The Girl in the Steel Corset

London, 1897

The moment she saw the young man walking down the darkened hall toward her, twirling his walking stick, Finley Jayne knew she'd be unemployed before the sun rose.  Her third dismissal in as many months. 

Finley is still having trouble controlling the rage that overtakes her when she or someone she cares about is threatened.  After cleaning the clock of her employer's handsy son, Finley finds herself in the company of a strange group of people.  Oh they appear normal enough, one of them is even the ridiculously rich and titled Duke of Greythorne, or Griff as he's known to his friends; but they've all got very special talents.  These friends - namely Emily, Sam, an American gunfighter called Jasper, and of course Griff - help her start to unravel the mystery of how she came by her supernatural strength.  Throw in a plot to over throw the Queen, the handsome yet roguish Jack Dandy, and a blossoming romance betwixt Finley and Griff, stir and simmer for a good length of pages and viola!  A fantastic romp of a steampunk novel! 

My most favorite part is learning how Finley came to have the kick-butt skills she does but I can't tell you anything else about it because it will ruin it completely.  The next book in the series doesn't come out until May and I'm not being patient!  Write faster Kady Cross! 

The Strange Case of Finley Jayne

Well, for better or for worse I have found another new favorite series.  The part that makes me giggle with anticipation is this: it's steampunk!   Dystopian fiction is still hot but steampunk really stokes my fires!  If I had the money, I would buy this outfit for Halloween next year.  Heck, I might just wear it on Tuesdays. 

While I love being a librarian, being Finley Jayne might be the next best thing.  However, Finley doesn't always think being her is all that great.  In this very short prequel (on my Nook it's 73 pages) to The Steampunk Chronicles, Finley is hired to be a companion to a young debutante named Phoebe, who is engaged to Lord Vincent.  Lady Morton, Phoebe's mother, has some suspicion about Lord Vincent's true intentions for her daughter and thinks Finley is just the man, or better yet, woman for the job.  Here's the thing about Finley - for some inexplicable reason she's incredibly strong and not easily intimidated.  While Lady Morton believes this will both give protection for Phoebe and provide an opportunity for Finley to uncover some of Lord Vincent's secrets, Finley is scared that the rage that comes over her - bringing on the strength and fearlessness - will be her undoing.  Not to mention, it's hard to find a job when you've smacked your last employer across the room.  They tend to not give glowing references. 

Finley is fierce and fantastic!  Kady Cross, you've written a leading lady that I seriously wouldn't mind being, if I wasn't me of course.

Folks I'm pleased as a Finley sucker punch to announce that the first full-length book in The Steampunk Chronicles is already out.  AND it's the next book to be reviewed!  

Oh and uh, The Strange Case of Finley Jayne is a free Nook Book so what they heck are you waiting for?!?!

Fixing Delilah

I'm trying something new this time.  I made an Animoto video for a summary!  Yay me!  FYI: Animoto is really easy to use but I am so picky that making this took forever and a couple days.  But without further ado I give you Fixing Delilah...

Sarah Ockler has such a sweet and simple way of writing real characters.  Reading her books are always a very rich experience, like eating a great meal with good friends - the kind that takes hours.

This book was sent to me by a publisher and is up for grabs - anyone who posts a comment by January 6th will go in a drawing for the book!