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The Girl in the Clockwork Collar

(Steampunk Chronicles #2)

Kady Cross (Goodreads Author)

3.97 · Rating details · 10,068 ratings · 967 reviews

In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling-or dangerous Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper from the clutches of a devious criminal demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him... for the life of the girl Jasper loves.

One false move from Jasper, and the strange ...more

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Hardcover, 416 pages

Published May 22nd 2012 by Harlequin Teen

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Jul 26, 2011 Jessie (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it it was ok

Shelves: netgalley-arc, arc, supernatural-fiction, 2012-reads, ya-fiction, reviewed, series-completed, reviews-2012, sequel-syndrome-strikes-again, great-potential-awful-execution

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

I did it: I finished this loooooong, dry book full of flat characters, endless repetition and tons of of the hated "showing not telling" way of expanding the history. Though my experience with round two of this "straynge band of mysfits" was sliiiightly better than with its predecessor The Girl in the Steel Corset, I want to express this loudly and clearly: This series is not a good example of steampunk. Also, why I am just griping: whyyy the random ...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Katie rated it liked it

Update 12/20: OMG THIS COVER IS AWESOME! I like that it's not the same model as the previous cover (who looked a whole heck of a lot like Megan Fox!). Can't wait to read this book!!

Review

Similar Books: Soulless by Gail Carriger, Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

I enjoyed Kady Cross's YA debut The Girl in the Steel Corset last year, so I was excited to get the sequel from NetGalley. And while most sequels tend to not be as good as the original book, I think ...more

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Jun 03, 2016 Kat rated it really liked it

In this YA steampunk fiction, the great cast of characters from The Girl in the Steel Corset are back. Finley and Griffin are fighting an attraction to each other. The device around Mei's neck continues to tighten and Jasper is desperate to save her. The science and steampunk aspects of all the different inventions and forces brewing in this novel were especially interesting and well done. I did wish there had been a bit more romance, to be honest. After so much longing in book one, I had expect ...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Ava rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, cover-lust, four-stars, e-books, three-stars, arcs, paranormal-romance-fiction

ARC supplied by NetGalley and Harlequin Teen in exchange for an honest review.

I live in South Florida, where it’s so hot you want to sit under the shade of a scrawny Jacaranda tree and hope to die quickly.

THE GIRL IN THE CLOCKWORK COLLAR is like a 16 oz-glass of vanilla ice-cream milkshake, a giant umbrella, a fan, and a pool magically appearing next to your sweltering body.

Okay, perhaps not that (really not that), but it was a good book.

It’s so refreshing, I couldn’t wait to continue reading it ...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Ferdy rated it it was ok

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar was predictable, cheesy, boring and frustrating. Why did I read it? Because I was in the mood for rubbish YA, I get like that sometimes.

My main issue was the lame characters and silly love triangles — they weren't exciting, entertaining or engrossing. The plot wasn't all that either - Jasper is forced to go to America and Finley, Griffin, Emily and that other dude follow him. The mystery surrounding Jasper's kidnapping wasn't remotely interesting - I knew what w ...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Arooj rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-fell-hard-for, favorites, covers-to-die-for, kickass-protagonists

So. Freakin'. AWESOME!
I loved it.
I want to eat it.
GAAAHHH!

The Good
- This book had a different plot line than the first one. Here, we follow Jasper's story. Usually I get overwhelmed when an author has more than one plot line in a series, but that wasn't the case here. Full of mystery, action and evil villains, this book was a joy to read!

- That twist revealed near the end? TOTALLY SHOCKING. I had already begun to suspect it from all the clues that were given, but even then I couldn't help but ...more

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Dec 31, 2011 oliviasbooks rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: unfinished, unfinished-2013, e-version, other-creatures, multiple-povs-letters-diaries, paranormal-humans, yabc-quarterly-challenge, high-expectations, love-story-romance, steampunk

The first volume in this series, The Girl in the Steel Corset, had been so much fun. It was kind of ridiculous, vapid, action-laden, a bit trashy and inhabited by superhero-comic-like characters, but unquestionably fun. A perfect guilty-pleasure-combination of steampunk, fast action, mystery and bodice-ripping "light" (It seemed to me as if the "ripping" scenes had been "ripped" out of the novel to turn the soppy romance into something young-adult-appropriate - whatever that is).

At a first glan The first volume in this series, The Girl in the Steel Corset, had been so much fun. It was kind of ridiculous, vapid, action-laden, a bit trashy and inhabited by superhero-comic-like characters, but unquestionably fun. A perfect guilty-pleasure-combination of steampunk, fast action, mystery and bodice-ripping "light" (It seemed to me as if the "ripping" scenes had been "ripped" out of the novel to turn the soppy romance into something young-adult-appropriate - whatever that is).

At a first glance the sequel - including cover and title - does not stray very far from the former, successful recipe. There are the same old supernatural, monetarily independent teens clinging to the same old love-triangles and I-should-not-confess-my-feelings-resolves, displaying the same old sets of faults and and playing around with fantastically steampunky devices (i.e. armor, mobile phones, weapons and transportation objects) that one of them constructs in the course of one night from thin air if they are needed to facilitate or liven up the otherwise thin plot.

There are tiny variations, though, which caused the pudding to taste stale and unbearably boring to me: The even stronger focus on the romantic problems and multiple inner monologues of the tormented parties and the lack of danger and pepper and mystery. Around the middle of the story I grew antsy, because nothing really riveting happened, because of the repetitions and because the characters proved themselves to be pretty see-through and black-and-white (view spoiler).

I never would have thought I would consider not finishing this book. Yet, here I am, burying the file in a dusty folder in the depths of my Kindle and shifting the writer into the blind spot of my consciousness: As it is I do not see sense in trying one of her future works. ...more

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Aug 08, 2015 Sandra (LadyGrey Reads) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, 2015-2016-reads, series-finished

A bit of a disappointment compared to the first book, but still highly entertaining. I liked the new setting and the new characters and for a long time I thought that it would be a 4.5-5 star book, but then it got closer to the end and... well, to be honest, the ending felt very rushed. (view spoiler) ...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Commodore rated it it was ok

I guess the moral of this one is, "Fool me once with a very pretty cover, Kady Cross, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

I should've just put the book down right at the beginning, when Finley was all, "I'm flying, ~~Jack~~ Griffin." It all went downhill from there. I'm going to run down the highlights (lowlights) of the worst parts of the book.
* - If I had to hear about Emily's "ropy" hair one more time, I was going to hurl the book across the room. Being as I read it on Kindle, this is no l ...more

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Oct 11, 2011 Lisa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: harlequin

Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

This is one of my favourite series so I was absolutely ecstatic to get my hands on this book! If you fell in love with Finley and her special crew in Steel Corset, you'll love Clockwork Collar because things get even more action-packed and exciting. Does the synopsis not capture your attention immediately? Jasper's been taken by a dangerous gang leader, Reno Dalton, and must find all of the pieces of a secret device he scattered around New York las Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

This is one of my favourite series so I was absolutely ecstatic to get my hands on this book! If you fell in love with Finley and her special crew in Steel Corset, you'll love Clockwork Collar because things get even more action-packed and exciting. Does the synopsis not capture your attention immediately? Jasper's been taken by a dangerous gang leader, Reno Dalton, and must find all of the pieces of a secret device he scattered around New York last year after escaping. The clockwork collar around his past love's neck is quite literally one that will tighten and tighten. If anyone but Mei touches it, she'll die, simple as that. The stakes are high, yes? So strap yourselves in for another beautiful adventure with Kady Cross!

While I loved the London setting in the previous book, New York was so much grittier and had this indescribable atmosphere about it. As always, I felt right back in the 19th century and was thoroughly sucked into the world! Of course, I was slightly sad that Jack Dandy got left behind but the other characters were more than enough to keep me satisfied! What I love about this series is how Cross manages to incorporate every single character into the storyline and let them have their own personal journeys parallel to Finley's. YA books often focus 99% on the main female lead, but Cross switches narrators throughout the book and makes all of her characters stand out because they're REAL and have lives outside of their interactions with Finley. When I first saw the synopsis, I admit I was slightly worried that the book would be boring and all about Jasper and Mei, but I found that it wasn't the case at all. We spend a significant amount of time with Finley's gang (although the two worlds overlap a lot!) but with the story Cross has written, I really don't think you'll mind reading an entire Jasper book anyway! He's a very fascinating person...

What do I even say about Finley Jane? Her character becomes even stronger than before and it is always such a joy to experience new things with her. She and Griffin King, the gorgeous Duke of Greythorne, are still trying to resist each other for reasons completely unbeknownst to us! Boy likes girl and vice versa…What's the problem?! Oh Griffin's sense of morality. *shakes head* However, there are so many moments of absolute sweetness and adoration you just can't look past. It's completely obvious to us that Griffin's taken with Finley and we can see it in the way he behaves, the things he does for her and so much more! He's aware of Jack's interest in her too, which makes things even more exciting! Is he just going to stand by and watch his lady be charmed away or is he finally going to do something about it? ;) You will adore seeing him jealous. It's too cute.

It was surprisingly very enjoyable to watch the Dalton/Mei/Jasper storyline unfold. Like I said, the time we do spend away from Finley is amazing and just as exhilarating! You wouldn't believe the fun I had with the other narrators. I refuse to spoil anything so just know that it's filled with danger, excitement, love and fear, all rolled in a bowl full of deception! Cross stays true to the adventure we're used to seeing and it honestly made me feel like jumping into a boxing ring to let out some excess badass! Clockwork Collar is truly one that involves you in the story and engages you completely. You'll be out of your seat and cheering for the heroes soon enough! Although…Dalton really isn't hard to look at. Why are the evil ones always good looking? *coughs* We like a bit of evil...right?

Overall, Clockwork Collar is the kind of book that demands your attention. With its beautiful cast of characters who lead lives far more interesting than ours, there's no way it won't sweep you up off your feet! The romance and action had me fainting and squealing all over the place so watch out! Even though there are a few things that you know are going to happen, it doesn't make the ride any less enjoyable. Oh, the drama and mystery! I'm desperate for the third book now. I need to know what happens next! This is an absolutely must-read book so don't even think about giving it a miss! ...more

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Mar 06, 2012 ~Tina~ rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, arc, young-adult, cover-crazz, read-2012, netgalley-edelweiss, historical

4.5 stars

After reading The Girl in the Steel Corset, I became an instant fan of Kady Cross writing, so I was thrilled to see the sequel on Netgalley.
The Girl in the Clockwork Collar is even better!!

First off, I adore the way Cross writes! This is the stuff that makes historical fun and addicting. It's crisp, clever and cunning and I enjoyed every word.

The story-line moves over to New York, where Finley, Griffin, Sam and Emily go to try to help out their friend Jasper who's been accused of murde ...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Shera (Book Whispers) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook-m, ebook, ya-steampunk, arc-netgalley, 2012

Ah. So good. Everything just clicked into place with this one. There was this one character that I hoped, and wished, that Cross would go there with. Sure I'd predicted the plot, but it would be soooooo cool. And Cross did go there. I love an author who isn't afraid to DO things with their characters. To throw them a situation that will forever alter them.

The Girl In the Clockwork Collar is the second book in the Steampunk Chronicles. While it swiftly picks up where the last book left off, our Ah. So good. Everything just clicked into place with this one. There was this one character that I hoped, and wished, that Cross would go there with. Sure I'd predicted the plot, but it would be soooooo cool. And Cross did go there. I love an author who isn't afraid to DO things with their characters. To throw them a situation that will forever alter them.

The Girl In the Clockwork Collar is the second book in the Steampunk Chronicles. While it swiftly picks up where the last book left off, our characters won't stay comfy for long. The changing POV is still present and I'm so happy that a lot of the characters get to tell the story. Sam and Emily’s page time is not happening, but Cross writes them in so well that it doesn't feel like a loss. Jack Dandy may never have stepped into this story, but he made his presence known. *Grins* Finley and Griffin are very much the main characters. It's so wonderful watching them deal with their emotions with each other. To learning together that society should never dictate how you love someone. Life can be startling short.

Oh, and don't forget poor Jasper. He's very much the scoundrel. He's left broken hearts everywhere and his past in a gang is coming back to haunt him. However, Jasper is a true gentleman and I loved him. It's so hard to pick favorites with so many wonderful characters but Jasper is pretty darn amazing. Which is shown by the type of women he picks. (No one should complain about Finley's taste in men anymore.) I was fascinated by his exes and one in particular I hope to see in future installments.

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar does nothing to expand on the The Machinist. However, I enjoyed the peek into New York and really enjoyed how much this entry expanded the world of the Steampunk Chronicles. Now that the bulk of the character introductions and world building were handled in the first book, this book just felt effortless. There are also some heavy consequences that will affect the characters. I'm very excited to see what the next installment brings!

Sexual Content: Some mild adult themes mentioned. Kissing.

5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!

Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.
...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Colleen Houck added it

Shelves: steampunk, tech-gadgets

Every time I read a Kady Cross book I get all excited about steampunk to the point where I think I might write one someday, then I remember that I'm too chicken to take it on and there's no way on earth I'm putting on a corset. Congrats Kady on another inspirational story! ...more

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May 18, 2012 Heidi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

“
Four stars: More action, more steampunk and more danger in this sequel.

After Jasper Renn, the American Cowboy, was hauled off by a bunch of thug bounty hunters, the gang is in pursuit, headed to New York City. Jasper was taken prisoner accused of murder. Griffin and Finley refuse to believe their loyal friend is guilty of this crime. So they are currently aboard Griffin's airship gliding over the glittering city. Once Griffin, Finley, Sam and Emily settle in New York, they head to the jail in ...more

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Sep 02, 2019 Jennifer rated it really liked it

Shelves: challenge, imagine-that, bowties-are-cool, i-can-t-adult-today

Griffin, Finley, Emily, and Sam travel from London to NYC to try to help Jasper who is suspected of murder, only they discover that Jasper wasn't taken by the police but instead a gang leader named, Dalton. Dalton is blackmailing Jasper into retrieving parts of a mysterious device by holding Mei Xing (who Jasper is in love with) captive. The Duke's group must first determine if they trust Jasper and then how to help him out of this predicament. It all comes down to the wire when the machine is f ...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Veronica Morfi rated it it was amazing

In the second book of the Steampunk Chronicles Griffin, Finley, Emily and Sam travel to New York to save Jasper from prison. But soon they find out that Jasper isn't really at prison but has been held captive by an old 'friend' of his, Dalton. Dalton wants back all the pieces to a device Jasper was suppose to deliver to him a year ago and in order to do that he keeping Mei, Jasper's old love, with a clockwork collar around her neck. One mistep from Jasper and Mei may be dead.

I loved this book. I ...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Bec (booktineus) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, rereads, read-2021

2021 review
First appeared on my Instagram, @booktineus.

The Good Things
+ A reread for me! I first read this series when they were being released (starting back in 2011-ish). I’ve been filled with so much nostalgia rereading.

+ Do recommend if you enjoy steampunk! There are some really fun and interesting inventions in this one. And this was set in New York, which was interesting.

+ The fantasy elements are really interesting too! We’re slowly getting more of a glimpse into the aether and strang ...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Sarah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2013, books-i-own-print, for-review-read, books-i-own-kindle, netgalley

I really enjoyed The Girl in the Steel Corset so I'm not sure why it took me quite so long to get around to reading The Girl in the Clockwork Collar. The good thing about waiting is that all three books in the trilogy are now available so I'm going to be able to read the final instalment fairly quickly! I'd actually forgotten how much I liked Finley and the crazy group of misfits that she has become friends with and it was great to get back into the world that Kady Cross has created.

Finley is st I really enjoyed The Girl in the Steel Corset so I'm not sure why it took me quite so long to get around to reading The Girl in the Clockwork Collar. The good thing about waiting is that all three books in the trilogy are now available so I'm going to be able to read the final instalment fairly quickly! I'd actually forgotten how much I liked Finley and the crazy group of misfits that she has become friends with and it was great to get back into the world that Kady Cross has created.

Finley is still struggling to bring both sides of her personality together but she has come a long way from who she was in the first book thanks to Griff and the others. She is still incredibly independent, intelligent and more than capable of looking out for herself which is something that has to be admired but she does have a tendency to act without thinking through the full consequences which often gets her in trouble. Griff struggles with the fact that Finley is often more capable of protecting herself than he is of looking after her but as much as that grates on him he puts that to one side once he has time to think about things. I have to say that Griff has grown on me since the first book but I did miss Finley's other potential love interest Jack in this instalment. It's not often I'm interested in love triangles but with the two distinct sides to Finley's personality it's not surprising that she is attracted to both of these very different men. I always tend to have a thing for the bad guy so it wasn't much of a surprise to me that I previously found Jack the more appealing of the two but after reading this book I'm now split down the middle and I'm almost tempted to switch to team Griff.

It was great to catch up with Emily and discover her latest impressive inventions, she is the smartest one of the group by far and she always has a few tricks up her sleeve. Sam has had quite a change of attitude which he desperately needed and he and Finley have almost reached a point where they could consider each other friends rather than enemies. This story takes us away from London and across the pond to New York and Jasper's old hunting grounds. Jasper is in a mess, his old gang have caught up with him and they are using blackmail to get their hands on a weapon he stole and hid from them before he fled to London. Finley, Griff and the others can't leave their friend to deal with the mess on his own and they have followed him to America to assist in any way they can. I always loved Jasper so it was great to spend more time with him and to get to know more about his past. I have to admit I wasn't a huge fan of his ex-girlfriend Mei but I absolutely loved his old friend Wildcat and really hope we get to see more of her in the future.

The story was well paced, had a nice amount of action and had a couple of great twists. I'll admit that I had suspected one of them well before the big reveal but I'm pretty sure that was intentional and it didn't spoil my enjoyment. I really like this steampunk world full of automatons, organites and airships and am looking forward to reading The Girl with the Iron Touch in the not too distant future. ...more

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Jul 14, 2011 Kristi rated it really liked it

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar begins just as it left of with The Girl in the Steel Corset. The team of Finley, Griffin, Sam & Emily are on their way to America. (For reasons I will not disclose in this review as to not be spoilery!) The group finds themselves up against another evil foe! One that won’t be easily stopped.

The girl in the clockwork collar is a new character to the series and due to her presence we get to learn a little bit more about the cowboy Jasper, that we met in The Girl in The Girl in the Clockwork Collar begins just as it left of with The Girl in the Steel Corset. The team of Finley, Griffin, Sam & Emily are on their way to America. (For reasons I will not disclose in this review as to not be spoilery!) The group finds themselves up against another evil foe! One that won’t be easily stopped.

The girl in the clockwork collar is a new character to the series and due to her presence we get to learn a little bit more about the cowboy Jasper, that we met in The Girl in the Steel Corset. I loved Jasper before, but I think I may love him even more now!

If you were a fan of book one, you will NOT be disappointed. The Girl in the Clockwork Collar is even more of a wicked ride than The Girl in the Steel Corset. If that’s even possible! Can I just say that the tension between Finley and Griffin was killer! Would those two just kiss and profess their undying love for each other already!?!

Okay, so things that I liked. Besides more Jasper, which is always a good thing.

1) I absolutely loved the New York City setting in this one! And even though it’s steampunk, from Kady’s author notes a lot of the places in the novel were factual, which is always cool.

2.) And we also get to meet a particularly interesting inventor from that era as well. And though his creations in The Girl in the Clockwork Collar may not have been his ideas, he was very much a real person.

3.) Griffin. He so stepped it up in the novel.

There were a few things that I missed from the first book. Like, what happened to Emily and Sam!!?! I feel like I hardly got to see them in this book. I get that they aren’t where the action is happening. But I so missed Sam being the big burly teddy bear and Emily showing everyone that there really is a heart in there. (And not just because she’s the one that put it there. No really she physically put his heart in there!)

And more importantly… where the heck was Dandy? I mean he sends some flowers and that was it!? I missed him!

Such an exciting addition to the series. I can’t wait to see what happens to these four next! ...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Booknut rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Everyone, even guys. Not so they could appreciate Griffin. But the storyline. So yes, everyone!

Recommended to Booknut by: Goodreads, Netgalley,

Shelves: favorites, books-i-love-dearly, can-t-get-enough-of

I remember reading the first book for this series and thinking...wow. Just WOW! The setting, the world that Kady Cross has created...it blows me away everytime I enter it. The inventions, the fight scenes, the bas-ass girls, the ballgowns and the raw human emotions create a world I want so badly to live in. Seriously! I would love to be apart of Finley's world (granted...it's mainly because of Griffin!).

Book 2 picks up from where book 1 ended...Finley, Griffin (*sigh*) and the gang are travellin ...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Mitchii rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, science-fiction, romance, steampunk, arc-or-galley-review-copies, historical, 2012-reads

4.5/5

Um…where’s Jack Dandy?

*coughs* Anyhoo, Ms. Cross did it again. I loved and enjoyed The Girl in the Clockwork Collar as much as the first book. I tried putting it on hold so I can savor the moments (I mean, let’s face it; I need to wait another year for the third book. And that’s a torture. Plus I didn’t get my Jack Dandy fix). But I can’t help myself, I dig this book. I just need to read it. Like, right now! So with that, huge thanks to netgalley.com. I got the chance to read the book this 4.5/5

Um…where’s Jack Dandy?

*coughs* Anyhoo, Ms. Cross did it again. I loved and enjoyed The Girl in the Clockwork Collar as much as the first book. I tried putting it on hold so I can savor the moments (I mean, let’s face it; I need to wait another year for the third book. And that’s a torture. Plus I didn’t get my Jack Dandy fix). But I can’t help myself, I dig this book. I just need to read it. Like, right now! So with that, huge thanks to netgalley.com. I got the chance to read the book this early.

Once again this book didn’t fail to impress me. The lush steampunk goodness that I fell in love in the first book is still here. And should I say, more? Yes, there’s more of that. And more of Finley, Griffin, Emily and Sam. Oh yeah, and Jasper too. I’m still sad that’s Mr. Dandy is not here (he better be in the next book).

When I first saw the cover, I was surprised because that’s not Finley. She’s Asian. And Finley is not Asian. But in this book, I got the chance to meet Mei. She plays an important role (and it’s pretty obvious that she is the girl in the clockwork collar). So hence the front cover. BUT gosh she’s awful. She is not good. Not good at all. I won’t go into details because I don’t want ruin it for you dear peeps. That said, I still felt sorry for her after what happened to her. But my empathy inclines more on Jasper. The poor guy. :(

As for the story, the gang went to New York to save Jasper. Who wasn’t taken by the police but actually held against his will by his former friend and now enemy, Dalton. He uses Mei as a hostage; and if he does something wrong, the collar on her neck will strangle her. So he has no choice but to comply with his demands. On the other hand, Finely thought of a plan to save him. She decided to enter Dalton’s group by working for him and while there, she found out Dalton’s true plan.

There’s a lot of exciting things in here. And I love every moment of it. Finley is no doubt one major kick-ass heroine. I love how she stood up for herself (even to Griffin—actually especially to him). That she doesn’t depend on her partner. That she can fend for herself. And not just her, she loves her friends and will do anything to save them. If there’s an embodiment of true blue heroine, Finley will make it to my top list. She is great character.

I also liked how the romance was played out. There’s a huge development between Griffin and Finley. And as I said before I like Griffin (I mean, he’s a duke) and I sense chemistry between them. The book explored their dynamics. They got the chance to see good and bad side of each other. For Griffin, he’s well aware of Finley’s unusual attraction to bad stuff. While Finley is insecure because of their social gap. But I think (and the way I read it) they finally came to an understanding. Can’t wait for new developments for these two.

Fans of the first book will not be disappointed, unless you’re a Jack Dandy fan like me. Sorry, but I’m taking a half star because of it. I know, super shallow reason. But…it’s Jack…Dandy. :P

Still, it’s a great follow up! Steampunk Chronicle series fans should not miss it. ...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Kirsty (Amethyst Bookwyrm) rated it really liked it

Shelves: review, steampunk

This and my other reviews can be found at http://amethystbookwyrm.blogspot.co.uk/

Finley, Griffin, Emily and Sam are travelling to New York to save Jasper, who they believe has been arrested for murder. However, Jasper is not with the Police he is being held captive by his former gang. If Jasper returns the machine he stole from the gang’s leader Dalton, then Jasper’s first love Mia will not be killed by the mysterious clockwork collar around her neck. Finley goes undercover to help save Jasper a ...more

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May 11, 2012 Giselle rated it really liked it

Shelves: genre-romance, 2012, 4-star, genre-historical, age-young-adult, diverse-characters, bought-in-store, genre-steampunk

Having no recollection of anything going on in this series since I read book two first I had high hopes for this novel. I'm glad it didn't let me down. We find Finley who is this insane, smart and fierce fighter who can take anyone whether there are man or woman, down. Her love interest Griffin is by her side and constantly worrying about her. She has a vulnerable side to her when it comes to Griffin and the two share a love that is rather sweet. Then there's Jasper who is trying to keep his lov ...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it it was amazing

This is the second book in the series and very explosive!!!

And they travel to the continental US to solve another murder and come into the brink of a deadly project. I really loved the plot. Fulfilling and exciting, each chapter leads to new people, new missions, and new betrayals. I loved that the plot is always moving. The reader learns more about the characters of Griffin, Finley and the others past. The friendship also blooms beautifully before the readers eyes.

The love interest is particula ...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Laura rated it it was ok

Shelves: mt-bookpile-2012, old-reads

First of all, I'm not a huge fan of the whole steampunk genre. I just don't get it. The obsession with Aether and mechanical things and dirigibles? Does nothing for me. However, as many of my reader-friends have informed me, I'm clearly out of my mind. So bear that in mind when you see that this was only a 2-star book.

Second, if this book hadn't been a steampunk book, it still would have only gotten 3-3.5 stars. Why? Because the plot just didn't work for me. For example, Griffin is only 18? That ...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Chels rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, steampunk

Reread December 2015

Read May 2013
This was a very good sequel! I’m really impressed! The plot was definitely different from the first book and it was still really good. I like how she told Jasper’s story, it was a really nice change. The plot was very nicely paced and kept me entertained the whole time. The plot twist near the end was fantastic! I liked that the romance between Finley and Griffin developed a little but I still wasn’t overall impressed with how it was going. Hopefully we see some ...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Anne rated it liked it

Shelves: steampunk, read-in-2012, young-adult, nook, paranormal

3.5 stars

I didn't think it was as good as The Girl in the Steel Corset, but it was still a decent read.

Finley just isn't as exciting now that she doesn't black out and go all Mr. Hyde on people. I mean, I happy for her now that her two personalities have sort of merged, but it would be nice to see her get super crazy again. Am I wrong to want that?
Also, she and Griff need to shit or get off the pot. Their relationship was too wishy-washy for me to get into it. Again, I may be wrong, but I sort o ...more

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Jan 31, 2012 REMEMBER UKRAINE NOW ReadingReindeer rated it it was amazing

Recommended to REMEMBER UKRAINE NOW ReadingReindeer by: Great Minds Think Aloud

Shelves: may-2012-reads, steampunk

“The Girl in the Clockwork Collar” is an endearing story in the Steampunk sub-genre, set in Victorian England and America. Full of science, magic, romance, suspense, gangsters, history, settings galore, this novel will keep the reader riffling those pages without realizing the passage of time. You will want to read this at one sitting because it’s just too compelling to put down. This is such a captivating novel that I immediately determined to read the prior books in the series (this is #2). Ka ...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Thamy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Ohhhh I'm in love with Kady Cross, when I finished with book 1 I was amazed with how much I loved The Girl in Steel Corset and I stared book 2 in the same day, I was afraid I wouldn't like it as much but I loved it even more, forget 5 stars this book deserves 10 bright supernovas. It was that good.

Can't wait for the third book, May can't come quick enough. ...more

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Nov 23, 2016 Petra rated it really liked it

This book was so much fun! I really like the fact that the two main women are strong and smart and able to kick some ass. I liked how the relationship between Finley and Griffin slowly develops. I thought the steampunk elements in this book are amazing and I would like to own some of the contraptions myself.

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About Kady Cross

Kady Cross

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Kady Cross is a pseudonym for USA Today bestselling author Kathryn Smith. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and a pride of cats. She likes singing with Rock Band on the 360, British guys, Vietnamese food, and makeup (she’s hopelessly addicted to YouTube makeup tutorials!). When she’s not writing Kady likes to catch up on her favorite TV shows, read a good book or make her own cosmetics. ...more

Other books in the series

Steampunk Chronicles (4 books)

Books by Kady Cross

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

The Strange Case of Finley Jayne (Steampunk Chronicles, #0.5)

The Girl with the Iron Touch (Steampunk Chronicles, #3)

The Girl with the Windup Heart (Steampunk Chronicles, #4)

Sisters of Blood and Spirit (The Sisters of Blood and Spirit, #1)

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Quotes from The Girl in the C...

“Don't you dare die. You have to live so I can curse you up and down for scaring me like this” — 44 likes

“She refused to leave your side all bloody night", Sam remarked, with something that sounded like respect.
"She's a good friend," Griffin replied.

His old friend stared at him in amused disgust. "Griff, I'm your friend and even I wasn't about to sit here and watch you heal."

Griffin looked away, annoyed by the sudden heat in his cheeks. "Yes, well, she was a much prettier sight to wake up to than your ugly head."
"I'll have you know I've been told my eyes are like a night sky," came the mock-indignant reply.” — 36 likes

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