Review: Rogue by Julie Kagawa

Rogue by Julie Kagawa

Publisher- Harlequin Teen

Released- April 28th 2015

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can't forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he'd signed his own death warrant.
Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order's headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember's own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George.
A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?

My Thoughts

It's true, I wasn't the biggest fan of the first book, Talon. I thought it was a promising start but my overall expectations regarding world building, specially for one of Kagawa's books was a bit of a let down. However, this second instalment, Rogue, was much better. More action, more answers and a lot more romantic entanglements that I found quite entertaining. I can see the bigger picture now, see how things are playing out. How certain aspects of the characters and different organizations are being developed in an unique way and I love where Kagawa is taking this. I always knew that Talon was a promising start but Rogue proves that this just may be epic after all.

There are a lot of things going on here plot wise so I wont be going into it, but I will say that I'm impressed with how big this story really is. I enjoyed the history of St. George but I also liked seeing how Talon operates and how the Rogue made their enemies on both sides of the lines. I also enjoyed all the different point of views and I'm grateful for every one of them. I loved seeing the back-story of Riley (Cobalt), what he was like as Talon's Basilisk and what pushed him to go Rogue. From minute one Riley has been a force, something overpowering and persuasive. I'm really glad we got to know him better. Dante is also another character who was slightly overlooked in the last book. He's Ember's twin and a determined loyal Talon servant who will do what ever it takes to bring back his sister to the right side. Where she belongs. I don't think I was suppose to be surprised by his actions, but I was and yet I still have hope for him. Garret is another character I wasn't quite sure about, but I found him to be less robotic in this book. More open and natural even if he was living a very surreal life. It takes a big person to admit that their whole life is one giant lie and try to make up for it. And as for Ember? Well, I still find her to be rather reckless but at least she has good intentions and I liked her passion and fight. The love triangle is really well done, like Ember I'm not sure which guy I'm rooting for at this point and I like that we have a few more books for the boys to convince us who should own her heart.

All in all, Rogue turned out to be a really fierce read. There is a lot of betrayal against each organization. St. George against Talon and Talon against St. George and Rogue and Rogue against all of the above. It's hard to know who to trust but it's also fascinating and exciting to see how everything is battling out. Plus, I love me some dragon fightin'. Kagawa is such a skilled writer and I love the growth she's giving her characters and this vibrant universe where anything can happen. Can't wait for the next book!  

Find the author:

Website / Goodreads                              4 Snowflakes 

Waiting on Wednesday - The Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa

Welcome to Waiting On Wednesday here at

 Winterhaven Books!

This is a feature created by Jill at Breaking The Spine where we share some books we are anxiously awaiting.

This week's pick...

The Iron Warrior (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #3) 
by Julie Kagawa
Expected publication: October 27th 2015 by Harlequin Teen 

The Iron Prince—my nephew—betrayed us all.
 He killed me. Then, I woke up. Waking after a month on the brink of death, Ethan Chase is stunned to learn that the Veil that conceals the fey from human sight was temporarily torn away. Although humankind's glimpse of the world of Faery lasted just a brief moment, the human world has been cast into chaos, and the emotion and glamour produced by fear and wonder has renewed the tremendous power of the Forgotten Queen. Now, she is at the forefront of an uprising against the courts of Summer and Winter—a reckoning that will have cataclysmic effects on the Never never. Leading the Lady's Forgotten Army is Keirran himself: Ethan's nephew, and the traitor son of the Iron Queen, Meghan Chase.To stop Keirran, Ethan must disobey his sister once again as he and his girlfriend, Kenzie, search for answers long forgotten. In the face of unprecedented evil and unfathomable power, Ethan's enemies must become his allies, and the world of the fey will be changed forevermore.

My dear sweet Kierran, how wrong our relationship did go. I absolutely loved The Iron Fey series. Julie Kagawa and Fairies: I mean what more could you really ask for? How about the realization of a prophecy long since foretold. I NEED to know what happens next. I have not even began to let myself think about it but now I feel that little glimmer of excitement. Julie has never disappointed me in a series conclusion and I am sure she will not start now!

Teaser Tuesday #78 Talon by Julie Kagawa

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...

Talon by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: October 28, 2014

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

Teasers from e-book page: 71

All right, enough was enough! Why should I be hunted? I was a freaking dragon. The apex predator, according to Talon. If survival meant not getting shot at all costs, maybe I should be the one doing the hunting. 

Teasers from e-book page: 72

Hello, boys. I grinned, and felt my back haunches wriggle as I tensed to pounce. Payback's a bitch. 


PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks! 

Review: The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa
Publisher- Harlequin Teen
Released- April 15th 2014
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N / Chapters

VENGEANCE WILL BE HERS
Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster?
With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.
MONSTER
Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost—the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.
In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, triumph is short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

My Thoughts: 

The Forever Song is the last instalment in the Blood of Eden series and dammme what an ending! Julie Kagawa has once again delivered a heart stopping, pulse pounding finale that fans have been on edge waiting for and I'm happy to say it was everything I expected from Kagawa and more!

Our story begins with our Master vampire, Kanin and his sired-children, Allison and Jackal on a blood thirsty journey chasing down the sadistic vampire Sarren to Eden before he unleashes a plague that will destroy everything in it's path. Sarren's has a plan to wipe the world clean and start new by using his mutated version of the Red Lung virus that can kill humans and vampires alike. It's up to Kanin, Allison and Jackal to hunt down Sarren before it's to late. And with every step they take, every obstacle  they face, they do it with dark desperation in their hearts, hunger in their veins and a taste of revenge and death on their lips. Stop Sarren, find a cure and avenge the lives he's taken. It ends now!

Wow! What a freaken ending! I'm awed, floored and speechless. If this wasn't a Julie Kagawa book, I probably wouldn't have been able to fully enjoy this experience since I tend to favor more lighter vampire stories and this is anything but light or sweet or cute. This series is dark and damaging, violent and vicious and I loved every.single.minute of it. 

You know, I don't even know what I can say about this book plot-wise. It's filled with the most gasping turns and riveting twists. But anything I say will be a spoiler and fans of this series will want to learn all the stunning revelations for themselves. So all I'm gonna say about my feelings towards this amazing storyline is that Kagawa completely out did herself with this one. All the directions she put this world through was treacherously brutal but she still manages to bring greatness to her brilliant cast of characters.  The journey to self-worth and personal growth is very shady in the life of a blood thirsty vampire but somehow they've learned to beat down their monsters and come out with their morality in hand, or well, most of them anyway. There are so many moments that gave me pure chills and thrills. Moments that shocked the hell out of me, made me laugh, made me smile and made me so so sad. But through it all, the action and suspense had me glued to every page of this devastating dark and edgy horror that made me want to both savour and devour it in the same breath.

I'm so very proud of Allison. I'm proud that in the end of everything she's been through she still got to decide what monster she wanted to be after all. That she didn't let the blood frenzy or the lost and pain she felt destroy what little humanity she had left. Instead she used her anger to fight with everything she has no matter what happens.

I've always had the biggest soft spot of our dear Kanin. He holds himself with decades of wisdom and regret that made him both vulnerable and powerful. Deep down I always suspected how things may play out for him in the end and while I was right, I wish I was very much wrong.

If Puck, from the Iron series had an evil twin vampire brother, it would be Jackal. For me to hate this character in the first book and then have that same character be completely redeemed is no small thing. I loved his taunting banter and how exasperatingly annoying he can be. He's still a selfish bastard mind you, but this journey, these books, wouldn't have been the same without him.

As for Zeke...well, lets just say I was very conflicted about his fate and leave it at that. 

LOVED the ending. Perfection is all I'm gonna say!

Bottom line, The Forever Song is a kickass conclusion to one extremely badass vampire series. Kagawa's writing is mesmerizing, her world is horrifically deadly and her characters will sink their teeth in your heart and never let go.  This was one helluva wicked ride! Congrats to Julie for a sensational job, only you can make me want to experience a dark vampire series and have me begging for more.  I can't wait to get my hands on her next big adventure, dragons!! Talon!! Gimme, Gimme Gimme!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                                  5 Snowflakes

Teaser Tuesday, #46

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...


The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, #2) by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Expected Publication Date: October 29, 2013






*Quotes are from an Advanced Reading Copy*

Teasers from Pages 34 & 56

"He has no idea what this means, what it has started. Neither of you realize what could happen now."

"I saw the change, the subtle shift from my familiar older sister to the immensely powerful Iron Queen, right there on my bed. She didn't move, but her energy filled the room, making the air crackle and the lights flicker."

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!

Teaser Tuesday, #30



Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays! Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


My Teaser Tuesday is for the following...




Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

Publication Date: April 30, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen




My Teasers are from page: 26 & 27

"The lesser of the two evils was still evil."

"So I chose the stronger of the two urges, and if it led me right to a pissed-off, psychotic vampire eager to peel the skin from my bones, then i would just have to deal with that bump when I got there."

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here if you don’t have a blog Thanks!

Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

Publisher-Harlequin Teen Australia

Release-May 1st 2013 AU/April 30th 2013 US

Pre-Order-Amazon / B & N / Chapters

In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one one rule left: Blood Calls to blood.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 she finds there will the 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 - 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..

My Thoughts:

It's no secret that one of my all time favorite authors is Julie Kagawa and there is a reason why. She doesn't know how to write a bad book. In fact, I'm pretty sure she just gets better and better with every new release.

The Eternity Cure is the much anticipated sequel to Julie's vampire series, Blood of Eden. 

We begin our story with Allison searching for her sire, Kanin. Blood calls to blood and Allie has seen the bloodcurdling nightmares of her sire's imprisonment and endless torture at the hands of the monstrous Sarren. She will do everything in her power to find him and save him from his living hell. But on her journey to search for her master, she finds an old enemy who turns out to be an unlikely ally. They discover that a new strain of Red Lung Virus has been unleashed, giving humans and even vampires horrific effects. 
They need to find a cure and time is running out...for everyone.

Wow! What a sequel! I've always adored Julie's writing, she has such an incredible way with words and she is just such a fierce storyteller. When I think back to all my other vampire series, I have to say that this one has to be the most disturbing of the bunch. Julie's world is thick and heavy cloaked in darkness, madness and desperation. It's raw agony punches us into emotional turmoil and just when we're on a the edge of hope looking up, we're thrown over that same edge, tumbling down. This is everything a vampire book should be and more. You wont find fluff-n-stuff here my friends. This world is dire, dangerous and deathly. I admit, I do miss the lighter moments and even the humor Julie is gifted for, but I have to say that I'm loving how different this experience is compared to other vampire reads. This is the kind of world where I'm afraid to breath. It's not overly graphic but it's graphic enough to power our imagination into overdrive, making us terrified and heartbroken in the same breath. It's very hard to get through some of those more painful scenes, especially if your already very much attached to these characters.

There is a lot that happens plot wise. So many twist and turns on the road to finding a cure and stopping an insatiable psychopathic monster who's only appetite is total and complete utter destruction.

Allie has grown up since the first book. Being a vampire has hardened her in ways she can't control, but she still fights her inner-demons and clings to the notion that she can still choose what kind of monster she wants to be. She's still such a force. Confident, strong, passionate, determined and loyal.

Her unlikely alley turns out to be someone that I would have never expected. Jackal has wormed his way into my good graces and affections. Only Kagawa can accomplish redemption in a character I would have loved to see staked after what he did to Zeke's family, only I find myself believing in him instead.

Kaine has been through the worse kind of hell. He still wears his regret like a scar and still remains wise and controlled as ever. But the way he wants to set things right and the way he holds himself up with such a distinguished manner and vulnerability, makes me want to follow him till the very end.

Fans will be happy to see that Zeke is very much in this installment. He and Allie have some of the most sweetest moments that makes this journey worth  fighting for. But the road to happiness is not paved smooth (it never is in Kagawa's world) so be warned that dark heartbreaking times are still up ahead.

And lastly we have Sarren. Possibly the worst villain I've ever read. I want a slow painful death for this character. His thriving blood-lust for revenge is sick and demented. He is pure evil and I'll be on the edge of my seat cheering on to see the way Kagawa ends him. And she must end him.

Bottom line, The Eternity Cure is another unflinching, unforgiving and unmerciful installment in the Blood of Eden series. Julie Kagawa has out done herself. She has proven time and time again that she can write just about anything and even has me anticipating freezer-worthy horror, and if you know me, that's saying something. Fans of The Immortal Rules will want to get their hands on this spine-tingling sequel as soon as possible. I can't wait to see where Kagawa takes us and these characters next. I'm scared and anxious, specially after that evil-cliffy of an ending! MORE!

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website  
                                                                        5 Snowflakes

Winter Passage by Julie Kagawa

Today I’m excited to host a review for the WinterHaven Sleigh Tour. This week WinterHaven and a great group of sleigh bloggers are posting our choice of a Winter Book Review. To see who else is on the sleigh, you can go to our WinterHaven Sleigh Tourpage for a list of participating blogs.

My winter book choice is Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

My thoughts
Not only does this Novella contain a frosty theme, but it takes the reader deeper into the world of the Iron Fey realm that Kagawa has so masterly crafted. The story is just the right length to wrap yourself up in a warm blanket and snuggle up with a warm cup of cocoa, and escape into another world until the next load of laundry is ready to be thrown into the dryer.
This is a continuation of The Iron King that leads up to the second novel, The Iron Daughter. Ash, the Winter prince made a promise to Mab, queen of Winter Court, to bring Meghan Chase to her. She wanted to use her as leverage against Oberon, king of the Summer Court, and her father. She made a bargain with the Winter prince: help her rescue her brother and she would go with him to the Winter Court. Once a faery promised something, they were obligated to fulfill their end of the bargain. There was only one problem. Summer and Winter were not supposed to fall in love, (Squee!) and the icy prince has fallen for the half-breed princess.
Meghan asked to do something before he delivered her to the Icy queen, and that was to see Puck. Along their journey they were being chased by an unknown enemy, pushed to their limits and despite the obstacles, they had each other . Ash showed his protective side, despite his inner turmoil. I just got all warm thinking about him and his silver eyes. This adventure is one you won't want to miss out on. Sweet warming romance, action and adventure all wrapped up into a pretty little package.

4 Snowflakes

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Review: The Iron Queen

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: October 26, 2011
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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.

Thoughts:

The Iron Queen continues off the last time we saw Meghan and Ash. Exiled from Nevernever and into the mortal world. Everyday normal possibilities are discussed and maybe, just maybe, Meg and Ash can live in peace. Yeah, if it was only that easy.
The False King is still after Meghan and will do everything in his power to have her, for she possesses the key that will give him total power over the Iron realm.
Join Meghan, daughter of the Summer king. Ash, her beloved Winter Prince,  Puck, comical genius and best friend and last, but surly not least, a familiar favor-collecting cat named Grimalkin, on yet another epic journey in hopes to stop the False king, bring balance to the Winter and Summer courts, and some where down the line find there happily ever after.
That is, if they can survive it....

Wow, I don't even know where to start. It's incredibly difficult to write a review with out wanting to scream exactly whats on your mind with out giving everything away. If this was a couple of months later then this would be written in an entirely different tone, but for now, this will have to do.

I'm always floored every time I go back to Julie Kagawa's world. It's so vivid and alive. Rich with madness, magic and mayhem that you can picture ever single creature, monster and character. It's almost like watching a movie in your mind. Pure greatness.
This book was my favorite by far, it's non-stop wonders, on the edge of your seat suspense and swoon-worthy moments that turned my insides into goo.

What can I possibly say about these characters that I haven't said already? I adore them? I love them? It just doesn't sound enough.
There is a different side to Ash that we get to see. In the previous books we see our Winter Prince serious, reserved, obeys his queen and denies his heart, but in this book Ash shows his true colors, and it's beautiful. Ruined-me-melts me-owns me, Beautiful.
Seriously, it's almost criminal how delicious one character can be.
The one thing that I simply adored about Puck is his great humor, but he felt rather wounded in this one and I wasn't use to it, the humor is still there mind you, but I guess it just feels...bitter. Not that I blame him though, still, if I had to pick one best friend in the literary world, then it would be Puck.
It was wonderful to see how much Meghan has grown. She's shown great strength and determination to see things the way they should be. Even if sacrifices has to be made.
I enjoyed meeting a lot of new characters, always so animated and entertaining.

I don't want to say to much about the ending, and how much I cried. Or the romance, and how much I cried. Happy tears or sad? I can't tell you, but I will say that while this isn't exactly the ending that I wanted to happen, I'm still content with the way things played out. It's the way things should be and I'm pleased that Julie remained faithful to her characters and the world they live in.
But, dammme what an ending!?!?!

Basically, I just loved the hell out of this book and this entire series. It's always so much fun getting lost in this universe and swooning over these characters and I'm thrilled that the adventure doesn't stop here but continues on with Ash, in THE IRON KNIGHT!!

If your ever going to pick up a Fey series, even if you don't care for this particular paranormal lore, then this is the series your going to want to read. It's thee best!

Special thanks to Harlequin Teen for giving me the opportunity to read this outstanding masterpiece!

IRON KNIGHT, I NEED YOU!!

                                                         5 Snowflakes 

                                         
Find the Author:
Website   Blog   Twitter   Goodreads

                                                         
                                                                        

The Iron Knight (Iron Fey, #4) by Julie Kagawa

Rating: 5 Snowflakes


The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) was such an anticipated book for me as well as to so many others that have fallen deeply in love with the world in which Julie Kagawa has so artfully created. Her brilliance shines once again in this final installment of the Iron Fey series. The question that lingers on all of our minds, will Ash and Meghan finally get their HEA?
I wanted to share with you all, one of my most favorite parts in this series…
“Memory trickled in, seeking to slip beneath my defenses, the icy wall I showed the world. I had once thought my armor invincible, that nothing could touch me…until Meghan Chase had entered my life and turned it upside down. Reckless, loyal, possessing the unyielding stubbornness of a granite cliff, she’d smashed through all the barriers I’d erected to keep her out, refusing to give up on me, until I finally had to admit defeat. It was official. I was in love. With a human.”
I completely and utterly fell in love with Ash, more than ever before as I took this “quest to earn a soul” with him as well as a few of the other characters we have grown to love in the Iron Fey. There are obstacles they will face and losses they will mourn. This is the quest of all quests that will challenge loyalties and friendships, but above all, a real true love.
I was emotionally attached to this series from the get-go and hoped it would never end. Sadly, all good things must come to an end. For me, this was such a beautiful way to bow out IMO. This treasure of a book is one you want to take your time with and indulge in every moment and take it all in.