Book Titles: The Iron Fey Saga (The Iron King, Winter's Passage Iron Fey Novella, The Iron Daughter, and The Iron Queen)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Recommended Reading Age: 14 and up.
Synopsis of The Iron King:
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 never could 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.
Synopsis of The Winter's Passage:
Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck—Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon—who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.
Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter—a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....
Synopsis of The Iron Daughter:
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.
Synopsis of 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.
Review:
A surprisingly captivating read is Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey Saga beginning with The Iron King. The first book introduces protagonist Meghan Chase, an awkward and unpopular teen whose lack of confidence is exacerbated by the memories of her Dad's disappearance when she was six years old, the lack of attention given both her Stepfather and Mom, and the desperation to get out of her environment living in a pig farm on Louisiana. She relies on her bestfriend Robbie to help her get through anxieties in school, where athletes and cheerleaders dominate and are cruel to those outside their posse.
But on Meghan's sixteenth birthday, things started to change. She sees the unatural and puzzles over the strange occurences of her surroundings. And when her younger step-brother goes missing and a monstrous being becomes his imposter, Meghan finally extracts the truth from her bestfriend, that she is part faery and the daugther of the Summer King. Robbie, also known as 'Puck' of the legendary story 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', was sent by her biological father to be her protector. Unfortunately, family members of Meghan are left without any guardians, and thus her younger brother is kidnapped by the Fey.
In her resolve to rescue her brother, Meghan delves into the fantasy world of faery. Her first encounter isn't pleasant when the handsome Winter Prince of the Unseelie Court attempts to kill both her and Puck. From this moment the book narrates a thrilling adventure with Meghan going through different trials and meeting interesting characters and companions along the way. To keep things a lot more interesting, she is falling in love with the Prince who almost killed her and who has been ordered to bring her to the Winter Court, her father's centurial enemy.
The accompanying novella, titled 'The Winter's Passage (this is complimentary by Harper's Teen until April of 2011!), and the succeeding two books in the saga, 'The Iron Daughter' and 'The Iron Queen', uses the same formula - a formidable challenge Meghan must face, a love that is not only forbidden but is conflicted when Puck reveals his true intentions, and the development of all the characters as they go through the hurls of conflict, pain, and triumph. But not all is victorious as both lives and love are sacrificed. In the end, one is left yearning for the last book of the series, which is slated to be released in November of 2011, titled, 'The Iron Knight'. Until then readers will continue to be at the edge of their seats wondering what will happen to the Iron Fey, will Summer and Winter finally be together, and will there be an exculpation of the curse of the Unseelie Prince. The author, Julie Kagawa, brilliantly has her readers exactly where she wants them - yearning for more!
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Here's an update:
Julie Kagawa has a new e-novella that will surely delight all of you Iron Fey fans! For a limited time, download a free copy of Iron Fey's Summer's Crossing!!!
Here's the synopsis:
A Midsummer's Nightmare?Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.
Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.
Kindle users - click here. Nook users - click here. Epub download - click here (can be used on iPad or Sony Reader).
Hurry! Free e-book is available until June 2012!
