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Queen's Blade #1
Obsidian Eyes
The worlds of noble and guild are about to collide, with seventeen-year-old Allie Donovan as the catalyst…
Allie lives in a shadow world until she is thrust into the light of the aristocratic St Matthew’s Academy. More at ease with a blade than a needle, she is stalked along the ancient corridors by a Scottish lord intent on determining why she is among them.
She stumbles onto the reason when soldiers arrive to see her friend, Zeb, a mechanical genius. On the hunt for answers, she breaks into his underground laboratory. There, Allie discovers Zeb is not just constructing sentient mechanical creatures, he is building a devastating new weapon for the military.
To protect her friend, Allie will have to stop the guilds from snatching the weapon and its creator. But if she betrays her world, she forfeits her own life. Unless she can rely on bonds of friendship to save both their lives…
Allie lives in a shadow world until she is thrust into the light of the aristocratic St Matthew’s Academy. More at ease with a blade than a needle, she is stalked along the ancient corridors by a Scottish lord intent on determining why she is among them.
She stumbles onto the reason when soldiers arrive to see her friend, Zeb, a mechanical genius. On the hunt for answers, she breaks into his underground laboratory. There, Allie discovers Zeb is not just constructing sentient mechanical creatures, he is building a devastating new weapon for the military.
To protect her friend, Allie will have to stop the guilds from snatching the weapon and its creator. But if she betrays her world, she forfeits her own life. Unless she can rely on bonds of friendship to save both their lives…
264 pages, Paperback
First published March 22, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
April 2, 2014
Originally posted at DJ's Book Corner
I'll admit it up front. I'm going off of a bias here. I'm an A.W. Exley fan NO DOUBT...and that's the problem. I liked Obsidian Eyes, but my heart belongs to Exley's Artifact Hunters series. So yeah, I'm a little bit prejudiced.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book. A.W. has some serious composition skills and reading anything she writes is always a pleasure. My issues with this book are strictly personal and have absolutely nothing to do with its execution.
First, I don't think I can take on another book that takes place solely in a school. For some reason, the teenaged drama that brews inside of a school just doesn't appeal to me anymore. It was the same old story: popular (noble) versus the unpopular (commoner/guild). I'm just not into that anymore.
OE's saving grace? The nineteenth-century setting. LOVED IT. Made dealing with teenagers actually bearable. I loved the fashion and especially, the mechanical inventions. Oh, Steampunk...why do I love thee so? And I have to credit A.W. for helping turn me into such a fangirl. I can even admit that some of the Steampunk elements were better in OE than in the Artifact Hunters series.
The plot was good. Interesting and complex but not so confusing where it didn't make sense. There's all kinds of military and political intrigue involved which makes for an exciting storyline. There was a really great plot twist I didn't see coming too. I laughed at myself because I should have. It was pretty obvious once I knew. Nevertheless, bravo for getting me, Exley :)
The characters. Loved Allie from the jump. She was spunky, a fighter, witty, and tough. She had a comeback for every insult and usually got the best of others way before they got the best of her. Jared, the love interest, was just okay. I liked him well enough, but I don't consider him special. He was just another rich boy who falls for the underprivileged girl, if Allie can even be considered that. Honestly, her life was way more appealing than his or any of the other nobles'. I wanted to stab Jared's noble ass fiancee (YES! Fiancee) right between the eyes a few times for being such a snooty witch to Allie. Like, literally...right between the eyes. I don't think Jared would have cared much. It was one of those arranged marriage situations and once Allie entered the picture, he wanted out of it. Good for him. That broad was intolerable.
Side characters. Eloise, Allie's noble roommate who was also an outcast, was awesome and quite hilarious (she reanimated dead animals FOR FUN–Go Figure). Zeb was the resident tech geek and also quite hilarious. He had absolutely no idea how hilarious he was without meaning to be so. Duncan, Jared's cousin, was also quite amazing and fun. He was such a flirt, and almost had more chemistry with Allie than Jared did. Almost.
There was some action in this book, but again, I was a bit underwhelmed in this area. With Steampunk, I just have this high expectation for action and adventure. In Exley's other series, satisfaction is guaranteed. I just hope the rest of this series turns out to be the same. There are definitely more books to come even though there is no series name yet as far as I know. So BEWARE! This book sort of ends on an abrupt cliffhanger. But it's a good one. One that'll have you anxious for the next book.
Recommend? Yeah, I do. Despite my personal issues, this is still a good book. If you like your heroines strong-willed and your book boyfriends rich, handsome and protective, then this is the book for you!
I'll admit it up front. I'm going off of a bias here. I'm an A.W. Exley fan NO DOUBT...and that's the problem. I liked Obsidian Eyes, but my heart belongs to Exley's Artifact Hunters series. So yeah, I'm a little bit prejudiced.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book. A.W. has some serious composition skills and reading anything she writes is always a pleasure. My issues with this book are strictly personal and have absolutely nothing to do with its execution.
First, I don't think I can take on another book that takes place solely in a school. For some reason, the teenaged drama that brews inside of a school just doesn't appeal to me anymore. It was the same old story: popular (noble) versus the unpopular (commoner/guild). I'm just not into that anymore.
OE's saving grace? The nineteenth-century setting. LOVED IT. Made dealing with teenagers actually bearable. I loved the fashion and especially, the mechanical inventions. Oh, Steampunk...why do I love thee so? And I have to credit A.W. for helping turn me into such a fangirl. I can even admit that some of the Steampunk elements were better in OE than in the Artifact Hunters series.
The plot was good. Interesting and complex but not so confusing where it didn't make sense. There's all kinds of military and political intrigue involved which makes for an exciting storyline. There was a really great plot twist I didn't see coming too. I laughed at myself because I should have. It was pretty obvious once I knew. Nevertheless, bravo for getting me, Exley :)
The characters. Loved Allie from the jump. She was spunky, a fighter, witty, and tough. She had a comeback for every insult and usually got the best of others way before they got the best of her. Jared, the love interest, was just okay. I liked him well enough, but I don't consider him special. He was just another rich boy who falls for the underprivileged girl, if Allie can even be considered that. Honestly, her life was way more appealing than his or any of the other nobles'. I wanted to stab Jared's noble ass fiancee (YES! Fiancee) right between the eyes a few times for being such a snooty witch to Allie. Like, literally...right between the eyes. I don't think Jared would have cared much. It was one of those arranged marriage situations and once Allie entered the picture, he wanted out of it. Good for him. That broad was intolerable.
Side characters. Eloise, Allie's noble roommate who was also an outcast, was awesome and quite hilarious (she reanimated dead animals FOR FUN–Go Figure). Zeb was the resident tech geek and also quite hilarious. He had absolutely no idea how hilarious he was without meaning to be so. Duncan, Jared's cousin, was also quite amazing and fun. He was such a flirt, and almost had more chemistry with Allie than Jared did. Almost.
There was some action in this book, but again, I was a bit underwhelmed in this area. With Steampunk, I just have this high expectation for action and adventure. In Exley's other series, satisfaction is guaranteed. I just hope the rest of this series turns out to be the same. There are definitely more books to come even though there is no series name yet as far as I know. So BEWARE! This book sort of ends on an abrupt cliffhanger. But it's a good one. One that'll have you anxious for the next book.
Recommend? Yeah, I do. Despite my personal issues, this is still a good book. If you like your heroines strong-willed and your book boyfriends rich, handsome and protective, then this is the book for you!
June 2, 2016
This is marketed as a Steampunk adventure – but let’s be clear: This is a YA romance. Any action that takes place in this book directly corresponds to the romantic moment that will derive from said action, not from any sense of plot or greater purpose. I’m not saying this in a negative way – I love a good romance as much as anyone – but when a blurb promises me a blade-toting heroine, I want to see much more swashbuckling and swordplay.
What went well: The pacing is fast and the wit is faster. I enjoyed the characters and how they played off of each other. The romance, as I mentioned, also takes up a large portion of the book and I found the “hate to love you” schtick as fun as ever.
What didn’t: The plot was holier than a punk-rocker’s jeans. The key to this book is to go in knowing that it is “Steampunk-lite”. A nice fluffy Steampunk setting and plot with little depth. If you’re looking for a quick summer read – this may be worth your while, but if you’re looking for substantial story telling that has you clamoring for more….maybe skip this one.
What went well: The pacing is fast and the wit is faster. I enjoyed the characters and how they played off of each other. The romance, as I mentioned, also takes up a large portion of the book and I found the “hate to love you” schtick as fun as ever.
What didn’t: The plot was holier than a punk-rocker’s jeans. The key to this book is to go in knowing that it is “Steampunk-lite”. A nice fluffy Steampunk setting and plot with little depth. If you’re looking for a quick summer read – this may be worth your while, but if you’re looking for substantial story telling that has you clamoring for more….maybe skip this one.
April 5, 2014
Let me start off by saying that I read the description and jumped at the chance to review a steampunk adventure story. It had a mechanical kitty on the cover which made me squeal. I was convinced this was an adventure tale I would love. However, that is not what this book is. There is steampunk, but this is a YA romance, which is not a genre that I prefer. Therefore, my complaints are many. My rating is based on how I perceive the writing itself and how well I think someone who does enjoy this genre would like this story.
The tale begins with Allie, a young girl with a secret past who is beginning her year at a new school. Naturally, as it is in these novels, she is an outcast, and the other girls see fit to bully her. No doubt, the hot guy is going to come to her rescue. Jared does not disappoint. He is instantly attracted to her (of course), and he is willing to defend her from the other girls. Allie subsequently makes a few guy friends. Your typical YA romance plot.
The first half of the book contains little to no action. If you want a steampunk adventure, avoid this book. If you want a YA romance, then read on. The first 120 pages (epub version standard settings) mostly revolve around going to class, going riding, and being unable to resist the hormonal attraction to the hot guy. Your typical lines like "Why does he/she smell so good?" and "Why am I so drawn to him/her?" are present, and make me want to gag myself with a teenage fork. I'm sorry, but I don't like romance. If you're into romance, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Every romance I've read is exactly the same, so this one measures up against those.
The second half finally introduces an actual plot, where Allie's friend Zeb creates a very cool mechanical allosaurus. He's also being hunted down, and a group of mysterious men attempt to kidnap him. His friends, Allie and Jared, have to come to his rescue. Sound like it's taking off? No, it isn't. There's a dance to go to, so the adventure is forgotten for a while. Toward the end, another scheme comes up. Someone is plotting against the queen, so perhaps there is more story for the future. The one action scene in the book is nicely written, and it kept me engaged for the short period that it is present. There is talk of a secret concerning Allie's father, but it comes at the end after I had lost all interest. I mainly kept reading hoping that the adventure would sneak in there. It did not.
I don't want to leave out one of the more interesting characters of the book. Allie's female friend Eloise is a Dr. Frankenstein in the making. Her parts were enjoyable, and I would much prefer a book about her, so long as her romantic interests are kept as a secondary plot. I also enjoyed the antics of the mechanical kitty Weasel. Who wouldn't?
Main character Allie is nicely developed, complete with secrets and a good look inside her head. I felt like I knew her pretty well. She is your average teen character, and I'm glad she didn't turn into a vampire. That's about all I can say. I neither liked nor disliked her. I would much rather have read about her adventures in Egypt, but there was a romance involved there too, so it probably wouldn't be for me.
With all my complaints, I would not call this a bad book. It is nicely written with a good amount of description, and there is obviously a well developed backstory that I was only given tidbits about. This book simply wasn't for me, but I've tried to rate it fairly. I do think fans of YA romance who enjoy a twist of steampunk or fantasy will like this book. It is different from your average "dating a vampire or witch" type YA romance, and I appreciate the author doing something a little less common. There aren't enough good steampunk writers out there, and Exley has incorporated those elements nicely. Sadly YA romance isn't my thing. If she writes an adventure, I'm there!
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The tale begins with Allie, a young girl with a secret past who is beginning her year at a new school. Naturally, as it is in these novels, she is an outcast, and the other girls see fit to bully her. No doubt, the hot guy is going to come to her rescue. Jared does not disappoint. He is instantly attracted to her (of course), and he is willing to defend her from the other girls. Allie subsequently makes a few guy friends. Your typical YA romance plot.
The first half of the book contains little to no action. If you want a steampunk adventure, avoid this book. If you want a YA romance, then read on. The first 120 pages (epub version standard settings) mostly revolve around going to class, going riding, and being unable to resist the hormonal attraction to the hot guy. Your typical lines like "Why does he/she smell so good?" and "Why am I so drawn to him/her?" are present, and make me want to gag myself with a teenage fork. I'm sorry, but I don't like romance. If you're into romance, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Every romance I've read is exactly the same, so this one measures up against those.
The second half finally introduces an actual plot, where Allie's friend Zeb creates a very cool mechanical allosaurus. He's also being hunted down, and a group of mysterious men attempt to kidnap him. His friends, Allie and Jared, have to come to his rescue. Sound like it's taking off? No, it isn't. There's a dance to go to, so the adventure is forgotten for a while. Toward the end, another scheme comes up. Someone is plotting against the queen, so perhaps there is more story for the future. The one action scene in the book is nicely written, and it kept me engaged for the short period that it is present. There is talk of a secret concerning Allie's father, but it comes at the end after I had lost all interest. I mainly kept reading hoping that the adventure would sneak in there. It did not.
I don't want to leave out one of the more interesting characters of the book. Allie's female friend Eloise is a Dr. Frankenstein in the making. Her parts were enjoyable, and I would much prefer a book about her, so long as her romantic interests are kept as a secondary plot. I also enjoyed the antics of the mechanical kitty Weasel. Who wouldn't?
Main character Allie is nicely developed, complete with secrets and a good look inside her head. I felt like I knew her pretty well. She is your average teen character, and I'm glad she didn't turn into a vampire. That's about all I can say. I neither liked nor disliked her. I would much rather have read about her adventures in Egypt, but there was a romance involved there too, so it probably wouldn't be for me.
With all my complaints, I would not call this a bad book. It is nicely written with a good amount of description, and there is obviously a well developed backstory that I was only given tidbits about. This book simply wasn't for me, but I've tried to rate it fairly. I do think fans of YA romance who enjoy a twist of steampunk or fantasy will like this book. It is different from your average "dating a vampire or witch" type YA romance, and I appreciate the author doing something a little less common. There aren't enough good steampunk writers out there, and Exley has incorporated those elements nicely. Sadly YA romance isn't my thing. If she writes an adventure, I'm there!
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 14, 2025
Contains: race mixing, premarital kissing.
April 5, 2014
It’s 1836 and Allie Donovan is a new student at St Matthews Academy, an aristocratic English boarding school with a unique curriculum, where she doesn’t exactly fit in among the high born students. Allie is guild born, meaning she was born into one of the four guilds that make up society’s underworld: The Runners (thieves), Skin Dancers (assassins), Grim Reapers (war profiteers), or Whisperers (spies) – but she’s very tight lipped about which one it is she belongs to. Allie’s been sent to St. Matthews for a purpose – she just doesn’t know what that purpose is. In the meantime, she makes friends with her lovely roommate, Eloise, a girl with a taste for Frankenstein-ish experiments, Zeb, an inventor of living mechanical beasts, and a pair of Scottish Lords, one who makes her blood boil in both irritating and intriguing ways.
The world building in this book is really fantastic and vivid. I especially loved the clothing descriptions – one of my favorite things about Steampunk is the awesome outfits and I could really picture the amazing ones the writer put together for the characters here and it really helped to draw me in and visualize the story. I found the mechanical, political, and spy vs spy maneuverings to be a little bit hard to follow, but interesting all the same.
I really loved the main character, Allie. She’s tough and streetwise and a talented fighter – but at the same time she’s completely relatable as a regular teenage girl with family issues, a crush on a boy she thinks is out of her league, and a deep sense of loyalty to her friends. Her roommate/best friend, Eloise, is also a really fascinating mix of seemingly incongruent characteristics – she a girl who knows her fashion and can sew you up something gorgeous on the spot, but also loves to spend the majority of her time performing experiments with electricity on dead things ( I really loved this about her).
There’s a lot of intrigue and action in this book and a lot is left up in the air at the end, so I’m hoping there’s more books in the work because I really want to find out what happens. Overall, Obsidian Eyes is an intriguing story set in a well written Steampunk world and I would recommend it to lovers of Steampunk (of course) and strong-yet-vulnerable female characters that know their way around a dagger.
*I received an ARC of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
The world building in this book is really fantastic and vivid. I especially loved the clothing descriptions – one of my favorite things about Steampunk is the awesome outfits and I could really picture the amazing ones the writer put together for the characters here and it really helped to draw me in and visualize the story. I found the mechanical, political, and spy vs spy maneuverings to be a little bit hard to follow, but interesting all the same.
I really loved the main character, Allie. She’s tough and streetwise and a talented fighter – but at the same time she’s completely relatable as a regular teenage girl with family issues, a crush on a boy she thinks is out of her league, and a deep sense of loyalty to her friends. Her roommate/best friend, Eloise, is also a really fascinating mix of seemingly incongruent characteristics – she a girl who knows her fashion and can sew you up something gorgeous on the spot, but also loves to spend the majority of her time performing experiments with electricity on dead things ( I really loved this about her).
There’s a lot of intrigue and action in this book and a lot is left up in the air at the end, so I’m hoping there’s more books in the work because I really want to find out what happens. Overall, Obsidian Eyes is an intriguing story set in a well written Steampunk world and I would recommend it to lovers of Steampunk (of course) and strong-yet-vulnerable female characters that know their way around a dagger.
*I received an ARC of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
March 5, 2021
mul on mõned pretensioonid selle suhtes, kuidas see raamat kirjutatud oli - leidus ebaloogilisusi, stiil oli kohati kohmakas, mõned tegelased jäid üsna skemaatilisteks (üks selle loo võtmetegelastest, Zeb, on justkui mingi elusuuruses papist nukk, keda kaasas tassitakse, minu meelest ei ütle ta raamatu teises pooles mitte ühtegi sõna enam?) ja noorte inimeste kirestseenid olid pigem nagu... cringeyd. aga lugu, maailmaehitamine ja enamus tegelasi jällegi korvas selle täiega ja kokku oli väga nauditav lugemine.
alternatiivajalooline aurupunk-Britannia aastal 1836, kuningas on suremas ja noor printsess Victoria troonile tulemas, mereväge peavad inglased ja õhuväge šotlased, tehnoloogiale on lisatud näpuotsatäis maagiat ja see muudab näiteks värskeltleiutatud rongivedurid mässavateks elajateks, keda tuleb jaamades ahelates hoida (aga see-eest võtab sõit Yorkist Londonisse ainult mõned tunnid, mis ei ole päris tavaline isegi meie reaalsuses aastal 2021). tegevus toimub Yorkis aadlike internaatkoolis, peategelane Allie... ei ole aadlik.
see kool on üks veider koht, kuhu on kokku toodud abiellumiseas poisid ja tüdrukud ja siis pandud paika hästi palju kontrollimehhanisme nende lahushoidmiseks, alates rangetest matroonidest (klge, aga ma ei osta absoluutselt seda põhjendust, miks Eloise matroonide kontrollist pääseb!) ja lõpetades harrypotterliku maagilise kaitsega, mis ei lase poisse tüdrukute majatiiba. aga seiklused, mis aset leiavad, meenutavad pigem "Vareste kuut" kui "Harry Potterit" (ja natuke ikkagi ka "Supilinna salaseltsi", sest jälle leiavad kõik täiskasvanud, et tõesti, miks mitte jätta eluohtlikud missioonid pigem kamba alaealiste hooleks, nad ju nii väga tahavad).
nautisin seda, kuidas Allie minevik tasapisi selgub ja kõik justkui ei selgu ka veel. mõnedki ootamatud teemapöörded tekivad selle käigus igatahes. ja lõpp on selline, et juba eelviimast (või sinnakanti) peatükki lugedes läksin ostsin järgmise osa ära, et saaks KOHE teada, kuidas see lugu edasi läheb :) sest... Victoria pole ikka veel troonil ja kas ta üldse saabki sinna?
alternatiivajalooline aurupunk-Britannia aastal 1836, kuningas on suremas ja noor printsess Victoria troonile tulemas, mereväge peavad inglased ja õhuväge šotlased, tehnoloogiale on lisatud näpuotsatäis maagiat ja see muudab näiteks värskeltleiutatud rongivedurid mässavateks elajateks, keda tuleb jaamades ahelates hoida (aga see-eest võtab sõit Yorkist Londonisse ainult mõned tunnid, mis ei ole päris tavaline isegi meie reaalsuses aastal 2021). tegevus toimub Yorkis aadlike internaatkoolis, peategelane Allie... ei ole aadlik.
see kool on üks veider koht, kuhu on kokku toodud abiellumiseas poisid ja tüdrukud ja siis pandud paika hästi palju kontrollimehhanisme nende lahushoidmiseks, alates rangetest matroonidest (klge, aga ma ei osta absoluutselt seda põhjendust, miks Eloise matroonide kontrollist pääseb!) ja lõpetades harrypotterliku maagilise kaitsega, mis ei lase poisse tüdrukute majatiiba. aga seiklused, mis aset leiavad, meenutavad pigem "Vareste kuut" kui "Harry Potterit" (ja natuke ikkagi ka "Supilinna salaseltsi", sest jälle leiavad kõik täiskasvanud, et tõesti, miks mitte jätta eluohtlikud missioonid pigem kamba alaealiste hooleks, nad ju nii väga tahavad).
nautisin seda, kuidas Allie minevik tasapisi selgub ja kõik justkui ei selgu ka veel. mõnedki ootamatud teemapöörded tekivad selle käigus igatahes. ja lõpp on selline, et juba eelviimast (või sinnakanti) peatükki lugedes läksin ostsin järgmise osa ära, et saaks KOHE teada, kuidas see lugu edasi läheb :) sest... Victoria pole ikka veel troonil ja kas ta üldse saabki sinna?
June 23, 2017
I needed something light and fluffy. This hit the target. Here's what you get: a lethal heroine, an equally lethal boyfriend, a group of vapid girls, an exclusive boarding school (where our heroine is out of place), airships, throwing stars, horses, picnics, brilliant nerds, blades, clockwork devices, underworld guilds, secret agents, and corsets. Even better, here's whats missing: vampires, zombies, and all the other supernatural crap.
The plot is a kidnapping. The underlying purpose unclear. The writing is brisk and action driven. Not much time is spent on atmosphere, and there are a few moments of clunky dialogue. There is also a little too much heavy panting and weak knees.
There is nothing original here, but the combination of steampunk elements and plot work seamlessly. The main plot is resolved, but the story arc is not. This is the kind of book that makes me read more steampunk.
We'll see if Ashley can put it down. Hah.
The plot is a kidnapping. The underlying purpose unclear. The writing is brisk and action driven. Not much time is spent on atmosphere, and there are a few moments of clunky dialogue. There is also a little too much heavy panting and weak knees.
There is nothing original here, but the combination of steampunk elements and plot work seamlessly. The main plot is resolved, but the story arc is not. This is the kind of book that makes me read more steampunk.
We'll see if Ashley can put it down. Hah.
April 24, 2021
Go Allie
I was surprised to enjoy this book so much. Allie was smart, intelligent, and dangerous with a blade. It was nice to have a strong young female who didn't fluctuate between being a kick ass female and a whining brat like in a lot of books. There were a few moments that the book could have gone in that direction but didn't. Allie was a refreshing character.
I was surprised to enjoy this book so much. Allie was smart, intelligent, and dangerous with a blade. It was nice to have a strong young female who didn't fluctuate between being a kick ass female and a whining brat like in a lot of books. There were a few moments that the book could have gone in that direction but didn't. Allie was a refreshing character.
December 2, 2014
Loved it! Interesting characters with great chemistry and an exciting alternate universe. I really really hope that a sequel is in the works as I would love to see more from these characters!
February 3, 2020
I love this author's Artifact Hunters series, and when I learned about this new/old book and contacted the author to ask if other versions would be available [I don't have a Kindle] she was kind enough to offer me a digital copy to read. I am delighted to say this is a wonderful story which I hugely enjoyed!
One of the things I especially love about this author's writing is how she creates female characters who are complex and conflicted while also being smart, capable and likable. Allie is all those things and more!
This author also really knows how to write an exciting, suspenseful plot that encourages the reader to keep reading past their bedtime [I certainly did with this story!]. The pacing is the perfect balance of exciting, dramatic moments, and character-driven, emotional moments where the characters get to know each other better.
And while there is a romance included here, that isn't the only kind of emotion I'm talking about. The evolution of the friendship between Allie and Lou, the weird romance between Lou and Zeb, and the family relationship between Jared and Duncan as well offer some lovely entertaining moments as part of this story. Even Allie's unexpected connection with one of Zeb's inventions is sweet and lovely.
The writing flows smoothly and it is very easy to immerse oneself into this world and get connected with all the characters. I love a book so good I can lose myself in it, and that was my experience with this story. I'm already hooked.
Humour is another aspect of this writer's stories that I very much enjoy. There are little moments, or clever repartee between characters, or even just Allie's thoughts and comments to herself that bring flashes of laughter, or just a smile while reading this story. It's done cleverly and well, and really adds to the enjoyment of reading this.
There was really nothing about this book that I didn't like, similar to the Artifact Hunters series [which I HIGHLY recommend if you haven't read it!!]. This book has everything a reader could want, including wonderful, fully-realized world-building, which I am anxious to continue learning about when book 2 in this series is available.
The author told me there would be a wait for the second book, so I knew to expect that, but even so, the main story in this book was properly resolved, which is always a big plus for me when reading a series. I'm fine with some plot threads left unwoven for future books, but I really like it when the author is talented enough to finish the current book while still leaving some things unresolved for the future. This book does both, and very well too!
One of the things I especially love about this author's writing is how she creates female characters who are complex and conflicted while also being smart, capable and likable. Allie is all those things and more!
This author also really knows how to write an exciting, suspenseful plot that encourages the reader to keep reading past their bedtime [I certainly did with this story!]. The pacing is the perfect balance of exciting, dramatic moments, and character-driven, emotional moments where the characters get to know each other better.
And while there is a romance included here, that isn't the only kind of emotion I'm talking about. The evolution of the friendship between Allie and Lou, the weird romance between Lou and Zeb, and the family relationship between Jared and Duncan as well offer some lovely entertaining moments as part of this story. Even Allie's unexpected connection with one of Zeb's inventions is sweet and lovely.
The writing flows smoothly and it is very easy to immerse oneself into this world and get connected with all the characters. I love a book so good I can lose myself in it, and that was my experience with this story. I'm already hooked.
Humour is another aspect of this writer's stories that I very much enjoy. There are little moments, or clever repartee between characters, or even just Allie's thoughts and comments to herself that bring flashes of laughter, or just a smile while reading this story. It's done cleverly and well, and really adds to the enjoyment of reading this.
There was really nothing about this book that I didn't like, similar to the Artifact Hunters series [which I HIGHLY recommend if you haven't read it!!]. This book has everything a reader could want, including wonderful, fully-realized world-building, which I am anxious to continue learning about when book 2 in this series is available.
The author told me there would be a wait for the second book, so I knew to expect that, but even so, the main story in this book was properly resolved, which is always a big plus for me when reading a series. I'm fine with some plot threads left unwoven for future books, but I really like it when the author is talented enough to finish the current book while still leaving some things unresolved for the future. This book does both, and very well too!
March 23, 2021
Steampunk is such a strange world. I'm not sure the fascination with it. Plus there is this world of magic and Lux vs Noctics and then it's in England in the 1800s.
Allie is a girl with an unusual upbringing with great disparity in her formative years. By the time she's 17 she is an accomplished fighter with swords, daggers, throwing stars and hand to hand combat. But no where in her growing up did she ever talk about how she learned all this. So much about her doesn't make sense.
The whole story, while entertaining, is a strange compilation of characters and things and events that as a whole make very little sense. Too many holes in the story.
Allie is a girl with an unusual upbringing with great disparity in her formative years. By the time she's 17 she is an accomplished fighter with swords, daggers, throwing stars and hand to hand combat. But no where in her growing up did she ever talk about how she learned all this. So much about her doesn't make sense.
The whole story, while entertaining, is a strange compilation of characters and things and events that as a whole make very little sense. Too many holes in the story.
February 13, 2023
3.5 stars
Obsidian Eyes is set in a steampunk England and carries hints of mystery and intrigue because of a potentially terrifying new invention if placed in the wrong hands; however, I really don't need more of the "this protagonist is so special because she's different from other girls" trope.
Obsidian Eyes is set in a steampunk England and carries hints of mystery and intrigue because of a potentially terrifying new invention if placed in the wrong hands; however, I really don't need more of the "this protagonist is so special because she's different from other girls" trope.
March 7, 2021
Well Done!
If you like steampunk mixed with a little magic this one's for you. The primary character is well developed and I didn't notice any glaring errors. This has been a enjoyable read.
If you like steampunk mixed with a little magic this one's for you. The primary character is well developed and I didn't notice any glaring errors. This has been a enjoyable read.
March 17, 2021
Great Adventure
Great read. Love the.characters, the sense.of.humor and.the.story Definite steam punk which I.Love. Notjustfor.young adults. Draws you into the storyline. Must.read.
Great read. Love the.characters, the sense.of.humor and.the.story Definite steam punk which I.Love. Notjustfor.young adults. Draws you into the storyline. Must.read.
Want to read
February 26, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/26/2021)! 🎁
February 26, 2021
Very well written, was hard to put down.
September 12, 2021
Steam pinkish
Strong female lead with a Victorian steampunk feel. Not a bad story but Lott’s of plot holes. If you suspend belief it’s enjoyable.
Strong female lead with a Victorian steampunk feel. Not a bad story but Lott’s of plot holes. If you suspend belief it’s enjoyable.
September 22, 2022
Thanks @bookbub for the read.
November 28, 2022
Pretty cool! Can't wait to see what happens next.
April 28, 2014
http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/sea...
I must admit that usually i don't fall many times before to dystopian/steam-punk genre, but as I saw Obsidian Eyes cover I just fell in love . It is so beautiful and I had to read the blurb and all the rest is history... I couldn't stop reading and I must sat that now I want to experience more from A.W. Exley books. The action and the imaginary world that she created and the way the characters seem to leap off from the pages is a real fun. Each character, situation, mechanical invention, and setting brings life to this story. They are all parts of a whole that has such depth and warmth and wonder to it.
The setting is Pre - Victorian England. Girls and guys didn't attend the same schools, and girls certainly didn't take calculus. actually there is a huge gender inequality and of curse boys and girls would never be left alone together without a chaperone. The Social gap is so wide that there would be no way, that commoners will permit to mix with the highest ranking classes (also at school). The nobles also, never give a dam about the poor and were very busy in plotting against princess Victoria (a woman ) to prevent her from being the next ruler of England.
Allie - a seventeen year old with a shadowy past and a very strong, no-nonsense, bad-ass main character. Our heroine had narrowly escaped with her own life, five years prior from , the cruelest prison in England, Newgate, then she used to live in a Harem in Egypt. As a member of one of the under world guilds, she love and has a talent for weapons and martial tactics. Allie was born into a world where loyalty to your own is the only thing that really keeps you from certain death. the under world of the four guilds- The Runners (thieves), The Skin Dancers (assassins), The Grim Reapers (war profiteers), or The Whisperers (spies).
When her poppa, a professor of history, found a job at one of the most prestigious, aristocratic, English boarding school, St Matthews Academy, all these above, would surely, makes her stand out. She will tell you that she is a girl who just happen to have some boundaries issues, especially, around some high noble-blooded personalities, who try to pick on her. A proud girl like her also won't not put her head down in front any male, not like all the females of her time.
Usually guild and nobles are tow different world that don't mix together and this why, Allie fears she's being used by her guild overlord to break a treaty between the guilds and the nobles.
In st. Matthews, Allie found areal companionship with an odd assortment of fellow students - Eloise, her ingenious roommate , who would love to go into biological studies [Dr. Frankenstein in the making? ;)], Zeb, a boy who's already finished school, who created interesting and funny mechanical creatures and helps his father with top-secret military projects, Zeb who is totally lost with his social skills, who can't see Eloise's affection for him, and the cousins Duncan and Jared McLaren, Scottish lords who seem interested in Allie for more than just the purpose of learning the guild secrets.
Jared, - the son of the Duke of Lothian, a his father is King Rab’s adviser. As the Marquis of Kerr, he is the one of the highest ranking nobles at school , even if he is a Scottish. He is asked to discover the truth behind Allie's attendance at St. Matthews by their martial tutor. Who also thought that sparring with her, is will improve their both skills. Jared discovered that he and Allie are both equal intellectually, and complementary in there other treats. They also, share the same heart desires, and all this will enhance their feeling to each other....
But....Oh! almost forget to mention a very important fact ! Jared's parent already contract him to another high blood noble, which mean that by the unwritten laws of the society, he totally not available to any other serious relationships. especially with any lowborn female. What he can do - he can flirt, but always he will has to return to his future fiance.
The book starts with Jared's perspective, focusing around him when first introducing the reader to Allie, and then it switches to Allie. Later in the book, we will get a few more glimpses of Jared's thoughts but they are rather brief. I would loved to see more of him. What made baffled about him - (a) his apparent choice of weapon, a katana instead of a more traditionally Scottish weapon such as the broadsword or a Scottish long sword. (b) his totally lake of involvement in preventing his future fiance Madeline's bulling of Allie.
all along, Allie and her friends she will unfurl the plot that might actually challenge her own personal morals and could change her view regarding that loyalty. It also can threaten her own life in the end.
I must admit that usually i don't fall many times before to dystopian/steam-punk genre, but as I saw Obsidian Eyes cover I just fell in love . It is so beautiful and I had to read the blurb and all the rest is history... I couldn't stop reading and I must sat that now I want to experience more from A.W. Exley books. The action and the imaginary world that she created and the way the characters seem to leap off from the pages is a real fun. Each character, situation, mechanical invention, and setting brings life to this story. They are all parts of a whole that has such depth and warmth and wonder to it.
The setting is Pre - Victorian England. Girls and guys didn't attend the same schools, and girls certainly didn't take calculus. actually there is a huge gender inequality and of curse boys and girls would never be left alone together without a chaperone. The Social gap is so wide that there would be no way, that commoners will permit to mix with the highest ranking classes (also at school). The nobles also, never give a dam about the poor and were very busy in plotting against princess Victoria (a woman ) to prevent her from being the next ruler of England.
Allie - a seventeen year old with a shadowy past and a very strong, no-nonsense, bad-ass main character. Our heroine had narrowly escaped with her own life, five years prior from , the cruelest prison in England, Newgate, then she used to live in a Harem in Egypt. As a member of one of the under world guilds, she love and has a talent for weapons and martial tactics. Allie was born into a world where loyalty to your own is the only thing that really keeps you from certain death. the under world of the four guilds- The Runners (thieves), The Skin Dancers (assassins), The Grim Reapers (war profiteers), or The Whisperers (spies).
When her poppa, a professor of history, found a job at one of the most prestigious, aristocratic, English boarding school, St Matthews Academy, all these above, would surely, makes her stand out. She will tell you that she is a girl who just happen to have some boundaries issues, especially, around some high noble-blooded personalities, who try to pick on her. A proud girl like her also won't not put her head down in front any male, not like all the females of her time.
Usually guild and nobles are tow different world that don't mix together and this why, Allie fears she's being used by her guild overlord to break a treaty between the guilds and the nobles.
In st. Matthews, Allie found areal companionship with an odd assortment of fellow students - Eloise, her ingenious roommate , who would love to go into biological studies [Dr. Frankenstein in the making? ;)], Zeb, a boy who's already finished school, who created interesting and funny mechanical creatures and helps his father with top-secret military projects, Zeb who is totally lost with his social skills, who can't see Eloise's affection for him, and the cousins Duncan and Jared McLaren, Scottish lords who seem interested in Allie for more than just the purpose of learning the guild secrets.
Jared, - the son of the Duke of Lothian, a his father is King Rab’s adviser. As the Marquis of Kerr, he is the one of the highest ranking nobles at school , even if he is a Scottish. He is asked to discover the truth behind Allie's attendance at St. Matthews by their martial tutor. Who also thought that sparring with her, is will improve their both skills. Jared discovered that he and Allie are both equal intellectually, and complementary in there other treats. They also, share the same heart desires, and all this will enhance their feeling to each other....
But....Oh! almost forget to mention a very important fact ! Jared's parent already contract him to another high blood noble, which mean that by the unwritten laws of the society, he totally not available to any other serious relationships. especially with any lowborn female. What he can do - he can flirt, but always he will has to return to his future fiance.
The book starts with Jared's perspective, focusing around him when first introducing the reader to Allie, and then it switches to Allie. Later in the book, we will get a few more glimpses of Jared's thoughts but they are rather brief. I would loved to see more of him. What made baffled about him - (a) his apparent choice of weapon, a katana instead of a more traditionally Scottish weapon such as the broadsword or a Scottish long sword. (b) his totally lake of involvement in preventing his future fiance Madeline's bulling of Allie.
all along, Allie and her friends she will unfurl the plot that might actually challenge her own personal morals and could change her view regarding that loyalty. It also can threaten her own life in the end.
April 11, 2014
http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/201...
I must admit that usually i don't fall many times before to dystopian/steam-punk genre, but as I saw Obsidian Eyes cover I just fell in love . It is so beautiful and I had to read the blurb and all the rest is history... I couldn't stop reading and I must sat that now I want to experience more from A.W. Exley books. The action and the imaginary world that she created and the way the characters seem to leap off from the pages is a real fun. Each character, situation, mechanical invention, and setting brings life to this story. They are all parts of a whole that has such depth and warmth and wonder to it.
The setting is Pre - Victorian England. Girls and guys didn't attend the same schools, and girls certainly didn't take calculus. actually there is a huge gender inequality and of curse boys and girls would never be left alone together without a chaperone. The Social gap is so wide that there would be no way, that commoners will permit to mix with the highest ranking classes (also at school). The nobles also, never give a dam about the poor and were very busy in plotting against princess Victoria (a woman ) to prevent her from being the next ruler of England.
Allie - a seventeen year old with a shadowy past and a very strong, no-nonsense, bad-ass main character. Our heroine had narrowly escaped with her own life, five years prior from , the cruelest prison in England, Newgate, then she used to live in a Harem in Egypt. As a member of one of the under world guilds, she love and has a talent for weapons and martial tactics. Allie was born into a world where loyalty to your own is the only thing that really keeps you from certain death. the under world of the four guilds- The Runners (thieves), The Skin Dancers (assassins), The Grim Reapers (war profiteers), or The Whisperers (spies).
When her poppa, a professor of history, found a job at one of the most prestigious, aristocratic, English boarding school, St Matthews Academy, all these above, would surely, makes her stand out. She will tell you that she is a girl who just happen to have some boundaries issues, especially, around some high noble-blooded personalities, who try to pick on her. A proud girl like her also won't not put her head down in front any male, not like all the females of her time.
Usually guild and nobles are tow different world that don't mix together and this why, Allie fears she's being used by her guild overlord to break a treaty between the guilds and the nobles.
In st. Matthews, Allie found areal companionship with an odd assortment of fellow students - Eloise, her ingenious roommate , who would love to go into biological studies [Dr. Frankenstein in the making? ;)], Zeb, a boy who's already finished school, who created interesting and funny mechanical creatures and helps his father with top-secret military projects, Zeb who is totally lost with his social skills, who can't see Eloise's affection for him, and the cousins Duncan and Jared McLaren, Scottish lords who seem interested in Allie for more than just the purpose of learning the guild secrets.
Jared, - the son of the Duke of Lothian, a his father is King Rab’s adviser. As the Marquis of Kerr, he is the one of the highest ranking nobles at school , even if he is a Scottish. He is asked to discover the truth behind Allie's attendance at St. Matthews by their martial tutor. Who also thought that sparring with her, is will improve their both skills. Jared discovered that he and Allie are both equal intellectually, and complementary in there other treats. They also, share the same heart desires, and all this will enhance their feeling to each other....
But....Oh! almost forget to mention a very important fact ! Jared's parent already contract him to another high blood noble, which mean that by the unwritten laws of the society, he totally not available to any other serious relationships. especially with any lowborn female. What he can do - he can flirt, but always he will has to return to his future fiance.
The book starts with Jared's perspective, focusing around him when first introducing the reader to Allie, and then it switches to Allie. Later in the book, we will get a few more glimpses of Jared's thoughts but they are rather brief. I would loved to see more of him. What made baffled about him - (a) his apparent choice of weapon, a katana instead of a more traditionally Scottish weapon such as the broadsword or a Scottish long sword. (b) his totally lake of involvement in preventing his future fiance Madeline's bulling of Allie.
all along, Allie and her friends she will unfurl the plot that might actually challenge her own personal morals and could change her view regarding that loyalty. It also can threaten her own life in the end.
I must admit that usually i don't fall many times before to dystopian/steam-punk genre, but as I saw Obsidian Eyes cover I just fell in love . It is so beautiful and I had to read the blurb and all the rest is history... I couldn't stop reading and I must sat that now I want to experience more from A.W. Exley books. The action and the imaginary world that she created and the way the characters seem to leap off from the pages is a real fun. Each character, situation, mechanical invention, and setting brings life to this story. They are all parts of a whole that has such depth and warmth and wonder to it.
The setting is Pre - Victorian England. Girls and guys didn't attend the same schools, and girls certainly didn't take calculus. actually there is a huge gender inequality and of curse boys and girls would never be left alone together without a chaperone. The Social gap is so wide that there would be no way, that commoners will permit to mix with the highest ranking classes (also at school). The nobles also, never give a dam about the poor and were very busy in plotting against princess Victoria (a woman ) to prevent her from being the next ruler of England.
Allie - a seventeen year old with a shadowy past and a very strong, no-nonsense, bad-ass main character. Our heroine had narrowly escaped with her own life, five years prior from , the cruelest prison in England, Newgate, then she used to live in a Harem in Egypt. As a member of one of the under world guilds, she love and has a talent for weapons and martial tactics. Allie was born into a world where loyalty to your own is the only thing that really keeps you from certain death. the under world of the four guilds- The Runners (thieves), The Skin Dancers (assassins), The Grim Reapers (war profiteers), or The Whisperers (spies).
When her poppa, a professor of history, found a job at one of the most prestigious, aristocratic, English boarding school, St Matthews Academy, all these above, would surely, makes her stand out. She will tell you that she is a girl who just happen to have some boundaries issues, especially, around some high noble-blooded personalities, who try to pick on her. A proud girl like her also won't not put her head down in front any male, not like all the females of her time.
Usually guild and nobles are tow different world that don't mix together and this why, Allie fears she's being used by her guild overlord to break a treaty between the guilds and the nobles.
In st. Matthews, Allie found areal companionship with an odd assortment of fellow students - Eloise, her ingenious roommate , who would love to go into biological studies [Dr. Frankenstein in the making? ;)], Zeb, a boy who's already finished school, who created interesting and funny mechanical creatures and helps his father with top-secret military projects, Zeb who is totally lost with his social skills, who can't see Eloise's affection for him, and the cousins Duncan and Jared McLaren, Scottish lords who seem interested in Allie for more than just the purpose of learning the guild secrets.
Jared, - the son of the Duke of Lothian, a his father is King Rab’s adviser. As the Marquis of Kerr, he is the one of the highest ranking nobles at school , even if he is a Scottish. He is asked to discover the truth behind Allie's attendance at St. Matthews by their martial tutor. Who also thought that sparring with her, is will improve their both skills. Jared discovered that he and Allie are both equal intellectually, and complementary in there other treats. They also, share the same heart desires, and all this will enhance their feeling to each other....
But....Oh! almost forget to mention a very important fact ! Jared's parent already contract him to another high blood noble, which mean that by the unwritten laws of the society, he totally not available to any other serious relationships. especially with any lowborn female. What he can do - he can flirt, but always he will has to return to his future fiance.
The book starts with Jared's perspective, focusing around him when first introducing the reader to Allie, and then it switches to Allie. Later in the book, we will get a few more glimpses of Jared's thoughts but they are rather brief. I would loved to see more of him. What made baffled about him - (a) his apparent choice of weapon, a katana instead of a more traditionally Scottish weapon such as the broadsword or a Scottish long sword. (b) his totally lake of involvement in preventing his future fiance Madeline's bulling of Allie.
all along, Allie and her friends she will unfurl the plot that might actually challenge her own personal morals and could change her view regarding that loyalty. It also can threaten her own life in the end.
August 17, 2016
This book was part of a blog tour so check by my blog and. The rest of the stops at
I just want to say something and get it out of the way before I start this review. I freaking LOVED Pbsidian Eyes. *flails* #thefeels all that good stuff you would usually put in a tweet to express your inexplicable love for a book.
Anyway, as you may know, I sign up for A LOT of blog tours, and sometimes life gets in the way, and I'm not able to read and review the book by my date, or I don't like it enough to give it a rating if 3 stars or above. I had actually pondered telling Giselle (Xpresso Book Tours coordinator) that I couldn't participate in this tour. I am sure as heck glad I didn't do that now.
How about u let you in on a little secret? I have never read a steampunk book before. When I was asked what steampunk meant, I had absolutely no clue as to what to tell say.
The urban dictionary says it's "A sub genre of speculative fiction usually set in an anachronistic Victorian setting, including science fiction, fantasy, and horror"
Anyway, part of my love for this book is dedicated to the fact that I had never read anything even remotely like this. Yes, there has been the occasionally urban fantasy that's setting was weird, a historical fiction with advance technology, and so forth. But I have never read ANYTHING like Obsidian Eyes.
One of the largest aspects of this book that I enjoyed were the quotes. I think we all know by now that quotes can make or break the rating and my overall opinion of a book. Obsidian Eyes's unique writing style and voice was presented from the very first sentence, and I knew I was in for a treat. You know how I usually have maybe 10 highlights in an e-Copy, a few annotations, etc? I kid you not, I had more than 3 dozen quote highlights alone for this book. Exley's writing was so poetic and euphonium without being the kind of language stuffy English professors use. It's artistic, and beautiful, yet humorous and thrilling.
Jared and Allie's romance is one of the most well crafted I have seen in a long time. There was insta-attraction, but because of boundaries, rules, and more that stood between them, their romantic involvement had to slowly develop and brew. Jared was #swoonworthy and my new book boyfriend. It is so easy to have a first impression of him. Read two sentences and you think you know exactly who he is. On the contrary, it takes time to get to know the layered person he is. You think he is an arrogant, intelligent, Multi-skilled, talented.....you understand my point. But both Allie and the readers find out that he is so much more. Allie definitely held onto her self-respect and didn't go running into his arms like some helpless girl that needs a man to protect her (if anything! she would be protecting the man). She was conscious of her actions, decisions, and thoughts, and was aware that Jared could easily play and break her. Yet, she didn't submit to him, and they were evenly matched in all controllable aspects. When Exley wrote the scenes between the two, the passion they had for each other resonates off of the page. They were strangely erotic, without being graphic in the slightest.
The premise of this book was extraordinary. Exley weaves in the conflicts of upper and lower social classes, underground organizations, 20th century women being strong and independent, ancient Egypt, and much more. There were the guilds consisting of the Runners, Whisperers, Grim Repaers, and Skin Dancers that all have a role to play in this world that is so familiar, yet different compared to our own. There is advanced machinery playing key roles in the plots fuel. There's this.....There's that. An endless amount of threads that make up the tapestry of this truly fantastic novel.
I only had two issues with the entire story. The first, was how unfulfilled I felt at the ending. It was obvious that there would be a sequel (that I have to wait over a year for!), but almsot everything had fallen in to place. The second, was that Allie's best friend, Eloise didn't get the attention of the guy she liked. I know the entire time, I've been saying how independent and strong Allie was, and how she didn't need a man, but Eloise was so lovestruck for Zeb that I was dissapointed when they didn't end up together in the end of book one.
Conclusion: This was one of the best books I have read in 2014. The writing was crafted like slowly churned butter, the romance was like swordplay, the premise was original, and the story itself was phrenomenal.
I just want to say something and get it out of the way before I start this review. I freaking LOVED Pbsidian Eyes. *flails* #thefeels all that good stuff you would usually put in a tweet to express your inexplicable love for a book.
Anyway, as you may know, I sign up for A LOT of blog tours, and sometimes life gets in the way, and I'm not able to read and review the book by my date, or I don't like it enough to give it a rating if 3 stars or above. I had actually pondered telling Giselle (Xpresso Book Tours coordinator) that I couldn't participate in this tour. I am sure as heck glad I didn't do that now.
How about u let you in on a little secret? I have never read a steampunk book before. When I was asked what steampunk meant, I had absolutely no clue as to what to tell say.
The urban dictionary says it's "A sub genre of speculative fiction usually set in an anachronistic Victorian setting, including science fiction, fantasy, and horror"
Anyway, part of my love for this book is dedicated to the fact that I had never read anything even remotely like this. Yes, there has been the occasionally urban fantasy that's setting was weird, a historical fiction with advance technology, and so forth. But I have never read ANYTHING like Obsidian Eyes.
One of the largest aspects of this book that I enjoyed were the quotes. I think we all know by now that quotes can make or break the rating and my overall opinion of a book. Obsidian Eyes's unique writing style and voice was presented from the very first sentence, and I knew I was in for a treat. You know how I usually have maybe 10 highlights in an e-Copy, a few annotations, etc? I kid you not, I had more than 3 dozen quote highlights alone for this book. Exley's writing was so poetic and euphonium without being the kind of language stuffy English professors use. It's artistic, and beautiful, yet humorous and thrilling.
Jared and Allie's romance is one of the most well crafted I have seen in a long time. There was insta-attraction, but because of boundaries, rules, and more that stood between them, their romantic involvement had to slowly develop and brew. Jared was #swoonworthy and my new book boyfriend. It is so easy to have a first impression of him. Read two sentences and you think you know exactly who he is. On the contrary, it takes time to get to know the layered person he is. You think he is an arrogant, intelligent, Multi-skilled, talented.....you understand my point. But both Allie and the readers find out that he is so much more. Allie definitely held onto her self-respect and didn't go running into his arms like some helpless girl that needs a man to protect her (if anything! she would be protecting the man). She was conscious of her actions, decisions, and thoughts, and was aware that Jared could easily play and break her. Yet, she didn't submit to him, and they were evenly matched in all controllable aspects. When Exley wrote the scenes between the two, the passion they had for each other resonates off of the page. They were strangely erotic, without being graphic in the slightest.
The premise of this book was extraordinary. Exley weaves in the conflicts of upper and lower social classes, underground organizations, 20th century women being strong and independent, ancient Egypt, and much more. There were the guilds consisting of the Runners, Whisperers, Grim Repaers, and Skin Dancers that all have a role to play in this world that is so familiar, yet different compared to our own. There is advanced machinery playing key roles in the plots fuel. There's this.....There's that. An endless amount of threads that make up the tapestry of this truly fantastic novel.
I only had two issues with the entire story. The first, was how unfulfilled I felt at the ending. It was obvious that there would be a sequel (that I have to wait over a year for!), but almsot everything had fallen in to place. The second, was that Allie's best friend, Eloise didn't get the attention of the guy she liked. I know the entire time, I've been saying how independent and strong Allie was, and how she didn't need a man, but Eloise was so lovestruck for Zeb that I was dissapointed when they didn't end up together in the end of book one.
Conclusion: This was one of the best books I have read in 2014. The writing was crafted like slowly churned butter, the romance was like swordplay, the premise was original, and the story itself was phrenomenal.
April 19, 2021
DNF - the writing wasn't terrible but it was confusing and generally not very interesting.
May 16, 2022
Loved it! It had exactly the right mix of action, strong heroine and romance I was looking for. Not to mention the steampunkesque setting of 19th century England. On to book 2!
April 5, 2014
In Obsidian Eyes we are delivered right into a world of intrigue, nobles, guilds and danger. Allie, a seventeen-year-old with a big secret is thrust into the world of nobility, at St. Matthews Academy. Where Allie sticks out like a beacon of light in the darkness. In the midst of being bullied by those that see themselves as superior, Allie finds friends in mysterious places and with people who will match her both intellectually and physically. On a mission for the guild, Allie must discover the truth of what is going on, the truth behind her mission and the path she really wants to walk before she loses everything.
Obsidian Eyes is one of the best stories I have read in a while. From the minute Allie graced the pages I was captivated by her quick tongue and lethal skills with a blade. Allie has a complicated story, one in which A.W. Exley does a fantastic job of unraveling throughout the tale, never giving you all the pieces of the puzzle, but just enough to egg you on. But with her easy to read writing style and marvelous dialogue it is easy to forgive her for not giving you all the pieces of the puzzle.
There is a lot going on in this story as we deal with the world of nobility, commoners, military, the guild, science and love. Reading Obsidian Eyes was like reading a book where the past and future collided to create one hell of a ride. Allie's entrance to St. Matthews more than shakes up rigid life of the noble students who grace it's halls. Of course most of the students don't want her there, just a mere commoner they think she is far inferior and doesn't deserve to grace their presence. But Allie is not just a commoner, she is intelligent and as dangerous as any male soldier. She comes from a spotted background and a few people at the Academy are more than curious to know the real reason she is there.
Enter Jared, the son of the Duke of Lothian, and one of the highest ranking nobles at Marquis of Kerr. He is asked to discover the truth behind Allie's attendance at St. Matthews and after sparring with her, is more than eager to get to the bottom of this mysterious girl. As he investigates he discovers that there is more to her than meets the eye and realizes that there is something about her that he just can't seem to forget. As he get's deeper into his mission he realizes that he has some hard decisions to make about his future and what he wants it to be.
Jared and Allie are cast from the same mold. They are both intellectual, quiet, torn by what their heart desires and what duty requires and deadly-- very, very deadly. Obsidian Eyes is a perfect mixture of suspense, action, sci-fi, humor, and romance. It is a great story that stands strong, but begs to have a sequel written and it's characters have weaseled a way into my heart. A.W. Exley weaved this tale perfectly leaving me both satisfied and hungry for more. I loved everything about this story and it is definitely a must devour!
*Received a free copy in exchange for an honest review
Obsidian Eyes is one of the best stories I have read in a while. From the minute Allie graced the pages I was captivated by her quick tongue and lethal skills with a blade. Allie has a complicated story, one in which A.W. Exley does a fantastic job of unraveling throughout the tale, never giving you all the pieces of the puzzle, but just enough to egg you on. But with her easy to read writing style and marvelous dialogue it is easy to forgive her for not giving you all the pieces of the puzzle.
There is a lot going on in this story as we deal with the world of nobility, commoners, military, the guild, science and love. Reading Obsidian Eyes was like reading a book where the past and future collided to create one hell of a ride. Allie's entrance to St. Matthews more than shakes up rigid life of the noble students who grace it's halls. Of course most of the students don't want her there, just a mere commoner they think she is far inferior and doesn't deserve to grace their presence. But Allie is not just a commoner, she is intelligent and as dangerous as any male soldier. She comes from a spotted background and a few people at the Academy are more than curious to know the real reason she is there.
Enter Jared, the son of the Duke of Lothian, and one of the highest ranking nobles at Marquis of Kerr. He is asked to discover the truth behind Allie's attendance at St. Matthews and after sparring with her, is more than eager to get to the bottom of this mysterious girl. As he investigates he discovers that there is more to her than meets the eye and realizes that there is something about her that he just can't seem to forget. As he get's deeper into his mission he realizes that he has some hard decisions to make about his future and what he wants it to be.
Jared and Allie are cast from the same mold. They are both intellectual, quiet, torn by what their heart desires and what duty requires and deadly-- very, very deadly. Obsidian Eyes is a perfect mixture of suspense, action, sci-fi, humor, and romance. It is a great story that stands strong, but begs to have a sequel written and it's characters have weaseled a way into my heart. A.W. Exley weaved this tale perfectly leaving me both satisfied and hungry for more. I loved everything about this story and it is definitely a must devour!
*Received a free copy in exchange for an honest review
April 3, 2014
A diverse narrative:
What set out to be a thriller, ‘Obsidian Eyes’ evolves to incorporate the fantastical, romance and history. Many a time I forgot that this was set in the 1800s and this is definitely why I found this such a diverse narrative. However, I don’t think Exley quite pulls it off as these different genres don’t always successfully fuse together in the plot.
This book reminded me of films such as ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ where it is set in the past but has very modern fighting advancements and fantastical equipment. I always think this is a gamble whether the writer can pull it off and I think in this case, Exley wasn’t wholly successful. Don’t get me wrong, the unusual ideas brought to this story are intriguing, such as Weasel with its bizarre mechanical structure and ability to think independently, or the mechanical messengers that Allie uses. But I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn’t set in present day and whilst there were formal dances, traditional dress and plenty of travel by horse, I think the author needed to stake the time period a lot more firmly.
There is plenty of suggested romance between Allie and Jared and Exley does not give us the complete satisfaction of seeing a happy ending for them at the end of the story. Jared is already promised to marry Allie’s least favourite person, and readers are left wondering how Jared will break this marital contract to pursue his own happiness.
I liked the suggestions Exley gave towards the next book in the series. For instance, young Victoria is soon to be Queen and there are concerns this will not be a safe reign. It is apparent that Allie will be involved in this in the next story whilst also finding out the consequences of her actions in the guild.
I did enjoy reading this book but feel the author tried too hard at creating an alternate 19th century. I think it would have worked better set in present day but understand the emphasis given to social status and politics. The characters were interesting and the final show-down demonstrates that this author has a lot more to offer in the next book of the series.
This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
What set out to be a thriller, ‘Obsidian Eyes’ evolves to incorporate the fantastical, romance and history. Many a time I forgot that this was set in the 1800s and this is definitely why I found this such a diverse narrative. However, I don’t think Exley quite pulls it off as these different genres don’t always successfully fuse together in the plot.
This book reminded me of films such as ‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ where it is set in the past but has very modern fighting advancements and fantastical equipment. I always think this is a gamble whether the writer can pull it off and I think in this case, Exley wasn’t wholly successful. Don’t get me wrong, the unusual ideas brought to this story are intriguing, such as Weasel with its bizarre mechanical structure and ability to think independently, or the mechanical messengers that Allie uses. But I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn’t set in present day and whilst there were formal dances, traditional dress and plenty of travel by horse, I think the author needed to stake the time period a lot more firmly.
There is plenty of suggested romance between Allie and Jared and Exley does not give us the complete satisfaction of seeing a happy ending for them at the end of the story. Jared is already promised to marry Allie’s least favourite person, and readers are left wondering how Jared will break this marital contract to pursue his own happiness.
I liked the suggestions Exley gave towards the next book in the series. For instance, young Victoria is soon to be Queen and there are concerns this will not be a safe reign. It is apparent that Allie will be involved in this in the next story whilst also finding out the consequences of her actions in the guild.
I did enjoy reading this book but feel the author tried too hard at creating an alternate 19th century. I think it would have worked better set in present day but understand the emphasis given to social status and politics. The characters were interesting and the final show-down demonstrates that this author has a lot more to offer in the next book of the series.
This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2014
A sweet, lovely, and action packed YA romance, Obsidian Eyes was a fantastic read. I absolutely loved this book! It was full of secrets, romance, thrills, and I loved every bit of it.
Allie was a lovely heroine. She was a total badass. She was strong, clever, and could fight like nobody's business. There was more to her than it seems at first glance, with all the secrets she keeps. I really liked her. She was a wonderful character.
Jared was the love interest and he was amazing. With how strong-willed Allie was, she needed someone that could be her match and Jared definitely managed to do just that. He was very clever, could match Allie in a fight, and was so sweet when he wanted to be. He had his own secrets and he was a force to be reckoned with when he was determined. I absolutely adored him. He was perfect.
The romance was lovely. Allie and Jared were great together. As I said, they had met their match in each other and they made one hell of an unstoppable team. I thought they were a wonderful couple.
The plot was fast paced and I was hooked the entire way through. There were plenty of secrets and thrills to keep me on the edge of my seat. My only two problems with the book were: 1) the language often slipped to modern and it jarred me out of the historical setting; and 2) near the end, things got a bit scattered and I was lost for a couple of chapters before everything was set back on track. Both were just small annoyances, so they didn't affect my enjoyment of the book very much. I still really enjoyed the story and the ending has me excited to find out what happens next. Can't wait to read book 2!
Obsidian Eyes was a fantastic YA steampunk romance. I loved this book! It was romantic, thrilling, and full of secrets. I enjoyed every minute of the story. YA lovers, this is a book you don't want to miss.
*I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review
Allie was a lovely heroine. She was a total badass. She was strong, clever, and could fight like nobody's business. There was more to her than it seems at first glance, with all the secrets she keeps. I really liked her. She was a wonderful character.
Jared was the love interest and he was amazing. With how strong-willed Allie was, she needed someone that could be her match and Jared definitely managed to do just that. He was very clever, could match Allie in a fight, and was so sweet when he wanted to be. He had his own secrets and he was a force to be reckoned with when he was determined. I absolutely adored him. He was perfect.
The romance was lovely. Allie and Jared were great together. As I said, they had met their match in each other and they made one hell of an unstoppable team. I thought they were a wonderful couple.
The plot was fast paced and I was hooked the entire way through. There were plenty of secrets and thrills to keep me on the edge of my seat. My only two problems with the book were: 1) the language often slipped to modern and it jarred me out of the historical setting; and 2) near the end, things got a bit scattered and I was lost for a couple of chapters before everything was set back on track. Both were just small annoyances, so they didn't affect my enjoyment of the book very much. I still really enjoyed the story and the ending has me excited to find out what happens next. Can't wait to read book 2!
Obsidian Eyes was a fantastic YA steampunk romance. I loved this book! It was romantic, thrilling, and full of secrets. I enjoyed every minute of the story. YA lovers, this is a book you don't want to miss.
*I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review
September 24, 2014
I do like a bit Steampunk. And a YA steampunk novel has the potential to be amazing. Obsidian Eyes was, for me, a little hard to get into. It felt like I was thrust into this new world pretty quickly and given quite a large amount of information in the beginning to find my way. I did enjoy the book, once I got into it – however I’m quite an impatient reader and if this hadn’t been for a tour I might have given up on it sooner, and therefore missed out.
The characters were very YA, and although this could be deemed as cliché, I always find the youth adult dynamics between protagonists welcoming and especially needed when there’s a whole new world, that they are living In, to learn about. This story is told third person and head hops between the characters, which as you probably already know, isn’t my bag. I find it hard to relate to the characters in this way and much prefer first person narrative – this is just me – it has to be a pretty amazingly written book to have me think otherwise.
From a writer’s perspective, the beginning was a bit clunky for me and there was a lot of ‘show don’t tell’ moments. Stray sentences that give us history on characters where they shouldn’t be, is a bit lazy. Don’t tell us the character is military, show us through his stance, his language, or even through a brief mention of it in his dialogue with another character. Once the essential information has been ‘told’ though, the book quickly starts to enter into the ‘show’ phase, which is much better, and held my attention easier.
The front cover is great – definitely will stand out and shows that its YA with a dash of steampunk, so two thumbs up on this.
Overall I’d give Obsidian Eyes 3 out 5 stars – if you’re looking for something different and want to expand your YA tastes, then pick it up today.
The characters were very YA, and although this could be deemed as cliché, I always find the youth adult dynamics between protagonists welcoming and especially needed when there’s a whole new world, that they are living In, to learn about. This story is told third person and head hops between the characters, which as you probably already know, isn’t my bag. I find it hard to relate to the characters in this way and much prefer first person narrative – this is just me – it has to be a pretty amazingly written book to have me think otherwise.
From a writer’s perspective, the beginning was a bit clunky for me and there was a lot of ‘show don’t tell’ moments. Stray sentences that give us history on characters where they shouldn’t be, is a bit lazy. Don’t tell us the character is military, show us through his stance, his language, or even through a brief mention of it in his dialogue with another character. Once the essential information has been ‘told’ though, the book quickly starts to enter into the ‘show’ phase, which is much better, and held my attention easier.
The front cover is great – definitely will stand out and shows that its YA with a dash of steampunk, so two thumbs up on this.
Overall I’d give Obsidian Eyes 3 out 5 stars – if you’re looking for something different and want to expand your YA tastes, then pick it up today.
April 22, 2014
I love books that are different. Books that have their own personality. Books that do not sound generic or 'been there done that'. So when I read the blurb of this one before reading it, I immediately knew this was one worth the read. It also kind of helped that I totally fell in love with the feline-looking creature on the cover. (Don't judge me...It's cuteness cannot be helped...)
I do not normally use the word exquisite when doing reviews. But in some cases it is the exact word that best fits, and for this particular book that is exactly the case. The imagery and the world that was created and the way the characters seem to leap off the pages is just plain exquisite. I mean, the author did such a beautiful job weaving this tale that at the end I was almost speechless.
I absolutely adore the main character, Allie. She is a no-nonsense type of girl who just happens to love her weapons. What girl doesn't? Well...most of the other girls at St Matthew's for starters. I love the fact that Allie is so inherently different from those other girls, because it makes her stand out. She is so outspoken and tough and confident on the outside, but there is a bigger fight going on inside of her. She was born into a world where loyalty to your own is the only thing that really keeps you from certain death. But the friends she makes at St Matthews and the unfurling of a plot that might actually challenge her own personal morals could change her view regarding that loyalty, and could very well mean her life in the end.
Each character, situation, mechanical invention, and setting brings life to this story. They are all parts of a whole that has such depth and warmth and wonder to it. It is truly an awesome book. And I mean that in the true definition of the word.
I do not normally use the word exquisite when doing reviews. But in some cases it is the exact word that best fits, and for this particular book that is exactly the case. The imagery and the world that was created and the way the characters seem to leap off the pages is just plain exquisite. I mean, the author did such a beautiful job weaving this tale that at the end I was almost speechless.
I absolutely adore the main character, Allie. She is a no-nonsense type of girl who just happens to love her weapons. What girl doesn't? Well...most of the other girls at St Matthew's for starters. I love the fact that Allie is so inherently different from those other girls, because it makes her stand out. She is so outspoken and tough and confident on the outside, but there is a bigger fight going on inside of her. She was born into a world where loyalty to your own is the only thing that really keeps you from certain death. But the friends she makes at St Matthews and the unfurling of a plot that might actually challenge her own personal morals could change her view regarding that loyalty, and could very well mean her life in the end.
Each character, situation, mechanical invention, and setting brings life to this story. They are all parts of a whole that has such depth and warmth and wonder to it. It is truly an awesome book. And I mean that in the true definition of the word.
April 25, 2014
This is the first I have read anything by this author for young adults and may indeed be her first foray into this genre. I absolutely loved The Artifact Hunter’s series that she is writing so I thought I would try this one. I got it through the Amazon Prime loaning program so I didn’t actually pay for it and I am glad because I really didn’t love it. I like the premise but the execution was off.
The world is split into people who belong either to the nobles or the guild. This book follows two teenagers. One girl who is part of the guild although in what capacity isn’t revealed until later in the book. She has someone been granted admission into a school for noble kids. The other is a guy who is a noble and betrothed to a nasty piece of work. They meet when sparing and Jared is intrigued. He doesn’t know girls who can fight. Allie soon learns she has been sent for a reason and must decide between loyalties with her new friends or her life.
There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed, but overall it was the type of book I had no problem putting down and not picking back up for a while. It read very flat and one dimensional most of the time. The ending happened too abruptly. It is obvious it is being set up for a series, but there were too many things that felt unresolved. I was actually startled to turn the page and learn it was the end. The one thing I loved was Weasel. I hope to read more about him
I am not sure if I will read the next installment. There are so many good books out there calling my name. But I did love the authors other series so I am not sure I am ready to give up on this one.
To read more reviews for this author, visit my blog at: http://bibliobibulireviews.blogspot.com/
The world is split into people who belong either to the nobles or the guild. This book follows two teenagers. One girl who is part of the guild although in what capacity isn’t revealed until later in the book. She has someone been granted admission into a school for noble kids. The other is a guy who is a noble and betrothed to a nasty piece of work. They meet when sparing and Jared is intrigued. He doesn’t know girls who can fight. Allie soon learns she has been sent for a reason and must decide between loyalties with her new friends or her life.
There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed, but overall it was the type of book I had no problem putting down and not picking back up for a while. It read very flat and one dimensional most of the time. The ending happened too abruptly. It is obvious it is being set up for a series, but there were too many things that felt unresolved. I was actually startled to turn the page and learn it was the end. The one thing I loved was Weasel. I hope to read more about him
I am not sure if I will read the next installment. There are so many good books out there calling my name. But I did love the authors other series so I am not sure I am ready to give up on this one.
To read more reviews for this author, visit my blog at: http://bibliobibulireviews.blogspot.com/
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