The Iron Witch

By Karen Mahoney

When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed Donna Underwood’s father and drove her mother mad. Her own nearly fatal injuries were fixed by alchemy—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. Now seventeen, Donna feels like a freak, doomed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. Only her relationship with her best friend, Navin, is keeping her sane.

But when vicious wood elves abduct Navin, Donna is forced to accept her role in the centuries-old war between human alchemists and these darkest outcasts of Faerie. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous guy with faery blood running through his veins and secrets of his own, Donna races to save Navin—even if it means betraying everything her parents fought to the death to protect.

Praise:

"This story has it all for fans of (sub)urban: vicious adversaries, devoted friendship and first romance."—KIRKUS REVIEWS

“Dark and beautiful, sensual and dangerous, utterly enthralling. . . You’ll fall under this book’s spell.”—Richelle Mead, New York Times bestselling author

“Mahoney’s debut sizzles with romance and alchemical swashbuckling. . .  A captivating read.”
—Tiffany Trent, author of In the Serpent’s Coils

"Teen girls will love the descriptions of Donna's feelings about her new love interest, and the details about clothing, friendship, and her attempts to fit in. Fantasy lovers will enjoy reading about a different world trying to hide in ours. This book should prove to be the beginning of a popular series."—SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

"Dark around the edges, but shiny at heart, this is a worthy addition to the YA paranormal shelf."—MICHAEL M. JONES

• Language: English
• Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
• Release date: Sep 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9780738729886

Karen Mahoney

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.

Reviews for The Iron Witch

[zabetreading · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Blech. Teen angst to the max.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A half-fey bad boy and a low self esteem alchemist girl use her “enhancements” to rescue her best friend from Faery.Opening Sentence: It all started with the party.The Review:Seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood has been labeled a freak by herself and her peers. The things that make her different aren’t that she is part of a secret society of alchemists (though that can’t help her social standings), or that she is home schooled; it is because of her “enhancements” made in the form of intricate silver and iron scroll work tattoos along both her hands and forearms. These tattoos are the result of a terrible accident that cost Donna both of her parents when she was just a little girl. They have made her more than human, and it is hard enough to be accepted when you are just a normal teenager. So when one of her only friends, her very best friend, is kidnapped and taken into Faery, Donna will stop at nothing to get him back. But what is she really willing to sacrifice to get Navin? Could she truly give an ancient and rare item of unimaginable power away to insure his release? What would be the consequences of such actions upon both the human and Fey worlds?Donna Underwood and the Alchemist Society. I hate to say it, but that sounds too close to an 80’s hair band name. Barring that, Donna and the alchemists are an interesting addition to this storyline. Her background is exposed to us, as the reader, at the same time she is explaining it to her best friend, Navin. Alchemists are humans that stand between us and the Fey. Their ultimate goal is transmutation: to seek a way to bestow immortality through the elixir of life. Though there is lots of information to digest, Donna delivers just enough for us to get a feel of things without getting bogged down with details. Donna doesn’t seem all that excited about alchemy in general, so our information seems skewed against it. I am not sure if this is on purpose, or if it is just in the delivery. I can relate to going against authority figure expectations (like joining a secret society that your parents were a part of) in Donna’s defense, but I think that there is still more to uncover. I get the feeling that this expectation-versus-personal-individualism will come up more in future books.Donna’s character over reacts to things like anyone her age would even with these strange events. Youth is allowed the freedom that age and experience can no longer provide; with intensity and a sense of urgency that gets lost with familiarity. Everything is new and there is no real past experience to draw a calm and thoughtful reaction from. This is both a blessing and a curse, especially in Donna’s case. Because she chose to investigate and solve her problems on her own, she is forced to deal with the consequences alone as well. Had she sought guidance from someone older and wiser, like her Aunt, the outcome could have been much different. I understand her reasoning for going at it alone, but I suppose that is the privilege of hindsight along with separation of events that we as readers enjoy.It is obvious that Donna has led a secluded life. The fact that she is willing to risk so much for a single friend should attest to that. The loss of her parents has tempered Donna’s ability to trust and accept others into her life, alchemist secrets or not. Her self-depreciating manner doesn’t help her confidence out either. The fact that she found another person to relate to is remarkable, and it is nothing short of a miracle that she learns to trust him as well. Alexander “Xan” Grayson has a bad boy reputation and the good looks to pull it off. Their relationship may seem like opposites attract at first, but I think it has much more to do with similar backgrounds. The fact that they are both privy to the knowledge of “other” gives them more than enough reason to bond. I like that their “relationship” is slow in its infancy. This is a YA novel after all, and there is no reason for rushing things along like we would see in other genres. It’s a little refreshing to read, to be honest. I am not sure if there will be some sort of love triangle between Donna, Xan, and Navin but I hope not. Teenage love triangles are starting to become a cliché.Overall, not a bad YA book. It’s pacing was good as was its climax. There was nothing that really stood out, except the background story on her tattoos and alchemy heritage. I hope that the next book in this series expands on this new and unique take in the world of magic and fantasy.Notable Scene:“We have to get out of here, Now.”Glancing once more at the door, he joined her at the window and began to unlatch the shutters, swinging them back against the outside wall of the house.“You first,” she said.“Don’t be stupid-“ Donna pushed him. Hard. “No time to argue. You. First.” She enunciated each word and glared at him. There was no way she would let someone she cared about get hurt because of her-not ever again.Then the sound of banging started, from behind the grandfather clock.The Iron Witch Series:0.5 The Lost Boy1. The Iron Witch2. The Wood Queen3. The Stone Demon (April 8, 2013)FTC Advisory: Flux graciously provided me with a copy of The Iron Witch. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.

[ngoldfdf · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I found this in the fiction section, but it most certainly belongs in YA. Especially with the pretty obvious love triangle the Mahoney lays out, this is some pretty cliched paranormal lit, with angsty teenager included. It read like half of the other teen lit supernatural stuff out there, i thought she would have incorporated more of the intriguing science aspects of alchemy, but nope. Finishing the book with a sigh of disappointment from the lazy copy and paste style the author seemed to take. I read the book before reading some pretty negative reviews, but all the same I'm still left not giving a shit about what happens to any of these characters. The angsty teen girl, the misunderstood pretty boy, the nerdy loyal boy next door, and the magical world that seems to be out to get them, but which side should they choose? (i.e. which boy should she choose) lol

[lillybear · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

How would I describe this story in one word? Underdeveloped. It had so much potential that went unrealized. I was rather intrigued by the premise (a girl whose arms have been adorned in iron tattoos as a result of powerful alchemy that saved her life. I mean, sounds kick-ass, right?), but overall the reading experience left me with a very underwhelmed feeling. Although it was well-written, it lacked a degree of freshness and new ideas that made it hard to engage in the story. I had a hard time immersing myself in the story from the very start. I really, really wanted to like it. I had been looking forward to reading this book for quite a while (and the author seems like such a sweetheart!), but unfortunately it just wasn't my cup of tea. I think this book will be better received by readers that are hardcore fans of the genre. The characters were hard for me to connect with. Donna, the protagonist, has only one friend (who happens to be in love with her), she is viewed as an outcast and a freak, and she has appallingly low self-esteem. I read an entire book about her, and I still don't really know anything about her personality beyond those simple clichés. Xan, her love interest, is handsome, mysterious, aloof, and inexplicably interested in Donna. I liked him, for the most part (so sue me! I don't care how overdone the mysterious, aloof hot guy is, I swoon everytime). I'm interested in learning more about him, at least. I would have liked to see his backstory a little more developed. Nav, Donna's best and only friend, is loyal and likable enough. I never got too invested in him, though. Between the three of them there is, you guessed it, a love triangle! Unlike a lot of readers, I don't mind a good love triangle. As long as it's well-written and relevant to the plot (not just tossed in pointlessly in order to incite readers to pick "teams" or what have you), I'm fine with it. This one felt a little weak to me, and the end result appears to be pretty obvious. Maybe that's because I don't feel strongly for any of the characters involved. I suppose that's the crux of the matter: I just didn't care. I didn't feel any passion for these characters or their stories. That being said, I am still planning on reading the next book. I have read some of Mahoney's work previously (in Kiss Me Deadly and The Eternal Kiss) and really loved it. I won't rush out to buy the sequel like I did with this one, but I do want to read it at some point in the future. I really feel that if Mahoney had spent a little more time developing her characters and setting and delving into the alchemy aspect of the novel (which was barely touched upon, but supposed to be a major component of the story), this book could have been a great read. I'm very interested in the mythology and the alchemy, and I hope to find out more about them in the second book. The idea is there, it just needs to be fleshed out a little bit more.CONCLUSION: A fast, easy read with an interesting premise, lacking in overall development, but still worth a look if you're a fan of the genre.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A good start to a promising Young Adult fantasy series. Donna is a unique teenager being raised by an ancient order of alchemists and scarred from an elvish attack that killed her father when she was a child. When her close friend is kidnapped by the wood elves, Donna must join forces with a half-fey Xan in order to rescue him while also struggling to understand the values she was raised to believed in. The author has created an interesting and fantastical world in The Iron Witch and I hope to continue this series soon.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I totally love magical stories. You know the ones where you are fighting fairies, running through a forest and searching for your prince charming? I loved this book. I loved the storyline. If anything, it made me feel like I was child again, reading such a magical story that it comes to life right before my eyes.One thing I enjoyed about this book was the storyline. It was filled with lots of heart breaking pasts, a frightful future, and a friendship worth fighting for. The plot not only took you in, but continued to build up so much so that it left you flipping the pages faster and faster. I also adored the great paranormal twist to the book. It has alchemist in it. It not seen very much in books, but I am glad that in this book it s described well.The characters, I enjoyed reading. Donna and Navin had a great friendship. I love that their friendship was real. They had something that was built over time and not even elves can ruin that. The love interest I adored. I like that Zan was there for Donna and help her through everything. It was delight to see such a fresh love grow before your eyes.The Iron Witch was an delightful read. Filled with non-stop action of the fey, alchemy and a great fights, this is one book that kept me entertain. I look forward to reading the next book!

[sithereandread · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

THE IRON WITCH, by Karen Mahoney, is an intriging fantasy read. I was immediately drawn to the cover (gorgeous!) and the story about a girl who was orpahaned by the Fey. I enjoyed getting to know Donna and all about her past. I loved the uniquness of her hands and her abilities that came along with them. But I am so torn about this book. There were aspects of it that I loved but at the end of it I had to put it in my 'just liked' stack.Let me try to explain. I love faerie books. This one had a different folklore to it that I found really fantastic. The intertwining of science and alchemy into the lore was unique and kept me rivited. The relationship between Donna and Xan was really great. They both had some horrible things happen to them in the past and were able to connect on a deeper level because of it. But there were some parts that felt a bit weak and really brought down the calibre for me. Mahoney had my heart pumping at climactic moments but I felt they peaked too soon. The whole book built up to one moment and I felt it was over in a flash. I wish there could have been more to beef up the scenes. I did enjoy reading the 'Behind the Scenes' section at the end of the book. I think more authors should do this. It gave insight to how Mahoney developed the idea for the story and her thought process while writing. Overall, I did like this book. It fell a little short on my expectations but it was an awesome and unique idea for fey lore. I truly am excited to read the rest of the series to see more of Donna's journey.

[millett23 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. I was engrossed from the moment I opened the book. I read this book in one night, I couldn't put it down. I loved how Donna met Zan and how they connected on the roof. I loved the vulnerability of Donna and the straight she gained with Zan. There were some definite questions left unanswered, which I hope are answered in the next book, which unfortunately we have to wait until next year.

[shelleyjax · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Rating: 2.5 StarsGenre: YA ParanormalNext books in the Iron Witch Series: The Wood Queen (2012) and The Stone Demon (2013)The Iron Witch, by Karen Mahoney, is the first book in the Iron Witch series featuring Donna Underwood. Donna has iron tattoos branded into her hands and arms after being attacked by a Fey Hellhound known as a Skriker when she was 7 years old. Her father Patrick was killed in said attack, while her mother’s soul went missing from her body, presumably after the Wood Queen stole a piece of her hair, and she remains is a semi vegetable state bare able to discern who is who.The story is told in the third person point of view, with a peak into Donna’s diary mixed in as we trudge along through her journey.Donna, the child of alchemists, is expected to follow in their footsteps even though she has no desire to do so. Female Alchemists are called Moon Sisters. Her best friend is Navin Sharma, a boy who lives next door with his father and sister. He is normal, and still goes to the same school, Ironbridge HS, that she was forced to leave after punching her fist into her own locker after being called a freak by the usual annoying mouthpieces. She is now home schooled by the Order of the Dragon. Narvin forces her into going to a party where she meets the mysterious bad boy of the story.Donna’s arms were remade by an Alchemist known as the Maker. They are infused not only with magic, but with iron as well. Donna has been living with her Aunt Paige Underwood, also a member of the Order, ever since the attack on her parents and her rehabilitation was completed. Donna later meets 19 year old Alexander Grayson or Xan as he likes to be called. Xan is half human and half fey who once had wings that were torn from his back after being kidnapped by the wood elves. Xan still remembers how to enter the realm of the elves and ends up having to lead Donna there in order to save Navin from the wood elves who took him.There is absolutely nothing new that you haven’t already read a dozen or more times in the YA genre. The girl goes through a traumatic event in her life that forces her to live with another adult relative. Girl gets treated badly in school, and called a freak, then goes all Karate Chop on her locker which causes her to leave school for the safety of others. Girl is friends with a so called normal, who wanders into a secret world that he knew nothing about and gets himself kidnapped in the process. Girl is then forced to tell him her secret so that he doesn’t blab his mouth all over the place, and break their friendship. Girl then meets handsome, charming, and wealthy boy who has his own place and has a secret of his own. Girl falls hard for boy who spills his secrets to her, and she in turn does the same for him. Girl then ends up rescuing friend from the evil beings who kidnap him in order to force girl into giving up something in return. Girl kills the being responsible for killing her father, but ends up in hot water because she broke the rules of the Order while saving boy and mentor from the Wood Queen.Then there is the fact that Wood elves kidnapped Donna, who was 7 years old at the time, from a so called warded home where she was sleeping with her family. But, the how or why is never explained in this book. Even the Wood Queen asks Donna if she truly knows the truth about what really happened to her and why they call her the Iron Witch. Can we hope that it’s explained in better detailed next time around?Yet another complaint of mine is when an Author who is not from this country, tries to actually make us believe that an American Teenager from New England, would be caught dead drinking tea in the middle of the afternoon. I would love to have that explained to me, but will instead, comfort myself in knowing that I'm literally taking this story way too seriously.In the end, Girl finds out that her so called Order is doing experiments that are downright nasty; she then steals a vial of their elixir that gives immortality to the person who drinks it in order to rescue the boy and mentor. Girl gets into trouble with the Order and is grounded while awaiting trial for her actions in breaking into mad scientist’s lab.End, Finis, nothing more.

[usagijihen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

You know, with all of the paranormal-related YA floating around out there as of late, I’ve found that the alchemists have gotten the shaft in terms of equal representation within the genre. But with the release of “The Iron Witch” series, all of that is about to change – and for the better.My only huge complaint with this book was that it was far too short (hence the lack of the extra star). I found myself jonesing for more tales of Donna, Xav, and the Order of the Dragon (and the Wood Queen, of course, too). The next book isn’t coming out until next year, and I don’t know if I can wait that long, quite frankly, for more of this fabulous story. It’s going to be rough.I’d never heard of the “handless maiden” legend/trope before this, so I really appreciated Mahoney’s explanation at the end of the book about the source material that inspired “The Iron Witch”. To be honest, I wish more authors would do that when dealing with (possibly) esoteric legends for source material for their books. It makes it all the more accessable to a modern audience, and Mahoney has done this wonderfully.Otherwise, I’m so glad someone has remembered the alchemists, and mixing it with the world of the fey was just the right combination for a refreshing bite of a read. If you need a break from the real world, try out “The Iron Witch”. You’ll find just the right amount of romance along with the mystery of a hidden past a cool sip of water in a dusty real world. One of my picks for 2011, for sure.(crossposted to goodreads, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)

[sevsonlygirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Donna Underwood is a student of the Alchemists. She can't help it, it's her family. When she was 7 years old, she was being attacked by wood elves and her Dad died trying to save her. Shortly after that, her Mom got sick and no one knows why or with what. It seems to be mostly mental. Now Donna lives with her Aunt and is home-schooled. She tried public school, but one argument and a ruined locker later...here she is...at home.See, when Donna was attacked by the wood elves, there was terrible damage done to her arms. But the Maker was able to fix it, using iron and silver. Now she wears long gloves all the time, has to remember to control her strength and feels cold - a lot.Donna has a best friend, Navin, who knows nothing of what she really is. But he loves her and has stuck by her even when she got kicked out of school. Then Donna meets a boy that, like her, has questions, scars and no parents. Xan, it turns out, is part fae. His wings were ripped off when he was stolen by the wood elves. Together they try to solve some of the mysteries surrounding Donna's life and the Order of the Dragon.While I like Donna ok, she didn't make me want to cheer her on. Neither did Xan and I'm usually a big fan of the fae. However, Navin made me want to find out more about him. Too bad he's not really a main character. I hope that in the second book we find out more of Donna and Xan's background stories so that I can feel like I 'know' them more. I'll admit it...the cover drew me in! The writing was fair, but I never felt drawn in...which is what says "great story" to me.

[rachybee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think I need to start by saying how truly disappointed I am with this book. Considering all the hype surrounding its release and how much everyone, myself included, was looking forward to it---it was very much a letdown. While I’ll admit there isn’t anything exactly wrong with it, there isn’t exactly anything about it that stands out. I felt like the storyline, characters, were all ones I’d seen a dozen times before and there was nothing that was overly unique or that outright captured me. The idea of alchemists is cool, and yet I feel like the author didn’t really do anything with it. While there was nothing outright wrong with Donna, I felt she was like the typical heroine you see nowadays and I felt like the story was boring most of the time--it was too focused on her trying to rescue Navin and her new relationship with Xan, and even both those things were neither interesting or exactly captivating. I would have liked more info on the alchemists and things involving them. All in all a big disappointment and I really doubt I’ll continue on with the series.

[mardel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I can honestly say that I very much enjoyed reading The Iron Witch. I don't read a lot of Young Adult, but the same applies to Young Adult (for me anyway) as Adult fiction. It has to hold my interest. Normally I look for books that jump into action from the first page, and I prefer lots of action - whether it's fighting, running or laughing situations...Sometimes I get that but then a book slows down for me, and then comes to a complete stop interest-wise. The Iron Witch did start out with a bang - the prologue describes some of the nightmarish night that Donna went through as a child. The first chapter has her waking up from her nightmare. And even though there wasn't the feeling of non-stop adventure, there were things that kept me interested throughout the book.After the opening prologue/nightmare scene, the book continues at a seemingly sedate pace, but really little things are happening - some creepy things - that point towards the danger to come. Donna is attending a party with her best friend, Navin. They've been best friends for a long time, and live right next door to each other. Navin is the one person that Donna feels comfortable with, and even with him she feels like she doesn't quite fit in. Both of them have lost a parent. Donna has freakish strength in her arms - something that she is always aware of, which therefore causes a bit of angst. On top of that, she has these markings on her arms...making her feel like she has to keep them hidden. As a teen, she most likely dreads having anything pointed out as different, and here are two things that mark her as way different - her markings that she keeps hidden by wearing gloves and her freakish strength which she just tries to keep hidden....except for ---- no, that would be a spoiler. hahaShe goes to a party with Navin, against her instinct to remain in the background at all times. But once there, she ends up looking for a quiet place to hang out, and ends up on the roof with this mysterious boy/man. This guy turns out to be Xan, or Alexander - a kid who had gone off to college and then ended up back at home after a short while. Turns out he has his own reasons to feel like he doesn't quite belong. Xan plays an important part in the story - Donna and Xan strike up an uneasy (at first) yet strong friendship/attraction. They both feel different from others, and both have things to hide...and other than Navin's friendship, the only experience Donna has with other boys are...well probably none.Donna Underwood's family and circle have secrets, so Donna has learned all her life to keep things secret, this is wearing on her. She's also feeling bad about having to keep secrets from her best friend. Donna lives with her aunt, since her mother is in a confused state of conciousness in a hospital and her father died while saving her from the thing in the forest. Donna is homeschooled ever since an incident at the high school involving teasing students and her strength. She has normal homeschooling along with some alchemy classes with people in the circle. That's one of the secrets Donna has to maintain. Her family and family friends are a secretive order of alchemists - involving magic, experiments, knowledge of the fae, etc.The Iron Witch continues with the incidents here and there, that build up to a crescendo of action. Donna at one point figures out that her friend has been kidnapped by the forest elves and in typical teen fashion, tries to handle things on her own.. things become more complicated for her, and she makes decisions that she knows are going to have harsh consequences for herself. This reminded me of being a teen. There were so many times that friends and I tried to handle things on our own, for one reason or another, when we really should have involved an adult. But I think that is a rather common thing for some teens. It's not always logical, but then being a teen isn't always logical. Thank goodness we never had to deal with forest elves, or elf queens!Something I liked about the ending of the book, is that we find out that Donna hasn't been miraculously forgiven by the alchemists and their order - she has to face some possibly severe consequences for her actions...and things might not be fair. I believe that's where the sequel is going to take up. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, The Wood Queen.The Iron Witch kept my interest for the whole story; I enjoyed this debut novel, with good dialogue, interesting characters, light in the romance department, and an interesting twist with the possibility of more twists....there is the hint of a mystery beyond the plot of The Iron Witch. Why was young Donna in the forest at the beginning of the book (in her nightmare/memory)....What exactly was going on there? Looking forward to finding out.

[pattylouise_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good...great with flawed interesting characters.

[pollywannabook · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyTHE IRON WITCH throws readers right into the middle of the story using numerous vague references to The Incident that got her kicked out of school and a traumatic childhood experience that left her an orphan. Normally, I like stories that allow me to dive right into to the good stuff, but in THE IRON WITCH I feel like an opportunity was missed to tell what arguably is the most interesting parts of Donna’s story. Skipping past all that left me confused for the first third of the book and wrongly wondering if I hadn’t missed an earlier book/novella. Another side effect of beginning THE IRON WITCH when it does is that there is a rather lengthy info dump passage that we have to trudge through that somehow makes what really is a very interesting alchemy society and fey mythology seem dull. The alchemy does become more interesting as the book goes along and I can see it taking on an even more captivating role in future books. I was also surprised by the choice to primarily use 3rd person POV for most of the book. There are a few journal entries from Donna which are written in 1st person POV and are easily the best parts of THE IRON WITCH. The 3rd person POV left me feeling a bit detached from the main characters, a feeling that wasn’t helped by how prone they all were to wallowing in self pity constantly. Despite the criticism above, there is a lot to like in THE IRON WITCH. Donna is essentially a magical bionic woman with her iron laced arms and the romance that sparks between her and Xan is genuine and sweetly romantic. There are a number of questions left unanswered at the end and plenty of hints dropped about possible betrayals and misplaced loyalties that should give this series life for several books to come. Bottom line, if you love Julie Kagawa’s The Iron Fey series, you’ll love THE IRON WITCH.Sexual Content: Kissing

[elphaba71 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I picked this debut novel by Karen Mahoney up after reading several 'Must Read' recommendations..... And they were right it is a Must Read! They Call Donna Underwood the novels seventeen year old heroine a Freak, she has iron tattoos on her hands and arms, giving her enhanced magical strength. Donna's best friend Navin is great, he sticks by her through thick and thin. Navin & Donna go to a local party, enter Xan. Now Xan, he is something else! Donna is instantly attracted to him, and she just can't explain why. Soon Donna discovers her arch enemies, the Wood Elves and has to set about rescuing Navin from them with the help of Xan. Karen Mahoney has written a great debut novel, I was totally absorbed from page one. There are plenty of twists and dark turns with a bit of humor thrown in too, keeping you hooked right to the end. The characters of Donna, Navin & Xan are extremely likeable and believeable too, as are the others! My favorite part had to be the incident with the Sink plunger!! Loved it! We are not left with a cliffhanger at the end of the book, but I'm looking forward to the next installment to see what happens with Donna and co. Great, Go read it!

[bookpurring · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Let me preface this review by saying this is the first book I read about fey, and alchemists (sorta). I read The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff, but only realized the creatures in the book were fey until after I read the book (true story, I don't know why the author never bothered to name them, it would have help!). Anyway, because of this reason I think it's safe to say I found the topic very original. Also because of this same reason, I'm not sure if the author did a good job at explaining the mythology, or I am simply not familiar with it. So that would be the reason, I did not give five stars to this book.What I did like, Donna Underwood. Donna is one of the best heroines in YA literature I've had the pleasure of reading. She's been through the tragedy of losing her parents, and she struggles to cope with her iron tattoos that make her different (and you just know different is never good in YA). Donna is strong, and fragile at the same time, and I think that is a fine line to draw and not all authors get it right but Mahoney did. As a reader I understood why she felt sad about her iron tattoos, and yet I was pleased to see how she never hesitates to do the right thing and rescue those she loves. Donna doesn't wait to be rescued, she does the rescuing, and I loved her for it.There is romance in this book of course, hints of a triangle. While the triangle was a typical best-friend, heroine and bad boy triangle, yet I felt it was done right. Each boy represents something to Donna, she is not just a girl torn between two cute boys. Navin is her best-friend, who cares for her and has nurtured her while she's been ostracized from her high school while Xan is the new beautiful boy who knows about Donna's supernatural side and understands it because he too has been through his share of supernatural tragedies. By the end of the book it feels Donna has made her choice (at least to me).Will I read the next book in the series? The book ends with a peek to what's to come for Donna, enough to make me want to read the next book.