THE LOWDOWN:
London’s underworld is no place for a young woman, even one who is strong, smart and part-automaton like Mila. But when master criminal Jack Dandy inadvertently breaks her heart, she takes off, determined to find an independent life, one entirely her own. Her search takes her to the spangled shadows of the West End’s most dazzling circus.

Meanwhile, taken captive in the Aether, Griffin King is trapped in an inescapable prison, and at the mercy of his archenemy, The Machinist. If he breaks under the hellish torment, The Machinist will claim his powers and control of the Aether itself, and no one in either world will be safe-especially not Finley Jayne and her misfit band of friends.

Finley plunges headlong into the Aether the only way she knows how, by temporarily dying. But she cannot parry The Machinist’s maneuvers for long. To defeat him for good, Griffin will have to confront his greatest fear and finally come face-to-face with the destructive power he wields.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

There was the most villainous killer on the loose. For weeks the nobility of Great Britain had been terrified—particularly the gentlemen. 
—Hardcover edition

SNAPSHOT:

In the final installment of The Steampunk Chronicles, all secrets are at long-last revealed!

While the subplot with Jack and Mila is not the crux of the action, it is the sweetest treat within the tale. Mila is sure to continue on as a fan favorite in this series. She adds much-needed light-hearted humor and adventure to the otherwise weighty finale. Likewise, finally cracking open the painful past of mysterious and enigmatic criminal mastermind Jack Dandy is a special treat for long-time readers.

Mila is a good stand-in for the voice of today’s modern readers, asking the right questions about how women are treated, and the fairness or lack thereof inherent to it in Victorian society… or our own modern one. However, for every positive, strong, intelligent act by Mila or Finley, there is the unsettling feeling that the other girls—Emily and Wildcat—have merely been paired off with their respective beaus and relegated to bit parts. In fact Emily, who dazzled in the previous novel, is barely involved. Meanwhile, American gal Wildcat is forgettable.

The plot between Griffin and The Machinist suffers from similar hand-waving as previous installments when it comes time for the climactic battle. In the end, the larger story arc of the series is more about finding love than beating the bad guys.

Appropriate for ages 13+.  Strong language, intense situations, graphic violence, violence against women, sexual situations, alcohol use by minors.

Deals with love and lust, sexual and spiritual awakening, responsibility, friendship, death and mourning.

GET IT ON YOUR SHELF:
 If you… 

• Love steampunk gadgets, alternate history London, and lavishly described clothing

• Are a fan of super-heroics with a decidedly romantic bent

• Enjoy independent female protagonists

• Have ever wondered how far you’d be willing to go for the person you loved

THE ESSENTIALS:

YA Steampunk Romance

Hardcover & Ebook, 400 pages

Published May 27th 2014 by Harlequin TEEN (ISBN 0373211198)

http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=52406&cid=

(Review copy provided by Harlequin TEEN.)