The Iron Daughter

The thieves are Iron fey, creatures born of human technology who are poisonous to ordinary faeries, and the theft threatens to start a war between the Summer and Winter courts. Meghan, the only one who saw what happened, escapes from the Winter court to recover the treasure, with the help of her loyal friend Puck, the sarcastic cat Grimalkin and, eventually, Ash himself, who risks everything to help her.

The quest takes them across the human world and the faery realm, from strange cities to dangerous wilds, and the rivalry between Puck and Ash adds humour and tension. Meghan also struggles with her own growing powers. Julie Kagawa draws on old faery lore and gives it an inventive modern twist. There are battles and dangerous creatures, and some intense moments, but the violence is not graphic. The romance is a major thread.

Exciting, romantic and imaginative, followed by The Iron Queen. Readers who enjoyed the first book will find the world growing larger and the stakes rising, and many go straight on to the next volume. About 359 pages in the Harlequin Teen paperback.