The Iron King (The Iron Fey #1)

absolutely LOVED this book!!

The scene with Meghan's little brother was so creepy I had to check under my bed! The thing with the dog completely broke my heart. The beginning of the adventure felt well motivated with good twists and turns. The author's writing style was super enjoyable to read, a real page-turner. She's definitely one of my favourites.

Puck was hilarious! I'd get sick of him and his pranks in real life but I loved reading about him and his antics. I liked the use of a well-known character, it made him feel like a fuller character. The same goes for other well-known characters used. Grimalkin seemed very similar to The Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland which instantly made me like him. As I got to know him I loved his snarky attitude especially paired with Puck.

At first, I found Ash to be a total prick but over the course of the book he won me over. The romance between him and Meghan felt natural, not forced like many romances. Plus, the whole forbidden love angle made it even more addicting!

The frightening faeries and creatures were an interesting take on the usual gentle faeries. It felt more in line with the original faeries tales, where faeries were bloodthirsty creatures not to be trusted. Meghan's adventure was an epic trek throughout the entire Nevernever with several unexpected twist and turns. I can not wait to read the rest of the series!

Meghan Chase is just like any normal teenage girl, though she is picked and/or ignored by her classmates, she has only one friend, Rob, though on her sixteenth birthday day, she finds out he is not who she thought he was. He is Puck, the Puck from the stories. He becomes her guide when her little brother Ethan is stolen. Into the Nevernever she goes and comes to find out that she isn't who she thought she was. She is the daughter of the King of the Seelie court and others will want to use her as a pawn. Along the way she meets Ash, the drool worthy Prince of Winter. And through a contract they become allies and even more.

So, this book was just epic, I found myself laughing, screaming (inside my head only), and squealing. There is lots of action as is custom from Julie Kagawa and a tiny bit of romance which I hope picks up more in the following books. I've heard a lot of people say that won't touch this book because it has fairies and they hate fairies but I love fairies and this book was amazing! It didn't start out slow and the characters felt real and were likable (not the bad guys obviously).

This was a great way to kick off a series, how could you not want to pick up the next book with that kind of cliffhanger? You're left dying to know what Ash is going to let happen to Meghan after all they've been through. Will he let his mother, The Queen of Winter use her for her own gain? I can't wait to find out!

The characters in this book literally shine off the page! Meghan and Puck (Robbie) have this easy banter between the two of them that makes the book a delight to read from the very first page. I was reminded of friends that I have the same type of relationship with, and there were times when I giggled out loud! It really made me invest myself in their story, which is so important to my enjoyment of a book. Plus, I must say that Meghan is one fiery heroine! Her courageous "never say die" attitude allows her to take her place in the ranks of my all time favorite female protagonists, and trust me, it's hard it get in there.

After reading so many different versions of the land of the fey, of the Summer and Winter courts, I was a bit afraid that this book would blend into the others. Faerie books are rather popular, and sometimes they blur at the edges. Can I say, I had absolutely nothing to worry about! Julie Kagawa manages to create a whole new faerie story where nothing is what you expect it to be. She throws new elements into the well worn land of the fey and I cannot say enough how much I loved reading all about NeverNever! Terrifying and beautiful at the same time, I almost wish I could find a portal into this land. Especially if it meant I could have Grimalkin as a guide. Who would have thought I'd ever fall so in love with a cat?

Now, now I know you're reading this review and wondering out loud "Well where does she stand on the Puck vs. Ash debate?" but hold on, I'm getting to that! It's just a matter of explaining to you what I love about each of them. Puck is funny, he's wild and one of those characters who just oozes charisma without even trying. On the opposite side of the spectrum (or love triangle if you will?) is the cold, hard, and yet still deliciously attractive Ash. My final verdict? I can not seem to choose! I love them both equally. I'll admit I am leaning a bit towards the Team Puck side, but I have yet to read The Iron Daughter so we will see. Oh yes, we will see.

Without a doubt this was one of my favorite reads of this month! Julie Kagawa is an amazing writer, and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us in the next installment. More Meghan, more Puck and more Ash....what could be better?

The Iron King definitely isn't the best book in the series, but I still love it. Meghan isn't a character I often find myself annoyed with. Sure, she's naive sometimes, but for the past sixteen years of her life, she's had no idea any of these things existed. I loved watching how Meghan got stronger throughout the book

Puck, Meghan's best friend, is probably one of my favorite characters of all time. He's the comedic relief throughout the series, always making some joke to cut the tension. And I loved that no matter how sarcastic he was, he still did everything he could to protect Meghan.

And Ash. The Ice Prince. I don't know what to say about him without being too spoilery, but just let me say, the whole "dark brooding prince" act really works for him. And I mean really works. I loved Ash even more than Puck.

Still, I think there's something I loved even more than Ash. It was the fact that Meghan got pulled into that mess with the Fae, not because she fell in love or accidentally stumbled upon it, but because she was trying to save her little brother. Everything she goes through, no matter how much she wants to give up, she always remembers that she's trying to save Ethan.

I even loved the evil people in this book. And trust me, there were quite a few of them O_o Mab, the queen of the Winter Court, for one. And then there was the plot, full of twists to keep you occupied and surprised through the whole book.

Overall: The characters were amazing, the plot was amazing, and even the talking cat, Grimalkin, was hilarious. I don't think there's anything I didn't love about this book. If you haven't read this series, I think you should start. Like, now. You'll be hooked until the end. (And the fact that it's about Fae and not your typical paranormal things these days is just a bonus.) 5 stars.

I had never read a fiction book about faeries before...ever, so I was very skeptical starting The Iron King. I was also worried that Kagawa's use of Robin Goodfellow would be repetitive, since so many have alluded to him in creative works before. But boy, was I EVER WRONG! I LOVED this book! I could not put it down. While I was reading this book, Kagawa had me believing in faeries and looking out for the door that would take me to Fairie. A book hasn't blended into my reality like that since Harry Potter. I definately recommend this book, but I only ask one thing: that you don't judge it until you have read books 2 (The Iron Daughter) and book 3 (The Iron Queen). Similar to Twilight, this series flows well together as a whole.

Reader reviewed by Katie

First off, this cover is absolutely breathtaking! I fell in love with
the cover long before I bothered reading the book. The story doesn't
disappoint though.

Meaghan Chase finds herself with a missing
brother, a "famous" friend, and a father who is not human. You'll follow
her into a magical world and with every turn you'll wonder what comes
next. A mix of determination, devotion, and forbidden love make this
story one I will read again and again.

The Iron King is
beautifully written and captures you from the start. I had never read a
"faery" themed book and I never thought I would enjoy it as much as I
did. I'm usually not one for paranormal or fantasy.

If you enjoy
stories with a romantic element, this one is for you! If you enjoy a
story you can't put down (who doesnt?!?), this one is for you! I
recommend this book 100% and hope that you will fall in love with
everyone in the Nevernever too.

Reader reviewed by Reading Angel

"What an amazing book! Kagawa has taken a mix of folk-lore and fae legend and mixed it in with a brillant imagination to make a beautiful, exciting, and creative world that you just can't tear yourself away from. The story flows off of the pages and pulls you in from the first page to the very last.

Meghan Chase is such a great teen character, she flawed and vunerable, but still strong and completely unforgettable. Loyal to all of her friends and family, she goes on a crazy, wild ride, through a scary, yet beautiful world of the imagination to save her brother from an evil fae. She meets some great characters along the way. Grimalkin, a sneaky, sly cat who will crack you up through-out the whole book. Puck, a fun-loving, loyal friend, who helps Meghan through the journey. Ash, a gorgeous prince of the Unseelie court that will melt your heart while he freezes your body, and a whole cast of other spiffy or spooky characters.

There's some romance woven into the tale, but it's not overly done or mushy. It's electric and will have you anticipating when they will finally have that chance to kiss. The world is magically described without be wordy, and each character has a life and a charm of their own. A great read. Everyone needs to pick this up and read it, whether you are a teen or an adult!"

Reader reviewed by KeturCullen1340

Review: Series Alert!!!! Don't you just love them!? I know I haven't
been writing often, but it was only because I was trying to figure out
what I had did wrong to make you guys stop reading. Anyway, I have a lot
of books on back load and need to start cranking out reviews!



     The Iron King is the story of Meghan Chase, a hillbilly with a best
friend named Robbie. She lives on a pig farm and has a cute half
brother named Ethan. After Meghan goes to school and sees a lot of weird
stuff, she comes home to find her mother strewn on the floor and her
brother switched with a changeling. Robbie arrives and reveals himself
as Puck from Shakespeare and takes Meghan on a journey into Faeryland.
Meghan gets lost so much, its terrible. One incident leaves her with a
cat and to the discovery that she is a Faery princess. Then when the
Summer Fae has banquet, she sees the man who was following her again and
knows he hasn't forgotten her. After some weird attacks and a Faery
truce, Meghan, Robbie/Puck, and Ash take off into an adventure to save
Meghan's brother, but along the way run into a complication that could
destroy all Fae.



     This book is not a book, it's a movie. Every scene was rich with
action. I could imagine the flailing limbs and flying ice swords. Ash is
sooooo glorious. He has black hair with a bad boy attitude and is just
my type! They finally get together, but it all crashes and burns when
Ash has to come collect on his end of the bargain. I loved this book. It
was just another Faery surprise. In every other Faery book I have read
the King and Queen never end up together and it is wonderful to have
that finally happen. My favorite thing about this book is that it is a
series and the new book, The Iron Daughter is coming out this year in
August and I can't wait. After you read the Iron Daughter, I think
you'll feel the same.