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

Kady Cross

Start date: November 1, 2013

Finish date: November 30, 2013

Why we're reading this: It won the poll for the themed BOTM
Theme: steampunk
[close] It won the poll for the themed BOTM
Theme: steampunk

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Aug 20, 2011 Paperback Princess rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, library

Originally posted at Paperback Princess to view in it's entirety pls click here.

Finley Jane, a Lady's maid in 1897 London fights with a darker and dangerous entity within, one that comes out when she feels threatened. Lord Felix, the son of her Employer was unfortunate enough to feel the wrath of this "other side" of Finley when he tries to take advantage of her. Finley finds herself standing beside an unconscious Lord, mere moments after her anger overtook her. Finley's "other side" decides for Originally posted at Paperback Princess to view in it's entirety pls click here.

Finley Jane, a Lady's maid in 1897 London fights with a darker and dangerous entity within, one that comes out when she feels threatened. Lord Felix, the son of her Employer was unfortunate enough to feel the wrath of this "other side" of Finley when he tries to take advantage of her. Finley finds herself standing beside an unconscious Lord, mere moments after her anger overtook her. Finley's "other side" decides for them both that it's best to run away from the situation, a situation that could have her arrested...or worse!

Griffin King, Duke of Greythorne and his childhood best friend Samuel Morgan are riding around in their velocycle when they literally run over a girl. The danger oozing from the unconscious girl attracts Griffin in a strange, magnetic way and he finds himself wanting to look after the girl, while his friend does all to dissuade him from taking in more "problems".

Griffin and his friends; Samuel, Emily O'Brien and Jasper Reen have been investigating recent criminal activities within London. Activities that are being perpetuated by automatons (robots) and Peelers (Police) believe that it's a character that calls himself "The Machinist".

The group soon realises that the girl Griff brought home is no ordinary maid, they soon see the advantage in her joining their team. Sam on the other hand has a strong dislike for the girl that he fails to trust, he will do anything to ensure that his friends are safe, even if that means getting rid of Finley Jane.

According to the author, Kady Cross, this book is a cross between "The League of Extraordinary Gentleman" and the "XMen", this is the perfect description of this book. Whilst I was highly intrigued by this book due to it's enticing title, beautiful cover and interesting synopsis, I was slightly disappointed. This is my first adventure into the steampunk genre so I don't really have anything to compare it to, but I still gave it 4/5 in Goodreads.

I certainly didn't dislike it, but I had such high expectations for this book that it slightly disappointed when it didn't meet my expectations. I think that's the problem when books are publicised so much, readers end up having unrealistic expectations.

I did like the idea of the world that Cross created, it was very original and I'm sure that in Book 2 this series will be more intense. My favourite aspect of the story are it's characters, they were so likeable and their friendship and team work is what keeps you turning the pages, you just want to see what happens to each of the characters.

The mystery in the book was quite good too, it unfolds in perfect timing. However, once the perpetrator's character makes the appearance in the book, I kind of guessed he was "The Machinist".

This book is what made me decide on the mini-review as I have wrongly judged "first books" in a series before, only to be proven wrong when the consecutive books in the series are released. So I will leave it for now, till book 2... ...more

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May 29, 2012 Book Sp(l)ot rated it really liked it

Shelves: series, 2011-release, challenge-big-books

"There's a darkness within me something I can't always control.

If you like a girl with a secret side, you're gonna love me..."

There's something special about a book that can fulfill the declaration made on its back (or inside) cover. Kady Cross' The Girl in the Steel Corset does just that and more.

Finley Jayne, just sixteen, is already convinced that she's a freak and that there's no one else in London - or, likely, the world - like her. After all, no one else has two sides to themselves: one t ...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Sherry Rampey rated it really liked it

Finny, Sam, Emily, Jasper, and Griffin have all been changed by the Oraganites, but who has changed for the better?

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Sep 15, 2013 Cheryl rated it really liked it

I felt like she did a poor job of explaining how the automatons came into being or how the world there was so different from the world here. But I liked it enough to keep reading the series, and I liked it a lot! So after 250 pages of this story, I kept holding on and ended up liking it.

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