SKY PIRATES by Liesel Schwarz

Rating: B-
Synopsis:
Following A Conspiracy of Alchemists and A Clockwork Heart, Sky Pirates is the third book of the Chronicles of Light and Shadow series, starring the spunky dirigible pilot Elle Chance and the handsome warlock Marsh. For urban fantasy fans and readers of Gail Carriger's Changeless and Cherie Priest's Boneshaker, a fun, fast-paced, action-packed new historical fantasy adventure series starring vampires, fairies, and the unforgettable heroine, Elle Chance.

Set during the Belle Epoque, Sky Pirates is a thrilling and inventive historical fantasy novel, where the myths and legends of Old Europe live side by side with the wondrous creations of modern scientists and aviators. It's also set in a world haunted by vampires, fairies, and other supernatural creatures. And it mixes a thrill-a-minute page-turning plot with a genuinely moving love story. In Sky Pirates, Elle and Marsh escape to the jungles of Cambodia in search of a sacred temple that holds the key to erasing the barrier between Shadow and Light.

My thoughts on the book:
Sky Pirates got off to an incredibly slow start for me. Elle's obsession with bringing back Marsh was a bit annoying at times, though I can't say that I wouldn't have been the same way in her position. Once the ball got rolling and we were able to get to know some of the new characters, though, things started to pick up. I really loved Dashwood, and Schwarz's writing was much better this time around, in my opinion. The last half of the book flew by, and I liked the ending. I hate love triangles, though, so that detracted from the book's rating. 

Elle was a bit stagnant for the first half of this installment, but by the 50% mark, she started growing. She was incredibly selfish during the first part, and I didn't like that very much. I liked her as the book progressed, though. Patrice was a good villain, and he's all kinds of messed up. It was interesting to see things from his perspective, showing how awful he was. Dashwood was a fantastic hero. I loved him very much, and I'm totally shipping him and Elle now. Marsh bored me. A lot of the pirates were fun, and they each had their own personalities. 

The plot was slow to start with, but picked up and was fast-paced toward the end. Elle being stuck in the jungle was a fun change, and I enjoyed the setting very much. The monastery was also interesting. As I previously stated, the writing was well-done. The romance and chemistry between Elle and Dashwood was fantastic. I just wish Marsh hadn't come back, honestly. I was sad he went away in the last installment, but since he was gone, I wish he'd stayed gone. The ending tied things up nicely.

Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone who loves steampunk. You'll enjoy this series. 

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