Share The Love

.... that I created an RSS feed for LiveJournal shortly after creating the community: stl_feed

So if any LJers reading this want to add us to their flists (a mirror community wouldn't be feasible for obvious reasons), go right ahead.
I've already added the link to the "Useful Information" category on the profile and in the linklist. :)

This is it, the very first giveaway we are hosting!

The Book

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa



From the website:

Meghan Chase is about to discover who's been keeping watch. When her little brother is kidnapped, Meghan must enter a world where anything she touches may kill her—including the icy prince who stirs her wakening senses. As she steps into the Nevernever, finding her brother is only the start of her problems. For the trail leads Meghan toward the most dangerous threat of all, the mysterious Iron Fey....

This book has done what many others have not managed to do: it dragged me out of my recent reading lethargy, and how. (And the official summary doesn't even hint at my favourite character.)
Now, I love magical adventures with female protagonists. Throw in a couple of cruel and/or seemingly inhuman fey folk, a little intrigue, vivid imagery and a dashing love interest (or two, or three), and I'm almost bound to read it.
While reading I did have a few quibbles. If you've seen/read Labyrinth or The Neverending Story, or American Gods for that matter, elements of the story will seem very familiar to you.
There were some tropes. I had to wait quite awhile for some negative things to be subverted (but they were! This is the first book in a trilogy, I should have trusted the author a bit more ...).
I don't want to give too much away, but I believe the next few titles in the series hint at more of that. (The Iron Daughter and The Iron Queen)

But: I loved it a lot. I might have complained for an hour or so when I discovered that the next book wouldn't be out until August. And I really want more people to read it. ♥

The author happens to have a LiveJournal (with a fannish name, which gives her an automatic +20 in Awesome in my book): sylverkit; and a Twitter account: JKagawa
If you haven't read the first book yet, I suggest treading carefully, since there are a few potential spoilers. You can also read the first three chapters online for free.


How to Get a Copy

I'm giving away a brandnew copy of The Iron King. In fact, I'll order it via The Book Depository and have them send it to your address, wherever you may live. Yes, it's an international giveaway. [Although if you live in Berlin, Germany I would be very much inclined to take you out for a cup of coffee to give you the book in person ;)]

To enter, just comment on this entry with The Iron King in the subject line. (You can comment even if you don't wish to enter, but please don't post any spoilers.)
The deadline is June 1st*.

After that, I'll do a drawing, announce the winner and contact you for the details. Good luck! :D


*June 1st is the date Winter's Passage is released, a free ebook novella set between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter. You will be able to find it here.