Iron Knight (The Iron Fey #4)

My name - my True Name - is Ashallayn’ darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…To cold faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase - a half human, half fey slip of a girl - smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.
With the unwelcome company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end - a quest to find a way to honor his vow to stand by Meghan's side.
To survive in the Iron Realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. And along the way Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

At first the series seemed kind of average. I didn't hate it, but I didn't immediately fall in love. The sequel to Iron King, Iron Daughter, I liked better.  Then Iron Queen I liked the same. The real icing on the cake was Iron Knight. The tale of a prince who wants to give up his immortality for his love, and in return, gain a soul. Iron Knight blew my mind, not only did it have the most BEAUTIFUL flow of English I have ever seen, it had excellent story qualities. It was a true fairy tale. The character had to overcome his weakness and even overcome his own strengths, all in pursuit of love. I salute Julie Kagawa. I just can't get over how graceful that was, it was amazing. Not to mention, she created one of the most humorous character I've seen all year (Puck, yes, the Shakespeare one, re-invented.)  .

I absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for a modern novel, with all the hallmarks of a time tested classic.

Trail of Fate (The Youngest Templar #2) by Michael P. Spradlin

Picking up right where the breathtaking action left off, Tristan and his friends, the archer Robard Hode and the assassin Maryam, have escaped the Holy Land, but they are still a long way from the end of their perilous journey. And while they may have eluded the villainous Templar Sir Hugh, they know he will never be far behind.
Their only hope is to reach safety in England. But before they do that they run straight into a rebel band of Cathars, a heretical sect fighting off the oppression of France’s king. When Tristan falls for the beautiful leader of the Cathars, though, his loyalties are torn between aiding her in her hour of need or fleeing with his sacred charge—to protect the Holy Grail

 Trail of Fate:
The cliff hanger does not allow me to reveal plot (at all). The ‘Trail of Fate’ is even better than ‘Keeper of the Grail’. It has bigger villains, bigger settings, bigger dynamics, and it even has a bigger ending (it was almost impossible but the last ending was topped!) I cannot describe any of the interesting things to you, it was just too exciting to put down.I can say this- when I finished the book, I screamed so loud that my dad jumped about three feet off his seat (so far, it is the only book that has made me react out loud.) I cannot wait to get my hands on ‘The Orphan of Destiny.’

Keeper of the Grail (The Youngest Templar #1) by Michael P. Spradlin

1191 A.D. The orphan Tristan has joined the Knights Templar as a squire, journeying with Richard the Lionheart on his crusade to free the Holy Land from the Saracens. As defeat looms near, Tristan is entrusted with the most sacred of Christian relics, the Holy Grail. He must return it safely to Britain, but he must also keep it secret, because the Grail’s power will drive men to madness, and even his fellow Knights Templar will kill for it. Tristan teams up with the fiery Robard Hode— returning to his home in Sherwood after serving with the King’s Archers—and Maryam, an equally fierce girl and a member of the dreaded Hashshashin. Together they must escape the Holy Land, dodging bandits, the forces of the Saladin, and unscrupulous knights who will stop at nothing to possess the Grail.

Keeper of the Grail is an amazing story. It definitely deserves its spot on my top five list. The story starts with Tristan. While fifteen year old Tristan was thankful that the monks took him in after he was abandoned, he thirsted for change. When Tristan least expects it, the change arrives in the form of Sir Thomas and his fellow Knights Templar. Through a page turning chapters (that I’m not going to tell you about) Tristan becomes Sir Thomas’ new squire. The knights (plus Tristan) resume their journey to Acre. On the way Tristan learns swordsmanship, war tactics, and the laws of duty.

After they arrive at Acre, they are presented with a problem: Al Hashshashin warriors (they either win or die trying). The Templar regimento of 2,000 didn’t even stand a chance against 6,000 assassins. After the walls of Acre were breached, the Templars decided to take a final stand at the crusader’s palace. Like the sands of a desert being changed by the wind; Tristan’s new life was tossed to chaos. Sir Thomas took Tristan to a secret passageway and told him to escape. However, there was one last order Tristan was to complete for his knight. He was to take the most sacred relic of all time to Scotland; The Holy Grail. As Sir Thomas locked him into the passageway, Tristan realized that it was Sir Thomas' dying wish. Along the journey, Tristan makes two loyal friends who become his traveling companions. But he keeps his burdened mission a secret, and it takes its toll.

At a jaw dropping ending the questions fly past your brain giving you milliseconds to think about them. How much longer can he lie? Or will he even live long enough to tell his tale?

This book is an absolute recommend.