Sydney Reads and Reviews: The Girl At Midnight

By Melissa Grey

Summary: Magic lives in our darkest corners.

Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she’s ever known.

Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she’s fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it’s time to act.

Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, though if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it’s how to hunt down what she wants…and how to take it.

But some jobs aren’t as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.

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My Thoughts:
Stars: 5/5
Ship: Dorian & Jasper, Caius & Echo
Fave Cinnamon Rolls: JASPER 
Needed BROTP: The Squad (Ivy, Jasper, Dorian, Caius & Echo)

Actual Review:

The Girl At Midnight was such a fun and surprising read that I just couldn’t put it down. Echo is one of the most fun protagonists i’ve encountered with all her quirks like referencing Pop Culure and obsession with large and obscure words which adds a fun layer to an already interesting and layered book.

Echo is as human as you or I, but she lives in a world that is unknown to most humans. The world of the Avicen and the Drakharin, whom of course are at a long war with each other, because what great story doesnt have feuding races.

The Girl At Midnight has such beautiful and rich scenery building and the world and magic surrounding it is absolutely breathtaking and i want to continue diving in. I love the attention to detail of the different types of birds that the Avcien can be and how it affects their mannerisms and personality. The Drakharin are extremely similar in that regards as well.

The romance side of it is very subdued and you are unsuer for the first few chapters or so. But then man, the middle of the book hits and BAM there’s a character as flamboyant and perfect as Magnus Bane himself. And he’s mine to protect and keep his plummage clean. SOmehow over the course of this summer, i have found 2 new faves and they are both dark skin, sassy and Gay. And Named Je/asper. Like Seriously, it must be fate.

THe twist near the end is mostly unexpected unless you are one of those people that starts speculating all sorts of things as they read and it can easily be one of those guesses.

I absolutely loved this book and it is definitely going to be another favorite.

I would recommend it for fans of Darker Shade of Magic, A Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and definitely Mortal Instruments because Jasper is literally Magnus Bane except part bird instead of a warlock.

 

Sydney Reads and Reviews: Rebel Mechanics

By Shanna Swendson

Summary:  A sixteen-year-old governess becomes a spy in this alternative U.S. history where the British control with magic and the colonists rebel by inventing.

It’s 1888, and sixteen-year-old Verity Newton lands a job in New York as a governess to a wealthy leading family—but she quickly learns that the family has big secrets. Magisters have always ruled the colonies, but now an underground society of mechanics and engineers are developing non-magical sources of power via steam engines that they hope will help them gain freedom from British rule. The family Verity works for is magister—but it seems like the children’s young guardian uncle is sympathetic to the rebel cause. As Verity falls for a charming rebel inventor and agrees to become a spy, she also becomes more and more enmeshed in the magister family’s life. She soon realizes she’s uniquely positioned to advance the cause—but to do so, she’ll have to reveal her own dangerous secret.

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My Thoughts:
Stars: Infinte/5
Ship: Verity & Alec
Fave Cinnamon Rolls: Verity, Henry, Lizzie
Needed BROTP: Alec & Mick, Verity & Elinor, Verity & Lizzie

Actual Review:

HOLY SHIT THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED

Actual Review added 7/20/16

Okay, it’s the next day and there should be more concise thoughts more than OMG WHAT IS Air type feelings.

THis book is OMG WHAT IS AIR *Sprays fangirl side bad, back to the shadows with you* Ahem. Where were we.

Rebel Mechanics follows a young lady about 16 or 17 (im no longer sure. The book says she is a few months shy of 18 but the summary says 16. So either way, a late teenager) who is looking to be a governess in NY in the late 1800’s.

This book is probably one of my first true interactions with SteamPUnk YA Fantasy and let me tell you I loved every minute of it. I am actually in my last year of getting my Mechanical Engineering degree at school so something like this combinbing magic and fantasy with literally the STEM side of me is like taking all bits of my soul and making a book out of them.

I found it very easy to connect with Verity who has a strong fondness for reading and a good head on her shoulders, knowing that she is able to change opinons based on new facts that come to light as she goes through life.

I love almsot all of the family that she finds herself working for as a governess, Henry is an adorable and secretive derp, Rollo & Olive are precious and Flora..well, Flora may find herself on the wrong side of my boot if she doesn’t grow up a little.

The Rebels are absolutely thrilling and i loved readinga bout all of their different machines. Lizzie & Colin are such great characters and i hope to read more about Mick and Alec as well.

There are ships abound in this story and i honestly would be happy with either way that Verity would choose to go.

THe settting was absolutely breathtaking and the plot kept me wanting to read this all night long.

I would recommend this for HIstorical Fantasy fans, as well as anyone with any kind of love of Science. There’s also a feel of ADSOM in it, so V.E. Schwab fans may enjoy this as well.

Infinite Stars/5 from me and i will glady reread this any day.