NICOLE'S REVIEW: Shadow of the War Machine by Kristin Bailey

Title: Shadow of the War Machine

Author: Kristin Bailey

Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: February 3 2015

Publishing House:  Simon Pulse

ISBN: 144246805X

Source of Copy: Edelweiss

Summary: 

Meg has come a long way from her days as a lowly housemaid, driven to learn the truth behind her parents' murder. She's since discovered that they were part of the Secret Order of Modern Amusementists - an underground society of inventors. Determined to reclaim her heritage, she joined the Amusementists as an apprentice, but that hasn't brought her closer to the person responsible for the loss of her family: the man in the clockwork mask.

Now he is coming for her. But Meg is tired of being hunted and intends to become the hunter. With help from Will, the boy who holds her heart, Meg embarks on an adventure that takes them far from the cold London winter and into the heart of France.

But the City of Light is filled with dark shadows. There's a plot afoot that could turn the tides of a terrible war, and cost the lives of millions - that is, if it doesn't take the lives of everyone Meg holds dear, including her own.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Before I even begin to review this book I just want to say sorry for being MIA the past few months. I've recently moved to Vancouver and it was a bit hard for me at first, having to uproot myself from friends and family but it was something I needed to do. Thank you to everyone who's still checking out the blog and for not abandoning us. You guys rock. Anyway, now that that's over with it's on to the review! (Hopefully I get to blog more often now.)

It's time for the hunted to become the hunter. Meg is sick and tired of living in constant fear and worry, she's determined to put an end to the man in the clockwork mask's diabolical scheme and his reign of terror. 

Let's cut to the chase. The ending? Lacklustre. Anticlimactic. I seriously did not expect it to end this way. The villain turned out to be textbook, a little boring and one-dimensional. I mean having read the first two books and finding myself quite invested in the story, this is just incredibly disappointing.  

The romance? Meh. The truth is, after the first book the romance kind of just sizzled out and I couldn't bring myself to cheer for the Meg and Will any longer. It was like now that they're together the tension and sparks and heat between them just disappeared. Woohoo! Together forever, who cares about keeping the sparks/love/lust alive? Don't get me wrong, Will is Meg's rock, her pillar of strength, but he kind of had more similarities with a rock than with an actual human being. He was that boring! I can't even remember what role he played anymore.

The characters? I would have liked them to be fleshed out more. I mean it's the last book in the series! Better end it with a bang, right? But as I was reading this, I found myself slowly losing interest in everyone.

One thing I might have slightly enjoyed were the twists the author introduced in the story. And the battle scenes. Although truth be had the battle scenes were kind of wrong, like they didn't quite fit the story. It's like when you're playing tetris and you get the Z shaped block and you're going all "This should fit here but somehow it doesn't ohmygosh I don't get it!!!!" Well. That's just me probably but seriously there was just something strange about the battle scenes, like they were somehow forced so characters could be killed off and voila! They lived happily ever after.

So to sum this review up -the last book in The Secret Order series was very disappointing. I wish it would've ended with a bang, but I guess not. The characters were boring, the villain was textbook and everything was wrapped up in a cute little bow. 

Thank you to Simon Pulse for the advanced copy.

Rating: 

 

                       

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard

Title: Strange and Ever After

Author: Susan Dennard

Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: July 22 2014

Publishing House:  HarperTeen

ISBN: 0062083325

Source of Copy: Edelweiss

Summary: 

In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publisher's Weekly called "a roaring - and addictive - gothic world," Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus...all before it's too late.

He took her brother, he took her mother, and now, Marcus has taken her good friend Jie. With more determination that ever to bring this sinister man to justice, Eleanor heads to the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt in hopes of ending this nightmare. But in addition to her increasingly tense relationship with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has ciriously entangled herself in Eleanor's mission.

With the rising dead chomping at her every move and Jie's life hanging in the balance, Eleanor is convinced that her black magic will see her through to the bitter end. But there will be a price. Though she and the Spirit Hunters have weathered every battle thus far, there will be consequences to suffer this time - the effects of which will be irreversible. And when it's over, only some will be able to live a strange and ever after.

        (Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Strange and Ever After is the last book in the series. Review for the second book HERE.

This is it, the final battle, the moment that will decide whether Eleanor manages to win against the evil that took her mother, her brother and now her friend Jie or ultimately lose everyone dear to her. Eleanor travels all over the place in this installment, from Paris to Marseilles and then to Egpyt, if I'm not mistaken, trying to stop Marcus and hoping to save the life of her friend.

The final installment of this series is...I can't. It's killer. As in when I read...THAT PART (no spoilers) I had to do a reread because why why why why why. Cue ugly crying people. Ugh. On to the review.

Eleanor's control of her powers is getting better but her powers and her demon companion still cause strife between her and the Spirit Hunters seeing as how they're totally against her necromancy. I'm glad that Daniel and Eleanor's relationship actually progresses in this installment and Eleanor does grow as a character. I mean sure sometimes her decisions leave me baffled but Eleanor's a smart girl and fearless too and she always manages to push through. Sometimes I wonder why Eleanor's so afraid of her magic but then I realize it's not exactly unicorns and rainbows when it comes to raising the dead. Dead is dead and zombies aren't pretty.

If you've read the second book you'll know that Eleanor and Oliver are not on good terms but I like how their friendship doesn't just disappear and they manage to bridge the gap between them. He's the one who always urges Eleanor to hone her powers and free him from their contract. And despite his anger and hurt he still cares. 

Strange and Ever After is hard to put down, Eleanor encounters trouble every which way she turns to the point that it looks like she just can't win. And when all was said and done, the ending was terribly poignant. It's one of the more conclusive endings I've read, with all the loose ends tied up. It was sad but Dennard managed to make it hopeful so while I might have thrown a little tantrum I got over it quickly enough. I'm satisfied and I will definitely read the next book the author releases. 

Thank you for this series Susan Dennard, it was wonderful.

Rating: 

      

                         

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Legacy of the Clockwork Key by Kristin Bailey

Title: Legacy of the Clockwork Key
Author: Kristin Bailey
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: March 2013

Publishing House: Simon Pulse

ISBN: 9781442440265
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

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 rescued from the ashes. But this is no ordinary timepiece. The clock turns out to be a mechanical key - a key only Meg can use - that unlocks a series of deadly secrets and intricate clues that Meg has no choice but to follow. She 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.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

After a fire ravages Meg's home and kills her parents, she's forced to work as a maid in Lord Rathford's home - she takes that opportunity because it's certainly better than being tossed out onto the streets. Meg takes her grandfather's pocket watch with her only to find out that the pocket watch is actually a key. A key that will unlock truths and lead Meg into the secret society of the Amusementists - brilliant men who invent dangerous and wondrous machines like a game, hidden from the prying eyes of society.

I like steampunk but I'm sad to say that I wasn't really happy with this book. The characters were boring and flat and the romance was totally nonexistent. I couldn't feel Meg's attraction to Will even from the get-go when she would always make it a point to run to him every time she needed help. Will, on the other hand, was slightly better but not really, he's got a better head on his shoulders and isn't as rash as Meg but ultimately he's as boring as she was.

The one thing I actually wasn't indifferent to were the inventions, or Amusements as they're so called, because they were undeniably elaborate and well-crafted. But it would have been interesting to know how the Amusementists managed to hide these inventions, which are all on the huge side, from wandering eyes. I mean large metal structures that rise out of the ground? A battle between a giant metal ship and a man-made Leviathan? How do you hide such huge hulking things from people? Surely someone would have noticed.

Aside from that, the book gets a little repetitive after a while. Meg and Will and their new found allies run off to different Amusements to collect things needed for their final goal - stopping this machine which has the power to destroy life as they know it. While the Amusements are intricate and detailed and interesting, the fact that they go to each and every one and do the same things over and over and over again kind of dragged and bored me to tears. I suppose the fact that a murderer was out to get them would have added some suspense but I found myself uncaring.

That ending wasn't very spectacular either and this book is actually quite forgettable. A book where I had to wonder how in the world this secret society manage to stay a secret at all. It wasn't bad, it's just boring and I don't know if I want to read the next book. I'll think about it.

Rating:

    

                           

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Shadowplay by Laura Lam

Title: Shadowplay
Author: Laura Lam
Format Acquired: eARC

Publication Date: January 7 2014

Publishing House: Strange Chemistry

ISBN: 190884440X
Source of Copy: NetGalley

Summary:

The circus lies behind Mica Grey in dust and ashes.

He and the white clown, Drystan, take refuge with the once-great magician, Jasper Maske. When Maske agrees to teach them his trade, his embittered rival challenges them to a duel which dould decide all of their fates.

People also hunt both Micah and the person he was before the circus - the runaway daughter of a noble family. And Micah discovers there is magic and power in the world, far beyond the card tricks and illusions he's perfecting...

A tale of phantom wings, a clockwork hand, and the delicate unfurling of new love, Shadowplay continues Micah Grey's extraordinary journey.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads.)

Review:

Shadowplay is the second book in the Pantomime series. Check out our review for Pantomime here. This is a definite must read!

Shadowplay starts exactly where Pantomime ends - with Drystan and Micah on the run, leaving behind the circus and seeking refuge with an acquaintance of Drystan's. Jasper Maske. He takes them in and teaches them magic thrusting Micah and Drystan into a world of illusions and deception and bitter rivalry.

And I thought Lam's world building couldn't get any better... I was wrong. Shadowplay is amazing, it's exciting and magical and wonderfully atmospheric. Shadowplay is where I was able to glean more information on the Phantom Damselfly and her connection to Micah Grey - his odd powers and her history and how they both intertwine. Lam's attention to detail and her vivid descriptions of the theater and the illusions Drystan and Micah carried out were the absolute best it's hard not to get caught up in the story and impossible to NOT picture them in your head. 

Lam has a wonderful cast of characters that feel so real it's impossible to not feel what they feel. Micah's matured in this book, he's more confident in his own skin, and his budding relationship with Drystan had me cooing at my iPad in the middle of the night with a silly smile on my face. Don't get me wrong though, the romance is not a major part of the story but it's there - the subtle looks and careful smiles - and it had Michelle and I clamoring for more. (Drystan and Micah forever!) I also like the fact that a lot about Drystan's past was revealed and how natural it all felt so we get to know him better.

To avoid any spoilers let's just say that Micah and Drystan and Cyan do a lot of magic tricks and illusions and perform for an audience - I was particularly into how Lam explained the tricks in such a scientific and precise way. In between performing, Micah has visions and speaks with the Phantom Damselfly and there are flashbacks that explain to Micah who she was and her purpose for seeking him out. And at the end of that roller coaster ride of magic and deception, Lam throws in a few plot twists that totally took me by surprise. That ending still sends chills up my spine. 

For fans of Pantomime, Shadowplay does not disappoint. For those who still haven't read this series - you must. What's not to love about books with beautifully written prose, characters that are so undeniably real you have to cheer for them and wonderfully detailed world building that makes me want to leave this world for theirs? 

Rating:

                       

The Twins on Thursday: Steel Lily by Megan Curd

"The Twins on Thursday" is reserved for the Twins' joint reviews. It is a special feature of our blog that discusses books that we either both like, dislike, or have mixed feelings about. This is also the day where we post reviews for books (and ARCs/Galleys) that have been sent to us by authors/galley sites/publishing houses. And because we don't believe much in uniformity, we'll be trying to mix things up a bit by adding random stuff in relation to our review (well, mostly for books we purchased anyway).

Title: Steel Lily
Author: Megan Curd
Format Acquired: PDF

Publication Date: August 12, 2013

ISBN: 9781492135494
Source of Copy: Sent by Author

Summary:

Avery Pike is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She's a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She  creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn't any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are hidden better.

...Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything...including the fate of your world.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Avery knows she's a victim of an unfortunate tragedy, but Dome Four seems to claim otherwise. Especially when she's the strongest elementalist who supplies more than her share of steam in the Dome. Avery might get a better lifestyle than the others, but she isn't treated differently as opposed to a machine. She dreams of a better life, of life outside the Dome and when an opportunity actually rises up and with it a chance of a different life, Avery thinks that it might not as bad as the treatment she gets from the Dome. But this dome that gathers gifted individuals might have an ulterior motive in mind.

Truthfully, we're not exactly sure what to think about Steel Lily. It's like your typical dystopian - a world in ruins, run by an overbearing government. But we're not exactly sure what's going on. It's got fantasy and steampunk - sort of - and an amalgam of other things with romance and a love triangle thrown in for added spice.

We're not much of a fan of the characters and there's not much to say about the cast. Avery, the main character, is just your typical YA heroine, spunky, smart, pretty and somehow more powerful than the rest of the plebes. Jaxon, the male lead, is a bit of a jerk, but that's because his mood is dictated by how his father treats him most of the time. He was a bit of a weird one at first, but Jaxon's snark grows on you, and that's what happened with us.

The world-building, while inspired, does lack a bit of convincing. There are domes, sure, but we did find it quite hard to believe that Avery's dome didn't seem to have plans of getting her back. She provides more than her own share of steam for the dome, so why would they just let someone tht important slip through their fingers? Avery is an exceptional asset who could probably be enough to wage war over!

While Steel Lily does fall short on some areas, it does have an interesting promise. Fans of dystopian worlds might want to give this one a go.

Rating:

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Title: Dance of the Red Death
Author: Bethany Griffin
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: June 11 2013

Publishing House: Greenwillow Books

ISBN: 9780062107824
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

Everything is on fire.

Araby Worth's city is being torn apart by death, disease and corrupt forces wanting to claim it for their own. She has lost her home. Her best friend is dying. Her mother has been kidnapped. The boy who made her feel something again betrayed her. And her father may be a murderer.

But Araby has found herself.

Despite the death and destruction all around her, she will fight for herself, for her friends, for her city. Her rebellion will take her, finally, to the mad prince's palace, for the decadent - and sinister - masked ball. It could be a trap. It could be the end of them all. Or it could be the moment that Araby becomes the kind of hero she never dreamed to be.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

If you haven't read the first book in this duology and are curious about it, you can find a review for the book here.

In Dance if the Red Death, Araby's city is a mess, her best friend is dying, her mother is kidnapped and her father might just be a murderer. The boy who made her feel alive has betrayed her and another boy, with his cunning and good looks, expresses interest in her. But despite the emotional turmoil Araby is determined to save her city and to do that she must enter the heart of the mad prince's palace. But does Araby have what it takes to save the city she calls her own? Or will she find herself trapped in the palace playing a game she has no chance of winning?

In the first book Araby was boring, your typical damsel in distress but in the second book it seems that she might have grown a backbone of sorts. Which is good. She's slightly more confident in herself and is capable of making her own decisions, which is another point for Araby of course. Elliot is still a power hungry megalomaniac, using Araby to further his cause. I could never be sure if he really had feelings for Araby or it was all just a front. Will, unsurprisingly, is still a sweetheart despite his actions in the first book. He was genuinely attracted to Araby and his remorse at what he had done was quite obvious. But I suppose he had no choice.

This book, unlike it's predecessor has more action and their situation is certainly more tense. Elliot finally gets the chance to lead a revolution against his uncle with Araby by his side. Will has his siblings back and is trying to reconcile with Araby. And Araby? She just wants to save her city, make sense of her feelings for both boys and find her father who has gone into hiding. 

I was surprised to find that Dance of the Red Death was the conclusion to this duology because truthfully, when I finished the book it did not feel like the end. There were still so many things that weren't expounded upon, so many things that could happen and somehow for me, I felt like it was cut short. I actually felt a little cheated because I expected something more to happen. I thought that there would be a next installment, but I guess that won't be happening. 

The Masque of the Red Death duology finishes with an ending that may or may not satisfy. If you're just starting to ease yourself into the genre, then yes, this series is a decent enough read. A little slow at some point but it will nonetheless keep you occupied.

Rating:

                             

NICOLE'S REVIEW + Novel Nails #3: The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

Title: The Friday Society
Author: Adriene Kress
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: December 6 2012

Publishing House: Dial

ISBN: 9780803737617
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

An action packed tale of gowns, guys, guns and the heroines who use them all.

The Friday Society follows the stories of three intelligent and talented young women who work as assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, combat instruction assistant; and Nellie, Magician's assistant. Their lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man. It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder - and the crimes they believe may be connected to it - without calling too much attention to themselves. Of course, blending in has never been these ladies' strong suit, especially with so many eligible men around.

Told with Adrienne Kress' sharp wit and a great deal of irreverence, this Steampunk mystery introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike - well, relatively ladylike - heroines poised for more dangerous activities.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Three young women who cross paths at a ball are inevitably tied to each other when they discover the body of a dead man. There's Cora who's a lab assistant to Lord White, Michiko who's a combat instruction assistant to Sir Callum and Nellie who's a magician's assistant to The Great Raheem. These three girls take it upon themselves to figure out how the man was murdered while at the same time unravel a great conspiracy that could destroy all of London all the while dealing with their employers and looking absolutely fabulous.

One problem with writing a story in the points of view of three characters is the challenge of giving all of them a distinct voice and personality. Kress managed to pull it off well enough giving readers three smart, witty young ladies with looks to match. Cora is pragmatic and down to earth, Nellie is slightly more outgoing and whimsical and Michiko is serious and a stranger to the country she now lives in. One thing they did have in common was that they were a tad bit cheeky and sassy.

I expected this story to be a murder-mystery and while it did have mystery and a few murders here and there and maybe a chauvinistic not-so-secret society it wasn't. Not exactly. It was entertaining enough but The Friday Society seemed to focus more on the girls instead of the story. I suppose that was a problem because while I got to glimpse into the lives of our three protagonists, the story took a slight backseat to it all. Another problem I had was that this book is touted as Steampunk and while that much is evident in Cora's experiments I didn't get much of a steampunk vibe from the book. It was more historical with hints of that genre.

Here's another thing I was waiting for: a whole lot of suspense and strange clues that make little sense until they culminate in one final, epic tell-all and end-all. And yes, there were clues and there were things that made no sense but I couldn't exactly grasp how they were connected to the ending. I didn't expect that to happen and while unpredictability is fun and all, I still expect it to make sense. I want to have that Aha! moment and connect the dots but there was none of that and it was a tad bit anticlimatic.

Nonetheless, The Friday Society is an entertaining read told in the voices of three bold and brash young women. Readers who fancy a light, read or want to check out the steampunk genre then yes, don't be afraid to pick this one up. The girls antics will surely entertain. 

Rating:

      

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

I'm on a roll here! Here's the nail art I did inspired by The Friday Society. I've always wanted to do steampunk nails and I thought this would be the perfect time to try it out. I made two different designs for my left and right hand as seen below. The nail polish I used are as follows.

Gears/gray stripes: Deborah Lippman Stormy Weather
Base/gold-green stripes: OPI Just Spotted the Lizard

LEFT

I drew gears on my nails using Stormy Weather.

They match!

RIGHT

 I made some stripes with striping tape.

They match too!

That's it folks. I hope you liked my nails. For past book-ish nail art and other works (I've got a free-hand Pegasus I'm pretty proud of) just search nicolereadsbooks on Instagram.

                                

                         

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger

Title: Etiquette and Espionage
Author: Gail Carriger
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: February 5, 2013

Publishing House: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 9780316190084
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners - and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage - in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

Set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate, this YA series debut is filled with all the saucy adventure and droll humor Gail's legions of fans have come to adore.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from Amazon)

Review:

Being a fan of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, I knew I could not miss out on this. Set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate books - albeit back a few decades and such - Etiquette and Espionage is a deliciously droll and humorous read with a cast of characters one cannot help but fall in love with. 

Etiquette and Espionage gives to us a historical steampunk setting where werewolves and vampires are integrated into polite society and clockwork machinery is a norm. I'm not as big a fan of Victorian novels like my co-blogger is, but this is one that I found myself getting immersed in. I was lured in by the prospect of a Finishing School that not only transforms young girls into mild-mannered ladies but also into skilled intelligence gatherers and well, assassins. I wouldn't mind attending this finishing school and learning how to subtly stab someone with a dagger or a hairpin but since I can't, I'll have to settle for watching - reading, rather - Sophronia and her friends get into a whole slew of trouble and solve mysteries all  the while learning to dance the quadrille and act like a proper English lady.

The story begins with Sophronia causing trouble and her dear mother sending her off to finishing school with the headmistress who oh-so-conveniently happens to be visiting. On the way to the Academy they get attacked by Skywaymen - think Highwaymen with aerial crafts - looking for the prototype which they believe is in the headmistress' possession. Upon arriving at the school it turns out the woman she traveled with isn't who she seems and Sophronia's curiosity is piqued as the woman is unwilling to disclose the hiding of said prototype. Sophronia then takes it upon herself to solve this mystery accompanied by her mishmash group of friends, of course.

Our wonderful protagonist Sophronia is a lovable heroine; she's spunky and intelligent and wonderfully funny (very much like Alexia really). She constantly finds herself in trouble but has a way about herself that she always manages to get out of it. Her antics were highly entertaining and had me giggling at highly inopportune moments. The friends she gains while attending finishing school were an odd bunch; Dimity who I have to admit is very much like Ivy from the Parasol Protectorate books, there's also Genevieve or Vieve, a young inventor who supplies the technology used in their antics and Soap, a young man of African blood who goes along with her on her crazy schemes.

I can pretty much say that I love this series. It was definitely interesting getting to meet a few familiar characters when they're a few decades younger. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment and in the meanwhile, I think my eyelash fluttering needs practice. For fans of historical novels with paranormal/steampunk aspects I suggest that this book be given a try, I'm pretty sure you won't regret it.

Rating:

                         

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Title: Stormdancer
Author: Jay Kristoff
Format Acquired: Hardcover (USA Edition)

Publication Date: September 18 2012

Publishing House: Thomas Dunne Books

ISBN: 9781250001405

Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

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 changed by their Shogun 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 Shogun is death.

A Hidden Gift

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 Shogun'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 that 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.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

The moment our local bookstore sent me a text saying my copy of Stormdancer was available for pick-up, I rushed over there salivating, threw my money at them, grabbed my copy and rushed back to my cave. I've been waiting anxiously for my copy to arrive and I have to say that the long wait was definitely worth it. Stormdancer is amazing. And the USA version of the cover is quite fitting and the illustrations are gorgeous.

The first few chapters are quite slow in their pacing, but I liked it because it gave me time to adjust to the wonderful world that Kristoff managed to create. The amazing world-building and attention to detail makes it easy to imagine the polluted streets of Shima, the blood red skies, the blood lotus that the nation revolves around and the mechanization that threatens to consume what little nature the island of Shima has left to offer. Detailed descriptions painted pictures in my mind of the clockwork industrialization and the deadly politics that takes place within the ruling class. Stormdancer also features very well described action scenes involving chain katanas which were very entertaining to read.

The characters were also easy to fall in love with. Yukiko is a fiercely independent and intelligent girl. She grows and matures as a character and it was interesting to read her interactions with the arashitora, a thunder tiger named Buruu. HE is who I totally fell in love with and is my absolute favorite character in the book. Buruu starts of as an aggressive, short-tempered creature that Yukiko is forced to journey with. But as they spend time together and their friendship solidifies, it was great to see how smooth Buruu's transition was from a creature of simple thought to one who could understand more complex thinking as a result of his interaction with Yukiko. Also, can I just mention that Buruu speaks in ALL CAPS and his humorous moments made me squeal in delight. 

I especially love the action scenes in the book, further highlighting how perfect Buruu and Yukiko fight as a unit. Let's also not forget the scenes where the hunters first spot the thunder tiger and then proceed to capture it.

Stormdancer is an amazing book that boasts of political intrigue, a strong main protagonist, and wonderfully majestic arashitora; it also has very descriptive action scenes and astounding world-building that will suck you in and never, ever let you go. Can I please have the second book now? 

Rating:

       

                             

The Twins on Thursday: Pantomime by Laura Lam

"The Twins on Thursday" is reserved for the Twins' joint reviews. It is a special feature of our blog that discusses books that we either both like, dislike, or have mixed feelings about. This is also the day where we post reviews for books (and ARCs/Galleys) that have been sent to us by authors/galley sites/publishing houses. And because we don't believe much in uniformity, we'll be trying to mix things up a bit by adding random stuff in relation to our review (well, mostly for books we purchased anyway).

Title: Pantomime

Author: Laura Lam

Format Acquired: Advance eGalley

Publication Date: February 5, 2013

Publishing House: Strange Chemistry

ISBN: 9781908844378

Source of Copy: NetGalley

Summary: 

R. H. Ragona's Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass - remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone - are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It's a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It's a place where anyone can hide.

Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist's apprentice and soon becomes the circus's rising star.

But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads)

Review:

Pantomime is an impossible reality, it's like watching every whimsical and eerily beautiful dream we've had about the circus come to life. Dreamlike and surreal, Pantomime manages to evoke visions and paint images in the reader's mind that make it easy to believe that a world like this could actually exist. 

What makes Pantomime such a wonderful read is partly due to Lam's beautiful world-building. The circus both as a whole and its cast of characters are amazing and descriptive, and the realities and mysteries all seen through the eyes of our protagonist are heartfelt and harsh at best. The pacing, while slow at first, is not unwarranted since it adds to the overall feel of the story, Pantomime begs to be savored in measured doses. By the middle  of the novel, it actually tries to suck you in - and in our case, succeeds without us putting up a fight too! - and actually dares you to go back to your mundane and ordinary world.

Another aspect that we liked was Lam's willingness to explore the complexity of human relationships and sexuality without all the labels. We think that humans have this innate - and at times, irrational - desire to name things and place everything in categories simply because the mind has a hard time understanding without all these pre-conceived nuances.

The only misleading thing about Pantomime is that the magic that thrives in Gene's blood is not explained at all (as referenced to in the summary), and while it is a bit of a letdown, it is easy to overlook because this was honestly that good of a read.

The ending left us absolutely wanting for more, and with that being said, it is not hard at all to fall in love and be swept away by the circus, by the magic that is Pantomime.

Pantomime will be available come February of 2013.

Rating:

And because this is our slightly creative weekly segment, we're featuring artworks that reminded us of Pantomime, created by Nicole's super talented block mate, Chelsea Ortega.

Doesn't that just remind you of the cover? When we saw this one, we knew it had to be included in the post!

This one totally reminded us of the other circus performers Gene starred alongside with.

That's not all the talented Ms. Ortega does. She also creates posters of concerts just for kicks.

You can find more of Chelsea Ortega's works at Me Against (Me)diocracy.