The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney

Release Date: 1st February, 2012

Publisher: Random House Australia

Pages: 321pgs

The Story

Donna Underwood is in deep trouble. An ancient alchemical orrder is holding her accoutnable for destroying the last precious drops of the elixar of life. Never mind the fact that Donna was acting to free her friend, Navian, 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 Queen has been tricked and Donna must pay. Get read for all hell - quite literally - to break loose . . .

The Review

After loving the first book in the series, I've been eagerly waiting to get my hands on a copy of THE WOOD QUEEN. When I finally got my copy, I tore through the endless of pages and just like I expected, the sequel picks up not too long after the ending of The Iron Witch, where Donna finds herself on trial with the alchemists for the shameful loss of the precious elixir. Not only is Donna in trouble yet again but she has also been paid a visit by the Wood Queen herself and this time round . . . the Queen isn't backing down without a fight and using Donna's mother no less as her bargaining chip until she gets what she wants.

I don't about the other readers of this book but I found there was a slight change in tone with this sequel compared to the exciting feelings I'd gotten from reading the first book in the series. I couldn't exactly put my finger on it - on what the 'slight change' was - but if I had to guess it was probably the slow pace of the storyline that distracted me the most. While we get to learn many other secrets of The Iron Witch world, some secrets and lies that are quite shocking to the reader, however the disappointing element of this sequel for me was what occured in the novel with so little progression. I was really hoping for more romance too and was hoping for more . . . oomph from the storyline. You know, something to get me desperately wanting the third book more and more. That might not have happened in my case, but I'm still interested in what the last book in the series has to offer.

Now on the upside, Donna remains the same snarky young heroine we all know and love, and I'm glad to admit she has finally become a much stronger character in this sequel than the girl we previously saw in the first installment. Navin on the other hand, Donna's best friend, was brilliant as always and honestly what's not to love about his character? His relationship with Donna never falters and you can definitely feel the love shared between them . . . a lasting friendship. So a two thumbs up for the author in keeping that friendship formed.

And, of course, like in any young adult story, you have a love interest and that love interest is Xan, the half-fey boy we met in The Iron Witch. Now I was a huge fan of Xan and while fangals will appreciate a fabulous steamy makeout scene in this sequel . . . but unfortunately other than that scene . . . I didn't really have much faith in Xan this time round. He was always pushing away from Donna and kept his secretive side once again. Don't get me wrong here, I like a bit of mystery to my fictional fellows but pleasssssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeee NO MORE! I'm tired of mystery. But not to worry Xan fans if you think I've lost faith in young Xan, because I haven't completely written him off yet since either way you look at it, he's the reason I want to keep reading the series. So I hope in the last book of the trilogy that I can fall back in love with him.

Overall, THE WOOD QUEEN may not have impressed me like The Iron Witch had done last year but it was still another great installment. If you loved the first book, you'll love this! If you have yet to read this series . . . GO READ IT NOW!

The Rating 3/5 stars