The Wood Queen: An Iron Witch Novel (The Iron Witch Series) [Paperback]

Karen Mahoney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 8, 2012 | Series: The Iron Witch Series (Book 2)

"The wood monster is dead. I know this is true because I killed it. And yet my dreams are still full of fear and pain . . ."

To keep her best friend, Navin, from being killed at the hands of vicious wood elves, Donna Underwood stole the elixir of life. Now she’s facing an alchemist tribunal while her mother lies dying, succumbing to the elven curse that shattered her mind. In desperation, Donna seeks an audience with Aliette, the fierce and manipulative Wood Queen, who offers a deal: if Donna can use her strange and burgeoning powers to help the wood elves, Aliette will free her mother from the curse. Along with Navin and Xan, the half-fey guy she’s falling for, Donna struggles to unlock the secrets of her iron tattoos in time to save her mother’s life. But some secrets are better left untold.

Book 2 in the explosive Iron Witch series

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Karen Mahoney (United Kingdom) has been published in the anthologies The Eternal Kiss and Kiss Me Deadly (both by Running Press). She has a highly trafficked blog and is also part of a group blog that includes New York Timesbestselling authors. Visit her online at KazMahoney.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Open publication

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Flux; Original edition (February 8, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780738726625
• ISBN-13: 978-0738726625
• ASIN: 0738726621
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #305,291 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Sequel March 6, 2012

By Mundie Moms/Mundie Kids

Format:Paperback

I have been eagerly awaiting this sequel's release since reading The Iron Witch. What an awesome debut that book was, and since finishing it I couldn't wait to get back into the world Karen has created. I like that The Wood Queen picks up right where The Iron Witch ends. Donna is awaiting her trail with the Alchemists from the trouble she caused (and for good reason) with the elixir, as well as trying to figure out a way to save her mother, which proves to be harder that she thinks. What unravels in this sequel is a plot line full of secrets, lies, magic, demons, fey, wood-elves, alchemists, romance and plenty of half truths.

One of the things I get excited about in a sequel is seeing how a character grows, and Donna definitely does that well. I'll be honest, the first part of the book she really annoyed me to the point I had a hard time getting into the story until she finally stands up to her Aunt. *high fives her for that* It was obvious that her aunt knows more than she's been leading on and through out the first part of the book I kept waiting for Donna to defend herself and stop letting her Aunt treat her the way she does. It wasn't until the scene where Donna does just that did I feel like the Donna I was excepting at the beginning of the book was finally in the story. She doesn't just stand up for herself, but she also confronts her Aunt about the lies she's been told. It's during this scene that she finally learns more about who is and what's she's able to do, as well as more about her mom. I've got to say there's some surprising secrets that get uncovered in this book.

The other thing I love about this book is being thrown right back into the plots twists and the action. Not everyone is who they seem to be and there's a lot more going on that I first picked up on, which adds to the mystery of what's really happening in Donna's world. With all that's happening there were times I felt like I was trying to figure things out along side Donna. I loved that I was able to learn more about Donna and her mother through some of Donna's mother's journal entries, which also adds to the fast paced and engaging storyline. I loved how Karen tied that into the book. Then there's Navin, whom I adore and Xan. Let me just say the plot thickens around Xan and whether or not he can really be trusted. Don't get me wrong, I do love the great chemistry between him and Donna, but there is a big but in that, because, well you'll have to read it to learn more about Xan and decide for yourself.

This is one book I'm glad I kept reading, because the second half more than made up for my not being to get into the first part of the book. It's definitely an exciting, fast paced read with action and plenty of plot twists to keep you hooked. I can't wait for The Stone Demon. If you enjoyed The Iron Witch, I recommend picking this one up. There is a few uses of the f-word through out the book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book! February 15, 2012

By Savannah (Books With Bite)

Format:Paperback

After reading the first book and really liking it, I knew I wanted to read the second book. This book pick up right from where it left off. Donna is still facing the consequences of her past actions and much need work is needed to be done.

What I liked most about this book, is that Donna is stronger. She is exposing secrets left and right. I like that Donna is being head on about things. She is tired of lies and demands the truth. I totally agree with her. Enough lies!

The love interest didn't grow as much as I wanted it to, but it did bring some revelation about their relationship. Let's just say the guy wasn't totally honest either. There love suffered a bit and I am anxious to see, with all the new revelations how its going to go now.

Despite the occasional predictability, it ends up being a satisfyingly read. The Wood Queen, had lots of action that kept you at the edge of your seat.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love the sequel - the stakes get higher for Donna February 10, 2012

By B. Walker

Format:Paperback

I'm not sure this can be read without having first read The Iron Witch, book one in the series. It picks up almost immediately after that one ends and nearly everything in it builds off of events from the first book. So needless to say, my review is going to necessarily have some very mild spoilers from that book - I think you can read the review and then decide whether or not to go backwards and read The Iron Witch (I've done that with series'), but for the best overall experience, I wouldn't pick up and go without reading both books eventually.

Donna has been brought before the leaders of each of the four Orders for an accounting of what she did to rescue her friends. Navin is avoiding her and Xan is off-limits since her phone has been confiscated by her aunt, who's revealed bit by bit to be a nasty piece of work who's unwilling to help her with the Orders despite having a high position there.

Aliette, the Wood Queen, crosses over into the normal world in search of Donna. This time she means business, striking at Donna's heart by putting a curse on her already ill mother (nope, not going to reveal what happened to her if you don't already know!) that will kill her in three days if a gateway isn't opened allowing all of Aliette's wood creatures to return home. It would be a good thing though, she thinks - the wood creatures are nasty pieces of work, killing people and making the woods dangerous. She accidentally figures out how to meet Aliette's demand, only to find out she's been deceived by everyone, openly and by omission.

A lot of this book is about Donna discovering how few people she can really trust and figuring out for herself how much information she's willing to blindly accept from people now. Her aunt has gone bonkers, Xan has gone from the perfect boyfriend to someone sneaky and both the Order and the Wood Queen are shady. I'm really loving watching Donna grow and take a proactive approach to where her life is headed. She started being a little whiny about how the Order was dealing with her and in the end, she wasn't just accepting it, she was agreeing that it was the right decision and would probably be a good thing. Despite everyone's attempt to hide what she is and the sort of disaster she inadvertently caused, she got invaluable information from it and she's going to use it instead of crawling into bed. And she's not whining about Xan either. She knows he's hiding things from her and she's letting him make the next move. The girl has options. Weird ones. But options.

I liked The Iron Witch but I enjoyed this even more because Donna has really matured and the action was really good at the end - epic. The stakes in this are huge and are going to lead nicely into the last book in the trilogy, The Stone Demon. It didn't end on the kind of cliffhanger that left you wondering if someone was going to live or die, but I did shut the book and hit my head with it, cursing that the next book was going to be a year away. With two great new characters, a new setting and two characters sort of up in the air I'm dying to keep reading!