Ironskin by Tina Connolly

Overall Rating: 2 stars

Date Finished: January 29, 2017

I will start by saying that it took me a while to finish this book. The truth is that I was rather bored and there were other books that arrived that interested me more so this kept getting pushed to the side burner. Of course, the breaks in between reading may have affected how I felt about the book, but I never really felt any drive to keep reading either.

Unfortunately, the problems with this book begin with the premise itself. See, this book is premised as a retelling of Jane Eyre but in a world full of the Fae. So, you start off the book with very high expectations which are in all honesty pretty much impossible to meet because in all honesty we all know that it can't ever really compare to Jane Eyre. So the book set itself up but even alluding to it being a Jane Eyre retelling.

The second big thing is the romance. Now, there characters weren't all that great or really hashed out much, but that is unfortunately common in YA novels. The real issue is that the romance was based on absolutely nothing. Jane started falling in love with Edward based on almost no interaction. She would only see him for 5 minutes a week and sometimes less. And  yet, she just couldn't resist him and these deep feeling were developing just based on her obsessing over him? Not quite enough to make for an enjoyable romance.

And there is the main character herself. She was such a downer. Yes, she was injured. Yes, she had reasons to be bitter. But she was obsessed. She spent all of her time moping or obsessing about all the things she didn't have and felt she deserved. And all of this led her ridiculous, vain decision that could have ended everything. 

Towards the end you begin to see a difference in Jane as she grows and yet she is offered the chance to have a mask placed, on that would forever cover her deformity and its ill effects on other people. The catch is that the mask if made from fae mask which means that anyone with a mask can have their body taken over by the fae. Not only has the Queen already been trying to take her over but now she has personally witnessed people being taken over, and yet, despite all the risks, she decides to get a mask but the only thing she cares about is being pretty and special. And of course she is devastated when surprise, surprise it all backfires.

But even in the end she gets a  new mask and the overall message of the whole book is that looks is all that matters and the guy could never love her is she didn't have a normal face again. And of course, its okay to put your life, the life of everyone you care about, and the safety of your whole country in jeopardy just so she an be pretty. 

Hunter (Hunter #1) by Mercedes Lackey

Overall Rating: 3 stars
Date Finished: January 27, 2017

Mercedes Lackey was one of my favorite authors growing up, I clearly remember reading the whole Valdemar series. And yet, as an adult when came back to Lackey and read the 500 kingdoms series. It had a very promising start but I only made it a couple books into the series before I chose not to continue with the series. Then I read the first book of the One dozen daughters series and found myself quite disappointed. And it hits especially hard when it comes from an author I adored when I was younger.

Because of that I was reluctant to start this series. I was super excited that Lackey was doing a YA series and yet I was so fearful that I wouldn't like it. I just really wanted to love this series!

In the first chapter I found myself a bit bored and I was really worried for what that meant for the rest of the book. Most of the chapter was the character just thinking to herself and while I intrinsically understand the the character was giving us some background and world building, the way that it was presented just wasn't exciting or overly enjoyable.

And the main character even has a show down with one of the biggest, baddest monsters that exist, but it was all over so quickly and was all so anticlimactic. And the first guy she meets in the city she if blushing and falling over herself for and he of course later becomes the love interest. I will at least say that there was no love triangle and thank goodness for that.

And yet, as I kept reading I found that I was beginning to enjoy the book more and more. There was no big moment where it all turned around, I just found myself halfway through the book and was surprised to find that I didn't want to put it down.

Now, while the character herself is a bit stereotypical she is also consistent. There's no major personality changes throughout and she stays focused. But what I really enjoyed most about all of it was the hounds. Each hunter has a different kind of hound and I found myself wondering what kind of hound each might have. I will admit that I had to look of some of those references because I had no idea what she was talking about when she was describing them.

And seeing their different powers and skills and especially seeing her continually improve and strengthen her pack was fun to watch. And then just the personalities of the hounds in and of themselves was fun.

There are definitely still some issues but by the time I reached the end of the book I could honestly say that I enjoyed it and that I was looking forward to the next one.