Book Review: The Iron daughter

Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey #2
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: August 1, 2010
Pages: 359
Read it in: 2 days
Source: The library :)

Summary: 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.

LC's Take:

"I couldn't be normal and ignorant ever again, knowing what was out there. Faery was a part of me now. As long as I lived, I would always be watching for hidden doors and figures from the corner of my eyes. And for a certain dark prince who could never be mine..."  ~p.125-6

Gah! I don't know why it took me so long to get to the second book in this series-- because from the moment I picked up The Iron Daughter, I was reminded of why I love these books so much. The Iron Fey series is just one of those stories that sucks you into another world and makes it so that you never want to leave. The faery world that Julie Kagawa creates, I mean what can I say? It's freaking magical!

So honestly, it had been so long since I read The Iron King, that I didn't even remember what had been going on. But The Iron Daughter does a really good job of not only picking up with things where they left off, but also explaining bits of what had already happened, so I didn't feel totally lost. Basically, after defeating the first Iron King in book one, Meghan has to go back to the Winter (Unseelie) Court to fulfill a promise she had made (and if you know anything about the world of feary, you can never break a promise!) While at the Winter Court, the Scepter of the Seasons is stolen from Queen Mab, which controls the Winter and Summer seasons, and her oldest son Sage is brutally murdered. Mab assumes this is the Summer Court's fault, and now Winter and Summer are at war. Added to this, Meghan finds out that the Iron realm, which is slowly killing the entire faery world, is still very much in existence and growing stronger... now she has to get back the Scepter of the Seasons and stop Virus, the new leader of Iron from destroying the Nevernever.

Whew! Yeah a lot was going on in this book! It was super intense but I absolutely loved following the story, especially since there were so many new and amazing characters like Leanisidhe, and old characters that came back like Grimalken the Caithe Sidhe (faery cat). Seriously, the characters in this series are really what make it so awesome to read-- they are all so fleshed-out and interesting, and so many of them are really quirky and just a lot of fun to read about. So besides the awesome story, the characters just make these books even better!

Then we have the whole development of the love triangle between Meghan, Ash and Puck. And honestly, for as much as I usually can't stand YA love triangles  this one is being done right so far. It's believable, and it's not too overdone. I actually liked reading about Meghan's confusion over whether Ash truly has feelings for her or is just tricking her to get her back to the Winter Court. And I have to say, I also really like Puck, and how he has feelings for Meghan and she sort of does too, but she isn't sure whether to go with him or the forbidden Winter Prince. I'll be very interested to see where things go with Meghan and these two guys!

My ONE problem with this book-- and it's a bit of a spoiler, so if you haven't read this far yet, you might want to skip here-- my one problem, or question, was near the end when Ash is talking with Mab, Queen of the Winter/Unseelie court, and he says the following:

"I swear an oath," he whispered, "never to see her [Meghan] again, never to speak to her again, to sever all relationships with her, and return to the Winter Court."   ~p. 352

Now, in context, Ash is responding to Mab when she asks him what he has to do next if he wants to be able to stay in the Nevernever. HOWEVER-- I thought when I read this that he was ACTUALLY taking an oath and promising all those things... And couldn't Mab and the rest of her court also have interpreted his words that way? Aren't words like the number one thing that holds power in the realm of faery?!? So how was Ash able to say this statement-- which can SO easily be interpreted in two different ways-- and still get to make a choice whether to go or stay?? Unless this potentially is going to come into play again later on in the series, I kind of feel like this is a huge plot slip. But I don't know, I guess I'll have to see what happens with that!!

So overall, The Iron Daughter was a great sequel to The Iron King. Also, it didn't suffer from "second book syndrome" at all-- the plot was paced well and I never lost interest in what was going on. When I chose to pick up on this series again, I had really been in the mood for a good paranormal story and this one absolutely satisfied my YA-paranormal craving. If you are looking for an amazing story with great characters and beautiful writing, I would highly suggest getting into this series, it really is just as wonderful as everyone says it is!

~Cover Talk~

The covers for the Iron series are gorgeous, hands down. And put them all together, and they are absolutely stunning! I really like this cover, the model used for Meghan is beautiful, I love all the scroll-work details, the font used for the title, the icy blue shades-- this is one of those books that I can literally just sit and admire for the outside look alone! I *only* wish that they came in hardcover, because that would be amazing!!

LC's Rating:

Another amazing book in the Iron Fey series! With a story you can't put down and interesting characters that you won't be able to forget, The Iron Daughter was a great sequel. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens with Meghan, Ash, Puck, and everyone else in the Nevernever!

Find it!

Book Review: When the Sea is Rising Red

Author: Cat Hellisen
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Pages: 296
Read it in: 1 day

Summary: In Pelimburg-- city of storm and sea and spray-- magic is power. Both are controlled by the elite class, who inhale scriven dust to enhance their natural talents.

As the only daughter of the city's founding family, Felicita has a luxurious but narrow life, one that is ruled by a list of traditionally acceptable and appropriate behaviors. When her dearest friend Ilven throws herself over the cliffs and into the sea to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own suicide and escapes to the slums, leaving behind everything she's ever known, including the means to practice magic. Soon she's living in a squat, working as a scullery girl, and falling hard for the charismatic renegade Dash while also becoming fascinated by the strange, thrilling magic of vampire Jannik.

Then translucent corpses begin to wash up on shore. As it becomes clear that Ilven's death has called out of the sea a dangerous, wild magic that the upper class with their scriven are powerless against, Felicita must decide where her loyalties lie-- with the family she's abandoned, or with those who would harness this dark power to destroy Pelimburg's caste system, and the whole city along with it.

LC's Take:

Honestly, I thought that this book was brilliant. That would be my first reaction after reading it. And after that, I would say that it was very unique and refreshing after reading so many YA books that all seem to run together with the same kinds of characters and plots-- I really was blown away. I originally took an interest in this book after I saw Rae Carson's review for it (author of The Girl of Fire and Thorns-- another awesome book) and I ended up reading it in less than 24 hours, which is almost unheard of for me, it was just that amazing!

So what is so great about this book you ask? Well for starters, I thought that it had the most perfect mix of subtle creepiness and dark, dreamy atmosphere. It was the world of Pelimberg-- which almost seemed to take on a character itself with its atmosphere and mood-- that really drew me into the story. The plot centered around a girl named Felicita whose home is a nightmarish place of slums and magic and vampires and sea witches. When the Sea is Rising Red was very much like an Edgar Allen Poe story--the dark and dream-like quality and just the whole eerie sense of foreboding that builds the plot really pulled me in and didn't let me go. There are vampires, selkies, magic, nightmares, and an evil sea witch intent on revenge. There is a Red Death plague rising from the sea, killing off anything in its path. All of these elements combined to create one awesome story and a unique world that is hard to forget.

I also fell in love with Hellisen's writing style and thought that it was totally addicting and hypnotic. This worked perfectly with a story that is filled with hallucinogenic and dream-like states and a plot that builds up suspense slowly but with increasing urgency. Added to this, the writing seemed very Victorian in its style and character dialogue, which is always a plus for me with any book!

Felicita, Dash, Jannik, and the other characters were very intriguing, mainly because they seemed more like actual people than characters you're reading about in a book. They weren't censored or sugar-coated, and they had me totally invested in what was going on to them. Felicita proved herself to be a survivor, and even though there wasn't anything about her that made her stand out as an awesome heroine, I liked her simply because her character wasn't forced. I felt like the author didn't try too hard to make her characters likable, but more to just make them real, and I definitely appreciated that.

Be warned: This book is definitely on the darker and more mature side of YA fiction-- there is sex, swearing, suicide, and lots of drinking laced with hallucinogenics. To put it simply, this book does not censor much of anything. Honestly, it was that kind of edginess that made me like the book even more. Much of the plot centers around upper-class magical families like the one Felicita is from, where the only way they can actually do magic is by snorting a very addictive powder called "scriv." When Felicita runs away to escape an arranged marriage, she is cast into the darkest places of society, and one of her only means of escape from the cold and cruel world is through the drugs of the proletariat-- I wouldn't say that this was glorified in any way; it's just part of the world Felicita belongs to.

So overall, I really enjoyed reading this book from beginning to end. I thought it was very unique and Cat's writing style was instantly alluring. I would recommend this book to some of my more adventurous fellow readers, since there are a lot of mature themes in it. But if you're looking for something that stands out from many other YA novels and has a slightly creepy feel to it, I would definitely say check this one out!

~Cover Talk~

Totally dark and creepy to match the story, the cover for When the Sea is Rising Red captured my attention right away. I personally love this cover because it's so chilling, although I've heard other readers say they think it's deceiving because it doesn't really hint at the fact that the story has a Victorian vibe to it-- the cover looks more modern. But I really love it and think it's very eye-catching!

LC's Rating:

Absolutely loved it! Wonderfully dark, eerie, and filled with an increasing sense of foreboding, this book had me totally addicted from the first chapter.

Check it out!
Amazon| Goodreads

Book Review: Eragon

Author: Christopher Paolini
Series: Inheritence #1
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: August 26, 2003
Pages: 503

Summary: When young Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his adopted family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of inescapable destiny, magical forces, and powerful people. With only an ancient sword and the instruction of an old,mysterious, hermit storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a Emperor whose evil and power knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands…

LC's Take:

I went into this book looking for a totally amazing fantasy adventure that would basically transport me into another world and leave me dying for the next book in the series. I know, quite a tall order right? Well let me tell you, Eragon was everything that I was hoping it would be-- a fun, adventurous fantasy with lots of dragons, magic, elves, dwarves, and all the ale-drinking, spell-casting, and sword-fighting I could take. I went into this book expecting an epic high-fantasy story, and I definitely was not disappointed!

Eragon is just a normal farm boy from the small and isolated village of Carvahall. Nothing exciting has ever happened to him-- until he stumbles upon a very strange stone, that turns out to not be a stone at all. Before long, Eragon is being swept up into a story that started long before he was even born, and now he must learn to be the hero and legend his name implies-- one of the long-lost Dragon Riders who will fight to end the evil rule of the Empire's tyrant Galbatorix.

I loved Eragon's character, he was just like the quintessential young hero-- brash, slightly hot-headed, but underneath noble and true-hearted. Yes he could be annoyingly headstrong at times, but Eragon was absolutely a character I could root for. And after reading so many books with female heroines-- not all to my liking-- it was incredibly refreshing to read from a boy's perspective, free from sighing, swooning, whining, pining and otherwise driving me insane. I cannot WAIT to read more of Eragon's story and see what adventure awaits him next!

I also loved the friendship between Eragon and his dragon Saphira throughout the book. The way they communicate with each other, squabble together over things, but remain completely loyal and true to the other-- everything about their friendship was so genuine. And plus, c'mon now, who wouldn't want a dragon for their best friend?!? Yeah, definitely epic :D

The plot itself, while a bit slow towards the middle, was still captivating. This was the kind of story that I could just get totally wrapped up in-- the world-building, the characters, the dialogue-- pretty much everything about this book had me wanting more.

There were definitely parts to Eragon that strongly reminded me of Lord of the Rings-- not that that's a bad thing, but it's something to keep in mind if you were thinking of starting this series. For example, the murderous Urgals were very much like Orks, Orik reminded me of the belligerent yet lovable dwarf Gimly, Murtaugh reminded me a little of Aragorn, Farthen Dur reminded me of the mines of Moria, and a lot of the language, vocabulary and names for places reminded me of those from Middle Earth. I wouldn't say that there was anything that was a direct copy, just parts that seemed extremely reminiscent to me. But once again, this in no way took away from my enjoyment of the story and I actually enjoyed this book much more than I did the LOTR books!

So altogether, I am in love with this series so far. This was one of those books that as soon as I finished, I had to race to the library to pick up the next one, that's just how addicting the story is! The very best thing about a book for me is how it takes me to another time and place and makes me feel like I'm right in the middle of the story. Not all books are able to accomplish this feat, but Eragon is in the elite few that really made me fall head over heels into another world. I can't wait to start Eldest and return to Alagaesia for the rest of Eragon's adventure!

~Cover Talk~

Totally LOVE this cover! I'm sorry, but that dragon is freaking SWEET. As a whole, I am absolutely in love with the covers for this series, as each book features a different dragon. Here we have Saphira, Eragon's dragon. She doesn't look like anyone you'd want to mess with, but at the same time she has that crooked smile and gentle eyes , which fit her character perfectly. Saphira is definitely not a whimpy dragon and will tear her enemies limb from limb, but she is fiercely loyal to Eragon and would sacrifice herself to protect him. Awesome, awesome book cover!!

LC's Rating:

To any high-fantasy fan, this book is a must-read! Eragon gets 5 stars for transporting me into a whole other world, full of dragons, magic, quests, and adventure. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series!

ARC Book Review: Glimmer

Author: Phoebe Kitanidis
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: April 17, 2012
Pages: 352
Read it in: 2 days

Summary: When Marshall and Elyse wake up in each other’s arms with zero memory of how they got there or who they are, it’s the start of a long journey through their separate pasts and shared future.

Terrified by their amnesia, the two make a pact to work together to find the answers that could jog their missing memories. As they piece together clues, they discover they’re in the idyllic mountain resort town of Summer Falls, where everyone seems mysteriously happy, but as Marshall and Elyse quickly learn, darkness lurks beneath the town’s perfect facade. Not only is the town haunted by sinister ghosts, but none of its living inhabitants retain bad memories of anything—not the death of Marshall’s mom, not the hidden shame in Elyse’s family, not even the day-to-day anguish of high school.

Lonely in this world of happy zombies, Marsh and Elyse fall into an intense relationship...but the secrets they uncover could be the death of this growing love—and the death of everyone, and everything, they love in Summer Falls.

Video Review:

So as you may know, I have started doing video reviews for some of the books I read. Here is my review for Glimmer-- also see my full review below!

 

LC's Take:

So, what would you do if you woke up naked in a strange bed, in a strange room, with a strange guy you've never seen before? And you have zero recollection of how you got there or even who you are? Elyse Alton wakes up in this strange predicament-- and things are only about to get stranger.

Glimmer was a very... interesting story, let me put it that way. For the most part I did enjoy reading it, but at the same time, I felt like it was trying to do too much, and I would've liked it a lot more if the plot hadn't gotten so nuts towards the end. So first, here is what I did like about this book:

The town of Summer Falls that Elyse and Marshall find themselves in was flipping creepy-- and the residents are even creepier. As Elyse and Marshall try to find answers to who they are and what their pasts were like, the townspeople of Summer Falls seem oddly ignorant to anything strange or unnatural going on-- and they also have a weird habit of fainting dead away whenever something negative happens to them. And when they wake up, they can't remember anything. I thought that the eerie atmosphere of the book was done perfectly, it seriously gave me the chills!

I also really loved how the mystery and suspense in this story built gradually-- not too much was given away all at once, and it kept me guessing pretty much the entire way through the book. However, as the story unraveled, I felt like it left me more confused than anything else.

Which leads into the main issue I had with Glimmer, which is that I couldn't for the life of me figure out what the heck was going on for the last half of the book. Now of course, this could just be me. Maybe I just confuse really easy, but I just felt like the plot got sort of "whacky" if you know what I mean, and I found myself stopping to figure out whole chunks of the plot multiple times. And DON'T read any more of this paragraph if you don't want any spoilers, but the whole explanation with the founder Preston putting this occultist magic spell on the town using the waterfall as his power source, and then Marshall having to do all this strange voodoo magic to erase Elyse's memory and save the town, and then the ghosts and the native american spirits-- I was just like, HUH?! I just don't like when plots become super odd and complicated.

But then there was also the fact that when I started reading this book, I was expecting it to be a dystopian, because it takes place in this seemingly perfect town with all this strange, scary stuff going on to these brain-washed people-- and it even says on Goodreads that Glimmer is a dystopian-- well let me tell you, it's not.  Not that that's a bad thing, I just went into it expecting one thing and ended up with something completely different. There's the ghosts and magic, and all of sudden, it's not dystopian, it's actually a supernatural/paranormal-- I don't know, I just got pretty confused with the gist of the whole plot. And the fact that it was sometimes really hard to distinguish between Elyse and Marshall's alternating points of view didn't make things any easier.

I did like the dynamics that played out between Elyse and Marshall, I thought it was awesome how their pasts slowly unravel and we discover piece by piece what their connection is. I can't say I really bought into their romance however, since it was really more physical, lusty attraction than anything else, but whatever, it was still pretty hott so I'm not complaining ;)

Overall Glimmer was a like and not a love. I liked it for the built-up mystery and suspense of the plot and the awesomely creepy atmosphere created in Summer Falls-- it's rare to find an author who can literally create a "mood" or atmosphere so perfectly as Phoebe did in this book, I swear you will get chills from reading it! Unfortunately, I started losing interest in the story about three-quarters of the way through, because there was just too much going on-- ghosts, magic, elemental spirits, memory-erasing, brain-washing-- I felt like the story was trying to do too much, and it just ended up being really overwhelming and confusing for me. I would still recommend this book to anyone looking for a very unique and creative story that takes risks and is different from anything else you've ever read!

~Cover Talk~

While I do like this cover, and think that it is very pretty, it's not my favorite or anything. First of all, something about the color combination isn't all that attractive to me-- the aqua fading into mauve and the lime-green title, I don't know, it's just not the best color combo ever. And second, while yes the doe-eyed model is super-pretty and all-- isn't Elyse supposed to have brown hair, not platinum-blond? So I'm not entirely sure who is supposed to be depicted on the cover!

LC's Rating:

The mystery and suspense in Glimmer kept me guessing and turning the pages, and parts of the story were irresistibly creepy, which will have you on the edge of your seat! My only issue was that the plot became really confusing towards the end.

Book Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Author: Rae Carson
Series: Fire and Thorns #1
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release date: September 20, 2011
Pages: 423
Read it in: 3 days

Summary: Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

LC's Take:

So yes, I definitely fell in love with this book! I thought that The Girl of Fire and Thorns included pretty much everything that I look for in a YA fantasy novel-- action, adventure, romance, awesome characters and imaginative world-building.

Elisa is a 16-year old princess from the kingdom of Oravalle, and she has no idea what her purpose is in life. Granted, she has been chosen by God to be the carrier of the Godstone, which only happens to one person every hundred years, but she doesn't consider herself to be very special. The gem is actually in her navel, and it signifies that she is destined for greatness, and must complete some heroic act at some point in her life-- even though she doesn't yet know what it will be. Only once she marries the king of another territory, who happens to be a total stranger, and sets off on a journey to fulfill a prophesy does Elisa finally come into her own and develop into a strong, confident character.

Elisa was an awesome heroine, for two main reasons: first, she was completely unlike any other YA heroine I have ever read about and second, because she makes such drastic changes throughout the story. I think one thing that made Elisa so unique was that she was very real-- she was overweight, clumsy, lazy, not particularly brave or intelligent, and in fact throughout the first 200 pages or so I didn't much like her at all. I thought she was pretty darned annoying actually. But by the end, she had become so much stronger and her character had grown so much, that I definitely respected her. In the end, it seemed so much more realistic to have her start out as a somewhat annoying and immature character, and then have her learn and grow based on her journey and experiences. This made her interesting-- and I will take interesting over pretty and perfect any day...

Another thing I loved about this book, and what I thought made it really stand out, was all the sensory detail that was included in the story-- the scents, the tastes, the sounds-- these are things that I sometimes find to be lacking in YA books, but in this case it gave the story so much more richness and depth. The scenery, the clothing, the scents, and especially all the yummy descriptions of food! I definitely appreciated all of these details that made the story come alive and seem real. Added to this was a detailed religion and social structure that was central to how Elisa and her society lived, which created a complete culture throughout the book. I have to say, it was awesome and I was super impressed!

For me, this book was much more appealing and enjoyable than Graceling by Kristin Cashore, which I had to bring up because it's really the only other YA fantasy book I have read since I started my blog. I was not a huge fan of Graceling, but I do think that if you enjoyed that book you will really love this one as well. I thought that the world building in this book was much more complete, and the main character was easier to like and relate to than Katsa-- Elisa became powerful and independent without coming across as standoffish or cold. For any fantasy fan out there, or for anyone who is looking for a book filled with adventure and action I would definitely recommend The Girl of Fire and Thorns-- It is a breath-taking, beautiful story that will definitely keep you reading!

~Cover Talk~

I really love the cover for this book, and I am so glad that they changed it drastically from the original ARC cover-- not that the original wasn't beautiful (because it was! See right image), but the Elisa on it looked absolutely nothing like the Elisa as described in the book, so I am happy to see the changes that were made to stay true to the actual story. I love how you can see Elisa's face in the facet of the gem-- and yes, the stone does have a key part in the book! Altogether, a very beautiful cover for an awesome story!

LC's Rating:

Thrilling, exciting, action-packed-- I could not put The Girl of Fire and Thorns down! I'm pretty sure you will love Elisa and the journey she makes to become a strong heroine, and the richly detailed world-building will have you completely wrapped up in the story from start to finish. I would definitely recommend this book to all my fantasy fans out there, because it was amazing!

Book Review: Entwined

Author: Heather Dixon
Release Date: March 29, 2011
Pages: 480
Read it in: 4 days

Summary: 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.

LC's Take: 

I LOVED this book! Where to begin? This was just an incredibly delightful read, from beginning to end. The narration, the dialogue, and the characters made this so enjoyable, and I found that I was giggling to myself over the quirkiness and whimsical charm of the story throughout.

Azalea ("Lea" for short-- how cool to read a book with my name in it!) is the oldest of eleven sisters who live in an old castle with their father, the King of Eathesbury. Even though Azalea and her sisters are princesses, the kingdom is poor and their castle is run-down. As the future queen, it is up to Azalea to find a suitable husband. Her father brings in many potential suitors, but Azalea only has eyes for the young Mr. Bradford, an awkward but adorable apprentice from town. (Ah! Mr. Bradford was TOO cute :)

Unfortunately, Azalea has bigger problems to worry about than just finding a husband. The princesses' mother recently died and now the entire house is in a year of mourning for the late queen. All of the things that once gave the princesses life and happiness are taken away- colorful dresses, walks in the garden-- and most importantly-- dancing. Without dancing the girls are perfectly forlorn and miserable.

But Azalea discovers a secret-- long ago, the castle had been magic, and traces of it still linger in the walls. Azalea learns of a secret passageway that takes her and her sisters to a magical silver forest with a pavilion, perfect for dancing. There, they meet Mr. Keeper, who watches over the forest-- and them. But all is not what it seems, and Keeper soon shows his true colors. Now it is up to Azalea to save her mother's soul, her sisters' lives, and the entire kingdom, ending once and for all the dark magic kept alive for so long...

Entwined had all the elements of a great fairy tale-- magic, suspense, romance, humor, and characters that jump right off the page. I loved Azalea as the heroine, and her eleven little sisters-- all named alphabetically after flowers-- were so cute! Even though there were eleven of them, Dixon manages to give them all unique and individual characters. I loved her sense of humor throughout the story as well-- all the quirky little things, the English-style dialogue with phrases like "I say!" and "corking good" and "Tut tut!" just made the book so much fun to read. Oh, and the magical tea set was hilarious. This is perfectly juxtaposed with the incredibly creepy villain, Mr. Keeper-- there were moments in the book where I actually got goosebumps from the sheer creepiness of this character! (Note: if you've ever seen the movie Coraline, the tones were similar to that-- cute with a mix of very dark creepiness.)

The only little complaint I have is that the ending was slightly anti-climactic-- I would have liked if there was a little more action there, but other than that, all the strings were neatly tied up and the story ended with a really sweet, happily-ever-after. This truly was a great book, thoroughly fun and entertaining, that provided a perfect mix of magic, suspense and lighthearted fun!

LC's Rating:

A cute, unique story that provides a refreshing twist on the classic fairy tale, Entwined was a delight to read! If you've been putting this one off, give it a shot-- I am sure you will find it as charming and fun as I did :)