Book Nook Reviews: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: February 1, 2010
Summary: 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.

Note: This is the first written review that will incorporate my newly developed review formula. I’m sure that it will be less than spectacular as I try to work out the kinks in my process. With time, my reviews will become stronger. I appreciate your continued support and hope my review is helpful to you.

This is a novel about self-discovery, first love, and friendship. It is beautifully written in a distinct prose that is unique to Julie Kagawa. For me, it took a few chapters to become comfortable reading it without being distracted by the diction and sentence structure. But, much like Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange, after a short time it flowed nicely. After becoming more akin to the writing style, I was able to focus on the plot, which was very enjoyable. The build of the plot was thorough and I felt like it developed nicely. The story line didn’t feel rushed but I also didn’t feel like I was waiting for something to happen. Each plot development occurred in what seemed like a natural pace. I liked the presentation of exposition and found it very interesting to learn about the characters, setting, and the general theme of fey. I will say that other than the Artemis Fowl novels, I’ve never encountered a novel or series that was set in the world of fey so I was totally new to it. Personally, I feel like this a great series to read if you’re new to the idea because the Meghan is also new to the fey world so you’re able to learn the intricacies along with her.

In addition to the great plot, I also really enjoyed the characters. Meghan is a very likeable main character. She is written very realistically and I felt like she could be an actual person (except for the whole her being a fairy princess and all). Her character development progresses nicely throughout the novel and I look forward to seeing her grow more in the remaining novels. The two male leads, Puck and Ash, have me conflicted. I won’t go into too much detail so as not to spoil the novel for anyone but there is a bit of a love triangle that has developed. As to their characterization, I can’t give a final determination yet because I’m still reading the series but at first glance, I thought that Ash’s character was pretty well-developed but inconsistent (which actually fits the story because he himself isn’t sure of who he is or how he should feel). I would have liked to see more of Puck but I have a feeling that his place is better served in further novels and that we will definitely be seeing more of him.

Overall, I thought this was a great first novel and I am definitely going to read the rest of the series. In fact, I can’t wait to read the sequel.

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Book Nook Reviews: Egypt Month

Ahlan Book Nooks (that's Egyptian Arabic for Welcome)!

This month at the Book Nook we are going to be exploring the wonderful world of Egyptian (themed) literature. For the next month, I will be reading academic, general, young adult, and middle grade novels that have Ancient Egypt as a theme, setting, or focus point. Ancient Egypt has been the center of books since the twentieth century because of the many facets of the culture. I've chosen four books that I think best represent the fields of literature in which I am reading. In addition to book reviews, I'll also be doing some really fun crafts, discussions, lessons, and topic videos that deal with Ancient Egypt.

Divergent-Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication: 2011
Summary: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her. Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.


Let me start my saying that I have been on such a dystopian kick this year! The majority of the novels that I have read for my 2011 challenges have been in the genre of dystopia. With that being said, this review is going to be a little different in terms of format compared to my other ones. One of the things that I really enjoyed about this novel, other than the amazing plot and characters, was the language. Everything that Roth wrote I wanted to have as a tattoo or put on my walls. Therefore, my review will consist of both my thoughts and some of my favorite quotes. Without further ado, my review of Divergent.

Divergent is both a novel and a work of art. Veronica Roth is able to create such beautiful and vivid imagery which is an ideal writing technique for dystopian because so much of the world is unimaginable for the twenty first century reader. Likewise, her imagery really sets the mood for the novel. Roth uses the environment and the character's surroundings as a vehicle for her message. I also really like the way that she built suspense especially through the use of one-liners. 

"My mother was dauntless." 

Roth really put an emphasis on building her world. I loved how caricatured the factions were because when they are that extreme it is easier to see their ideals and processes. Within that, I enjoy the use of the initiation as a vehicle for plot and character development. As the characters go through their initiation, we are learning about them. 

"I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that causes one person to stand up for another."

"Somewhere inside of me is a merciful girl who tries to understand what people are going through, who accepts that people do evil things...you coward."

What's more is that the novel really stresses the need for personal diversity and temperance. People are not one-sided! That is what is beautiful about our own society and what Tris is hoping to get out of hers.

"I feel like some one breathed new air into my lungs. I am not Abnegation. I am not Dauntless. I am Divergent."

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Summary: Thomas is the newest arrival to the Glade in this Truman-meets-Lord of the Flies tale. A motley crew of half a dozen kids is all he has to guide him in this strange world. As soon as he arrives, unusual things begin to happen, and the others grow suspicious of him. Though the Maze seems somehow familiar to Thomas, he's unable to make sense of the place, despite his extraordinary abilities as a Runner. What is this place, and does Thomas hold the key to finding a way out?



This book was the perfect hybrid of dystopia and mystery. There was just the right amount of suspense to keep me going. I literally had to keep reading because I needed to know what was going to happen. If you're looking for a page-turner, this is a novel I highly recommend. I've been on a dystopia kick this past year and of the many dystopia novels I've read, this one is definitely up there in terms of favorites. The plot is amazing and is always moving, the characters are versatile and fairly well devloped, and the setting is frickin' awesome. The characters and the Glade were definitely the best part of this book. Also, the mystery surrounding the whole plot keeps the book moving along nicely. I can't wait to read the sequel, The Scorch Trials, and the conclusion to the trilogy, The Death Cure, which is out next month. This is definitely one to pick up!

Thanks for reading!
Theresa
The Book Nook