The Iron Queen (Iron Fey)

I have loved every book of this series. They are whimsical, fast paced, have interesting characters, good twists and turns, and hold the reader's attention. I have also loved how I can picture all the different areas in my head in great detail, but the author doesn't convey that by being wordy. I don't need a whole page describing the color of green the grass is!

My daughter is 11 and had read one book in her life. She came to work with me one day and was bored so I handed her the first book in the series. Within days, she had read the whole series and is anxiously awaiting the final one. Now she is looking for other young adult paranormal books. As an avid reader, it makes me very happy to finally see her enjoying it too.

I loved this book, my heart seriously broke when Megan was during and she released ash acts he said he will always love her omg I cried, can't wait to read the next book. Ash and Megan have to be together!

Meghan Chase thought she was leaving the Nevernever behind for good. In exile with Ash, the Prince of the Winter Court, Meghan thought she could return home to live with her human family and finally have her own happily ever after.

But she quickly learns that this will be impossible. Fate has other plans for her.

Meghan must return to Faery and accept a quest that is part of her destiny - a journey that will put her life, along with her friends, in jeopardy.

Having already lost her good friend Ironhorse on her previous mission to stop the Iron Realm's expansion, will Meghan be able to handle the responsibility of keeping those most dear to her alive and saving the world she doesn't even want to be a part of?

With an army at her disposal, countless lives on the line willing to risk everything for her and Faery's last hopes riding on her shoulders, will Meghan take up the gauntlet and be the savior that everyone is counting on?

***

The Iron Queen continues the tale of Meghan, Puck, Ash and Grim as they follow the path that destiny has chosen for them. As the battle draws ever nearer, will their efforts be enough to save Faery from being destroyed by the false Iron King? Will they all make it through or will one of them fall along the way?

Author Julie Kagawa is an accomplished story teller. The adventures of Meghan and company are both delightful and suspenseful. And each new story in this series continues to build on the previous one, leaving readers anxious for the next. Ms. Kagawa's telling of the events will bring readers into the story and make them feel as if they are traveling along with the characters every step of the way - making the character's journey their own.

While the first book in the series clearly showed the author's influence from such works as Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (with a little Romeo & Juliet thrown in) and both T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land and Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, over the series' development Ms. Kagawa has truly made this story and its characters her own - one very much worth reading.

When first introduced, Grim so closely resembled the Cheshire Cat, but as the story continued to unfold it became clear he was very much his own cat. And in The Iron Queen, readers will delight in each chapter that he makes a surprise appearance - he is a cait sith after all.

Meghan Chase is a stubborn, feisty and very loyal heroine who looks past everyone's differences to judge them on who, not what, they are, and always tries to see the good in them. Her impulsiveness is balanced out by Ash, her protector and beloved, who with centuries of experience seeks only her safety, and Puck, her best friend, who while also rash, sarcastic and unreliable, is always looking out for her.

This is a fairy tale, filled with love, action and adventure. It is a story and series that will entertain a wide audience - from young teens to adults. While the story is chaste, jealousy, love and heartbreak abound. And Julie Kagawa's writing has not been simplified to grab that younger audience.

While this can be read on its own, it really shouldn't. The previous books set the stage and introduce characters discussed in this book. Coming out in January, The Iron Queen is one that should be added to those "to be read" lists. The next book the series, The Iron Knight will be told by Ash's point of view.

I have really enjoyed reading the Iron King series. The Iron Queen is my favorite so far. I hope there is another book and the story will continue. If you are looking for a YA series with adventure, romance and the fey, look no further. This is the series for you.

OMG I totally love this series. U just.. WOW. So beautifully written, I even teared up a few times (they didn't fall just a little moisture in the eye..maybe 1 lone thug tear fell..maybe). I loved seeing Meghan's growth, her maturity, yes, she had her moments but umm she's only 18, I kept forgetting until she reminded us, Holy crap. I think I would have had a full on melt down with half the crap going on in her life.

I totally knew it from certain clues we were given who exactly the false king was and I was right, How she didn't see it I'll never understand also the packrats were a huge clue that something was up. And the ending.. oh gawds can we talk about the ending. My heart just broke into a million little pieces, just broke.

I'm stunned, thrown for a loop, hurt and afraid to read the next once because can it do the story justice?? Ash's vow just made me love him even more, and broke my heart, all while making a lone thug tear flow. Ironhorse was an amazing character and he was right. I do have a bone to pick with Julie though, in describing Ironhorse she called him a monstrous black man (when you read it you'll know what I mean), yeah no other character was called monstrous why the Black guy?? Everyone else was discussed in terms of their beauty. There were so many other words that could have been used like massive, gigantic, humongous, heck you could have even said "Hella big" if you wanted to get down liek that but monstrous though?? Le Sigh Julie Le Sigh. I'm giving you the side eye from hell Julie. From. HELL O_o

All I know is Thank the book Gods I have the other books in the series. Thank the book gods indeed.
I highly recommend the series. Just awesomesauce and then some.

Happy Reading

3.5 stars

While The Iron Queen was not my favorite book in the Iron Fey series, it was still a good read. The Iron Daughter was the best in the series to date for me, namely because I did not like the ending of The Iron Queen.

Meghan grows up a lot in this book. Gone is the naive human of The Iron King. In her place is a strong, determined heroine who goes after what she wants and what she knows is right. It was great to read about Meghan's strength of character and sureness in her decisions. She starts putting the good of others before her own desires, a trait which is rare to see in YA literature.

What sets this series apart for me is the creativity and imagery. Just the concept of iron fey is so unique and so well done that I look forward to each book to see what Kagawa will come up with next. The imagery of Faery and the way the fey royalty are characterized is excellent. I felt like I was really there with Meghan throughout her journey.

There is a surprise at the end of this book. I did not cry (like many others have said they did) but I did say, "Hah!" kind of loudly as I was reading this book at the gym. Luckily, I don't think anyone noticed because everyone around me had headphones on.

If you have not started the Iron Fey series yet, I would recommend the series as a whole to anyone. They are great reads!

Just One Gripe:
I did not like the way Kagawa handled the climatic ending. The power of Meghan's decision was tempered by the subsequent events.

The Best Thing About This Book:
Beyond the creativity and imagery, Grimalkin is my favorite part of this series. I just love his quirky, snarky character.

Well Hellooo......

Talk about a comeback ! Ok, so I was seriously disappointed in THE IRON DAUGHTER and in Meghan's character.  But after reading THE IRON QUEEN there's hope. I have to say I'm glad I decided to finish reading the series. So THE IRON QUEEN totally kicked butt.

So we left off in THE IRON DAUGHTER with Ash and Meghan choosing to stay together and being exiled from the nevernever. Now Ash and Mehgan know they must move forward since they may never return to the fey world.
But then the least expected thing happens...... The Iron Fey are bringing war to the Summer and WInter fey. And since their all helpless against the Iron fey theres only one person who can help.......MEGHAN.....

The courts offer Meghan and Ash a deal they cannot refuse but at a price that would have any fey or half-fey running away.

THE IRON QUEEN is EPIC and action-packed, with so many heart-wrenching , sobbing, super-fantastic moments, it will blow your mind .

And as for the ending ....this ending gives new meaning to the word cliffhanger...seriously I thought about hiding in my closet , in my robe for a week because i was so depressed . Thank goodness the next book in the series is already available if not I most likely would be hidding out somewhere lol

You will definitely enjoy THE IRON QUEEN

Kagawa returns to the world of the Nevernever with the same approachable, larger than life writing style we’ve come to know and love her for. I enjoyed how Kagawa simultaneously recaps key points up to this point in the series while forwarding the current storyline. The irony in this story is riveting. I liked how the book is divided into parts based on what’s going on at the time. Each part is like a story on its own and they all tie together into something fantastic.

The first person narrative makes you feel like you’re really there, experiencing this all alongside the characters. It also lets readers get up close and personal with Meghan. I felt really close to her by the end of the story. I also found that I understood Ash & Puck much better after this journey with them. I love Grimm’s mysterious yet straightforward manner. Every time he says something it’s vital to the characters, yet he’s also so aloof.

This series just keeps getting better. This novel is definitely more intense and magical than the last, leaving my dying to continue this series that I’d recommend to YA fantasy lovers of all ages.

The last two books were the typical paranormal romance YA fare, with great world building and good writing that could have been a lot more if the story had been better. After a truly torturous read in The Iron Daughter, I went into The Iron Queen with very, very low expectations.

Consider me very happily surprised. This book is good, and not simply because my expectations were low going in. This is what I've wanted from this series from the start, and now that I've got it, I couldn't be happier.

While I still don't entirely buy Ash and Meghan as a couple (and likely never will), they were much more bearable in this book. The useless and irritating angst of the second book is gone, and while I initially feared that Kagawa would make a huge deal out of both of them wanting to have sex but not doing so for no good reason, she manages to deftly avoid making it seem silly and unneeded and instead a very natural part of the story. We aren't beaten over the head with it, and there are enough scenes building up to the logical end of that particular subplot that I was happy with it, even if the timing of said event was hugely cliched and predictable.

When I said The Iron Fey series of being predictable before, I meant it in a bad way. This book is predictable as well, but this time the predictability doesn't ruin the story and Kagawa does actually keep me on edge about something near the end. I wasn't certain of a character's fate for once, and while it did end up the way I expected it to, the fact that she managed to have me worried at all is a huge step up from where we were in the second book, when I knew Ash wouldn't be killed off so I never worried about it.

While the pacing at times does seem a little fast--we cover a lot of days and events in a very short 350 page book--at the very least you aren't bored while reading it. It does know when to slow down, but I do wonder if maybe it could have benefited from being just slightly longer, because the ending does feel a bit rushed.

Some events do need a slight suspension of disbelief to get through, like how, after not even a month of training, Meghan is good enough at fighting to survive multiple battles with only a few scratches. But it was nice to finally see Meghan doing something other than sitting down and whining and needing Ash and Puck to protect her. Maybe that should have started happening in book two to make it more believable (and to have given her more time to learn how to fight properly), but at long as it happened at all I'm a happy camper.

All the characters are finally bearable, and I was glad that they'd all grown up. Looking out over the series as a whole, I can see the development of them all, save for Puck, who seems to be still in the same basic place as he was in the beginning. Meghan herself is the most improved, as I was able to read through this entire book without rolling my eyes at her, which was a relief. It was great to see her finally come into her own.

The last section is by far the greatest, and the point where I crossed from merely enjoying this book to actually truly loving it. The war scenes were great, and I actually teared up at points during the chapters. Instead of irritating me, the final scenes with Ash and Meghan were honestly heartbreaking. If the entire series had been as good as this book and that last section, The Iron Fey would have ended up becoming one of my favourite series.

While it was still predictable and there were some little niggles at times, The Iron Queen is everything I've wanted from this series. I'm excited to start The Iron Knight and see how the particular part of the story ends.

This series just keeps getting better and better! I never would have thought I would enjoy these books as much as I do. Julie Kagawa is an amazing author and her writing style and creation of her world is incredible. This is without a doubt one of the best Young-Adult series I've ever read.

The Iron Queen starts of almost immediately after Meghan and Ash are banished from Nevernever. Which in my personal opinion was a stupid mistake on Mab and Oberon's part, but we'll get to that later. Especially after Meghan had killed the Iron King and oh yes she also returned the Sceptre of Seasons back to the Winter Court, I mean come on! What does a girl have to do, to get some gratitude around here? Alright so now Meghan and Ash are back in the human world and Meghan is looking forward to spending some time with her `mortal' family. But of course, as always, things just do not go as planned. And soon both Meghan and Ash find themselves back in the Realm of the Fey and into the middle of a war that will decide the future of the entire Fey world. And Meghan is the only one who can stop that from anything, no pressure. Now the big question is will she be able to save the Fey and still be with Ash?

The Iron Queen has become my favourite book of the series. I could read it over and over, and I still wouldn't get tired of it. It was also most definitely the most emotional book out of them all. An amazing page turner, that left me at the edge of my seat and could not be put down until I read it all.

This book shows you how much Meghan has truly changed. Both as a Fey and a person. She is most certainly not the naive and innocent little girl anymore, that went to save her little brother in a world so unknown to her. Now she is strong, capable and will do anything to make sure the world of the Fey does not get destroyed, even if it means sacrifcing everything she has, including her life and her love for her beloved Winter prince Ash.

The hate-love relationship between Puck and Ash was also hilarious to read at times. I loved the way they insult each other back and forth, but do so in the same way best friends do among each other. So I am really curious what will happen between them in the next book.

The ending was spectacular and heartbreaking. No seriously, I sat in my reading chair bawling my eyes out when I read the last few chapters. I mean, come on! How can you leave it like that?! There are times when I love a tragic ending to a love story, but this is NOT one of those times, so I am very grateful all loose ends will be solved in the Iron Knight, for which I will have to wait until the Dutch version comes out, because all the Iron Fey books I own are in Dutch and it would kinda suck if the last book was in English because the others are in Dutch. (A little quirk of mine, if I own a series/book in English, all the books belonging to that series have to be in English, same goes for if the series/book are in Dutch)

So to complete my review: The Iron Queen was truly marvelous to read. And so far the best book in the series. So now I am curious to see how all things end in the Iron Knight.

The Iron Queen begins where the Iron Daughter left off. Ash and Meghan have been exiled to the mortal realm and are trying to figure out where to go next. Before the young couple can even figure out what their next move will be in the mortal realm the Iron Fey launch an attack forcing Ash and Meghan to Linnesidhe's. But that is all I will say about the plot! Because this is the third book in the series most of the action builds off the other books and I really don't want to give anything away.

So, I'm not sure if it was because it had been a while since I read the first two books, or what. but I had a hard time getting into this novel. I tried to start it once but ended up putting it off for later and after a few months began reading it. After the first 150 pages though, the novel did pick up and I felt like I was right back in the thick of everything with Ash, Meghan, and Puck.

I like how much growing up Meghan has done since the beginning of this series and I feel like in The Iron Queen she is almost a completely different person then the girl we met in The Iron King. Meghan is now more independent, strong, and willing to fight to save both the NeverNever and the Iron Realm. She is also looking out for what is best for everyone, not just herself, and she is willing to sacrifice everything for the good of Faery.

I also really loved Ash's dedication to Meghan in this novel, even if Meghan did keep throwing wrenches in almost all of Ash's efforts. I knew that Meghan meant something to Ash in the last novel I mean considering he got exiled just for her, but it wasn't until this novel that I really started to believe it. I also heard that in the next book, The Iron Knight, this becomes all the more apparent. Needless to say I'm really excited about reading it!

Overall The Iron Queen was a good third novel in the series and it left me excited to read The Iron Knight. It did start off a little slow, but once the action got going I was really into the story.

SO I have to have a random rant right now....Every time I read this series I listen to a lot of The Strokes. I have absolutely no idea why! I don't even listen to The Strokes very often so that makes it all the weirder. Anyway somehow it has gotten into my head that Ash looks just like Julian Casablancas:

*Contain spoilers if you haven't read the previous books in the series

I have been having a really hard time getting into any YA books, but as with Rachel Vincent's Soul Screammers series, Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey is one I cannot deny and have to read it as soon as possible. Thanks to NetGalley, i was able to read it early.

Iron Queen starts not long after the end of Iron Daughter, with Meaghan and Ash banished to the human realm and Megan on the way to visiting her family after a long time. Ash and Meaghan are ambushed and then realize their fighting is far from over. Now they need to go back to Faery and destroy the false Iron King before he destroy the Seelie and Unseelie world.

I loved Iron Daughter so much that I had a lot of expectations regarding Iron Queen, however, even though I was very pleasantly surprised by where Julie is taking Meaghan and Ash's story, I ruined the experience myself by reading the end before I started the book... I KNOW , I KNOW! Never mind that LOL

Iron Queen is a hell of a ride, non-stop action, Meaghan being a kick-as heroine, Ash being as swoon worthy as usual and Puck being funny and an ass most of the time. Such thrilling adventure, full of surprises and twists that one can't help but be completely fascinated by it!

I really love what Julie is doing with these characters. I love that she doesn't gloss over the hardest parts of being a teenager and has made Meaghan such a real and relatable character, of course with all the paranormal stuff added to it. Julie also doesn't pretend that teenagers don't have sex and is not afraid to write about their feelings and how they deal with such an important step in their lives.

All in all, Iron Queen is a fantastic addition to this completely addictive series and I am so freaking happy that there will be a 4th book. I can't wait to read Ash's story in The Iron Knight!

Originally Posted at Welcome to Larissa's Bookish Life {[...]}

Third in the Iron Fey urban fantasy series for young adults.

My Take
I'm kinda bummed we didn't get to see how Ash and Meghan would cope with the real world, but disappointment fades quickly when they plunge back into the strife of the Nevernever.

I did wonder why Kagawa felt the need to explain writing music, and eventually we found out. I did appreciate Ash's teaching Meghan how to fight, and she does acquit herself rather well.

Lame. Meghan realizes she has Machina's power and the dreams are telling her she needs to learn to use it. Naturally, Meghan avoids learning anything like the plague. God forbid Kagawa should have to give up her big reveal and avoid this particular cliché.

Hmm, interesting discovery of Meghan's control of the gremlins. Too bad it took her so long to figure out it could be useful.

Interesting bit of backstory on Machina and Ferrum.

Oh, please. Puck seriously believes that a simple banner will be enough to denote the difference between the allied Irons and the enemy Irons??

Then there's Meghan poking and denigrating Ash.

On the whole, I enjoyed this story even though a bit of cliché is creeping in as well as some dumb choices on Meghan's part. I certainly have enjoyed Kagawa's creation of the Iron Fey with the uncompromising issues its existence causes for the rest of the fey.

The Story
Banished from the Nevernever, it doesn't take long before Meghan and Ash's presence is demanded back by Oberon and Mab. It didn't take these two tyrants long to realize they were telling the truth.

It's sharp right turn from thinking of college and jobs to having to penetrate the Iron Realm by stealth again, and the gang's all here to help her again.

The Characters
Meghan Chase is half-fae and half-human; her father is Oberon the Summer King. Ethan is the little brother for whom she plunged into the Nevernever a year ago to rescue in The Iron King (Iron Fey, 1). Luke is her stepfather and Ethan's dad. Paul is the father she lost when she was six years old. Beau is the old farm dog, a German shepherd, Luke took to the pound.

Ashallyn'darkmyr "Ash" Tallyn is a former prince of the Unseelie Court, the last son of the Winter Queen, Mab. Deylin is a Winter knight who stands guard over Meghan.

Puck is Robin Goodfellow and a former friend of Ash's. When Meghan learns of the deception he practiced on her, well, he quickly becomes a former friend of hers. Grimalkin is a cait sith---think of the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland.

Glitch, Machina's First Lieutenant, is the leader of the Iron fey who are rebelling against the false king. Diode is Glitch's lieutenant.

Machina is the dead Iron King; Ferrum is the king whom Machina deposed. Meghan killed him in Iron Daughter and a false Iron King has risen up in his place. False because it is Meghan who has Machina's power. Rowan is Ash's brother and a traitor to Winter as he betrayed the Unseelie Court to the Iron King. The Clockmaker is a friend of Ironhorse and can be found in Mag Tuiredh, a Formorian city. Razor is a gremlin who is brave enough to visit Meghan. Spikerail and Coaleater are Ironhorse's progeny, of a sort.

One-Eyed Jack is a redcap leader with a warning for Meghan. The oracle at the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum requires a Token if Meghan truly wants to remember the father she remembers.

The Cover
The cover is shades of pink with the blonde head of Meghan Chase peeking through the pinkening branches and surrounded by pinks-and-white scrollwork.

The title is all about Meghan, The Iron Queen.

The ending of The Iron Daughter saw Ash and Meghan exiled to the Mortal Realm after admitting their love to each other on the battle field in front of both courts. As Oberon said, the Summer and Winter Courts share many things but love isn't one of them.

Meghan now know's her memory she gave was of her mortal father who left when she was six and she's determind to free him from the queen of the exiles and bring him home. Ofcourse deals must be made but now she has Ash nothing seems too far out of reach.

The courts know of the Iron Fey finally and after seeing their effect on the Nevernever they realise the important part Meghan plays in being immune to Iron. With the loyal and determined Puck in tow the trio must once again journey into the Nevernever and the Iron Realm to save all Fey kind from the Iron's advancement over the land.

Puck has admitted his love to Meghan but for her it was always Ash, still he hopes for more and stays at her side no matter what.
Ash has left his Court and family for Meghan and now risks his life once again in the Iron Realm but for Love and not a contract.
Meghan is changing. Her powers are growing just like she is. She's seen so much, learned some hard truths and left her family behind all within one mortal year. This time the fate of the Nevernever all it's people rest on her shoulders.

Puck is a firm favourite of mine and I almost wish he and Meghan could be together but love triangles are there for a reason and both men have qualities that any woman would want. He plays an integral part to the story so glad he's stayed in it even though he know's where Meghan's heart now lyes.

Meghan and Ash are still learning who the other is but one thing their sure of is that they would die for one another. They've battled through hardship and you can really see why they work.

The ending is very bittersweet but not everythings a bed of roses and with Meghans powers being both Summer and Iron her road was never going to be easy.

Very good YA series that isn't predictable and draws you into this beautiful ruthless world.

I was anxious to read this installment in this series as I had heard this was the best book in the series. Sadly, I don't think that is necessarily true. I didn't find it to be any better or worse than all the others I read. In fact, I think it's right on par with the others and that is just fine with me. I am really enjoying reading this series.

Blurb from Goodreads:
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

In this installment of The Iron Fey series we are reintroduced to all the characters we know well: Meghan, Puck, Ash, and Grimalkin. We even get glimpses of Oberon and Mab, even Rowan. And we are introduced to a few new characters and "reintroduced" to ones we never saw coming (although I had an idea in my mind). The characters in this book are consistent. We have the sassiness and stubborness of Meghan. The witty and sarcastic personality of Puck. The coldness of Ash, although he does peak through here with his feelings. And the ever elusiveness of Grimalkin.

The storyline is similar to the other books. The characters brave great odds to get through to the Iron Realm so they can kill the "false king" and restore the Nevernever to what it once was. But they meet many obstacles along the way. And you see the characters changing and growing, becoming closer to one another and revealing feelings. The ending broke my heart.

I knew where the story was going, so on that front I found it a bit predictable. It was obvious where they would eventually end up and what Meghan would have to do in the end. But, despite the predictability, I still wanted to read on to find out how the characters got there. To experience the hurdles they needed to overcome to come out as winners in the end.

All in all I enjoyed this, although I can't say it was much different than the others.
I am really looking forward to reading the next book from Ash's point of view. I really want to get into that boys head!

4 out of 5 star from me.

Original review at Belle of the Literati [...]

"Ash, I've been through Arcadia, Tir Na Nog,
the Briars, the Between, the Iron Realm,
Machina's tower, and the killing fields of Nevernever.
I don't think there's a place capable of freaking me out anymore."
--Julie Kagawa, The Iron Queen

*Whew*...Wow, so another book of the Iron Fey series demolished in a day. I really have a knack for finding ways to spend my time productively if I do say so myself *brushes shoulder off*. The third book in Julie Kagawa's series was amazing! We begin with Meghan and Ash in the mortal realm with Meghan trying to return to her family. Obviously things do not go as planned and with the Iron Fey still on the loose and the false king continuing to threaten Meghan's life, the gang is thrust back into the Faery world...so much for banishments being forever, right? *Warning: This being book 3 and all, if you have not read it (WHICH YOU SHOULD GO DO SO RIGHT NOW) there are minor spoilers in the next paragraph...you've been warned.

I. Love. This. Series. All my Iron Fey friends, I cannot say this enough. THANK YOU! And THANK YOU for telling me about it after all the books were already out because I could NOT have waited in between books. Seriously. My favorite part of the book?...Clearly watching Ash and Meghan become closer. Their bond and stubborn understanding of one another made my heart melt. Ash makes me swoon for a year of Sundays. Hot damn, where can I find me a faery ice prince?! Life just isn't fair, is it? Of course not, anyways! The end of The Iron Daughter with those two words spoken by Ash...you all know what I'm talking about...made my heart want to burst. In addition to that, the whole idea of becoming her knight and champion gave me chills. It is just so heartfelt and emotional and endearing all at once. I am old-fashioned. The thought of a man wanting to protect you and sacrifice himself all for you and your honor makes me require the assistance of those fainting couches...*swoon*. I would be lying if I said I didn't shed a few years. *Collective aw is appropriate about...now* The kneeling, the vow, the True Name, gah! I LOVE LOVE LOVED IT ALL!

Ya know what else I loved? Whenever Meghan and Ash did get in a little tiff, they let each other cool off and (here's the shocker) actually talked rationally about it. I never had the feeling of rage where I wanted to strangle a book character because they didn't just speak the truth or say what is on their mind. Meghan and Ash always came back to each other to explain previous motives and once that happened the other person understood. Beautiful. Rational, mature conversations...let's be real that does not happen often with a lot of books. I never doubted them for a second. That was refreshing, too. There wasn't any wavering, Meghan came to terms pretty quickly as to her feelings with Puck and Ash kept the meltdown to a minimum. *sigh* Finally, some people that can listen and speak competently.

I was completely enthralled with Meghan's growth throughout the series. She went from quiet and weak and unsure of herself to this courageous, confident, force of a woman to be reckoned with. I think she is just awesome. She is a fantastic example of a strong female character and somebody I would want to be friends with. Kick-ass bitch, seriously (excuse my language). Her strength and courage and quick thinking drove the entire plot of the book and I just couldn't put this book down. She might be a top ten favorite female character of mine...thank goodness that Top Ten Tuesday was awhile ago, some people would have been booted.

The entire book was phenomenal...right down to the ending. If I did not know there was a fourth book I would be ridiculously slightly more irritated but I know there is another book so I can breath a little more calmly for a moment...until I start the next book :)

But in all seriousness, the ending was unbelievable. I laughed, I cried, I cursed the world for a few minutes, but if I'm being honest it was near perfect...and realistic :) This was an amazing semi-conclusion to the Iron Fey series and words cannot describe my excitement for Ash's story and adventure next....k, I'm gonna go read now <3

After postponing reading The Iron Queen for what seemed like the longest time, I finally buckled down, pulled it from my shelf, and settled in with it.

And you know what? I'm happy I did, because it makes a great conclusion to the Iron Fey series.

But I hear your little voices now. "But what about The Iron Knight?" "Yeah, that's the fourth one!" No, stop talking, I don't want to hear it.

Would I love The Iron Knight if I read it? Probably. It's all Ash and Puck and Grimalkin from what I've heard, and I've come to love all three of those characters. It'd be fun to see them go off on another adventure and do their thing and see where they all end up. But I think - just this once - I'd rather use my imagination.

It's because The Iron Queen ended just the way I would have loved it. In fact, the entire book ended the way I would have wanted the series. I can't help but think of The Iron Knight as an unnecessary add on to all of that.

See, for the first time since the books started, I loved Meghan. I always liked Megan, but I never really loved her, not until now. She finally buckled down and realized there was more to worry about in her life than the tragic love triangle between her and Puck and Ash.

She learns to fight; she learns to control her magic; she takes on faeries she used to be terrified of and wins; she doesn't let anybody stop her. She doesn't hide behind Puck or Ash. She gets her ass out into the front of the battle and fights and finally, everybody, Meghan Chase has come into her own!

And the ending was so perfect, so poignant, and I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't read the book yet. (Though, to be fair, that's very few of you.) But I thought it was flawless. It showed so much character development on everybody's parts and left for the chance of happy endings without making it seem silly or cliche.

If you couldn't tell, I loved it. It had its moments where I groaned a little - come on, you can't have a love triangle without having its super cheesy moments - but I did love it.

Point of View: 1st person, following Meghan. There is an Epilogue at the end which is from Ash's POV

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."

Christine
Rainy Day Reads

I really loved how author Julie Kagawa, continued the book straight from where book 2 'The Iron Daughter' finished and we didn't have to wait long at all to be thrown back into another amazing adventure with our beloved characters from the previous books.

I was thrilled to bits to see Grim back and up to the same tricks once again. I was also surprised to see that Meghan had grown up, was more brave than she was in the previous books and by the end of the book, I liked book 3 Meghan the best. We also got to meet a few new characters in The Iron Queen. One of them was a iron gremlin called 'Razor'. I just adored this character, so much. Razor was so funny and brought so much life to the chapters he was apart of. I am truly a Razor fan now. I just hope we get to see more of Razor, in future iron fey books.

The world Julie has created for the Iron Fey series just leaps off the pages with such ease, with every book I have read so far and the The Iron Queen is no exception with such a great mixture of adventure, romance, suspense, heart breaking moments, bravery, friendship, humour and sacrifices. I must warn reader's, that the ending is one of those heart breaking moments that you will be in need of some tissues for your tears. I was a sobbing mess and had to wipe tears from my eyes every few lines, just so I could continue to keep reading. Oh and I have another warning for my reader's. I suggest you have the next book 'The Iron Knight' ready and waiting or you might find your self go a bit crazy waiting. Thankfully I started The Iron Knight the very next day.

So after reading The Iron Queen (The Iron Fey - Book #3) by Julie Kagawa. I have decided to give it a 5 star rating and I recommend this book, for reader's who have already read and enjoyed the first 2 books or for anyone who is looking for a new series to start, that is action packed, with some romance thrown in and some very good characters that will keep you reading until the very end.

Where do I begin with this amazing series? This was another that sat on my to read list for far too long before I finally had the chance to pick them up. I have to thank my lovely friend Touya from The Reader's Garden for badgering me until I was completely enthralled with just the idea of reading these books. I devoured all four volumes in a week. Then I went and read all the novellas, (yes, out of order, sorry guys). I couldn't pause between books to see which one went where. That was last month and even with my busy reviewing schedule for the blog I am currently re-reading The Iron King. I was already experiencing withdrawal from Julie Kagawa's brilliance.

The Iron Fey series is written by the fantastically talented Julie Kagawa and consists of four full length novels (The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, The Iron Queen and The Iron Knight) and three novellas (Winter's Passage, Summer's Crossing and Iron's Prophecy). It is centered around 16-year-old Meghan Chase as she learns about her true heritage and is pulled into the Nevernever to save her brother and finds herself immersed in the surreal landscape of the fey.

This series is the complete package; it has everything you could possibly hope to find in a book. We have a strong willed, loyal female lead in Meghan. Ash more than fills the role of the oh-so-swoon-worthy yet deadly prince. Puck is the consummate best friend and prankster, cracking jokes while always having Meghan's back. And of course, we cannot forget the seemingly all-knowing guide/ally, Grimaulkin, who just happens to be a cat. There are more than enough villain types to go around as well.

This series is emotionally charged and pulses with danger and suspense. I found myself completely drawn in from the very beginning and it still hasn't let me go. Julie Kagawa has created this beautifully terrifying universe and populated it with interesting and dynamic characters that will ensnare your heart and mind. I am very glad I waited until all four books were released before reading it-honestly, I don't know how I would have survived the wait between books. I am very excited about the spin off series ( tune in later on this week for my review of The Lost Prince!)

Do you love stories of the fey, laughing, crying, being terrified and excited all at the same time? If so, this series is tailor made for you. The Iron Fey is a powerhouse production, completely enchanting and highly addictive; I dare you to read it and not love every moment. ~Mel

SPOILERS...warnings...and addendum...AHEAD: I'm going to do my best not to spoil anything however one thing is unavoidable and I don't see how you could have read the first two books and not know who she'd choose. Some of my observations are not just about this book but about the series as a whole as having just read all three books in less than a month, I've been living in this world and there are parts that stand out that were integral to how I felt on this journey, which may not have occurred in this book but in one of the others. If you don't want to know, then DON'T read further. I spill the beans...at least some of them. Just a couple really.

A great series should have and is most satisfying when it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. This sounds simplistic but you'd be surprised how many authors get lost on their own journey and forget to tie up the loose threads. As much as you love it and don't want it to end, it is always best when at least that part of the journey completes. It provides closure. Even if it takes back up again, the ride you were on, that cycle needs to complete itself.

I just finished the third book of Kagawa's excellent Y/A Fae series and I have such mixed emotions. Even though I have heard that there will be another book entitled " Iron Knight", this truly felt like a series ender and was all the more poignant because of it.

Meghan Chase has come a very long way in a year. She's gone from being the petulant pig farmer's step-daughter who didn't fit in and was bullied at school, to earning and owning her Fae heritage and responsibilities. From finding out her Father Charles, wasn't really her dad, King Oberon of the Summer Faery's was. The man who raised her until she was six and then disappeared was actually captured by the Faery's and had lost his mind playing the piano endlessly for an ex-pat Faery muse.
A major part of this story is Meghan's quest is to rescue him and hopefully remind him of who she is and was to him in his previous life. This part of the book was beautiful, slow and touching.

There was a surprising betrayal that took awhile to deal with. The Ice prince who tried to kill her in two books on the other hand has become her true love. Her best friend from grade school turns out to be Puck from Faery and he of course is in love with her too, and he is NOT happy she has chosen to fall in love with his best frenemy, Ash. See, Meghan is a Summer Faery as is Puck, and Ash is a Winter Prince. Both sides of the fence would probably threaten them with dire consequences (summer and winter do NOT treat) but they are too busy fighting the False Iron King. For Summer and Winter to fight side by side, you know things are dire.

Much as she tried to avoid it, and as horrible as most from Faery treated her, it seems in order to save the world the two men in her life are from as is she, she's has to fight yet another Iron King. It is the only way to remove the writ of exile upon herself, Puck and Ash, and the only hope of Faery as it is being poisoned by the Iron Fey. To put it mildly, the combined army's of Winter and Summer are getting their asses kicked.

I started reading this series with some serious trepidation. I've been working for a year on a Young Adult Fantasy and I was worried it might be too close to this great series and I didn't know what to make of that. I still don't. My mother said, "It isn't like there can only be one vampire story so why should there only be able to be one Teen Faery story." Honestly, it's discouraging and inspiring to read something this good in an area you are writing.

Regardless, here are my thoughts. I enjoyed Iron Queen thoroughly. It was one of the more satisfying books I've read in a long time. I didn't cry, and I wasn't all worked up emotionally over the ending because despite the sacrifices that were made, I don't think it's over. Just this part is over.

Meghan Chase as a character had grown substantially. She went from being understandably lost and confused and doing what she was told, in essence being a pawn, to owning her power and taking responsibility for her actions and it was great to watch her become a Queen, especially after the crappy way Summer and Winter have both treated her. It was like they all kicked her around but when it was time to save their asses, they had no problem sending Meghan and her compatriots in for what looked very much like a suicide mission.

There isn't as much action in this book, but the time spent reflecting before the battles did not feel forced, it felt right. Given everything she's been through it felt honest for her to take a time out and really think about what she was feeling and why, and the action when it came was beautifully written and excited as hell.

So many books I read just have their characters careening from one event to another to another with no real emotional consequences for what they have experienced. When this happens, their characters often begin to behave in odd ways as if even in fiction, you can't help but have some trauma. Without the time to process, what they've gone through it becomes hard to buy into their angst. If the time isn't spent working through the past pain, if the pacing is off, it can come off as either too superficial in which case you don't care, or it can feel too overly dramatic, in which case you roll your eyes.

Kagawa lead us through this book with a steady hand. There was time spent forgiving; bonding, remembering, and reflecting before the characters faced their biggest battle yet and folks it was an epic battle. I'd put it up there with C.S.S. Lewis. Maybe not Lord of the Rings but it was intense. There were painful betrayals, choices made on forgiveness, even Mab shed a tear at one point.

I will say that one thing that seemed a little off for me was how little the former followers of Machina felt anger towards her for killing him. I never really understood that. Also, Machina is pretty damn forgiving as well (for being a memory/ghost whatever) All though we are told over and over that Faery's have no souls, Machina sure stuck around at least in her dreams. At one point, she literally rallies the good Iron Fey troops by invoking Machina's name which I thought was pretty odd, given she killed him.

I've never really bought the love triangle so her choice didn't surprise me. The love she felt for Ash hasn't ever really worked for me, but finally here at the end, I bought it. Although I think Puck deserved better then he got, I also could have done with a little less of his "sneering" "leering" and "Jeering". For some reason, that seemed to be the repertoire for Puck's behavior, through a period of the book. At the same time, I don't want to dismiss the pain he felt. I believed his pain, I just wish he hadn't sneered, jeered and leered so much. I also didn't really believe that Meghan felt real pain for having led him on. I think that part of the journey could have been developed more in the last book, it would have made the choice less evident and more conflicted if there had been more intensity of emotion between them and not just a revenge kiss. As painful as it was for Puck to be around them, and you could feel the jealousy, I admired his choice to stand and fight beside her and Ash even more, knowing he had lost her heart but remained her friend and was willing to die fighting for her.

Ash finally came somewhat alive for me as a character and not just an Edward clone in Faery clothing. He felt much more three dimensional in this book and I'm glad the author didn't wimp out on the adult situation in the story. It was beginning to feel forced by it not happening, and I felt the way it was addressed was appropriate.

There was so much creativity in the world building of this series. I really felt the way Kagawa took the old legends and myths and added technology to it, was amazing and felt very Alice in Wonderland to me. This book might not have been as exciting, there wasn't the nonstop action as in others of the series, but the ending paid off in a huge way. While the choices may have been heartbreaking, they were what took it to another level. I will re-read all of them and I would recommend them highly to anyone of any age who enjoys a great Y/A fantasy with a romance. I don't do ratings, but if I did...this would be a 4 1/2 out of 5 for the entire series as a whole. This may cause me to get death threats, but the Iron Fey series, kicks Twilight's ass.