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

May 25, 2011 Gabby rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, action-adventure, e-books, young-adult, sci-fi, series

Book review originally posted here

i just recently finished the e-novella of this book (the strange case of finley Jayne) and i was really ecstatic for this book, good thing netgalley grant my request for a copy of this book, gee! a million thanks to netgalley!!! yay! yay!

this book is actually set from the 1800s where girls wore fine and sophisticated dresses and guys are chivalrous and ware tux and a baler hat instead of a shirt and jeans, don't let the setting of the book fool you, the book is Book review originally posted here

i just recently finished the e-novella of this book (the strange case of finley Jayne) and i was really ecstatic for this book, good thing netgalley grant my request for a copy of this book, gee! a million thanks to netgalley!!! yay! yay!

this book is actually set from the 1800s where girls wore fine and sophisticated dresses and guys are chivalrous and ware tux and a baler hat instead of a shirt and jeans, don't let the setting of the book fool you, the book is not as timid or wholesome as girls and guys from the 1800s act this book is actually filled with action and mystery and it's like classic hits modern kind of thing, and i enjoyed reading this one, every single page is such a ride for me... many things are new to me like automatons and a human androids and i thought i won't be surprised of the flow of the story cause i just read the prequel of the book, but man i was wrong! the conspiracy,the lies,the mystery are just too shocking to take. there was never a boring moment on this book

the characters have a variety of style , each one of them has their own individualism and trait and i really like that they also posses supernatural powers like Finley who has superhuman strength and Griffin who can able to walk through the world of the dead and Emily! oh i really like Emily! she reminds me of Hermione from the Harry Potter series, and also Sam the half man,half machine... i like it that the main characters can somehow be the bad guy (like Sam). and the minor characters of the book is likable also. :)

i gave the book 4 stars cause even though i like the whole book and everything what it's lacking is the romance, sure Emily and Sam take their relationship to the next level, but i never get to see Finley and Griffin take their unrequited love to the next level. aww...

since i like this book, i think i'm gonna explore more books from the steampunk genre, i think i'll try to read the Clockwork Angel by Cassie Clare.

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woah! girls in corset can surely kick arse! LOL

--- Review to come. :) ...more

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Apr 18, 2011 AtenRa rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-fiction, steampunk

I have never read steampunk before, so that makes The Girl With The Steel Corset my first one. I didn't know what to expect at first and honestly, I had second thoughts about requesting it from NetGalley, because I wasn't so sure how a historical YA romance could be given an industrial feel and still be able to not sound ridiculous. Turned out TGITSC was a far cry from ridiculous!

Kady Cross did an awesome job building this semi - futuristic world in the late 1800s. In one hand you have women wal I have never read steampunk before, so that makes The Girl With The Steel Corset my first one. I didn't know what to expect at first and honestly, I had second thoughts about requesting it from NetGalley, because I wasn't so sure how a historical YA romance could be given an industrial feel and still be able to not sound ridiculous. Turned out TGITSC was a far cry from ridiculous!

Kady Cross did an awesome job building this semi - futuristic world in the late 1800s. In one hand you have women walking around in gowns with puffed elbows, ribbons and all that and on the other you see automatons, robot - like creatures made of steel and iron, which are made to serve humans and basically do their bidding.
Thanks to Cross's skillful writing, you are always well aware that what you're reading is indeed historical, despite the industrial and futuristic add ons here and there.
Also the story is brilliant, full of intrigue and twists at every corner. It is apparent that the plot is very well thought out by Cross and that she didn't leave anything to chance.

I liked all the characters in TGITSC. Women kicked major ass maybe even more than men. What I like about the characters is that they are quite a bunch of them, 3 women and 5 men, and they each have a distinct voice and character. It's not like one of those books in which after a while everyone seems blurry and hazy and you're having trouble remembering their names.
Also, TGWTSC has a lot of romances to choose from, so I guess even the most demanding reader will be satisfied. Especially when same people are part of various (potential)romances...
My personal favourite is Sam. And Jasper. And Dandy. And Griff. Ugh.
Ok Sam. I've decided. He is well-built, freakishly tall, kinda monster of a man, with a tortured soul. I was sold right from the start!

Overall, although I wished it was maybe 100 pages shorter, I really enjoyed The Girl With The Steel Corset. I think it's an awesome steampunk debut and one that I recommend to anyone that has never read steampunk and is willing to start!

How amazing is this cover?

This book has been given to me by NetGalley, free of charge. ...more

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May 01, 2011 Aimee rated it liked it

Shelves: 2011

This was my second steampunk novel and so far I'm not totally sure what I think of the genre. This, to me, was hard to read. It was very detailed oriented, I found myself skimming bits and pieces here and there to get to the story. I was expecting a fast pace novel for the plot of this book. While it wasn't at a crawl, it wasn't at a gallop either.

I liked the story, even though I had a hard time with all the details. The plot was really interesting to me. The idea of the 'Little Beasties' was in ...more

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Mar 01, 2011 Cyle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: magical, ya, steampunk

GENRE: Young Adult,
RECEIVED: Copy from Harlequin
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
DATE POSTED ON BLOG: April 4th

REVIEW:
I was so excited that I received a copy of Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross! First off the cover was amazing, but the story intrigued me even more and boy was it brilliant!

Set in 1897 in a Victorian Steampunk England we are introduced to a young girl named Finely, who isn’t your average sixteen year old. You see, Finley has a side to her that she can’t control nor can GENRE: Young Adult,
RECEIVED: Copy from Harlequin
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
DATE POSTED ON BLOG: April 4th

REVIEW:
I was so excited that I received a copy of Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross! First off the cover was amazing, but the story intrigued me even more and boy was it brilliant!

Set in 1897 in a Victorian Steampunk England we are introduced to a young girl named Finely, who isn’t your average sixteen year old. You see, Finley has a side to her that she can’t control nor can she understand. You can call her a female Jekyll and Hyde, when she loses her temper she loses control of her other half, which gets her into a bit of a bad situation with a rich arrogant man. This causes Finely to run, and run into a young Duke who has his own secrets, as well as is friends.

Griffin King offers to help Finley, being one of the most powerful men in Britain, who wouldn’t say yes. Along with his friends Sam who is a lot of something else that makes him powerful, Emily who can whip up any mechanical thing near her, and Griffins Aunt whom I loved and was angry at a lot through the book.

Together this group helps the Queen of England track down the notorious criminal known as The Machinist. His trusty machines that he builds threaten the country and almost took Sam’s life. As the story moves along, Griffin and Finley don’t just discover the attraction towards each other they discover their past are connected as well.

Plus the mysterious and handsome Jack comes into the picture to ruffle up some feather with Griffin because of Jacks interest with Finely. I can’t wait to learn more about his character; I wished I figured out a bit more on him. I actually liked how to romantic interest weren’t forced and that the author Kady Cross gives Finley time to make her choice.

Lots of action, drama and a bit of romance, this bundle of wonderful characters is so original and astounding that I couldn’t stop reading. I loved the interactions between Griffin and Finley, their adventures together I can’t wait to continue into the next book. Plus you can’t go wrong when the lead female character kicks some serious butt. The authors style and how it was written was so much fun, each character has to deal with so much going with themselves and the world around them.. Now, I wonder how much Ill need to beg to get some details on the second Steampunk Chronicles.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult novel, with violence and lots of action! Recommended to Fans of Cassandra Clare and Melissa Marr will love this!
...more

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May 07, 2011 Ashley rated it it was amazing

LOVE. That is what I have for this book. Just mountains and mountains of love. Kady Cross answered all of my prayers to the book gods by writing this book. Steampunk is one of my favorite genres ever, but it’s very neglected in the YA market. The Girl in the Steel Corset is just the novel to change that. This novel will most certainly help YA Steampunk realize its full potential!

Set in a richly described steampunk London, the story starts off with a bang as we see Finley fighting her would-be-ag LOVE. That is what I have for this book. Just mountains and mountains of love. Kady Cross answered all of my prayers to the book gods by writing this book. Steampunk is one of my favorite genres ever, but it’s very neglected in the YA market. The Girl in the Steel Corset is just the novel to change that. This novel will most certainly help YA Steampunk realize its full potential!

Set in a richly described steampunk London, the story starts off with a bang as we see Finley fighting her would-be-aggressor, a very rich and powerful—and dangerous—Lord Felix. This is where we first see her ‘dark side’, and I was immediately intrigued. Strong female heroines are the one thing that is an automatic like for me in a novel; but Finley redefined the word strong! She was both tough in character, and tough enough to take on even the biggest and strongest men. Of course, she’s frightened by this side of her that she isn’t able to control very well. It’s almost like a dual personality—very Dr. Jekkel and Mr. Hyde, which was actually mentioned in the novel. Finley must learn to unite the two halves of her before her dark side does something everyone will regret.

When Finley runs away after beating Lord Felix to an unconscious pulp… she gets hit my none other than the Duke of Greythorne, Griffin King. Griffin is eighteen years old, orphaned three years prior, and he takes Finley back to his house unconscious so that he can be sure she’s unharmed. It’s there that Finley meets the ragtag team of misfits that all seem to have special abilities as well. There’s Sam, Griffin’s best friend, who is unusually strong… and not entirely human. Emily, a sweet young Irish girl who has much more ingenuity and intelligence than almost everyone else, and who has a strange affinity for all things mechanical. Jasper, an American cowboy that can move faster than you can blink. Griffin himself seems the most gifted of all, with the ability to tap into the Aether, the world of the dead which rests like a layer of unseen film over the living world. I thought Kady’s quirky cast of characters meshed well together, even those that didn’t get along very well, such as Sam and Finley. They each had a defining personality, and each had their time in the limelight.

The novel was told in the perspectives of several of the main characters, which is a good and bad thing. It gives different little pieces of the puzzle and leads you to make your own conclusions, which is great, but at the same time, it takes longer to become attached to characters. But overall, the narration flowed well. I enjoyed Griffin’s voice the most, he just had a way of thinking that made me enjoy his parts.

Romance wasn’t a main part in the novel, but the way has been paved for a romance in future books. Finley is definitely attracted to Griffin, ever the gentleman, but is also mighty attracted to Jack Dandy, the most notorious crime lord in all of England, and the polar opposite of Griffin. I personally loved both men, but I swayed a bit more towards Jack. Even though he wasn’t in the book too much compared to Griffin, he still had a distinct personality, not to mention his distinct style of talking. He spoke in an awesome Cockney accent, and honestly, Cockney accents are hot.

I am so, so excited to read the next book, I can’t wait to see what happens! Even though the story ended off with a new problem for these friends to face, I can’t help but get the feeling that their old problems haven’t gone away like they think. I can’t wait! I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars. ...more

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Apr 08, 2011 Kristina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley-reviews

What I Liked

Steampunk
I have found a new genre to read! I love the clothes, the corsets and heels and the manners of the characters. They are proper, but they push the lines and I like that about them. Too proper of characters kinda bug me. The melding of technology, science, history and fiction is perfect. The use of natural chemicals that alters the genes is a fantastic twist. As Kady Cross put it her series is a melding of The League of Extraordinary Gentleman meets X-Men, what a perfect combi ...more

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Feb 17, 2011 Kai rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, teens, 2011-tbr-pile

Review posted at Amaterasu Reads

Finley Jayne is not normal. She knows it, she feels it. Finley struggles to tame her "dark side" whenever it comes out, but she's been let go in her jobs because of it. When a young master of the house tries to take advantage of her, Finley got beaten up, escaped, and fell into the hands of Griffin King, The Duke of Greythorne. Griffin knew Finley was different, but instead of treating her like a freak, Griffin wants her to be a part of his home, one composed Review posted at Amaterasu Reads

Finley Jayne is not normal. She knows it, she feels it. Finley struggles to tame her "dark side" whenever it comes out, but she's been let go in her jobs because of it. When a young master of the house tries to take advantage of her, Finley got beaten up, escaped, and fell into the hands of Griffin King, The Duke of Greythorne. Griffin knew Finley was different, but instead of treating her like a freak, Griffin wants her to be a part of his home, one composed of people with strange abilities. As Finley struggles to take control of her two selves, she found secrets about herself with the help of Griffin, but can she help him with his duty of protecting their country, or be a threat to everyone instead?

I was introduced to Finley when I've read the prequel, and I share Griffin's fascination with her. It was like fate itself brought her into his arms when he run her over with his velocycle. Griffin knew Finley was like him, unique, different. Finley's allure to the readers stems from her two personalities, one calm and the other violent and strong. It was this two halves that make her the charming, determined girl who just wants to feel complete. Strong and tough when she needs to be, witty, and a great strength of character, Finley is a breath of fresh air as far as heroines are concerned. Who has the guts to dress in masculine clothes, let alone spar in jiujitsu with a man? Only she can do that! While wearing a steel corset!

Despite the abilities that makes Finley seem less human, Kady Cross provided her with a great backstory that links her to Griffin and Jack, and with these two guys readers get to see Finley not as a "freak", but as a girl, a teenager, torn between pursuing a man who accepts her dark side, and one who wants to help her overcome it.

Griffin on the other hand has his own secrets to hide. He was the Duke of Greythorne, the elusive, wealthy noble who protects their country. Griffin comes across as someone who has to grow up at a young age, assuming responsibilities fit for someone much older, but Griff does his job with great ease. He was intelligent, gorgeous, has a great sense of humor and an open heart. Down to earth Griff isn't hard to love and is a great male lead!

I am, however, greatly frustrated with the romance in this book. Despite the countless show of tender emotion (like faith, trust) and jealousy between Griff and Jack, nothing really happens. It felt a bit disappointing to think that the reason Griff was staying away from Finley was because of their differences in stature, but even if that's not the case, I find Griff's attitude towards building any romantic relationship with Finley very confusing and slow. He likes her but he's not doing enough to make something out of what they have. Stuck halfway between being friends and being something more. There was a lot left to be desired when it comes to Finley and Griff's feelings for each other and I hope they make significant progress in the next book.

Great supporting characters contributes greatly in the overall success of the plot. Kady Cross was able to give adequate time for the other characters to develop. Emily, Jackson and Sam are all great characters. The love triangle between the three is a welcome distraction if you are getting frustrated with Finley and Griffin. Sam, however, is a character I dislike. A guy blinded by jealousy, he spent most of his time wallowing when he was saved by turning him into a humanoid and got duped by the villain his group was supposed to get rid of. He was an asset who became a great liability.

1897 England felt like a whole new world for me. Kady Cross made me fell in love with this world filled with automatons, a cross between new and old, an era ahead of its time. The Girl In The Steel Corset has a steady, easy going pace that will suck you in, one page at a time, until you find yourself fully immersed in a world made convenient by machines, one being gradually transformed by technology into a modern society like ours today.

If you are craving for heart stopping action, danger, great surprises and machines capable of tearing the life out of you, then The Girl In The Steel Corset is for you! If you're looking for headstrong heroines and manic villains, this book is for you! If you're looking for charming lords with stubborn, but supportive friends, this book is for you! And if you are looking for a great book to start your journey into the steampunk world, this is definitely the book you have to pick up!

Thrilling, enjoyable and wonderful. What a way to introduce yourself into the Young Adult writing world, Ms. Kady Cross! ...more

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Feb 20, 2011 ILoveBooks rated it it was ok

http://livetoread-krystal.blogspot.co...

This is part of a new genre, Steampunk. The reader's first impression of the novel will be...that not much is different from, say, fantasy or just plain young adult. This novel was interesting in that the author seemed to know a fair amount about machines; however, it was very confusing in some parts. The main character, Finley, is a ballsy character in some portions of the novel, and, at random, it will seem as if her courage peters out...for instance, th ...more

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Feb 23, 2011 Jessica at Book Sake rated it it was amazing

I haven’t read too many steam punk books, yet. I say yet, because this one was so freaking good. The author is so attentive to the details of the clothing that it makes me wish I could wear everything described everyday. (I can’t…the labs and clinicals just wouldn’t allow the boots laced to my knees, corsets, etc.) I can dream though, and my closet would be filled with both the girls and the boys clothing. Sigh. The world these characters live in is equally great, filled with intricate descripti ...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Michelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-on-blog, own

I'm so glad I finished reading this book! It started a little slow for me and it took like 90 or so pages for me to become interested. This is pretty strange for me. Normally I know within the first 25-50 pages if I am going to like a book or not. Had I gone by my impression after the first 50 pages I probably would have just stopped reading. Not that the beginning of the book was bad or anything, but it just didn't grab me and immerse me into it's world. It was just pretty slow. But I decided t ...more

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