Tuesday, April 19, 2011

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

Publisher:  Flux (Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.)
Publish Date:  February 8, 2011
ISBN:  978-0-7387-2582-6
Pages:  312
Book Design: Steffani Sawyer
Cover Design:  Lisa Novak

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.

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