Clockmaker: A Gothic Steampunk Novel

                Hello happy readers! So today I have a review for a stand-alone sequel.  I know that sounds kind of strange but it’s legit.  I reviewed the Kristen Brand’s previous book Ghost Machine:  A Gothic Steampunk Novel and really enjoyed it as you can tell from my review.  So when the author messaged me about reviewing her newest title, Clockmaker:  A Gothic Steampunk Novel that focuses on a side character from the original book some time later of course I was interested.  So it technically takes place after the other book but can be read alone as well.  I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating:  4.5 Stars

                The crew of the Sultana is small but they have come through and rebuilt after past wows.  That has taken a toll and they are running on fumes.  Captain Melek knows this so when she gets a very generous offer from a reclusive gentleman who wears a golden mask for a quick transport job she can’t refuse.  Even if he is very mysterious about his cargo.  Now noises haunt her ship and warships fill the skies looking for her ship bringing an added danger to her ship and crew.  Despite the threats her passenger continues to be secretive and argumentative about his affairs but as the trip continues Captain Melek must have the truth if they have any chance of making it to Istanbul in one piece.

                This is a mysterious journey with all types of monsters to behold and secrets to uncover.  The back and forth with Captain Melek and Mr. Lesauvage was pretty entertaining even when I like her wanted to strange him and his secrecy.  The dangers of the journey and situations they end up in keep you on the edge of your seat.  This is a serious journey for our small but colorful crew.  I loved the way they interacted with one another both good and bad as things get dicer and sanity and loyalty are tested.  Emin, Ahmet, Ziska (who totally reminds me in small part of Kaylee from Firefly), Brocksby, and Mr. Moses.  Each one of them has a story and a purpose they are working towards as well an important job on the ship. 

                I don’t want to spoil anything but as we get closer to the destination with lots of dings and near misses along the way truths come out and it brings back old horrors and enemies.  Who can be trusted?  Is the risk too high?  Full of fantastical inventions like flying ships, recording spiders, and more it was a feast to the senses.  I really enjoyed this story and could see it being a stand-alone but having read the original introduction to the good Captain I really enjoyed seeing more of her as she had been a favorite character.

                Until next time…

Cogling

                Happy belated Valentine’s Day!  I don’t normally care much for the holiday myself, though this year I did have fun doing some baking for the work crew with themed cupcakes.  Also best part, discount chocolate this week!  Also this weekend The Walking Dead returned (I haven’t watched yet I’ve been at work since 6pm last night and yes I’m still here but it’s waiting for me on my DVR) and this weekend Deadpool came out!  I saw it Thursday since I had to work the weekend.  Hilarious!  This weekend I also got to read a book that recently came out, Cogling by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek.  I previously reviewed another title by her, Escape From Witchwood Hollow and was excited to learn about her new title and receive a copy for an honest review. 

Rating: 5 Stars

                Cogling is a different type of story involving hags and magic and coglings, clockwork changelings that replace children the hags steal, and one sister willing to risk anything to get her brother back.  Even rely on the help of a thief with secrets of his own.  Enduring several obstacles on their journey only to discover a much larger plan at play.

                I really like the idea of changelings.  So much material there to work with but adding in the added aspect of them being made of gears and parts, just a machine even more interesting.  Edna and her brother are really close and she is really worried about the change in him and quickly discovers he’s been taken by hags and replaced but no one will believe her outrageous tale.  The only clue she has to find Harrison is the watch that powered his cogling before it crumbled and when Ike sees it in her hand he is able to tell her more about it than anyone else.  So what if he’s a thief.  He’s willing to help and she can’t be picky. 

                There are some interesting characters in this.  We start with Edna and Ike.  Edna is driven by fear for her brother and you want her to succeed.  She is likable and relatable but still has this part of her that is unknown.  Then you have Ike, a thief living on the street but who has some secrets of his own and knows a lot about the hags and their plans.  He also seems to have his own motivations for helping Edna.  We also get to know in some form or fashion other characters like Mother Sambucus, Lady Rachel, Harrison, Hilda, and so many more. I feel we learn a bit about each of them and what drives them.  In this world we also get a variety of species and types.  I just love the world build with the automatrons, the Nix, foxkin, dragons, and tomtars everything was so enchanting.  I really enjoyed seeing and learning about each one and how they interacted in the world.  It was a great mix of magic and steampunk aspects.  I just adored Silver!

                There is constantly something happening, I’ve been really loving the fast pace of the books I’ve been reading as of late.  They really fly by.  Edna and Ike find themselves facing obstacle after obstacle trying to reach her brother and then to find a way to expose what has been happening to prevent it from happening again.  The constant will to keep going despite everything.  I was pulled in and really enjoyed it and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy or magical story. That’s all for now, share your thoughts below in the comments. What would you do if you found your sibling or loved on was replaced by a cogling?  Would you go after them? 

                Until next time…

A Darkness Strange & Lovely

                Hello everyone!  So first order of business today is to announce the winner of the giveaway. That was super fun thank you all for participating and making it a success!  Congrats: Megan S.,you won the Signed Copy of The Rose Society by Marie Lu!

                Now on to the days review.  The other week I reviewed the first in a trilogy I was finally reading and finishing this year, Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard, here.  Today I have my thoughts and feels on the sequel, A Darkness Strange and Lovely.  The review will contain spoilers for the previous book as it takes up in the aftermath of where we left off with Eleanor and the Hunters so be warned. 

Rating:  4 Stars

                When we left Eleanor in book one things were hell.  Nicest way to put it, she had lost her brother, whose body was taken over by an evil necromancer, her friends rushed out of town being called murders despite all they did to help, her society standing, her families money, and her HAND!  Seriously her hand.  Plus she is haunted by the dead and spirits and heartbroken the boy she thought loved her but clearly advised he did not before leaving her.  Yeah I was totally loving Daniel until the end there, then he took a bit of a dive in my book and had some redeeming to do to win me back.  Back to Eleanor still home, most things sold to pay for her mother's stay in the hospital, she had lost her mind when Eleanor tried to explain things.  A bit much to take for sure.  Eleanor is getting used to her missing hand and her life but then one day everything changes.  She feels someone watching her, someone after her, and she knows she must run.  She must go to the only people who can help her, her Spirit Hunters in Paris. 

                Book two we get to experience a whole new world and a whole new way of life.  Where in Philadelphia the Hunters were treated badly and sneered at despite the help they provided in Paris they are treated to the best of everything and everyone loves them.  Such a vast change it was nice to see Joseph back in his element.  It was interesting to see Daniel in a more proper setting, acting a gentlemen when it was his rough and tumble attitude we loved in the first one as it called to something inside of Eleanor.  While the fame does have its pros and cons it was nice to see them being appreciated given what they went through.  The reunion is a bit rocky given some new changes in her after meeting Oliver on the trip over.  He claims to have known her brother and be on her side but his motives seem to be in question as he temps her into the darker side of her new found gift of necromancy. 

                My favorite part of this story was watching Eleanor grow.  She was on her own for the first time in a sense and she was making her own choices about her life.  She made mistakes and got herself into some trouble and disappointed some people with said choices but she made them herself.  She grew and really took charge.  I liked that aspect.  Even as we watch her start to be tempted into something that could be very dark, she takes in others opinions but she makes her own choices and many times they are thought out.  I also love when she and Daniel meet up again and her independence and new found attitude on life holds firm. 

                Along with the characters I enjoyed from book one and the new additions of Oliver and a few more we are uncovering more of the plot.  It thickens as it were.  There is a much larger mystery at hand for them to put the pieces together and try to solve while protecting the people.  There were some aspects I saw coming but others I was rather surprised by which thrilled me.  The world they are in of magic and a bit of steampunk with Daniel and his creations was just entrancing.  I was constantly left questioning the motives of others as the story progressed never sure who was friend or foe. 

                Overall, I really enjoyed the A Darkness Strange and Lovely as a sequel and I was eager to finish the series off with the ending.  Some things were brought to light/wrapped up in some way but there were still many other things are left to be accomplished.  As always I'd love to hear your thoughts and feels below in the comments! 

                Until next time…

Lumière by Jacqueline E. Garlick

                Hello readers!  Today I’m participating in a Blog Blitz hosted by Seeing Double In Neverland for a book I’m excited about:  Lumière by Jacqueline Garlick.   I’ll give you a quick idea of the story and the author some details you might be interested in and in gun blog tour fashion a giveaway to win awesome goodies!  Lumière will be available on August 11^th.

Goodreads / Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

                One determined girl.  One resourceful boy.  One miracle machine that could destroy everything.

                After an unexplained flash shatters her world, seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth sets out to find the Illuminator, her father’s prized invention.  With it, she hopes to cure herself of her debilitating seizures before Professor Smrt—her father’s arch nemesis—discovers her secret and locks her away in an asylum.

                Pursued by Smrt, Eyelet locates the Illuminator only to see it whisked away.  She follows the thief into the world of the unknown, compelled not only by her quest but by the allure of the stranger—Urlick Babbit—who harbors secrets of his own.

                Together, they endure deadly Vapours and criminal-infested woods in pursuit of the same prize, only to discover the miracle machine they hoped would solve their problems may in face be their biggest problem of all. 

                You can also pre-order the sequel Noir available August 18^th!  Such a short time to wait between books it’s heavenly! 

Goodreads / Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

About Author Jacqueline in her own words!

Goodreads / Facebook / Website 

                I write YA, New Adult, and Women’s Fiction.  I love strong heroines, despise whine sidekicks, and adore a good story about a triumphant underdog.  I love to read, write, paint (walls and paper) and plan cool writing events for cool writers here.  I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate, grammar, and technology.  I prefer creating things to cleaning things, and baking to cooking and believe laughter is a one-stop-shop solution to all that ails you.  I also firmly believe ELO’s Mr. Blue Sky can improve even the worst day.  And if that doesn’t work, there’s always Ellen Degeneres.  You will always find a purple wall (or two) in my house (perhaps even a door) and a hidden passageway that leads to a mystery room.  (Okay, so you won’t find a hidden passageway but a girl can dream, can’t she?)  Oh, and tea.  There will always be tea.  I love specialty teas…and collecting special teacups from which to drink them.

                In my former like, I was a teacher (both grade school and college – long story, don’t ask) and more recently, I’ve been a graduate of Ellen Hopkins Nevada Mentor Program and a student of James Scott Bell, Christopher Vogler and Don Maass.  An excerpt from Lumière earned me the 2012 Don Maass Break Out Novel Intensive Scholarship.

                Known for my edge, rule-breaking, Tim Burton-esque style of writing, I’m often affectionately referred to as the Quentin Tarantino of YA among friend in writing circles.                

                Now that giveaway that I mentioned is open to US and Canada Only.  Take a quick moment to enter this lovely giveaway and check out both Lumière and Noir.    

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