Release Date: October 29th 2013
Published By: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 304
Goodreads: Add it to your reading list

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Synopsis: In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as “normal” as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he’s forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, “normal” simply isn’t to be. For Ethan’s nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan’s and Keirran’s fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan’s next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Review:

I’ve had to sit down and have a real serious think about this one. I rate Julie Kagawa as one of my favourite authors. I have read all her books. I always come back for more - yet I struggle with each and every one of them at the mid way point. It’s ALWAYS the incredible endings to the book that inevitably change my perception of the book and of course I look back on the book loving it and wait for the next one.

It’s hard for me to explain, but if I liken it to four quarters of football for a second (stay with me…). The first quarter I am excited, motivated to find out what happens next and engaged. I fly through it and wonder where time has gone.

The second quarter I start out with a bang but then start to get a little tired half way through this. I slow down… pages aren’t turning as fast as they were. I am re-reading the same paragraph that I have read 3 times already. I am becoming easily distracted.

Third quarter and I am still pushing through albeit slowly. Half way through this quarter though and I see a little light at the end of the tunnel… things are starting to pick back up and I am getting back on track.

And then the last quarter, and I am really getting a sense of what the overall story is. I am loving how everything ties together and I can see end in sight. And at the end siren, I am FLOORED just like that. Right up until the last page I didn’t see it… and then she hits me. On the last page, the whole game changed. And now I am dying for the next book.

How does this happen? It only ever happens whenever I read one of Julie Kagawa’s books. And I realise this could be interpreted as a backhanded compliment. And perhaps it is. But sometimes I find there’s a lot of fluff instead of getting to the point. It’s probably me as a person, but I don’t do fluff, so I find the middle parts tedious and drags at times. But I will give Julie credit. She tells a good story overall, and I will be back for any others she writes.

I can’t fault the characters, I really enjoy Ethan and Kenzie’s dynamics. I think they’re quite innocent and cute together. Ethan’s protectiveness over Kenzie, making sure she was always safe was endearing rather than dominating. I didn’t connect quite as much to Kierran and Annwyl, however I could still see that what they had was special. Given the title, I had figured out in the early chapters what was going to happen, but was still shocked at how quickly it happened… it’s intrigued me to want to know more about the next book!

Really good to see part of the “old team” back together with Puck and Ash! It’s at this point, almost nostalgic. :)

Quotes:

“What? I never make things worse,” Puck replied, stepping forward to deal with another eddy swooshing in from the side. “I make things more interesting.”
“Yeah, my foot is about to have an interesting encounter with your ass.”

“Bout time you joined the party, ice-boy!” Puck yelled from somewhere overhead. The Summer prankster appeared on the monster’s head again, grinning down at us. “I was wondering if Furball would ever find you. Hey remember that time we fought those hill giants throwing boulders at us down Redwater Gorge? This is so much worse than that!”

Puck dropped to the monster’s snout, right in front of its glowing eyes, grinning cheekily. “Hey ugly, lookee here! I’m doing the Macarena on your nose.”