Author: Kady Cross
Publisher: Harlequin
Distributor: ePubPh
Distributor Price: N/A
Date of Publication: Copyright 2011
Illustration by: Unknown
Number of Pages: N/A
Time Taken to Read: 1 Day
ISBN: 978-4592-0414-0
Genre: Young Adult / Dystopian Society / Fiction / Sci-Fi


Summary 📝

At first glance, Finley Jayne appears to be an ordinary young woman—soft-spoken and delicate-looking. But beneath her unassuming exterior lies extraordinary strength, the kind that can stop wild mechanical horses in their tracks. This superhuman ability once cost her a job, and now, it seems destined to put her in the crosshairs of trouble yet again.

When aristocrat Lady Morton offers Finley a position as a companion to debutante Phoebe—newly engaged to the wealthy and brilliant Lord Vincent—Finley jumps at the opportunity. But her initial excitement is quickly replaced by suspicion. Something about Lord Vincent, despite his charm and intellect, raises alarm bells. Finley begins to fear that Phoebe might be in grave danger.

As Finley uncovers Lord Vincent’s sinister secrets, she finds herself faced with a choice: to expose his monstrous motives or protect Phoebe at all costs. Her remarkable strength might just be the key to saving her friend—but it could also land her in serious peril.

My Thoughts 🤔☕

With rain pouring down all day and the clock reading 7:46 PM as I started this book, I decided to lose myself in The Steampunk Chronicles by Kady Cross.

What did I think? Well, the vibe of the book reminds me of Will Smith's Wild Wild West but set in England with futuristic robots running amok. Imagine sprinkling in a dash of The Avengers—Finley Jayne is like Bruce Banner, minus the green Hulk transformation. When danger strikes, her inner strength kicks in, and she can take down villains single-handedly.

While the concept is intriguing, I couldn’t help but notice some clichés. The storyline felt a bit predictable: pretty young girl, evil characters, superpowers, happy ending. I didn’t exactly find myself on the edge of my seat. Perhaps I’ve seen too many animated films with similar plots.

That said, the book was entertaining enough to keep me hooked for 4-5 hours on this cold, lazy, bed-weather day. I even caught myself imagining the characters with British accents and envisioning their Victorian-inspired outfits. Finley’s fight scenes? Totally animated in my head. Oh, and yes, I snacked on my leftover kettle corn while reading. 🍿

Would I Recommend or Buy? 🛒📖

Would I buy this book? Probably! The paperback would make a great addition to my collection. There’s something special about flipping through physical pages and sliding in cute bookmarks. The cover art is quite cool, too. While the book isn’t groundbreaking, it’s perfect for rainy days when you just need a light, fun read.

Oh, and on a side note: I really need to get my tablet’s touchscreen fixed. 😩
Final Verdict: 🌟🌟🌟☆ (3.5/5)

A fun, light steampunk read that younger audiences might appreciate more. It entertained me, but I wasn’t blown away.