Review: The Girl With the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

Publisher: Harlequin TEEN

Publication Date: May 28, 2013

Rating: 5 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken 

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives. 

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin. 

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine. 

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has...

What I Liked:

I honestly cannot believe just how much I absolutely LOVED this book. I read The Girl in the Steel Corset, the first book a few years ago (i.e., a really long time ago, in which I don't remember much of what happened). I was not impressed with the first book. I gave it just about three stars - but on the low end of three stars. It was somewhat boring, very slow-paced, and only minimally interesting. 

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar, the second book, was better. There was more action, a faster pace to the story, and, well, MORE. I liked that book so much more than the first book, and I gave it four stars.

This book was AMAZING. I almost can't believe that this book is in the same series as the first book. This book is so different from the first book. Things actually happen! There is more characterization! I can finally see the underlying plot that connects the books! I honestly thought this series was more of a companion series, and not a continuation series.

I was so impressed by the plot! It felt like action or scheming or SOMETHING was happening, page by page. I found the story easy to follow, despite the much faster pace. The plot took twists and turns and made me guess right until the end.

When I said characterization happened, I meant it. This book is "Emily's" book, so we get to see more of Emily and transitively, more of Sam. I liked finally being able to get into the Irish girl's head, and understanding her thoughts. Emily is no longer a mystery to readers. I really like her! And I like the pair of Emily and Sam even more now.

All of the characters seem to undergo some characterization. By the end, Griffin is more open about what is happening to him, Finley is more caring towards everyone, and Jack is more caring to certain people, and less invasive to others.

I think one of the biggest reasons why I loved this book so much more than the first book and the second book is the romance. Emily and Sam are truly a couple now (as if there were any doubts). But Finley and Griffin! Despite Griffin's secretiveness, Finley is consistent and keeps harrowing away at his walls. They FINALLY do stuff! I'm so happy to see their relationship take a new level. 

The scenes with Finley and Griffin almost getting close, but get interrupted, are my FAVORITE. It always seems to be Sam barging in at the wrong moment. But I love those scenes! I love Griffin even more (despite his secrecy), and I compliment Finley on her persistence.

The plot and the ending of this book are so well written. I am so happy that I stuck with this series, because now I cannot wait to read the next book, The Girl with the Wind-Up Heart!

What I Did Not Like:

There really isn't much I can say here. I know, I am as shocked as you are! I didn't think I would like this book at all, but instead, I loved it so much!

Would I Recommend It:

YES YES YES! If you've already started the series, stick with it! You may not have liked the first and/or second book (or maybe you did!), but trust me when I say that you will LOVE this one! I hope you do!

Rating:

5 stars - I keep saying it is rare for me to give a book five stars, but here I am giving books five stars left and right! It seems like this year has some amazing books, and I am thrilled to be reading books that I love!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Armchair BEA: Day 6 (Genres and Wrap-Up)

Genres: Did We Miss Any?

In the discussion posts we have had in the past days, I do not think we've missed many genres! But today, I would like to highlight one that is often glossed over.

Steampunk.

According to Dictionary.com, steampunk is defined as...

"a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy featuring advanced machines and other technology based on steam power of the 19th century and taking place in a recognizable historical period or a fantasy world."

I really like the steampunk genre (or sub-genre, depending on how you look at it!). Here are some of my favorites:

The Girl with the Iron Touch by Kady Cross

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

I have truly appreciated the steampunk books I have read, and hope for more!

Wrap-Up

Well, this was my first year participating in Armchair BEA, and I loved it! I really liked creating extra posts each day and discussing genres. 

And I won a giveaway! While it was by no means the book I wanted, I can't complain too much :)

Thank you, Armchair BEA hosts and sponsors, for a wonderful couple of days of posts, chats, and giveaways!

Review: The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: May 21, 2013

Rating: 5 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.

Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?

Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?

Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

What I Liked:

Oh my gosh, this book is so sweet! I absolutely LOVED this book - hence the 5 star-rating! Contemporary novels have been really good this year, but this one blew me away. The romance was sweet, the plot was up and down, and the characters were so well-written! I wanted to hug this book several times, especially after finishing it. And the writing in general was superb! Ms. Ockler has a firm control of her writing style, and it is near flawless. Not once was there language or dialogue that seemed out of place.

I love how well Ms. Ockler writes her characters. Jude is such a nice and lovable heroine. I knew I would like her right from the start. She does not take a lot of risks, or lives outside of the box, but she has good reason not to. I suppose that was her development throughout the book - to progressively learn to take chances. Especially in the form of Emilio Vargas.

Emilio is so well-written as well. He is the love interest, but he is also the mechanic who is fixing Jude's father's old motorcycle. Emilio is patient and kind, nonjudgmental and eager to help. He is nothing like his older male family members. All of the prejudices that Jude's older sisters held against the Vargas men did not apply to Emilio Vargas, something that took the entire book for those sisters to realize.

Jude's father is one of the primary characters in the story, even though he is a static character. He is the reason behind many of Jude's decisions, especially the decision to hire Emilio to fix the motorcycle. I wish that Jude could have let go a little, and let her father be, but Jude's stubbornness made her who she is.

The plot is based around Jude's father and his condition, and loosely around the motorcycle. I loved discovering more about Jude, Emilio, the Vargas family, and Jude's father. Sometimes the story was so sad, and other times, I couldn't stop laughing.

The romance in this book is so sweet. I feel like I can't stop using that word - sweet. But the romance is especially so! It's a slow romance, building quietly but surely as the book, and Jude, progresses. When Emilio and Jude finally kiss, I feel like the scene was slightly rushed, because the romance was slow, so the kiss should have been slow. But I loved that scene, and the aftermath.

The ending is bittersweet AND amazing at the same time. It feels like a good ending in terms of closure for Jude, as well as a fitting ending for Jude and her fence around life. It's a happy ending, with several sad twists. I'm satisfied with the ending though.

What I Did Not Like:

Erm... there wasn't much that I didn't like. The first kiss scene that I mentioned above - about it being rushed, in comparison to the slow-build romance. That was probably the only thing that really stuck out to me.

Would I Recommend It:

TOTALLY! If I give a book five stars... then, in my opinion, it HAS to be good. I don't just hand out five stars! But seriously, this book is great. A wonderful contemporary romance novel that I think anyone can and will enjoy!

Rating:

5 stars. I am really impressed by Ms. Ockler! This was my first novel that I have read by her, so I will definitely be looking up her other ones!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Armchair Bea: Day 5 (Keeping It Real and Picture Books to Young Adult)

Keeping It Real, Fresh, and Fun:

I have at least one new post every day! I haven't missed a day since I started blogging, despite months of painstaking schoolwork and stress and AP exams and graduation. I also post a lot of giveaways, because everyone likes a giveaway!

And as you can see on my right-hand sidebar, I have plenty of those.

I change my background every now and then as well. I'm getting ready to change my whole layout. We'll see how that goes!

From Picture Books To Young Adult:

I don't read a lot of little children's literature anymore. I love The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

And of course, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.

As for Young Adult novels... well, this blog is mostly filled with YA-related posts and reviews. Don't make me pick my favorites :D

Stacking the Shelves (#23)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, in which bloggers share the books and swag they've received in the past week!

So, what did I get in the week of Sunday, May 26th to Saturday, June 1st?

(all links to Goodreads are provided!)

In the mail:

A signed paperback copy of Transparent by Natalie Whipple

Bookmarks, and a little clay Fiona

A signed paperback copy of The Fall by Claire Merle

Bookmark and bookplate

From NetGalley:

Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

For Review:

Obsession by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I also graduated from high school this week (check THIS out), so I was very busy doing graduation things, like ceremony rehearsals, the ceremony itself, my party... but I loved all of it!

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: An Easy Dare by Rosalie Rousseaux

An Easy Dare by Rosalie Rousseaux

Book One of the Big Easy series

Publication Date: June 2013

Official Summary:

Cat loved Gabe from the time she was five years old. She thought it would be easy: fall in love with your childhood sweetheart, get married and live happily ever after. But as the years go on, the fairy tale soon falls apart. At twenty, Gabe – penniless, unable to find work, and drinking himself into a bad reputation – leaves New Orleans, believing that Cat is better off without him.

She doesn't hear from him for three years.

Not until her bachelorette party, when he sends her a $400 bottle of Champagne the night before she’s set to marry Cort Belrose, a wealthy restaurateur that Gabe despises.

It seems the past three years have treated Gabe well. He’s now mysteriously wealthy and the picture of a perfect Southern gentleman – a gentleman who is quietly seeking vengeance on the man who forced him out of the city and stole the woman he loved.

With Gabe's return, the sweltering heat of New Orleans becomes even more stifling as Cat struggles with the truth about her malicious husband and her consuming lifelong love for the vengeful and troubled Gabe.

I’m a Louisiana girl who loves to write about strong, opinionated women who go after what they want, even if they make a few mistakes on the way. And usually those mistakes involve MEN! (Sound like your life? Yeah, me too, lol). That being said, bad-ass women and the men they love make for great stories, and that’s what I always aim to bring my readers: A great story with lots of drama. A story you wanna keep reading. And while you’re here exploring, why not check out my Facebook page?

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Hunter by Monica McCarty

The Hunter by Monica McCarty

Book Seven of the Highland Guard series

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: June 25, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

The war for Scotland’s freedom continues as King Robert the Bruce battles on. At his command is an elite army of trained warriors, soldiers dedicated to their king, their country—and to the remarkable women they love.

Prized for his unbeatable tracking skills, Ewen “Hunter” Lamont accepts a dangerous assignment: locate a missing undercover courier. But this is no ordinary target. Ewen has met his prey before as “Sister Genna,” a fiery, forbidden woman forever etched in his memory after one stolen, sinful kiss. Now that he knows her real identity, he’s more determined than ever to keep her safe. But without the protection of the veil between them, fighting the allure of the beautiful lass may be the toughest battle this extraordinary warrior has ever faced.

After her ill-fated attempt three years ago to rescue her twin sister, Janet of Mar has found salvation acting as a royal messenger—until she surrenders to a darkly handsome warrior whose rough, sensual kisses stir feelings the woman in her can’t deny. But when betrayal leads to danger, and a crucial communiqué is put in jeopardy, Janet has no choice but to put her faith in the hunter who can find anything—perhaps even her heart.

What I Liked:

Okay, so, I'm not exactly sure what kind of historical fiction this book is, but it is dubbed "Highland", so I'll go with that. It's not the typical historical fiction I've been reading - like, Regency London, and that sort. This seems like medieval historical fiction, in Scotland. But whatever. This book was FANTASTIC.

I didn't know what to expect from this book, since it isn't the same era of history that I am used to reading, but I loved it! Ewen and Genna really dazzle readers in this book, as they run and chase and fight their way to the King, and to themselves.

That being said, the plot of this book is outstanding. I was never very bored in this book, as there was constant action throughout the book. I was a bit confused in the beginning, with Ewen's history, but I read on, and could see how that history came into play in the novel.

The characters were very, very well-written. I was impressed by how three-dimensional the characters seemed, and how much depth even the secondary characters had. Genna (Janet) is such an awesome heroine - believe me, she is truly an excellent messenger. She got herself out of sticky situations time after time after time. Ewen is incredible as well. It's remarkable to see why he earned his title as "the hunter".

The romance is wonderful! It was not instant and earth-shattering, but the chemistry is pretty sizzling. Genna (Janet) is a fabulous heroine, and Ewen really complements her. Both of them are very clever and intelligent, and they constantly try and outsmart each other. It's adorable and endearing to "watch" the two of them struggle within themselves, to discover what is best for themselves and each other.

I loved the ending of this book! Even when I thought the climax was over, and the falling action had fallen enough, and everything was smooth sailing, it wasn't! Ms. McCarty had readers interested up until the very last word of the very last page - because everything didn't wrap up all at once.

Overall, I loved this book! I wish I could have started at the beginning of the series (this book is book SEVEN), and perhaps I will!

What I Did Not Like:

This is really a small thing, but I feel like this book was so long. I usually love long books, but some scenes and descriptions could have been cut down. There's nothing like non-stop action, and then a huge description to kill the buzz.

But it wasn't a big deal. I skipped some of the longer descriptions (like in the very beginning), and I was fine while reading the book!

Would I Recommend It:

Totally! If you like medieval fiction, this is definitely one for you!

Rating:

4 stars. Now let me go back and read the previous six books :D

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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