The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
Release Date - October 29, 2013
Publisher Website - HarlequinTeen
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 342 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**obtained for review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as normal as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for; his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, normal simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Julie Kagawa may just be the queen of ripping out reader's hearts. The Iron Traitor once again mixes romance, action, fey and heart crushing moments to move her Call of the Forgotten series into overdrive.

Ethan continues to grow on me. A reluctant hero who is being dragged into the fey's mess. He only wants a quiet life where he is left alone. He allows himself to be dragged in though. Is it because he truly cares for Megan and therefore her family, or is something else going on? We, once again, get to see how much is truly destined in these tales. Ethan being involved in fey business is never by chance, and I appreciated how Julie ties everything together.

Kenzie is the voice of reason. The voice we all want as readers in the story. She cares deeply for Ethan and their romance is one of the sweetest I've read. Here is a boy whose built up walls, is abrasive, but is not a jerk to Kenzie. She sees the true Ethan underneath, the one who doesn't have to hide, and manages to bring him out. They support each other. Of course, Kenzie's illness is never far from their minds, or ours either. It's heartbreaking that Ethan has found something good in his life, and for her to be torn away much to soon seems unfair. I hope that there is a magical cure or something.

Keirran is a lot like Ash. He loves Annwyl. We get to see what he is willing to do in order to save her. This chain reaction of fading fey that we witnessed in the first part of this series has severe consequences. We see the natural progression, and panic that is seeping into these fey. Keirran's story is very much woven into the mystery of how the fey got this way, and how to save not just Annwyl, but all of the fading fey.

As usual the ending left me breathless, and anxious to get my hands on the next installment. Julie's taken something that could be expected, and made it still shocking. The theme of love and how far you're willing to go for those you care for is the cornerstone of this novel. It allows us to see the contrast between Ethan and Keirran. Two men who will both lose their loves, but deal with it in very different ways. It leads to an interesting dynamic, and a cataclysmic ending.

Julie Kagawa has successfully bridged these two series together in a way that I was not expecting. This is much more than a spin-off as everything directly relates to the previous series. Intense, romantic, and Ethan Chase is quickly growing on me. If you've loved Julie's previous books be sure to pick this one up.