The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Goodreads
Julie Kagawa's site
The Iron Fey site
Series: The Iron Fey #3
Copy obtained: e-galley for review from NetGalley
Publisher: HarlequinTeen (US) Mira Ink (UK)
Release date: Jan 25th (US) no UK date yet
Rating: 5/5
SPOILER WARNING! Contains spoilers from previous books.

 In less than twenty-four hours I'll be seventeen.

Although, technically, I won't actually be turning seventeen. I've been in the Nevernever too long. When you're in Faery, you don't age. So while a year has passed in the real world, age wise I'm probably only a few days older than when I went in.

In real life, I've changed so much, I don't even recognize myself.

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.

The Iron Queen picks up right where The Iron Daughter left off, with Ash and Meghan exiled from Faery and stuck in the mortal world. But the war hasn’t stopped and neither of them are happy that they’ve had to walk away. And Meghan may just be the best person to help stop it. If she can figure out how.

This series has just gotten stronger and stronger. I couldn’t put The Iron Queen down! It was one long, beautiful, painful emotional roller coaster. Romance, danger, darkness and action blend seamlessly together making a fantastic story. Like the two books before it, it’s beautifully written and I got sucked straight in and it felt like I’d just put TID down moments before it. I loved how the story developed through this third book, so many twists I never saw coming!

The character growth is fantastic as well. Meghan has come so far from the girl who knew nothing of Faerie at the start of The Iron King (book #1). I was so proud of her for the tough decisions she had to make, and I was aching and crying for her at the same time. Grim and Puck are easily two of my favourite side characters from any book or series and they continue to give their humor to lighten the enclosing darkness for a moment or two! The world building has expanded and deepened with each book, and it continues to do so here. I loved seeing more of the world, so dark and creepy and yet completely beautiful and compelling as well!

Some books just come across as simple magic, and you can’t explain the emotional attachment involved. This is one of those books. I just loved every moment of it! It tore at me, left me thinking for hours afterwards. And that ending...wow!! Very intense, it tore me apart over and over! I thought it’d gotten as bad as it could, then something worse would happen. I honestly had no idea what the outcome would be until I was done. And then I wanted more! An awesome addition to the Iron Fey series, the best one so far for sure. I cannot wait for The Iron Knight, Ash’s story, later in the year!! A fantastic series that I’d highly recommend!