Winter's Passage

By Julie Kagawa

Never make a promise to a faery. They always come to collect.

Now Meghan Chase must fulfill her promise to Prince Ash of the Winter Court and embark upon a dangerous journey into the heart of enemy territory– while being pursued by a relentless new foe and guarding her own foolish heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Sep 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781460888131

Julie Kagawa

Born in Sacramento, CA, Julie Kagawa moved to Hawaii at the age of nine. There she learned many things; how to bodyboard, that teachers scream when you put centipedes in their desks, and that writing stories in math class is a great way to kill time. Her teachers were glad to see her graduate. Julie now lives is Louisville, KY with her husband and furkids. She is the international and NYT bestselling author of The Iron Fey series. Visit her at juliekagawa.com.

Book preview

Chapter One

Keeping Promises

In the shadows of the cave, I watched the Hunter approach. Silhouetted black against the snow, it stalked closer, eyes a yellow flame in the shadows, breath coiling around it like wraiths. Ice-blue light glinted off wet teeth and a thick shaggy pelt, darker than midnight. Ash stood between the Hunter and me, sword unsheathed, his eyes never leaving the massive creature that had tracked us for days, and now, had finally caught up.

Meghan Chase. Its voice was a growl, deeper than thunder, more primitive than the wildest forests. The ancient golden eyes were fixed solely on me. I’ve finally found you.

My name is Meghan Chase.

If there are three things I’ve learned in my time among the fey, they are this: don’t eat anything you’re offered in Faeryland, don’t go swimming in quiet little ponds and never, ever, make a bargain with anyone.

Okay, sometimes, you have no choice. Sometimes, you’ve been backed into a corner and you have to make a deal. Like when your little brother has been kidnapped, and you have to convince a prince of the Unseelie Court to help you rescue him instead of dragging you back to his queen. Or, you’re lost, and you have to bribe a smart-mouthed, talking cat to guide you through the forest. Or you need to get through a certain door, but the gatekeeper won’t let you through without a price. The fey love their bargains, and you have to listen to the terms very carefully, or you’re going to get screwed. If you do end up in a contract with a faery, remember this: there’s no way you can back out, not without disastrous consequences. And faeries always come to collect.

Which is how, 48 hours ago, I found myself walking across my front yard in the middle of the night, my house growing smaller and smaller in the background. I didn’t look back. If I looked back, I might lose my nerve. At the edge of the woods, a dark prince and a pair of glowing, blue-eyed steeds waited for me.

Prince Ash, third son of the Winter Court, regarded me gravely as I approached, his silver eyes reflecting the light of the moon. Tall and pale, with raven-black hair and the unattainable elegance of the fey, he looked both beautiful and dangerous, and my heart beat faster in anticipation or fear, I couldn’t tell. As I stepped into the shadows of the trees, Ash held out a pale, long-fingered hand, and I placed my own in his.

His fingers curled over mine, and he drew me close, hands resting lightly on my waist. I lay my head against his chest and closed my eyes, listening to his beating heart, breathing in the frosty scent of him.

You have to do this, don’t you? I whispered, my fingers clutched in the fabric of his white shirt. Ash made a soft noise that might’ve been a sigh.

Yes. His voice, low and deep, was barely above a murmur. I pulled back to look at him, seeing myself reflected in those silver eyes. When I’d first met him, those eyes were blank and cold, like the face of a mirror. Ash had been the enemy, once. He was the youngest son of Mab, queen of Winter and the ancient rival of my father, Oberon, the king of the Summer Court. That’s right. I’m half-fey—a faery princess, no less—and I didn’t even know it until recently, when my human brother was kidnapped by faeries and taken into the Nevernever. When I found out, I convinced my best friend, Robbie Goodfell—who turned out to be Oberon’s servant, Puck—to take me into Faeryland to get him back. But being a faery princess in the Nevernever proved to be extremely dangerous. For one, the Winter Queen sent Ash to capture me, to use me as leverage against Oberon.

That’s when I made the bargain with the Winter prince that would change my life: help me rescue Ethan, and I’ll go with you to the Winter Court.

So, here I was. Ethan was home safe. Ash had kept his side of the bargain. It was my turn to uphold my end and travel with him to the court of my father’s ancient enemies. There was only one problem.

Summer and Winter were not supposed to fall in love.

I bit my lip and held his gaze, watching his expression. Though I had once viewed it as frozen solid, his demeanor had thawed somewhat during our time in the Nevernever. Now, looking at him, I imagined a glassy lake: still and calm, but only on the surface.

How long will I have to stay there? I asked.

He shook his head slowly, and I could feel his reluctance. I don’t know, Meghan. The queen doesn’t disclose her plans to me. I didn’t dare ask why she wanted you. He reached up and caught a strand of my pale blond hair, running it through his fingers. "I was only

Reviews for Winter's Passage

[ladyliz-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read this while soaking in the bathtub. I like how it really shows the beginning of Meghan and Ash's relationship, as well as his beginning struggle about said relationship.

I also appreciate how you can skip this and not feel like you've missed anything in the series... but it still adds stuff if you do read it.

Would have liked to see more of the Hunter. Even after we meet him again later in the series, I still feel like he's flat; a convenient scary thing that shows up occasionally for suspense.

Otherwise, I really liked this. It was a fun, quick read, and a nice bonus for me to revisit some of the characters as I wasn't quite ready to give them up yet, even though I've finished the main series.

[jami_leigh · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Plot: 3 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Style: 3 stars
Pace: 3 stars

I didn't realize until I came to review it that it was 1.5. For some reason I was thinking it was 0.5. Oops. Now I need to go back and read 1.. though I would have sworn I already have. All these fey novels are overlapping in my brain.

[rosetyper9 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I heart these books and this author so much. This book starts where the last book ends and you easily jump right back into the story of Meghan and Ash. I was intrigued to see exactly where Ms. Kagawa was going with this book and the ending (and the foe) definitely did not disappoint me. You start to feel Ash coming to a decision and putting into motion his decision in this novella, and I was sorry to see it.

This is a light, quick, read, that can easily give you a taste of the series if you are perhaps unsure if you want to read them (you are nuts) or if you want a small taste before you jump in. I will tell you this: Ms. Kagawa takes faerie to another realm completely (and literally) and you won't be sorry for the journey you take.

[steph1203-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So good! A nice, quick and entertaining read that makes me want to read Iron Daughter even more!

[jiraiya_5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This novella contained the ingredients of the real books. I'm surprised Julie Kagawa managed to include a major twist regarding the First Hunter. The language was very user friendly. One thing about these books is that not everybody is saved. Bad actions go unpunished and the good people often are powerless against cruelty. The romance was a miniature form of the actual books, and taken/read in small doses it becomes bearable, if not slightly cute. I think Julie Kagawa is better than Cassandra Clare by far, and this novella is part of the reason why. I recommend this booklet as a distraction and if you must read everything by her. It's not crucial reading or anything of course.

[mskeens_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this one just a little bit out of order. This is a short story between book 1 & 2 about Ash taking Meghan back to Tir Na Nog to be held by Queen Mab of the Winter Court. Ash & Megan have quite a little adventure getting back to Nevernever and through the land to Tir Na Nog and they meet the Big Bad Wolf along the way. I nice read in between the main books and just as adventurous and eventful as the main books.  

[jennyjen-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Meh. There has to be more to a series than finding yourself in a precarious situation with some unstoppable foe, but always managing to escape by the skin of your teeth. Short story that this was, it added nothing to the series as a whole. You can take it or leave it and not miss much. The only redeeming quality is a description of the Unseelie Court, though I'm sure we'll get that in book #2's rehash. So, meh.

The Wolf nodded. “You’re very lucky,” he told Ash. “Today.” Backing off, he shook himself once more and glared at us with grudging respect. “It was a good chase. Pray we do not meet again, for you will not even see me coming.”

OooOo. Scary. They may not see you coming, but they'll hear you for sure. You spent the whole time baying like an idiot and giving yourself away. (Eye roll)

[monicalynn-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this one just a little bit out of order. This is a short story between book 1 & 2 about Ash taking Meghan back to Tir Na Nog to be held by Queen Mab of the Winter Court. Ash & Megan have quite a little adventure getting back to Nevernever and through the land to Tir Na Nog and they meet the Big Bad Wolf along the way. I nice read in between the main books and just as adventurous and eventful as the main books.  

[beckymmoe_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fun novella explaining what happens between books one and two in the Iron Fey series. (You definitely must read The Iron King first, otherwise much in here won't make sense.) It does a nice job of filling the gap between the novels, as well as giving some relief to those of us who need more "Ash and Meghan" time. :-)

[ritastradling · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm not a big fan of novellas and this doesn't prove me wrong about them. It was just-- flat. No characterization, it just seemed like the missing last chapter of iron king or the missing first chapters of iron daughter... It didn't stand on it's own well.
But I'm really excited for Iron Daughter... I feel like the lenth is the fundamental flaw with this one.

[bhwrn1_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love to read little snippets in between books. It always gives me so much more information on the characters and makes things a little more interesting for the next book. Winter's Passage is no different.Blurb from Goodreads:Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....I have to say in this novella I saw a growth in Kagawa's writing, a better hold on how to bring the reader into the story. Considering I was a bit bored during the first half of Iron King, it was nice to be able to read through this quickly. Kagawa kept my interest and made me want to get to the end of the story.This story takes it's reader on the journey from Meghan's home to her new place at the Winter Court.I liked the introduction of the wolf into this story. He's a formidable beast for sure. And Kagawa certainly keeps you guessing as to when Ash and Meghan will finally be caught by this foe.This was a quick, light read, giving a bit more depth to the story that is the Iron Fey. I enjoyed it very much and read through it fairly quickly. The story gives you more depth to the land of the Winter Fae. And continues to show you the growing forbidden relationship between Meghan and Ash. it definitely made me want to move on to the next book in the series to see what happens.4 out of 5 stars from me!

[bell7_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This e-book-only short story fits in between books one and two of the Iron Fey trilogy, telling the story of Meghan's journey into Winter with Ash.I'm not sure why, perhaps because I didn't really think it worked well as a short story, or maybe because the important part was repeated word for word in book 2 anyways, but I did not enjoy this nearly as much as the first book in the series. I was in that sort of midpoint, where I didn't hate it enough to put it down but never really sunk into the story and bought it or cared about what was happening. I found myself a little bit annoyed with Meghan, instead. I hope this doesn't carry into book 2, which I'm reading now mainly because the e-book from the library will expire soon.

[yabreviews_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Will Prince Ash really keep his oath and turn over the girl he loves to his queen? That is what happens in this story. At the end of The Iron King, Ash shows up at Meghan’s house to “collect” her as she fulfills her part of the bargain. At times, it is like Ash doesn’t want to do this. However, he is bound by oath and cannot go back on it. He takes Meghan and intends to take her back to the Unseelie Court right away. Meghan has other ideas, however. She wants to go and check up on Puck, her best friend, who was wounded in their quest to rescue her brother Ethan. Ash agrees to this little detour. Only to find out that someone is following them; someone else who is hunting Meghan. Will they make it to the Unseelie Court or will Meghan have other adventure in store for her? Can Ash really hand her over when he doesn’t know what the outcome will be?As soon as I finished The Iron King, I had to start this book. I knew that it was a novella and wouldn’t take me long. The end of The Iron King left me with so many questions. Even though I haven’t read The Iron Daughter yet, I felt that this book was good in between the two. It gives you a glimpse into Ash’s personality.Cover:The cover design goes along with the other in the Iron Fey series and has a wolf on the front, instead of a character. This is appropriate for the book. I like how they show the fog and the woods on the cover of this novella. It talks about both in the book.I Liked:•Meghan Chase. She is duty bound to go to the Unseelie Court because of a “deal” that she made with Ash in The Iron King. She won’t go back on that oath even when the opportunity presents itself.•Ash. Sometimes in these books, he is really swoon worthy, and then there are those times when you just want to hit in the head with a rock. He shows both of those personalities in this novella.•Grimalkin. He is in this book too. He always shows up. He gives tidbits of information and wisdom here and there.I Did Not Like:•The Hunter. It scared Meghan. Just someone else who is after Meghan.•Queen Mab. Even though you don’t hear of her in this book, she is the reason that Ash is bringing Meghan to court and that is enough for me not to like her.

[bkwormblogger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This ebook directly follows the Iron King, and the next book in line is The Iron Daughter.Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....What a great idea to bridge the gap between one book and the next. Not only does the author keep us interested in the ongoing story but with this one in particular we got quality Meghan and Ash time. At the end of Iron King Puck is still sick, so obviously Meghan wants to visit him on her promised journey to the Winter Palace. Prince Ash's guard gradually breaks down and we witness more of him and especially his interaction with Meghan. Ash is grat but sometimes its as though he has a broom up his @$#!. This story gave us what we wanted.I loved it!

[vidya2ravi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Winter's Passage is not a full-length book, but an interim e-novella in the Iron Fey series that takes place between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter. The story continues exactly where the first book ended. If you remember, Meghan, the Summer Princess, made a contract with Ash, the Winter Prince, in The Iron King and Ash had done his part of his contract in the first book. In "Winter's Passage", Ash comes to get Meghan to fulfill her part of the contract, which is to go along with Ash to Winter's court. Mab, the Winter Queen, is an ancient rival of Oberon, the Summer King and Meghan's father. When Meghan starts her journey with Ash to meet Mab, they face various deadly situations.The author brings in another new character, The Hunter. I won't spoil you the fun, just go and read it for yourself who "The Hunter" is. In such a short novella, Julie Kagawa made it possible to bring action, adventure and love. The cliff-hanger in the end makes you grab the second book immediately.And that's exactly what I am going to do!

[talksupe3blogspot · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

talksupe.blogspot.comMeghan annoyed me a bit because as she's being dragged around the human and fae worlds, she rarely asked questions. This was something that bothered me in the first book but if you're constantly being chased and running for your life wouldn't you stop, even for a few seconds, to find out what the hell is going on? Grimalkin and Ash hinted that they knew who was following but Meghan herself didn't bother to ask. I would at least want to know what I was running away. Ash was his usually hot self but drops his cold demeanor a few times to show Meghan his feelings for her. Of course it usually didn't last for very long but enough to enough to give Meghan a glimpse of hope. I'm not quite ready to jump on the Team Ash bandwagon. I'm still waiting for Puck's return. I wanna see if he's got some game to sway Meghan toward him. Although there's already strong evidence that Meghan's heart is definitely in Prince Ash's court; I'm holding out until I see what kind of game Puck has. He might have a few more tricks up his sleeve to win Meghan's heart.

[ishanella · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Winter’s Passage is a story set between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter. It follows Meghan and Ash as they travel from the human world to Tir Na Nog, the seat of the Winter Court.

Picking up right after the end of The Iron King, Ash and Meghan set out, first to visit Puck and then to go to Tir Na Nog. However, something is following them and they can’t seem to hide form it or outrun it.

This novella was a bit mushy for me. Meghan doesn’t seem her spunky self; when she’s around Ash she reads as insecure, which, given the situation is understandable, but I missed the old Meghan.

The threat that they were running from wasn’t as exciting as I expected, however, with the different creatures and fey that they met on the way, new dimensions to the Faery world were laid and I really enjoyed the quick exploration of those stories.

Winter’s Passage concludes pretty close to the opening of The Iron Daughter.

[nlsobon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I’m a bit late to this series. I just finished “The Iron King” a few weeks ago and fell in love with the story and the characters. As soon as I finished “The Iron King” I was ready for more, but my to be read pile is kind of halting that at the moment. “Winter’s Passage” takes place between “The Iron King” and “The Iron Daughter” (which I need to start as soon as possible). Since it is a novella and it is incredibly short, I’m going to avoid spoilers. What I will say is that “Winter’s Passage” takes you on a whole new journey. There’s action, there’s romance, there’s Grim – it’s the beginning to an entirely new chapter in Meghan’s life waiting to be revealed. Julie Kagawa’s descriptions help bring the story to life. The characters are wonderfully written. The world is beautifully crafted. It’s easy to get lost in the land of the Nevernever.

[danijohns_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Whoa! This eBook novella was hot! First, let me just confess how much I love Ash, he is probably one of my biggest book crushes, and this novella had so much Ash it was going to explode with awesomness. Okay…now that I got the Ash is hot out of my system, I must say I am so glad Julie Kagawa released this novella to bridge the gap between the Iron King and the Iron Daughter. If I didn’t read this, I would feel like I missed out on some major action between books one and two of the Iron Fey series. This novella takes place immediately after the end of the Iron King and continues the story perfectly. Winter’s Passage adds more to the lovely world already create by Julie Kagawa in the Iron King. This book had everything I was expecting after reading Iron King, it had an intriguing plot, action, Ash, romance and just a great story. While reading Winter’s Passage is not essential to the story of the Iron Fey, it is a great book connecting books one and two and will definitely add to the experience of reading the series. Any fan of the Iron King should definitely check out this novella, especially if you want to read lots about Ash!

[cathy_keaton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

On the way to Ash's homeland, he and Meghan discover, through all the barren, frozen wasteland, that they are being hunted down by very ancient predator that every reader will already be familiar with. It's a great character that lives up to the notoriousness of the famous faeries introduced in the first book, those faeries we have known about in human folklore for centuries. What a great twist!I loved The Iron King, so this novella was a must-read for me since I was already planning to read the rest of the books in the series. You will want to read it if you expect to follow the story more fully from Book #1 to Book #2. We get to see a lot of good interaction between Meghan and Prince Ash. It gives the reader yummy insight into Ash's state-of-mind, as he has no choice but to lead his new girlfriend to what could possibly be her death. Oh, his tormented soul! Gotta love that Ashy-poo ….My score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

[sithereandread · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

WINTER'S PASSAGE, by Julie Kagawa, answered some essential questions that I pondered after reading The Iron King and The Iron Daughter. I really enjoy when authors complete the "fillers" in between books, and this novella was no different!In this story, we take the journey to Tir Na Nog with Meghan and Ash. The imminent separation between these two lovebirds looms over them as they first check the status of Puck's health and then continue on to meet Queen Mab. Grimalkin meets up with them again and the trio senses an expected follower. The Hunter has a special task to fulfill and Meghan is the main target. I liked the added character of the Hunter, it added the element of danger and suspense that Kagawa is known for in this series. It was easy for me to jump back into this book. Kagawa has a truly unique writing style and I quickly fell into step for this short and sweet continuation of The Iron King.How awesome is the cover? I like how it keeps a little of The Iron King and The Iron Daughter "feel" but it stands out on its own.

[jdonnelly14_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

**NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN INCLUDE SPOILERS** To be honest you could probably enjoy the Iron Fey Series and understand what's going on without ever reading this Novella, especially since some of the scenes within are recapped in the Iron Daughter. However if you enjoyed reading Meghan's story, you wouldn't want to miss even one leg of it and you'll find the short novella worth your time. If you don't have a kindle and therefore don't need the story in a kindle format Kagawa offers a free PDF download of the story on her website considering that, it would be just silly to miss part of Meghan's epic story even if you don't need that portion to understand what's going on. The importance of this story is mostly the dynamics between Meghan and Ash. Even with his promise to his queen and the contract to bring Meghan to the Winter Court he allows her to sort of sever the ties with her old life, by first saying goodbye to her family and then despite the dangers saying goodbye to Puck who at this point still exists inside a tree healing from the bullet wound. It's like he knows that being within the Winter Kingdom is going to be one of the hardest things she's ever had to do and he doesn't want her worrying about the people she left behind while she's there. Seeing this and the fact that he chastises her for not leaving him to die and returning to the summer kingdom when she had the chance helps with your view on Ash's character when you see him later in the Winter Court during Iron Daughter. Without reading Winter's Passage you really want to hate Ash for his behavior at the beginning of Iron Daughter, but after having read this you can almost understand that the only way he can protect her within the Winter Kingdom is to treat her like crap and keep her at a distance. The dangers they face in the novella also give a lot to the character of Oberon, showing just how far he's willing to go to protect his daughter even if he hasn't really made her feel welcome or made any effort to get to know her. Combining what you read in this novella with what you see in the Iron Daughter also shows how little the fae really communicate with each other or make an effort to understand each other. Being so short it doesn't give a ton of depth and does leave you wanting more to flesh out the story, however that's normally the case with a novella if you're used to reading longer fleshier novels. It is however an enjoyable story that is worth reading.

[melhay_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Two days from the end of Iron King while Meghan the faery princess and her forbidden love Ash, are now on their detour to see Puck before returning to the Unseelie Court, as Meghan promised. Something has the horses spooked after they come through the Trod to find their way to New Orleans and quickly they realize something very powerful is speedily closing the distance between them and is after Meghan. Meghans journey to one place she doesn't want to be, Winter Court, shortens as she runs there from this haunting creature hot on their trail.I found I enjoyed this short novella. It got me to thinking there is another side to Ash, one that could be kind and loving. He agrees to stop on the way back to Winter Court to see if Puck is well or even just still alive. We get a touch more of the Unseelie fey and how tough of a crew they are and how unfavorable toward Summer fey they are. Meghan as a character, we see once again how strong a character she is and her beliefs for what she does. And Meghan starts to tap into her powers just briefly in this short story, but it shows she could be very strong.In this I start to feel Meghan and Ash's potential love is moving quicker than I'm ready for. They seem to need to slow down some. But, I like the potential of them as a couple.We meet a fey creature older than the Midsummer Night's Dream characters, and even stronger. One that you will recognize as soon as mentioned.We get Meghan's first glimpse of Tir Na Nog and how to enter the city. Along with the first view of Queen Mab in her own court.

[larissabookgirl_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Having made a deal with Ash, the fey Winter Prince, to return with him to the palace of the Winter fey in return for his help in rescuing her brother Ethan from the Iron fey, Meghan, having had only a moment to say goodbye to her home and family, is once again entering the faery world of the Nevernever.With Ash as her guide the journey to the fey Winter Palace should have been a simple one, however things get complicated when they find that they are being followed. One of the most ancient, feared and deadly beings to inhabit faery is after Meghan and not even Ash with all his powers will be able to stop this beast. But even if they survive Meghan may still lose the Winter Prince she loves.Winter's Passage is non stop action from start to finish, picking up exactly where The Iron King ended. Therefore I highly recommend you read that first as this novella draws heavily from that first book in this series. Here we learn that there is more to faery land then just faeries, as ancient beasts of fairy tales are just as real and dangerous than any troll or redcap you may come across in any bar or nightclub.

[alana_leigh_6 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa is book 1.5 in the Iron Fey series -- a quick little story/novella that fills in some space between books 1 and 2. Available only as an ebook, it could very well be an interesting look at the series for those contemplating whether or not they want to commit, but I rather saw it as something only fans would appreciate.At the very end of The Iron King, Ash came to take Meghan to the Winter court and his queen, which was part of the bargain he made with her to secure his assistance in defeating Machina, the Iron King. Of course, that was before they fell for each other, but a faery never goes back on a promise, and he had sworn to bring her to Queen Mab. So now they must navigate the Wyldwood (and the dangerous fey within) in order to read the Unseelie/Winter court, Tir Na Nog.This little 52-page story a very quick bite, nothing so serious that it would actually feel satisfying without being accompanied by the other books. Ash and Meghan make the trip and there's all kinds of angst, of course, with regards to the Summer fey/Winter fey romance being totally forbidden. Meghan has one small detour request before they go straight to Tir Na Nog... she wants to visit Puck, her friend who took a bullet towards the end of The Iron King and is now in a kind of limbo, suspended in a tree in New Orleans (this makes more sense in the book than it does in summary). There's no telling when/if he'll wake up, and so really this just gives Meghan time to reflect/more time with Ash. Still, I don't feel like they have a valid relationship. These just seem to be more pages spent wallowing in the "oh what do we do?" of their forbidden romance. And even if there was a bit where they get a little more comfortable with each other prior to arrival, there's a quick dissolve into the prince's steely exterior once they reach the Winter court. Meghan, meanwhile, proves that she's not very smart when she doesn't understand why Ash isn't all lovey-dovey. Sigh. Much of the content (though not all of it) is repeated in The Iron Daughter, so I wouldn't necessarily pay for this offering unless you're enjoying the series -- and if that's the case, then you definitely should get it, as otherwise the whole immediate arrival at the Winter court seems a bit odd as we kick off The Iron Daughter.

[jewelknits · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

(Mini-review) - Winter's Passage is a sort of quick adventure between books 1 and 2 of the series, where we meet a dangerous HUGE wolf on the way back through the Nevernever to fulfill Meghan's obligation to the Unseelie Court. I would not suggest reading this unless you either don't plan to read The Iron King (spoilers to it galore in here) or unless you just want to try out Ms. Kagawa's writing prior to committing to purchase the series.

[thesolitarybookworm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have never heard of Julie Kagawa or the Iron Fey series but I was curious when I saw the cover of this novella. It's a fast read with 50 pages and I had finished it under 1 hour or less for some. It's a great treat for fantasy genre lovers like me and it can give you a little idea of what the two books of the series is about. After reading it, I added the Iron Fey series to my to buy list and can't wait to read them. The book is a combination of great story telling and a picture to readers like me who haven't read the first book yet. Reading the Winter's Passage has been a great decision and looking forward to reading more books from Julie Kagawa.

[angelgirl122193 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I didn't think it was possible to patch so much action, romance, suspense, and drama in a short novella but Julie pulled it off with this book! Winter's Passage picks up from where The Iron King left off and follows Meghan and Ash's journey to the Winter Court. Grim also joins Meg and Ash on their journey and adds more to the story. I love that cat!I have to say that I am so glad that I waited to read this novella until now, when I have The Iron Daughter waiting right beside me! The story ends at a critical point and leaves you wanting more!

[galleysmith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novella takes place in the aftermath of Kagawa’s The Iron King just prior to the outset of The Iron Daughter. I’ll say that my thoughts on these four chapters are strongly influenced by the fact that I actually read a galley of The Iron Daughter prior to reading Winter’s Passage. So, I think that took away some of the anticipation and punch of reading these chapters.Don’t get me wrong, the novella definitely filled in some of the gaps between where we left off and where we picked back up, but I felt slightly ambivilent about it because I already knew where we were ultimately landing. This ambivalence in no way reflects on the quality of the writing (which was extremely good), the characterizations (which I still love) and the quick plot line (which provided additional information to what I read in Iron Daughter). This is all strictly on me!What was great about this story was that for a girl who sits firmly on the side of Team Ash I got some awesome stuff. He was his usual seesawing self — equal parts tender and brash. Then there was Meghan who gave as good as she got. Together they had another common enemy to defeat that should have united them. Whether it did or not I will not reveal simply to avoid spoiling both this story and some of the plot of The Iron Daughter. There was also a really great twist surrouding the common enemy that was towards the end of the novella. It took me by surprise which I really loved because I had no idea it was coming.In the end I got enjoyment out of reading Winter’s passage it offered some really great stuff to read. It was just a bit anti-cimactic given the order in which I read it. Moral of this story, definitely read Winter’s Passage, it was as awesome as The Iron King, but definitely read it in order. Have Iron Daughter directly at your fingertips because you’ll want to dive right in.

[marielovesbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A short novella that takes us on the journey with Meghan and Ash to the Winter Court. While this was an extremely short novella, it was a nice bridge between the first and second book in the series.For all you Team Ash out there, you get more time with Ash and Meghan and there were some pretty sweet moments mixed in there. As for us Team Puck, there wasn't much for us in this one. Though I was rooting for his return! Ash spills details about the bitter feud between him and Puck and was kind enough to warn Meghan. But of course, Meghan being Meghan, she didn't bother to listen very well. Poor girl, he has centuries of experience ahead of you, listen to the boy! And of course Meghan gets chased. It was a pretty intense scene, but the end of the scene left me confused. Very very confused. Unfortunately that's all I can say about it without packing it with spoilers. It's not extremely necessary to read, since a lot of it is repeated again the beginning of the second book, but like I said, it was was a nice bridge between the two.