Picking up where The Iron King left off, "Winter's Passage" perfectly bridges the gap between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter. Fortunately, I only got into the series after this little novella had been released, so I read it in chronological order. I highly recommend this order for readers who have not yet read The Iron Daughter. 
 Given that this is a novella, I was a little worried about a few things: 
 * Would this just be unnecessary filler? 
 * Would it be of a lower quality compared to the published books? 
 * Would it feel tacked on? 
 I'm happy to say none of my worries were realized. The novella fits in naturally with the series, feeling neither tacked on nor unnecessary. The writing is of the same caliber as the rest of the books. 
 This section enhances the series, providing a little more depth and information about the relationship between Ash and Meghan and explains events that are later referenced in The Iron Daughter. I really feel like it should be considered part of the mandatory reading order. You wouldn't read The Iron King, skip over The Iron Daughter, and then read The Iron Queen, and you likewise shouldn't skip this novella or read it out of order (if possible). 
 It really feels like a section of the book that should have been there all along and never should have been cut. It doesn't really hold up as a full story on its own, especially if readers have not already read The Iron King. That said, I'm not really sure where I'd put it. The Iron King ends where I think it should, but The Iron Daughter has a good starting point as well. A novella seems like the best solution, though I hope this doesn't lead to it being overlooked. 
 Bottom line: If you're into the series, then you'll enjoy this novella and should definitely try to read it before The Iron Daughter. 
 Originally posted at Small Review