Waiting on Wednesday (#277): The Dark Days Deceit by Alison Goodman

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

The Dark Days Deceit by Alison Goodman

Book Three of the Lady Helen series

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: November 20, 2018

Summary (from Goodreads):

The thrilling, genre-bending conclusion to Lady Helen's demon-hunting adventures, set in the glittering Regency world.

Lady Helen has retreated to a country estate outside Bath to prepare for her wedding to the Duke of Selburn, yet she knows she has unfinished business to complete. She and the dangerously charismatic Lord Carlston have learned they are a dyad, bonded in blood, and only they are strong enough to defeat the Grand Deceiver, who threatens to throw mankind into chaos. But the heinous death-soaked Ligatus Helen has absorbed is tearing a rift in her mind. Its power, if unleashed, will annihilate both Helen and Carlston unless they can find a way to harness its ghastly force and defeat their enemy.

In the final book of the trilogy that began with THE DARK DAYS CLUB and continued with THE DARK DAYS PACT, the intrepid Lady Helen's story hurtles to a shocking conclusion full of action, heartbreak, and betrayal.

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The Dark Days Club review | The Dark Days Pact review

I love this series! I can't wait to read this final novel. It has been a long time coming!

Swoon Thursday (#210): The Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from The Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman!

He cupped the back of her head in the long span of his hand and drew her closer, leaning down to brush his lips against her temple. She felt a word breathed soft against her ear - bacciami - Italian for kiss me. Ah, that was what buss meant.

[Skipped a paragraph to avoid spoilers. Helen is overthinking, in this paragraph.]

She smelled the clan, male scent of him, felt the rougher texture of his skin against her cheek, and drew a shaking breath. That pulse she had so brutally suppressed hammered into every part of her body, her fingers bunching with sensation. She found herself turning her face to meet his careful progress, her lips finding the soft curve of his mouth. They both paused, breath mingling, and then she felt the warm pressure of his tongue against her own, the taste of him, salt and wine, merging with the clean smell of his skin. It was startling and tender... and then it changed. Something wild crashed through her, a wave of throbbing energy that drove her up against his body, her fingers winding hard into the short crop of his hair. She felt him sway back, his breath catching into a gasp. She opened her eyes and saw the shock in his face flare into something more primal. She wrested him back to her mouth, any tenderness subsumed by animal need. He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her hard onto his chest, both of them locked into the dizzying sensation of their mouths and tongues and bodies pressed against each other. She felt as if she wanted to crawl into his skin, taste him, touch him, fill herself with him.

- ARC, pages 313-314

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The Dark Days Club review | The Dark Days Pact review

I cheated a little this week, because technically I read this book last week. But none of the books I read this week have inspiring swoony romances, and I couldn't NOT share this kiss at some point. :D I loved The Dark Days Pact! I'm really eager (and anxious) to see how the series ends... in 2018. 

Review: The Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman

The Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman

Book Two of the Lady Helen series

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers 

Publication Date: January 31, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

June 1812. Just weeks after her catastrophic coming-out ball, Lady Helen Wrexhall—now disowned by her uncle—is a full member of the demon-hunting Dark Days Club. Her mentor, Lord Carlston, has arranged for Helen and her maid, Darby, to spend the summer season in Bristol, where Helen can sharpen her Reclaimer powers. Then the long-term effects of Carlston’s Reclaimer work take hold, and his sanity begins to slip. At the same time, Carlston’s Dark Days Club colleague and nemesis will stop at nothing to bring Helen over to his side—and the Duke of Selburn is determined to marry her. The stakes are ever higher for Helen, and her decision will truly change the world…

What I Liked:

The Dark Days Pact is an excellent follow-up to The Dark Days Club - it follows none of the sequel slump pattern that we've seen so often in Young Adult trilogies. I liked The Dark Days Club very much, though at times I found that book to drag a little. This sequel was thoroughly intriguing and entertaining, with a lot of action and revelations, and a little bit of angst. I enjoyed this book immensely and I am looking forward to reading the final book in the series.

Lady Helen is well on her way to becoming a fully trained Reclaimer, and an official member of the Dark Days Club. Mr. Pike comes to Bristol to swear her in, and he also gives her a task: obtain an important journal of a secretive nature. But it's clear that Mr. Pike has another intent - spy on Lord Carlston, and get rid of him. But Lord Carlston has been showing signs of deterioration, in his health. Time is running out to find a cure, which also hinges upon the journal. Helen must get the journal before Carlston does, or risk breaking her oath as Club member. But she doesn't trust anyone except Carlston, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Quinn, and Darby, and she doesn't think Mr. Pike is honorable. The journal itself isn't what it seems, and Helen's decision about what to do with it will have consequences she can't comprehend.

This sequel moves at a faster pace than The Dark Days Club, which I appreciated. I loved The Dark Days Club, but there were definitely times when I really felt the length of the book (500+ pages). This book is also around that page length, but it has more action and intrigue, in my opinion. Helen was always getting up to something sneaky, which I thought was hilarious (good for her!). 

You can clearly see Helen's growth, in this novel! Much of this book is focused on her training as a Reclaimer, and so we see her grow in that way, but also in general. She stands up for herself and doesn't let herself get shuffled around. When her oath to the Days Days Club comes up against her loyalty to her friends, and Carlston, she doesn't meekly follow one side or the other. She seeks more information and bides her time, but ultimately, she makes decisions. I wouldn't say she is totally decisive at first, but she really grows into a stronger character. There are so many feminist moments in this book in which I was cheering for Helen. Especially every time she told Selburn she didn't need a protector - you go, girl! 

That being said, it's interesting how Goodman worked that strong, feminist attitude into Helen's character. It was always there, but I like how Helen really stands up for herself, especially towards the end. She definitely is confined by societal rules and customs, but at the same time, she makes choices for her reasons, and not society's. Recall that this series is set in the 1800s - so it's painfully obvious that, historically speaking, this is a "man's world", and females are subservient (given the time period). But Helen doesn't appreciate having to hide behind a man - and she doesn't let it happen. Again, she is still confined by society's "rules" for women, but she does things her way. She has to come to terms with some difficult decisions, like dressing as a man for disguise, and cutting her hair, but Helen is a tough girl.

Along those lines - Goodman has done a fantastic job in building the world of this series. The novel is set in 1800s England, so there was a lot of research that needed to be done to write this book. Goodman has quite the eye for detail! I read a lot of adult historical romance novels, so I'm very used to this setting, but I must say, Goodman really outdoes herself with the world-building. Drop in all the monsters and supernatural powers and important magical objects and we've got a very interesting world in a realistic historic setting. Well done by the author!

This book is told in third-person, limited to Helen, and I liked this mode of storytelling. First-person is so common in Young Adult literature, but I think I much prefer third-person. Goodman writes it very well. 

The other characters besides Helen are incredibly important and so well-fleshed out as well. Carlston is arguably a protagonist, equally as important as Helen. He is ailing and clearly not getting better, and no one can figure out what is causing his deterioration. Fits of temper and bursts of madness are evidence to his deterioration, and try as they might, Helen and the gang can't hide this from Mr. Pike (who clearly wants Carlston gone). But Carlston shines in this book; he trains Helen efficiently, and he never tries to control her (like, dare I say, Selburn attempts to do). I wouldn't say that Carlston is sweet or tender - he is a quietly brooding warrior with a bit of a temper. Yet he cares so much about Helen, and he doesn't take care to make it less obvious. The poor man! He suffers quite a lot, in this particular book. 

Darby is her usual feisty self, and she and Mr. Quinn get close. We learn a lot about Mr. Hammond, and I adore him so much. His sister, Margaret, is annoying as ever (but in an endearing way). A character that becomes very important in this book is Delia; her addition to the main plot was surprising, but in the end, very welcoming. Selburn is unfortunately in this book, more in second half, and honestly he is the peskiest of flies. 

In the first half the book, the focus is on training Helen and Darby, and for Helen, making the deal with the man to get the journal. But the man, Lowry, wants something that Helen refuses to give, and then she finds out that Carlston is looking for the journal (not knowing that she is too), so Helen must sneak around and try to find out more, in order to steal the journal herself. But plans never go planned, and so there is a lot of close calls and nighttime excursions.

The romance is so obvious and wonderful (assuming you like Carlston). I didn't really see Selburn being part of the romance in The Dark Days Club, and as annoying as he is, I still don't see him being a real threat. Romantically speaking, it's all Helen and Carlston. While Carlston isn't a big softie, he gets romantic (for a moment!) in this book. The bond they have goes beyond being Reclaimers, or sharing energy, or whatever: it's clear that they both love each other. I'm hoping Goodman works that out, in the end, because there really is no other ship to be boarded. 

The ending is good in some ways, and painful in others. I love how exciting the ending is! It was a mad race to make this or that happen, and so every single character in this book was converging to one spot. All of our main characters are still alive and well and survive the scuffle. I did mention that the ending is slightly painful, and it is. It's a cliffhanger that has little to do with Reclaimers and Deceivers. Still, I have hope, and I'm very excited to read the next book. 

What I Did Not Like:

I will complain about a thing that I can't say specifically because that would be spoiler-y. But. Remember how I said that there isn't really a love triangle? That is very true, because Helen is in love with Carlston, and vice versa. Never mind that Carlston is still technically married (his wife has been missing for six or so years). Never mind that the Duke of Selburn is obnoxiously obsessed with Helen and won't stop asking her to marry him. Which is weird! Why does he persist? She has rejected him so many times. Again, I'm complaining about a thing that happened in this book that I can't say specifically. But, it's a thing that I want to see disappear very quickly, in book three, if possible.

Personally (and this is just a theory, and not a spoiler), I'm hoping that Selburn is the Grand Deceiver. We still don't know who is, by the end of this book (though we get some more information about the Grand Deceiver). I'm hoping it's Selburn, because he is so slimy in a nice way. He's too protective and invasive, in terms of Helen and her business. Sure, it would be convenient if he were the Grand Deceiver, but still. A girl can hope.

Would I Recommend It:

Despite the not-love-triangle, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm loving this series. Dare I say this book is even stronger than The Dark Days Club? Perhaps it is. So many aspects of the story are strengthened - Helen, the plot revolving the Grand Deceiver, the journal (not spoiling), the romance (that ONE scene, mercy). There are even seeds about Carlston's wife, and Helen's parents, and a darker matter about Reclaimers and Deceivers. This book sets up for an intense showdown in book three! I highly recommend this series if you like historical fiction, paranormal fiction, steampunk fiction. I'm not a huge fan of Cassandra Clare's books, but this series reminds me a little of The Infernal Devices, in terms of the world-building. 

(I like this series SO much better than The Infernal Devices, mind you.)

Rating:

4 stars. My heart will be shriveled and withered by the time book three is published! I'm not sure I can handle the ending of this book for so long. But I'm trusting Goodman to deliver a fair and good ending, for Helen, and Carlston, and Darby, and Quinn, and the others. I'm looking forward to getting book three in my hands as soon as possible!

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Review and Giveaway: The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

Book One of The Dark Days Club series

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: January 26, 2016

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

London, April 1812. On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

What I Liked:

Whew! What a read! This book is a doozy - very long, but worth every page. I tucked in for a good read, and I got what I was looking for. I've been waiting for this book for nearly three years (according to Goodreads, anyway). I read Eon and Eona as a young teen (probably around fourteen, fifteen?), so reading The Dark Days Club was really exciting for me (I'm twenty now, random tidbit). Waiting for a new book by Alison Goodman has not been easy!

Lady Helen Wrexhall is about to make her debut at the royal court of George III, in front of the queen. Her aunt and uncle want her to secure a good future, and being presented and recognized by the queen will aid the process - and hopefully ward off the taint of Helen's mother's actions from the past. Lady Catherine was wild and unrestrained, and Helen's uncle is happy that Lady Catherine and her husband died years ago. But Helen is finding that she might be more like her mother than she thought. Her instincts have been getting sharper, and she's has been noticing odd things. It seems that the dangerous and mysterious Lord Carlston is the one who has answers, who knows what she is and what she is seeing. When worlds collide - the glittering world of Regency London, and the shadowy world of demons - Helen's life will never be the same.

You all know how much I love adult historical romance novels. Yup, you know the type - the ones with the shirtless males and ball-gown-clad females on the cover. This book is set during the same time as many of those historical romance novels - Regency London, the 1800s. I LOVE historical romance novels, a lot of which is due to the time period. Historical fiction in general (not just romance) set in the 1800s has always fascinated me. I love that Goodman set this series during the 1800s, and had so much fun doing the research for it! She did a stunning job with the setting, and world-building. 

The 1800s can be so restricting, especially in a YA novel with a female as the protagonist. Goodman really set up the world in an authentic manner; Helen's life must revolve around attending social events, balls, gowns, and securing a future match. Helen's uncle controls every aspect of her life, including her inheritance, until she either marries, or turns twenty-five. Scary thought, right? I didn't like Helen's uncle at all, and I thought her aunt was ridiculous (but she had good intentions). Helen's brother is SUCH a young lord in the 1800s (carefree, privileged, has no idea how lucky he is to have his freedom - freedom a young woman does not have in this time period). Same with his nice friend Selburn - he's nice, but I don't trust me. I did like Helen's friend Millicent, and Helen's maid Darby. Go Darby!

I really liked Helen - she's a different sort of character in YA. She's intelligent and curious and witty, which is not typical of a girl in the 1800s (they're not supposed to be smart - rather, they should be pretty, well-mannered dolls, ready for marriage and children). She IS well-mannered, and I'm sure she's pretty (Goodman never made physical appearance a big deal, which I thought was refreshing!). I like that Helen takes steps to protect herself, and her maid Darby, when she finds out what she is and what she can do. She doesn't immediately jump into the cause, which you see so many girls in YA lit do, when they find out that they're different.

So what IS Lady Helen? It turns out that her mother, Lady Catherine, was a demon hunter, with enhanced senses, instincts, reflexes, and the ability to see demons (with some aids). Helen is born with those abilities, and her powers are slowly awakening. Lord Carlston, an Earl, has recently come back to London - as it would turn out, to hunt demons, but also to seek out Helen.

Lord Carlston is known for supposedly killing his wife. No body was found, so this wasn't proven, but all of London is quite sure that he killed her. The young Earl is cold and seems savage, but it isn't until he shows Helen what SHE is that she understands why he is so. He's a Reclaimer as well, and he wants Helen to join him in taking demons' power to destroy them.

I like Lord Carlston. He's generally very misunderstood (poor guy) and seems like a good man. We don't get to know all of his secrets in this book, but we do get to see a lot of his personality. He protects Lady Helen at every turn, no matter her thoughts on The Dark Days Club (those who hunt the demons). Lady Helen is reluctant to join (which is so reasonable), and it's respectable that Lord Carlston does not push her.

I've seen some people asking if this book is similar to Susan Dennard's debut trilogy, but I personally don't think so. There are no zombies in this book, and I feel like Lady Helen's life is MUCH more rigid and restricted than Eleanor's. Lady Helen is a very high-ranking lady in society, with a hefty inheritance. Her brother is Lord Hayden, another noble, and he is good friends with a Duke, Selburn. Even Lord Carlston is an Earl. I don't really think that this book (and series) is similar to the Something Strange and Deadly series, especially given Lady Helen's reluctance to join the group.

There is a hint of romance, the smallest, barest hint. You can probably guess who the leading pair are. In 1800s London, unmarried eligible girls are often pushed towards the first interested nobleman, in order to secure a good match. Keep that in mind as you read this book. THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE. I adored the beginnings of a romance in this book, and the ending is very favorable. I foresee no love triangle in the future, and I DO foresee the romance that I'm hoping will develop, developing. *swoons*

Spending of the ending... as soon as there is some grand ball or event or dance announced in YA lit, you KNOW something bad is going to happen. In contemporary YA, if there is a homecoming dance, or prom, something bad will go down. I knew the showdown was coming, but I didn't expect it to end as it did. I cannot wait to see what happens in book two! You just KNOW that Selburn is hiding something. And we've barely scratched the surface, in terms of Lord Carlston! I must know more!

Amazing world-building, excellent character arcs and development, unique story, budding romance - I'm hooked! This book doesn't end in a cliffhanger, but suffice it to say, I need the next book!

What I Did Not Like:

This isn't so much a complaint as a warning - this book is LONG. And it reads long. I usually don't mind lengthy books. Give yourself enough time to read it in one sitting (trust me, you'll want to read it in one sitting). It wasn't boring at all, but you really FEEL the 500 pages while you're reading (it didn't read quickly).

Would I Recommend It:

I absolutely loved this book - no surprise there, as I really love adult historical romance novels set in Regency London, and I adored Eon and Eona at a younger age. I had confidence in Goodman and she did not let me done! This is book one of a trilogy, so it isn't the worst idea to wait for all three books to publish. But I knew I would want a new Goodman book in my hands as soon as possible! If you're not much of a historical fiction reader, go slow! I was exposed to all of the customs and rules of Regency London because of all the adult historical romance novels I read.

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars (I bet if there were kissing in this book, it would have gotten 5 stars. LOL.). This book was very close to 5 stars, believe me. I am quite sure that the next book will not come soon enough!

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The Giveaway:

Thanks to Penguin, you could win an ARC of The Dark Days Club! USA only, begins today (11/29) and ends on 12/12 at 11:59 PM EST. Courtesy of the publisher. Good luck!

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USA residents: want another chance at winning an ARC? Enter the Goodreads giveaway!

Review: Lark Ascending by Meagan Spooner

Lark Ascending by Meagan Spooner

Book Three of the Skylark series

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books

Publication Date: October 1, 2014

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

The thrilling conclusion to the Skylark Trilogy: Revolution is brewing in the city within the Wall. After months beyond the Wall, Lark returns with Owen by her side, prepared to overthrow the Institute once and for all. But Lark's triumphant homecoming is short-lived when another leader emerges to unite the rebels: Eve, a mysterious Renewable. Lark wonders if Eve's powers will bring them strength or bring humanity's final downfall.

What I Liked:

THIS. This was the book I needed from this series. I struggled a little with books one and two - I liked them, but I wasn't totally interested. In my review of Skylark, I mentioned that I liked the book overall, but was confused about things. In my review of Shadowlark, I was still confused about things, and wanted more from the sequel novel. While I totally do NOT remember most of what happened in books one or two (it's vague, just enough for me not to be hopelessly lost), I can say confidently that this book, Lark Ascending, made the most sense in the series. It sucks that we have to come this far to see this, But, I'm glad I stuck with this series!

Lark is going home - she is returning to her city, to see if what is wrong can be righted. She finds the rebels of the city (half of the city is controlled by rebels, the other half controlled by the Institute/architects), some familiar face, and a newcomer... a Renewable named Eve, who was a slave to the Institute not too long ago. Lark doesn't trust Eve completely, especially since everyone seems to be under her thrall. Eve is powerful - but will she help the rebels, or will take matters into her own hands?

Spooner attacks so many issues in this book, unlike the previous books. Maybe the previous books were setting up for this one. In any case, Spooner addresses many problems: Lark's light/dark powers, Oren's shadow side, Eve's enormous power as a Renewable, the Institute and its real goals, the truth behind the "apocalyptic" event in history that destroyed everything... so many truths are revealed in this book. It's incredible how everything seems to come together. FINALLY.

I understand Lark's abilities so much more. I understand the "shadow" side of Oren, and I really *get* Eve and her powers. Everything makes sense in this final novel, which is good, because I had soooo many questions after finishing book one and then finishing book two. My questions were answered, rest assured.

A word of caution (sort of): I remembered very little from book one to book two, and then book two to book three. Remember, I didn't LOVE the first two books, so after I finished them, they didn't really stick with me. But I found that it was really easy to get back into this world, despite not remembering much. This is always a good thing!

Lark definitely grew even more, in this novel. She had to take charge of several matters, even though someone else was handling the rebels and plans, even though she never really wanted to put herself or anyone in danger. I have to say, I do like Lark, and I get her.

The romance is a bit rocky in this book, but not in a bad way. It goes to show that Lark and Oren don't have it all figured out, they aren't super similar and perfect, and they go through obstacles like anyone else. In general, I'm very pleased with the romance. I was confused in the first book, but I ended up really liking the romance in this series.

I'm glad I kept reading! This series is certainly an interesting one. The world-building and intriguing concepts drew me in, but the poor structure of the first two books didn't really do the series any favors. The last book (this one) made me glad that I read the series!

What I Did Not Like:

I almost wish for a more bloody ending... I know that sounds weird, but I don't think anyone actually died. You know how usually a friend or mentor or several people who matter but aren't the protagonists die? I'm not going to say that the ending was perfect (it was NOT), but then, in terms of death and whatnot, no one died... just saying. That stuck out to me.

In general, the overall feel of meh that I got from books one and two stuck with me as I was reading this one, but it was less oppressive than it was in books one and two. That's a good sign.

Would I Recommend It:

If you've read Skylark, or Skylark and Shadowlark, definitely make a point to read this book. It's totally worth your while to read the conclusion to this unique series. However, if you haven't read either book, then ehhh, don't bother. I wouldn't have read this series if I hadn't won a copy of book one from the author. I was under no obligation to read/review the book, but I like to make sure that my giveaway winnings don't just stack up and collect dust, you know? 

Rating:

4 stars. Definitely a fantastic ending to a series that needed a push. This book was that push. I'm glad I read these books! Now I can say I've read all five of Spooner's books/soon-to-be-published books (Skylark, Shadowlark, Lark Ascending, These Broken Stars, This Shattered World)!

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Review: Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon

Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon

Book One of the Take Back the Skies series

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Publication Date: June 3, 2014

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Catherine Hunter is the daughter of a senior government official on the island of Anglya. She’s one of the privileged – she has luxurious clothes, plenty to eat, and is protected from the Collections which have ravaged families throughout the land. But Catherine longs to escape the confines of her life, before her dad can marry her off to a government brat and trap her forever.

So Catherine becomes Cat, pretends to be a kid escaping the Collections, and stows away on the skyship Stormdancer. As they leave Anglya behind and brave the storms that fill the skies around the islands of Tellus, Cat’s world becomes more turbulent than she could ever have imagined, and dangerous secrets unravel her old life once and for all . . .

What I Liked:

I really wanted to like this one, you all, I really did. I had such high hopes for this book, because it seemed like a science fiction novel with a hint of dystopian and steampunk elements, and possibly a subtle romance. So many things that I already love, wrapped up in one book? Count me in. 

Cat runs away from home after her overbearing and generally horrible father tells her she'll be married to some brutish boy, as a political arrangement. She joins the crew of an airship, initially as a stowaway boy, but eventually, as a girl who is smart and clever. As life on the airship progresses, Cat learns that things aren't as they seem in her country. There is no war, but children are being taken anyway - why? The crew of the airship and Cat intend to find out, and to the stop the government. 

I think this book could have been super epic, really, but the execution wasn't the best. The first part of the book was really intriguing, to say the least. I wanted to know more about Cat and her struggle as a high-born society girl, her role in the society, how she handled her father. The tone of the first ten percent of the book is very different from the rest of the book. Cat seem more grown and mature in the first ten percent of the book than she ever will in the rest of the book. I had no idea she was fourteen until she gets on the airship and starts acting like an immature fourteen-year-old. Before that, she does not act fourteen at all. 

Personally, I didn't like the plot of this book (see the next section), so I can't say much about that here. Same goes for the romance. Same goes for the majority of the characters, if not all of them. I was pretty interested in what the big secret was - where the Collected kids where taken, and what they were being used to do. I had a feeling what it would be, because it's usually this one specific thing, but Saxon puts a twist on things.

Overall, I'm kind of grasping at straws to find good things to say about this book. It's not 1- or 0-star bad, but it's still pretty not-so-great.

What I Did Not Like:

I hate to say it, but there were just so many things that I did not like about this book. The protagonist, the characters in general, the romance, the execution... not very much was to my liking. I'll start with Cat.

To begin with, I had no idea that Cat was fourteen. The first few percent of the novel made it seem like Cat was grown - like, eighteen ish. But when she runs away and stows herself on the ship, it turns out that she is actually fourteen. This is when she starts acting like a fourteen-year-old (*cough* immature *cough*). She literally loses any composure and maturity when she boards the ship - especially upon meeting Fox. Fox is a few years older than her, but he acts too mature for his age. I know that some people can just be THAT mature, but it's weird. It seems weird. And in fact, they don't even act mature most of the time. 

To be honest, I think the author did a horrible job of aging the characters. Cat should be like, sixteen or something. Yes, two years makes a difference, a HUGE difference. Fourteen just seems like an adolescent, a kid, an immature brat. At sixteen, the protagonist can be immature still, but not like a child. I don't like Cat's maturity in this book - she acts like a fourteen-year-old, or worse. I also don't really like that she's fourteen - it makes this book read almost like a Middle Grade book. Seriously. I kept asking myself if I were reading an adolescent book, or a Young Adult book.

So there's Cat. I didn't like her in general, by the way. She got on my nerves, and not only because I found her immature. She acted so stupid around Fox, but other times, she acted like she was boss and totally feisty and honestly, it just seemed fake and forced. She did not seem like a person I would like.

The plot. The story itself is, in my opinion, extremely predictable. Even the mystery about the Collected children was predictable to a point. At least it made the book easy to finish - I could tell what was going to happen before it did, and so I could just keep reading. But the story was nothing special. Neither was the worldbuilding, really. This world that Saxon created wasn't anything that I could gush over. 

The characters in general match the plot - they were cliche and nothing special. I couldn't connect with any of them, because they seemed very overused and cliche (what's another word for cliche? Ugh). Like, OF COURSE there is that jolly mother-figure who dotes on the boys. That ONE woman. And of course the boys (men, really) of the ship love Cat and take her in and everything is happy snappy. OF COURSE there is Fox, a boy just a few years older than Cat. Like, everyone was overly cliche.

Ugh, the romance. I can't decide if I liked any part of it, or if I basically hated it all. I'm thinking the latter. Fox and Cat's relationship was really, really cliche (I know, I've been using that word too many times). Like, they hate each other, yet secretly, they love each other, and it gets really starry-eyed and mushy-gushy when they get together, as a couple. Like, okay. Might I remind you that she is FOURTEEN. Something about this whole thing bothers me. Called me old-fashioned, but that's just how I feel.

Honestly, this book could have been awesome, but the execution was really poor. This is a very, very young debut author, and it really felt like an inexperienced writer telling a story. This book is pretty long - but a lot of it could have been cut out. I'm not sure why a lot of scenes didn't cut out or edited, but whatever. The execution and writing style was pretty bad. In the first ten percent, I was kind of impressed with the writing. But after that, everything spiraled downwards. Oh, that slippery slope...

Also, someone please explain to me what the title has to do with anything? Taking back the skies? More like taking back the children? I don't understand. It's not a war over the skies. The title was one of the things that initially drew me in - I thought it was going to be an epic war-based adventure type novel, with the skies as the thing in contention. Nope nope nope.

As you can see, I had a lot to say, in terms of what I didn't like. It's unfortunate, because I was super excited to read this book, earlier in the year. Oh well!

Would I Recommend It:

No, unfortunately, I would not recommend this book. I can't even see myself reading the next book in the series (which baffles me that there WILL BE a next book - this one wrapped up really tightly). I don't think this one is worth your time, if you already weren't going to read it. If you have it for review, then by all means, read your review books! But don't hurt yourself trying to read this one, if you were not super excited to read it. It's not really worth it, in my humble opinion.

Rating:

2 stars. I really wanted to like this book. I had such high hopes for it. But alas, that was not the case, and I was disappointed. But I suppose it happens!

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Swoon Thursday (#67): The Girl with the Windup Heart by Kady Cross

Swoon Thursday is a hot meme hosted by the fabulous ladies at YA Bound!

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from The Girl with the Windup Heart by Kady Cross!

Griffin was awake.

Finley went to him and placed her hands on either side of his face, feeling the stubble on his scratch her palms. His eyes were brighter now, the kind of blue that a summer sky sometimes aspired to. 

"I dreamed about you," he murmured with a slow smile.

She pressed her lips to his, kissing him as though she hadn't kissed him in weeks, as though the fate of the world depended upon a thorough kissing, He didn't seem to mind. He kissed her back, fingers curving over the back of her neck as though he was afraid she might try to break the kiss before he was ready. Silly boy.

- eARC, 61%

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Check out my review of this book HERE!

I loved this book! And the series in general. I wish there were more scenes like this between Griffin and Finley!

Review: The Girl with the Windup Heart by Kady Cross

The Girl with the Windup Heart by Kady Cross

Book Four of the Steampunk Chronicles

Publisher: Harlequin TEEN

Publication Date: May 27, 2014

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

In 1897 London, a final showdown is about to begin.

London's underworld is no place for a young woman, even one who is strong, smart and part-automaton like Mila. But when master criminal Jack Dandy inadvertently breaks her heart, she takes off, determined to find an independent life, one entirely her own. Her search takes her to the spangled shadows of the West End's most dazzling circus.

Meanwhile, taken captive in the Aether, Griffin King is trapped in an inescapable prison, and at the mercy of his archenemy, The Machinist. If he breaks under the hellish torment, The Machinist will claim his powers and control of the Aether itself, and no one in either world will be safe-especially not Finley Jayne and her misfit band of friends.

Finley plunges headlong into the Aether the only way she knows how, by temporarily dying. But she cannot parry The Machinist's maneuvers for long. To defeat him for good, Griffin will have to confront his greatest fear and finally come face-to-face with the destructive power he wields.

What I Liked:

I'm actually going to try and be a little brief in this review, because I don't want to spoil anything in this book, as well as in the series in general. I kind of liked the first book, liked the second book, LOVED the third book, and definitely enjoyed this final book. The third book is by far my favorite, but I think I'd give this series four stars overall. That's pretty great!

Finley and the crew never have it easy - even if Garibaldi is dead. In the Aether, Garibaldi hunts Griffin - and succeeds in capturing him. Now it is up to Finley to find Griffin in the Aether, with the help of Emily, Sam, Jasper, Wildcat, Ispley, and someone no one expected.

Meanwhile, Mila is adjusting to life as a human. Once an automaton, she is now a human, living under the care of Jack Dandy. Except that she is in love with Jack, and he doesn't seem to either notice, or reciprocate, the feeling. Stupid, typical man, no? So Mila does exactly what Jack did not want her to do - she leaves, and goes on her own. She joins a circus!

There are several plots going on in this book. There is the overarching plot, for the entire series, in which Griffin attempts to defeat Garibaldi. There is the plot that each book has, in which a pair of characters struggles to find each other (in this case, it is Mila and Jack). There is Finley and Griffin, and their own personal struggle to be a couple. But in this book, there is also the problem of Jack and his past. You'd think that I'd immediately be all over this multiple plot thing, saying something about the plots being too confusing or underdeveloped, but no. I actually really like this setup. One thing that bothered me about it is below, in the next section. Just to give some perspective.

You all know how I feel about Finley and Griffin. I love the pair of them, as well as each of them individually. I love how well-characterized each character is in this book, despite the fact that there are at eight important ones. I wish that Griffin and Finley could have gotten more page time. They are the most interesting about which to read, and the chemistry and romance between them is beautiful and fiery. I can't find it in me to put that in the next section (that Griffin and Finley didn't get enough page time), but I wish there could have been more scenes between them. Alone. Not necessarily doing certain things. Just, alone.

This book wraps up beautifully. Like, I'm always terrified of reading conclusion novels, because authors always find a way to make the ending depressing or bittersweet or something. That is NOT the case, with this book (and series). The ending is a good one, a happy one, an even, well, slightly perfect one. You all know how I feel about perfect endings. BUT. I liked this ending.

What I Did Not Like:

I think this book was a little strange, in terms of its structure. I like the multiple plots - that was interesting and definitely not confusing. But it felt like the overall series plot - Griffin vs. Garibaldi - got pushed to the side a little, with other plots threading through this book. Like, it wasn't always a concern of mine that Griffin might be dying. Which is bad, because Griffin is probably my favorite character. In the first book, it was all about Griffin and Finley. While I like that each of the successive books feature another pair along with Griffin and Finley, I dislike that Griffin and Finley (and Griffin himself) are pushed aside a little. Sometimes, with a large cast of characters, we need to remember who are the MOST important. And you can't say all of the, or one large group, because that is NEVER true. One or two characters are always primary. 

Would I Recommend It:

This book in particular, or the series in general? I'll start with the book. If you've made it this far into the series, DEFINITELY read this book. If you've read book one, or books one and two, read the remaining books in the series (including this one). If you haven't started this series, but you have the means to do so (legally, only legally), then do it! I had a rocky start with the series, but I'm so glad that I kept reading.

Rating:

4 stars. What a great ending to a fantastic series! I feel so proud of myself, for sticking with yet another series - especially with a series that started out in the "meh" direction, for me. I ended up really liking this series!

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Review: Shadowlark by Meagan Spooner

Shadowlark by Meagan Spooner

Book Two of the Skylark trilogy

Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab

Publication Date: October 1, 2013

Rating: 3 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Ever since she escaped the city within the Wall, Lark Ainsley's wanted one thing: to find her brother Basil. She's always believed he would be the one to put an end to the constant fear and flight. And now, hidden underground in the chaotically magical city of Lethe, Lark feels closer to him than ever. 

But Lethe is a city cowering in fear of its founder, the mysterious Prometheus, and of his private police force. To get the truth about what happened to Basil, Lark has no choice but to face Prometheus.

Facing her fears has become second nature to Lark. Facing the truth is another matter.

Lark never asked to be anyone's savior. She certainly never wanted to be anyone's weapon. She might not have a choice.

What I Liked:

I think I liked this book more than I liked the first book, but not by a huge margin or anything. This book had more action in it, and I feel like some things were explained better than they were in the first book. Or maybe I got used to reading about some things, and I felt more comfortable with them and understood them better than when I was reading the first book. Because if you read my review of the first book, you might have noticed: my review was a MESS. I was confused, my review is confusing, because the BOOK was confusing (for me).

Lark has left the Iron Wood, in search of Basil, her brother. She knows he's out there, and she wants to find him so he can help her understand who she is and what is happening to her. The path to Basil is not easy. She and her traveling companions, Tansy (a Renewable from the Iron Wood), and Nix (her pixie from the Institute) run into many problems, and eventually, Lethe.

At Lethe, one thing becomes clear: join the resistance and take down Prometheus, Lethe's leader/dictator/savior. The thing about the resistance is that they all agree that Prometheus has done amazing things for the city, but they don't agree with one thing (of several) that he is doing: holding Renewables against their will, to power the city.

Lark is faced with so many tough situations and issues in this book. In the first book, I thought she was kind of stupid. But in this book, I could definitely see her character development. She begins to stand up for herself, her friends, and her ideas. If she has a plan, she does what she can to follow through the plan.

The weirdness with the romance is cleared up. I'm not saying everything is rainbows and sunshine for Lark and Oren, because Ms. Spooner introduces more characters, and throws them into the supposed romance angle, but you can see from mile away that those characters mean nothing in terms of the primary romance. If you read book one, and you got an idea about the romance, then you can probably see where this one is going. Nothing romantic really happens, because Ms. Spooner is subtle and crafty about the romance. It's kind of nice, actually.

The plot of this book was a tad bit predictable, possibly boring, but I enjoyed it. I could see where it was going, but I thought the execution was okay. The writing style isn't something I *really* like, because Ms. Spooner is heavy on the descriptions and nonsensical driveling paragraphs. Those are the ones I usually glossed over, because there are SO MANY, and I'm like, can I just get to the story? Not EVERYTHING needs to be perfectly described. I have a really hard time visualizing this world, actually. So, all those descriptions have the opposite effect on me.

Anyway, I will be reading book three!

What I Did Not Like:

Many of the problems I had with the first book, I had with the second book. For example, I was confused a lot (though this book cleared up some things), I felt like the plot was extremely slow, I'm kind of ehh about the characters, the plot was a bit predictable, and I was bored at times, and skipped over sentences (and sometimes paragraphs) at a time.

The first book had a lot of descriptive paragraphs and basically, stream of consciousness drivel that was totally not necessary. This book had a lot of that as well. I skimmed those sentences and paragraphs, because most of them time, they weren't necessary to understand the plot or the characters, or any part of the book. I mean, I skimmed over them, and I still understand the basics (and more of everything).

The things that I don't understand or am confused about seem to be the things that are explained too much. For example, Lark's powers. In the first book, they weren't explained well. In this book, we get many examples of Lark using her powers, and I still don't understand them. She sucks magic away from people? Like a succubus or something? And Basil? And Oren? How do the shadow people come about? Why do some people not have any powers (the humans)?

The plot was really predictable. Like, once Lark got to Lethe, I knew what would happen with the resistance, with Olivia, with Oren, with Prometheus, who Prometheus is... it was too formulaic. Maybe I've read too many dystopia novels, but everything was predictable to me. 

This made the plot (and therefore, my reading of this book) very slow. I thought I could read this book in a few hours - nope. This one took me a while. I was bored a lot, the descriptions were killing me, and the plot was too slow. I mean, yes, there was a lot more action in this book, but it was kind of boring action. And I totally saw it coming. Predictability was high in this book! And therefore, boredom.

And the ending was a tad bit anticlimactic. I expected a bigger, more plot-moving climax, to set up for the next book, but it was kind of meh. Maybe that's just me though. I'm still going to read the third book - I've come this far!

Would I Recommend It:

If you read and enjoyed the first book, yes! If you read and didn't enjoy the first book, then no. This book is similar to the first book in the aspects I didn't like, so if you didn't like the first book overall, then you should probably steer clear of this one. If you're debating whether or not to pick up the series at all, hold off! It might be worth it, it might not. Right now, I'm thinking no, it's not worth it, but who knows? Maybe the third book will blow me away!

Rating:

3 stars. I think I liked this book more than I liked the first book, but somehow, they ended up with the same rating from me. I will be on the lookout for the final book of this trilogy though!

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