Copperhead by Tina Connolly

Goodreads Blurb

Helen Huntingdon is beautiful—so beautiful she has to wear an iron mask.

Six months ago her sister Jane uncovered a fey plot to take over the city. Too late for Helen, who opted for fey beauty in her face—and now has to cover her face with iron so she won’t be taken over, her personality erased by the bodiless fey.

Not that Helen would mind that some days. Stuck in a marriage with the wealthy and controlling Alistair, she lives at the edges of her life, secretly helping Jane remove the dangerous fey beauty from the wealthy society women who paid for it. But when the chancy procedure turns deadly, Jane goes missing—and is implicated in a murder.

Meanwhile, Alistair’s influential clique Copperhead—whose emblem is the poisonous copperhead hydra—is out to restore humans to their “rightful” place, even to the point of destroying the dwarvven who have always been allies.

Helen is determined to find her missing sister, as well as continue the good fight against the fey. But when that pits her against her own husband—and when she meets an enigmatic young revolutionary—she’s pushed to discover how far she’ll bend society’s rules to do what’s right. It may be more than her beauty at stake. It may be her honor...and her heart.

I loved reading Ironskin last year, so I was pretty excited to start in on Copperhead. But, while it was a pretty good read, I just didn't feel it and it fell flat.
The concept of Copperhead, while fascinating, was disappointing, although I can't pinpoint the exact reason why. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of steampunk and, with more tech than Ironskin, it's possible that that's the reason. But it could also be that there were so many little things that just made me feel...awkward.

While Helen was a fierce character (and I loved that she knew where her loyalties lay) it just irritated me that there didn't seem to be much difference otherwise between Jane's POV and Helen's, as far as I could remember. Jane was also written out as a bit of a boor compared to her own novel, and that was another little thing that went up against the book.
Then again, Helen was a pretty badass character, so I'm trying to figure out if it balanced out or not.

The romance in the story was...hmm. There was honestly no need for it whatsoever and it was completely rushed. They only met each other a handful of times and yet, nearing the end, they were young and in love. Very very rushed, especially considering the fact that they don't really talk/meet until halfway through the book.
Besides driving the plot on, but I really really felt like the story would've gone on a lot smoother without the romance (So honestly, it didn't even drive the plot on that much, so I'm not quite sure...why it was there? Except perhaps, to make the story more YA.)

I really do love the worldbuilding and all the secrets behind Copperhead was absolutely fascinating. The plot was completely unpredictable and I was shocked more than a few times. I have to hand it to Connolly for writing a thrilling plot that had me at the edge of my seat in the second half. It was a bit hard to get into at first, but after a while, I started to love it more! (Although some of the stuff I highlighted before did still irritate me.)
My last complaint is that the ending seemed too rushed, but it was creative nonetheless!


Pages: 304

Genre: Steampunk/Fantasy

Series: Ironskin #2

Publisher: Tor Teen

Release Date: Oct 1, 2013
Rating: 2 Stars

The Brokenhearted by Amelia Kahaney

Goodreads Blurb

Prima ballerina Anthem Fleet is closely guarded by her parents in their penthouse apartment. But when she meets the handsome Gavin at a party on the wrong side of town, she is immediately drawn into his dangerous world. Then, in a tragic accident, Anthem falls to her death. She awakes in an underground lab, with a bionic heart ticking in her chest. As she navigates her new life, she uncovers the sinister truth behind those she trusted the most, and the chilling secret of her family lineage…and her duty to uphold it.
The Dark Knight meets Cinder in this gripping and cinematic story of heartbreak and revenge. From Alloy Entertainment, this inventive new superhero story is sure to captivate any reader.

The Brokenhearted isn't one I would really recommend and, quite honestly. Which really disappoints me since The Brokenhearted was one of my most anticipated books of 2013. And the cover was gorgeous, not to mention--superhero ballerina? Yes please! Unfortunately, it didn't meet my expectations at all.

Anthem was a very...irritating character. She was naive, impulsive, and didn't really think about the consequences of her actions. I couldn't relate to her at all and couldn't get over the fact that she was so...gah. I wanted to smack her around pretty much the entire book. She was a weak character who basically cried, whined, and screwed up for about 3/4 of the book.

And this was pure insta love at its finest. After exactly one meeting, Anthem couldn't stop thinking about Gavin. And when they meet for the second time, Anthem basically spills everything about her life to him, despite the fact that she's never told anyone else about them. I basically pulled my hair out at that point, and it was pretty early on. The rest of the book, she's pining for Gavin despite knowing him for only maybe...a week? Two?
Also, there was a love triangle.

There was absolutely, or at least, barely, any worldbuilding. I was confused over exactly where we were or when we were. Was it steampunk? Dystopian? A completely different world? And what exactly caused the South Side to become so desperate with such a (admittedly brilliant) gritty atmosphere? We don't know and we don't learn.
On the subject of worldbuilding, I'm confused as to how a bionic heart would change her appearance and make her gorgeous. Or give her super speed/strength and healing. It was never explained why she got all these powers, but it obviously had something to do with her heart--but...how?

As for the plot, I really don't think much else happens besides Anthem crying and whining until 3/4 into the book where she finally decides to do something about the criminals. Then it got pretty kickass and I loved seeing her in action. The twist was rather predictable, if not unique, but I guessed it maybe a quarter in. But the end? It was absolutely cliffhanging and I think I may end up reading the sequel anyways!

Disappointing, I honestly cant' say I enjoyed this book, though it does have a decent setup for a sequel so I may read that just to find out what happens. Who knows? Maybe my questions will be answered then!

Pages: 336

Genre: Steampunk (?)

Series: Brokenhearted #1 

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: Oct 8, 2013

Rating: 1.5

A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard

Goodreads Blurb
Following an all-out battle with the walking Dead, the Spirit Hunters have fled Philadelphia, leaving Eleanor alone to cope with the devastating aftermath. But there’s more trouble ahead—the evil necromancer Marcus has returned, and his diabolical advances have Eleanor escaping to Paris to seek the help of Joseph, Jie, and the infuriatingly handsome Daniel once again. When she arrives, however, she finds a whole new darkness lurking in this City of Light. As harrowing events unfold, Eleanor is forced to make a deadly decision that will mean life or death for everyone.

While I'd enjoyed Something Strange and Deadly, I wasn't exactly fangirling crazily about it. But, you guys, I think I just fell in love with the series.

The writing is enthralling and captures the atmosphere brilliantly. The world is vividly described and wonderfully imagined and you can't help but be drawn into this steampunk-ish zombie-filled world! The worldbuilding is absolutely genius and incredibly creative. We delve more into the paranormal aspect of the world than we did in Something Strange, and I loved learning more about Eleanor's necromancy powers and about the "spirit realm".

The plot was completely unpredictable for me and I had no clue what was going to happen next! I was shocked one chapter after another and absolutely giddy with excitement. I finished this in just under two hours in the middle of the night (and no it wasn't a good idea) and almost immediately wished for the third book. Because the ending? Oh my God. 

My heart absolutely ached for Eleanor, but I couldn't help but become a little irritated by her. I hated how much she kept hidden and how she seemed to trust Oliver more than she trusted the Spirit Hunters despite barely knowing Oliver. She lied to her friends a dozen times and I just wanted to shake her!
As for Oliver, I'm not quite sure if I love him or hate him. He's witty and I love how he seems to care for Eleanor, but at the same time, I love the Spirit Hunters and hated how much he despised them.

I absolutely love Daniel and I couldn't help but want to shove him and Eleanor together. I giggled at their interactions (or wanted to gasp and cry.) and wished that they would talk for a minute or two! The romance isn't a big part of the story, but there was enough in it that sated the romantic in me (and the fangirl besides.) And the last chapter? Well, let's just say my feelings erupted.

A Darkness Strange and Lovely is an absolutely breathtaking sequel to Something Strange and Deadly, and even more amazing than the first! It made me fall in love with the series and with Susan Dennard's work and you can bet I'm anxiously awaiting the third book!

Pages: 416

Genre: Steampunk/Paranormal

Series: Something Strange and Deadly #2

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: July 23, 2013

Rating: 4.5-->4 stars

Blog Tour: Legacy of the Clockwork Key

It's been a while since I've done a blog tour!

Goodreads Blurb

A teen girl unravels the mysteries of a secret society and their most dangerous invention in this adventure-swept romance set in Victorian London.When a fire consumes Meg’s home, killing her parents and destroying both her fortune and her future, all she has left is the tarnished pocket watch she rescued from the ashes. But this is no ordinary timepiece. The clock turns out to be a mechanical key—a key that only Meg can use—that unlocks a series of deadly secrets and intricate clues that Meg is compelled to follow.
Meg has uncovered evidence of an elite secret society and a dangerous invention that some will stop at nothing to protect—and that Meg alone can destroy. Together with the handsome stable hand she barely knows but hopes she can trust, Meg is swept into a hidden world of deception, betrayal, and revenge. The clockwork key has unlocked her destiny in this captivating start to a trilogy. 

I had very, very mixed feelings about Legacy of the Clockwork Key! As much as I wanted to love it, I couldn't really get into it until we're well into it--about halfway maybe?

My biggest issues with the book: the main character and the romance. 

But in order to understand why Meg was such a big issue, I'll start with the romance: It was basically insta-love at it's finest. Will is supposed to be cold and dangerous, but somehow he warms up to Meg almost immediately and suddenly he's risking almost everything for her--after knowing her for only two weeks. That's where I started to cringe a bit. And then, suddenly, Will is using the l-word after one kiss, and maybe three weeks of knowing her, tops. When done right, I'll fall in love with the romance, but the way it was written just irked me.

Bringing me to Meg. She was...well. She acted like a DID (Damsel in Distress) throughout the first 75% of the book until suddenly becoming a half-decent character. She's described as clever and witty, but in all honesty, it felt like she was more reliant and dependent than anything else. She was so easy to trust someone and maybe that's okay, but what definitely annoyed me was how she was (mostly) always right: she would get a "bad feeling" about this character and then "In my heart, I knew(...)", etc. She trusted basic strangers when there was a murderer out there! What's also annoying is that she almost killed herself, Lucinda, and Will because she was jealous and wanted to prove something--then had the nerve to say it wasn't her fault! Oh, my rage monster is rising!

But this was a clever book at least. One clue led to another and I was surprised by how complicated these machines seemed to be--and how familiar others were. Night vision goggles, a hidden passage behind a bookshelf, and a few others were invented--a century before though! The Amusementists were definitely clever people and I loved how Meg's grandfather laid out clues so nicely--and convenient. Her grandfather really thought of everything! 

I loved the dialect that was so convincing. It definitely felt like I was back in the Victorian era and I loved seeing all these plot twists just jump out at you. The ending was what really shocked me even though I'm pretty sure I should've expected it. It's a fantastic book that's creative in the most subtle ways.

I'd recommend this for people who are just getting into steampunk since it introduces you to the world nicely (this is probably only my second steampunk book!) and isn't as confusing as some of the steampunks sound! 

Pages: 403

Genre: Steampunk

Series: Secret Order of Modern Amusements #1

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: March 5, 2013

Rating: 2.5--->3 stars

Author Bio

Kristin Bailey grew up in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley in California. As a kid she enjoyed visiting the beach, camping and skiing with her two brothers. 

Now she is a military wife and mother of two young children. She is also terrible about spoiling her pets. She has one fluffy mutt, two cats who think they own the world, and a fish tank with some really plump little fish and a pair of snails who are secretly ninja assassins. 
In the course of her adventures, she has worked as a zookeeper, balloon artist, and substitute teacher. Now she enjoys writing books for teens who enjoy mystery and adventure as much as she does. 

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Ironskin by Tina Conolly

Goodreads Blurb

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask. 
It’s the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain—the ironskin. 
When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a "delicate situation"—a child born during the Great War—Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help. 
Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn’t expect to fall for the girl’s father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio...and come out as beautiful as the fey. 
Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things is true? Step by step Jane unlocks the secrets of her new life—and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.

This was definitely a twist on the classic story of Jane Eyre mixed with just a bit of Beauty and the Beast, and I did love that, but Ironskin seemed very...alternative, I guess you could say. At one moment, the dialogue would sound old-fashioned as it should, and other times it seemed to have a bit of modern slang and that got old real fast. And while it is classified as steampunk (and it is, it's just that there aren't any cool machines or anything 100% steampunk-y), it seemed to be more...well, a bit more paranormal-ish because of the fey.

I actually really liked the world building, despite its non-steampunkness since I'm not a very big fan, honestly. And a VERY big fan of the fey. So the world was definitely perfect for me. The fey are, obviously, evil, but in Ironskin, the Great War (from what I gather, a war between the fey and humans) has ended and the fey haven't been seen in 5 years. But that doesn't me that they aren't still there, waiting and lurking. And they've got a few more tricks up their sleeve...

As for plot, I seriously loved the plot. For me, it wasn't really too fast or too slow and I LOVED Dorie. Even if she was a brat. But I admit, there was a "big twist" that I could predict at least 10 chapters earlier, but the  biggest twist? I was sooo not expecting that. And the twist after that? I WASN'T EXPECTING THAT EITHER. And the rest was...definitely surprising to me.Once in a while there's a twist that I knew I should've expected, but just didn't because...well, it's a twist. There's no way to expect it, and there was definitely one of those in Ironskin

The romance was...iffy, mainly good for me. While it was sweet and a bit Frankenstein (which is good!) it did seem...sudden. When Jane realized she liked loved Mr. Rochart, he was suddenly all the more interested like he knew what she felt, which he couldn't...wait...no. Wait...well, you'll have to read it. I'm not sure if he could or couldn't! But I did mostly like the romance, I guess. The ending was definitely satisfying, both plot-wise and romance-wise, so I can't wait to see what happens in book 2 and whether their feelings will develop more!

The one thing that stood out to me was its originality! A curse that makes others feel an emotion? Where socialites are shrinking back from fey-tainted people, but scrambling to get fey-tech at the same time? A love interest who's a father in YA? I doubt anyone's really done that successfully (in YA at least!)but it all seemed to flow naturally, still being Young Adult. I especially loved the parts that mentioned the curses. They were all different and I wanted to learn more about them immediately and I still want to learn more! The more you dive deeper, the more you want to learn. And I doubt there's a book that deals with these elements and is as engaging as Ironskin was!

If you're looking for a steampunk, this isn't the book for you. If you're reading this because it's a retelling of Jane Eyre, don't pick this up! Now, if it sounds interesting then DEFINITELY PICK THIS UP! It was definitely an enchanting story and the world is as stunning as the plot. Original and outstanding, this is definitely a debut that'll make a bang in the YA world!

Pages: 304

Series: Ironskin #1

Genre: Steampunk/Romance/Retelling

Publisher: Tor 

Release Date: October 2, 2012

Rating: 3.5--->4

Mini Freak Out: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Mini FREAK OUT!

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.
But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

So I’m going to have this new feature about once a month I’m going to call “Mini Freak Outs” which may sound like a mini review, which I guess it is, but it’s more like my reactions throughout the book, a one-paragraph review and a rating. That’s it. So my first Mini Freak Out is for…Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff! Sorry if I cuss.

Page 179—Ooooh BEAT DA BITCH!

Page 193—OOOHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THIS MY FRIENDS, is where the loyalty shifts and the truth is shown. God I sound cheesy. Dang, I'm talking to myself...this is not good...

Page 205—SHIT

Page 211—Oh God, I am HORRIFIED by the Shogun. Seriously. Can i kill him myself?

Page 236—I feel so bad for Buruu...but... BAHAHAHAHAHAHA LOLOL i'd like to see Buruu with that idiot of a guy for 5 minutes too!

Page 238—DUDE THIS SURPRISED ME TOO

Page 239—Lol Hiro is SO CUTE

Page 247—Shit. Shitshithshitshitshitshitshit. SHIT

Page 254—Oh. Oh NO. NONONONONONONO. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (You guys. I'm actually screaming this. At midnight.)

Page 268—GAG.

Page 273—Ierwjfdsiocxkmlzcqowiefn. I love Kin. I do. But GOSH Hiro is so much better!

Page 275—*cries*

Page 282—Oh. He's going to do something irrational. Something that's going to kill them all. DAMMIT (edit: Oh...never mind.)

Page 295—Ohhhhh...I KNEW that Hideo would be trouble

Page 305-306—Oh no. *sobs*

Page 307—GOD. NO. PLEASE

Page 311—Yes, yes, and yes.

Page 313—I NEED BOOK 2.

Stormdancer, while a bit slow in the beginning, was a great read! I mean, Japanese steampunk? YES PLEASE. It sounded exactly like my kind of book and I loved the intense feelings that Yukiko, Kin, Buruu, and the rest of the gang…sprouted? Haha, anyways the writing definitely matched everything else—intense, well thought out, and it had that aloof-ish feeling that seemed to match the plot and world. Oh. And Buruu? He’s definitely my favorite. Snarky? Yes. Proud? Yes. Hilarious? Yes. Adorable? He’d kill me, but yes. Caring? Yes. Brotherly? Yes. Best-mythical-creature-ever? Yes.

Original, new, and amazing, Stormdancer is a must-read and a definite pleaser! It made me scream (Did you not read the mini Freak Out above?) and you’ll have so much fun reading it! Anticipation is a normality for this book and anxiety attacks are bound to happen. If you see it in the bookstore, gasp at the cover, grab it, awe over its shininess, and buy it! Although if you don't like steampunk...stay away.



Blog Tour: Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear

Goodreads Blurb

Wish. Love. Desire. Live.
Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.

Innocent Darkness takes place in an alternate 20^th century LA where there are flying airships and where air pirates roam the skies. Almost nothing is the same, but there were still “society girls” who were expected to be, well…boring! Our main character is, of course, incredibly rebellious and has completely no interest in becoming a brainless zombie, preferring to be mechanic and fix up old cars/hoverboards. But something goes wrong when she test-drives a pixy she’s been fixing up and crashes with her best friend, V, who went along for the ride.

This is the first in a chain of events that somehow lands her in a boarding school where things are dreary to say the least. Water rooms, cruel punishments, little food, and no contact with the outside world, Noli is desperate to get out and finally snaps when her only friend, Charlotte, is taken away. On Midsummer’s Eve, she makes a wish that changed her life. This is where Noli is fully introduced to Kenign, the notorious hunter who has been searching for a girl with the “spark” for years to sacrifice to the Otherworld so that he and his people can live, if only for 7 more years.

But the magic won’t take hold of her for some reason and meanwhile V is searching for her high and low for his best friend because he knows something is wrong. After all, V isn’t who he seems either.

Innocent Darkness was more innocent than dark for sure, which I definitely enjoyed. I love my share of dark books, but something a less heavier was a relief. Not that it’s completely light. But I loved the steampunk elements that were thrown in along with the faery aspects! It’s incredibly contradicting actually, but I loved the way Suzanne Lazear wrote it!

Pacing. I actually loved the pacing in Innocent Darkness a lot! It was steady and never actually went up and down. Well, not unless you talk about the romance of course. I didn’t like the romance, I’ll admit. I think that Innocent Darkness would’ve been better if the feelings weren’t so…expressed. Nothing ever told me why Kevign was in love with our MC. Sure she was independent and different, but so is every other girl with the spark, right? So why Noli? It just seemed to false and sudden. V, I sort of understood. They knew each other since they were kids so of course, Noli would trust him! Mainly, it was the love triangle that annoyed me, though not much admittedly.

Noli was definitely one of those stubborn, but smart, characters. Unlike a lot of characters, Noli didn’t think or say anything stupid. She knew when enough was enough and was smart enough to keep her mouth shut when she needed to. And she didn’t continue to believe stupid lies even when evidence was there, thank goodness! And even though Noli was an amazing character, I found that my favorite character was defunuteky Charlotte! She was just so sweet, kind, and caring and I don’t think there could’ve been a better best friend that her! She was always supportive and always made sure that Noli was alright no matter what.

There were a lot of key surprises that were entirely predictable though and I was a bit disappointed, but I think that all the other amazing points definitely made up for it! There have been a number of mixed reviews and I definitely have mixed feelings about it, mostly good though! This is my first steampunk, honestly, but even I know it had more to do with faeries than steampunk. So anyone with a love of faeries? Definitely pick this up. Steampunkers may be a tad disappointed, but Innocent Darkness was amazing!

Pages: 408

Series: The Aether Chronicles #1

Genre: Steampunk/Fantasy

Publisher: Flux

Release Date: August 8

Rating: 3.5>>>4

Short Author Bio:

Suzanne Lazear’s young adult steampunk dark fairytale, INNOCENT DARKNESS, book 1 of The Aether Chronicles, will be released from Flux in August of 2012. Suzanne lives in Southern California with her daughter, the hubby, and a hermit crab, where she’s currently attempting to make a raygun to match her ballgown. She’s also part of the Steampunk group blog Steamed

Contact Info:

Suzanne Lazear's Blog

Suzanne Lazear's Twitter

Suzanne Lazear's Facebook