The Iron Witch Review

                                                                                                                                                  

Synopsis 

Freak. That's what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna's own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.

When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.

 The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

 Published: February 8th, 2011 

 Format:Paperback

 Pages: 290

                                                                 

First Look  DONNA UNDERWOOD"S JOURNAL:My father died saving my life
when I was seven years old. I wish I found it easier to remember him outside my dreams-where of course he is tall and handsome, and over and over again saves me from the Wood Monster. 
                                                                                                                                                       

Review 

Plot- Social outcast Donna meets Xan, she falls in love with Xan. Donna find out Xan isn't exactly human (suprise can you guess what Xan is?) with secrets to rival her own. While she's busy falling in love, her best friend get abducted by wood elves. For his safe return an impossible request is demanded and she has until dawn to fulfill it or Navin dies. Resolved she moves heaven and earth to save him.

Characters- Donna Underwood has reckless streak she thinks on her   feet,though she's brave and fiercely loyal. She also has a lot of fear in her but she doesn't let that fear stop her from doing what she has to do. Alexander Grayson aka Xan is the charming handsome arctype with a haunted past but in Karen's twist Xan isn't the cliche we've seen over and over again. Despite not being completely human he has such a humanity to him he's vulnerable and you see that vulnerability, there is a sense of loneliness in him. You can see that in the how Xan is  zealous about Donna's safety. Navin Sharma (cool name) he funny sarcastic loyal he will stand up for the people he cares about. In high school that's rare that alone shows his strength in character.
Melanie Swan (twilight anyone) , Paige Underwood, Quintin Frost, Simon Gaunt, The Maker, Alma Kensington, The Wood Queen minor character no need to go into to detail plot devices.

Romance- The first meeting between Xan and Donna is awkward he is the college drop out partying with high school age kids, at nineteen he's  still considered a teen. Xan is sarcastic and come off arrogant but still something passes between them that intrigues Xan he pursues Donna. The relationship has a fast slow quality to it. Fast because it had takes less than a week for the to start "dating". Slow because their progression is one step at a time trusting and innocent. A bond is form through the revelation of each most guarded secret.

Pace- The action is slow raising but the writing is smooth and  consistent. Though there are scirmages the big showdown doesn't happen until the last few chapters.
Summary-  There were things I loved about this book and didn't like. Bad news first the book seemed unfinished to me there wasn't enough of it. Second its never shown how Navin is kidnapped (I thought that part could have been written better), and lastly the ending, it's anti-climatic. As I said before I liked the relationships between Donna and Navin Xan and Donna. And the fact that Donna doesn't ditch Navin once Xan comes into the picture.

Recommendation- Though it takes a while for the big showdown, once it starts you'll be thumbing through the pages to see what happens next. For that alone I would recommend this book. Even though the ending is disappointing. Okay that's a bit harsh the better word is flat. Still its not enough to ruin the book for you. As foundation book to this series there is the expectation it can only get better from here. All the characters are established so it will be interesting to see what happens next. I give the iron witch a three and a half, the half is for the excitement I had thumbing through the pages at the end. Sadly I couldn't in give it four.

Rating-  13+ some violence, no cursing