Review: The Iron Queen

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

Title: The Iron Queen (The Iron Fey ~ Book 3)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publication Date: January 25 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
ISBN:  0373210183
Length: 358 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: I like that they have continued with the swirls, it is easy to see the books are part of a series.
Point of View: 1st person, following Meghan. There is an Epilogue at the end which is from Ash's POV

My Rating: 5 Stars

Now this is what I was talking about... I have very much enjoyed this series but the other books just lacked something that I could not put my finger on.  But then came The Iron Queen and I was so happy with what I was reading and how the story was progressing.  I feel quite comfortable giving it five stars! 

It is quite difficult to write a review of a book in the middle of a series without giving something away from the previous books. I won't be hiding this review under a massive spoiler tag so please just use this as a warning.  I will try my best not to give too much away.

As with the other books in the Iron Fey series this picks up almost exactly where the previous book left off.  We find Ash and Meghan in the mortal world, recently banished from the Nevernever, on their way to see her family but without quite knowing how their relationship is going to work in the 'real world'.  Will she go back to school? Will Ash go to school? What about college and jobs?  Yeah I don't think they thought this through...  Luckily it doesn't matter as all too soon Meghan is attacked by the Iron Fey and she realizes she is not going to escape the Faery world and that if she goes home it will just be to bring the Iron Fey to her family's doorstep.

Meghan must learn to fight and use her glamour which Ash and Puck are there to help her do. Then the Summer and Winter court come calling for her help as they believe she is the only one that can stop the false Iron King as he advances on the Nevernever.  So off they all go again, back to where they have been banished to try to save everybody.

I was disappointed in Meghan in book two but I have to say she stepped up her game here.  She was strong (for the most part) and made some really difficult decisions on her own.  She finally brought Puck up to speed on how she feels about Ash so that he can finally move on.  Well... not really move on because he does love her deeply and he has done for many, many years.  So moving on will be a slow process but he does understand and there were some touching moments where he realizes that he needs to step aside because his two friend's happiness is worth a lot to him.  I also fell for Ash a bit more... I always liked him but before this book I was kinda rooting for Puck.  I am much happier for Meghan and Ash to be together now.  He has grown a lot and I feel I understand him more now.

Make no mistake that this book is jam packed with action!  There is only really one section where it is a bit slower but even that was not s-l-o-w...  There is a huge battle and also a lot of side battles that take place so I never felt bored and in fact I read the book in one day so that just shows I really couldn't put it down.

I just realized that the next novella, Summer's Crossing is told from Puck's point of view which I am really excited to read.  Also, from what I can tell from the Synopsis of The Iron Knight it appears to be from the point of view of Ash which will be a welcome change.  Would love to see what is really going on in that icy heart of his...

“Fairy godmothers didn't exist, and even if they did, they wouldn't wave a magic wand and make everything better.  (Not without a contract, anyway.)  Besides, I had something better than a fairy godmother; I had my faery knight, my faery trickster, and my faery cat, and that was enough.”

MORE QUOTES FROM THE IRON QUEEN