THE GIRL WITH THE WINDUP HEART by Kady Cross

Rating: A
Synopsis:
In 1897 London, a final showdown is about to begin.

London's underworld is no place for a young woman, even one who is strong, smart and part-automaton like Mila. But when master criminal Jack Dandy inadvertently breaks her heart, she takes off, determined to find an independent life, one entirely her own. Her search takes her to the spangled shadows of the West End's most dazzling circus.

Meanwhile, taken captive in the Aether, Griffin King is trapped in an inescapable prison, and at the mercy of his archenemy, The Machinist. If he breaks under the hellish torment, The Machinist will claim his powers and control of the Aether itself, and no one in either world will be safe-especially not Finley Jayne and her misfit band of friends.

Finley plunges headlong into the Aether the only way she knows how, by temporarily dying. But she cannot parry The Machinist's maneuvers for long. To defeat him for good, Griffin will have to confront his greatest fear and finally come face-to-face with the destructive power he wields.

My thoughts on the book:
The Girl with the Windup Heart is a fantastic end to a terrific series. As many of you know, I absolutely adore steampunk, and Kady Cross is the author who got me into this genre. I was incredibly pleased that Jack Dandy finally got a book of his own, and his story did not disappoint. The character development in this novel is top-notch, and Cross' world-building when discussing the Aether is perfect. The pacing is spot-on, and the switching points-of-view flowed nicely. This book (and series) is a must for steampunk fans. 

I'll be honest with you guys... while I am firmly on Team Griffin, when it comes to Finley, I always adored Jack Dandy. I just didn't think he was the right match for Finley. Therefore, I was super excited to read a book about Jack and a new love interest. Mila is a wonderful and unique character. She's more human than many of the human characters out there today, but she's actually part automaton. I was hesitant about the fact that Mila was part robot, more or less, when I started the book because I generally can't connect to those characters as well, but I fell in love with Mila right away. Her way of learning and storing social information is endearing, and her analysis of Jack's ignorance when it came to dealing with women cracked me up. I really enjoyed getting to know her, and I was rooting for her and Jack the entire time. 

Cross does an amazing job of painting the settings in this novel. I could clearly picture Piccadilly Circus. It was clear that the author did her research. Victorian Era circuses are always interesting topics in novels, and this one was no exception. The characters working in the circus were intriguing and well-developed; no one felt like a filler character. When we weren't at Piccadilly Circus or Jack's house with Mila, we were in the Aether with Griffin and Finley. Finley really steps up in this novel, and her relationship with Griffin grows immensely. The Aether is a strange place, and Cross did an excellent job of explaining it. I could picture this foreign concept without a problem, which is a testament to the author's world-building skills.

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who enjoys steampunk. The conclusion is satisfying, and I am happy with how everything worked out. I read this entire book in one sitting. I just could not put it down. Be prepared to lose some sleep with this one. 

Buy The Girl with the Windup Heart

KILLER FROST by Jennifer Estep

Rating: A
Synopsis:
I’ve battled the Reapers of Chaos before–and survived. But this time I have a Bad, Bad Feeling it’s going to be a fight to the death … most likely mine.

Yeah, I’ve got my psychometry magic, my talking sword, Vic–and even the most dangerous Spartan on campus at my side, in Logan freaking Quinn, but I’m no match for Loki, the evil Norse god of chaos. I may be Nike’s Champion, but at heart, I’m still just Gwen Frost, that weird Gypsy girl everyone at school loves to gossip about.

Then someone I love is put in more danger than ever before, and something inside me snaps. This time, Loki and his Reapers are going down for good … or I am.

My thoughts on the book:
Killer Frost is an excellent finale to a fantastic series. Jennifer Estep is one of my favorite writers, and this ending did not disappoint. It was action-packed and full of romance. Estep also highlighted the importance of friendship and family bonds. Gwen grows into a wonderful character, and the ending is fulfilling. I couldn't have asked for more. 

Gwen continues growing until the very end of this novel, but she never acts out of character. At times I was extremely frustrated at her stubbornness, but I also understood it. Logan surprised me a few times in a good way, and I am extremely happy with the character he became. Grandma Frost is featured more in this installment than she was in the previous novels, and I enjoyed learning more about her. Logan's dad got on my nerves, as usual, but I feel like he's on the path to becoming a decent person. 

The plot is fast-paced, and I wasn't bored for a second. There is a lot of action surrounding Gwen and her friends, and I wondered several times who would and would not make it out of this alive. Gwen has to rely on both new and old friends in order to take on her nemesis, and the suspense was close to unbearable toward the end. The ending is satisfying and ties up loose ends. I felt resolved, yet sad when the story ended. This is an excellent YA series, and I am sad to say goodbye to the characters. However, I feel that Estep gave them each the lives and endings they deserved. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who enjoys YA paranormal/mythological books. Estep mixes all mythologies together to create her warrior races, and the idea is refreshing. Give this series a try. You won't be disappointed. 

Check out Killer Frost!

Waiting on Wednesday #37

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book I'm waiting on this Wednesday is Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard.

Release Date: 7/22/14

Synopsis:

In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publishers 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 than 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 relationships with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has curiously 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.

Susan Dennard will leave readers breathless and forever changed in the concluding pages of this riveting ride.

Why I'm Waiting:

I have absolutely adored this series. It's a unique concept, and Dennard is an amazing author. I love all of the characters and can't wait to see what is in store for them in this finale. Also, the covers for this series are gorgeous! I can't wait to add this to my collection. 

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

UNHINGED by A.G. Howard

Rating: B+
Synopsis:
Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

My thoughts on the book:
When I met A.G. Howard at a book signing last year, I told her that I was team Morpheus. To that, she said that she'd be interested to see which team I fell on after this installment. Well, I'm still team Morpheus. In fact, this novel made me dislike Jeb. Before I liked Jeb okay, but I just liked Morpheus better. Now I"m firmly in the Morpheus column and I hope that Alyssa soon sees that Jeb is not the one for her. This book wasn't as good as the first, but it was still enchanting. 

The pacing is a bit slow at first, but as soon as I got into the story, I couldn't put the novel down. Howard's world-building is top-notch again, and I could picture Wonderland without a problem. I feel that Alyssa is better suited to Wonderland than the "real world," but I'm interested to see if she grows into the normal universe. 

I was a bit annoyed by the love triangle in this book. I felt like Alyssa was unfair to Morpheus many times and that she could have treated him better. He may be conniving and selfish, but he's a creature of Wonderland, what does she expect? She's no angel herself. Jeb just bores me. There's nothing that special about him. I may change my name after the third novel, but for now, I don't like him very much. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book (and series) to anyone who loves Alice in Wonderland retellings. You won't be disappointed. 

Buy Unhinged today!

NEVERWAS by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, and Larkin Reed

Rating: B+
Synopsis:
"I was sixteen the second time I had my first kiss...."

At the end of AMBER HOUSE, Sarah made a choice that transformed everything--and now she must choose it all again.

Things are very different--better--for Sarah and her family: her Aunt Maggie grew up; her parents are happily married; her grandmother died after a long, productive and respected life. But other things are different too, and not for the better.

After growing up in the free country of the Pacific Northwest, Sarah Parsons has settled in at Amber House, the stately Maryland home that's been in her family for generations. But the world surrounding the House feels deeply wrong to Sarah. It's a place where the colonists lost the 1776 Insurrection, where the American Confederation of States still struggles with segregation, and where Sarah is haunted by echoes of a better world that she knows never existed.

Her friend Jackson shares these visions of a different world--and together, they manage both to remember the way things ought to be, and to plan a daring mission that will reset the universe once again. Sarah must figure out what has changed, and why, and how she can fix it--how she can find her way to another otherwhen.

My thoughts on the book:
Neverwas is an excellent follow-up to Amber House. I found the beginning a bit confusing, but as soon as I caught up with what was going on, I absolutely adored the concept. The book itself touches on many important issues, and the character development and world-building of this alternate universe are top notch. The authors really outdid themselves this time, and I can't wait to see how things progress in the last book of the trilogy. 

The beginning of this book found us in an alternative universe. At first I was super confused, but as I read, it started to make sense. This is reminiscent of The Butterfly Effect in that one decision changed a lot of unrelated things. However, the similarities in there. This new universe is dystopian in a way that futuristic novels can't grasp. I've read a few books that had the "what-if America hadn't won the Revolution" scenario, too, but this novel takes it to a whole new and horrific level. Not only did we lose the Revolution, but the Nazis won WWII. The world in which Sarah found herself seemed like a horrific knock-off of the 1950s, but it was also extremely realistic. The writers did a terrific job of painting this world and immersing the reader in it. I would have thought it too farfetched, but it sucked me in. 

Since Sarah is in an entirely new world, her parents are still together. That makes her a completely different character. However, we soon find out that Sarah, while a bit weaker in this alternate reality, is still a fighter and will stand up for what is right. It may take her longer to do so, but she does become the person she once was, more or less, and I did like that. I also fell completely in love with Jackson and can't wait to see what the love triangle has in store for us next. 

In short, I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys history, what-if scenarios, time/universe paradoxes, and/or dystopian adventures. This novel stands out as one of the most unique books I've ever read. Give this series a try. You won't be sorry. 

SPLIT SECOND by Kasie West

Rating: A+
Synopsis:
Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.

My thoughts on the book:
Split Second, the follow-up to Pivot Point, which was one of my favorite books of the year last year, did not disappoint. I'll admit that I was almost afraid to read this sequel because every sequel I have been reading lately hasn't lived up to the rest of the series. This book was incredible, though, and I could not put it down. The alternating points-of-view between Addie and Laila worked seamlessly; each character had her own voice that shined through. The pacing was spot-on, and the descriptions were fantastic. West is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors.

Normally I'm not a huge fan of switching points-of-view, mainly because it's hard for authors to do it right. It is difficult to give multiple characters unique voices, and the transition between chapters is often bumpy and unnatural. West, however, executes this perfectly, and both Addie and Laila have their own voices and own journeys to take. Laila's character development surprised me. I wasn't sure I'd be able to relate to her very well, but it turns out that she's not at all what she seems. By reading from her perspective, I could see why Addie adored her so much. I found myself rooting for Laila after a chapter or two, and I was happy to see her grow into the person she became. I loved Addie in the last novel, and this one was no different. She's a bit more emotional this time because her memory is gone, but she and Trevor still have amazing chemistry. I also absolutely adored Trevor. He is one of the best YA male leads I've read, and more authors should create characters like him. 

This story was fast-paced, which made me unable to put this book down. I was up all night reading and was sad when the book ended. The world-building was also extremely well-done, and I could clearly understand and picture the differences between the Compound and Norm worlds. West also goes a step further and shows the price paid for living within a Utopian-style world. In order to have perfection, or near perfection, one must give up one's freedom. The author did an excellent job for showing the motivation behind the government's reasoning instead of completely making them seem power-hungry and without conscience. This added human element contrasted nicely with the lengths they would go to in order to keep their community "safe." 

Overall I'd recommend this book and series to anyone. There are paranormal and sci-fi elements for people like me who love that, but it's not so heavily sci-fi/paranormal that it wouldn't appeal to those who also love contemporary. The story itself is unique and the world-building is fantastic. The characters are flawed and real and grow throughout the course of the novel. This is one series that can't be missed. 

Buy Split Second today!

I'm finally back

Hello everyone!

I would first like to apologize for taking such a long break from the blogging world. I have been dealing with some health issues and was unable to do much reading or updating. My health is finally doing better, and I am looking forward to becoming an active reader and blogger once again. I will start reviewing today, as I've read two books recently that deserve excellent reviews. Thank you all so much for having patience with me during this time. I can't wait to hear from you all once again.