Summer's Crossing

Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I didn't know it was possible for a series to improve with every book until I discovered the one and only Julie Kagawa. Even though this is just a novella, it is packed with enough action and emotion to be its own book. I would love to have this book as a hard copy to just hold in my hands and stare at for a long, long time.

Summer's Crossing kicks off with our main men. His royal iciness, Ash, and scheming jokester, Puck. they're on a search for the Grimalkin, who, unfortunately, is basically impossible to find unless he wants to be found. This task will require a good amount of time. Time they don't have. And Leanansidhe is about to take some of it away. She's calling in a favor from Ash. Her problem: Queen Titania has stolen her brand new "violin". And she wants Ash and Puck to steal it back.

Told from Puck's point of view, this story has an entirely different mood than the other books in the series. He uses jokes and sarcasm to keep the feeling light, but underneath he sometimes hides secrets that he will never share. Puck has a huge inner struggle throughout the novella. What's more important? His happiness with the woman he loves, or the complete happiness of the woman he loves when she is with the man who has vowed to kill him? I can see why the decision is a tough one. Let's just hope he makes the right one ;).

Reading Summer's Crossing was a great refresher of where Iron Queen left off, and it left me wanting to return to the world of Faery for more adventures. New environments were explored once again, and I feel like there's place I can wonder off to in my mind whenever I want. Everything is so vivid. It's one of my favorite things about these books.

Short book, short review, but it has definitely secured a long-term spot in my memory.