The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles #1)

Author: Kady Cross
Series: Steampunk Chronicles, #1
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Hardback
Pages: 473
Published: 5/24/2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Local Library
My Rating: * * * *

In 1987 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one...except the "thing" inside her


When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And Wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch...


Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned dukes takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.


Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help--and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.


But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on--even if it seems no one believes her.

I just finished this book about ten minutes ago! That's a good thing, believe me. I felt so many conflicting emotions that I have never felt when reading any other book so far. I was frustrated, overjoyed, confused etc... I just didn't know what to do!


This is the first book in which I can't choose over the love interests. There's Griffin with his dominant character. At times, I wanted to hit him, but at other moments I wanted to hug him.


Jack Dandy. Dangerous. Gorgeous. Lethal. Pirate accent. Overall, just a hottie! A very different bad boy I would say. Here's one of his quotes that especially made me fall for him. "Don't cry, Treasure. You'll get me all wet and then I'll melt. I'm made of sugar, don't you know."(pg. 459) Isn't he amazing?!


Do you see where my turmoil comes from? I just couldn't hate one and love the other. Miss Kady Cross is a genius! Let's move on. The other love triangle was Emily, Jasper, and Sam. Emily was adorable! Smart, but unfortunately helpless. I actually preferred Jasper over Sam, but Emily seemed to disagree with me.


Lastly, the mystery in this book was very entertaining. Predictable, but fun. As always, I detested how Finley was portrayed as very strong, yet Griffin was stronger than her. It always bother me when the male is stronger. That's it! I will recommend this book. The Girl in the Steel Corset is an entertaining read, and I would have given it five stars, except that it wasn't perfect. Otherwise, it was a wonderful read. Maybe the next book, coming out in June 2012, The Girl in the Clockwork Collar, will receive five stars.


About the Author:

In her other life, Kady Cross is a USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty books. She is lucky enough to have a husband who shares her love for the slightly twisted and all things geek, and a houseful of cats with whom she shares her darkest secrets. When she's not listening to the characters in her head, she's either trying to formulate the perfect lip gloss or teaching herself to soldier. She has a weakness for all things girlie, sugar skulls and boots. Her love of books and makeup borders on addiction--of which she never, ever wants to be cured.

Where to Buy:

A Lesson Before Dying

Author: Ernest J. Gaines
Series: None
Age Group: Adult
Challenge: None
Format: Paperback
Pages: 256
Published: September 28, 1997(first published 1993)
Publisher: Vintage (a division of Random House)
Source: Bought
My Rating: *

A Lesson Before Dying is set in a small Cajun community in the late 1940s. Jefferson, a young black man, is an unwitting party to a liquor store shootout in which three men are killed; the only survivor, he is convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Grant Wiggins, who left his hometown for the university, has returned to the plantation school to teach. As he struggles with his decision whether to stay or escape to another state, his aunt and Jefferson's godmother persuade him to visit Jefferson in his cell and impart his learning and his pride to Jefferson before his death. In the end, the two men forge a bond as they both come to understand the simple heroism or resisting--and defying--the unexpected.

If you just want to get to the review, skip this paragraph. Okay, first of all, I owe my readers a sincere apology. I'm really and truly sorry. Although excuses are never enough, I will tell a little about what has been happening in my life. I have just entered high school as a freshman, and homework is piling up as big as my TBR pile(that is A LOT). Silly old me thought classes would be so easy, and this is why I foolishly entered all PREAP and AP classes. But, if I want to enter medical school, I have to stick with this vigorous schedule. Anyways, well, there goes my excuse, but I promise(SWEAR) to TRY to balance my homework and book reading to at least do one review every week. Now, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but the review this week is a book completely out of my genre, so sorry if I bore you. I will try harder next time.

Let's see...I hate being forced to read a book by another person. Sure, recommending is fine, constantly insisting me to read a particular book is fine, but forcing me to read a book I know I won't like, is NOT FINE. Which is what happened with A Lesson Before Dying. So, this is not the book's fault, but it just lost one star.

Well, Jefferson was a wimp, and apparently, a "hog." I didn't understand. All of a sudden, Grant has to teach Jefferson to behave like a human. Jefferson resists. Almost at the last chapter, Jefferson all of a sudden changes. Magical!

I detested Vivian, Grant's girlfriend. I mean, she keeps telling Grant she will not run away with him, because she does not want to lose the children, and yet she keeps hanging out with him. We NEVER even meet the kids!! What kind of a mother is she?

I could just keep ranting on and on about this book, but I'll just tell you here and now. DO NOT EVER READ THIS BOOK!! I detested A Lesson Before Dying, and the only reason I picked this book up is because I was forced to. Maybe there is a deeper meaning in it, but I will not be the one to figure it out. Besides, I have to do three long projects, which does not make for a happy me.

And I had been on such a good reading streak. So much for that. The last I will do is explain why this book went to one(1) star.
One(1) star for being forced to read it, one(1) for quality, one(1) for plot, and one because it put me in a bad mood/and I have to do homework on it.

About the Author:
Ernest J. Gaines was born on a plantation in Pointe Coupee Parish, near New Roads, Louisiana, which is the Bayonne of all his fictional works. His previous books include A Gather of Old Men, In My Father's House, A Long Day in November, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, Bloodline, Of Love and Dust, and Catherine Carmier. He divides his time between San Francisco and the University of Southwestern Louisiana, in Lafayette, where he is writer-in-residence.

Want to buy the book(in case you are REALLY stubborn)?
Amazon
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**P.S.-I promise to only review these types of genres when I am forced to read them in school**

Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1)

Author: Gail Carriger
Series: Parasol Protectorate, #1
Age Group: Adult
Challenge: None
Format: Ebook
Pages: 258
Published: October 1, 2009
Publisher: Orbit
Source: Digital Library
My Rating: * * * *

Without a morsel of exaggeration, its publisher describes this debut novel as "a comedy of manners set in Victorian London full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking." At the center of Soulless's "parasol protectorate" is Miss Alexia Tarabotti, a young woman who lacks not only a suitor but also a soul. And those are not her only problems: When she accidentally kills a vampire, it begins a series of events that she must set out to resolve without the help of any proper authorities. A charming mass market original.

Opinions & Thoughts
I finally finished this book! Don't get me wrong, it's not that I didn't like it, Soulless was hilarious and entertaining, but life just kept intervening. Recently, I found out that this book was Carringer's debut novel(as stated in the summary), but it was amazing, and you just could not tell. So...if you are into science fiction, comedy, and supernatural, then Soulless is the perfect book for you. It blends the three genres perfectly.


Let's move onto Alexia. She was my type of character. Headstrong, witty, stubborn. In Victorian times, a woman should be docile and easily bossed around. As you can probably see, which is why Alexia has remained a twenty-nine year old spinster(unmarried).


Lord Maccon was Alexia's love interest. Big, muscular,...and a werewolf. This, of course, clashes with Alexia's preternaturalness(her touch turns any supernatural being into a human, if she lets go, they return back to normal). Regardless, their odd love deepens. Hot, steamy, and lots of fights describe Lord Maccon and Alexia's amours.


Overall, this was a lovely read. It did have some moments where I was cringing, with the experiments and all. But anyways, I would definitely recommend this book.


About the Author
Ms. Carriger began writing in order to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small-town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in higher learning. Ms. Carriger then traveled the historic cities of Europe, subsisting entirely on biscuits secreted in her handbag. She now resides in the Colonies, surrounded by a harem of Armenian lovers, where she insists on tea imported directly from London and cats that pee into toilets. She is fond of teeny tiny hats and tropical fruit.
Click here to visit Gail Carriger's website.