Librarian Book Review: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Summary:
It happened just like the movie/book said. Dorothy went to Oz and then returned to Kansas only to discover that she wanted to go back to Oz. When she went back, however, something had changed. Dorothy had changed and she was no longer the sweet girl we know her as--she was a magic hungry tyrant. ​Amy Gumm is transported to Oz where she finds a world unlike the one in the story. This world has been slowly destroyed by Dorothy and her desperate desire for more magic. Amy is recruited into the Order of the Wicked with the directive that she is to stop Dorothy's tyranny by any means necessary.

Review:
I love twisted fairy tales, and it was interesting to see how the author would twist this story. She takes Dorothy from the sweet girl from Kansas and turns her into a tyrant. Everyone is afraid of Dorothy and the evil of her minions the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion.

The story is well developed and the characters are interesting. Over and over Amy is told to trust no one, but when you need to trust someone who can you trust. This novel is fast paced and action packed. Amy is constantly stumbling into one deadly situation after another while trying to get her footing in this unusual land. The book is definitely a lead in for the other books in the series. You don't get the a solid conclusion in this novel and much is left up in the air.

Overall:
Overall, this is a fast paced action packed novel for those who love twisted fairy tales. This novel will take you back to Oz--a much more dangerous place than ever before.​

Cautions for Sensitive Readers:
Sex: Some kissing
Language: Mild
Drugs/Alcohol: There might be some drinking at a party.
Violence: Some graphic violence and gore.

Book Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Not since Alice went down the rabbit hole, or Dorothy flew over the rainbow, has there been a book so exciting. Iron King is a wonderful fantasy adventure that takes us into Nevernever, the heart of myths and fantasies, where danger lurks behind every turn. This book was too good to put down, as our heroine escapes one perilous situation only to stumble into more trouble at the next turn. Iron King has something for everyone; action, adventure, danger, friendship, and forbidden romance.

Tired of her life on a pig farm, Mehgan Chase looks forward to her sixteenth birthday, when she hopes getting her drivers permit might add some excitement to her dreary life. When she comes home and discovers her brother, Ethan, has been kidnapped by faeries and replaced with a dangerous changeling, Meghan gets more excitement than she had bargained for, as she resolves to save Ethan from the faeries who have captured him. After her only true friend, Robbie, reveals to her that he is actually the mythical Puck or Robin Goodfellow of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Meghan enlists his help to venture into Nevernever to save her brother. As Meghan embarks on the adventure of a lifetime, she has no idea what dangers and revelations she will soon face.

There have been a lot of faery books published lately, and most focus on faeries interacting and living in our world. It was refreshing to see a book that dares to venture into fairyland, and the resulting story is top notch. Kagawa created a world where creatures of myth and legend roam, and what you say and the deals you make can have serious consequences.

My one criticism would be that the story’s climax came too swiftly. The entire story had been building towards this confrontation, but it was over in a matter of a few pages. The ending was a bit of a letdown after all the dangers and obstacles they face trying to get to the climax, but the journey to get there could not have been better. This quick ending may be partially due to the fact that this is the first book in a series, but still I feel with the time I invested in this novel I should have gotten more from the climax than the few pages it was given.

Still this was a fun and entertaining read and I find myself lamenting the fact that I have to wait another five whole months for the next installment in the series. I am anxious to see where Kagawa will go with the next book. Overall I found this book to be a very pleasant surprise. If you are looking for something to tide you over while you wait for the next installment, you might try Carrie Jone’s books Need and Captivate or the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr. The next book, The Iron Daughter is due out in August 2010.

Cautions for sensitive readers: Mild use of swearing and some violence. There is no sex though.


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Book Review: Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr is the second book in what could be called the Wicked Lovely series. Although reading Wicked Lovely first would give you more insight to the world, I believe both novels can stand alone.

I have to admit that I didn’t like this book as well as I liked Wicked Lovely. While Wicked Lovely is what I would call a dark fantasy (or the more modern term urban fantasy), it wasn’t nearly as dark as Ink Exchange. This book dealt with many addictions, and the answers presented in the book were not clear cut. I guess it is a more accurate reflection of the world in that sense, but I have to admit a fondness for nice tidy endings in my fiction.

After a slow start, the story of Leslie and her tattoo begins to pick up. Niall, a fairy sworn to the Summer Court, is assigned to protect Leslie, but he is unable to protect her from her choices that lead her into the grasp of the king of the Dark Court. This novel has a much more gritty feel than Wicked Lovely, but it does begin to appeal to you later in the book.

While I don’t believe reading Ink Exchange will be necessary to understand Marr’s next book Fragile Eternity (due out 4/28/09) which will pick up where Wicked Lovely left off with Aislinn and Seth, I think it offers interesting insight in to the world of fairy courts that may be beneficial to the readers.

Recommend this to fans of Wicked Lovely, dark fantasy, and urban fantasy.

Cautions for sensitive readers: This book is definitely written for older teens. There is sex, drug additions, and a mention of the main character’s rape before the events of this book. There is also violence among the fairies.




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