Genre: Steampunk

The Inventor’s Secret by Andrea Cremer- Review

11 Jan, 2017 by in 2015, andrea cremer, inventor's secret, steampunk Leave a comment

The Inventor’s Secret by Andrea Cremer- Review

The Inventor's Secret

by Andrea Cremer
Series: Inventor's Secret #1
Published by Speak on July 14, 2015
Genres: Steampunk, Young Adult
Pages: 416
Format: Hardcover
five-stars
Source: Library
Buy the BookGoodreads
In this world, sixteen-year-old Charlotte and her fellow refugees have scraped out an existence on the edge of Britain’s industrial empire. Though they live by the skin of their teeth, they have their health (at least when they can find enough food and avoid the Imperial Labor Gatherers) and each other. When a new exile with no memory of his escape  or even his own name seeks shelter in their camp he brings new dangers with him and secrets about the terrible future that awaits all those who have struggled has to live free of the bonds of the empire’s Machineworks.

Oh my Andrea Cremer! It’s been quite a few years since I read the Nightshade series, and I’d forgotten how much I love her writing. Wow. Incredibly rich world building, alternate history, steampunk, witty banter and perfect romance all rolled into book one of the Inventor’s Secret series. There is so much to praise, not sure where to begin. The characters are strong and varied, the history is rich and layered between many civilizations, the relationships are perfect. This is the best steampunk I’ve read, with a twist of the Revenants series a la Amy Plum.

Let’s talk about Jack and Charlotte! Their hate each other, fighting all the time turns into the best later scenes in the book. Jack’s brother Coe of the House of Winter is also in hot pursuit of the MC. These two are going to be trouble!

I am so excited to read book two, starting today. What took me so long?!

Content: one swear word, mature YA romance and tension. Recommend for older teens.
about_ the_author

Andrea Cremer is a New York Times and international bestselling author. She spent her childhood daydreaming while roaming the forests and lakeshores of Northern Wisconsin. She now lives in Manhattan, but at heart she will always be a small-town girl.

Andrea has always loved writing and has never stopped writing, but it took a horse and a broken foot to prompt her to finally write the novel she’d always dreamed of writing. Prior to becoming a full-time novelist, Andrea resided in the academic world where she taught early modern history.

When she’s not writing, Andrea tries to master difficult yoga poses, wanders through Central Park, and hunts for new music to provide the soundtracks to her novels.

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Beauty and the Clockwork Beast Blog Tour

07 Aug, 2016 by in proper romance, Shadow Mountain, steampunk Leave a comment

I received this book for free from Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Beauty and the Clockwork Beast

by Nancy Campbell Allen
Published by Shadow Mountain on August 2, 2016
Genres: Steampunk
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
four-stars
Source: Shadow Mountain
Buy the Book
When Lucy Pickett arrives at Blackwell Manor to tend to her ailing cousin, Kate, she finds more than she bargained for. A restless ghost roams the hallways, werewolves have been reported in the area, and vampires lurk across the Scottish border.

Lord Miles himself is clearly hiding a secret. He is brash and inhospitable and does not take kindly to visitors—even one as smart and attractive as Miss Pickett. He is unsettled by the mysterious deaths of his new wife, Clara, and his sister, Marie. Could Miles himself be to blame for the deaths?

Working together, Miles and Lucy attempt to restore peace to Blackwell Manor. But can Lucy solve the mystery of Miles? Can she love the man—beast and all?

There is so much packed into this book. Steampunk, Victorian Era romance, paranormal elements, and plot twists on past storylines pulled from Beauty and the Beast and Jane Austen. About 2/3 of the way through the book I was hooked on main character Miles, earl of Blackwell Manor and his house guest, Lucy. Ms. Picket is trying to solve the mystery of her cousins mysterious illness and in the process meets with ghosts, vampires and automatons. I loved the botanical descriptions and use of old apothecary methods to heal with plants.

The plot took a while to get into. The reader may get lost in the world building if they’ve never read steampunk. Tesla was overused a bit. The only other hitch for me was convincing myself that Lucy was not a spinster, but rather a young woman of marrying age. For some reason, there was a lack of the physical and emotional elements that fleshed out her young personality. She was head strong and accomplished, but when the romance picked up I still saw her as 40’s or 50’s in age.

I did enjoy this one. Lots of suspense, mystery and rich descriptions. It was a truly one of a kind combination of well-loved tales.

Content: drinking, kissing and sensuality.

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