The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
Release Date – October 25, 2011
Publisher – HarlequinTeen
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 386 pages
My Rating- 9.5/10
**obtained from Netgalley and HarlequinTeen for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn.
I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.
My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

It’s always hard to say goodbye. As readers we come to love characters, especially if part of a series. I discovered this wonderful series a little late, but ended up loving it just the same. I had a feeling reading this would be bitter sweet, and I was right.

This book does have a different feel than the others in this series. It’s told from Ash’s point of view, and his character truly comes alive. The ice prince is more vulnerable and we learn a lot about him. I love that even though we know quite about Ash (and Puck) that there are still things to learn.

Julie’s writing, as always, is action packed, engrossing and so vivid. She manages to capture the voice of Ash and make him fully come alive. She blends humour, with heart stopping action perfectly. The world she has built is simply enchanting and so fully described that you feel as if you are in the NeverNever.

Our favourite characters are back. Puck is his sarcastic, fun self. The interaction between Puck and Ash was some of my favourite in the novel. Grim is one of my favourite characters. Our last glimpse of Grim in this novel is perfect for the final book in this series. We are introduced to a few new characters during Ash’s story. I really enjoyed The Wolf. He and Grim made me a laugh a few times.

The only thing I could say was missing was Meghan. I missed her. I wanted to find out what was going on with her. I liked her in the previous novels, but was surprised to find how much I missed having her point of view.

Be prepared to laugh, gasp, sit on the edge of your seat, and even cry as you follow Ash along his path. All of the characters have you wishing for some form of happily ever after for them, and it’s because of this that you are so invested. Ash’s journey and decisions are not easy, and as a result this story packs an emotional punch.

The Iron Knight was the best ending possible for these characters. I am hopeful that this is just a “see you later” rather than a permanent goodbye. I have a feeling we may see some of our favourite characters again in spin offs that Julie may have planned. I will be most happy to welcome them back.

Iron King (Iron Fey # 1) by Julie Kagawa

The Iron King (Iron Fey series book 1) by Julie Kagawa
Release Date – February 1, 2010
Publisher – Harlequin Teen
Pages - 363
My Rating- 9/10

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

I resisted picking this up for so long. I am not really sure why. I finally gave in and I am so glad I did.

This book hooked me right from the beginning. I was immediately drawn into the world that Julie has created. The world of the Summer and Winter fey courts were so vividly described that I could picture them completely. I am all about the Winter Court. It sounds so beautiful (although too cold) and it has Ash. The Summer Court is also beautiful in it’s own way. I love the contrast between the two.

The characters are amazing. Meghan is a fantastic heroine. She’s tough, is willing to protect the people she loves, and is no damsel in distress. She also has soft side that is romantic, and girly. I liked the balance.

Her friend Rob/Puck is great too. Funny, full of charm and loyal. I am looking forward to seeing more of him in the next books. Ash..sigh. The Winter Prince is very swoon worthy. I am hoping that Meghan find a way to melt his icy heart a little and we get some more hot kissing scenes. He is one of the main contenders for my next “Hot Boys in Books” post. I do get a slight “triangle” vibe with maybe Puck liking Meghan as well. I am curious to see if I am correct. I love Grim as well. He made me laugh quite a bit. It was nice to have his comic relief throughout the book.

The love story that is developing is nice because it’s on an instant love. It’s taking time to build and an actual connection is being developed.

I liked how technology and mythology were tied into the story. It was different and not what I was expecting when I started the book. The tying in of Midsummer Night's Dream was also a great touch. I love Shakespeare so that just made this novel even more fantastic.

This is a fantastic start to a series that I should have started A LONG time ago. I can’t wait to start Iron Daughter and luckily I have it already! Pick up this series if you haven’t already!