THE GIRL WITH THE IRON TOUCH by Kady Cross

The Girl with the Iron Touch
Kady Cross

Rating: A+
Release Date: 05/28/13
Synopsis:
In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken 

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives. 

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin. 

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine. 

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has....

My thoughts on the book:
These books just keep getting better! The Girl with the Iron Touch is my favorite Steampunk Chronicles book to date. Cross takes readers on an adventure they'll never forget. This installment is full of suspense, romance, and intrigue. The characters grow, new characters are introduced, and relationships evolve. From the first page I was hooked. I couldn't put this novel down. 

This story is told in third person limited from alternating points of view. It switches between Emily, Finley, and a new character named Mila. Normally I hate when viewpoints switch, but each of these characters offer something that the others lack. Also, the various viewpoints allow the readers to get to know all of the characters better and from different perspectives. Finley is still my favorite, but I really enjoyed learning more about Emily and getting introduced to Mila, too. 

Finley grows a lot in this novel, and so does Griffin. I really love how both of them are changing and how these changes affect their relationship. Emily and Sam also change over the course of the story, but not as much. The relationships between Finley and Griffin as well as Emily and Sam evolve quite a bit, too. It's interesting to see how the dynamics between all of the characters develop as the relationships grow. I'm also interested to see how Mila fits in with everyone. Additionally, I loved getting to know Jack better. He's just more and more of a mystery. I'm totally team Finley and Griffin, but I adore Jack, too. I just don't think he's right for Finley. 

The plot is intense, and while there is some action, it's not necessarily action-packed. Cross starts the book with an action scene, but as the story line progresses, the action takes a back seat to the mysteries and suspense. I was completely invested in the story, though, and wasn't bored for a second. Also, the pacing is perfect, and the world that Cross developed keeps growing. The ending, which I love, resolves most of the issues in this book, but it leaves a few things open ended for the next installment. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who loves steampunk. Cross really outdid herself with this novel. It is amazing. Give this series a try. You won't be sorry.

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