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The Wood Queen (The Iron Witch #2)

by Karen Mahoney (Goodreads Author)

3.73 of 5 stars 3.73 · rating details · 1,003 ratings · 131 reviews

Donna Underwood is in deep trouble.An ancient alchemical order is holding her accountable for destroying the last precious drops of the elixar of life. Never mind the fact that Donna was acting to free her friend, Navin, from the dangerous clutches of the Wood Queen at the time. But what the alchemists have in store is nothing compared to the wrath of the fey. The Wood Que...more

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Published February 1st 2012 by Random House Australia

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May 10, 2013 Khanh rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tstl, ya, alchemy, fairies, demons, magic, mental-illness

“Please,” she whispered to nobody in particular. Please, let him be okay. Let her not have cost a good man his life.

Oh, Donna. you idiot.

I was pretty disappointed with this sequel to The Iron Witch. In book one, Donna made her shares of mistakes, including making the choice of saving two people she cared about and possibly endangering the entire world. After having made a monumental mistake of that caliber, I had hoped that she would grow, mature, and learn from her mistakes. She doesn't.

In her...more “Please,” she whispered to nobody in particular. Please, let him be okay. Let her not have cost a good man his life.

Oh, Donna. you idiot.

I was pretty disappointed with this sequel to The Iron Witch. In book one, Donna made her shares of mistakes, including making the choice of saving two people she cared about and possibly endangering the entire world. After having made a monumental mistake of that caliber, I had hoped that she would grow, mature, and learn from her mistakes. She doesn't.

In her defense, Donna does everything with the best intentions, but you know the saying about the road to hell being paved with good intentions? It's not just a saying. These old adages don't exist for fun, they're more or less true, and Donna's action literally proves it. She selfishly chooses to save the one person that matters to her, while putting the rest of the world in danger, however inadvertent her intentions were.

This book feels like a rehash of the previous one, with a slightly different plot and more characters. The recurring characters in the book do not change at all, Xan, Navin are still likeable and awesome. The Wood Queen is still there, as distrustful as usual (although someone should probably knock that fact into Donna's head with a big hammer, since she never learns her damn lesson). It should be interesting to see if she makes the same mistake thrice in the third book.

The subplot was more fleshed out than in the previous book. Donna uncovers the mystery of why their family were in the woods, running away with her that night, 10 years ago. She slowly discovers who should be trusted, and who has been deceiving her since the beginning. There was a new character added, Robert Lee from the Order of the Rose, whose addition didn't seem to serve many purpose besides to annoy Donna. I really didn't understand the role he played, and his involvements in the ending seem to be more of a coincidence than anything. I like his character, but his involvement didn't add much to the overall plot.(less)

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Apr 07, 2012 Sharlene rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-ya-challenge

My thoughts have been a little jumbled trying to write this review. Donna Underwood had to steal & destroy the elixir of life to save her best friend Navin & Maker, an elder alchemist. Continuing from The Iron Witch, Donna has to face the consequences of her actions, a 'trial' by the four Orders. Awaiting her punishment, Donna unveils more secrets & the truth about her sick mother.
Things get a little steamy between Donna & Xan. What's a good YA novel without a little teen love. I...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Amy Lignor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Iron Witch was an extraordinary novel regarding the life of Donna Underwood - a young woman who was raised by ‘normal’ parents in a world that she never knew was run by four ‘Orders.’ Crow, Lion, Dragon, and Rose are the Orders that make up all her rules and regulations, which Donna found out once her father was dead, her mother had gone mad and was put into a hospital, and her Aunt Paige ended up raising her. The one thing that adorns Donna’s body are tattoos of iron on her arms, which she...more The Iron Witch was an extraordinary novel regarding the life of Donna Underwood - a young woman who was raised by ‘normal’ parents in a world that she never knew was run by four ‘Orders.’ Crow, Lion, Dragon, and Rose are the Orders that make up all her rules and regulations, which Donna found out once her father was dead, her mother had gone mad and was put into a hospital, and her Aunt Paige ended up raising her. The one thing that adorns Donna’s body are tattoos of iron on her arms, which she hides with long gloves. These tattoos give her power - power that even she doesn’t understand.

In the first novel, Donna saved her best friend (a human named, Nav), and met up with a boy named Xan (a partial ‘fey’ which the Order calls the enemy), who fell more than a bit in love with her.

In this new offering, we begin with Donna on trial. All the Orders have gotten together to hand down her punishment - punishment for stealing the elixir of life and destroying it in an attempt to fool the Wood Queen and save her friend. Donna has no idea what’s to become of her, but she awaits the ‘sentence’ while trying desperately to get Aunt Paige off her back so she can go to the hospital and visit her Mom.

Secrets are uncovered by the Archmaster within the Order, and the man who saved her - Maker. Donna soon learns that her mother left a diary behind with some information that Donna has to have, especially since her power is growing and she has no idea what her full power can do. When it gets to the point where Donna has to have a ‘meeting’ with The Wood Queen in order to save her mother by opening a door that will allow the ‘elves’ back into the Queen’s world - Donna finds herself going against the Order and delving into a ‘deal’ where her love for her mother may open a door to a serious mistake.

Much like The Iron Witch, except even better, this story offers adventure, romance, friendship, and even a statue named Newton who talks to Donna and helps her to understand that her power has been activated. Add to that a ‘Goth’ looking alchemist from the Order of the Crow, and you have a novel that spells mystery, intrigue, and Hell on Earth! This is a series unlike all the other ‘fanged’ YA’s out there, and the author once again delivers a solid, exciting story. Enjoy!

Until Next Time,
Amy

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Feb 28, 2012 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2012, urban-fantasy

I'm really torn on this book. I liked the world Karen Mahoney created with the first book and I was very excited to step back into it but... I don't feel like a lot happened here until the very end. The first half of the book moved very slowly - we had the trial and... Donna finding out that people have been lying to her and... uh, well, her mom took a turn for the worse but I kept waiting for something more to happen and it didn't. Speaking of which, didn't we already know that the Order was sh...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: whiny-annoying-blah-heroine, witchy-shit, boring-crap-hero

Donna is on trial for stealing and losing the last drops of the Elixir of Life. Donna stole the Elixir in order to rescue her friends - Navin and Maker from the Wood Queen who agreed to release her friends in return for the Elixir. The leaders of the four different Orders of alchemists come together for the trial and to ultimately decide Donna's fate.
Donna's aunt is not allowing her any freedom as punishment for stealing and lying, so she is cut off from her best friend Navin and her half fae bo...more Donna is on trial for stealing and losing the last drops of the Elixir of Life. Donna stole the Elixir in order to rescue her friends - Navin and Maker from the Wood Queen who agreed to release her friends in return for the Elixir. The leaders of the four different Orders of alchemists come together for the trial and to ultimately decide Donna's fate.
Donna's aunt is not allowing her any freedom as punishment for stealing and lying, so she is cut off from her best friend Navin and her half fae boyfriend Xan. After being caught up in Donna's world, Navin is still recovering from his time with the Wood Queen but he doesn't blame Donna for what happened to him. Navin is sweet, loyal, supportive and just an all round good guy. They are hints that he has romantic feelings for Donna but we all know the best friend never gets a look in. Donna and Navin's friendship was the best thing about the book - they had history and laughs and the affection between the two was clear. Donna and Navin made far more sense than Donna and Xan, they had more interesting conversations and a real connection when compared to Donna and Xan.
Xan was underwhelming and boring, he kept too many secrets and the secrets he kept from Donna showed how little he trusted her. He was rarely there for Donna and was too worried about himself than about Donna's trial. Donna had to constantly seek out Xan to be with him, Xan didn't make much of an effort to be there for her. Xan's possible ex-girlfriend, Ivy also shows up and it's obvious that Ivy and Xan had/have very strong feelings for each other moreso than Xan has for Donna..it does look like there'll be a possible Donna-Xan-Ivy love triangle which has put me of the next book. Like a lot of readers..i'm tired of love triangles.
Donna was whiny, childish and oh so stupid for most of the book, it was hard to root for her when she acted so reckless and gullible. Her relationship with her aunt was strained at best and Donna handles thing poorly with her. Donna needed to get a backbone and stick up for herself without having the need to rant and rave.
Things were left up in the air in regards to the door Donna opened, her future with her mother and her relationship with Xan. I somewhat foolishly hope Donna fixes the problems she inadvertantly created, mends bridges with the Order, gets to know her mum and forgets about bland Xan.(less)

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Feb 10, 2012 Barbara ~*Lindt Ninja*~ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, ya, fantasy, series, arc

I’m not sure this can be read without having first read The Iron Witch, book one in the series (I re-read it myself right before reading this as a refresher). 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 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...more I’m not sure this can be read without having first read The Iron Witch, book one in the series (I re-read it myself right before reading this as a refresher). 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 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 from the Wood Queen and for them to decide what they should do with her until she turns eighteen. She's completely isolated - her best friend Navin, the one normal person she finally let in on her secrets and who paid a horrible price seems to be avoiding her. Her sort-of boyfriend and half-fey 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, sending an emissary familiar to Xan to set up the meeting. 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 to her.

Since the Order is full of guys who have no interest in seeing Donna develop any power, she’s never been told she has any and doesn't have a clue that she can do what Aliette wants. 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. Simon, the main snake in the first book, continued to slither around. At first glance he's supposed to be the second most powerful person in the Order of the Dragon but he's eventually revealed to be a very, very powerful man. Her aunt was always chilly towards Donna and she practically lost her freaking mind when she realized her niece was going to figure out her past. Even Xan was acting suspiciously, which in a way made me glad. He was turning into the perfect boyfriend and by the end of the book there were a couple of other contenders that I sort of liked more.

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!
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Jan 27, 2012 Emma (BelleBooks) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the second book in The Iron Witch series by Karen Mahoney, it picks up right where we left Donna in the first book, just as she is about to walk into her hearing and find out what will become of her for losing the precious last few drops of the elixir of life.

The hearing itself is brilliantly played out throughout the book and made me not want to put the book down, I wanted to know what was going to happen to Donna. I loved seeing all the alchemists from the different orders come togethe...more This is the second book in The Iron Witch series by Karen Mahoney, it picks up right where we left Donna in the first book, just as she is about to walk into her hearing and find out what will become of her for losing the precious last few drops of the elixir of life.

The hearing itself is brilliantly played out throughout the book and made me not want to put the book down, I wanted to know what was going to happen to Donna. I loved seeing all the alchemists from the different orders come together, it was great to see all the little, subtle differences between them all.

I'm still not sure about Xan, if anything this book made me doubt him even more. He seems to be too up and down all the time. He is a great character and brings the romance element to the series, but I don't think I'd like to see him and Donna ending up together in the end. I'm secretly hoping that Navin has been hiding romantic feelings for Donna and it all comes out in the next book. I think they would made a far cuter couple!
Then of course there is the new boy, Robert who is a member of the order of the crow. I'd like to know a bit more about him as well but he does seems really interesting!

In this book we do find out a bit more about the history of the Alchemists and what they stand for, we also see Donna realise that she has a choice to make. She can either sign up and pledge her life to their cause at 18, or leave forever. Luckily enough she still has a few months to go before her birthday and before she has to make her decision. Personally, I'd like her to stay and do her best to shake things up and get rid of some of the archaic ways of doing things.

And if all that wasn't enough The Wood Queen, Aliette has popped up again! This time she is after Donna's help in exchange to cure her mother. This ends up raising lots of questions in the book and revealing Donna's true nature and her real powers. It also explains a lot about her iron tattoos!

I loved this book. I read it in one sitting and was completely caught up in the crazy fairy tale world that Karen Mahoney has created!
Overall, a brilliant an enchanting read! I am super excited for the last book, The Stone Demon to be released!(less)

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May 27, 2012 Reese Bradford rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The best part of these books is Navin, so it's kind of sad he's basically been relegated to the part of "that guy in the love triangle who doesn't stand a chance." I'm kind of hoping that in the third book he'll come out as bi and hook up with Robert Lee.

Aside from my Navin feelings, this book was okay but nothing exceptional. Donna is frequently dumb as a box of hammers, which is disheartening, but she's still basically a likeable character. I could not possibly care less about Xan, nor do I ca...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First off, of the over 2000 people who entered to win this book, goodreads picked me. Thank you so very much goodreads! I am so thankful you selected me as the winner!

Now, onto my actual review. I was happy to see Donna grow in this book. I liked her character a lot more, and really felt myself start to root for her. I also got my wish and got to see a little more of Simon, Quentin and Paige's characters. While there is still plenty of mystery around them, I am beginning to understand their moti...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Arjun Thakrar (Excellent Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to admit this didn’t disappoint. I flew through almost as quickly as I flew through the Iron Witch and I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of it. It was fast, quick paced and thrilling, keeping your on the tips of you toes till the very end. I couldn’t pull my head out of this one. The story line picks up pretty much where we have got to in our minds, leaving of from the Iron Witch, and Donna is at her trials. The story is very different to a lot of other book I have read and althoug...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Jennifer Showalter - MAMA Bookasaurus rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fae-fairy, ya-fantasy, ya-good-vs-evil, ya-action, ya-modern-day-drama, ya-mystery, ya-other-non-human, ya-other-supernatural-abilities, ya-romance

There is something of great interest to these books, but Donna's completely ignoramus behavior really spoils it for me. Speaking of spoilers... Did she really think she wouldn't get played? REALLY? And I do not understand her flippant attitude towards Xan. Nav is injected into the book at points but its odd. Now we have Bachelor Number Three with Demian... got to love black roses from your very own demonic king admirer! The pace was agonizingly slow until last couple chapters. As much as there a...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Dolores rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I read "The Iron Witch" last year, I really enjoyed it--but that was last year! I've read a lot of books since then... "The Wood Queen" did a good job of delicately jogging my memory of the events of the last book in the context of the story. It takes a real talent to do that, in my opinion and I really appreciate it. In book two, we got to learn a little bit more about the Order of the Dragon, and the other Alchemists that Donna considers her family. The story takes place over about a four...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Izabela C rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, The Wood Queen certainly is an improvement on The Iron Witch, which ... surprised me. But in a good way. If the ~~trial~~ hearing business had been kept to a minimum, I'd have enjoyed it ten times more, because that *seriously* bogged the story down with absolutely nothing I cared to read about, but there is more action and even sexy times (Which I certainly wasn't expecting, but - YAY!! SEXY TIMES!! :D) and intrigue that actually manages to be intriguing and less of that Annoying Indian Guy a...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Medeia Sharif rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

This is a fantastic sequel to Mahoney’s THE IRON WITCH. I was back in Donna Underwood’s world of elves, demons, and other creatures as she worries about her hospitalized mother and faces trial in front of an order of alchemists for destroying the elixir of life (read book one if you haven’t). The only way to heal her mother is to accept some terms and conditions of the Wood Queen. After what Donna did to her in THE IRON WITCH (again, you must read the first book if you haven’t), Donna is leery,...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: demons, faeries-elves, fantasy, ya-fiction, urban-fantasy, supernatural

Non-stop action, emotions flying all over the place, and read it in an evening! This installment of Mahoney's Iron Queen trilogy/series was better than the first! We get more info on Donna Underwood's parents, Aunt Paige, and Donna herself, as she comes to terms with her own magical powers. We also see her learning to distrust the company of alchemists she was born into, the Order of the Dragons.

Lots of supernatural "stuff" I wasn't expecting, some first-teen-romance (but not over the top), and...more

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May 07, 2012 Vicki rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, young-adult

I adore the world that Mahoney has made in this series. Sadly, I found this second installment I bit underwhelming. Partially because of the so much occuring in a small time frame which made it difficult to track what day it was, and partially because Donna was a bit more difficult to relate to this time.

Seeing more about how the Orders operate was super interesting. Other characters were given some time and development - especially enjoyed seeing more of Navin and Aunt Paige, and new characters...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book has an equally gorgeous cover, one that enabled me to visualise Donna’s tattoos easily – whenever I was struggling to imagine them I just took a look at the cover!

Donna is as strong and determined in this book as she was in the first, and this time she is starting to discover more about her own power. She meets some really interesting new characters, discovers even more lies and questions some of her existing friendships as again she struggles to save someone she loves.

Donna’s relation...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Johanness rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: karen-mahoney

Ah-may-zing! It truly was!!! The turns and twists, I honestly believed in the Queens need for the door to be opened, but I was not expecting that outcome at all! And what is with the King anyway? He's creepy lover-rose obsession over her! AND!!! Her mom and Xan and all these truths and outcomes, and I honestly cannot WAIT for the following book (I'm assuming it's out already and I'll just have to find it! :D ), it can't really be a trilogy can it? I want it to go on! And it'll be interesting how...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Shanna Alderliesten rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I copied this review from my blog http://dutchtinkerbell.livejournal.com

My first review of 2012... well, if this is the level of books I'll be reading this year, it's going to be good. So, this book in short? It's bloody brilliant. You will definitely want to read it!

I won this book in an auction, December 2011. It is an Advanced Reading Copy, so not the final book. Karen sent it to me in the beginning of 2012, complete with scribbled notes and such - which I enjoyed immensely. (By the way, Kaz,...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Tali rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal-fantasy

I have to say that I actually enjoyed this second book in the Iron Witch trilogy much more than the first one as it's less indulgent but with more action. The characters that you first meet in The Iron Witch are all back, although this time around the main love interest, Xan, was a lot more annoying in the efforts to make him all dark and mysterious. But this book seems to be the one where Mahoney finally hits her stride with this arcing storyline. As well as revealing more about the past histor...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Samantha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fae

I admit I thought this book was a joke when I first saw it. The cover is so childish, very different from the the first book. That was one was pretty, but the designs on her arms were clearly fake, put on by computers or something. This one though, the girl, who I think is supposed to be Donna, doesn't look real at all, more like those TV shows where they animate the characters, and she doesn't look anything like the girl in the first book, and what happened to the tattoos on her arms?. And the...more I admit I thought this book was a joke when I first saw it. The cover is so childish, very different from the the first book. That was one was pretty, but the designs on her arms were clearly fake, put on by computers or something. This one though, the girl, who I think is supposed to be Donna, doesn't look real at all, more like those TV shows where they animate the characters, and she doesn't look anything like the girl in the first book, and what happened to the tattoos on her arms?. And the way all the light comes out at the top? It's so different from the first one, and I almost didn't get it. It was just that bad.

Okay, so it took me much longer than usual to finish this book. Usually, I read a book in 1 day, sometimes 2. But this one took me a while, it just wasn't that interesting. The plot was like a repeat of the first book. (view spoiler)

Also, I could relate to Donna and understand her course of action, but the writing wasn't very detailed or descriptive, so it felt like I was just reading words off the paper that was supposed to be a story. I felt detached from everything happening, and I couldn't visualize any of it. It was like that for the relationships too. Donna and Xan didn't really have a chance to deepen theirs because of the timeline of the book's plot, and Xan didn't feel involved in the book anymore. Even in the setting of the book. Donna didn't see anybody else besides the previous set of characters, plus an add-on. It was like they were isolated from the world, but in reality, they were right next door to it. So the way Mahoney didn't tackle on any outsiders made the book feel unrealistic.

But I did like a few things. Navin's personality made up for some of Xan's missing ones, and Robert's did the rest. I really liked those two characters, and the times Donna was with them, the book came alive for me. Another was the entries in Rachel's journal, it was very interesting and I would have liked to read more of it. It made up for all the secrets in Donna's life, and the answers the book never gave.

So, the book wasn't really that good, but a certain parts still made it worth three stars.

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May 05, 2012 Georgie R rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-books-to-read

As a sequel, I found this book somewhat hard to read, not as enthralling as it's predecessor, The Iron Witch. I am starting to dislike Karen Mahoney's informal writing style and vocabulary, especially in the first-person diary entries dotted throughout the book.

This book's plot focuses on the consequences of the protagonist Donna's actions in The Iron Witch, following on with her causing more trouble for herself along the way. I felt that the characters of Navin, Xan and Donna are getting a bit...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Rose rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, fairy-tales, magic, supernatural

"The Wood Queen" was Karen Mahoney's second novel in "The Iron Witch" trilogy, and well...it somewhat underwhelmed me to be frank. The writing seemed to meander more and rely on more direct citations of cliches, the plot took forever to move from one vital point to the next, and I think the addition of Donna's mother's journal didn't really add that much to the ongoing narrative, which suffered a bit from the staggering transitions. The plot itself revolved around Donna being put on trial for he...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Julie-anne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The sequel to the impressive The Iron Witch sees Donna facing .... god knows what from the judges on her hearing. She doesn't know how they're going to find her or what her punishment will be for what she did in the first book. But her mother seems to get more ill and she discovers that the Wood Queen is behind her illness, to help her mother Donna must help the Wood Queen using her powers that she's not even sure about.

I didn't like this book as much as the first but it was a nice sequel and al...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a great continuation in The Iron Witch series. It did take me a few chapters to get into, but still proved to be a great read. Once it picked up, it took off.

The Wood Queen picks up right where the last book ends. Donna is awaiting her disciplinary hearing with the alchemist, for destroying the last few drops of the elixir of life. She feels that she is more so on trial than at a hearing. There are members of all of the Orders present for this as well.

Donna's hearing pretty much takes p...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Amanda Scott rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was better than the first book I felt that you could really see the development of the series and where its going next. Now even though this was a better book it still took awhile for the story to get going but when it did I couldn't put the book down. Donna in this book finally starts to realize things arent what they seem within her Order she been taught by and expected to join once she graduates high school but can she really turn her back on the people that are the reason she is alive t...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Chelsea [Vampire Book Club] rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fae-angels, uf-pnr, ya

This review was originally published at Vampire Book Club.

If you liked Karen Mahoney’s The Iron Witch, be prepared to love The Wood Queen. While the first novel introduced us to Donna’s world, the latest entry into the world of alchemy, fae and magic brings in heavier complications, more answers (leading to more questions) about the alchemy Orders and a better connection with Donna.

Oh, and Xan is shirtless in most of his scenes. You may not be happy with his behavior — even while shirtless — but...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Book Angel Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Please bear in mind this is book 2 in the series and may therefore contain spoilers.

The Wood Queen picks up where The Iron Witch ends with Donna facing the consequences of her actions from the Order. The Order and their inner workings are still shrouded in secrecy. Clues are alluded to but revelations are not directly given. This book requires active participation in order to gather all the information and piece it together. Full of astounding plot twists, surprise revelations and action packed....more Please bear in mind this is book 2 in the series and may therefore contain spoilers.

The Wood Queen picks up where The Iron Witch ends with Donna facing the consequences of her actions from the Order. The Order and their inner workings are still shrouded in secrecy. Clues are alluded to but revelations are not directly given. This book requires active participation in order to gather all the information and piece it together. Full of astounding plot twists, surprise revelations and action packed. Vivid imagery and amazing world building all combine together to create a stunning sequel.

The character development is amazing. Navin is still the wonderfully loyal friend, very supportive of Donna even if her new abilities frighten him a little. I would really like to see him with someone but not Donna.

Donna’s growing powers surprise everyone especially Donna herself. Her need to learn more about her own history is palpable through the pages. I can literally feel a huge jaw dropping twist coming but honestly couldn’t tell you in which direction it is going to go. Karen Mahoney is certainly keeping us on our toes with this series.

I love Donna and Xan’s relationship. The image of a shirtless Xan had me swooning ;D There are suspicions concerning Xan’s agenda and yes you can see that he really wants his wings back but I feel that he is the perfect match for Donna. They have fabulous chemistry with an underlying tenderness on both sides.

The introduction of new characters add to the multi-layered plot. Especially Robert and Iris.

Robert is an interesting character that I think can help Donna but he has his own secrets. The best way to describe him is enigmatic. I felt as if we had only touched the tip of the iceberg with him. I am hoping that this doesn’t turn into a love triangle though, I like Donna with Xan too much.

Iris is another character that is surrounded in mystery. What is her relationship with Xan? Where did she go and why?

The Wood Queen is full of secrets waiting to be revealed, maintaining the excitement and anticipation set in The Iron Witch. I cannot wait to discover the truth in The Stone Demon.(less)

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Feb 05, 2012 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: Well, I was dying to read this book after I finished reading the first book, The Iron Witch. I just had to know what was going to happen next. Plus, I absolutely love the cover art with this one! The synopsis also really caught my attention and from the sounds of it, this book would be more action packed then the first. I was excited to sit down and spend some time with The Wood Queen!

First 50 Pages: Oh boy! This...more See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: Well, I was dying to read this book after I finished reading the first book, The Iron Witch. I just had to know what was going to happen next. Plus, I absolutely love the cover art with this one! The synopsis also really caught my attention and from the sounds of it, this book would be more action packed then the first. I was excited to sit down and spend some time with The Wood Queen!

First 50 Pages: Oh boy! This is going to be a tough one to review without giving away too many spoilers. There are so many things that happen right from the start, so I’m afraid I will have to spoil it just a little bit. If you haven’t read The Iron Witch yet, I would definitely suggest reading that book before starting with this book or you will be completely lost. The Wood Queen picks up right where The Iron Witch left off. The beginning of the story is a little slow, but it quickly picks up pace a few chapters in.

Characters & Plot: Our main character, Donna, has to face the wrath of The Order after destroying the last few remaining few drops of the Elixir of Life. During a break, a changeling named Ivy tells Donna that the Wood Queen wants to meet her, but Donna turns down the offer. This was all a bit slow pace for me but it picks up when Donna goes back to her hearing and hears some very bad news about her mother. Donna’s mother is under a curse and Donna has no idea how to save her. How did they come to realize that her mother is under a curse? Donna’s hot boyfriend, who is half-fairy, detects it, and by doing so, Donna realized that his powers are much greater then she originally anticipated. Whew! This was just the beginning of the story! It gets a lot more interesting after this point.

The story just gets better and better after Donna meets with Aliette, the Wood Queen, who strike up a bargain. If Donna can reopen the gateway so they can go back to their own world, Aliette will help to save Donna’s mother. Like the synopsis promises, all kinds of hell breaks loose and not much is resolved by the end of the story.

Once again, I’m not too sure how to feel about Xan. Sometimes I really like him, and other times I just want to punt him in the face. I’m secretly hoping that Donna will end up with Navin instead, even though there isn’t much in the way of romantic chemistry between these two characters. In my opinion, Donna and Navin just work so much better together. Donna’s relationship with Xan seems too forced. I can’t say I care for him too much, and his annoyances became much more apparent in this book. I don’t know, maybe he will redeem himself in the third book. Time will tell!

Final Thoughts: This book was great! It surpassed my expectations and now I’m just itching to read the final book! There were a lot of interesting twists and turns that were unexpected and made for a very enjoyable read. Very highly recommend both books if you haven’t already started with The Iron Witch series! (less)

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Feb 08, 2012 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ala-12, 2012-release, mundie-moms-reviews, books-i-own

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 unravel...more 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.(less)

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About Karen Mahoney

British writer of fantastical things.

THE IRON WITCH, THE WOOD QUEEN & THE STONE DEMON make up my YA contemporary fantasy trilogy for Flux in the US and Random House in the UK. It's about alchemy, dark elves, and a girl with magical iron tattoos. FALLING TO ASH (September 2012), began a new series for Random House UK about an ass-kicking teen vampire called Moth. You can read more of Moth's adv...more

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The Wood Queen (The Iron Witch #2)

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