#Review - A Feast for Starving Stone by Beth Cato #Fantasy #Historical

Series: Chefs of the Five Gods (#2)
Format: Paperback, 396 pages
Release Date:  January 9, 2024
Publisher: 47North
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Historical

Two countries at war. A delicious taste of magic. And a fierce princess comes of age in a rousing adventure by the author of A Thousand Recipes for Revenge.

Princess Solenn’s marriage into royalty should have unified the continental neighbors of Verdania and Solenn’s homeland of Braiz against a common enemy: the country of Albion. Thanks to Albion’s cunning sabotage, Verdania is now Braiz’s lethal rival. And the dead Braizian sailors washed ashore near Solenn’s château are just the beginning.

Arriving in the midst of danger, Ada Garland, rogue Chef to the Gods, is desperate to reunite with her daughter, Solenn. Not only has open war begun; it’s become heart-wrenchingly personal. Ada’s long-lost, beloved Braizian musketeer, Captain Erwan Corre, is being held in a Verdanian prison, with execution imminent. And her daughter has been tasked with the near-doomed responsibility of uniting violently adversarial countries in peace.

Can Solenn and Ada, coming together, stop their land from descending into all-out war? And what will Solenn become to achieve victory? As ambassador between the human and magical worlds, Solenn must now draw from both to prevent catastrophe, and this time, even the Gods are working against her.

Beth Cato's A Feast for Starving Stone is the second installment in the authors Chefs of the Five Gods series. Key Characters: Princess Solenn of Braiz and Adamantine Garland. This story picks up 3 weeks after Solenn removed her own tongue to prevent herself from becoming a meat puppet of the God Gyst who she is still having nightmares about. Even though she struggles to speak, and needs to write things down, she has become the only human ambassador to ever exist between the world and the parallel magical realm known as Arcady.

Not too long ago, Solenn’s marriage into royalty should have unified the continental neighbors of Verdania and Solenn’s homeland of Braiz against a common enemy: the country of Albion. But thanks to Albion’s cunning sabotage, Verdania is now Braiz’s lethal rival thanks to her intended being poisoned. And the dead Braizian sailors washing ashore near Solenn’s château are just the beginning of a major war that could end with the surrender of Braiz.

Solenn’s main mission though has its own challenges as the ingredients known as Epicurea are in fact made out of magical creatures. If she can get the Queen of Arcady to come to her aid, it will mean making sure that nobody in her country can every have access to Epicurea that gives humans super strength. On a strange whim, Solenn may have an answer. What if she calls one of the most powerful Gods to life in order to help save her people, and defeat the invading Albion army and navy?

Adamantine “Ada” Garland has an empathic connection to food and wine, a magical perception of aromas, flavors, and ingredients. Invaluable property of the royal court, Ada was in service to the Five Gods and to the Gods-ordained rulers of Verdania—until she had enough of injustice and bloodshed and deserted, seeking to chart her own destiny. She also left her own daughter behind at the court of Braiz to be raised as a Princess. Ada is desperate to reunite with her daughter, Solenn but this is dangerous times. 

Not only has open war begun with Albion; it’s become dishearteningly personal. Ada’s long-lost, beloved Braizian musketeer, Captain Erwan Corre (who is also Solenn's biological father), is being held in a Verdanian prison, with execution imminent because Solenn has been accused of murdering the Verdanian Prince she was supposed to marry. And her daughter has been tasked with the near-doomed responsibility of uniting violently adversarial countries in peace.

Can Solenn and Ada, coming together, stop their land from descending into all-out war? What must Solenn become, what more will she sacrifice, to do it? As ambassador between two worlds—one of humans, one of magic—Solenn must now draw from both to prevent the worst of things to come. With Gods making mischief and taking sides perhaps only Solenn is brave enough to try to not just communicate but actually release true danger back into their world. Although you really should read A Thousand Recipes For Revenge first, Cato does a good job covering all of the main aspects of that book and who the main characters are. 

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#Review - A Thousand Recipes for Revenge by Beth Cato #Fantasy #Historical

Series: Chefs of the Five Gods (#1)
Format: Paperback, 412 pages
Release Date: June 1, 2023
Publisher: 47North
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Historical

A world on the brink of war and a mother and daughter on the run, in a thrilling novel of swashbuckling adventure, culinary magic, and just desserts.

Adamantine “Ada” Garland has an empathic connection to food and wine, a magical perception of aromas, flavors, and ingredients. Invaluable property of the royal court, Ada was in service to the Five Gods and to the Gods-ordained rulers of Verdania—until she had enough of injustice and bloodshed and deserted, seeking to chart her own destiny. When mysterious assassins ferret her out after sixteen years in hiding, Ada, now a rogue Chef, and her beloved Grand-mère run for their lives, only to find themselves on a path toward an unexpected ally.

A foreign princess in a strange court, Solenn unknowingly shares more with Ada than an epicurean gift. They share blood. With her newfound magical perception, she becomes aware of a plot to kill her fiancé, the prince. It’s part of a ploy by adversarial forces in the rival country of Albion to sow conflict, and Solenn is set up to take the blame.

As Ada’s and Solenn’s paths converge, a mother and her long-lost daughter reunite toward a common goal, and against a shadowy enemy from Ada’s past who is out for revenge. But what sacrifices must be made? What hope is there when powerful Gods pick sides in a war simmering to eruption? 

A Thousand Recipe for Revenge, by author Beth Cato, is the first installment in the authors Chefs of the Five Gods series. This story alternates between two main characters: Adamantine (Ada) Garland and Princess Solenn Corre of Braiz. Ada has an empathic connection to food and wine, a magical perception of aromas, flavors, and ingredients. Invaluable property of the royal court, Ada was in service to the Five Gods and to the Gods-ordained rulers of Verdania until she had enough of injustice and bloodshed and deserted, seeking to chart her own destiny. 

She lost everything of importance to her when she left her newborn daughter in care of her husband and sent to a different country where she couldn't be used as a slave if she was god touched as well. When mysterious assassins ferret her out after sixteen years in hiding, Ada, now a rogue Chef, and her beloved Grand-mère run for their lives, only to find themselves on a path toward an unexpected ally. To make matters worse, surviving members of Ada's military unit are also being hunted down and it may be the one person who they most fear.

A foreign princess in a strange court who is supposed to marry a boy who is 2 years younger (Prince Rupert), Solenn unknowingly shares more with Ada than an epicurean gift. They share blood. With her newfound magical perception, she becomes aware of a plot to kill her fiancé, the prince. It’s part of a ploy by adversarial forces in the rival country of Albion to sow conflict, and Solenn is set up to take the blame. When a second assassin seemingly makes Solenn out to be the villain, she must a way to reunite with not only her own people including Captain Erwin Corre, but her own mother who she's never met.

As Ada’s and Solenn’s paths converge, a mother and her long-lost daughter reunite toward a common goal, and against a shadowy enemy from Ada’s past who is out for revenge. But what sacrifices must be made? What hope is there when powerful Gods pick sides in a war simmering to eruption? This a curious world where Chefs come in a variety of powers. Ada and Solenn are empathic. Solenn could taste impending death of Rupert via the ingredients in the food that was prepared for him. 

Other Chefs are able to make dishes to their customer's pallet, being hailed as the most powerful and most sought after. This is why Ada was so valuable before she went AWOL. In between each chapter, there's a variety of recipes that the author provides for you, the reader. There are certain ingredients within mundane and magical creatures that can be cooked and give people certain powers for a time like invisibility or keeping them looking younger. There is also curious twisted ending to this story that apparently is leading to a much larger confrontation in the future.

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#Review - Roar of Sky by Beth Cato #Fantasy #Historical

Series: Blood of Earth # 3
Format: E-Galley, 448 pages
Release Date: October 23, 2018
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Source: Edelweiss
Genre: Fantasy / Historical

In this stunning conclusion to the acclaimed Blood of Earth trilogy—a thrilling alternate history laced with earth magic, fantastic creatures, and steampunk elements—the young geomancer Ingrid must find a way to use her extraordinary abilities to save her world from the woman hellbent on engineering a war that would rip it to pieces.

Thanks to her geomantic magic, Ingrid has successfully eluded Ambassador Blum, the evil genius behind the plan to achieve world domination for the United Pacific. But using her powers has taken its toll: Ingrid’s body has been left severely weakened, and once again she is on the run with her friends Cy and Fenris.

Hoping to learn more about her magical roots and the strength her bloodline carries, Ingrid makes her way across the Pacific to Hawaii, home to the ancient earth goddess Madame Pele. What she discovers in this paradise is not at all what she expects—but perhaps exactly what she needs to find the strength to face Blum.

But Ambassador Blum comes from the same world of old magic. She is a kitsune with near-mythic power. And if Ingrid cannot defeat her once and for all, she knows Blum will use that power to take the lives of everyone she holds dear before igniting a war that will bring the entire world to its knees.

 

Roar of Sky is the final installment in author Beth Cato’s Blood of Earth trilogy. The best way to describe this series is Alternative history & fiction mixed with reality. Roar of Sky picks up shortly after the end of Call of Fire. In an alternate world 1906, the United States and Japan have forged a powerful confederation—the Unified Pacific—in an attempt to dominate the world. Their first target is a vulnerable China which has been left utterly devastated.  

Protagonist Ingrid Carmichael has seen more in one month, than you or I will see in a lifetime. No hyperbole. This series actually started with Ingrid surviving the San Francisco Earthquake along with her mentor & father figure Mr. Sakaguchi. In the process, she learned that she is an exceptionally powerful Geomancer with the ability to hold energy; the only woman in history to be able to do so. The problem is that Ingrid is not only a woman, but also a woman of color with a mix ancestry of Mexican, Indian, and Filipino.

Ingrid's adventures began in earnest after she met pacifist Cypress Jennings and his partner Fenris Braun who own a steam driven airship called the Palmetto Bug. Cato twists her story to include one Theodore Roosevelt as one of the 12 powerful Unified Pacific Ambassadors. In case your history teacher failed to mention it, Roosevelt was the leader of the Rough Riders, the 26th President of the USA, and oh by the way, the driving force behind the Progressive Era in the US.

Ingrid is suffering from the high costs of staying hidden from Ambassador Blum who has put a rather high bounty on the capture of Ingrid. Blum is a cunning kitsune and dangerous bureaucrat who wants to use Ingrid’s formidable powers to help the Unified Pacific achieve world domination. To stop them, Ingrid must learn more about the god-like magic she inherited from her estranged father. The man who set off the quake that obliterated San Francisco. 

Hawaii is where we find our trio, as well as a large group of Sylphs who just love to eat all sorts of goodies. (By the way, I adore the Sylphs, and if you read the series itself, you will too!) Hawaii is where Ingrid meets her Grandmother the Goddess Pele. But, it is not where the story ends. Nope. Cato takes her group of characters on a action packed adventure across the country. From Los Angeles, even to Phoenix, Arizona where the trio attempts to stop Blum and her new war machine named Excalibur. Will there be a reunion between Ingrid and Lee Fong who was last seen with Mr. Sakaguchi? Or, will Blum catch up first and ruin the reunion?

Ingrid is a wonderful character who is not only powerful, but now has some physical restraints that really hinder her movements. But, if you think the limitations will slow her down, forget about it. She can also recognize fantastics, which are beings like sylph's, fairies, and Qilin. The qilin or kirin is a mythical hooved chimerical creature known in Chinese and other East Asian cultures. With help from Cy, a brilliant inventor, and Fenris, a MacGyver like character who can fix nearly anything, the adventure is anything but boring.

Cato’s characters are richly diverse, and are underdogs fighting social injustice and prejudice. Cato doesn't hesitate to use sexism and racism to tell her story. Something that is actually a breath of fresh air and accurate for this era, especially towards the Chinese and women. The  Blood of Earth trilogy is ideal reading for both historical fiction and alternate history/fantasy fans. It also has the coming-of-age elements YA readers love.

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Monday #Review - Call of Fire by Beth Cato #Historical #Steampunk @BethCato @HarperVoyagerUS @carolineperny

Series: Blood of Earth # 2
Format: Paperback, 416 pages
Release Date: August 15, 2017
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Historical

A resourceful young heroine must protect the world from her enemies—and her own power—in this thrilling sequel to the acclaimed Breath of Earth, an imaginative blend of alternative history, fantasy, science, magic, and adventure

When an earthquake devastates San Francisco in an alternate 1906, the influx of geomantic energy nearly consumes Ingrid Carmichael. Bruised but alive, the young geomancer flees the city with her friends, Cy, Lee, and Fenris. She is desperate to escape Ambassador Blum, the cunning and dangerous bureaucrat who wants to use Ingrid’s formidable powers to help the Unified Pacific—the confederation of the United States and Japan—achieve world domination. To stop them, Ingrid must learn more about the god-like magic she inherited from her estranged father—the man who set off the quake that obliterated San Francisco.

When Lee and Fenris are kidnapped in Portland, Ingrid and Cy are forced to ally themselves with another Ambassador from the Unified Pacific: the powerful and mysterious Theodore Roosevelt. But even TR’s influence may not be enough to save them when they reach Seattle, where the magnificent peak of Mount Rainier looms. Discovering more about herself and her abilities, Ingrid is all too aware that she may prove to be the fuse to light the long-dormant volcano . . . and a war that will sweep the world.

Call of Fire is the second installment in author Beth Cato's Blood of Earth series. Call of Fire picks up where Breath of Earth left off.  It has been an awful week for protagonist Ingrid Carmichael. As the world's only female Geomancer, she has watched her city of San Francisco be destroyed by a major earthquake. A group of geomancer's she knew well was murdered, and her mentor Sakaguchi was hurt badly and has disappeared. The plus has been that she's found herself on a quest alongside an eclectic and diverse group of friends from Cy Jennings, Fenris Braun, to Lee Fong who is more than who he appears to be.

The story takes place during the week of April 19-26, 1906. After surviving an encounter with her estranged father and escaping San Francisco alive, Ingrid and her friends have chosen to take The Palmetto Bug to what is being called Cascadian America. The area which we now call Portland to Seattle. Ingrid is a curious character who has the ability to pull energy out of the earth to mitigate earthquakes, but she is so much more powerful than other Geomancer's. She can also recognize fantastics, which are beings like sylph's, fairies, and Qilin. The qilin or kirin is a mythical hooved chimerical creature known in Chinese and other East Asian cultures who seems to have an affinity with Lee.

Because of her mixed race features, Ingrid isn't given the same respect as someone who is white. People actually believe that Ingrid is an immigrant who is likely illiterate since only white people have the brains and skills to be a Geomancer. Cato doesn't hesitate to use sexism and racism to tell her story. Something that is actually a breath of fresh air and accurate for this era, especially towards the Chinese and women. Ingrid is trying to remain one step ahead of Ambassador Blum who has her eyes on using Ingrid for her own nefarious goals. 

With help from Cy, a brilliant inventor, and Fenris, a MacGyver like character who can fix nearly anything, the adventure is anything but boring. The twist is that this series is set in an alternative history, steampunk world where the United States and Japan have formed an alliance called United Pacific. Cato has created a world where Japanese airships and technology helped the North win the Civil War. It is a world where Japan is the senior partner in the alliance with the US and has no hesitation in destroying China while showing its muscle.

This is a series that twists historical figures and events with fictional ones. In this story, readers get to finally meet Theodore Roosevelt who is one of the 12 ambassadors of the Unified Pacific. TR is an honest to goodness larger than life character who takes over the story from the moment he arrives. Kind of like the way he lived. He is also one that seems not to want to control Ingrid's every movement even though he clearly understands the power she has at her finger tips. Power that is not something to mess around with.

Just as in her Clockwork series, Cato's characters are a diverse group. Ingrid is a mixed-race young woman who was born on an Indian Reservation, and brought up in a predominately Japanese household. One could say that the author is a social injustice warrior who takes on this countries worse instances of prejudices and brings them to the light of day so that they won't be removed from our history books. The Blood of Earth series has appeals to both historical fiction and alternative history fans. It has a coming of age element that readers of authors like Gail Carriger, Cherie Priest, and Scott Westerfeld seem to enjoy. 

As a 411, Cato is the author of the duology called The Clockwork Dagger, which was nominated for Best First Novel by Locus, and The Clockwork Crown, an RT Reviewers’ Choice Finalist. Her Clockwork Dagger-set novella Wings of Sorrow and Bone was nominated for the Nebula Award. 

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#Thursday Review - Breath of Earth by Beth Cato (Alternative History, Steampunk) @BethCato @HarperVoyagerUS

Series: Breath of Earth # 1
Format: E-Galley, 400 pages
Release Date: August 23, 2016
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Source: Publisher
Genre: Alternative History, Science Fiction

After the earth’s power under her city is suddenly left unprotected, a young geomancer must rely on her unique magic to survive in this fresh fantasy standalone from the author of the acclaimed The Clockwork Dagger.

In an alternate 1906, the United States and Japan have forged a powerful confederation— the Unified Pacific—in an attempt to dominate the world. Their first target is a vulnerable China. In San Francisco, headstrong secretary Ingrid Carmichael is assisting a group of powerful geomancer wardens who have no idea of the depth of her own talent—or that she is the only woman to possess such skills.

When assassins kill the wardens, Ingrid and her mentor are protected by her incredible magic. But the pair is far from safe. Without its full force of guardian geomancers, the city is on the brink of a cataclysmic earthquake that will expose the earth’s power to masterminds determined to control the energy for their own dark ends. The danger escalates when Chinese refugees, preparing to fight the encroaching American and Japanese forces, fracture the uneasy alliance between the Pacific allies, transforming San Francisco into a veritable powder keg. And the slightest tremor will set it off. . . .

Forced on the run, Ingrid makes some shocking discoveries about herself. Her already considerable magic has grown even more fearsome . . . and she may be the fulcrum on which the balance of world power rests.

Breath of Earth is the first installment in author Beth Cato's new series called Breath of Earth. Cato is also the author of the steampunk driven duology known as Clockwork Dagger, as well as several novella's in the same universe. Breath of Earth is a story that takes place between April 15 and April 18, 1906. The last date should be familiar to anyone who has heard about the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake that destroyed the city. 

The twist is that this series is set in an alternative history, steampunk world where the United States and Japan have formed an alliance called United Pacific. There are other alliances as well, including the Russian & Ottoman Empires. Cato has created a world where Japanese airships and technology helped the North win the Civil War. It is a world where Japan is the senior partner in the alliance with the US and has no hesitation in destroying China while showing its muscle. 

Geomancers are important to a city like San Francisco. They can absorb the energy from earthquakes, while keeping severe damage from happening. The energy they absorb, is transferred into a crystal known as Kermanite. 25-year old Ingrid Carmichael is the personal secretary to Earth Warden Sakaguchi, a member of the Cordillean Auxiliary of Geomancers. Ingrid, however, has a secret. She may be the only woman in history who is more powerful than those in the Auxiliary. Ingrid is able to store energy like a bank vault.

A fact that belays the  fact that she is also a woman who isn't white, which means that she gets very little respect if any, from men of this era. People actually people that Ingrid is an immigrant who is likely illiterate since only white people have the brains and skills to be a Geomancer. Cato doesn't hesitate to use sexism and racism to tell her story. Something that is actually a breath of fresh air and accurate for this era, especially towards the Chinese and women.

Ingrid's situation becomes dire when she and Warden Sakaguchi nearly die after a bomb goes off under the Auxiliary. Ingrid's powers become even more impressive when she is somehow able to save herself and the man who has raised her from a child. Ingrid's adventure starts in earnest after she meets the pacifists Cypress Jennings and his partner Fenris Braun who own a steam driven airship.  I loved the fact that Cato twists Theodore Roosevelt's history. Instead of becoming President, he is instead one of the powerful Ambassadors. 

I can't say this enough. If you are truly interested in learning more about this era, then please feel free to read the Afterward at how certain people were treated during this age. Happily, this book is not a standalone. I have been told that the next book will be titled Call of Fire, and will release in 2017. That's good news. 

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#Saturday Review - Deep Roots by Beth Cato (Steampunk, Science Fiction)

Series: Clockwork Dagger Omnibus
Format: E-Galley, 208 pages
Release Date: August 2, 2016
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Source: Publisher
Genre: Steampunk, Science Fiction

THE DEEPEST POISON

Octavia Leander, a young healer with incredible powers, has found her place among Miss Percival’s medicians-in-training. Called to the front lines of war, the two women must uncover the source of a devastating illness that is killing thousands of soldiers.

WINGS OF SORROW AND BONE

After being rescued from the slums of Caskentia, Rivka Stout is adjusting to her new life in Tamarania. But when Rivka stumbles into a laboratory run by the powerful Balthazar Cody, she also discovers a sinister plot involving chimera gremlins and the violent Arena game Warriors.

FINAL FLIGHT

Captain Hue hoped he was rid of his troubles once Octavia Leander and Alonzo Garrett disembarked from his airship, but then the Argus is commandeered by a Clockwork Dagger and forced on a deadly mission. Hue must lead a mutiny that might bring down his own ship…. perhaps for good.

Deep Roots, by author Beth Cato, is a compilation of three short stories from the Clockwork Dagger duology. All three stories take place in the same world. 

The Deepest Poison 

The Deepest Poison is a short (48 pages) prequel novella to The Clockwork Dagger. The story is told from the POV of THE Miss Percival of the renowned Miss Percival’s medician academy where Octavia spent 10 years being trained and not exactly making any friends. We see who Octavia really is through Miss Percival's eyes. This story is straight up. Someone apparently poisoned a water source leaving soldiers at the hands of Percival's healers to attend to. 

Octavia herself has an extraordinary connection with the mystical force known as the Lady, and Miss Percival doesn't care for that at all. Nope. In fact, she he allows her own jealously to cloud her judgement and sends Octavia away which you can read about in The Clockwork Dagger. Perhaps one would do best to read the Clockwork Dagger first before reading The Deepest Poison. That way, you will actually understand why this story makes so much sense and why Octavia really is an important character with some really amazing abilities. 

WINGS OF SORROW AND BONE

Wings of Sorrow and Bone is a 96 page novella. It has been TWO months since Rivka Stout was rescued from the slums of Caskentia by one Octavia Leander where she was running a bakery. She finds herself in an unusual place, living in Tamarania, where with her deformity, she is smeared at, and looked down at. The one thing that Rivka has going for her is that she is an incredible mechanist who can fix almost anything. She just needs a break. 

Her Grandmother is Mrs Viola Stout who readers met in The Clockwork Dagger. She is the owner of a publisher company and wants only what's best for Rivka after a horrible childhood. This story also includes Tatiana Garret, the sister of Clockwork Dagger Alonzo Garret who sacrificed his position in order to protect Octavia. And, Balthazar Cody who has an arena that is used for Gremlin fighting. While Tatiana wants to become a Gremlin pilot, Rivka decides that she is going to make a change when it comes to how Gremlins are treated. 

FINAL FLIGHT

Final Flight is a 48 page novella that takes place right after Octavia and Alonzo were onboard the air ship Argus. The story is from the eyes of the captain of the Argus, Hue Cuthbert. Cuthbert actually thought he was free and clear of dangerous adventures until his ship is once again commandeered and put in harms way by yet another Clockwork Dagger who is working for the Queen. With his son onboard, Captain and crew must make quick decisions before they all go down with the ship. I don't believe it is absolutely necessary to read the Clockwork Dagger in order to enjoy this story. These are character who were tertiary at best in the actual series, and are now getting a final farewell by the author.

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*Steampunk Saturday* The Clockwork Crown by Beth Cato

Series: Clockwork Dagger # 2
Format: E-Book, 352 pages
Release Date: June 9, 2015
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Source: Edelweiss/Publisher
Genre: Steampunk

Rich in atmosphere, imagination, and fun, the action-packed, magic-filled sequel to The Clockwork Dagger is an enchanting steampunk fantasy, evocative of the works of Trudi Canavan and Gail Carriger

Narrowly surviving assassination and capture, Octavia Leander, a powerful magical healer, is on the run with handsome Alonzo Garrett, the Clockwork Dagger who forfeited his career with the Queen’s secret society of spies and killers—and possibly his life—to save her. Now, they are on a dangerous quest to find safety and answers: Why is Octavia so powerful? Why does she seem to be undergoing a transformation unlike any witnessed for hundreds of years? 

The truth may rest with the source of her mysterious healing power—the Lady’s Tree. But the tree lies somewhere in a rough, inhospitable territory known as the Waste. Eons ago, this land was made barren and uninhabitable by an evil spell, until a few hardy souls dared to return over the last century. For years, the Waste has waged a bloody battle against the royal court to win its independence—and they need Octavia’s powers to succeed.

Joined by unlikely allies, including a menagerie of gremlin companions, she must evade killers and Clockwork Daggers on a dangerous journey through a world on the brink of deadly civil war.

The Clockwork Crown closes out the duology known as The Clockwork Dagger. Medician Octavia Leander has survived a betrayal of a personal kind, an assassination attempt by the Queen of Caskentia's Clockwork Daggers, and a kidnapping by the Wasters who wanted to use her abilities against their enemies. Octavia's powers have actually grown in depth and scope.

Her connection with The Lady has given her the ability to do things nobody else can do. Octavia is the most powerful Medician on the entire continent which means she continues to have her fair share of enemies, but she does have some pretty interesting allies as well. Her powers allow her to HEAR every single person’s health and ailments in her head. Octavia starts to believe that there is a  great price to pay for her expanding magic. What that price is, remains a mystery right until the climax of the story.

The majority of this story is Octavia’s quest for knowledge about her abilities and why her skin is changing so drastically. The journey takes her and Alonzo Garrett, a former Clockwork Dagger and now her Guardian, to Tamaranian in the Southern Nations where she meets Alonzo's sister, back to Mercia where she learns more about the curse that was placed on The Dallowmen by Caskentians, and back to the wastelands where everything comes to a final satisfying conclusion.  

The Clockwork Crown ties up every single loose end in a way that doesn't make you roll your eyes, or throw your book around the room in disappointment. I loved the connection between Octavia and Alonzo. I don't want to give anyone hopes of hot and steamy steampunk romance, but what is there, is sweet, and adorable, and they get their HEA. I loved that Leaf, the Gremlin returned for an encore along with a few of this friends. I loved that a long lost King comes along on the journey with Octavia, and opens her eyes to things she never knew before. Even though Alonzo is gone for part of the story, he still stands by Octavia right until the very end. We don't see enough of Octavia's friend Mrs. Stout, but we do meet two other Stout family members. 

Overall, even though this is the end, I am satisfied with the outcome, the pacing, the world building, and the characters. 


**I received this book for free from (Harper Voyager) via (Edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

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