Review - Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal/Mystery
Size: 352 pages
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1594744761
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in a series
Source: Gift
Rating: 4/5 stars


This was a book I have wanted to read for a long time. I finally got around to reading it, it was just as fantastically quirky I had hoped. It was a fun and mysterious read, also a little bit creepy at parts.

After the horrific death of Jacob’s grandfather, Jacob slumps into a deep depression. It’s determined that the only way to get Jacob out of this slump is for him to journey to the mysterious island that his grandfather grew up on. Jacob and his father journey to a remote island off of the coast of Wales. There Jacob investigates a peculiar children’s home that his grandfather grew up in. Jacob’s only clues are some mysterious pictures his grandfather left him and a peculiar note.

This was a fun and quirky read. It’s mainly a mystery about a young man trying to solve his grandfather's mysterious past....along the way he discovers children with strange powers, time travel, and evil monsters.

Jacob is an okay lead character. He is mainly characterized by his obsession to find out what really happened to his grandfather. Other than that, he wasn’t a real distinctive character for me.

What really drives this story is the mystery behind Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. The mystery unravels deliberately and things get more and more complex as Jacob unravels more and more secrets on this remote Wales island.

I am not going to get a lot more into the story beyond that because I don’t want to spoil anything. Let’s just say that through some quirks in time, all of these peculiar children that Jacob is so fascinated by may still be alive.

Of course a big draw for this book are all of the strange pictures throughout. I really enjoyed their addition to the story, they made the peculiar children all that more real to the reader. The fact that these are all actually real vintage pictures found in old picture collections makes this book even more unique and special.

The book was well written, engaging, and easy to read. What really drives the story is the mystery and what makes it enjoyable are the quirky pictures throughout. The main story is wrapped up pretty well, but there are things left unanswered for future books in the series.

Overall I enjoyed this book. It’s a very creative idea and implemented very well. The mystery is what drives the story and the pictures are fascinating and interesting. Jacob as a character could have used a bit more depth, but that really isn’t what this book is about. I am curious to see what the second book in this series will be about. I recommend this to those who are interested in a YA mystery read with fantasy overtones to it that’s a bit different than anything else out there.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- Paranormal Reading Challenge
- TBR Pile Reading Challenge
- Young Adult Reading Challenge

Early Review - The Lost (Celestial Blues, Book 2) by Vicki Pettersson (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Size: 369 pages
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: March 19, 2013
ISBN: 978-0062064653
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Celestial Blues series
Source: Amazon Vine for Review
Rating: 4/5 stars

This is the second book in the Celestial Blues series by Pettersson. I really enjoyed it. I love the well done investigative urban fantasy and how it has a bit of old-fashioned flare to it. This is supposed to be a trilogy, but I haven’t heard any information about the 3rd book yet.

Grif has been given time to remain on the mortal plain and solve his murder if he concedes to help guide souls that would otherwise be Lost. When a new drug hits the streets people start dying in horrible ways. Grif isn’t allowed to interfere, but that same can’t be said for Kit. As an investigative reporter she is determined to find where the new drug is being distributed from and save the lives of these addicts before they become Lost.

This was a fun investigative urban fantasy. I really enjoy, Kit, the heroine. She has an upbeat approach to life that is fun to read about. We learn a lot more about Kit’s past in this book and about the darkness that lies there. We learn about why she has chosen a Rockabilly lifestyle and how she fights her personal darkness.

Grif, is an excellent male lead for Kit. He is complex and a bit confused about his purpose as a temporary mortal angel. He is still absolutely supportive and respectful of Kit. We also learn a lot more about Grif’s past. He works to solve the mystery of his murder and along the way we learn more about his lovely dead wife that he pines after so badly.

This story presents an excellent, and slightly gorey, mystery to be solved. The mystery is well done and nicely wrapped up in this book. There is both the mystery of the mysterious and vicious drug source to be solved which is self contained to this novel, and the bigger mystery around Grif’s murder that has spanned multiple books.

The book is well written and moves forward at a good pace. I enjoyed reading the story and found it to be engaging and entertaining.

Overall a well done urban fantasy with old fashioned flare. I enjoyed it. The combination of Rockabilly elements and angelic lore make this something a bit different than other urban fantasy reads out there. Recommended to those who like investigative urban fantasy. The heroine is unique and upbeat.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- Paranormal Reading Challenge

Review - Ravage (Deviants, Book 3) by Jeff Sampson (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Size: 400 pages
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: January 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0061992803
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd (and final) book in the Deviants series
Source: Gift
Rating: 4/5 stars

This is the third, and final, book in the Deviants series by Sampson. This was by far the strangest book of the three, it was still very engaging and very readable. I’ve enjoyed the interesting mesh of paranormal, aliens, and genetic engineering that takes place in this series.

Emily is the leader of the pack of Vespers who can now morph into their hybrid state which combines the best of their normal state, nighttime state, and werewolf personalities. In the last book parts of the puzzle as to how Emily and her pack were made like this were solved...this book looks at the why. Emily and crew have to figure out why their parents let BioZenith mutate them. She also needs to find a way to destroy BioZentih before the Shadowmen can start taking over.

This book gets a bit crazy. We find out things about other dimensions, high intelligence alien lifeforms, and there is even a bit of cult worship in here. The story is getting a bit convoluted and out there for me; at times it feels kind of contrived. Still it is a creative story and there are a number of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing.

Emily continues to be a character that is easy to engage with and entertaining to read about. The interactions between her and Spencer are sweet and respectful. I love watching them navigate their way through a relationship with all of the crazy complications they face.

In this book Emily and her fellow Deviants team up with the telekinetic cheerleaders to take on the BioZentith corporation. There are a number of unexpected twists and turns throughout the story and many crazy truths are revealed.

As with previous books in this series the book was very engaging and easy to read. I enjoyed the fast pace and the unexpected twists and turns the story took. The story is mostly a mystery that turns into a battle to save humanity from evil aliens.

The series wraps up in a way that isn’t super surprising but does an excellent job of tying up everything. Fans of the series should be pleased.

Overall this was a decent close to this series. I enjoyed the creative and different take on werewolves, but at times all the crazy twists and turns felt a bit contrived. I did really enjoy the fast pace of the book and the easy to engage with characters. This whole series is recommended to those who like action packed paranormal books featuring werewolves.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- Paranormal Reading Challenge
- Young Adult Reading Challenge

Review - The Diviners (The Diviners, Book 1) by Libba Bray (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Size: 592 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 18, 2012
ISBN: 978-0316126113
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Diviners series
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars


This is the first book in the Diviners series by Bray. I have read all of Bray’s previous books and really enjoyed them. I am unsure how many books are planned for this series, but the 2nd one is scheduled for a 2014 release. I enjoyed this book just as much, if not more, than Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty series. This book is masterfully written and was just an absolute pleasure to read.

Evie O’Neill has been shipped off from her hometown to New York City to stay with her uncle because of some secrets she revealed that hurt the reputation of one of the powerful families in Ohio. Evie is so excited to be in New York even if her Uncle does run the strange museum known affectionately as The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies. Then strange occult murders start happening and Evie’s uncle gets called in to consult. Evie gets drawn in as she starts to use her own special powers to help her uncle with the case.

I loved the setting for this book, the whole thing is set in the 1920’s flapper era. Bray obviously did her homework here. The slang she uses throughout as well as the descriptions of surroundings, fashions, and events make this world and era come alive in a way that is sparkling and fascinating.

The story is mainly told from Evie’s POV, but we also hear from a number of other character POVs. We hear from Theta (a chorus girl), Mabel (Evie’s best friend), Malcolm (a man with his own mysterious powers), and Sam (a pickpocket of sorts that Evie has a run in with early in the story). We also hear from the murder victims as they meet their demise.

Evie was a super fun heroine. She is brash and just a little too much for those around, she’s adventurous and loyal. She definitely has her flaws; she can be a bit too self-absorbed and a bit too in-your-face. These flaws just serve to make her more interesting and engaging.

The characters surrounding Evie have backgrounds that are just as complex and interesting as Evie’s. There are a number of characters in here with supernatural or paranormal powers. The maelstrom of these interesting characters starts to come together as the story progresses.

The book touches on a number of controversial issues as well (at least controversial for that time). There is discussion about inter-racial relationships and quite a bit of discussion about same sex relationships as well. None of this is the feature of the story but all of it goes on in the background, making the story more complex and even more engaging.

More than anything this book is a supernatural mystery. Basically Evie and team have to solve this series of grisly occult murders before one of them ends up as a victim. There are parts of this book that are extremely creepy where you feel like screaming at the characters “No! No! Don’t go down into the creepy basement cellar.” At points it was bad enough that I was torn between hiding behind a blanket so I didn’t have to see what was going to happen and reading it as fast as possible so I could finally know what was going to happen!

The story ties up very nicely, although there are still things left undone for future books. I am intrigued to see how all of these interesting characters with supernatural powers come together in future installments.

Overall an absolutely fantastic novel. The setting is realistic and absolutely comes alive; I loved reading about the roaring 20’s. The plot is mysterious and creepy with strong supernatural elements. The characters are quirky, mysterious, and super fun to read about. Highly recommended to those who love a good mystery with supernatural elements. I really, really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- GHOSTS: Paranormal Reading Challenge
- Young Adult Reading Challenge

Review - City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Size: 368 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: February 5, 2013
ISBN: 978-0062121301
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Amazon Vine for Review
Rating: 4/5 stars


This is Forster’s debut novel and it was an excellent one. The blurb on the back compares this book to Graceling and The Girl of Fire and Thorns; that is a pretty apt comparison. I got a copy of this book through Amazon Vine to review; so thanks to Vine and HarperTeen for making this book available. I really enjoyed the characters and interesting world in this novel.

Nisha was left the City of a Thousand Dolls at the age of six. An age considered too old to start training in the City of a Thousand Dolls. Nisha lives in a world where parents are only allowed to have two children, as a result many parents abandon their female daughters. The City of a Thousand Dolls was created to take in these abandoned girls and teach them a skill that will make them Redeemable and allow for their placement into new lives.

Nisha was considered too old to train and has been a messenger for the Matron since she arrived, but now girls are dying and if Nisha cannot figure out why her own freedom will be at stake.

This was very much a fantasy mystery. Don’t come into this book expecting to read something that is action packed. This is a deliberately paced mystery as much as anything. There is some romance thrown in here as well, although it is definitely not what drives the story.

Nisha is an interesting character. She is definitely in a tight spot, she doesn’t have any family around or anyone who loves her. She does however have some important friends, the foremost of which are the talking cats that inhabit the City of a Thousand Dolls. Nisha isn’t an incredibly rebellious or outgoing heroine. She spends most of her time trying not to be noticed and makes a number of mistakes throughout the story. She does however stand up for what she thinks is right when the time comes.

I enjoyed the cats, which spoke to Nisha telepathically. Initially they are just very fun to have in the story, as things continue they end up being part of something much bigger. There isn’t a lot of magic in this book, it is mostly present in the various people and races throughout.

The world is very well built. There is definitely an Asian influence to this world. The limit on the number of children per family echoes that. A somewhat apocalyptic event in the past is hinted at but never fully explained.

The plot is well done. Nisha ends up the sole investigator of a series of murders, her freedom ends up being the price if she can’t solve these mysterious murders. There are a number of twists and turns to the story that I found surprising, yet they never came off as contrived.

The book takes a look at a number of interesting themes including what happens when you impose a child limit on families and women’s rights.

The book was very well written and engaging. I found it hard to put down and it was very easy to read.

Overall an excellent young adult fantasy mystery novel. Nisha makes a believable heroine who is easy to engage with; she isn’t all that assertive but she is strong in her own way. The mystery and world-building were both well done, and I also enjoyed the telepathically speaking cats. I would recommend to those who enjoy fantasy mysteries.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- YA/MG Fantasy Reading Challenge
- 150+ Reading Challenge
- Debut Author Reading Challenge
- Young Adult Reading Challenge

Audiobook Review - 14 by Peter Clines (4.5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal/Science Fiction/Steampunk/Thriller
Size: 352 pages
Publisher: Permuted Press
Release Date: May 7, 2012
ISBN: 978-1618680525
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Audiobook from Audible.com
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

I have read a few of Peter Clines books (Ex-Heroes and Ex-Patriots) and enjoyed them. I was eager to see what this new book was about. This was a very well done mystery/thriller/sci-fi/paranormal read. It is completely engaging and really keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

I got a copy of this to listen to on audiobook. The audiobook was very, very well done. I enjoyed listening to this even more than I think I would have enjoyed reading it.

Nate has a bad job and no girlfriend and needs a new place to live after his roommates move out. One of his buddies from work tells him about this apartment that is a great deal. Nate calls and there just happens to be a unit available. It’s super cheap, clean, and utilities are included. It seems like a dream come true until Nate notices strange things...like the glowing green cockroaches, the kitchen light that turns every light bulb into a black light, and the padlocks on apartment 14. Nate is drying to unravel the mystery...but at what cost?

This was a very well done and creepy book about a strange apartment that has secrets within it that are centuries old. The mystery is built slowly over time and is absolutely engaging. The characters are just regular people...kind of. As Nate talks to his neighbors he starts finding out that everyone has a few strange things in their apartment.

I really enjoyed watching the characters investigate all of the strange things they found and enjoyed how they had to piece everything together. You just never knew what “strange” thing would pop up next. Then you were forced to try and figure out how the heck it fit in with all the other strange things.

The mystery is absolutely engrossing. It was so hard to stop reading this story.

The characters are all great too. In the beginning they all seem like just normal people with not a lot of money who are dependent on the low rent the apartment building offers. As the book continues you find out they all have special skill sets and these skill sets may be exactly what is needed to unravel all these secrets.

The book is well written and easy to read. It’s a blend of lot of different genres; thriller, paranormal, sci-fi, steampunk. I am not going to say a lot more about the plot because it would ruin the story.

Overall I absolutely loved this book. The mystery is so well done and makes it impossible to put the book down. The characters are just ordinary people put into an extraordinary scenario where they have to use the skills they are best at to solve this mystery. Really really loved this one. I am eager to see what Clines writes about next.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Get Steampunk’d Reading Challenge
- Audio Book Challenge
- 150+ Reading Challenge

Review - Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal/Humor
Size: 352 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: July 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-0062089649
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: ARC through Amazon Vine
Rating: 4/5 stars


This is a stand alone parody novel that pokes fun at a teenage girl’s obsession with vampires. It was cute and funny and all in all much better than I expected.

Mel and Cathy live in New Whitby, a town founded by vampires. When a cute vampire shows up at their high school (in a biohazard suit to protect him from the sun), Cathy who is obsessed with all things historical falls immediately in love. Mel is determined to protect Cathy from her love-sickness. Additionally Mel has a friend named Anna whosse dd recently ran away with a vampire women under mysterious circumstances and Mel is trying to help Anna figure out what really happened.

Mel is a funny character who is constantly trying to help her friends out but neglects to notice when she herself is being unreasonable. She truly believes she is doing the best she can to protect her friends...even if they don’t always want her protection and love. She is spunky, full of fun, and feisty. All in all a very fun character to read about.

Cathy is smart, a bit of a dreamer, and loves history. So when the vampire Francis shows up at high school, Cathy is thrilled to meet a very handsome walking bit of history.

Anna is deeply disturbed by her father running away with a vampire woman. Now Anna’s mom is acting really strange and Anna enlists Mel’s help to figure out whether Anna’s father’s disappearance is tied in with some other odd goings on happening at the high school.

This book is hilarious at times. I was seriously laughing my butt off when Francis showed up in a biohazard suit to do a picnic on the beach. But surprisingly, the book wasn’t all silliness. There is a very heartfelt story here that deals with friendship, protecting those you love, and loving your friends enough to let them make their own decisions despite what you believe is right.

The plot is well done. There are lots of little mysterious things going on that end up tying together nicely in the end. This book is probably best described as a paranormal sit-com with a good dose of mystery. Oh and I should mention there are zombies here as well, so you know, every book is better with zombies :-)

I ended up enjoying the story way more than I thought I would. It’s a fun, light read. It is a parody, but it’s a parody that also provides a heartfelt and intriguing story. The book is well written and everything is tied up nicely at the end.

Overall I enjoyed this book. It is a cute, fun, and heartfelt parody on all of those paranormal books where the girls fall head over heels with vamps. It had me laughing out loud a number of times. I enjoyed the likable characters; especially Mel who was so determined to help out her friends. Recommended to those who enjoy paranormal humor/drama. Not a lot of action here, but it was a good mystery.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Zombie Reading Challenge
- Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge

Review - The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle, Book 1) by Maggie Steifvater (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Size: 416 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: September 18, 2012
ISBN: 978-0545424929
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Raven Cycle series
Source: eGalley from NetGalley.com
Rating: 4/5 stars

I was really looking forward to a new book from Steifvater. This was an interesting book that is told from numerous POVs. It really isn’t any one character’s story but a story about a group of people. It was an intriguing read and is full of mystery.

Blue comes from a family of Clairvoyants, but she herself only makes their abilities stronger. That is until she sees the ghost of a boy named Gansey on the road in a cemetery. Blue comes to find that Gansey is one of the rich boys that goes to Aglionby, an all boys private school. Gansey is on a quest to search out ley lines and is accompanied by three other Raven boys. The five teenagers must solve a mystery of murder, ghosts, and mystical energy.

This story is told from five points of view. That of Blue, Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Wilkes. Blue, who lives with many clairvoyants, is told that the first boy she kisses will die. She has one rule and that is to never get involved with Raven boys.

Gansey is seeking out Ley lines in hopes of finding something he’s missing. His friends are all wrapped up in the mystery and death with him. Ronan is a wild and dangerous boy who has never been the same since his father died. Adam comes from an abusive and poor family and always feels like he is so much less than the other boys, he is constantly trying to prove himself. Noah is Gansey’s third friend and he is quiet and drifts in the background.

The last POV we hear from is Wilkes, he is the Latin teacher from Aglionby and has a dark secret that ends up tying in with the mystery the Raven boys and Blue get wrapped up in.

The multiple POVs work well for this story, but make it so the story belongs to all of the characters and not really any one character. The characters are all very well done, they have a lot of depth to them, and you really care about what happens to them. They are all loners in their own way, yet are drawn together by Gansey’s quest to search out the ley lines and the truth.

The plot is mostly driven by Gansey’s quest, by Blue’s predicted fate, and by the mystery behind what Wilkes did so long ago. It ends up being a mystery of ley lines, future deaths, and missing people. Some of the most interesting parts of the story are driven by how all of these somewhat flawed characters interact with each other.

The story starts a bit slow but picks up pace towards the end; almost all of Steifvater’s books are like this. The story was still engaging and interesting and I enjoyed reading it. The book is well written and the descriptions of settings are beautifully done.

Overall I enjoyed reading this story. It’s pretty much a paranormal mystery involving future deaths, missing persons, ley lines, and fate. The whole story is well put together and the characters involved are intriguing. I hope in the next book we get to dive deeper into the lives of these characters and learn more about the ley lines. Recommended to those who enjoy a character-driven paranormal mysteries. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge

Audiobook Review - Seawitch (Greywalker, Book 7) by Kat Richardson (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Size: 352 pages
Publisher: Roc Hardcover
Release Date: August 7, 2012
ISBN: 978-0451464552
Stand Alone or Series: 7th book in the Greywalker series
Source: Audiobook through Audible.com
Rating: 4/5 stars

This is the seventh book in the Greywalker series. It was a solid addition to the series but was pretty contained; there was no new big story-arc started.

I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was very well done. The narrator does an excellent job and sounds exactly like I imagine Harper would. She also does an excellent job distinguishing between voices.

Harper and detective Solis have both been assigned with the investigation of a mysterious ghostly ship that has appeared in the harbor named the Seawitch. Of course the appearance of the Seawitch is linked with a number of disturbing paranormal things. It is up to Solis and Harper to unravel the mystery behind its reappearance before it is too late.

The story is written in a very detailed and analytical way, like all of the books in this series. These book are very heavy on the investigative aspect of the story. In this installment we are introduced to some new paranormal creatures; mainly mermaids and the Father of all Otters.

There isn’t a ton of character growth in this book. Harper spends some time trying to learn how to be a better friend to those around her, but she doesn’t really grow in power or learn to use her power as a Greywalker in new ways. More of the story is spent on Solis and him trying to deal with all of the paranormal things he runs in to. Solis is forced to face some uncomfortable truths and he does grow quite a bit. We learn a lot about Solis and his background.

This wasn't really the start of a new broad story arc, the investigation and the Seawitch mystery are fairly self-contained to this one book. There are some things going on with Quentin and his father that sound interesting and are set up to be dealt with in the next book. This set up leads to us learning more about Quentin’s background.

The plot was well woven and well put together. There are a lot of interesting mystery/paranormal elements that come together in fascinating ways.

Each of the books in this series has focused on something. In this case the book focused on the Father of Otters mythology and boating in general. The story was nicely tied up and there were some things left unresolved that will most likely be tied up in the next book.

Overall a solid addition to this series. The whole book is pretty self-contained and could probably be read just fine as a stand alone novel. It was fun to meet some new paranormal races and we get to learn a lot about Solis and his background. The book sets things up for an interesting storyline involving Quentin and his past in future installments of the series. This whole series is recommended to those who like detailed and analytical investigative urban fantasy.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- Horror and Urban Fantasy Challenge
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge

Early Review - The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Gothic/Steampunk
Size: 336 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: September 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0545327862
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Dark Unwinding series
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: 4/5 stars

I got a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was a simple, yet well done story that had a gothic/steampunk feel to it. I really enjoyed reading it.

Katharine is sent by her rather unkind aunt to her old uncle’s dark and gloomy mansion; her purpose is to prove that her uncle is mentally unfit. Upon her arrival she finds big secrets in the creepy old house and the village surrounding it.

This was a quick and fun read. The book has kind of a gothic Victorian/steampunk/mystery feel to it. The house she is sent to is very dark and gloomy; the people who tend the house are quirky and mysterious.

I loved how the mysteries behind the house and the village surrounding it are slowly revealed to Katharine and at how she struggles with whether or not to reveal the secrets to her unlikable Aunt.

Katharine was an excellent heroine who was smart, gutsy, and fun to read about. She carefully considers her options and really steps up to the challenges that come to face her. There is a small amount of romance in the story as she comes to better know her uncle’s apprentice Lane.

The steampunk portion of the story is mainly focused on the interesting clockwork contraptions her uncle makes. That was really it for steampunk; the story is much more Victorian in feel than steampunk.

There are some interesting questions raised about madness versus genius; but outside of that this isn’t really a book that involves a lot of deep thought. The plot is well done with some unexpected twists and turns that will definitely keep the reader engaged and interested.

Although the book isn't anything absolutely spectacular it was a fun, quick read and is very well written. I found it very engaging and read the whole book in one day.

Overall this was a great, yet simple, story. I enjoyed the subject, the mystery, the setting, and the characters. Katharine was an excellent heroine and I enjoyed the way she interacted with the world and characters around her. This is a beautifully written Victorian mystery with a dash of steampunk flavor. Highly recommended to those who enjoy Victorian mysteries. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge
- Debut Author Reading Challenge
- Steampunk Reading Challenge

Early Review - Ironskin (Ironskin, Book 1) by Tina Connolly (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Steampunk
Size: 304 pages
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: October 2, 2012
ISBN: 978-0765330598
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Ironskin series
Source: eGalley through NetGalley.com
Rating: 4/5 stars

I got an eGalley of this book to review through NetGalley(dot)com. I am shamelessly going to admit I was absolutely drawn to the beautiful cover; the haunting synopsis sealed the deal. The first two thirds of this book is decent but nothing special, but the last third was awesome.

Jane is an Ironskin, scarred from the Fey War five years past, she is forced to wear an iron mask over half her face to protect others from the fey curse that resides in her skin. She has few prospects and when a job comes up for a governess for a notoriously difficult child she is desperate for the work. But the child, Dorie, is unlike anything she has ever known and the child’s father, Edward, is an artist with many dark secrets.

I read somewhere that this is supposed to be loosely based on Jane Eyre. I am ashamed to admit I have never read Jane Eyre (bows head in shame) so I can’t really speak to that.

The book has an interesting setting. This book is set following a devastating Fey War apparently some time in humanity’s future. Jane stumbles upon remnants of previous modern day technology here and there. The tone is very Victorian with some steampunk thrown in for good measure.

Jane herself is one of those wonderfully strong characters; she is polite and tries to be proper but is tougher than even she knows. Watching her struggle with Dorie, a child obsessed with using her fey abilities instead of human ones, was fascinating. At times it was reminiscent of what Helen Keller’s teacher must have gone through. The relationship that Jane and Dorie form is unique and engrossing.

Edward is also a fascinating character. He’s got that whole darkly damaged yet sensitive man thing going on. He seems to be cold and damaged one moment, and then he is loving on his little girl like she’s his whole world. It makes him a great character and a mysterious one. The chemistry between him and Jane isn’t sizzling, but it is interesting and seems to build slowly throughout the book. There isn’t a ton of romance in this story but there is a little.

The above being said the first two thirds of the book move slowly. Jane is going about her daily work and slowly trying to unweave the mysteries of the strange household she’s become part of. The last third of the book is amazing; once she finds out the truth things really become engaging and I couldn’t put the book down. Jane finds a way to use her fey curse and confronts the danger in front of her without flinching. The first part of this book was 3 stars for me, the last part was 5 stars.

Overall a wonderful read. The background behind Jane’s world is creative and mysterious. The characters are incredibly well done and I loved how the Fey were portrayed. The book starts slow and builds mystery; the climax of the story is amazing and I immediately wanted to know what would happen next to Jane, Dorie, and Edward. If you are a fan of Victorian fantasy I highly recommend this book. I can’t wait to see what the next book in the series brings.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 150+ Books Reading Challenge
- Debut Author Reading Challenge
- Steampunk Reading Challenge