Review: The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Queen
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey #III
Pages: 362*
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: !!!!!
Goodreads Rating: 4.45
Cover Rating: 
Published: January 25, 2011.
by Harlequin TEEN

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, agewise 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.

Taschima's POV:


This dangerous-exciting-surprising-action packed-heartbreaking novel will leave you breathless. I know this firsthand; by the end of the last page I was sobbing and smiling like a child. Let's just say that when it comes to endings, Julie Kagawa knows how to deliver, and she doesn't mind breaking a few hearts in the process.


As you know this is the third book of The Iron Fey series and supposed to be the last. But who really wants a good thing to end so quickly? I SURE DON'T! So Julie Kagawa has thrown a curved ball at us, there will be a novel after The Iron Queen titled The Iron Knight and it will be from the POV of none other than oh so charming ASH. That is right ladies and gentleman, Miss. Kagawa has done what Stephenie Meyer was too scared to do, and that is given us what we wanted by putting ASH in the spotlight. Hurray for a book with ASH!!!! And I believe that Puck will play a role, so don't go crying your eyes out Puck fans.


Talking too much about the book may spoil it for you and this review will be completely spoil free, so I will proceed to dance with my words.


IT WAS FAN-FRICKING-TASTIC! Whoever doesn't read this book is totally out of their minds! I LOVE THIS SERIES! It's as good as Cassandra Clare's City of Bones series, and the Iron Queen is as perfect as City of Glass was. Julie Kagawa manages to lure you into the world of Fey without any protest from your part, and as you go deeper into it you loose yourself and forget your other self. Vampires, uh? What are those? GIVE ME FEY!


Now really, the book was amazing. The book ends where The Iron Daughter ended, Meghan ans Ash have been banished from the Fae realms, and so they must make their own way in the mortal world now. First things first Meghan must visit her family, but as she makes that visit fate will step in and change her plans once more. So now Meghan has to choose to either go back to her old life as a human being, or go back and try to fix the mess that is The Faery Realm.


The character development alone will leave you dumbstruck. Meghan grows at a believable pace and becomes the woman we all knew she could become. The decisions she has to make are not easy, and she still makes them without complain. She is self-less and strong, a great heroine. Ash and Puke? I love them both, and I gotta say that both of them got big roles to play in this book, and neither of them over shadows the other (although I am still a firm team ASH member).


The story was perfectly balanced. There was action, there were riddles, there was romance, jealousy, a fight against time, and also quiet times, but NEVER boring parts. I finished this book in only two days, and it only took me that long because I have actual college classes, and so I have homework that interfered in my way. But I finished it nonetheless!!


Finally, the book stops with a cliffhanger. Not a HUGE one, but still one. Which is when I stopped sobbing and managed to find out about The Iron Knight, the story isn't over yet!! (Thank goodness)


PS; The book was so good, I actually read the eCopy of it, and I NEVER read eCopies. I think that the experience of reading The Iron Queen on my tiny laptop has opened my eyes to the possibilities.


Can't wait for The Iron Knight!!!!

Other Books In this Series:

The Iron King

The Iron Daughter

"I wished that, for once, faery tales – real faery tales, not Disney fairy tales – would have a happy ending."

-Meghan Chase 

*Page # is subject to change.

CSN Stores Review; Super Cute Bookshelf!

CSN Stores is known for giving you great products at a fair price. On the past I had reviewed a DVD Shelf (which is still standing tall and beautiful) and now I am about to review a bookshelf. Let's begin.

First with the pros. It's fantastic! I was looking for something that wasn't BIG, like my other bookshelf, because, well, Randy (my big bookshelf) can get jealous, and also I didn't want another big bookshelf towering over me. So I picked this nice medium sized bookshelf for $79.99. It's got 3 shelves, and it's dimensions are 42" H x 25.25" W x 11.25" D. Almost all of my books fit in there, which actually surprised me because I had a lot of books in my floor! I played Tetris with my books, got creative, and made it work (as you can see in the picture above). Also if you are in a dorm this would be a great fit for you, believe me I am in college too and this bookshelf did wonders.

PS; This shelf is the shelf of the books that I have yet to read... Eeeks!

Other than picking all my books from the floor, this shelf is great because it looks great. It's an open concept, no black panel in the back to make it look all depressing, but rather it has something in the back that keeps the books from falling. Also this shelf is sort of like my DVD Shelf because it has this openings on the side, which I'm glad about because now it looks like I have a theme of sorts xD

And finally the shelf doesn't wiggle! At all! And it's so easy to put together. I needed it to be easy to put together because, well, I'm not that good with stuff like this and if it was harder it would be  pain in the butt. You can even put it together without instructions (though I had mine).  Also, fast shipping, I was expecting the thing to get to my house about a week later than when it made an appearance.

Now for the cons...

The only con I could find is that as I, with the help of my roommate, was putting the shelf together we couldn't find two screws that were suppose to go on the top. We were kind of worried, but apparently we don't need them very much because it didn't damage the shelf at all. Lucky!

Final Verdict: All of this for $79.99. The price may seem a bit too much, but I don't think it is because the quality of the product is good, and quality makes a world's difference. I gotta say, if you are in the mood for a new bookshelf just go online and look up www.CSNStores.com, they really do give you your money's worth!

Teaser Tuesday: The Iron Queen

The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa

Paperback, 384 pages

Published February 1st 2011 by Harlequin Teen

Puck Teaser

"Looking for something?"

The familiar voice echoed from somewhere above us. I turned, and there was Puck, lying on an overhead branch, smirking at me. His shirt was off, showing a lean, bronzed chest, and his red hair was all over the place. He looked more... I don't know... fey out here. Something wild and unpredictable, more like Shakespeare's Robin Goodfellow, who turned Nick Bottom into a Donkey and wreaked havoc on the humans lost in the forest.

"Rumor going round there parts is that you're looking for me," he said, tossing an apple in one hand before biting into it. "Well, here I am. What do you want, your highnesses?"

Ash Teaser

"I blinked. "You're... jealous," I said in disbelief. Ash, former prince of the Unseelie Court, was jealous. Of Puck. I didn't know why I found that so surprising; maybe Ash seemed too clam and self-assured to be jealous. But there was no mistaking what I saw.

Ash shifted uncomfortable and gave me a look from the corner of his eye. ""Is that so wrong?" he asked softly, turning to stare at the far wall. "Is it so wrong to be jealous, when I heard that you kissed him, when you told him..." He trailed off, ranking a hand through his hair, and I bit my lip. "I know I was the one who left," he continued, still glaring at the wall. "I said we were enemies and that we couldn't be together. I knew it would break your heart, but... I also knew Puck would be there to pick up the pieces. Whatever came of that, I brought on myself. I know I have no right to ask..." He stopped, taking a short breath, as if that confession had been difficult. I held my breath, knowing there was more.

"But," he went on, finally turning to me, "I have to know, Meghan. I can't wonder about this, not with him. Or you. It will drive me crazy." He sighed and suddenly took my hand, staring at our tangled fingers. "You know what I feel for you. You know I'll protect you from whatever comes at us, but this is the one thing I can't fight."

Meghan Teaser

"I glared at the mop handle, taking a deep breath. I was supposed to make the stupid thing bloom with roses and such, but all I'd done was given myself a massive headache. Drawing glamour to me, I tried again. Okay, concentrate, Meghan. Concentrate...

"I'm going to get this, dammit." Ignoring my roiling stomach, the sweat that ran into my eyes, I took another deep breath and concentrated on the glamour swirling around the mop. The wood was alive, pulsing with energy, just waiting for the push that would make it explode with life.

The wooden pole trembled. Nausea crawled up my stomach. I bit my lip, welcoming the pain. And suddenly, roses burst into bloom along the handle, red and white and pink and orange, a riot of color among the leaves and thorns. As quickly as they had bloomed, the petals shriveled and fell off, littering the ground around the mop handle, bare and naked once more."

I started reading this book yesterday, and already am at page 189. Imagine just how good it is. Today I may finish it, and I might do a tiny review on it, but my complete review will be posted on January 2011. Love Puck in this book, he's so wild, but I am still faithful... TEAM ASH all the way!!

Teaser's are from an ARC e-copy of the book The Iron Queen and as such are subject to change.