The Iron Flower was such an incredible story. Just as magnificent as The Black Witch as the story of Elloren Gardner continues.

The tyrannical rule of the Gardnerians is vastly increasing to encompass more and more territories. Their hateful view of species they deem lowly and unworthy are being decimated and Elloren and her eclectic group of friends are trying to save each other. Her biggest frustration is being the most powerless of her group, but it does not hinder her determination to do anything and everything she can to help her friends and family.

With beautifully detailed imagery and amazingly strong characters in play and new ones introduced, Elloren’s tale of bravery is beyond impressive and unforgettable. It’s easy to get lost in her world and connect with each and every character you meet.

What a fantastical story!

What a breath of fresh air. Laurie Forest seriously knows how to write epic fantasy. Forest knows she doesn't need a book filled with plot for the sake of plot - sometimes it's nice to have moments where we just see friends together, enjoying life or school. So many moments in this book made me smile, and one actually made me cry - and I don't cry at books!

Following the strife of The Iron Witch, we follow Elloren as she learns how she can defeat the evils her race is perpetuating - and Forest doesn't hold back on this. With a realistic view on the demonisation of opposing races, torture, murder and the like (although it's not explicit) it's enough to send the reader into a whole new world that we need changed. I feel just as much desire as Elloren to have this world changed and made egalitarian. Forest does an amazing job of tugging on the reader's heartstrings and making us feel desperate and filled with a need to see this world become a better place for everyone.

I love the way Elloren makes mistakes. She's not the perfect protagonist with all the answers, instead she makes assumptions and mistakes and is not afraid to ask for help when she needs it. This is shown when she meets the Amaz, the race of female warriors who live apart from all the issues plaguing the outside world. These are not a good race of people - they are abusive to men and believe they're all evil and wrong. However, Elloren needs to work with them. When they first reject her, she accuses them of many things - until she finds out they only said no because she didn't have a plan. She then humbles herself and asks them what exactly she needed to do for a yes. There's nothing worse than the feeling that you've attacked someone when you just haven't understood what they meant. 

Elloren is treated with suspicion this entire novel - but this does not shake her faith in what she's doing. Sometimes she needs to act or behave a certain way around other groups of people. Imagine being her ally in the "good guys team" and seeing her around her own race, pretending to be allied with them. It would confuse you and maybe make you not trust her. However, her friends never once grow confused or question her allegiance. This makes me love her friends even more!

Villains! Aunt Vivian becomes worse than Vogel! She takes control of everyone's lives and makes them miserable. Fallon is pretty much off camera and I hope that's not because of the nasty reviews Forest got for "girl-on-girl hate". Fallon was a great character, and although she had her time on the pages as well, I hope she comes back to work some rudeness on the pages! Vogel is also a bit of a baddie - and that's what I love. He's a huge villain, but he doesn't have to cross paths with Elloren yet! Such a shock to read in a novel these days - we're setting up so much and don't need to have fight scenes with the bad guy every so often to remind the reader they're there.

Dare I say I loved the fashion in this novel? Because I did! Elloren has strict guidelines as to what she is and isn't allowed to wear. It has to be black, she has to have layers, she has to cover herself up etc. In this one? She puts on dresses and flowers and really has fun with what she wears! Although we don't catch her wearing a baby pink tutu, she still broadens her horizons as to what she can and cannot wear.

The only problem I had with this book was the SJM effect. (SJM = Sarah J Maas). Maas has an issue with making sure there's someone for everyone. No one is allowed to be single and they all have to find the person they're going to be with forever and ever and ever. This book grew similar in that ideology, although it didn't completely take over. Nearly every side character started batting their eyelashes at another character. I ended up putting my head in my hands and wanting it to stop. I can see exactly how Forest is pairing off these characters and it's just frustrating. 

I really loved the ending to this book. Now, we have THE plot twist which I saw coming. It wasn't secret and I don't know why anyone was surprised. It was pretty much explained in The Black Witch but I won't post any spoilers here because I can't hide text like I can on GoodReads! Then, even after that massive moment, we have ANOTHER one!  This book makes me super stressed. But it's amazing! 

To finish, I love the Forest tries to escape tropes. Love does not conquer all, children are not safe from death, sometimes looks DO matter, abuse shouldn't be brushed over lightly and sometimes we see things that we wish we could stop but we're powerless to do so. It's realistic, it's harsh, but it happens. Forest throws us into a fantasy world filled with horrors. These are not imaginary but problems that litter our modern world as well. We need to remember this as we read the book because one person can really change the future.

This book had a lot more action than the first one, and it was an emotional roller coaster all the way through. Some of the plot lines didn't make sense to me (why would Elloren et al stay at University and "hide" in the North Tower when they know the whole city has been taken over?!?) Just like the first book, it leaves you anxiously waiting for the next book to come out!

This was a really good book. A solid 4 star.

I was really sad that Ariel died and that Ren's uncle died. They were both good people and didn't deserve it.

I was beginning to suspect that Ren's uncle was hiding her power somehow but it turns out that it was lack of the right tools and somewhat mental on her part.

I never did understand what Fallon's plan for Ren was? Was it to get her fasted to her brother? Is that who was going to beat some sense into her?

Speaking of beating. I truly wish Aunt Vyvian was horribly beaten to death. I can think of few other people I dislike more in this book. Fallon's brother maybe being the #1. But it's very closely tied for #1 villain.

I can't believe how much evil is in her? Like how can she be related to any of her family but her mother? All the others in the family seem sane and kind. She is the only one like her famous mother.

I can't believe that Ren is the black witch. I can't wait to see her pulverize Fallon and Vogel and all the other evil racist people who are rampant in this world.

I am truly disgusted by how evil some of the people are. I mean disfiguring teens, children and babies? Killing them? Torturing them. It's outrageous!

I love that Yvan is the prophesied Ical and that he and Ren are together. I can see exactly what will happen in the next book and I can't wait!

*I was lucky enough for NetGalley and Harlequin Teen to approve me for this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Holy Jesus! I did not see that twist coming! I still can't even fully process what just happened and I'm so upset that I have so long to read the next one. You can't just leave a girl hanging like that!!!

Okay, let my try and reign myself in here. The Iron Flower, in my opinion, is even better than The Black Witch, it's still very very heavy handed in it's ideals and such but that's the whole point of this series and it's making it's point very well known. The characters are flushed out so well that I honestly feel like they could be real. Even the side characters are well developed.

The first one was more about Ren overcoming what her people had always told her, seeing the other people as just that, people. This one leans more towards the romance (swoon Yven) and her helping the resistance. This book made me cry, laugh, pump my fist into he air, scream, and even at the end, blew my mind.

The writing is fine, detailed wonderfully, the pace is also much better than the first, I don't feel there's any parts that drag. Overall, I can't wait to see what happens to Elloren next because she's got her plate full now.



Will go live on my blog: 08/28/2018

I enjoyed this book! I did feel like the stakes were a bit higher and I appreciated that. I did feel like the romance aspect of it could’ve had a little more time developing. I saw the end coming at the end of book one, but I still liked it.

Not one of my top favorite reads of the year but an easy and a fairly enjoyable one all the same! I will be probably be picking up the next one in the series when it comes out!

I loved the book and series! I would definitely would recommend it to anyone. I enjoyed the characters and story. I can not wait for the next book to come out. I really enjoyed that there were certain plot points that kept me guessing/surprised me. With YA books things can be really easily predictedable, but not with this book. I am really excited about where this story is going and I really enjoyed the author’s writing. Hopefully, the next book comes out soon.

A solid 5 stars for the wonderful, complex world of the Black Witch!
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to read and review The Iron Flower by Laurie Forest!
The story picks up right where The Black Witch left off. The Resistance works together trying to figure out how to keep their ‘unsavory’ friends safe. The prose flows smoothly and focuses on characters’ situations. An all-encompassing fantasy with a mystery that is foreshadowed throughout the series but left hidden from its readers, keeps the suspense going. Elloren and her friends are fighting for freedoms that are being taken away piece by piece. Fierce loyalty and friendship bond many different types of people and bring them together to fight against genocide and towards freedom. The Iron Flower adds much to this fantasy series and I’m looking forward to reading the next installment already; a solid 5 stars for the wonderful, complex world of the Black Witch!

Couldn't put this book down. Was an enthralling story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Will definitely recommend to customers at my work!

I loved the first book in the Black Witch Chronicles, and I was so excited to get a advanced copy of this book. This book picks up in the aftermath of Elloren and Co taking a stand for some other races. I loved the author's ability to frame empathy while making the characters relatable and honest. I was excited to see Elloren's relationships with her friends and romances grow, and was glad to see the author write Elloren as struggling with the choices Lukas can provide but not go the love triangle route for her and the boys.

Laurie Forest has created an exceptionally well written fansty world with realistic problems of the ours lives today.
Elloreen has made her way to the resistance with the help of her friends. She is being sent to train for the up coming war. She still has boy issues to be solved.
These characters have gotten into my mind that I’m dreaming about them.Can not wait for the next book.

Another cliff hanger here, but I enjoyed this book much more than its predecessor. Elloren has grown quite a bit since the beginning of The Black Witch, but there were still several times I wanted to shake her. Laurie Forest surprised me a couple times with twists I wasn't quite expecting with a YA novel, which was a happy surprise. We will certainly purchase a couple of copies for our collection. For RA, depending on the patron of course, this is a story that teens will find appealing. I don't anticipate it checking out to many adult readers of YA.

When I requested this book, I didn't realize it was a second in the series meaning I had to read the first. Which I did. In a matter of hours. I was so happy that I had the second book waiting for me so I could continue with the series.

I literally couldn't book this book down. I carried my Kindle with me through the house so I could continue it. I loved the plot and without giving anything away, the character development was insane. Usually I feel like second books let the readers down.

I know there was a lot of controversy over this series, but I truly think they missed something in the first book that gave everyone the wrong idea.

Fully recommend this book to everyone. This and Red Queen are my number one recommendations!

This was an okay fantasy book. It wasn't in my taste and had several eye-rolling moments in the romance between characters. The storyline was great, and the characters were well developed.

I didn't think it was possible, but I loved this book more than the first! Elloren continues to evolve as a character, recognizing the prejudices of others and taking steps to right the wrongs she sees. Surprising turns and heartbreaking losses make this a hard book to put down. Loved it! Cannot wait for the next installment!

Despite the risk of 'second book syndrome' The Iron Flower (TIF) remains just as strong as its predecessor in terms of both plot and writing. The plot is set at somewhat of a slow-burn pace, but this does not diminish the sense of anticipation I felt on every single page. I had to know what was happening next, I had to know what was going to happen to these characters, what other possible challenges and evils could befall them? The plot and writing is consistent throughout the book, I never felt that it slowed down too much to ever be considered dull.

The characters continued to delight and surprise me, even as they faced ever more perils. The main character, Elloren (who is heavily criticized by those who have not read TBW and yet reviewed it anyway), undergoes a difficult journey of disillusionment of her culture and religion toward a fuller comprehension of the prejudices held by her people in TBW. In TIF Elloren is given the opportunity again and again to continue unlearning her prejudices, to check her privilege, and also to make use of her privileged position in her society to aid in rebelling against that very same society. There are so many characters to adore in this series and we get to meet even more in this book.

Overall The Iron Flower remains consistently strong as a sequel in this series and is evidence that The Black Witch Chronicles is not a series worth ignoring as it is promising to be a powerful and impactful fantasy series.

This book is available as of September 18, 2018! In the meantime I highly recommend picking up the first book in the series, The Black Witch.

ARC provided by Netgalley.
I am on the shelf for this one. I liked it, it had all the necessary steps to leave you wanting a third, and it answered some questions from the first. I just didn't loooooove it, and I truly wanted to. I enjoyed Wandfasted and The Black Witch and have reread both. Iron Flower just seemed to excessively explain and provide reasons that , for me, made the story drag. I am going to let it simmer and reread again in the hopes maybe it was me.

I really wish I was articulate enough to describe how great this book is, amazing would probably be a better word, it held me from beginning to end, made me laugh and cry, and while I guessed one part of the prophecy the second part came as a surprise, now to wait for the 3rd book.
Thank you Harlequinn Teen for the Arc in return for my honest review.

I finished this book in less than 24 hours. I couldn’t put it down. I cried, I screamed at certain parts, I was happy to see some of my thought of what might happen in the next book come true. The worst part of this experience is the fact that none of my friends have read it yet so I can’t cry on a friend’s shoulder for support.

Laurie Forrest did an amazing job on the sequel, I can’t wait to read it again. This is flat out my favorite book of the year, it was filled with Elloreen still fighting for what she believes in, but making more actions than getting educated. This book if you’ve read the first will make you cry, want to throw it, then pick it back up and say I’m so sorry. It will make you laugh and the love interests are phenomenal. The ending itself OMG, Laurie be careful because kidnapping you is high on my mind right now with that ending!