Book Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one except the “thing” inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch…

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she’s special, says she’s one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits. Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin’s investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help-and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff’s little company of strays apart, and it isn’t long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she’s on, even if it seems no one believes her.

In his book, The Art of Fiction, John Gardner states that one of the most important thing for a writer to do when constructing a fantasy story or fiction within a real world, is to convince the reader that what is happening in the novel ACTUALLY happened…or that it is completely believable within the construction of the story.

This is one of my favorite properties of reading fiction, and Kady Cross accomplishes this feat extremely well in her first novel of the Steampunk Chronicles, The Girl in the Steel Corset. Cross, who has previously written novels for adults, ventures into the world of Young Adult literature by telling the story of 16-year-old Finley Jane. Finley has some strange character flaws that relate back to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and she manages to find a friend in an Earl and his odd band of friends.

The Victorian era in England was rife with political and industrial advancements that provide an excellent backdrop to Cross’ novel. In fact, it turns out that Griffin actually is in league with the Queen and her advisors. (I love when fiction blends with historical reality). Cross’ use of the social expectations of the time and the extremely realistic dialogue make this novel even more believable in its core construction.

As for the love story, there isn’t much of one. Not to say there isn’t any sexual tension, because there is. But Cross uses the plot of the story and the problem of the Machinist to drive the story, and not Finley’s possible suitors. Employing the traditional Victorian idea of the Foil, Cross creates Griffin and Jack Dandy to stand as the respectable lord and the equally respectable vagabond, respectively.

Steampunk, as a genre of Young Adult fiction, is really picking up steam (Get it?) in popularity. For those who are fans of Cassandra Clare’s Infernal Devices trilogy or Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan trilogy, then Cross’ Steampunk Chronicles are right up your alley.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. 4 Bards! The second book in the series, The Girl in the Clockwork Collar comes out May 2012!

Waiting On Wednesday

Every week Breaking the Spine hosts a book meme where all of us book bloggers can get together and share the books we are desperately waiting to be released!

This week I’m waiting on Jill Hathaway’s Slide!

Release Date: March 27, 2012

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

The plot sounds so good! I can’t possibly NOT want to read this.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Top Ten Tuesdays!

Every week over at The Broke and the Bookish, they host a meme called Top Ten Tuesday! This week the topic is Top Ten on our Spring 2012 To-Be-Read list! Check out my selections:

1. Slide by Jill Hathaway

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again

2. The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling – or dangerous.

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her “straynge band of mysfits” have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him…for the life of the girl Jasper loves.

One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei’s neck tightens. And tightens.

3. Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay

Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart.

4. Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta

Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home . . . or so he believes. Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been taken roughly and lovingly in hand by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper with a warrior’s discipline. But when he is sent on a secretive mission to the kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds in its surreal royal court. Soon he must unravel both the dark bonds of kinship and the mysteries of a half-mad princess in this barren and mysterious place. It is in Charyn that he will discover there is a song sleeping in his blood . . . and though Froi would rather not, the time has come to listen.

5. The Repossession by Sam Hawksmoor

34 kids missing. Vanished without a trace.

Believing she is possessed, Genie Magee’s mother has imprisoned her all summer encouraged by the sinister Reverend Schneider. Beautiful Rian, love of her life, sets her free, and their escape washes them up at Marshall’s remote farmhouse downriver. But why are there newspaper clippings of the missing kids pinned to Marshall’s bathroom wall? And should they believe his stories about the experiments at the Fortress, an underground research station nearby?

Genie meets Denis. Missing two years now, but hasn’t grown an inch. Rian is haunted by Renée, who insists she’s not actually dead. Soon they discover the terrible truth about Reverend Schneider and worse, Genie is next … and Rian can’t do a thing to prevent it.

The Repossession is just the beginning.

6. Faery Tales & Nightmares by Melissa Marr

Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments dark and light by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from beneath the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention—with amorous or sinister intent—relentlessly.

From the gentle tones of a storyteller’s cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favorite characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with…or to fear.
7. City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

For some reason Goodreads doesn’t have a synopsis up 😦

8. The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

Maya and her friends–all of whom have supernatural powers–have been kidnapped after fleeing from a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set, and after a terrifying helicopter crash they find themselves pursued by evildoers in the Vancouver Island wilderness.

9. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .

10. The Selection by Kiera Cass

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself- and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Now Reading: The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling – or dangerous.

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her “straynge band of mysfits” have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him…for the life of the girl Jasper loves.

One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei’s neck tightens. And tightens.

Book Review: The Queens Lady by Eve Edwards

England, 1584.

When beautiful Lady Jane Rievaulx begins her service to the Queen at Richmond Palace, she is thrilled to see the court’s newest arrival . . . Master James Lacey.

No matter that Jane was previously courted by the eldest Lacey brother—James is the one who has won her heart. For his part, James cannot deny his fascination with Jane; his plans, however, do not allow for love. He is about to set sail on a treacherous journey to the Americas, seeking absolution for what he sees as past sins. But when Jane is forced into a terrible situation by her own family, only one man can save her. Will Master James return to his lady before it’s too late?

Release Date: April 10, 2012

Historical fiction has always been a weakness for me, because deep down I believe that “those who do not learn history are due to repeat it.” Therefore, anything that has historical significance that shows up in a fictional novel is my bread and butter.

That being said, this is the second novel in The Lacey Chronicles by Eve Edwards. The first, The Other Countess, was filled with love, loss, and all the intricate details of court life during Elizabethan England. However, the majority of that novel was set at the Lacey Manor outside of London.

The Queens Lady, on the other hand, is set in the heart of London. Not only do readers get to learn details of worship at Westminster Abbey, but they learn about the first trip that Sir Walter Raleigh’s supporters lead to the New World (and landed in the great state of North Carolina!)

To be honest, I didn’t really enjoy the character of Lady Jane until this novel. Even though she has a somewhat important role in The Other Countess, it took almost half of The Queens Lady for me to really begin to feel sympathetic toward her as a character. In fact, the first part of the narrative started off extremely slow, and for readers who haven’t read the first in The Lacey Chronicles it will be somewhat confusing.

Just like in the first novel, Edwards delivers a beautiful love story with the romantic backdrop of Elizabethan England. (Oh, for fans of the first novel, you will get to catch up with Master Will Lacey and Lady Ellie) James Lacey struggles with his future after living through some disastrous things during the war, but he is such a sincere and respectable character.

Also, we get to meet Kit Turner (who will be the focus of the third Lacey Chronicles Novel, The Rogue’s Princess), and he is the illegitimate son of the late Earl of Dorset (the Lacey Brothers’ father). Readers will see the fabulous Diego find love, and scenes with Queen Elizabeth I herself.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this installment in the series as much as I loved the first one, but I still really liked this one. 3.5 Bards.

Book Review: Frost by Marianna Baer

Leena Thomas’s senior year at boarding school starts with a cruel shock: Frost House, the cozy Victorian dorm where she and her best friends live, has been assigned an unexpected roommate—eccentric Celeste Lazar.

As classes get under way, strange happenings begin to bedevil Frost House: frames falling off walls, doors locking themselves, furniture toppling over. Celeste blames the housemates, convinced they want to scare her into leaving. And although Leena strives to be the peacekeeper, soon the eerie happenings in the dorm, an intense romance between Leena and Celeste’s brother, David, and the reawakening of childhood fears all push Leena to take increasingly desperate measures to feel safe. But does the threat lie with her new roommate, within Leena’s own mind…or in Frost House itself?

I’m not sure where things went wrong for this novel.  Mostly because the characters were engaging, and I was interested to figure out why the main character was so attracted to the Frost House.

However, once I was reading it–things didn’t seem to match up.

For example, I’m not sure how the ending has ANYTHING to do with the mystery throughout the rest of the novel.  It seemed so anticlimactic after all of the build up.  In addition, the love story ended somewhat lackluster-ly and the main character’s severed friendships never truely were healed.

I suppose I wanted more wrap up than there really was–it felt like the author was trying to meet her deadline and hurried the ending. 

Like I said, I’m not sure where this novel went wrong, because the idea is great…but it just didn’t come to fruition. 

If you are going to use a somewhat “haunted” house, give us more than you did.  It mostly seemed like a bunch of unfortunate happenings surrounded by a chemical leak. There was never a real explanation for what was happening, and why it affected Leena the way it did.

This is such a short review, because I just don’t know how to express my disappointment with the execution of this novel.  I am giving Frost 2 Bards because it was okay, but it could have been better.

Book Review: Possess by Gretchen McNeil

Rule #1: Do not show fear.
Rule #2: Do not show pity.
Rule #3: Do not engage.
Rule #4: Do not let your guard down.
Rule #5: They lie.

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.

Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons’ plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

I’ve had this novel since it was released in late 2011, but for some reason it kept getting bumped down in my To Be Read pile!  Now I really regret not reading this novel sooner, because I really enjoyed it!

As most story workshops go (at least in my creative writing courses), we always discuss the strengths of a narrative first.  I’m not even sure where to start, because there are so many strengths in McNeil’s debut novel.  So I guess I’ll just list them in the order I have them written down in my notes: Characterization, Subject Matter, Love Story, Plot.

So, Characterization. I have to say that I really respected Bridget as a character for being strong willed and for not readily accepting her abilities.  Since religion has a large part in this story, we learn that not only does her ability have to do with the entities within Heaven and Hell, which proves to Bridget that God, in fact, does exist.  She had previously renounced God after her father’s murder.  So her slow acceptance of her fate coincides with her acceptance of God and religion. 

I want a gay best friend like Hector.  He was extremely well developed for a secondary character that isn’t privy to Bridget’s secrets.  I just really loved his and Bridget’s relationship, even though it was strained through part of the story.  Oh, Matt Quinn.  He is the resident sexy boy who has the hots for our main character.  Matt managed to surprise me throughout the story with his loyalty to Bridget, which I can owe to McNeil for making me dislike him because Bridget did. Their relationship developed organically (more on this later).

Subject Matter: In my opinion, the subject of demonic possession really hasn’t been overused in YA lit, and the use of Catholicism in Possess is extremely realistic and very well done.  In a time where the Catholic church is criticized almost constantly for some of its amoral actions with choir boys and acolytes, or even its stance on gay marriage, it is really great to see the Catholic Church, a Catholic heroine, and the Vatican as heroes.  I have to say that it really surprised me.

Simple statement: THE LOVE STORY DID NOT OVERPOWER THE PARANORMAL STORY ELEMENTS. Hallelujah. Thank you, McNeil, for not allowing the budding friendship/relationship between Bridget and Matt to come to the forefront when the major dramatic question was about the possessions.  THANK YOU.

The final strength I want to mention is the Plot development.  The pacing of Possess was great, and there wasn’t a spot where I felt like I could skip some chapters and still be able to finish the story.  There were a few places that were somewhat obvious to me (with the plot twists) because I saw it coming, but it still didn’t take away my enjoyment of reading this novel.

Weaknesses: Okay….the only thing that really bothered me was the amount of current pop culture references spread throughout the novel.  I just feel that these references (Ke$ha, Jersey Shore, and Mean Girls) can really serve to date the text.  This means that some future generations that might want to pick up this book won’t really know what those references are. 

I really enjoyed Possess, and cannot wait until the release of McNeil’s second novel, Ten.  4.5 Bards!



Cassandra Clare to Write a New Series of Young Adult Novels

By: Stephanie Lee at Entertainment Weekly

Simon & Schuster has announced that best-selling young adult author Cassandra Clare will write a third series of novels, following the huge success of the Mortal Instruments and the Infernal Devices series. The new series, which isn’t planned for publication until 2015, will be called The Dark Artifices.

According to a press release, here’s the plot of the first Dark Artifices book:

Set against the glittering backdrop of present-day Los Angeles, the series follows Emma Carstairs, the fiercest warrior and most skilled young Shadowhunter since Jace Wayland, and Emma’s sworn partner in arms, Julian Blackthorn. Despite Emma’s complicated feelings for Julian, the two must band together to investigate a demonic plot that stretches from the warlock-run nightclubs of the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica.

“I know readers will come to love Emma, Mark, Cristina, and Julian just as they have loved Jace, Clary, Will, Tessa, and Jem,” Clare said in the release. “Readers have often asked what will happen in the Shadowhunter world after the events of The Mortal Instruments, and this series will give them a chance to find out.”

Shadowhunter fans, can you wait until 2015 to read the new series? Fortunately, you don’t have to wait as long to read more from the universe Clare has created. City of Lost Souls, the fifth installment of the Mortal Instrument series, will be coming May 8.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE.

This is interesting considering that JEM in the Infernal Devices trilogy is known as the only Carstairs decendent…correct? I’m not sure if that is correct, but it does point to some important possible plot developments in the Infernal Devices that can relate to the Dark Artifices… Are you excited?

Waiting On Wednesday

Every week over at Breaking the Spine hosts a book meme where all of us book bloggers can get together and share the books we are desperately waiting to be released!

This week I’m waiting on Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols.

Release Date: July 10, 2012

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business–until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers–and the consequences could be deadly.

The plot just sounds….like a rush! (Wow, that was a bad joke) What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Short Story Review: Secrets of the Time Society by Alexandra Monir

There exists a secret society where one’s ability to travel through time is “gifted” to members only by blood. Those who try to enter the society quickly come to realize that time is a force not to be reckoned with. Alexandra Monir’s short story exclusive eBook, SECRETS OF THE TIME SOCIETY, sheds light upon the world created in her novel, TIMELESS, and forecasts the fate that lies ahead for its protagonist, Michele Windsor. Now that Michele is gifted, there are some who will do anything to take that power away.

If you haven’t read Timeless by Alexandra Monir, you might be a little lost as to the context of this short story, but that just means you need to go read Timeless!

Although, if you haven’t read the preceding novel, “Secrets of the Time Society,” will open you up to a world where time is not linear and time travel is beyond probable. 

The short story opens with the main character from Timeless, Michele Windsor, walking down a beach in present day being followed by a row of strange girls in black.   The next section, however, launches the reader back to 1888 New York and the main character shifts to Rebecca Windsor (yes, they are related). 

We learn the important inner workings of the Time Society through a visit from Millicent August, who has discovered Rebecca’s rare ability to travel through time.  Rebecca learns that not only can she travel through time, but she can also learn to age shift to project herself at any age she wishes while travelling (useful ability, I’d say).

However, the reader quickly learns that Rebecca’s ability to travel through time isn’t as innate as she believes.

About three-quarters of the way through the story, Rebecca’s story blends together with Michele’s from Timeless.  Rebecca then will stop at nothing to discover the secrets of Michele’s existence. 

Overall, I think that it was great that Monir used a short story to introduce fans of the Timeless World to the Time Society without having to spend too much time in the sequel, Timekeeper (out December 2012) explaining them.  Although, since the reader is learning this information from Rebecca, then it is only natural that if Timekeeper is from Michele’s perspective that we will see these important details again.

Since this is a short story, and not a novel, I am going to give it Four Bards for the purpose of the piece and the execution.