The Girl with the Iron Touch, The Steampunk Chronicles: Book 3 by Kady Cross

When Emily is kidnapped by an automaton, her friends are very worried.  They've suspected the Machinist might still be alive and this is proof...

Harlequin Teen and Net Galley allowed me to download an ebook of this story.  It will be published on the 28th of May and if you're like me, you were waiting for this book.  I've read this whole series and enjoyed every book.  If you haven't yet gotten on board the steampunk line, you should start with the first novel and work your way up.  You're in for a real treat!

Emily can work with metal and human components to repair anyone who has been badly hurt.  She did that with Sam, but he's not the same boy she fell in love with.  She still loves him, but a metal heart doesn't really feel love.

Finley is trying to decide if she loves Griffin or Jack.  Sam would follow Emily into hell.  Griffin is being tortured by the Machinist and a ghost.  And the perfect automaton decides she doesn't want to be the Machinist's body, so she escapes.

There is enough action for everyone in this story.  It's a dangerous and mean world out there in 1897 London and I don't think this series is done yet.  Somehow I get the impression that despite all that has happened, the Machinist will be back...

Happy reading.

Escaping West by Morgan K. Wyatt

Kitty Hamilton's future looks bleak.  She's nineteen, her Aunt has run any potential suitor off, and she gets treated like a servant.  That might not be so bad, but her Aunt is sour, strict, mean, and now has taken to whipping her.  There's only so much one person can stand...

The author and Goddess Fish Blog Tours gave me an ebook of this story to read for review (thank you).  You can buy a copy wherever ebooks are sold.

Kitty only has one really good friend in town; that's Harriet, a German immigrant.  Harriet has answered an ad for a wife and has been accepted.  She's travelling cross-country to meet him and tells Kitty to come along.  There are more men there to choose from and she and her new husband will help Kitty find one.  She thinks it's too risky and doesn't want to go.  But her circumstances change.

The next time her Aunt hits her, she grabs the whip and her Aunt loses her balance.  She hits her head and when she comes to, she wants Kitty to go get the sheriff, she's going to turn her in!  Kitty escapes by cutting her hair off and dressing like a boy.  Suddenly she's Harriet's brother Kit.

Kit has no interest in men or women.  Kit just wants someplace safe to live and a job.  She certainly never expected to fall in love...

This is a well paced tale with a good story line.  Not all men are nice, some saloon girls aren't either, and Kit has her hands full trying to pretend she's male.  I enjoyed the western touch and the growing romance between the gambler and Kit.  If you like stories with gentle romances, this one is for you.  It's almost like a cozy western.

Morgan will be awarding the winner's choice of ivory, peach, or white, cultured freshwater pearl necklace to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/04/virtual-review-tour-escaping-west-by.html

Also, don't miss this:

 

Secret Cravings Publishing is offering a sale during the Rebel Heartsong and Escaping West tours.All Morgan K Wyatt books bought May 15-31st are available for another 20% off publisher's site.

 

www.secretcravingspublishing.com

 

The code is Morgan20.

Happy reading.

I Hear the Sirens in the Street by Adrian McKinty

Sean Duffy is back in Book Two of The Troubles Trilogy.  He's good cop but he has his foibles.

Seventh Street Books sent me an ARC of this book for review (thank you).  It is available now so check with your local bookstore for a copy.

Sean gets involved in a murder where a man's torso has been found in a suitcase which was partially buried.  It's a bit hard to identify, but he's willing to work on it.  After all, his romance has pretty well ended and she's moving to a different area for work, so he's got time.  Why an American tourist would be killed in Northern Ireland is another mystery.

Sean keeps plugging away even though the IRA, British Intelligence and the local death squads wish he'd mind his own business.  As he struggles to follow the clues and find the trail that led to death, he also finds a young widow who appears to have an interest in him.  He should pay more attention to the case than to her, but he's between relationships and she's tempting.

The author sets the stage for big money and big danger in an unfriendly town in such a way that you feel you're walking the streets there with Sean.  It wouldn't be somewhere I'd like to be and Sean almost doesn't get out alive.  What he accomplishes is linking a lot of important people together and discovering the money is dirty.

Are you feeling brave enough to walk the mean streets in Northern Ireland?  Then grab a copy of the book and find a comfortable chair...

Happy reading.

Carniepunk by Rachel Caine, Rob Thurman, Kevin Hearne, Seanan McGuire, Jennifer Estep, Allison Pang, Kelly Gay, Delilah S. Dawson, Kelly Meding

Are you brave enough to visit the carnival?  Better take your hellhound with you...

Gallery Books and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this ebook anthology (thank you).  It will go on sale July 23rd, so make a note to remember to grab a copy.

This is an interesting mix of stories.  They are unique and have their own flavor.  They have zombies, vampires, the dark fae, monsters and the like in them.  Sometimes circumstances causes the problem; sometimes it's all in their minds.  Many of them are filled with horror; not one of them is boring.  If you enjoy tales that are out of this world, you'll enjoy this book.

I enjoy anthologies and this one has all kinds of surprises it it.  I enjoyed the one by Allison Pang even though it's a bit sad.  I especially liked Hell's Menagerie by Kelly Gay.  It was so good, I went online and bought her four books about Charlie Madigan.  Charlie wasn't even in this short story but Ms. Gay impressed enough with her style and story line that I have to read to more.  You might find yourself doing the same thing as you sample these different authors.

Just remember, you want to be careful about what might be hiding behind opening in that big tent on the midway...

Happy reading.

Spirit of the Revolution by Debbie Peterson

Jolena was looking for a home that would be right for her.  She didn't want anything new; she wanted an older one that could be refurbished to its previous glory.  After all, that would show off her antique goodies she had inherited and collected over the years.  She found just the one in Pennsylvania and began fixing it up.

The author and Goddess Fish Blog Tour gave me an ebook of this story to read for review (thank you).  You can grab a copy anywhere ebooks are sold.

What Jolena didn't know was that the house had five ghosts.  Mathias used to live there and he and his band of rangers have come to settle there after their deaths.  They had not completed their mission and weren't ready to move on.  It doesn't take long until the neighbors tell her the house is haunted.  She's skeptical and decides if it is, she doesn't care.

I liked the way the author explains history past and present and how old fashioned Jolena fits in with the boys.  You can feel her fondness for them and her growing attachment to Mathias, the leader of the group.  They protect Jolena and harass the intrusive neighbors (which makes her laugh) and work with her to solve the mystery about where the message was hidden.

My favorite part of the story is Christmas.  She wants to give them a good present and they all find gifts in their treasure boxes to share with her.  It's very sweet and nostalgic.

What would you do if a ghost materialized in your living room?  Why not read this book and see how Jolene handled it?

Debbie will be awarding a custom made piece of jewelery to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. This necklace called "The Jolena" was designed especially for this giveaway by "Shandra Kay." She will also award an Ebook copy of "Shadow of the Witte Wieven." The winner will have the choice of selecting a Mobi, epub or PDF copy of this book.

Encourage your readers to follow the tour and comment; the more they comment, the better their chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/03/virtual-excerpt-tour-spirit-of.html

Happy reading.

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

This story is set in a dystopian world filled with cruelty.  You get chosen for testing because you are strong and smart and an excellent student.  You only graduate from the testing if you survive...

Houghton Mifflin and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this ebook for review.  It will be published on June 4th, so make a note to grab a copy at your bookstore then.

Cia is hoping against hope she will be chosen for the testing.  She wants to be trained at the university like her father was.  No one else in her family has been chosen, not even her really smart eldest brother.  So when she gets chosen, Cia is very surprised that her father is fearful for her. They brainwash those who have been though the testing so he can't really remember why he's afraid for her, but he knows it's real.  He tells her to trust no one.  

As soon as  she gets to the school you can see why he told her that.  She thinks the cornbread her roommate brought is poisoned.  (Elimination of the competition gets you further ahead in the tests faster.)  Then she finds each test has consequences.  If you are wrong in your assumptions, you are dead.  And if you survive until the fourth and final test, you can yourself alone outside the protective walls with a task of walking back to the university.  The teachers have set traps, the mutant animals and humans are dangerous, and some of the students have turned to killers.  No place is safe and everyone is an enemy.

The rulers in this world care not about life; if you're not tough, you won't make it.  What I wonder is what is coming next.  The author has set the tone almost at despair.  Now the survivors will have to move on and learn from the university.  But what will the university be teaching them?  Some of the students have become just as cold and unapproachable as the teachers; is that what they want you to learn?  Even more scary is the fact that Cia has recorded some of what happened on the fourth test and when she listens to that it replaces the memories they wiped.  What will they do when they find out?  And why don't they want them to remember?  All said, this was an intriguing read and there's much more to this story to yet be told.  

If your child is looking for something to read after the Hunger Games, this new series should fit the bill.  Why not give a try?

Happy reading.

Mouse Guard: The Black Axe by David Petersen

Celanawe is the last of his clan and is the only one left to try to retrieve the Black Axe.  The axe is part of mouse tradition and the custodian of the axe is their protector.  But if you are the one who holds the axe, you have no life of your own:  no family, no permanent home, no real friends.  It's just you and the axe.

Archaia Entertainment and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this ebook for review (thank you).  It has been published, so you can grab a copy now.

Celanawe is a relatively young mouse and he's amazed to see an older mouse arrive on the back of a raven.  When he finds out she's looking for him, he's even more amazed.  

This story is full of action and challenges that will test  Celanawe's resolve and his strength.  This is an adventure that pulls no punches; people die and there is no happily ever after.  The illustrations are wonderful, depicting the land as it is described and showing the characters as small determined mice.  The ferrets are scary!

I enjoyed reading this graphic novel.  There are others in this series that will take you beyond this point in Celanawe's story, so check those out too.

Happy reading.