Welcome to my stop on the IRON PENDULUM blog tour! Today I have a great excerpt from the book to share with you along with my review. Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post!
Iron Pendulum (The Periodic Series #2)
Author: Megan Curd
Genre: YA Steampunk Fantasy
Release Date: August 28, 2014
Description:
Six months ago, Avery
thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the
few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the
brink of extinction was over.But six months can change everything.
After fighting to escape a tyranny she didn't even know existed, Avery has had to come to grips with all the secrets she's uncovered. But more secrets continue to come to light, revealing how little of her world she truly knew. When evidence starts to show that Dome Four might be under siege, Avery knows what she must do.
Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.
And they’re blaming Avery.
Six months can change everything. One more month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.
Her huff echoed in our
headsets, and I was glad she couldn’t see my smile.
“Avery, don’t act like I don’t know you’re
smiling behind that mask.”
I put my hands up in submission. Alice knew
everything about me.
Jaxon took the map. “Let’s go left.” He turned
and walked away like he expected us to follow. Which we did.
I was thankful for the mask, because it dulled
the stench of refuse floating along the shallow water in the tunnel. Rats
scurried along the waterline, our lights sending them into a frenzy. Each step
caused the water to slosh and echo through the tunnel, giving our position
away.
“We should try to stay out of the water,” I said
into the mic, hoping someone would agree with me before Jaxon could argue.
No dice.
Jaxon touched his earpiece and spoke. “Why? Are
you afraid of your toes pruning in the water?”
“It’s not that.”
“Contrary to legend, there are no alligators in
the sewer.”
“That you know of,” Alice quipped.
Deep down, Alice liked Jaxon. She just enjoyed
making him squirm. And the truth was, I enjoyed watching it happen.
“That I know of.” Jaxon admitted. “But I will
take one for the team and wrestle the beast into submission if it floats down
our tunnel. Then I expect minstrels to sing of my heroics in future years. You
can be the minstrel, Alice. I bet you’d look great with a lyre and kilt-y getup.”
Alice shook her head. “If anyone would look good
in a skirt, it’s you, chicken legs.”
“Oh, please, you know you wish you could look as
good as me in a skirt. Have you seen your calves?”
Everyone laughed and Alice huffed. Jaxon took
the lead and sloshed through the water, making more of a ruckus than necessary.
But then he went still. As still as a dog that
had caught a scent on a hunt.
Alice’s whisper came through the earpiece. “Jax,
what did you hear?”
I watched as the muscles in Jaxon’s back tensed
and his shoulders squared. I heard the minor intake of breath and wondered if
everyone else knew what it meant.
He was afraid.
Unlike most series, this second book was just as phenomenal as the first. Most of the time a series will start off strong and then get progressively worse with each following installment. This is definitely not the case here. Every part of the book - from the characters and the setting to the plot and the writing style - was fantastic. Avery, our heroine of the story, continues to be a great main character. She's strong, smart, caring, and devoted to those she loves. She also has some awesome powers to manipulate the elements that she's still learning how to control. She's not perfect though - she has her fears, doubts, and flaws just like everyone else - which I thought made her all the more realistic and easy to identify with. Avery's character does some major growing in this book - she becomes more independent, mature, and determined to fight for what's right no matter what. The rest of the characters are well written with their own personalities and quirks. I especially liked watching Avery and Jaxon as their relationship grew.
The setting was amazing, and I love how the author continued to describe it. With all the details and vivid imagery, it felt like I was there alongside the characters throughout the book. From the very first paragraphs I found that I could immerse myself back into the storyline like I had never left. The plot continues to be full of action, adventure, suspense, and tons of twists and turns. There were definitely some parts that left me puzzled and some that came out of nowhere and hit me like a ton of bricks. The story is fast paced and flows so easily that I didn't stop reading once I started. With the ease of the writing, the quick pace, and the fascinating story line - this is definitely a book (and series) that fans of the genre will not want to miss. Very highly recommended for fans of steampunk, fantasy, dystopias, and science fiction.
Megan
Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota.
While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands
on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so
while in college.
When
not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Photography, traveling and snowboarding are hobbies she loves, and she
doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and
friends when it presents itself.
Megan currently resides in Ohio with her husband and son, where she is trying to convert them into Buckeye fans.
Links:
Website: http://megancurd.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeganCurd
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/macdizzledoo/
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4904383.Megan_Curd
I love fantasy novels, and have never tried a steampunk novel before and this looks like a good one to start on!
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