I love Puck so I was really excited to read this one. The only reason it took me this long was that it was my dyslexia got really bad during lockdown.

This had all the elements of a great Julie Kagawa book. Adventures, Puck and Ash at each other's fronts, a little helping of Grimalkin and even a bit of Meghan! It was nice to see the old gang all back together again, even if they've changed so much since the first book.

I really liked Nyx a lot. I love the concept of the forgotten and having a sexy moonlight powered assassin just added some icing to the top of a really interesting cake!!

Can't wait to read on to the next book!

It took me a while to get round to this, but an enjoyable read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

This book is very similar to the series that have come before. I wasn't too sure what Puck being the main character as he is not one of my favourite characters in the series, but I think he has grown on me. I am looking forward to reading the next books in the series

The Iron Raven was good fun and nice book to get lost in for a while. The pacing keeps you hooked - it's fast, but not overwhelming. I haven't read the original books set in this world, but will be picking them up when I can!

I hadn't finished all of the Iron Fey books before i got this but i felt like that was ok as this is a new series following Puck.

However, i did feel like this was lacking something her other books have but ive been unable to put my finger on it.

It felt like it was written on a cycle. travel, talk, fight, repeat. Not quite what I was anticipating which is why I think I didn't fall in love with this book.

It's about time I finally got round to writing this review as I'm now halfway through the second book of the Evenfall series. I read this first one back in June 2021!
Before reading this, I had not read any of Kagawa's works. I did not read any of the other Iron Fey series and so I was not acquainted with any of the characters or settings in this. Luckily, as this is technically the start of a new series, it laid out the essentials of the world and history of certain characters, so I didn't feel too lost. That said, there were a fair few references to events that I wasn't privy to, so in hindsight, it may have been better to read some of the other books first. But I want to stress that reading the other Iron Fey books is not *necessary* to enjoy and appreciate this one.
I love modern takes on stories regarding fey and magic, and I adore seeing well-known characters such as Puck (or Robin Goodfellow) portrayed in different ways. Puck, in this novel, was cheeky and mischievous but certainly had a dark side to him. I really enjoyed him as a character; even if, at first, I found him perhaps a little too cocky. But the other characters - in particular Nyx and Meghan - were just as wonderful and interesting. While Nyx is new to this series, I believe Meghan features heavily in previous books. I'm really quite tempted to go back and read those other books to find out more about her, as well as Puck's history with Ash, another major character.
This book has a ton of excitement and adventure, action, magic, and fighting. It's what I love about the fantasy genre, with its ability to transport you to a whole new world. And of course, it leaves us wanting more! It's such a great take on the concept of fey and the different courts, and I particularly love the whole idea of the Between. (Kieran is another great character I'd like to mention; if you like him, you'll definitely be interested in the next book. I'm only halfway through but I'm enjoying it immensely so far!) This is just perfect for curling up on a rainy evening, a way of escaping into a magical world of equal beauty and danger. 4 stars!

For fans of Shakespeare some of the characters in this book may seem familiar, Oberon, and Titania and the focus of the book Puck. Whilst shopping in the goblin court Puck spots a familiar face the son of his best friend and the love of his life, the king of the in between. A dark evil is threatening the space between the mortal world and the world of the fey. With the help of the king and queen of the Iron realm, a forgotten assassin Nyx and an Iron horse Puck must face his past and help to save the world. A great mythical story which kept me gripped.

A wonderful addition to the series!
I loved this world and was so happy to be able to go back!
This book maintained all the magic of the first series with the experience the author has gained from writing so much since then!
Loved it!

The Iron raven is a book I wished to read purely for the nostalgia and my love for the previous items in the series- and it did not disappoint. Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for allowing me to have an advanced eARC in exchange for an honest review

Plot summary:
Robin Goodfellow has always been in the world. A true prankster and for many years the right hand jester to King Oberon he is finally offered the chance to tell his tale when a new threat brings him face to face with a new enemy- his life is changing.

With the Iron Queen Meghan, her prince consort and a load of allies old and new, Robin heads out for an unforgettable adventure the likes of Faery have not seen before.

Review:
Plot and World Building – Firstly I absolutely loved this series as a teenager, it was one of the first YA fiction series I ever read and Robin (aka Puck) was actually my favourite character. Being offered the chance years later to see a story from his point of view and a continuation form the original series now I am older is really interesting. The plot was immersive and varied from the previous novels, but still held the appeal and beautiful world building I expected.

Overall pacing of the story was very good (quite fast) and it personally worked for me.

Character wise- Puck really is the star of the show for this and I couldn’t be happier. Getting to finally see more of him, his personality, his background and development is genuinely one of the most delightful things I have seen for a while. I was in awe and he will forever remain my favourite character in this universe.

It was also really nice to see some characters from the previous novels reappear and all the new characters introduced were done well, with great character development and style.

Generally I loved every character in this, and they were all beautiful individuals with fantastic development and depth.

Final Thoughts:
A great addition to the original series that will bring back a whole load of nostalgia.

The Iron Raven is a wild romp through faery, fast-paced and full of action, humour and drama. The ending was a bit abrupt, but maybe that's just setting us up nicely for a sequel. I hadn't read Kagawa's previous books in The Iron Fey series, so I can't compare to them, but it felt like fans would love this chance to adventure with the characters again. Puck is certainly memorable! Kagawa has not excluded new readers, either; this works as a standalone fantasy novel, with plenty of references to the past without too many spoilers. All in all, highly enjoyable!

The Iron Raven was everything I hoped it would be and more. You might be wondering why I’ve given it a stingy 3.5 stars then. It’s not that it didn’t live up to the originals, it’s because while it’s a very promising start, The Iron Raven is still just a start. It offers a lot more to come, introducing new characters and as you’d expect a new big bad as a new adventure in the Nevernever unfolds. The problem with books like The Iron Raven is that it’s got to build upon the previous novels while introducing something new, and in this particular case, offer up the real story of Robin Goodfellow on a plate.

Julie Kagawa does this very well, intertwining Puck’s flashbacks with the current storyline and showing us how he came to be the legendary Fey everyone in the Nevernever knows. As we see Puck throw head first into this new adventure, we get to see sides of him that were missing from the original Iron Fey series. It isn’t just reading things from Puck’s perspective and seeing another side to his pranks and joker personality, it’s getting the opportunity to see him before everything begins. The moment when he’s just Puck, doing what he does every day. We get to see how the pressure of suddenly being thrust back into the thick of it affects him, how the past still weighs on his mind, and gradually over the course of the novel my opinion of Puck changed.

If you’re expecting this to be the same as the good old days then sorry to disappoint, but this is set after the original series and a Fey Queen can’t just abandon her court for a long period of time. I’ll leave it at that. There are plenty of good moments with the old crew, however, and the new characters that join them more than makeup for this not being Iron Fey 2.0. Personally, I don’t want a complete copy of the original series. I want something new and The Iron Raven most definitely has that in spades. I also feel that it is giving two of the most underutilized characters of the original series, Puck and another one (spoilers 😉 ), a chance to shine.

As the cover says; the legends are many but the truth will now be told and that is one of the most accurate tag lines I’ve seen in a while. The Iron Raven is an emotional rollercoaster and not in the ways you were expecting. You’ll have all the feels for returning to the Nevernever, to hearing Grimalkin’s sass and those moments where familiar characters enter for the first time. There are plenty of moments where you’ll laugh until you cry too, this is a novel with Puck as the protagonist after all. I’m looking forward to seeing where the rest of this series goes and hope there are more Puck and Grimalkin banter moments in the next book because there are the absolute best.

I think I’m in the minority by not being as fussed about Puck as a character. As in, I like him but I’m just not as excited by him as the others. That said, this book was great fun. It was amazing to be back in this world again. And while he may not be my favourite character, Puck definitely has mileage for his own series. I can’t wait to see how this develops.

DNF

Sadly, I’m not feeling this. I’ve tried multiple times to read it, but I can’t just get into it. I didn’t realise it was a spin-off book of a previous series that I haven’t read, and I think that affected my enjoyment.

Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read any of the previous Iron Fey series, but I enjoyed the Shadow of the Fox series and think Kagawa is an imaginative and creative writer, so I was looking forward to reading this.

Kagawa is really good at world building and although I haven’t read the previous books in the series, I was able to get a sense of the world and the different Fae realms within it. The main character in this book is Puck, essentially the same character from English folklore, perhaps more familiar from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. There are other characters here too that may be familiar to those who have read the previous books in the series, but I can’t really comment on their reception in this book.

I generally enjoy quest/journey type books but my main issue with this book was that it felt like I was reading an RPG. There was scene after scene of the characters travelling somewhere, having a chat with some other characters, then a big fight scene and repeat. Kagawa is very skilled at writing action sections, but it all felt a bit formulaic after a while.

I also wasn’t a huge fan of the instalove relationship between Puck and Nyx. Mostly because Puck acts like a complete knob for most of the story so it didn’t really make sense to me why she became infatuated with him. I know his behaviours tied into the story, but it didn’t make sense to me that she would fall for him so quickly.

Overall, it was an enjoyable enough read but it didn’t inspire me to pick up the previous books and I probably won’t be in a rush to read the next book in the series.

Iron Raven Was a Somewhat Steely Start to a Series

Well I’m going to be very blunt straightaway: this reads more like a series continuation than a series opener. Sure, there are plenty of introductory elements and there is a focus on setup, yet it’s really grounded in all the books in the Iron Fey that have come before. While I actually read the Lost Prince first, then was able to go back and experience the books that came before, I personally don’t think you will get much enjoyment out of this new book without already knowing the characters. Not only is this book banking on nostalgia, it doesn’t do much in the way of helping readers get to know existing characters. Most of the players in this story already have rich backstories and their reintroductions really serve as reminders rather than a catch you up. And as a fan of the series, that didn’t put too much of a dent in my enjoyment, because I already love them so much.

So really, all of this is to say if you like YA fantasy and you haven’t tried the Iron Fey series, I strongly recommend it!

On the plus side, all the things that Kagawa does well are here. I loved the tone, the descriptions, the immersive setting. I fell back into her world easily. While there are hints of developing darkness, that’s mostly overshadowed by the light voice. As a fan of Puck and Kagawa has made the character her own, it was an absolute pleasure to get the story from his perspective. I also appreciated Nyx as a new character and think her past could be potentially interesting. The one big issue I had was that the romance felt rushed and unearned.

Other than that, it was a good read. Not my favourite in the series, but a diverting enough addition.

Rating: 3½/5 bananas

A new series from Julie Kagawa, following the infamous Puck as he starts a new adventure., show me where to sign up, followed by I got approved for an ARC can you tell how excited I was (and am) When Puck learns of a threat that will destroy all of the Nevernever he embarks with the Iron Queen and Ice Prince. Will they succeed , well I couldn’t wait to see. I was so happy to learn there was going to be a spin off from Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series, when I found out based on Puck I was so happy. I loved Nyx and can’t wait to learn and see more from her. Overall a great introduction to this new series, loved the subplots which are forming to shape the future books and I definitely look forward to the next.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

The Iron Raven is the first in an all new series from Julie Kagawa, following the infamous trickster Puck as he embarks on an adventure. When he learns of a threat that will destroy all of the Nevernever he must embark on a epic quest with the Iron Queen and Ice Prince Ash, as well as a mysterious assassin. Will the group succeed in fighting off the terrible threat, or will they uncover something even more deadly?

This book was a bit of a let down for me, but I think it’s completely down to me and not the book. When I read the synopsis for this I thought it was an all new series with all new characters. As I dove further into the book I quickly learned this is a spin off from Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series. I did read the first book in that series a long time ago, and while I enjoyed it it didn’t peak my interest enough to continue the series. As a result I didn’t really have any connection to the characters or their history. I think if you’ve read the previous series you’ll really enjoy seeing these characters back together again and embarking on a new journey.

The plot was enjoyable, if a bit formulaic. It was a pretty quick paced story and once the action started I ended up reading most of the story in a day. Kagawa has a nice writing style and if you love her books I think this would be a really fun read. Puck is a fun character and it was interesting learning about all the mayhem and mischief he’s gotten up to. I did think the ending was a little disappointing, with this big baddie that seems undefeatable being bested in such a simple way.

I did really like seeing Puck return to his darker nature and the way the insidious thoughts kept breaking through, this was the part of the story that interested me most and I also liked the flashbacks that gave you a bit more history into Puck’s story. I think this is probably a case of it’s not you it’s me, and fans of The Iron Fey series will absolutely adore this one. If you’re looking for action packed fae stories with plenty of banter, this could be just the series for you.

The Iron Raven is another great book by Julie Kagawa in which we get to know more about Puck - an interesting character most will remember from the Iron Fey series.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I think fans of the Iron Fey series will appreciate this book more for its nostalgia than for the content. It has the same beautiful, rich, world-building that I loved in Iron Fey but found the writing style a little repetitive. I will be reading the next book though because I did enjoy Puck and Nyx's relationship.

Time to step back into the world of the Iron Fey!

It did take me a while to catch up to where the books last left off. It was highly enjoyable to be back in the world and seeing Puck being up to his old mischief, while still developing over the story. Ash and Meghan are also making an appearance.

Nyx, the forgotten warrior is by far my favourite and I can't wait to see where her story goes through out the series.

When it comes to the story itself I feel like its lacking in its usual uniqueness and magic like the original series,
but it was definitely full of nostalgia from the old days.

Thank you for Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

The queen of fairy stories returns one more time to take us to the Nevernever. Kagawa’s written several books about the fey- this is a spin-off from her Iron Fey series- but this time, we’re battling anti-fey monsters from the viewpoint of Puck, or Robin Goodfellow, who started off as heroine Meghan Chase’s companion and has now graduated to a storyline of his very own.

Despite the fact that this is the six or seventh book set in the Iron Fey universe, it still remains as fresh and exciting as ever; Kagawa clearly has a lot of fun evolving the world that Puck and Meghan live in and going back to it has the feeling of coming back home after being away for a few years: comfortable and slightly indulgent. The storytelling is tight and exciting; Kagawa keeps the plot twists coming thick and fast. It’s a fun romp and lays the groundwork well for the rest of this third trilogy, which promises the end of the Fey world entirely. Let’s see how that turns out…

The only problem is that making Puck the hero doesn’t quite… work… somehow. After seven books of being famous for being a prankster, giving him a tormented backstory doesn’t quite gel so well with Puck’s inner monologue, especially after keeping him company for six books prior to this one. What we get is a weird combination of ultra-glib and Byronic hero, which made me wince. The same with the obligatory love story, which felt more shoe-horned in than sincere, and throws off the momentum of the plot.

Despite that, The Iron Raven is an easy, entertaining read that it’s easy to race through- and good enough to keep me intrigued for the next book in the series.