Review: Beyond the Grave by Mara Purnhagen

Title: Beyond the Grave

Author: Mara Purnhagen

Release Date: August 30^th, 2011

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 256

Source: ebook from Publisher via Netgalley

Series: Past Midnight (#3)

Other Titles in the Series: Past Midnight (#1), One Hundred Candles (#2)

Summary (goodreads.com): I can’t move forward with my life until I know my demons are confined to the past...

Being Charlotte Silver, the daughter of famous paranormal investigators, means my life isn’t like that of other teenage girls. Especially after what happened to my parents. Things changed. I missed prom and deferred my big college plans. But I still have my boyfriend, Noah. He’s everything I could want—if I can figure out what’s up with him. Suddenly Noah is secretive.

I fear it has something to do with what happened to us three months ago. The bruise Noah suffered during a paranormal attack has never completely faded. Now I’ve learned Noah is researching demons. And when he disappears, it’s up to me to find him—before something else does.

My Review:

This book wasn’t as scary as its predecessors. I think that is why I liked it a bit less than the other ones even though I understood why it had to be calmer. This is the end of this series and so things needed to be wrapped up, there isn’t a cliff hanger ending that needed to be built up and so we got a less scary but still brilliant novel. Don’t get me wrong though, Charlotte’s narration is still quote foreboding and creepy at times to fit with the melancholy mood that was established in the other books, to me, there weren’t as many instances where I was scared out of my mind like in the previous two. All the familiar characters are back and better than ever, as well. I can’t really say too much more without spoiling the book (which would be quite a shame), so let’s just say that I am pleased with how this book wrapped up this brilliant series. If you haven’t yet read previous two Past Midnight books I encourage you to do so, you won’t be sorry!

Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Knight

Author: Julie Kawaga

Release Date: October 26^th, 2011

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 361

Source: ebook from Publisher via Netgalley

Series: The Iron Fey (#4)

Other Titles in the Series: The Iron King (#1), The Iron Daughter (#2), The Iron Queen (#3)

Summary (goodreads.com): Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless 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 solemn 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. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

My Review:

Why are these books so good? I think it’s the dynamic between Ash and Puck, and Grim’s smart comments. Honestly without those elements these books wouldn’t have been half as good. Since this book is from Ash’s point of view there’s EVEN MORE great dialogue between the three of them. We learn a lot more about Ash and how his life shaped him into that cold Prince that readers grew to love. We see more of his strange friendship with Puck and we really come to understand Ash in ways that will touch every reader’s heart. Oh and don’t worry, there are still amazing and complex twists and turns that make their journey interesting and dangerous. If you haven’t read this series yet I highly recommend it!

Review: Everybody See The Ants by A.S. King

Title: Everybody Sees the Ants

Author: A.S. King

Release Date: October 3^rd, 2011

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 282

Source: Finished copy for review from Publisher!

Summary (goodreads.com): Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their family is fine. And he certainly didn't ask to be the recipient of Nadar McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.

Lucky has a secret—one that helps him wade through the daily dysfunction of his life. Grandad Harry, trapped in the jungles of Laos, has been visiting Lucky in his dreams—and the dreams just might be real: an alternate reality where he can be whoever he wants to be and his life might still be worth living. But how long can Lucky remain in hiding there before reality forces its way inside?

Printz Honor recipient A. S. King's distinctive, smart, and accessible writing shines in this powerful novel about learning to cope with the shrapnel life throws at you, and then taking a stand against it.

My Review:

A.S. King does it again! I love her and her books. Everybody Sees the Ants may be my favorite yet. There are two sides to this book. There’s the practical part where Lucky has to deal with bullies and parents who don’t understand him. Then there’s the kinda strange part where Lucky’s dreams take him to see his MIA/POW Grandfather in Vietnam jungles during the war. Only those dreams seem to be very real because he keeps bringing back souvenirs from his time in the jungle. The parallels these sides create make this book to be a very thought provoking read. I love that King has Lucky going through a real issue that a lot of readers can relate to. I instantly connected with Lucky which made his dream world even more interesting to me because it was so odd. There is so much to get from this book that all sorts of people will take something different and profound from it. I recommend this to everybody, whether you see the ants or not.