childhood-and of rebellion against the role of adulthood in conventional society. This edition includes the novel and the stories, as well as an introduction by eminent scholar Jack Zipes. Looking at the man behind Peter Pan and sifting through the psychological interpretations that have engaged many a critic, Zipes explores the larger cultural and literary contexts in which we should appreciate Barrie's enduring creation and shows why Peter Pan is a work not for children but for adults seeking to reconnect with their own imagination.

My thoughts: 

Back in August, I read Tiger Lily by Jody Lynn Anderson, a retelling of Peter Pan told by Tinker Bell's point of view. (Sounds awesome, right? :D) I was so impressed by this wonderful book that I just had to read the original story by J.M. Barrie. When I finally found it at a local bookstore I immediately bought it and not much later I started reading it. I finished in about four days so yes, I absolutely loved it. My obsession with everything involving Peter Pan has been fueled even more now than ever. 
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens was a little odd for me to read. I couldn't always follow half of what was happening but I did enjoy it. It's nice to know Peter's full story.

I would recommend this book to everone. Young and old, doesn't matter. You have to at least have read it once in your lifetime. You may love it or not but you can't deny the nostalgic feeling you'll be getting for sure. 
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie is a brilliant, imaginative, outstanding children's book that left me turning page after page without stop. I found Barrie such an amazing storyteller. The way he takes you through Neverland with the pirates, indians, mermaids and of course let's not forget Peter Pan, is so enjoyable to read.

~Quotes~

"All children, except one, grow up."

"To die will be an awfully big adventure."

~About the author:

Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM (9 May 1860 
– 19 June 1937) was a Scottish author and dramatist, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan. The child of a family of small-town weavers, he was educated in Scotland. He moved to London, where he developed a career as a novelist and playwright. There he met the Llewelyn Davies boys who inspired him in writing about a baby boy who has magical adventures in Kensington Gardens (included in The Little White Bird), then to write Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up, a "fairy play" about this ageless boy and an ordinary girl named Wendy who have adventures in the fantasy setting of Neverland. This play quickly overshadowed his previous work and although he continued to write successfully, it became his best-known work, credited with popularising the name Wendy, which was very uncommon previously.[1] Barrie unofficially adopted the Davies boys following the deaths of their parents. Before his death, he gave the rights to the Peter Pan works to Great Ormond Street Hospital, which continues to benefit from them.

Cover Crush #3: Entwined by Heather Dixon

Cover Crush is a new meme hosted on saturdays by Vyki @ On The Shelf where eye-catching covers get featured.

~Entwined by Heather Dixon

Hardcover, 472 pages

Published March 29th 2011 by Greenwillow Books

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.
But there is a cost.

The Keeper likes to "keep" things.

Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late

~Why I love this cover: 

I love it because it's so fairy tale-ish. From the dress of the girl to the garden she, I suppose is ine to the castle on the background. I love how the girl is facing away from us, as if she's walking to the castle. It's definitely one of those covers that's telling a story. I also love the swirly font of the title and the swirly flower and leaves thingies all around the cover. So pretty!