Really this is a review on Clockwork Boys and The Wonder Engine since they are just one book that has been chopped into two. One really doesn’t work without the other, it’s one of my pet peeves but more on that later.
I just recently read these books by T Kingfisher, I have heard of this author before, this is just the first book by her that I happened upon. Yes I am going to refer to it as one book since they are basically a 600 page novel cut in half. Here is the blurb for each:
Clockwork Boys first..
A paladin, an assassin, a forger, and a scholar ride out of town. It’s not the start of a joke, but rather an espionage mission with deadly serious stakes. T. Kingfisher’s new novel begins the tale of a murderous band of criminals (and a scholar), thrown together in an attempt to unravel the secret of the Clockwork Boys, mechanical soldiers from a neighboring kingdom that promise ruin to the Dowager’s city.
If they succeed, rewards and pardons await, but that requires a long journey through enemy territory, directly into the capital. It also requires them to refrain from killing each other along the way! At turns darkly comic and touching, Clockwork Boys puts together a broken group of people trying to make the most of the rest of their lives as they drive forward on their suicide mission.
The Wonder Engine next.
Pull three people out of prison–a disgraced paladin, a convicted forger, and a heartless assassin. Give them weapons, carnivorous tattoos, and each other. Point them at the enemy.
What could possibly go wrong?In the sequel to CLOCKWORK BOYS, Slate, Brenner, Caliban and Learned Edmund have arrived in Anuket City, the source of the mysterious Clockwork Boys. But the secrets they’re keeping could well destroy them, before the city even gets the chance…
Alright the good first. I really liked T Kingfisher as a writer. The style was well done, the characters, though their background wasn’t always explained, always had me engaged and I found the world believable.
Okay to be honest I was thrown off by the title at first, I thought there would be some boys that would be called the Clockwork Boys (yeah not even close) but she sold me on the whole idea of the world and the villains. The first scene in the prison, I LOVED IT! Sold me on two of the characters for the rest of the book, don’t know why, so that alone help you see that T Kingfisher knows what she is doing.
Which brings me to my next point. Why is this two books?
It is literally one story and together it would make about a 600 page novel. If that seems daunting the last three books I read were 619, 402, and 465. I don’t care if you kept every word just keep them together!
In the end I did enjoy this “book” and am planning on reading T Kingfisher again. So I guess despite all my ranting she still sold me.
In my first year of blogging I use to put out a list of the books I was looking forward to for the next month and I kinda just stopped..well I miss it! So here is my picks for August, some that I’ve per-ordered already and some that I will wait patiently to get from the library.
I need this book now!!!!
It’s funny that Les just talked about not reading the end of a series because this is the last book in the Kate Daniels series and I wouldn’t miss it for anything. Ilona Andrews is in my top three for writers and Kate Daniels has consistently been one of my favorite series for years. This book drops on August 28th, but I will be up August 27th to start this. I wish I could take a sick day in advance.
This book I ordered the second Bec McMaster informed me that I could. I love her steampunk world and her writing and this spinoff of the London Steampunk series is just as amazing. This is an auto read for me and will download onto my kindle on the 14th of August.
This one is tricky. I’m attracted to the premise of this one but many (I mean quite a few) of my goodread reviewers that read things I like got ARC’s of this and didn’t enjoy it. Hmmm…I’m still curious but I think I will wait patiently for this one from my local library. Gorgeous cover though…
How about you, is there any book you can’t wait for that is coming out in August? I love a great recommendation so let me know!
First we wanted to start out by letting everyone know some sad news. Debra, one third of our blogging trio, is very ill and we will be losing her soon. Debra is the kindest of the three of us, even when she had a “harsh” criticism she would send it to me and I always would say “you’re too sweet” but that’s just her nature. She loves books, cares for people and made Les and I a little bit better. Because of this we think it’s appropriate to give someone else the gift of a book, from Debra to you. We know we have been sporadic bloggers over the years but you guys stick with us through some crazy times, hard times, and downright unthinkable times.
If this gift card goes to someone who’s been reading as long as us we say great, you get to have whatever book you want and it won’t be an ARC so there is no pressure in your review. If you are new or struggling, that’s great too, here is a chance to get a book without guilt. Believe it or not we’ve been blogging now for three years and we will miss Debra’s unique voice, but we thank you all for listening and always being kind to her. She loved blogging, so thank you for making it special.
**THIS ONE IS MORE OF MY FEELINGS AND OPINION OF KAREN AND HER LIFE, THAN THE BOOK**
To be honest I forgot that my Goodreads is attached to the blog, and the whole world sees what I read. Kind of strange to think about it now. This is a book I read for me and my mother. She loved Karen Carpenter, and thought she was a victim of circumstance and an overbearing family as well as the fame.
This book dives into her entire life, even the not so glamorous times, and the low points. There are a lot of interviews with her friends in this book, which is the reason I decided to read it. I know the music, but who was she? My take on Karen is she was a beautiful soul looking for unconditional love, and a life as a wife and mother that she could be proud of. She had this amazing gift, that voice was so unique and so recognizable. I didn’t know until this book that she recorded a solo album while Richard was in Rehab for his addiction issues. While reading this book told by some of her closest friends, there were times when I was so mad for her. I was so angry, when I found out about the solo album, and then to find out they made her shelf it. They told her it wasn’t good enough. I think they were afraid. They were afraid to release it. What made me the most mad was that they released it after her death. My favorite Karen Carpenter song is on this album. I wish she could have seen how many people loved that album.
So many people controlling her life and micromanaging her. She was already a perfectionist when it came to her singing. The constant comments about her weight in the beginning, to the butting in of her relationships with men. She never had a moments peace. When she found out the truth about her fiancé being a fraud, it is said she wanted to cancel the wedding. Her friend claims her mother wouldn’t here of it, too many invitations had gone out. It would have been too embarrassing. So she married a con man who blew almost all her money, and it is said he even told her ” Look at you, I would never have a child with you, you look sick. Nothing but skin and bones, how can I love that”. It is no wonder she sought refuge in the few who did love her as she was. She tried to be perfect on the outside in front of the world, but she forgot to love herself. This is why my mother told me this story, so I can always remember to love myself first.
She tried to fight her bulimia and anorexia, she was doing well, but she just couldn’t get that monkey off her back. Some friends say she was taking a prescription medicine, instead of her usual laxatives, but some friends truly thought she had beaten it. Some say she was doing so well. Her autopsy says she did have the prescription in her system, but some say it was because she was sick. I say no matter what we lost a great artist, and an amazing woman, who never got to live up to her full potential. I listen to her music almost daily, and I am saddened by the fact that she didn’t get to see how many people still listen even now.
Here is my favorite song from her solo album. I hope you enjoy it. *of course I do not own the rights to this song*
Geek Sneak Peek 