Review: The Iron Flower by Laurie Forest

Synopsis

Dark forces are on the rise in this sweeping sequel to The Black Witch by critically acclaimed author Laurie Forest.

Elloren Gardner and her friends were only seeking to right a few wrongs when they rescued a Selkie and freed a military dragon. The last thing they expected was to be thrust into a realm-wide underground resistance against Gardnerian conquest.

While the Resistance struggles to fight back against the harsh rulings of the Mage Council, more and more Gardnerian soldiers descend upon the University…led by none other than Lukas Grey, now commander of the nearby military base. Though Elloren tries to keep him at arm's length, Lukas is determined to tie himself to her, still convinced that she is the heir to the power of the Black Witch, a legacy of magic that will decide the future of all Erthia. As his own magic calls out to her, seeking to awaken a dark force within, Elloren finds it more and more difficult to believe that she's truly powerless, as her uncle always claimed.

Caught between her growing feelings for the rebellious Yvan Guriel and the seductive power offered by Lukas, Elloren must find a way to stay true to what she knows is right and protect everyone she loves…even if that means protecting them from herself.

Rating: 5 stars (Because unfortunately, I can't give it 10)

Review

“Welcome to the resistance.”
The final line of The Black Witch. Enough to keep me on edge for months while I counted the days to read The Iron Flower. The wait was more than well worth it.

Laurie Forest exceeded my expectations tenfold with an action-packed epic sequel. The Iron Flower is an emotional rollercoaster full of adventure and romance that won't let you go until you finish, and maybe even after. It has taken me days to organize my thoughts, there is a lot going on.

Gardneria has become the most dangerous place on Erthia for those who are not Gardnerian. The mage council's rulings becoming more and more repressive, and brutal than ever under the leadership of  Marcus Vogel. 
Elloren and her friends, the lupines, the selkie, the Fae, a Kelt, elves, and Icarals, are more in danger than ever before. But that doesn't stop them from creating even deeper bonds and fighting for what's right.

During the first half of The Black Witch, I wanted to slap Elloren a few times. Not anymore, she has become the kind of heroine I root for in The Iron Flower, defying old age prejudgements and breaking the rules; risking her life to protect those she loves. Fighting with everything she has not to fall into the dark temptation that the dark power coursing through her veins carries.
Lukas Grey, one of Elloren's love interests is back with a vengeance. His power call's to her and creates a dangerous temptation hard to resist. I didn't much like him before, I definitely don't like him one bit now. 

My ship has been one since The Black Witch, Yvan and Elloren. Yvan, the mysterious kelt with incredible powers that helped with Elloren's wake up call. He is without a doubt one of my biggest book crushes. And the level of chemistry he shares with Elloren reaches new burning levels in The Iron Flower. 

There are a lot of tear-jerking moments, so be warned and prepared. The plot twists left my head spinning more than once. The character development was on point; new characters enrich the plot giving you more people to love and hate. 

The Iron Flower is a heartbreakingly beautiful book. I can't wait to read it again and dive into the rich world Laurie Forest has created.

Get The Iron Flower here:
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2XmO5iy
Universal link: books2read.com/TheIronFlower