I was looking forward to this one. Jazz Age, secret Cotton Club-like place where magic enhances jazz, a female-friendship centered book, it starts in an asylum! 

For whatever reason, I just didn't get into the book. 

I think it's never a good thing when the first thing the characters do is escape from a supposedly escape-proof asylum and make it look ridiculously easy. No magic even involved! If that place is escape-proof, then it seems that motivation has been lacking in the past. And that seemed to be a bit of the pattern of the book. There was build-up for obstacles that ended up not being that hard to overcome.

The very night the girls return from the asylum, they're asked to go on and do their act, which consists of one character (Ada) playing the violin with her band and the other (Corinne) reciting poetry. Apparently this takes a lot out of them and they can only do this a couple of times per week, but it's fine to do it just after breaking out of chains which cause you constant pain(being iron).

The idea is that some people are "hemopaths", who can't stand the touch of iron. These same people also have the power to create feelings or illusions, using either poetry, acting, or music. It's a really cool idea and utterly unexplained. To me, a natural explanation would be some kind of fairy blood- the whole cold iron and fairies, right?

There are some descriptions, but I never really felt like I was transported into the Jazz Age. The characters didn't use speech from that era- it felt modern. And to me, wouldn't something like beat poetry (maybe it's too early for this) feel more like something that would be recited in a jazz club instead of Dante? The idea of improvisation, making words up on the spot that paint a picture, feel more creative than memorizing a ton of poetry. 

The world felt interesting, but it didn't feel "true". And that lack of authenticity is something I haven't had the patience to power through lately in a book. 

One last thing: I liked the name of the book, but the club in the book is called the Cast Iron. Why switch the name?

Thank you to netgalley and Abrams Kids for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is set in the 20s during the time of prohibition, but that's not the only thing banned; people who have powers to manipulate people using art are also banned.

The biggest part of this book that I liked was the sisterhood. There was no girl on girl fighting for the sake of it, the 2 MCs were really close friends and loved each other and you could feel that throughout the whole book. They had really distinct personalities and I liked them as characters, however I felt like the book maybe should've been told from just one perspective because they all just rolled into one and it kind of felt like more of an omniscient narrator than separate character's points of view in a way.

I also really loved the magic system, everything was related to art, some people could do magic with music, some with painting, some with poetry which I just found really cool. Though at times they would start to use their powers at moments where I just felt like it didn't make sense to the situation, like surely someone would've stopped them before it actually took hold of them. Would it not be obvious to you that someone was Iron Cast if they started just randomly singing?

The world building could have done with some work. I found myself confused a fair amount of the time about just what was really going on. It felt a bit wooly at times and I think that was partly to do with the pacing which went from being really slow to really fast that I couldn't really concentrate wholly on what was actually going on.

There was some really good points about racism and sexism that were brought up that are often swept under the carpet in historical fiction. Just because things were different doesn't mean people were happy to just be treated like second rate citizens because of their gender or skin colour and this book was a reminder of that. Not only was one of the MCs facing difficulties in her life due to her magic but she was also black and whilst it is set in Boston where racism wasn't nearly as bad as places in the south there was still a clear racial divide. It also raised some thoughts on the anti-Russian sentiments in the states, which not as strong as the narrative about racism against black people it was still there and mentioned.

I'd definitely be interested in what this author will come out with next as I can tell that she's going to improve the more she writes.

An interesting premise I have not really seen before. Artists who have the power to make people feel or see whatever they desire. Their shows have been outlawed in Boston and many are ending up in an asylum - and they are never seen again.
Lots of twists and turns in the story with a great jazz-era background. Slightly unsatisfying ending though, which leads me to think there may be a sequel in there somewhere.

Why did I wait so long to read this??? It was AWESOME. Girls being besties, the most unique, fascinating magic, 1920s (ish) setting that ISN'T New York for a change, gang drama, and a side of romance. Not to mention it deals with racism and attitudes towards immigrants, is pretty darn feminist, has a black main character, and has gay side characters. Is there anything NOT to love?

Honestly, I can't find a single fault. It's action packed, full of mystery and wonder and friendships that make my heart so full, and it's written faultlessly. I want another book in this world! (Saint POV please??)

I had a lot of trouble getting into this one, mainly because of the characters and the setting. Don't get me wrong, I love the discription of the book and the idea behind the book. But the story itself is just not what I would have expected it to be. I did not feel like I was in that era and I did not connect with the characters at all. So greta idea, but not worked out very well.

As much as I enjoyed this book and the world of artists and singers it created, I wish there was more backstory and logical mythos surrounding the powers. Their magic involves blood and an aversion to iron, yet as a biology major, I know iron is the foundation of our blood and the ability to oxygenate our bodies. The lack of explanations killed my suspension of disbelief.

Did not finish. Interesting premise, but it just couldn't hold my attention.

It was such a great read! Enchanting and charming, a story on which I really enjoyed the time spent.

I’m going to start with the bad points, though. There weren’t many, and personally, they didn’t impact that much on my enjoyment. First of all, the story takes place in the Prohibition-era USA. Despite the many problems that arose for average citizens and the already-there problems, I didn’t quite get the atmosphere I would expect out of their situation. The writing was modern, so the 20th century feel was lost on me. Second of all, Ada and Corinne vaguely similar personalities and I couldn’t always distinguish them. Individually, they didn’t leave an impression on me, and they are quite forgettable.

However, here come the good parts. Firstly, although Soria couldn’t quite get ahold of a specific atmosphere, she did get the historical accuracy right. No, there weren’t any hemopaths in the 1900s, but there was the Prohibition, and its consequences, and the inequality for women and minorities. And all of these were felt throughout the book, through their actions and the obstacles. Secondly, although the two young women, individually, lacked their own distinct personality, the pair of them, together, was a force to be reckoned with. This duo of headstrong females formed a friendship that could tear apart the world. Strongly loyal and fiercely protective, they support and love each other, going to great lengths to have each other’s back. Sure, they had squabbles…but who doesn’t? That’s what makes it realistic! And there wasn’t romance, luckily, which would have shifted the focus on another relationship.

I loved the fact that Soria included some actual social issues in there. She incorporated diversity in the main cast, having Ada being biracial. Corinne, who’s privileged, uses her privileges to help Ada. And this example is only one of many. The author also tackled racism. Hemopaths are viewed as inferior, and just being one caused Ada to be imprisoned. Although one is born being a hemopath, they are treated horribly because of something they can’t control or choose.

But my favorite aspect of this novel is hemopathy. Basically, hemopathy is a way of conjuring illusions through various forms of art and making people believe in whatever you want them to believe. It’s such a unique and thought provoking concept! I love it and wish I could know more about it, although Soria explained and detailed many things about it already! It’s so intriguing and magical, wow!

I requested this book because it centers around friendship and I loved that it played through throughout the book. I loved the plot, the characters, the time period it was set in. The beginning was a bit slow, but it picked up and soared. Really glad I was accepted to read this book and so happy I enjoyed it.

Last month Kara and Lyn started reading Iron Cast by Destiny Soria, and I (Maryam) decided to join in to get me out of my horrrrrible reading slump. We had some delays AGAIN HAHAHA, but we finally made it! 
(Also, please remember that discussions sometimes lead to spoilers. While we try very hard to stay away from them, it still happens from time to time. If you haven’t read this book, be aware of potential spoilers during the discussion posts. You can’t say we didn’t warn you!)

keyborder

Forgotten Fridays: Iron CastIron Cast by Destiny Soria 
Published by ABRAMS on October 11th 2016 
Genres: young adult, historical, fantasy 
Pages: 384 
Goodreads 

It’s Boston, 1919, and the Cast Iron club is packed. On stage, hemopaths—whose “afflicted” blood gives them the ability to create illusions through art—Corinne and Ada have been best friends ever since infamous gangster Johnny Dervish recruited them into his circle. By night they perform for Johnny’s crowds, and by day they con Boston’s elite. When a job goes wrong and Ada is imprisoned, she realizes how precarious their position is. After she escapes, two of the Cast Iron’s hires are shot, and Johnny disappears. With the law closing in, Corinne and Ada are forced to hunt for answers, even as betrayal faces them at every turn. An ideal next read for fans of Libba Bray’s The Diviners.
keyborder

Maryam: HELLOOOO FRIENDS. Er, today we’re gonna talk about Iron Cast by Destiny Soria 😀 This was the book that actually helped me to get out of my reading slump, BECAUSE OMG I READ THIS BOOK IN ONE DAY. Anyway, how’d yall like the book?

Kara: I’m so glad it helped you get out of a reading slump. It was a super fun book, and I think those are the best kinds of books to get you out of a slump. I can see how this would be one of those. It’s got a unique setting, great female friendship, and I really liked the writing. Lyn?

Lyn: I feel horrible, because here I am, the black sheep. I didn’t even finish the book. The writing was beautiful, and this author is one to watch. I loved the ideas in the book….but I never liked the main characters. In fact, I never liked anyone. It was just bickering and I never felt like the story got off the ground. Maybe it is my frame of mind right now, or my mood, but the book just seemed to be pointless in the constant drama with no relief in sight.

Kara: I don’t think you are the only one that felt that way. There were some mixed reviews on Goodreads. Some books just speak to us and others don’t. This one happened to work for me because I was really in the mood for a world to get lost in. I think I may have been in a reading slump too, and it got me out of it because it was the perfect escape.

Maryam: I like this book, BUT I didn’t LOVE it. I liked it mainly because of Corinne. She was sarcastic, freaking fantastic and I love her point of view. She always had something sassy to say. To be honest, plot-wise, I was a little bit confused. Like, there were some parts when it was like BAM BAM BOOM and suddenly things happen. HAHAH I don’t know if I’m the only one who felt that way but yeah.

Lyn: I think that was also some of my problem. The story line felt really forced and muddy at times. I had to go back and reread some passages. The voices of the characters were also really hard to keep apart as well. I think the word I kept thinking was rushed, everything was really rushed and transparent in some parts, but confusing for no reason in other parts.

Kara: I can tell you that I didn’t love the ending. I was hoping for something more concrete, and it was never really clear how things were going to end up or what was going to happen to Corrine and Ada. I’ve been reading a ton of books lately that don’t give me an ending that I want, and maybe it’s because the author plans to write more in this universe, I don’t know, but I wanted more.
And I hear you on the slow parts in the plot. The pacing definitely had its ups and downs, but I think I was willing to let it go because of how much I enjoyed the characters. I really was into the scenes in Haversham also. Creeped me out quite a bit. The villains in this book were smarmy, and I love smarmy villains. On, and also, it was really obvious to me who the bad guys were. Lyn, how much did you read?

Maryam: WAIT WHAT, I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THE VILLAINS.

Kara: View Spoiler »

Lyn: I read to the party scene, and then I stopped.

Maryam: The engagement party? Or the wedding party? HAHAHAHA.

Lyn: I take it I missed a LOT. Ada when dancing with her boyfriend, Charlie.

Kara: Okay, that was pretty much right before the plot got going into the mental institution stuff. I just wanted to know where you stopped, ha!

Maryam: YEAH that was seconds before shit went down and I was like OMGOMGOMG View Spoiler ». Yall, we need spoiler tags.

Kara: I will put spoiler tags, but you reminded me of something. View Spoiler »I like it when authors make the love interests interesting like that though. I like multiple layers. Mindy McGinnis likes to kill hers off and I love that, so…

Maryam: Mindy McGinnis was the author of that psychotic book right? A MADNESS SO DISCREET. I loooove that book. View Spoiler »

Kara: Okay, so what are we rating this since I think we are done? I’m giving it a 3.5 stars.

Maryam: FOUR STARS. I’m always very generous unless I really hated a book heheheh.

Kara: And that’s why we brought you on to the blog. Different perspective! You are not a jaded asshole yet like I am. 😛

Lyn: DNF 🙁

Maryam: It’s okay, Lyn! You pretty much know the main parts already thanks to us HAHAHA. So, we’re cool then? 😀 And 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. THE END.

Lyn

-DNF-

Maryam

four-stars

Kara

three-half-stars

The year is 1919, and hemopaths are prohibited from practicing their art; showing illusions through music, poetry and art. At the Cast Iron, Corinne and Ada are two best friends who perform together at Johnny Dervish’s club and also do scams on the side. 

When Ada is imprisoned, Corinne breaks her out, but they find out their are those who want to iradicate hemopaths, not just imprison them. Johnny goes missing and the girls are being targeted, and must work together with mysterious bouncer Gabriel to uncover the truth and stay safe. 

Weird but really good and honestly just different. Beautiful cover.

When I opened this book (or rather the epub file), I knew that I would love it from almost the first page.  And that was because in the author's note Destiny Soria said that the most important relationship in the book was one between two girls. Friends for years. Sisters in heart. 

We do not highlight that kind of friendship enough. The romance always takes the stage while friendships are there only to further the plot. 

This was not the case in Iron Cast. 

Ada and Corinne were nothing if not loyal to each other. They complimented each other's personalities, protected each other. It was a beautiful and healthy thing to read about. 

Despite this, a few romances also thrived. I loved that they were so diverse not only physical-appearance/identity-wise but also personality-wise and the way that each couple dealt with their problems and their feelings. There was a black couple. There was a couple of people who were both extremely scarred and hardened. There was a m/m couple. It portrayed a wide variety all the more delightful to read about because it reflected reality. 

The setting, in the early 1900s , with the nightclubs and sparkly dresses was combined with the existence of magic. The magic of illusions which was referred to as "afflicted" blood. The era seeped through into the story seamlessly, and the descriptions were beautifully rich almost to the point where I had to take a minute to digest everything. 

The book deals with everything--betrayal, loyalty, trust, understanding, love. It's in these ways, in tackling friendships and family relationships, that it impressed me the most. Iron Cast was a beautiful read and something we greatly need in the realm of book diversity.

Really enjoyed this book! I loved the diversity and the story was so exciting!

Maryam: HELLOOOO FRIENDS. Er, today we’re gonna talk about Iron Cast by Destiny Soria 😀 This was the book that actually helped me to get out of my reading slump, BECAUSE OMG I READ THIS BOOK IN ONE DAY. Anyway, how’d yall like the book?

Kara: I’m so glad it helped you get out of a reading slump. It was a super fun book, and I think those are the best kinds of books to get you out of a slump. I can see how this would be one of those. It’s got a unique setting, great female friendship, and I really liked the writing. Lyn?

Lyn: I feel horrible, because here I am, the black sheep. I didn’t even finish the book. The writing was beautiful, and this author is one to watch. I loved the ideas in the book….but I never liked the main characters. In fact, I never liked anyone. It was just bickering and I never felt like the story got off the ground. Maybe it is my frame of mind right now, or my mood, but the book just seemed to be pointless in the constant drama with no relief in sight.

Kara: I don’t think you are the only one that felt that way. There were some mixed reviews on Goodreads. Some books just speak to us and others don’t. This one happened to work for me because I was really in the mood for a world to get lost in. I think I may have been in a reading slump too, and it got me out of it because it was the perfect escape.

Maryam: I like this book, BUT I didn’t LOVE it. I liked it mainly because of Corinne. She was sarcastic, freaking fantastic and I love her point of view. She always had something sassy to say. To be honest, plot-wise, I was a little bit confused. Like, there were some parts when it was like BAM BAM BOOM and suddenly things happen. HAHAH I don’t know if I’m the only one who felt that way but yeah.

Lyn: I think that was also some of my problem. The story line felt really forced and muddy at times. I had to go back and reread some passages. The voices of the characters were also really hard to keep apart as well. I think the word I kept thinking was rushed, everything was really rushed and transparent in some parts, but confusing for no reason in other parts.

Kara: I can tell you that I didn’t love the ending. I was hoping for something more concrete, and it was never really clear how things were going to end up or what was going to happen to Corrine and Ada. I’ve been reading a ton of books lately that don’t give me an ending that I want, and maybe it’s because the author plans to write more in this universe, I don’t know, but I wanted more.
And I hear you on the slow parts in the plot. The pacing definitely had its ups and downs, but I think I was willing to let it go because of how much I enjoyed the characters. I really was into the scenes in Haversham also. Creeped me out quite a bit. The villains in this book were smarmy, and I love smarmy villains. On, and also, it was really obvious to me who the bad guys were. Lyn, how much did you read?

Maryam: WAIT WHAT, I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THE VILLAINS.

Kara: View Spoiler »

Lyn: I read to the party scene, and then I stopped.

Maryam: The engagement party? Or the wedding party? HAHAHAHA.

Lyn: I take it I missed a LOT. Ada when dancing with her boyfriend, Charlie.

Kara: Okay, that was pretty much right before the plot got going into the mental institution stuff. I just wanted to know where you stopped, ha!

Maryam: YEAH that was seconds before shit went down and I was like OMGOMGOMG View Spoiler ». Yall, we need spoiler tags.

Kara: I will put spoiler tags, but you reminded me of something. View Spoiler »I like it when authors make the love interests interesting like that though. I like multiple layers. Mindy McGinnis likes to kill hers off and I love that, so…

Maryam: Mindy McGinnis was the author of that psychotic book right? A MADNESS SO DISCREET. I loooove that book. View Spoiler »

Kara: Okay, so what are we rating this since I think we are done? I’m giving it a 3.5 stars.

Maryam: FOUR STARS. I’m always very generous unless I really hated a book heheheh.

Kara: And that’s why we brought you on to the blog. Different perspective! You are not a jaded asshole yet like I am. 😛

Lyn: DNF 🙁

Maryam: It’s okay, Lyn! You pretty much know the main parts already thanks to us HAHAHA. So, we’re cool then? 😀 And 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. THE END.

The author set the stage right from the beginning as we're dropped into a World where hemopaths are being hunted down and there are few safe havens. The friendship between the girls take center stage and it was clear that they would do anything for each other. We, the readers, are always aware of the constant  danger throughout the book and the action never lets up and the author teases out the story. I thoroughly enjoyed Iron Cast and would highly recommend it to anyone to read.

While this was a relatively fun book with a diverse cast of characters and a unique vibe, I couldn't find the willpower to finish it. It didn't hold my attention at all and none of the characters felt relatable or even real, and if I can set aside a book for a month and feel no desire to pick it up again, DNFing is really the only option.

'Iron Cast' is an exciting young adult novel that perfectly blends historical fiction and fantasy. I'm not a big reader of historical fiction, but I decided to give this one a try because of the magical aspect. I'm really glad I did - it turned out to be much better than I thought. The two main characters - Ada and Corinne - are fun and intriguing. Due to their different heritage and backgrounds, they make an odd pair in the early twentieth century - which is when the story takes place. I loved that the author made them different in so many ways, but they perfectly complement each other in the parts that really made. Both are smart, spirited, loyal friends, and practiced magicians. The only small issue I had with the book was the author's choice of writing style. It's done in the third person point of view, which I'm not exactly a fan of. I fully believe that the first person POV is the way to go in almost every case - this one included. I loved the characters of Ada and Corinne, but I think the story would have been even better if it had been written using the first person POV. We get to know the girls pretty well, but not as deeply as the other writing style allows - which I think holds back a real connection with the reader. The other aspects of the book are fantastic - the setting is a great fit for the plot and the main characters, the story line was interesting and pretty unique, and the writing itself was full of vivid imagery and detailed descriptions. It brought the girls' world to life in front of my eyes, which is hard to do with historical fiction. The plot was packed with magic, action, friendship, and obstacles - and kept me on my toes the entire time. I was fully engaged right from the beginning of the novel and ended up reading the whole book in one sitting of a few hours. It's a wonderful story that fans of both historical fiction and fantasy will really enjoy.

A beautiful eye catching cover definitely lures you in, however the story, while promising doesn't really deliver.

LOVED this book! I'm so thankful that more diverse books are being published, and especially with gorgous covers and writing like this one. Loved the setting, especially.

I really wanted to like this book! The kudos I will give are for the kick ass female friendship, the unapologetic unlikeability of one of the main characters, the other biracial lead, and the delicate but not overbearing romances that don't all end beautifully or tragically but actually rather practically through reasoned decision-making. I can see what the author was trying to do in YA here and I think there are a lot of important moves. However, it came off a bit confused and convoluted; the central conceit seemed really cool on the blurb, but a bit sloppy in execution. I could see that the author was trying to interrogate issues of discriminations of race, class, ideology, mental health, disability, ethnicity, and gender but it felt like they were kind of piled on top of each other, too much to really treat thoroughly and sensitively, and a lot of it felt there for the sake of tokenism. I can see what the author wanted to do, and I think it's an important effort but one that altogether didn't quite come off.