The Iron Legends Blog Tour + Giveaway: Romance in the Winter Court

Today I'm thrilled to be a part of the amazing blog tour for Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series as it just happens to be one of my very favorites. Each participating blog has been assigned a court, and it's our job to support our court and tell all of you lovely people why it's the best of the best. What court has Supernatural Snark (as well as the awesome Missie of The Unread Reader and the girls over at Wastepaper Prose) backing it you ask? Well, I'll tell you:

I begged and pleaded with the lovely ladies of Kismet Book Touring to let me have the Winter Court as I'm a winter girl through and through, and I'm taking my duties to sing its praises very, very seriously. I'm not above all manner of underhanded techniques to win you over either, so be prepared for a little bribery of the visual variety. I bet you're wondering how I'm going to lure you to my side aren't you? The answer: Through romance. That's right. I'm going to woo you like you've never been wooed before by sharing just a few of the ways the Winter Court is far more conducive to a romantic rendezvous than either the Summer or Iron Courts. You're welcome in advance ;-)

SETTING - Think about this my friends. What could be more romantic than a roaring fire creating cozy warmth and mood lighting inside while snow falls lightly outside? Not much. What do you do in the summer? You go to the beach. What's at the beach? Sand. Sand is a torture device disguised as something people dream about when they long to go on vacation, but the reality of a day at the beach is far different than those dreamy musings I think. Sand finds crevices in your body that should never be found. It cruelly thrusts itself into those crevices and refuses to budge, leaving you sticky and gritty and finding particles in unmentionable areas for days afterward. Does having sand wedged in uncomfortable places inspire romance? I think not.

TEMPERATURE - Winter is cold. Obviously. But what makes being cold so perfect is the inherent desire to get warm. And think of all the romantic ways one could get warm. I don't even think I need to list any really, because I'm quite sure all of your minds just went in the gutter along with mine ;-) You know what happens in the summer? People sweat. Sweat is not sexy (okay, sometimes it is depending on who's doing the sweating, but that doesn't support my argument so we're ignoring it). Sweat makes you stick to other people in decidedly unattractive ways and leaves you craving a cold shower. Snow and blistering temperatures for the win.

Note: There was some concern about the appropriateness of the last section of my argument due to the use of covers from erotic romance novels, so while I feel they're perfectly appropriate for my blog as that's a genre I enjoy, they were perhaps not appropriate for this tour given it's young adult in nature. I apologize to Harlequin Teen and Kismet Book Touring for any offense caused, it was certainly not intended.

ABOUT IRON'S PROPHECY

Meghan Chase is finally getting used to being the Iron Queen, ruler of the Iron Fey. Her life may be strange, but with former Winter prince Ash by her side at last, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

But when they travel to the Summer and Winter courts’ gathering for Elysium, the oracle from Meghan’s past returns with a dire prophecy: “What you carry will either unite the courts, or it will destroy them.” Now Meghan faces a devastating choice that may determine the future of all fey—and her and Ash’s unborn child…

Goodreads
Amazon
B&N
Harlequin

ABOUT IRON LEGENDS

Enter the world of the internationally bestselling Iron Fey series. Dangerous faeries. Heartbreaking romance. Thrilling action and limitless adventure. The world of the fey has never been so powerful. This collection includes three novellas set in the world of the Iron Fey plus the Guide to the Iron Fey with exclusive information about Julie Kagawa's unforgettable world of Faery.

Winter's Passage

Never make a promise to a faery. They always come to collect. Now Meghan Chase must fulfill her promise to Prince Ash of the Winter Court and embark upon a dangerous journey into the heart of enemy territory—while being pursued by a relentless new foe and guarding her own foolish heart.

Summer's Crossing

What can turn enemies into reluctant allies? A call from the Exile Queen, Leanansidhe, ties legendary prankster Puck to his archenemy, Prince Ash, on a journey that may end in betrayal and will set them both on an irreversible path.

Iron's Prophecy

Before she ever knew what she might become, Iron Queen Meghan Chase was warned by the oracle that her firstborn child would bring nothing but grief. And even as Meghan and Ash celebrate their long-awaited union, the prophecy stirs.…

Three Iron Fey novellas for the first time in print!

Goodreads
Amazon
B&N
The Book Depository

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to Kismet Book Touring I have a fantastic giveaway to share with you today. Up for grabs is not only a signed copy of Iron Legends, but also a grand prize of a stunning Winter Court bracelet. To enter, please just fill out the Rafflecopter form below, good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check out the other stops on the Iron Legends tour for more chances to win! 

Monday, August 20th- Bewitched Bookworms - Intro Post
Tuesday, August 21th - Page Turners - Court: Summer 
Wednesday, August 22th - Harlequin Blog - Court: Iron
Thursday - August 23th - Alison Can Read - Court: Summer
Friday, August 24th - Wastepaperprose - Court: Winter

Monday, August 27th- Mundie Mom's - Court Summer
Tuesday, August 28th - Bookalicio.us - Court: Iron
Wednesday, August 29th - The Unread Reader - Court: Winter
Thursday - August 30th - Supernatural Snark - Court: Winter
Friday, August 31st - Bewitched Bookworms - Court: Iron

Review: The Iron Knight

THE IRON KNIGHT (Iron Fey #4)
Julie Kagawa
Paranormal Young Adult
386 Pages
Harlequin Teen
Available October 25th
Received via NetGalley for review

THE STORY
Ash made the girl he loves a promise when he became her Knight. He would be there to protect her with his sword and with his life against any and all enemies, but when she became queen of a realm that would slowly kill him should he stay in it with her, she banished him to save his life. Now, he's on a mission to earn his humanity so that he may return to her side and fulfill his vow.

With the enthusiastic help of trickster Puck and the somewhat reluctant assistance of cat sithe Grimalkin, Ash starts out on his journey to return to Meghan. A few new friends join them on their quest, fighting unusual creatures and traversing never before seen landscapes to get to the end of the world where the trials to earn a soul will be held.

While Ash knows the journey will not be easy, it proves more physically and emotionally difficult than he ever could have imagined, and his confidence in a joyful reunion with Meghan begins to wane. Ash has never been one to admit defeat though, and he leans on his friends for strength when the final steps to earning his humanity require more than he thinks he can give.

MY THOUGHTS
The Iron Knight gives us the welcome opportunity to slip into the mind of a character whom we’ve previously only seen through the eyes of another, allowing us full access to the thoughts and feelings of the frigid winter prince who finally began to thaw in book three. Accompanying our highly anticipated new perspective is Ms. Kagawa’s unparalleled creativity, the journey she’s created for Ash and Puck glorious proof of her ability to stretch her characters and readers to their physical and emotional limits as we all find ourselves irrevocably invested in the outcome of the winter royal’s personal quest. At no point is a happy ending guaranteed, our fingers constantly twitching as they itch to flip the pages and skip ahead just to end the apprehension caused by our uncertainty. Part of the beauty of this world and these characters is the unpredictability however, and placating ourselves with any absolutes robs us of the true Iron Fey experience.

Spending an entire book with Ash is an absolute pleasure, our need to know more about his past and his feelings for Meghan straight from the source blissfully satisfied in this tale. Dark details of not only his relationship with Ariella, but also of life as a soulless fae are mixed with the action of the present-day adventure, crafting a stunning character portrait that starts from opposite edges and slowly works inward to reveal every facet of the Ash we've longed to see. We start out reading his story wondering if we’ll miss the romantic tension given Meghan’s noticeable absence, but Ms. Kagawa crafts a compelling and unexpected solution to that particular issue, and once again our hearts seem to swell until we’re full to bursting with conflicting fears and desires.

Puck is another highlight for us as readers, his normal humorous arrogance and big mouth present and accounted for, but we also get glimpses of a man whose life has not consisted entirely of jokes and pranks, the pain of his long and tangled history with Ash breaking through to dim his shining smile now and again. His fierce loyalty and unwavering friendship is both beautiful and tragic as he places Ash and Meghan’s happiness above his own repeatedly, proving himself to be a character we will hold dear for a long time to come in the hopes our feelings for him might magically make their way through the ink and paper to hit home.

The only mild complaint with this tale is to be found in the concluding pages as Ash faces his final trials before earning his soul. The trials themselves are brilliant–both emotionally and mentally intense–however Ash’s reaction to them is the tiniest bit disappointing. After each of the three, Ash reverts to the brooding prince we’ve seen pop up on occasion, needing one of his traveling companions to find him and remind him of the reasons they’ve all come as far as they have. The first time, and perhaps even the second, the melancholic reflection is understandable and the support of a good friend necessary, but it would have been nice if by the third time Ash could remember for himself his feelings for Meghan so that we might experience the renewal of his confidence in his love along with him, no outside assistance needed. That aside, The Iron Knight is a dream for fans of the series, each page a gift for the extra time it allows us in this world and with these characters.

Rating: 4/5

The Iron Knight: Trailer Sneak Peek

I'm super excited this afternoon to be one of several blogs to bring you an exclusive sneak peek of the book trailer for Julie Kagawa's highly anticipated Iron Fey novel The Iron Knight. Who loves Ash and Puck? This girl. The full trailer will be available September 28th at 9am HERE, so be sure and check it out to see it in all its glorious completeness, but for now, I hope you enjoy the snippet:

Interview: Julie Kagawa

I'm ridiculously excited today to welcome Julie Kagawa to the blog! Her Iron Fey series one of my absolute favorites and I, along with a good majority of the young adult fiction world, am anxiously awaiting The Iron Knight so I can spend an extended period of time with Ash and Puck. If you have yet to read this series, add it to your list immediately :-) Hope you enjoy the interview!

Do you have a favorite line or scene from any of the three books, or a favorite character moment that most stands out in your mind?

“I am a cat.” Nuff said. ;-)

If you were in an emergency situation (of any kind) and could call one of your characters for help, who would it be and why?

Well, if it were something major, like the Zombie Apocalypse, I would call on Ash, because he’d be able to chop through the hoards easily. If it were something like getting my cat out of a tree…I’d still call Ash, because Grimalkin would probably mock the poor cat, and Puck might turn it into a bird or something.

Which of the three published books would you say differs most from its original, unedited version?

All the books have gone through major changes from first draft to final copy, but The Iron King probably had the most changes.

What is your favorite element of the Fey in your novels?

Probably the Iron Fey. It was pretty fun creating an entire new species of Faery.

The world of Faery you’ve created is amazing and has absolutely captivated readers, is there a world from another piece of fiction that has captivated you in the same way?

Harry Potter. I wish I had written that series, only because I love the world so much and want to live there.

If you could turn one stand alone book into a series because you love the story so much and wish it would continue, what book would it be?

There was an adult, sci-fi book called Helm that I loved and wished it could be a series. Sadly, that’s probably never going to happen because the book is now out of print. In newer, YA books, I wouldn’t mind reading more about the characters from Anna and the French Kiss. Though I hear Lola and the Boy Next Door has both Anna and Etienne in the story. (YAY!)

*tries not to break out into embarrassing happy dance but fails miserably - HAPPY DANCE!*

I tend to judge a book by its cover when I’m in the bookstore staring at all the goodness on the shelves (it’s a sickness, I know *slaps own wrist here*), have you ever been sucked in by a beautiful cover alone?

Oh, many times. But the cover is what draws people to the book in the first place; it’s their first impression and what drives them to pick it up and flip it over. Book covers are very important. There are hundreds of books on the shelves; a beautiful, eye-catching cover is a must.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Julie! For more information on Julie and the Iron Fey series, you can find her here:

Website
Blog
Twitter
Iron Fey on Facebook

Book Order:
The Iron King (Iron Fey #1)
Winter's Passage (Iron Fey #1.5)
The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2)
The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3)
Summer's Crossing (Iron Fey #3.5)
The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4)

THE IRON KING (from Goodreads)

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.

Review + Giveaway: The Iron Queen

THE IRON QUEEN (Iron Fey #3)
Julie Kagawa
Paranormal Young Adult
384 pages
Harlequin Teen
Releases TODAY!
Received from publisher

THE STORY
Meghan Chase's life couldn't be more different from the way it was a year ago. Then she was just an almost sixteen year-old girl wanting desperately to escape the swamp she lived in with her family and have access to the little technological comforts like a cell phone. Now, she's the daughter of a faery king, the girlfriend of an exiled faery prince, and perhaps the only one that can save Faery from the toxic expansion of the iron kingdom and its false monarch.

Not only does she have the fate of an entire realm weighing her down, but she also is struggling with the aftermath of her romantic decision to leave Faery with Prince Ash, leaving best friend Puck behind with memories of a kiss that will never be repeated.

Never one to miss out on the action though, Puck returns in grand style to help Meghan and Ash formulate a plan to destroy the false king and those who follow him. New and old friends join the fight, but with every war there are casualties, and as her friends and allies begin to fall around her, Meghan realizes the power to stop the false king lies not in the battle, but with her alone.

MY THOUGHTS
The Iron Queen is a story rich with eye-widening and jaw-dropping creativity, one that invites us to participate in its world as it shows us how to not simply be a stationary observer to the action, but to stretch the limits of our imaginations and fall through the pages to encounter the events from all sides and from multiple dimensions. This book seems to alter in appearance while reading, the black and white words slipping away as vibrant pictures take their place, telling their story in unparalleled detail and with undeniable skill as we watch the story unfold with rapt fascination. The fey in Ms. Kagawa's world are not merely characters, they are our own personal actors, drawing us into the action as they seem to speak only to us individually, knowing just what will elicit the greatest emotional response from us and delivering it with a flawless efficiency. The reading of this tale is more than a mere illusory journey from which we get up and walk away upon conclusion, it is an epic voyage we experience with all the senses we possess.

Meghan has come a long way since stumbling into Faery in search of her little brother. No longer content to rely on Ash or Puck for protection, she takes up arms and fights her own battles, shedding the limitations of being a half blood, shattering the illusion that a woman must always be protected from harm, and finally embracing the reality that the home she was born into may not actually be the world for which she is destined. The barrage of uncertainty previously assaulting her–questions as to whether she is more Summer or Iron fae, confusion as to her feelings for both Ash and Puck, and a helplessness with regard to saving the Nevernever–is stripped away and the Meghan we've known has been there all along makes a memorable appearance.

Ash is truly something to behold in this story, the personal glamour–his air of frigid indifference and detached calm–fading to nothingness as a result of the strength of his feelings for Meghan. We get the opportunity to see not just the resplendent prince, but also the man beneath the title long since buried in layers of ice and consumed previously by the frigid chill of a soulless Winter royal. He bares himself to our waiting gaze, exposing the man who's given his heart away once and paid dearly for the gesture, and who fears the undefinable girl currently in possession of it might also slip from his grasp. Where we cared for him before despite the frostbite we repeatedly received for our efforts, we can't help but love, appreciate, and respect the man standing before us in this tale, emotionally bare, unerringly dedicated, and poignantly sincere.

Just when we think our passionate attachment to these spectacular figments of the author's imagination can get no stronger and our relationship no deeper, Ms. Kagawa deftly plays the strings of our hearts like the finest of harps in the final pages. She skillfully conducts an emotional symphony, culminating in a single harmonious note so powerful it sends all our feelings of sorrow, joy and hope rippling through us until our entire bodies hum with the force of the reverberation, and we read the last few pages utterly spent and shaking from the aftershocks of what we've experienced. Ms. Kagawa is a master storyteller, a true visionary, and a woman to whom I will always be grateful for creating a world I enjoy so immensely.

Rating: 5/5

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the wonderful people at Big Honcho Media and Harlequin Teen,
I have a copy of The Iron Queen to give away along with a very cool coordinating t-shirt! This contest is open to US and Canadian residents only and will run through midnight EST on Tuesday, February 1st. To enter, just leave a comment on this review with a valid email address and one winner will be chosen by Random.org next week. Good luck everyone!

The Iron Fey on Facebook
The Iron Fey trailer on YouTube

Teaser Tuesday: The Iron Queen

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading and here's how it works:

Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share a snippet from somewhere on that page but be careful not to include spoilers

My teaser this week is from The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa:

"Flashes, " the oracle said, waving her hand dismissively. "The far-future is a constantly changing wave, always in motion, never certain. The story changes with every breath. Every decision we make sends it down another path. But..." She narrowed her hollow eyes at me. "There is one constant in your future, child, and that is pain. Pain and emptiness, for your friends, the ones you hold dearest to your heart, are nowhere to be seen."

THE IRON QUEEN (Iron Fey #3) from Goodreads:

My name is Meaghan 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 stay by my side. Drag me into the core of a conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.