Iron Queen, by Julie Kagawa
When Meghan Chase tries to visit her estranged family, she and Ash are attacked by Iron fey. They have a new false king that wants Meghan’s Iron power. The Iron fey armies are still advancing on the old courts of Summer and Winter, and will soon wipe them out if Meghan doesn’t help. With Meghan’s Summer and Iron powers, she is the only one who can stand up to the false Iron king and force the Iron back to their own realm.
Meghan has gone through numerous obstacles and subsequent changes throughout the events of the former books. She’s braver, smarter, and self-sacrificing. Her relationship with Ash has developed as well, though seems a bit too deep for her young age.
This third installment in the Iron Fey series is the most exiting yet. A lot happens in this story, from Meghan trying to get her childhood father back and an emotional reunion to an action-packed journey into the Iron realm. This installment is a bit darker, with emotions wavering among angst, anger, grief, frustration, and betrayal. There seems to be little hope. Though Meghan is extremely powerful, she doesn’t know how to wield her power without harming herself. In a truly shocking climactic showdown, I was extremely impressed in the direction Kagawa took. Her worldbuilding is impressive and mesmerizing. A fairy tale fantasy for teens and adults alike, it’s a quest-like adventure with plenty of suspense, romance, and magic. While there is more of a satisfying ending this time around, the series is set to continue from Ash’s point of view in Iron Knight, supposedly later this year. I can’t get enough of this series.