Book Review | The Iron Trial by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare

I've been hearing people gush over both Holly Black and Cassandra Clare since I got back into reading this year, but to be quite honest, I had never read anything by either author! Lucky for me, I was approved on NetGalley to read and review an advanced eBook of the pair's new book, The Iron Trial. This is the first book in a new, middle grade series called the Magisterium. Once I heard magic was involved, I couldn't wait to read it!

The Iron Trial follows Callum Hunt, a 12-year-old boy who grew up with his dad. Call knows there is something different about his family, as his dad always tells him about the dangerous war that killed his mother. This war took place between the mages, magical people who can control the elements. Call is now faced with the difficult task of failing The Iron Trial – the test all magic-prone kids must take to determine whether or not they will be accepted to the magic school called the Magisterium. Call does everything he can to fail this test, but, of course, things don't go quite according to plan and Call is ripped away from his dad to try and learn the ways of the mages. Readers follow Call as he adapts to life in the Magisterium, and tries to determine whether it is the dangerous place his father warned him it would be.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Iron Trial, but before I get into my personal thoughts I do want to address the Harry Potter comparisons. There are many elements of The Iron Trial that reminded me of Harry Potter, but I hesitate to say the are copied. Because both of these series take place in magical worlds, there is bound to be some overlap. Do I think certain choices were interesting based on the Harry Potter connection? Yes. But the overall story in The Iron Trial is so different from Harry Potter that I do not think it is a copycat novel. Instead, I liked reading a book with Harry Potter influences because that's one of my all-time favorite series. I would definitely recommend it for Harry Potter fans!

Moreover, The Iron Trial a fun and easy read, but it's an unpredictable one. I never knew which way the story was going to go, and that made me want to keep reading. The story flowed quite well, and all of the surprising elements made logical sense in hindsight. I think The Iron Trial is perfect as the first book in a series. The world-building was done very well, and I loved how the authors set up the story for the next book. I am really impressed with The Iron Trial and can't wait for the next book to be released!

I highly recommend The Iron Trial for readers of all ages, especially those who love fantasy and magic. It is well-written and imaginative, and just tons of fun. Of course, I gave it a 5 star rating on Goodreads. You can purchase The Iron Trial on Amazon HERE. As always, if you've read this book please let me know your thoughts in the comments!

I received this book from NetGalley to review. I use Amazon Affiliate links so you can find the books I mention easily. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Broadway | The Cripple of Inishmaan with Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe has returned to Broadway to star in The Cripple of Inishmaan, and I couldn't wait to see the show. If you've followed OpenLetter2NYC since it's early days, you'll know that I saw Daniel in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying twice because I absolutely loved his performance. The Cripple of Inishmaan is nothing like How to Succeed, but if there's a chance to see DanRad onstage, I will be there.

This play takes place in rural Ireland in the early 20th Century. Daniel is Billy, a young man born a cripple who lives with his two aunts. When the town gossip Johnnypateen tells Billy that a film is being cast on a nearby island, Billy joins his neighbors in traveling to the set in an attempt to be cast in the film. In order to not spoil the plot, I'll end my summary of the show there, but know that this play is a great, dark comedy that will make you laugh and touch your heart as well.

The Cripple of Inishmaan has an unpublicized, general rush policy with tickets at $37 each. My friend graciously waited in line at the theatre for us, and we scored front row seats! I happened to be sitting in seat 102, which meant that Daniel sat directly in front of me for much of the show. It was great! I recommend getting to the theatre by at least 7:00am on show day if you want a chance at the front row. It is definitely worth the wait! Be aware that the stage at this play is quite high, so you will have to crane your neck a bit, and you might miss out on some of the action. I love being up close and personal with the actors, so I don't mind the somewhat-partial view. Note: if you don't want to get any raw egg on you, the front row is not the place for you!

As you may have imagined, the Stage Door experience was absolutely crazy. The barricades were completely filled up by the time we made it out the doors of the theatre, but I was still able to snap a couple photos of Daniel as he signed Playbills and took selfies with those at the front of the barricades. Yes – the man took selfies. By the time my friend and I fought our way to the front, Daniel signed one more autograph and got into his patiently waiting car. I may or may not have screamed "NO!!" when he got in the car..... alright, I was disappointed. But hey, at least I live in NYC and can head to the theatre again before the show closes. For those of you wondering, third time is not always the charm!

While I'm not usually a huge fan of plays (musicals are just my thing), The Cripple of Inishmaan was a wonderful Broadway experience! The entire cast puts on an amazing performance, and it really is an honor to see Daniel Radcliffe in person. In addition to the general rush policy, The Cripple of Inishmaan is offering $27 tickets as well in order to give more people the opportunity to see a Broadway show. All details can be found on the show's official website HERE. The Cripple of Inishmaan is playing at the Cort Theatre until July 20, 2014.

P.S. I'll be back for my selfie, DanRad. I'll be back!

Off-Broadway | Potted Potter

I finally had the chance to return to the theatre today to see Potted Potter off-broadway. While my last off-broadway experience was so bad that I had just about ruled out off-broadway altogether, I was able to get Potted Potter tickets for such an amazing price that I couldn't help but go. Plus, as a huge Harry Potter fan I'm pretty much always up for things HP related, and that includes theatre parodies. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Potted Potter, and wanted to share a bit of my experience for those who want to know more about the show. 70 minutes. 7 books. 2 guys. That pretty much sums up Potted Potter! But seriously, be ready for a two-man show that tells the story of Harry Potter in just over an hour (nope, there's no intermission, but you really don't need one). The show is quite lighthearted, and perfect for families. It's silly enough that kids will love it, but there are just enough inside jokes that serious HP fans will be cracking up throughout the show. Potted Potter also has some interactive moments, but nothing too embarrassing for audience members. Overall, the show left me with a smile, and I felt as though my time was well spent. Now even though I thoroughly enjoyed the show, just a heads up -- there is really no reason to be spending full price on these tickets. It really isn't worth $79.99. You can get $20 off tickets by shopping from Theatermania HERE, or stop by TKTS for discounted tickets as well (today tickets were 50% off!). If you get a great deal, you will definitely enjoy the show a lot more! To learn more about Potted Potter, stop by the official website HERE.

Broadway | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

This morning I waited in line for two hours to get a $30 rush ticket to see How to Succeed on broadway starring Daniel Radcliffe. I normally only arrive at the theater about 30 minutes ahead of the box office opening, but after seeing the line at Catch Me If You Can yesterday when I got there an hour early, I knew I had to get there way ahead of time to see DanRad. Imagine my surprise when I show up and there are about 15-20 people ahead of me. I was so nervous! Should I wait? Should I leave? Three people in front of me bailed soon after I got there. Luckily, when noon rolled around I had my ticket in my hand. I was sitting in the fourth row, and although it was stamped "partial view" I could see everything just fine. 

As the show was about to begin, I could not have been more excited. I was literally trembling (of course, the air conditioning was freezing in the theater). I had no idea that the show I was about to see would leave me smiling for hours after I left the theater. How am I supposed to sum up for you how amazing this show was? Let me put it this way-- Harry Potter who?! Seriously, Daniel did a phenomenal job. Okay, so he's not the best singer in the world, but his voice is pleasant enough. Everyone knows he is a great actor, but now he has proven he is one outstanding performer. Daniel and the cast of How to Succeed with entertain you to the fullest.

Daniel plays J. Pierrepont Finch, a young window washer who quickly rises to the top in a powerful corporation thanks to a how-to guide. I cannot stress to you how fun this show is. The dancing, the music, the extravagant set-- it all is put together so perfectly. I keep asking myself, "Would I still love this show if Dan didn't play the lead?" And you know what, while it would still be fabulous, it just wouldn't be the same. He is made for this role. Daniel is so charming and talented. He interacts wonderfully with the rest of the cast, his dancing is rather impressive, and, most of all, he is really enjoying myself. My absolute favorite moment in the show was during one of the last numbers called "Brotherhood of Man." This scene in itself is a huge, powerful moment, but I caught something that made me see that Dan is having the time of his life up there. Dan did a fancy maneuver (not sure if it was a somersault or what) but he landed facing the actor who plays the chairman of the board of the company he works for. When those two made eye contact, Dan was absolutely beaming. He wasn't just smiling for the sake of the show-- he was truly having a blast. 

I really do not want to put Dan's performance on a higher lever than the rest of the cast's because that is definitely not true. Everyone-- from the other lead actors to the members of the ensemble-- is so talented. I can't begin to explain the amazing time I had at How to Succeed. If you go to see one show this season, make it this one. Just remember to get there very early if you want rush tickets. No matter what, it will definitely be worth the wait.