The Iron King (Iron Fey, #1) by Julie Kagawa, Book Review

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.

Title: The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 363
Release Date: February 1, 2010
Source: Publisher/Gift
Rating: 5/5

*I received a review copy of The Iron King from my good friend and fellow book blogger, Stacey, from Sassy Book Lovers shortly after being sent a review copy from the publisher, in exchange for a 100% honest book review.

The Iron King opens with a little back story detailing the bizarre disappearance of Meghan Chase's father, which I thought set the tone for the rest of the book. The real beginning of the book was when Meghan turns sixteen. Around this time, Meghan begins to see and hear things that normal, ordinary humans are completely oblivious to, due to the Mist (or glamour).

I enjoyed the transgression from Meghan's mundane live into her fantastical life. As I read the book and learned more and more about Meghan, I felt more connected to her and I enjoyed the bond that I shared with all of the characters.

I loved the concept for The Iron King. The plot revolves around a sixteen-year-old, half-Faerie girl traveling into Faeryland in an attempt to rescue her kidnapped, four-year-old brother, Ethan, while running from a league of faeries known as the Winter Court who want to capture her with her best friend, Puck, who just happens to be an arch-nemesis of Ash, the gorgeous Winter Prince who wants to bring Meghan to the Winter Court for Queen Titania's personal use.

At first, Puck seemed really sweet and caring and acted like a true best friend towards Meghan and that's all he was to me throughout the novel: a caring best friend. Puck loves Meghan romantically, but she only sees him as a platonic friend and she feels bad that she doesn't feel the same way and that she feels such a deep connection to Ash, who is best described as icy. Despite Ash's attitude in the beginning, I loved him right from the start and am proud to say that I am Team Ash, 100%.

I loved Julie Kagawa's writing style which was very easy to read and flowed great. I never once felt the need to stop reading and I was glued to this book. I read and read at any free moment, just because the action, suspense, and romance was so great.

I have never been a fan of epic fantasies such as The Chronicles of Narnia or The Spiderwick Chronicles, but I fell in love instantly with fantasy when I read The Iron King. My preferred genres are paranormal/supernatural romance but now I can add fantasy to the list. My favorite thing about The Iron King was the fantastical plot line and theme. I loved how Meghan, Puck, and Ash all encountered mystical creatures such as mermaids, kelpies, trolls, goblins, grimlins, brownies, selkies, and more along their journey.

The Iron King has some of the best characters that I have ever read in a book. I loved Meghan as a character because I love strong, independent heroines. Puck, I felt, was the comical relief of the book and brought humor to the story. Ash is brooding and mysterious and seems to be tortured by his immortality as a Faerie prince. Grimalkin aka "Grim" is a talking cat who accompanies Meghan, Ash, and Puck on their journey throughout Faery. Grimalkin was one of my favorite characters and his sullen sense of humor made me laugh numerous times throughout the book.

Overall, this book was amazing. I love, love, loved every single minute of The Iron King and cannot wait to read the second installment, The Iron Daughter. I couldn't help but obsess over this book and think about it constantly. I highly, highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. The Iron King has it all: action, adventure, romance, suspense, and much, much more but you'll have to read the book to unlock all of the secrets buried past the pages.