Partials by Dan Wells (Review)

Partials by Dan Wells

Released February 28, 2012

468 pages

Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. But sixteen-year-old Kira is determined to find a solution. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that that the survival of both humans and Partials rests in her attempts to answer questions about the war’s origin that she never knew to ask.

Playing on our curiosity of and fascination with the complete collapse of civilization, Partials is, at its heart, a story of survival, one that explores the individual narratives and complex relationships of those left behind, both humans and Partials alike—and of the way in which the concept of what is right and wrong in this world is greatly dependent on one’s own point of view.

I find that many authors are either good at characters or they’re good at world-building, but the mark of a truly talented writer is that they are equally adept at both—such as Sarah J Maas or Leigh Bardugo. I believe that I’ve stumbled across another one of these rare talents in Wells. He crafts a very detailed dystopian world, which is made even more vivid by his attention to its historical and political elements. These elements start off quite simple in the beginning of the book—humans were killed by Partials, Partials are the enemy, and there is a group of terrorists called the Voice which exists on the fringes of normal society—however, all of this becomes deliciously more complicated as the story moves forward.

Meanwhile, Wells’ attention to his characters is just as evident as his attention to his world-building. Every one of his characters is created with purpose and intention, and even the most minor of characters is somehow given traits that make them feel like an individual rather than a means to an end. For example, I was able to get a sense of personality even from one soldier who was never named and was only present for about 5 pages—so much so, in fact, that I actually felt sad when he died. I never got the sense that any of Wells’ characters were unnecessary or replaceable. I particularly enjoyed seeing the world through Kira’s perspective, because she is such a strong and intelligent character; I really appreciated the moments when that strength was tested and she was made to feel very vulnerable and weak, because her strength was made even more apparent through those moments.

One trait of this novel that I was very happy about was the inclusion of people of color. Oftentimes, if a character of color is included in a novel, it feels like they are a token character who is simply made black or Asian just for the sake of saying “Yes, this book has diversity!” However, Wells’ novel truly does have diversity; the protagonist is described as being “mostly Indian”, her adoptive caretaker is also Indian and often wears a sari, one of her adoptive sisters is of Native American descent, and multiple characters are Asian (described as Japanese and Chinese). In addition, there is reference to the religious diversity in their world, as one character is stated as being Buddhist and another belongs to a Christian minority. However, my one critique is that there was no explicit black representation (that I could recall), but I’m hoping there will be some in book 2.

The pacing of the story was fine. There were some times when I felt that it could have been paced a little faster, and could understand how it might potentially bore other readers, but I never personally felt bored or wanted to skip ahead at all.  In addition, the battle/fight scenes were well written. Also, since this book is pretty heavily placed in the science fiction realm, there is quite a bit of reference to genetics, biology, and physiology; as someone who generally dislikes the “hard sciences”, I was pleasantly surprised that Wells did a good job of making his science easy to follow for the average reader. I can’t say that I was able to understand 100% of what was said, but I could follow enough to understand the overall implications for the storyline.

I had a hard time putting this book down,and I stayed up several nights past 1 AM just so I could find out what happens next. Thanks to Wells, this reading year is off to a fantastic start!

Every Day (Review)

Every Day by David Levithan

Released August 28, 2012

324 pages

Purchased through Barnes & Noble

Rating: 3/5 stars

Goodreads summary: 

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.
There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

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I have very mixed feelings about this book. When I think about it, it is almost as if I am thinking about two different books combined into one. One part of this book is a romance story focused around the two characters, A and Rhiannon, and the time they spend together. Meanwhile, the other part of this book is a philosophical commentary on the nature of human beings and love. I loved the commentary and hated the romance.

The love story felt completely forced to me. The two characters don’t really know much about each other, yet A assumes to know everything about Rhiannon and how she is feeling at any given moment. They claim to be in love, yet it feels like the most forced instal-love that I’ve ever read about. In addition, A assumes to know what is best for Rhiannon and, as a result, seems apt to making decisions on her behalf, especially when those decisions pertain to her love life. Overall, I could not for the life of me understand why the author kept pushing the idea that these two characters were somehow meant to be. Also, A felt clingy, annoying, and selfish at several points throughout the story. Which brings me to my next point. Some of the things I’ve stated actually make sense when given the context of A’s existence. A is essentially a genderless consciousness who floats in and out of people’s bodies. It makes perfect sense that A is clingy and selfish when they finally find someone who they love and who knows that they exist. That being said, these characteristics still managed to get on my nerves. Maybe because, at some points in the novel, A seems wise beyond their years. Meanwhile, at other points they seem like an whiny and slightly hormonal teenager.

Moving on from the romance, the parts of the novel that I personally enjoyed most were the ones where A is experiencing the lives of the people whose bodies they inhabit. There is something really beautiful about the way that Levithan is able to take the reader on this journey through so many perspectives and so many different lives. Every person who A lives through is experiencing their life in a way that is unique to them, and every person has a story to tell.

Disregarding the romance, this book felt very poignant and real because it really demonstrated the idea that people’s existences are not just anchored in themselves, but in the people around them. Oddly enough, this book reminds me of the question “if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?” In the same way, this book makes me ask this question: If a person exists but no one is aware of their existence, are they actually alive?

In many ways, Every Day reminds me of another book that I read- Written On the Body by Jeanette Winterson. Like Every Day, the narrator is genderless in the sense that the author never states their gender. In addition, it’s a love story/ philosophical commentary in which I loved the commentary and, again, hated the romance. And, come to think of it, the narrator also makes decisions on behalf of their lover in that story as well.

Overall, the fact that this book felt very raw and thought provoking was what kept me from giving it a lower rating. I think the premise behind it is genius, and the book could have been amazing if it were not for the annoying romance.

A Court of Mist and Fury (Review)

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Released May 3rd, 2016

624 pages

Purchased through Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Summary:

Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas’s masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

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I have been waiting for this book since I finished ACOTAR back in May of 2015, and I will be the first to tell you that the whole year of waiting was completely worth it.

Never have I read a book by an author that was able to manipulate my emotions so successfully; everything that Feyre felt, I felt. Her pain, her despair, her fear, her joy-it truly felt like I was experiencing all of these emotions firsthand. I appreciate Maas’ dedication to exploring the emotional and mental states of her characters on such a deep level, and really allowing the reader to connect with them in this way.

One of the many reasons this book has made it to my favorites list is the obvious care that Maas puts into crafting each and every one of her characters. Every single one of the characters, right down to the minor ones, was created with intention. Also, each of the new people we are introduced to in ACOMAF has a personality and a backstory. These characters were not meant to just fade into the background; they are unique individuals, and you cannot help but fall in love with (or hate) each and every one of them. It’s fun to be able to see new characters being introduced to old characters, and old characters being introduced to each other- you can really see the potential relationships starting to form.

Aside from the characters, the setting of this book is incredible. All of the descriptions of the various places Feyre goes are so vivid and beautiful. I honestly wish that a movie of this book would be made, if only just so I can see the setting come to life. If you thought the Spring Court in ACOTAR was lovely, the Night Court in ACOMAF will have you wishing for the ability to teleport yourself into fictional places for sure.

“Maas is so skilled at world building and creating complex plots. For this reason, she is also skilled at blurring the lines between good and evil. You may hate a character in the first half of the book, only to discover that they are completely different from what you originally thought.”

This is a direct quote taken from my old ACOTAR review, and it still most definitely holds true in ACOMAF. I really felt that this book does a good job of testing your ideas of “good” and “evil”. Is someone evil if they have good intentions, but their actions cause other people pain? Is someone evil if they are willing to do evil things to protect someone they care about? Is being cruel justified if it protects lives? These are all questions that I had as I reached the end of A Court of Mist and Fury.

Feyre’s growth and the changes she undergoes throughout the course of this novel make me feel a sense of pride in her character. We as the readers are able to watch a broken young woman piece herself back together and finally create an identity for herself. In the first book, Feyre’s identity  is initially tied to her family and the work she puts in to care for them. As she moved away from that, we could see her starting to shape a new identity for herself. However, by the beginning of ACOMAF, her identity has again become tied to another person: Tamlin. At it’s very heart, this novel is a journey for Feyre as she struggles to find herself again after her traumatic experiences in book 1.

Anyone who is being rude to Sarah J. Maas or other fans based on the relationship choices that Feyre makes clearly missed the entire point of this novel. Any decision that Maas made for Feyre was to allow her to grow and develop, and finally find an authentic voice for herself.

I fell in love with A Court of Thorns and Roses, and now I have fallen even more deeply in love with A Court of Mist and Fury. Pick it up- I promise you won’t be disappointed.

The Splintered Series (Review)

The Splintered Series by A.G Howard

If you’ve read my reviews before, you know that I don’t normally review an entire series at one time. Originally, I planned on reviewing Splintered on its own, but I ended up reading this series so fast that I can’t really separate the books anymore. It’s all just become one giant blur of emotions and crazy events. So, I’m going to do my best to try to explain why I ended up loving this series so much.

Here is the Goodreads synopsis of Splintered to give you a bit of background:

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

When I started reading this series I had no idea what to expect; unlike so many other books that I’ve read, there wasn’t really any hype or talk surrounding it (or at least none that I had seen). It seems like the Splintered fandom is pretty quiet, and that needs to change effective immediately because these books are AMAZING.

Since the author does draw inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s story, Splintered features magic and crazy creatures galore- but with a dark and sinister twist.  One of the reasons this series is so amazing is Howard’s attention to detail and her commitment to engaging the readers’ senses. Her descriptions of Wonderland and its inhabitants are so rich that you feel as if you are experiencing everything first hand. Wonderland is no longer the fun and bright place you saw in the Disney movie; it’s scary and threats lurk around every corner.

Another aspect of this series that also drew my attention was the extent to which the protagonist’s parents were involved in the plot. A common trend I often see in young adult literature is the lack of a consistently present parental figure, or the presence of one who is problematic. While these kinds of relationships certainly exist in real life, they are not a reflection of every real world family. It was refreshing to see that even though Alyssa’s relationship with her parents, especially her mom, does become strained at times, her parents consistently support her and do what they can to be around her and keep her safe.

As for Alyssa, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this series from her perspective. She’s fun and quirky and, like any good character, has her own flaws and shortcomings that she works through on her journey into adulthood. She develops strength and confidence as she matures, and along the way she learns to balance other people’s expectations with her own expectations for herself.

Now I know what you may be thinking. What about the romance? Are there any good looking love interests to swoon over? Yes, there are romances. And yes, they are very swoon worthy- I literally had to stop reading several times to either a) stop blushing, or b) put a hand over my heart and sigh dramatically. I kid you not. In case you were wondering, there is a strong presence of a love triangle, but that wasn’t a problem to me. It certainly didn’t detract from the story. Actually, I would argue that it made the story better because Morpheus and Jeb (the two love interests) are like incarnates of Wonderland and the human world, so they represent everything that those two worlds have to offer.

Oh, and you know this guy?

Well, he’s the character that Morpheus is supposed to be based off of, but he gets a MAJOR upgrade in Splintered. Oh, Morpheus. I could write an entire post on why his name has been added to my “Favorite Male Characters of All Time” list. He’s a tricky, manipulative, self-serving word master with a penchant for eccentric fashion and flashy moth-covered hats, and yet I could not help but fall in love with his wicked ways. But seriously, the guy’s got a hat for literally every occasion. Seduction Hat? Check. Insurrection Hat? Check again.

Before I end my post, I’d like to take a moment to do something I don’t normally do. I’d like to thank A.G Howard for writing this beautiful series. Before reading it, I had been stuck in the biggest reading slump of my life. College had hacked away at my will to read, and, in a fit of desperation, I almost gave up on something that I consider to be my passion. This series changed that. It made me fall in love with reading all over again, and I will be forever grateful for that.

Take the time to fall into this series just like Alice fell down the rabbit hole. I promise you that it’s worth it.

5 Marchesa Looks Inspired by the Night Court

Hi everyone!

As many of you know, Sarah J Maas announced the title of ACOTAR #2 a while ago. Since I absolutely cannot wait for the release of A Court of Mist and Fury, I have been trying to occupy myself with reading Feysand fanfiction, imagining the amazing gowns Feyre will wear in book 2, and looking through Sarah’s pinterest. Today, I was inspired to take some of the images she’s pinned and pull together a couple of looks using some beautiful Marchesa gowns. I hope you guys enjoy them, and let me know what you think in the comments!

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading 🙂

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart (Review and Giveaway)

Hi everyone! This is my review for one of the Sunday Street Team’s November books, The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennet.

You can enter to win a copy of this book here.

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett

Release date: November 3, 2015

304 pages

My rating:

Artist Beatrix Adams knows exactly how she’s spending the summer before her senior year. Determined to follow in Leonardo da Vinci’s footsteps, she’s ready to tackle the one thing that will give her an advantage in a museum-sponsored scholarship contest: drawing actual cadavers. But when she tries to sneak her way into the hospital’s Willed Body program and misses the last metro train home, she meets a boy who turns her summer plans upside down.

Jack is charming, wildly attractive . . . and possibly one of San Francisco’s most notorious graffiti artists. On midnight buses and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who Jack really is—and tries to uncover what he’s hiding that leaves him so wounded. But will these secrets come back to haunt him? Or will the skeletons in Beatrix’s own family’s closet tear them apart?

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As far as contemporary young adult romance goes, this has to be one of my favorites so far. Since the goodreads synopsis gives you a good idea of what to expect, I’m going to jump straight into the review and skip the summary that I usually give.

I love the fact that this book has a strong artistic flavor to it. Both the protagonist, Beatrix, and her love interest, Jack, are artistically inclined, but in completely different ways. I also love that Beatrix is motivated and has a goal in sight which she stays focused on throughout the novel.

Both Jack and Beatrix have family issues that they have to deal with throughout the novel, and the support that they provide for one another is admirable; I enjoyed seeing the way that they were able to help each other during those difficult moments. I liked how no one in the novel is “perfect” and that even the characters that we assumed were honest and straightforward turned out to be hiding something. It’s fun to see a contemporary novel that still has plot twists and surprises.

This book deals with specific issues that I won’t go into because of spoilers, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a seemingly light book take such a dark and heavy turn. To me, that shows that you don’t have to sacrifice a good plot and meaningful message for a cute romance story; you can have both and still end up with a great novel.

Lastly, I liked the romance between the two characters. They were both endearingly cute and shy and a little awkward at times. They respected one another and understood that boundaries should only ever be crossed with permission. Neither of them tried to push the relationship in a way that made the other uncomfortable.

If you’re looking for a short and adorable love story that isn’t cliche or boring in the least, then I highly suggest you give this book a try.

Thanks for reading!

About the Author:

Jenn Bennett is the author of the Arcadia Bell urban fantasy series with Pocket and the Roaring 20’s historical paranormal romance series with Berkley. She lives near Atlanta with one husband and two pugs.

Gabriel by Nikki Kelly book blitz (with interview and giveaway)

Hi everyone! So the second book of an awesome series called the Stycler Saga by Nikki Kelly comes out on October 27th 2015, and I’m happy to be able to share a little bit about this awesome series and author with you all. For those of you who didn’t already know, Nikki started this series on Wattpad, which I think is totally awesome and inspiring for those of us who want to write but don’t know where to begin.

Goodreads synopsis:

The handsome Angel from Lailah gets center stage in this continuation of Wattpad sensation Nikki Kelly’s romantic and action-packed series about mortals, vampires, and angels.

Gabriel is an Angel Descendant. He’s also an ally to a generation of vampires who want to break away from the demon who controls them. His faith in the power of good over evil wavers, however, when he discovers that Lailah, the woman he considers his only true love, may be both angel and demon. Is their love enough to overcome the dark forces who are ready to go to war with Gabriel, the vampire Jonah, and the angel and vampire forces? And can Gabriel compete with Jonah, who is also in love with Lailah?

Once again, Nikki Kelly looks deeply into the heart and soul of good and evil to create a romantic, action-packed reading adventure.

If you’re eager to read Gabriel, you can get a sneak peek of it on Nikki’s Wattpad.

And now, on to the interview portion of this evening-er…morning.

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What did you do on your research trip to France? 

Mainly, I visited all the locations used in the book! I also spent some time writing while I was there of course! I think the nicest thing about my research trip was that I ended up using my Auntie and Uncle’s barn conversion as a base for the property our gang find themselves staying in! Everything in the story form the barn, the village itself and various locations (including the snowy mountains) are completely real – you could even go and visit them all yourself!

Was the writing process for Gabriel a lot different than Lailah? 

The writing process for GABRIEL was shorter, because this time around I was writing full time! But the actual ‘writing’ part was much the same. I start with a premise, have an idea in my head of the beginning/ the ending/ a specific character etc etc. and start writing! I only ever do rough outlines, it’s all pretty much in my head, which is another reason why I have often said I feel like this story was implanted in my brain sometimes and I am the mere mortal who gets to put pen on paper to bring it to life!

What can we expect from Gabriel (the novel) ? 

Gosh, A LOT! The story picks up right where it left off, and continues to be told form Lailah’s POV – The main cast are back, but we get to meet some lush new ones too! I am still a great fan of the twist – suffice to say, just when you think you know, really you have no idea! 😉 Oh, and also, did I mention… #NoMercy 😉

Would you say that you’re similar to Lailah in any way? 

Naturally, Lailah and I have a few of the same traits, I think every character in my stories have a little something piece of me, whether intention or not! But I think we can all relate to Lailah’s plight, I think most of us go through a time in our lives where we are working out who we are and making choices that carve out who we ultimately end up becoming.

What are you currently reading? 

I have a new baby, so my hands are a little tied at the moment! But I can tell you what I will be reading next *grabby hands* Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo !!!

Any advice for aspiring authors? 

If you have a story to tell, don’t stop until it’s told… and Never.Ever.Give.Up

How much of your personal experience is tied into this series?

A very large percent! A good example — In GABRIEL Ruadhan tells Lailah ‘You only fail, if you never try.’ That is the very advice my Mom gave me, and one of the reasons I am living my dream today… I think it all goes back to that great advice you hear again and again about writing – about writing what you know. So in this case, for example, I know very well the true meaning and the importance of that message…  Even down to the mythology in the story — it’s all based loosely on my own belief system (you’ll see plenty more of that in Book2 and especially in Book3)

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For those of you who haven’t read Lailah yet, check out the goodreads synopsis below to get in on the action.

 

The girl knows she’s different. She doesn’t age. She has no family. She has visions of a past life, but no clear clues as to what she is, or where she comes from. But there is a face in her dreams – a light that breaks through the darkness. She knows his name is Gabriel.

On her way home from work, the girl encounters an injured stranger whose name is Jonah. Soon, she will understand that Jonah belongs to a generation of Vampires that serve even darker forces. Jonah and the few like him, are fighting with help from an unlikely ally – a rogue Angel, named Gabriel.

In the crossfire between good and evil, love and hate, and life and death, the girl learns her name: Lailah. But when the lines between black and white begin to blur, where in the spectrum will she find   her place? And with whom?

Gabriel and Jonah both want to protect her. But Lailah will have to fight her own battle to find out who she truly is.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

NIKKI KELLY was born and raised only minutes away from the chocolately scent of Cadbury World in Birmingham, England. Lailah was first launched to Wattpad, an online readers and writers community. Within six months, the novel had over one million reads. Lailah is Nikki’s debut novel, and the first book in The Styclar Saga. She lives in London with her husband and their dogs, Alfie (a pug) and Goose (a Chihuahua).

LAILAH is my debut novel, and first launched in serial form to wattpad, a readers & writers community. Within just 6months, LAILAH had over a million reads and thousands of comments and votes.

Since then, The Styclar Saga has gone on to pick up a traditional deal with Feiwel & Friends, and LAILAH, the first book in the series is due for release on October 7th 2014.

These days I spend my time balancing my amazing job of writing fantasy fiction, with my other, very important role of Chocolate Connoisseur. I like to multitask and do the two together. It makes me happy.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Goodreads | Wattpad | Youtube

Click to win a copy of Lailah and Gabriel!

Thanks for reading!

Hello there.

Hi fellow booknerds!

I’M BAAAAAAAACK!

It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve posted something on here; forgive me for that huge, empty gap of nothingness. The truth is, I’ve been so busy with traveling over the summer, then starting college, and then rereading the Throne of Glass series (okay, so maybe that last one isn’t a legitimate excuse) that I haven’t found the time to read anything new, much less type out a review for it. Plus, for reasons that I can’t understand, I’ve been feeling weighed down and unhappy. I don’t know why, because everything has been going pretty darn well so far. I just can’t seem to properly enjoy the things I used to love doing anymore. I hope that getting back into the rhythm of things might help me out, and a huge part of that is going back to regularly blogging. Who knows, maybe I’ll even do a giveaway for the fall or winter season. 🙂

Anyways, back to Throne of Glass. I still haven’t actually read Queen of Shadows, even though it’s been sitting on my shelf taunting me for about 2 weeks. I decided that before I get into it, I want to refresh my memory of all the characters and events of the previous three books, and today I finally finished reading Heir of Fire. Which means that TOMORROW I’LL START READING READ QoS. Truth be told, I’m not sure if my body is quite ready for that awesomeness yet, but I did not endure that torture for 2 weeks only to leave QoS untouched on my bookshelf!

Last bit of random news: I’ll be posting a review of Heir of Fire soon since I never got around to reviewing it and it’s SO AMAZING THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT.

Thanks for reading. Leave a comment letting me know whether you’ve read Queen of Shadows yet and what you thought of it!

Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson (Quote Highlight and Giveaway)

I’ve picked out my top five quotes from this month’s Sunday Street Team read, Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson, to share with you. The book goes on sale tomorrow, but you can enter to win a copy if you scroll to the bottom of this post!

A sixteen-year-old governess becomes a spy in this alternative U.S. history where the British control with magic and the colonists rebel by inventing.

It’s 1888, and sixteen-year-old Verity Newton lands a job in New York as a governess to a wealthy leading family—but she quickly learns that the family has big secrets. Magisters have always ruled the colonies, but now an underground society of mechanics and engineers are developing non-magical sources of power via steam engines that they hope will help them gain freedom from British rule. The family Verity works for is magister—but it seems like the children’s young guardian uncle is sympathetic to the rebel cause. As Verity falls for a charming rebel inventor and agrees to become a spy, she also becomes more and more enmeshed in the magister family’s life. She soon realizes she’s uniquely positioned to advance the cause—but to do so, she’ll have to reveal her own dangerous secret.

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1.

…the bandit […] reached for my gloved hand and brushed my knuckles with his lips, whispering, “I hope the rest of your journey goes smoothly, miss,” before he climbed onto the seat, passed the stolen case up to a colleague, then pulled himself through. The hatch closed behind him with a clang and the car instantly grew quieter.

2.

These people’s rags were filthy and unkempt. Their eyes were neither sad nor proud. A few looked sullen, others blank. Many of the adults- and some of the children- appeared to be intoxicated, even at that hour on a Sunday morning. They probably didn’t know or care about the struggles between the Mechanics and the British because they’d come out the same, either way.

3.

“To be perfectly honest, I think she became sick of Society during her debut season. Better to lock herself in her room with her books than to spend her life paying calls and going to balls. The doctors said something about fragile nerves. She gets a lot of headaches, apparently.” He quirked an eyebrow and added, “Especially around people she doesn’t like.”

4.

Most of the guests wore the Mechanic’s odd mix of attire. Their colorful clothing was garish in the bright lights. In the center of the room, couples spun wildly in time to the odd music. Around the perimeter, groups of men and women tinkered with or showed off their inventions. Tables laden with food, punch bowls, and ale kegs lined a nearby wall. An odd contraption made up of tubes, clockwork gears, and strangely shaped bits of glass spewed vapor and flame and made loud clattering noises.

5.

He’d drawn not only Olive, but also Rollo and me, and although it was a quick pencil sketch, it seemed very lifelike, capturing Olive’s wide-eyed innocence and Rollo’s fascination with something that lay beyond the edge of the page. I looked prettier than I was accustomed to seeing myself in the mirror. The loose wisps of hair around my face looked like winsome tendrils instead of untidiness, and he’d drawn me with a mysterious smile that made me wonder what I’d been thinking.

About the author:

Shanna Swendson is the author of the popular adult romantic fantasy series, Enchanted, Inc. Rebel Mechanics is her first novel for young adults. She lives in Irving, Texas.

Thanks for reading!

Outfits Inspired by the Characters of An Ember in the Ashes

I recently finished An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and I absolutely loved it! Here are some outfits inspired by the characters of the novel.

 Laia

Helene 

 Keenan

 Elias

 

The Commandant

Thanks so much for reading, I hope you all enjoyed this post! Leave a comment letting me know what you think 🙂