Series Showcase Part Four: Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Mira Ink (6 Jan 2012)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 1848450605
• ISBN-13: 978-1848450608
• He gave up everything. All for a girl... and all for nothing. To emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought. Then Meghan Chase a half human, half fey smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive. With the company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and infuriating talking cat Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end a quest to find a way to honour his solemn vow to stand by Meghan s side.

I'm back with Part Four in the Iron King Series Showcase. Here we have a review of Iron Knight, which was, absolutely, completely, my favourite book in the series. And as a little something extra, I have an Iron Knight shaped surprise to come on Monday! Stay tuned...

In the last instalment of the Iron Fey series, Iron Knight is told by Ash. He swore to find a way to be with Megan, to earn his soul to become mortal so he can survive the Iron realm. But the trials he face will not be easy; the hardest he has ever known. But he is bound by his oath to try – to find a way to return to the Queen he loves. With old and new faces to see him on his journey, Ash must ask himself whether or not mortality is something he wants.

Puck is once again assisting Ash, this time to help Megan. Though he himself loves her, Puck knows if anything should happen to Ash it would destroy her. Ash and Puck seek out a familiar cait sith to help them find what they are looking for and to start them on the perilous journey.

Iron Knight is a gritty and raw book with characters plucked straight out of your own nightmares. Ash’s voice is self deprecating yet determined, his love for Megan like a break in the clouds. His banter with Puck eases the tension before it racks back up again.

I held my breath for much of this book, torn between wanting to rush through it to find out what happens next, and wanting to prolong it so it could last forever. Terrified to read another sentence in case it ended badly.

Julie Kagawa created a world, and characters, that I fell completely in love with. After the final page was turned, I hugged the book to my chest, happy and sad all at once. Devastated that it was over. But hey, that’s what re-reading is for.