The Iron Daughter

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
digital galley provided by NetGalley
Summary from Goodreads:
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, iron-bound 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 alone 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.

My take:
Meghan leaves her home shortly after making it back in order to fulfill her promise made to Ash in the first book, The Iron King, to return with him to Tir Na Nog. She finds herself a prisoner of Queen Mab in the cold and unfriendly Unseelie court with only an annoying phouka for company. Meghan is now stuck in the land of winter with all the hostile members of the Unseelie Court. Meghan is unsure of where her relationship with prince Ash stands – if there was ever a relationship at all or if it was all just a cruel ploy to get her to return to Tir Na Nog. Meghan feels lost and betrayed but still hopeful that Ash will come through for her.

When Meghan tried to explain to Queen Mab about the Iron Fey, she was called a liar and everything she said was dismissed. The changing of the seasons means the Exchange – when the magic scepter is brought from the Seelie court to the Unseelie court to mark the end of summer and the arrival of autumn and winter. After the scepter is stolen right under Queen Mab’s nose, the theft is blamed on the Seelie court and used as justification for war between the fey. Meghan and Ash vow to find and return the scepter in an attempt to stop all-out war between the fey. Thus begins the next part of the wild, dangerous and thoroughly enjoyable adventures for Meghan, Ash and Puck.

This, the second in the Iron Fey series, was just as much fun to read as the first book, The Iron King. I really like the world Julie Kagawa has created in this series. I still like the idea of the Iron Fey and I am anxious to see where this storyline will lead. There are new characters introduced and some familiar ones return in this exciting page turner. Puck is still a favorite – he is everything that he should be. The only thing that I am not crazy about is the Ash/Meghan pairing. The second book does a better job of making this relationship believable and Ash is much more sympathetic, but I just have a soft spot for Puck. I think that this book would be enjoyed by anyone who likes urban fantasy or faerie books, particularly young adults, but adults shouldn’t find it too juvenile.

Rating: 4.5 of 5