The Girl with the Iron Touch(Steampunk Chronicles 3)Author: Kady CrossPublisher: Harlequin TeenGenre: YA SteampunkIn 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken.When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives.With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin.Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine.To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has....
When automatons kidnap one of their gang, Finley and her friends scramble to find out what new sinister plot is developing in the underworld of their beloved London. Because The Machinist was supposed to be dead! With hungry shadow wisps haunting Griffin, Finley turns to her friend Jack for help, but the news he brings are disturbing. News of a living, breathing, automaton. Meanwhile, kidnapped for her expertise with machines, Emily faces the hardest choice ever, a choice between her heart and her friends.
Kady Cross brings on the drama, the adventure and the swoon in this third installment of the Steampunk Chronicles!
As the cover of the book implies, this story focuses on Emily. The ginger is a force to be reckoned with, still stubborn and fiery as her red hair. Her manipulation of mechanical things has been an asset all this time, but now it makes her a target for some awful plans. But Em needs not fear, because mandroid Sam will always rescue her! For the first time, Sam will not despise his metal parts, because they’ll give him the strength to rescue the one he loves.
On another front, things haven’t been the same since they returned from New York. What hurts Finley the most is that Griffin is keeping secrets from her. His powers have grown exponentially, but he seems to have trouble sleeping and he won’t tell her or anyone why. But brave and forceful Finley won’t wait forever. She will knock some sense into her handsome duke and find out what’s wrong in time to save her friend.
Jasper gets minimal time in this book. He’s still hurting over Mei, but we do hear he goes off on an adventure with the sexy Cat, who has come from New York to ask for a favor. I really really hope we get a novella our of this, or a short story!
There’s a new character introduced. One Silverious Isley that I think will have a bigger impact on the following book given the circumstances at the end. I think a medium will be a fun addition to the cast. Plus, the living automaton, Mila who has the cutest crush ever on Jack Dandy. Who can blame the girl? Those two are a bittersweet combination.
Though I love the characters and the time spent with them, I wasn’t that enthused with the book overall. Cross ups the ante, though not as much as the second, but it’s still Garibaldi in the end and I’m just bored with him as a villain. It’d be more interesting if he had an accomplice, a second villain to bring on double the pain to our heroes because the silly automatons don’t scare me anymore. I’ll be waiting for the next book in the hopes that some new evil crops up.
*Arc copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley*
Favorite Quotes:
~Objectifying me~
The door opened. On the other side of it was Jack, clad in a black silk dressing gown. It was open at the neck, giving her an eyeful of his naked, muscular chest. She couldn’t help but stare. No girl alive would be able to resist that temptation.
“Are you done objectifyin’ me, Treasure?” he asked drily. “I don’t mind o’ course, but don’t fancy ‘aving all of Whitechapel taking a gander at me ankles. A bloke ‘as to ‘ave some secrets, right?”
~Temptation~
“You haven’t done anything wrong.” Bloody hell, she hated it when he seemed to read her mind. “Sam’s not going to judge you, or me.”“Maybe I judge me.”
He arched a brow. “That’s ridiculous.” Finley’s back stiffened, but he went on, “You could have sneaked in here last night and ravished me and then skulked back to your own room without being seen and that would be fine, but get caught innocently sleeping and suddenly you’re ruined.”
Finley’s lips twitched. “You reckon I’d ravage you, do you?”
He shrugged. “I’m surprised you’ve resisted temptation this long.”
