The Girl With The Iron Touch

By Kady Cross

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 tormented by the Aether, 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 face her true feelings for him…and for Griffin.

To save those she cares about, Emily confronts The Machinist's ultimate creation – an automaton more human than machine. Can Emily summon the strength she needs to gain her chance at triumph?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Jun 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781460899182

Kady Cross

Kady Cross, publishing under various names, is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than twenty books, including Harlequin TEEN's Steampunk Chronicles. She is lucky enough to have a husband who shares her love for the slightly twisted and all things geek, and a houseful of cats with whom she shares her darkest secrets. Her love of books and makeup borders on addiction—of which she never, ever wants to be cured. Visit her on the web at www.alterkate.com or on Twitter: @AlterKates.

Reviews for The Girl With The Iron Touch

[tldegray-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Emily can speak to machines. That's why representatives of The Machinist kidnap her after his death, leaving Sam, especially, distraught. At the same time Griffin is acting strange, Jasper is off with an old friend, Finley is choosing between Griffin and Jack Dandy, and a strange new girl has entered their family.

This book in particular touches on what it is to be alive and just what it would take for an automaton to be considered so.

[alcarinqa_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kady Cross hooks me once again - I read this book over two days, but the whole time I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I love The Steampunk Chronicles - sometimes a girl needs a rip-roaring adventure with sweet romances and super-creepy automatons. These books make me let go, forget all my troubles, and focus on how things could be so much worse - an automaton of Queen Victoria could be hell-bent on killing me!My favourite aspect of the series are the relationships between the characters, and it's no different in The Girl with the Iron Touch. We get to see a lot more of Emily and Sam, and since they have always been my favourite couple. I couldn't be happier. I also liked that Finley finally owned up to the fact that she just likes that Jack Dandy is interested in her, and that she's never really considered him as a potential love interest. I do think she's a bit petty and odd when it comes to Griffin, and got tired of hearing how she liked seeing Griff being jealous of Jack, and how she was jealous every time a woman talked to Jack. I feel like she should just stop stringing Jack along, it's very unfair to him because he's so willing to help her out because of his feelings, and I think Finley takes advantage of him.I love the plot of this book - the automata certainly achieve a whole new level of crazy! The narrative focuses on Emily and her unique talents, and I liked getting to know her better, especially how she feels about the rest of Griffin's motley crew. I like how Griffin's newfound moodiness and Jasper's gloominess all tied in, and how there's actually some resolution on both those fronts - too often I see authors come up with problems and then drag them on in the hopes of keeping readers entertained, when it's probably more entertaining when we actually get some answers. There's still a lot to come though, with the series being planned for a total of five books, and I'm eager for it.In previous books I've mentioned that the world-building has felt shaky to me, but I don't think that's where my only discomfort with The Girl with the Iron Touch lies. It's more to do with Finley's attitude towards intimacy before marriage. I completely understand her views, given the things she's been through, and relish the idea of her just deciding she's going to live each day to the fullest and damn what anyone else thinks. But then she acts mighty odd when she feels someone may have found out about her and Griffin, when they're not really doing anything wrong to begin with. In my opinion, this is the author trying to balance Finley's outlook with what is expected of her in that world, but it comes across as clumsy and a bit confused.An enjoyable, thrilling read, The Girl with the Iron Touch is bound to be adored by fans of the previous books The Steampunk Chronicles. New readers will also enjoy the series' boldness and the heartwarming friendships and romances between the characters, and vivid setting, and are encouraged to begin reading at The Girl in the Steel Corset.A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.

[hrose2931 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

All the old characters are back with the addition of some new ones. Can't say who or it would ruin the book. I will say that I did like getting into Emily's head a little more. She's always seemed a bit untouchable before. But it was great getting to know what happened to her to shape her into who she is now. Though we got to see into Finley's head more, I almost didn't like it. She was too girly. Don't get me wrong, I love her and Griffin together and I loved where the story line went with them, but it seemed like they changed places with Griffin being more manly and Finley being much more worried with matters of the heart. I suppose that's how it should be, but not what I'm used to from Finley. Her kick a**edness was missing.The story was great! Action packed and I was certainly guessing until the last possible moment as to how things would work out. I'm still worried for my favorite characters. Their arch nemesis can still get at them and destroy everything and I can't see how they are going to protect themselves now. As I stated above, I loved seeing into the mind of Emily and getting her back story and I did enjoy Finley's frustration at Griffin's aloofness. I just expected her to go beat Sam up rather than pout about it. The new machines and automatons and weapons introduced added to the depth of the steampunk layers that have been building throughout the series.I highly recommend this series to fans of the other books in the series, to people just venturing into Steampunk, YA lovers, and Alt/Historical fiction. There is some romance and some Victorian talk about sex, more rather implied than stated.I received a copy of the digital advanced reader's copy of this novel from the publisher for review. This did not affect my opinion of the novel or my review in any way.flag

[bookbrig-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was far and away my favorite of the series.

[bookishthings · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5

Oh, how I've missed these guys. They are by far my favorite group of steampunk characters. They never fail to amaze me.

Iron Touch starts off with action. I've come to love that in Kady Cross's writing. She grabs you from the very beginning and refuses to let you go. The plot is very fast paced. Although some of the events are predictable, some take you completely by surprise. We are also introduced to a new character. I'm not going to say much about this person, as it would spoil some things, but I can't wait to see where they go in the storyline.

The characters as usual are great. I absolutely adore Emily, Sam, Jasper, Finley, and Griffin. After everything they have been through, their relationships with each other are kind of up in the air. They don't know the right things to say, and when they do, they are interrupted. There are so many times I wanted to slap the mess out of Griffin. For such a smart guy, he can be very dumb. I also loved seeing a gentler side to Sam. Although it is so much fun seeing him and Finley go head to head. Emily is stronger than anyone thinks. She's known for making the logical decision at all times, but finds herself making choices on the fly. We also get a bit of Jack Dandy. I love this man. He's awesome, and I hope as the series progresses we get to see a little more about him.

Fans of this series or steampunk will love this book. Also keep an eye out for The Dark Discovery of Jack Dandy. It's supposed to be released July 1, 2013.

[carebear36 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good storyline, interesting plot, and some cool descriptions. Overall, I think this is a good YA book. The language for the most part is pretty elementary with a simple setup. I have not read the first two novels of the series, but based on the third, I would like to go back and read them. I enjoyed reading this book and was engaged with the text throughout.

[ladypembroke · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another fine novel in this series. I think my biggest complaint is that I find it hard to believe all these characters are basically teenagers/young adults. Other than that, the plotline and technology are interesting enough to keep my attention. I could put the book down for things like sleep and work, but I was looked forward to getting back to the story. Next, please!

[ladyliz-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a fun, quick read! With each installment of this series, we get to see a bit more into the lives of the characters. As Emily is kidnapped by a group of automatons bent on world domination and the resurrection of their "Master," Sam is forced to face his true feelings for her. We meet an entirely new evolution, thanks to the "wee little beasties" known as the organites, and one decidedly more interesting than the evolutions of the characters we've met so far. Mila, the aforementioned evolutionary miracle, is the next evolution of the automatons, a biological evolution, and (if as I suspect) is the next installment of the series, we will be faced with the possible moral implications of an organic AI.

Meanwhile, Griffin and Finley take their relationship to a new level... And at that point, the book takes a turn for the worse, at least in my opinion.

While the use of romantic tension is a great tool in stories (think about all the TV shows where coworkers face romantic tension...), I was a bit shocked by some of the romantic things that happened here. The impropriety of Griffin and Finley, for one, seems very out of context for the time period. I totally understand that this is a Harlequin (and thus romance) novel, but it is a TEEN Harlequin novel, and one set in a time where women were NOT left alone with men, especially not ones in which they were attracted. The author ruins her credibility as a historical writer by changing the morality of our lead characters to fit the morality of her readers. One of the things that makes Steampunk so enticing is the juxtaposition of the decidedly modern scientific inventions with the Victorian sensibilities of the time. If you take away the Victorian ideals, all you've done is create science fiction.

Thus, I am faced with a dilemma. Story-wise, this book deserves 4 and a half stars. Author Kady Cross has managed to fit almost all elements of the genre of Romantic era Horror into her novels, and make it feel fresh. Genre-wise (as in Steampunk), she killed it with the romantic actions of her main characters. Every ounce of my being wants to give this story 1 or 2 stars at best because I am disappointed! Steampunk was a genre that was capable of bringing some morality back to modern society. I am far from a Prude, but I often feel as if this is a chicken/egg situation. Do we have, as my mother would say, "babies having babies" because they see sex so rampantly in movies, TV, books, and video games, or is sex present in these various medias because our children are having sex at younger and younger ages? And I do mean children. With shows like 16 and Pregnant glorifying the act of sex, how young is too young anymore?

Either way, their romantic indiscretion is a twofold distraction: it literally distracts the characters to the point that they almost are not successful rescuing Emily, and it distracts the reader from the many possible deeper levels that could be attained in this story. This story had so many opportunities to go deeper, and instead probably 30 pages (no I didn't actually count) are wasted on the "will they?" of whether or not Griffin and Finley will have sex. *Sigh*

This is why I don't usually read Romance novels, but this was Steampunk, and I expected more...

[loftyislanders · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The third installment in The Steampunk Series. Our heroes have returned from America, but now face haunting, kidnapping, and an old enemy. As our couples become closer, a new character emerges. I fell in love with Mila. She is the best of all of our heroes combined, save that of Jack Dandy. Our story concludes with our heroes safe, for now...but, they know that an arch enemy is waiting for them to drop their guard, just long enough for him to seek his final revenge. I cannot wait to read the finale to this series.

[vanyadrum · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

NOTE: I received the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was really impressed by the cover design. Just like the other two before it, TGWTIT looks fabulous! Which is why I was seriously afraid to start reading it. I mean, the cover is fantastic, and the previous volumes were good (especially Clockwork Collar which I adored), I wasn't exactly sure how Iron Touch would hold up.

Then I started reading and was terrified! What - the book was narrated through Emily's POV? Arghh! I was not brave enough to turn the pages until the end of chapter one! But in the end I did, and whew! There it was - a switch of POV's and finally, my Finley was back. There they were, her thoughts on the page and I was finally able to exhale. A shared book I could definitely handle.

That had been close!

But wait, just when I thought I could relax and just read on, what happens? I'm thoroughly disappointed by the story itself. It feels weak and silly in places. It feels rushed and lacking precision. It's a bit upped in the intimacy/passion department and honestly, I did like those scenes between Finley and Griffin, but the rest of it felt under-done.

I did like Mila somewhat. She is this automaton who's got human organs and flesh and feelings even. Who she was and why she was important was even more bizarre, but I guess that author saw it was the right approach.

I can't say I agree. The whole plot lacked coherency and in my opinion could've been done in a more intriguing way.

Concerning Emily and Sam... well, I was never really intrigued by those two. Although, Sam does seem to be on the verge of some sort of evolution/development. That remains to be seen however.

[emmyson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

*Many thanks to Harlequin Teen and NetGalley for allowing early access to this title.*

Quick Review...for when I don't have a lot to say...

It's no secret that I adore steampunk and this series in particular. I completely fell for the alternate London that Kady Cross introduced me to in The Girl in the Steel Corset. I loved picturing the cool contraptions that she came up with, and I especially loved the characters she introduced me to. Finley is one of my favorite characters of all time...so much that I'd totally consider naming a daughter Finley.

In this installment, we get to know more about Emily, while still continuing the story started in The Girl in the Steel Corset. I've liked Emily from the beginning, not least because we share a name. She's spunky and fun and totally loyal. I loved her relationship with Sam. I loved how she could be totally serious and then playful in the next moment. She was a lot of fun to read about.

I liked the story this time around, quite as much as the other two books. I have a feeling that it's definitely not over and I'm looking forward to where we could go next. I remain a loyal fan to this series!

4.5 Eiffel Towers

Content Advisory:
Language: Mild
Sexuality: Moderate
Violence: Moderate

[bookspot · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

""In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken""Kady Cross's new Steampunk Chronicles novel - following The Girl in the Steel Corset and The Girl in the Clockwork Collar - picks up where the story established in the first two books left off.The group of Griffin, Finley, Sam, and Emily thought they'd ended things with their enemy the Machinist when they literally brought a house down on his head. Only, his body was never found in the rubble and now things are happening that seem to have the Machinist mark on them.When one of their own is kidnapped, they can't ignore things any longer. Their archenemy must have somehow survived.The rest of the group -- along with Jasper and perhaps even Jack -- will have to work together to come to the rescue and to end things with the Machinist once and for all.The Girl with the Iron Touch is definitely a continuation of the series; it draws heavily on the relationships and story already established to begin the novel, without much recap. Anyone just picking up the series will miss out on a lot of who the characters are to each other -- a real strong point of the series -- as well as the backstory, plot wise.All that means, however, is that if you haven't read the fist two novels yet, you definitely need to now.The characters are more settled into their group - that became four in The Girl in the Steel Corset - and back in London after The Girl in the Clockwork Collar's expedition. So, they (and we readers) are able to have some great character and relationship developments while things are a touch more settled. In the calm before the storm.Those just secondary characters from the first books, Jasper and Jack, that it's about impossible not to love at least a little, are both back this time. The balance achieved between really giving seven (yes, seven -- the last one's a splendid secret) characters each their own great part in the 'character'y part of the story while having a thought through plot that's been unfolding over more than just this one novel, is fantastic.We aren't given just characters dealing with their feelings and where that will take them while the action stays stagnant nor does the plot run full steam ahead while the characters live in a state of flux.While the Steampunk Chronicles should please lovers of character-centric and plot-cenric books, both. We're given a bit more insight into two characters in this novel. Two characters who you likely wouldn't think of having an overlapping story line, and yet they do. One that's pretty brilliant and hopefully continued as it brings out sides to each of them we didn't see prior.This is an incredibly enjoyable, fast reading novel that will pull you in right from the start. Cross doesn't use a lot of flowery language or imagery to tell her story, instead relying on the characters and the action, which works. Aside from a few places where characters 'romancey' thoughts or statements feel almost, almost out of place, the entire story flows from start to finish.Rating: 9/10(nb: There's quite a bit more of the plot in the publisher synopsis. I didn't include as much because it's not all 'right away' happenings and it's fun to find out as you read. If you like knowing more going in, however, check out Goodreads or the publisher's site.)

[mickyfine · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Third book in the Steampunk Chronicles series.When Emily is kidnapped by automatons, Finley Jayne and her group of friends must band together to find her. But Griffin is being tormented by malevolent beings in the Aether, forcing Finley to turn to charming criminal mastermind, Jack Dandy. With the threat of the Machinist looming once again, the group must work together to rescue Emily and save London from the rise of the villain and his group of malevolent automatons.I really enjoyed the previous two books in this series and was seriously disappointed by this one. It felt a bit like filler with very little happening in terms of character or relationship development and the main plot wasn't particularly suspenseful or complex. The characters often had the same conversation several times over the course of the novel and everyone was perpetually being interrupted, which wore thin after a while. Also, Jasper (who was the primary focus of the last novel) was largely ignored for the entirety of this one and was largely written out of the book. The book was basically a bit of a mess with my already established fondness for the world and characters being the only thing pulling me through. While I will pick up the next book in the series (which I assume there will be based on how this book ended), if it's the same quality as this book, that will be it for me and the Steampunk Chronicles.

[callmecayce · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good third book in the series. I really enjoy reading about Finley Jayne and her friends (crew?). And it was nice to learn more about other characters (Emily and Sam, especially). I also liked the introduction of a new character as well. I also liked the story, though sometimes it goes a bit too out there for my tastes, but Cross manages to rein things in pretty well. That being said, I don't think this was as strong as the other two books. I liked it a lot, just not quite as much. I did appreciate that all the relationships in the story have moved forward. I think that in spite of my not liking this book quite as much, Cross managed to move the story forward, which a lot of series have problems with. Obviously there will be more books in this series, hopefully they'll continue to be interesting, because, all things considered, I quite like this series.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Steampunk fans rejoice. This series just keeps getting better and better.Plot: I really loved how the plot is getting deeper with emotions and secrets. It moves well along with the characters giving them growth and depth. The plot also moves with political affairs and of course, the struggle for power. As the plot thickens, all the characters are tested, some quit hiding and others take chances.Love: I'm happy to announce that there is finally some movement with Finely and Griffin. They have been doing the same tango for so long I wanted nothing more then for them to be together. YES! We have movement. It's not exactly all there but it sure is something to look forward to.Steampunk: There are many new machines and other new minor characters that come into play. I really loved watching this aspect of the story. Seeing them use what they have for good or at least to help one another makes them stronger together.Jack: All I can say is, I want to learn more of this character. I have a feeling that there are things we the readers don't know yet.The Girl With The Iron Touch is a moving story with lots of action. Creating a great world full of many destinations, The Girl With The Iron Touch is awesome.

[jwitt33 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My Opinion: I was so excited when I got to read this book because Steampunk Chronicles is one of my favorite series, and I love Kady Cross's writing. I thought it tied things up nicely in most cases, but I felt bad for poor Jasper, one of my fave characters, who really didn't have much to do in this book and was just kind of hanging around. Fortunately, I got to see lots of Finley and Griffin, and Emily and Sam, with some awesome Jack Dandy thrown in for good measure, so I was a happy camper!The gang has returned to England from their trip to and adventures in America, and everybody's trying to recuperate from that. Unfortunately, Griffin isn't doing too well, but he won't share what's going on with any of them, which really irks Finley. Emily and Sam are getting closer and are finally going to admit how they feel to one another when Emily is kidnapped, and the rest of them have to find her and bring her back, while keeping Sam under some control because he's totally losing it. Since I already told you how much I love this series, it's not surprising that I loved all of the characters, and enjoyed going back and visiting them again. The writing was, as usual, exciting and the pacing was perfect. I have to say that I am going to miss these guys a lot! I thought this was a good conclusion to the Steampunk Chronicles series and I give it an enthusiastic 5 stars. I highly recommend it to fans of YA steampunk :DI received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[arbjames · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finley, Griffin, Sam, Jasper, and Emily are surprised to learn that The Machinist is alive and well (ok, well, at least alive!) and still plotting. Finely and Griffin are drifting apart as Griffin battles his (literal!) demons alone, while Emily and Sam are getting closer. When the evil genius kidnaps Emily to force her to assist him in his diabolical schemes, will her friends be able to put aside their individual personal issues and come together to save her and the rest of mankind?I think I liked this third volume in the series better than the first two. I think this was largely to do with the character development in this one. You can really see how the characters have grown and matured. Jack Dandy is still something of an enigma, although the end of this one sets up for some future potentially interesting developments.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book, the third in the series, continues storylines begun in the earlier books. However, for me, the key activities in this one had to do with the various romances of the characters. Griffin is keeping secrets which both worries and annoys Finley. She isn't sure what he thinks about her though she knows that she is thinking about him constantly. Emily and Sam are also getting ready to admit their feelings for each other.But the Emily is kidnapped and an old villain makes a reappearance. Emily is kidnapped by some of the mechanical creatures made by the Machinist. Led by the mechanical Queen Victoria, they want Emily to transfer the Machinist's (Garibaldi's) brain into a new vessel since his body was almost completely destroyed in the last book. Garibaldi has prepared a new body using bits of flesh and blood from Finley, Griffin, Emily, and Jackson. When Emily meets her, she is still developing her form and personality. I really liked this character who renames herself Mila and can understand why Emily would be so eager to save her even though she plans to do her best to kill Garibaldi.Cross has developed a wonderful steampunk world with fascinating inventions. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the growth in the characters. Fans of both steampunk and romances will find something to like in this engaging story.

[mvthebookbabe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.*ACTUALLY 3.5 STARS*The Girl with the Iron Touch is a bit of a hard one for me to review. As you know, I've been absolutely loving the rest of the series. But try as I might, this one didn't really live up to it's predecessors. It seemed a bit rushed, to tell you the truth.It started out interesting-- but a tad bit confusing for my liking. We're thrown right into the story, which normally I love, but I had no clue what was going on! It seems that several months have lapsed in between books-- sigh. I did, however, enjoy this installment of The Steampunk Chronicles, even though it left a bit to be desired.Emily got so much more time and development in this one! Before, she was just a sweet, smart girl. But now we find out that she has some skeletons in her closet, some of which don't even get revealed to us! I'd like to know more about her! I liked being inside her head for once, and getting to see what she thought.I had hoped that this would be the book where Finley and Griffin would finally figure it out, and while to some degree it was, I still feel like their relationship could be more developed. It didn't seem like anything had happened in the time that we missed, but then it seems like things start happening altogether too fast, which kind of messed with my mind.You know what else messed with my mind? The plot. It was all over the place, but I mean that in a good way. It wasn't as predictable as the last two books, but I found that there were more loose ends. It irked me. I feel like they weren't all tied up, and that we have too much of an open-ending. I like them all wrapped up pretty, if I may say so.All in all, The Girl with the Iron Touch was a good continuation to this series, but I feel like maybe this isn't the last book?♥Megan

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales. Quick & Dirty: A romantic and odd conclusion to the Steampunk Chronicles. Really, this book just ties up loose ends, but it still leaves some hanging.Opening Sentence: A giant tentacle slapped the front of the submersible, driving the small craft backward in the water.The Review: In the possibly last installment of the Steampunk Chronicles, Finley and the gang have just gotten back from America and are recovering from the disaster there. Only not everyone seems to be recovering. Griffin holes himself away for hours and sometimes days at a time inside his room, and every time he comes out he looks more frail and exhausted. He won’t talk to anyone, not even Finley. Meanwhile Emily and Sam have finally let each other know how they feel about each other, and it seems to be all fine and dandy when out of the blue Emily gets kidnapped. Now forced to either watch her loved ones die or build a host body for the evil – barely alive – Machinist (see first book). While everyone tries to hunt down who could have possibly taken Emily and for what reason, Emily has discovered a phenomenon that would shock the scientific community – and cause the Machinist to come back healthy and new. This epic conclusion (or is it?) of the Steampunk Chronicles is one of a kind – intriguing you while at the same time creeping you out.I wouldn’t say that this book is predictable – far from it. This book however goes into some randomly strewn about plot points that are sometimes hard to follow and unnecessary to the main character arc. These random and far-fetched plot points drew out the book and lulled this potentially fast-paced book. For example: the Machinist?? Really? He was dead. Period. Robots could not have kept him alive this long. Another example: Jasper? As much as I love the character, he really wasn’t necessary. His story arc doesn’t even conclude and all of his actions are vague and unimportant. (This is where I see a novella coming out about him, describing all of his shenanigans while the rest of the crew were hunting for Emily.)Now on to the good stuff. The romance. The machines. And the heroines. At long last everyone has admitted their feelings for each other and now the only problem is commitment. Since the very beginning of the series these romances brewed (and every now and then boiled), never in the lime light until now. Well done Cross for creating such developed character/romances. The machines have always been a favorite part for me. There are always multiple clever contraptions that make their way into the books, and I have always enjoyed how this steampunk world grows and develops. Also, the heroines (Emily and Finley) can kick butt as much as (if not better) than the guys in this book. Strong-willed and stubborn, both girls have what it takes to tear down a mastermind’s plans by themselves.For a so-called ending to the Steampunk Chronicles, I would have been satisfied with the ending. There are still pieces unfinished and could possibly be great for novellas, the way the book ended all of the major plot lines were wrapped up and tied neatly in a bow. For those of you who like the odd and strange, this series is perfect for you.Notable Scene: She walked up to him and placed her hands on either side of his face so he would be forced to look at her. “I might take Jack soup if he was ill, maybe even sit with him. I would not bathe him. I would not wash his hair, and when I look at him I do not think about kissing him.” Impulsively, she traced the bow of hislower lip with her thumb. “There’s only one mouth I think about kissing.”Griffin’s gaze warmed beneath his heavy lids. He had a way of looking at a girl that made her want to toss propriety and virtue to the wind. “Whose mouthis that?” His voice was low and rough as his fingers hooked into the front lacing of her corset and pulled her closer.“Yours, you great daft article. Not Jack’s, only yours. Will you stop being jealous of him now?”“He’s rich, handsome and dangerous. You like that.”She smiled at the uncharacteristic lack of self-confidence in his tone. “My dear duke. You are rich, handsome and dangerous.”His lips lifted on one side. “I would never describe myself as dangerous.”“Could you maybe stop talking? I’d like to kiss you but your lips won’t stay still.”FTC Advisory: HarlequinTeen provided me with a copy of The Girl with the Iron Touch. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[marfisk_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You OverThe Girl with the Iron Touch is the third in the Steampunk Chronicles series and this NetGalley ARC is the push I needed to read the series. I don’t normally worry about reading out of order, and really, each of these books could be read alone as a satisfying read, but they provide spoilers for the earlier books, so just be aware. As it was, I already knew I wanted to try the series, already had the first book on my to-be-read pile at home, so it made more sense to start at the beginning. What this means is that I read all three books in the span of a couple months…and enjoyed every one.I’ve had issues with doing this in the past because the books start to sound a bit repetitive. Kady Cross gets around this problem by making it a group series but each book focuses on a different character while maturing the rest of the characters and their relationships at the same time.The Girl with the Iron Touch is a book I’ve been waiting for because it focuses on Emily and Sam, but not without giving the others both their moments of clay feet and to shine.For those of you new to the series, I can safely say each of the group has their own unique talent without spoilerage, and those just reaching this one know what Emily’s talent is. That talent, and the implications, is at the center of this book. That and her love for Sam, and his for her if he’d only admit it. This wouldn’t be Emily’s book if it didn’t focus on the thin line between human and machine, not with how she’d patched Sam up before the first book. He’s now kept alive with metal parts where his human ones have failed, and he’s not quite comfortable with his state of being. This makes his pairing with Emily more ironic since she is all about the contraptions, fascinated even ones that have been proved dangerous already.It’s hard to avoid spoilers when this far into the series, so I’ll just say that the story is complete and satisfying, once again offering not just a thrilling adventure/mystery with lives on the line, but also a more philosophical question of what means humanity and life. This is why I am a firm Kady Cross fan. She gives the rollicking entertainment, but at the same time her books offer questions to ponder at leisure once the last page has been reached. Well, that and her talent with words.Since this is an ARC, and I don’t have access to a released copy at the moment, I can’t quote the passages I called out, so you’ll have to make do with paraphrasing, but I wanted to mention some writerly stuff I noticed that made the reading experience even grander.After a passage describing the change in scene when going from Griffin’s house to Jack’s, I wrote the following note:This is the kind of detail that makes her writing wonderful. It’s not enough to describe. She goes the extra step and manages to slip in class differences too.Cross talked about the move from expensive steam carriages, mechanical horses, and fancy dresses to gray and sooty Whitechapel, and how the people dressed in colors to match the area so the smudges would be hidden.It’s a quick paragraph that shows the reader not just what the scenery looks like, but what it means and how radical the social differences. Beautifully done.Another passage I called out was a single, sarcastic line from one of the girls about how annoying boys can be. Lines like these elevate the series from simple adventures to a visit with old friends that make me laugh even as I sympathize with their frustration.Ultimately, I enjoyed the story as much, or maybe more in places, than the previous ones. There’s a development with Jack that’s fascinating, and I have high hopes for Jasper’s future as well. The way things blend together across the series, and how the characters develop, really gives the sense that this is not a world building as it goes along but rather one in which Cross knows how each book is going to play out so she can set the ground work earlier. It’s something she does extremely well. I’ve said it before (three times now actually if you could the Finley James novella), but Cross offers a great read. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

[lsmurphy524 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finley, Griffin, and the rest of the gang are back in England after their American adventures in the second book. Naturally, there’s trouble on the horizon as The Machinist is still around and causing trouble. I love how this book focuses a bit more on Emily without deviating from the other characters. Emily’s story comes to the forefront as she’s kidnapped by some bad automatons. We get her backstory without slowing the narrative. Smooth transitions such as this make all of Kady Cross’s books assessable and easy to read. Another thing to love is the growth of the characters. With the exception of Jasper who was absent for much of the book, each character learns something new about their limitations or lack there of. I don’t deny my love for all things Griffin and really enjoy where his story is heading. Finley has experiences the most growth. By the third book, she knows who she is and what she wants. Most surprising is Jack Dandy. I can’t wait to read more about him. If you’re looking for something paranormal, but you’re tired of the same old thing, pick this series up. The books are a lot of fun.