JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: The Final Post

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: Book Reviews, Interviews, Giveaways and more...

Hello everybody!
How are you?
As you can see from the post title, this is the final, last post of the first big project on my blog, The Julie Kagawa Month.
January was a great month for me! It was full of awesome books. I've read every single book that Julie Kagawa has written (and published) so far, starting with The Iron King, ending with The Immortal Rules.
I hope that my journey with reading books by her isn't done here.
In fact, I'm strongly convinced that it doesn't end here.

You could see, from all the posts, and all the reviews I did this month, that there was an insta-love between me and Julie Kagawa's books. I loved The Iron Fey series so so much!
Personally, The Iron Knight is my favorite, and I think it was the best.
But, in The Immortal Rules, Julie Kagawa really out did her self. The book was mind-blowing!
I've never loved vampire books, and I never believed that sometime in my life, a vampire book would be one of my all time favorites. The Immortal Rules was really breathtaking.

In this post, I would like to say big THANK YOU to Julie Kagawa.
Thank You for always RT my posts. Thank You for the interview. And THANK YOU for writing books!!!! You are awesome!

Also, I would like to say thank you to Harlequin Teen and MiraInk. Thanks for all the support!

At the end, I want to say thank YOU, yeah you, who are reading this post, for reading, and commenting on the posts, that were part of Julie Kagawa Month.

Here are links to everything I posted this month. Hopefully you will start reading Julie Kagawa's books (if you haven't) because really, they are one of the most amazing books in the YA literature.

Introduction to Julie Kagawa Month
Review of The Iron King

Review of The Iron Daughter
What Have Readers Said about Julie?
Review of The Iron Queen
Giveaway
Review of The Iron Knight
Interview with Julie
Review of The Immortal Rules

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: The Immortal Rules

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: Book Reviews, Interviews, Giveaways and more...

Introduction to Julie Kagawa Month
Review of The Iron King
Review of The Iron Daughter

What Have Readers Said About Julie?

Review of The Iron Queen

Giveaway
Review of The Iron Knight

Interview 

Welcome to another post of the Julie Kagawa Month.

"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.

 The Immortal Rules has to be one of the best vampire books ever! I mean, I don't read vampire books alot, but I read synopsis of other vampire books. They all sound ilke Twilight rip-offs. This one stayed true to the original vampires (not-sparkling one) yet it had one of the most original concepts ever!

Allie would have to be one of the best characters ever! She was so fierce, strong, so brave and funny at times!
A real kick ass heroine! Like all of Julie Kagawa characters she was well developed, with a good background history and she looked very real. 

When we got introduced to Kanin, her creator, mentor and teacher, I though that he'd be Allie's love interest. I was wrong. Zeke got introduced and he just.. blew my mind. I think he has to be my favorite male characters of all Julie Kagawa books! 

Allie and Zeke's relationship developed very well. It wasn't insta-love (thank God). Like Meghan and Ash's romance, this one too developed gradually and surely. It wasn't the main focus of the book, which I love the most!

So, Julie Kagawa does it again. She's written an unbelievably divine book, with so many emotions in it! It's a book you don't want to miss. It's fresh, full of action with a little bit of romance.

5/5

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: Interview with Julie

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: Book Reviews, Interviews, Giveaways and more...

Introduction to Julie Kagawa Month
Review of The Iron King
Review of The Iron Daughter

What Have Readers Said About Julie?

Review of The Iron Queen

Giveaway
Review of The Iron Knight

Welcome to another post of the Julie Kagawa Month.

Today, you can read the exclusive interview I did with Julie.

1. When did you really realize that you want to be a book writer? 

It was sometime in high school, I believe.  The plan wasn't always to become a writer; I was originally going to be a veterinarian.  But then I discovered that to do be a vet, you had to know a great deal of MATH and science and biology and MATH.  And since numbers and I hate each other, I decided that maybe I'd give this writer thing a try.

2. Describe the moment when you first got the idea of writing The Iron Fey in your mind. 

The exact moment was actually in a bookstore.  I remember browsing through the YA section, and suddenly having an idea for a story about a girl who was a faery.  In the very beginning, Meghan started out as a full faery, but as the idea and the story progressed, she became the half-blood faery she is today.

3. How does it feel to have your books translated in multiple languages around the world? 

Pretty surreal.  I have a special bookshelf in my office for the foreign editions of the books, and every time I see it I have to smile.  Its awe-inspiring to know that your books are being read around the world in France or Germany or Japan.  And words cannot express my love for the Japanese covers.  Manga-style Ash!

4. You always mention your husband in the acknowledgments page. How does he help you in the writing process?

He is honestly my biggest help when I am working on a book.  I can always go to him with a problem when I'm stuck, and we'll talk it through until I get un-stuck.  Plus, he reads through the whole completed manuscript before it goes off to my editor and catches most of my grammar mistakes, though he has threatened to rip the semicolon key off my keyboard so I can't use it anymore.  I guess I like my semicolons.  :D 

5. Tell us some funny moment with some fan. 

I was at a friend's wedding, and began talking to a random stranger about YA books, which we both loved.  She started talking about this YA book about a girl who was half-faery and who went into Faeryland to rescue her brother, and I said "You mean The Iron King?"  She said: "Yes, have you read it?"  "No," I told her, "I wrote it."  Hilarity ensued immediately after.

6. What is the most fun moment you’ve had while writing a book?

I think the book I'm working on right now has been the most fun to write.  Sadly, I can't share the details yet, but I'm extraordinarily excited about the whole thing and can't wait to actu

ally share the news sometime this month.

7. Some message for your fans? 

I am just incredibly grateful for all the support and enthusiasm my fans have given me over the years.  I know I wouldn't be where I am today without my readers, and I hope I will always remember that.  So, thank you, everyone, for being awesome.

8. What’s next for Julie Kagawa? 

Well, the next book of the Blood of Eden series, The Eternity Cure, comes out this year in May, and then the second book of the Call of the Forgotten series will be released sometime in the Fall.  Of course, I do have this new thing I'm working on, but I'm not allowed to share that until later.  Hopefully I'll get to tell everyone soon!  :)  

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: The Iron Knight

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: Book Reviews, Interviews, Giveaways and more...

Introduction to Julie Kagawa Month
Review of The Iron King
Review of The Iron Daughter

What Have Readers Said about Julie

Review of The Iron Queen

GIVEAWAY

Welcome to another post of the Julie Kagawa Month.

                                                                        Today, it is time for me to review The Iron Knight

"My name--my True Name--is Ashallayn' darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl..."To cold faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase--a half human, half fey slip of a girl--smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.
With the unwelcome company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end--a quest to find a way to honor his vow to stand by Meghan's side.
To survive in the Iron Realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. And along the way Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

WOW Just WOW Where do I even start?

Much like Meghan, Ash's voice is strong throughout the narration. Thank God Ash and Puck's feud was over! It seems like it existed only when Meghan was around. It was so interesting to unravel their past and to hear a completely different story of them. That helped me love them even more than I did before.

 As proved in the previous three books, Kagawa’s story building is flawless. Through her narration, she made every single aspect of her settings come alive. As before, Kagawa’s Fairy World was as much interesting as it was frightening. She literally takes her readers to the End of the World and back all they while keeping them on the edge of their seats. 

I think this one was the most interesting of the series. When Ash goes to the End of the World, he must pass a series of extremely hard tests to reach his goal. These chapters were the most interesting and the most fun to read.Julie Kagawa took the storyline to every place I didn’t expect and the some…and it was wonderfull!! As before, her writing kept me reading until I found myself at the end. Though it was sad to see such a great story at an end…I must say that I leave it with a smile on my face and the intentions to re-read it countless times in the future to come. Still, I’m excited to see what Puck’s story will be.

Pick this up, and if you haven’t read the rest, don’t even hesitate in doing so.

5 stars

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: It's time for a Giveaway

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: Book Reviews, Interviews, Giveaways and more...

Introduction to Julie Kagawa Month
Review of The Iron King
Review of The Iron Daughter

What Have Readers Said about Julie

Review of The Iron Queen

Welcome to another post of the Julie Kagawa Month.

So, this giveaway is promoted by Harlequin. Thanks a lot!
And here is the prize
You can choose 3 books written by Julie Kagawa. 

I'm sure you know which  published books she has written, but here is a reminder.

The Iron Fey Series

 The Lost Prince

The Immortal Rules
PreOrder of The Eternity Cure 

The Giveaway is open for both US and International people.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: The Iron Queen

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: Book Reviews, Interviews, Giveaways and more...

Introduction to Julie Kagawa Month
Review of The Iron King
Review of The Iron Daughter

What Have Readers Said About Julie?

Welcome to another post of the Julie Kagawa Month.
Today, it is time for me to review The Iron Queen.

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.

WOW. Just wow. Julie Kagawa did it again!

I loved everything about this book. Unpredictability. Romance. Adventure. You name it! I have never read a book that has made me as deeply emotionally attached as I am with the Iron Queen.

Just when you thought you had gotten to know all the characters well, you learn even more about them. I've really enjoyed watching them grow over this series, especially Meghan. With so many responsibilities on her shoulders, she proves to be a strong and determined heroine. We get to see her relationship with Ash grow and flourish. We see how loyal and brave she is, and how she becomes a great leader. 

 First of all, Julie Kagawa’s writing has improved with each book. I found everything to flow smoothly, dialogue sounded natural and her descriptions were amazing!

Second of all, The world building is unreal. Unreal! Nevernever was so vivid in my mind, the way she described both the characters and the setting were beautiful.

And the ending, OH MY. The ending was..... heartbreaking, touching, to die for.  

It almost made me cry! And I never cry.

Mrs. Kagawa... I love your series. They are awesome books.

To others, I HIGHLY recommend you reading this series. NOW. Yes, right now. Go get the books, and I'll be waiting to read your reviews to see what you think. :)

5/5 stars.

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: What have readers said about Julie?

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: Book Reviews, Interviews, Giveaways and more...

Introduction to Julie Kagawa Month
Review of The Iron King
Review of The Iron Daughter

Welcome to another post of the Julie Kagawa Month.

Today, you will be able to read what other readers/bloggers have said about the amazing Julie Kagawa and her wonderful books.

Be sure to follow them on twitter or follow their blog. They are awesome!

Anjana

I've always been a fan of Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series but she actually won me over with her Blood of Eden novel. I realized her awesomeness when she proved that she could write a heroine ruled by her emotions (Iron Fey) as well as a dark, kick-ass one with Blood of Eden. 

Kagawa's world-building in her novels are always unique and her characters are easily loveable!

follow her blog  follow her on twitter

Jessi

The Iron Fey series is one of my fave series! It's magical and enchanting - a world I love to live in! My favorite character? Grimalkin! I'm a huge cat lover, and Julie captures exactly what it is to be a cat in Grim's character. He's hilarious! And if you must know, I'm Team Ash (although I still adore Puck). ;DThe Iron Knight was by far my favorite of the series. I really fell in love with Ash in that one! Julie Kagawa is a very talented author. Not only did I love her Iron Fey, but The Immortal Rules as well. It was a fabulous and refreshing take on vampires! I highly recommend her books to fantasy and paranormal lovers!

follow her blog  follow her on twitter

Tanja

Those people or better said authors who can make me forget about the world around me and take me into their world are favourite of mine. It's not a strange thing that Julie Kagawa is one of them. Creating a Nevernever is something I'll always be thankful for and without a doubt I'll always go back to it, even if it was in my dreams and thoughts. The whole Iron Fay was a magical journey for me like I said in my review  faries and magic was always something that I enjoyed reading about. Even though the story has its ups and downs it still was magical and that's what I was asking for. Meghan would probably never make it to my favourite character list but then again both Ash and Puck (especially Ash) will always be high on that list. I can way to continue my adventure in the next sequels of these stories. So this is my way of saying "Thank you" Julie for bringing me this world and making the child in me grow. I'll always with a smile on my face go back to Nevernever and I'm looking forward meeting you there. 

follow her blog  follow her on twitter 

Lizzy 

What I love about the series is that every time I pick up any of the books, it just takes me away from the stress of my life and transports me to another world, where anything can happen. Plus the excitement that you don't know what's going to happen next. About Julie: She is always on twitter & always up for a chat =D One of my favorite authors!.

follow her blog  follow her on twitter

Eileen
(you have to read this! it's so funny! :D)

Why do I love Julie Kagawa? Do you really need to ask that question? Do you HONESTLY believe that the question you are asking is plausible (vocab word!)? No? Good. I could give you a ton of quotes to showcase Julie's mastermind, but frankly, I just recently got a box set and haven't read it yet to VIOLATE the books. So, instead, I will tell you my top five reasons why the Iron Fey is awesome. (With gifs!) 
One: the worldbuilding I am convinced that you will never in your likely 100 years of existence meet a creature like Julie who is THIS GOOD at making a fey world seem so utterly dangerous and intriguing and mysterious and every other dark, twisted but good adjective you can think of. I'm not joking. Look at every review of The Iron King and read it. You'll see at least five out of seven reviews mention how awesome it is! Don't believe me?

Two: the creativity Who else can make Public Enemy Number One from the one thing that can kill pretty much ALL of man--er, fey--kind? JULIE! Yes, it's so true and you know it. I mean, think about how viciously insane everybody is in the story! And Razor?

Three: Ash

That is all. 
Four: Puck How amazingly AWESOME is he? Puck is hilarious, just like Julie! Julie is hilarious, have you ever seen any of the jokes she's pulled on April Fool's? Because trust me, they're hilariously painful. They rip you're heart out in the first half, and in the second half, they make you go "OMG HAHAHA" or "OMG THANK GOD!"

Five: the fact that I have to think to come up with my last reason. Like, sort through all the different things I could say, looking for the BEST POSSIBLE ONE. The characters are so tough and hilarious, the world-building was so amazing and well-done, the writing was beautiful, and the setting was so vivid. The worst thing about the Iron Fey: the ending. NO MORE FEY? NOOOO

PS—It's also possible I'd permanently attach myself to Julie's leg if I ever met her. JUST SAYING.

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: The Iron Daughter

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: Book Reviews, Interviews, Giveaways and more...

Welcome to the second post of the Julie Kagawa Month. If you don't know what this is, you should check out this post, and then come back here.

Last week I posted my review of The Iron King, the first book in the Iron Fey series. You can read it here

Now it's time to review the equally good (or even better) sequel, The Iron Daughter.

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.

For the second time, Julie Kagawa did the nearly impossible. She wrote a series, that keeps getting better! I think I loved The Iron Daughter even more than the first book! I have big hopes for book three.

I will really try to write this review without any spoiler of book one, but be aware. And why the heck haven't you read it yet?

The Iron Daughter leaves off right where The Iron King stops. All our favorite characters are back in all there glory and then some!

Meghan.... What can I say about her? I adored her in book one. But at the begining of this book, she was so not herself. I just wanted to slap her! Thank God she got better throughout the rest of the book. Now I can say that I love her even more.

Ash and Puck were once again beautifully written! I can't say nothing bad about them. Some of their moves were unpredictable *cough AshAndVirus cough* But that's what we are all looking in a book, stuff that we don't imagine happening to our favourite characters!

The plot was truly unbelievably brilliant. Julie Kagawa really out did herself. She once again captured the attention of her readers, delivering a pure and griping plot, in an engagin, entertaining and enchanting  world!

And the end of the book.......Speechless. I did not see that coming. 

 I could really say that Kagawa is a genious for creating everything in this book, and making me fall in love with it.Loved every second of this epic adventure and I am crazily waiting to see how this beloved series will continue in The Iron Queen. 

5/5

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: The Iron King

JULIE KAGAWA MONTH: Book Reviews, Interviews, Giveaways and more...

Welcome to the first post of the Julie Kagawa Month. If you don't know what this is, you should check out this post and find out more about it.
Today, you'll get to read my short review of the first book in the Iron Fey Series (and first ever Julie Kagawa book), 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.

This book was.... outstanding! I mean, from page one to page three hundred and sixty six I was totally blownaway by the awesomness Julie Kagawa has written.

First of all, I have to say that this is my first Fae book ever. I have never read this type of story, yet it becomes one of my favorite books. Julie Kagawa is a master in creating a totally unique world, with beautifully written characters.

I loved the character of Megan Chase. I mean, through out the whole book we can see her grow up, become an independent girl. She is the kind of character you admire, and love to read about: strong, selfless, stubborn...

I also loved Ash's character. He is so different from the male characters I've read in other books. He is compelling and powerful.
I should not forget to mention the other main characters Puck and Grim. They also have their own stories and did not fade away in the background with their personas, which something that usually happens in other books. Not in Julie Kagawa's mind.

The Iron King just has it all, action, drama, a little bit of romance here and there. All of the twists were unpredictable, and kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next.

Overall, The Iron King is a fantastic book and I absolutely loved it! I can't wait to read the second book and find out what will happen next.

5/5