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dromwald's review against another edition
4.0
If you threw a little steampunk, a dash of pixie dust and a soupcon of Victorian era adventuring into some kind of alchemical pot this book might well be the result. Always a pleasant surprise to chance upon something different. Well worth a read in my opinion.
fairytalearista's review
4.0
So ... this book was made of a lot of my favorite elements, so ... not gonna say that I didn't like it, but ... it just didn't come to a cohesive whole? I'm not going to call it a bad book, but it took a long time for the book to feel worth it, and I struggled to connect with the MC. She cuts herself off from most human connection - due to her past, which I get. Now, a character like that can work, but her motivation for the first half was very ... hairbrained, and I just sat there going, "Girl! You were given a second chance to live, don't go off and throw that away trying to kill a guy who's way out of your league!!"
That aside, when it did get going, boy howdy, there was a lot of excitement! Also the worldbuilding is exquisite and EverlyXJamison was adorable, and I'm very worried about the next book. (Also, someone wrap up Quinn in a blanket and put her where no one can hurt the poor child. Please???)
Also, an aside - I listened to the audiobook, and normally, I shift the speed up to 1.2, but had to dial this one back down to 1.05 because the voice actor spoke so fast. But, somewhere in the second half, I turned it up to 1.15. Not sure whether she slowed down or I just got used to her voice, but ... just something I found interesting.
That aside, when it did get going, boy howdy, there was a lot of excitement! Also the worldbuilding is exquisite and EverlyXJamison was adorable, and I'm very worried about the next book. (Also, someone wrap up Quinn in a blanket and put her where no one can hurt the poor child. Please???)
Also, an aside - I listened to the audiobook, and normally, I shift the speed up to 1.2, but had to dial this one back down to 1.05 because the voice actor spoke so fast. But, somewhere in the second half, I turned it up to 1.15. Not sure whether she slowed down or I just got used to her voice, but ... just something I found interesting.
natsavage19's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
readerlatte's review against another edition
4.0
My Review: This book was very good. I love Emily's writing and the world's she creates. This one takes us on the tale of a girl on a mission to avenge her family's murder as well as living with a clockwork heart. I have to say that this one would classified as a light retelling of Pinocchio. I mean it even has an evil whale in it. The fantasy elements in this one brings to life the world that Everly lives in and I could not put it down.
The story was well paced and although I do think that the sea voyage took a little longer than I had hoped it did allow Everly to really connect with the love interest. The only real issue I had by the end of this one was that the bad guy and well one other person that I can't really talk about because its a spoiler. They just seemed off just a little. But I still loved this story.
I can not wait until the next one!
The story was well paced and although I do think that the sea voyage took a little longer than I had hoped it did allow Everly to really connect with the love interest. The only real issue I had by the end of this one was that the bad guy and well one other person that I can't really talk about because its a spoiler. They just seemed off just a little. But I still loved this story.
I can not wait until the next one!
novelinsights's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a perfectly average fantasy story about a woman sworn to get revenge on the man that killed her family. There were some interesting elements to the story, such as the fact that the woman had been given a magical clockwork heart to replace her own after she was stabbed in the chest as a child, and I really appreciated the wealth of female characters present. However, the story just didn't quiet grab me the way I expected it to. I think part of the reason was that it was very predictable. It followed traditional tropes of the genre for the most part, and I only very occasionally found myself actually worrying about what was going to happen. Additionally, the story felt a little too fast-paced and didn't take quite enough time to sit with the characters and let their emotions develop. Initially, I'd been excited to pick up a short fantasy, assuming it wouldn't get bogged down in description like some other books in the genre, but I think this book could have used 50-100 more pages, just to better flesh out all the elements that are already there.
There were also a few things about the plot that really didn't make sense to me, or felt convenient. For example,Jamison's main driving motivation was to clear the name of a man who was wrongly accused of killing his sister. Why? I respect that about him, but for most people, even if the accusations were wrong, they would taint your feelings toward a person enough that you probably wouldn't uproot your entire life to help them. Then, that man never even came into the story properly, and nothing much happened with him. He was really just a device to (poorly) explain Jamison's presence. Similarly, in the end, when they're on the ship, Jamison doesn't agree to join the girls when they turn into pirates, and Everley initially states that she also doesn't want to join them. They're going to be imprisoned belowdecks, but Everley tricks Jamison, handcuffs him, and decides to join the pirates after all. It just felt like a lot of work when she could have just joined the pirates in the first place and the same exact end result would have been achieved. Perhaps the roundabout way she took to get there was supposed to develop the characters in some way they otherwise wouldn't have been developed, but I didn't really get much of anything out of it.
Overall, there's nothing major wrong with this book, but it didn't hold my attention particularly well, and I'm not sure I'm going to continue with the rest of the series. However, I would recommend it to others (perhaps individuals who genuinely fall within the target age range would be a better fit).
There were also a few things about the plot that really didn't make sense to me, or felt convenient. For example,
Overall, there's nothing major wrong with this book, but it didn't hold my attention particularly well, and I'm not sure I'm going to continue with the rest of the series. However, I would recommend it to others (perhaps individuals who genuinely fall within the target age range would be a better fit).
amybraunauthor's review against another edition
5.0
This book is solid magic from start to finish! It begins in what feels like a normal setting packed with lore, but soon becomes a sweeping adventure with a complex female lead, memorable side characters, action, terrifying monsters, and twists!!
I absolutely love the lore King created here. It is beautiful and enticing and I am dying for more! There are is so much imagination that compliments the beautiful prose.
Everley is a complicated hero whose journey has just begun. She has a tragic backstory and an indomitable will. I hope to see her grow even more! Quinn and Jamison are adorable, the villains are sympathetic, and the side character are tricksy!
I loved this book and absolutely recommend it to fantasy adventure lovers everywhere. Definitely worth a read!
I absolutely love the lore King created here. It is beautiful and enticing and I am dying for more! There are is so much imagination that compliments the beautiful prose.
Everley is a complicated hero whose journey has just begun. She has a tragic backstory and an indomitable will. I hope to see her grow even more! Quinn and Jamison are adorable, the villains are sympathetic, and the side character are tricksy!
I loved this book and absolutely recommend it to fantasy adventure lovers everywhere. Definitely worth a read!
lostinagoodbook's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m late to this party for sure. I’ve seen Emily R. King’s books on book twitter so many times in the last couple of years. How did I never pick one up? Well I’ve remedied that failing of mine, and I’m glad I did.
Ms. King’s new series, The Evermore Chronicles, focuses on a heroine with a heart … well not of gold. She has a clock where a heart should be. As you can imagine that is not easy to deal with, especially when you are a young, energetic, forthright, adventurous type, as Everley Donovan is.
Everley is determined to find the man who killed her family and wounded her so heinously. Stabbed through the heart, she was saved with this contraption housed in her chest. She wants answers and vengeance. This quest leads her to some incredible places and adventures.
Ms. King’s writing is a dream. Easy to read, and a quick but smooth ride. She reminds me a lot of Jeff Wheeler and Charlie N. Holmberg. All three write with an enviable ease. An excellent weekend read, and the start to what is shaping up to be a great new series. This is one to check out!
Song for this book: Heart Like a Wheel – Kate and Anna McGarrigle
I’m late to this party for sure. I’ve seen Emily R. King’s books on book twitter so many times in the last couple of years. How did I never pick one up? Well I’ve remedied that failing of mine, and I’m glad I did.
Ms. King’s new series, The Evermore Chronicles, focuses on a heroine with a heart … well not of gold. She has a clock where a heart should be. As you can imagine that is not easy to deal with, especially when you are a young, energetic, forthright, adventurous type, as Everley Donovan is.
Everley is determined to find the man who killed her family and wounded her so heinously. Stabbed through the heart, she was saved with this contraption housed in her chest. She wants answers and vengeance. This quest leads her to some incredible places and adventures.
Ms. King’s writing is a dream. Easy to read, and a quick but smooth ride. She reminds me a lot of Jeff Wheeler and Charlie N. Holmberg. All three write with an enviable ease. An excellent weekend read, and the start to what is shaping up to be a great new series. This is one to check out!
Song for this book: Heart Like a Wheel – Kate and Anna McGarrigle
pandothiel's review
2.0
2.5 stars.
It was an okay book, a quick read, but I absolutely did not connect with it. The writing could be beautiful, but it overall felt quite bland; it lacked a voice that would make me plunge into it and not stop reading.
I did not care for any of the characters. Once again, they felt very bland and not necessarily likeable; Everly is defined by her loss and her will to avenge her family, but I didn't see any strength in her, even less any character development. She's exactly the same at the end of the book as she was in the beginning. Her clock-heart was an interesting idea, at the center of her persona, but in itself it wasn't a strong enough element to carry the story.
Quinn seemed extremely childish for a 12 year old. Vevina disappeared halfway through the story. The Cat and the Fox were bland. The blond girl could have been interesting, but ended up a caricature of the character she should have been.
Jamison was either weak, abusive, gentle, kind; overall, very inconsistent. The big bad guy was predicatble from the beginning and how... just how a 300 something year old being could be bothered to deal with a 17-year old girl with a clock-heart? Bro, just threaten her, scare her, and get everthing you want from her. He was not a scary or believable villain overall.
Ah, and I forgot one character. I even forgot he was there, that's the mark of a very insignificant character. I didn't even care that he died.
Plot-wise, I felt like a lot of things happened, but nothing at the same time. Although I didn't guess the twist despite all my guesses, it wasn't surprising at all. Pre-boat and settlment part I was just waiting for something to happen, and after it I lost interest.
Overall, an okay read. I just didn't connect with it. I might give a chance to the next book only because I have Kindle Unlimited and can read it for free.
It was an okay book, a quick read, but I absolutely did not connect with it. The writing could be beautiful, but it overall felt quite bland; it lacked a voice that would make me plunge into it and not stop reading.
I did not care for any of the characters. Once again, they felt very bland and not necessarily likeable; Everly is defined by her loss and her will to avenge her family, but I didn't see any strength in her, even less any character development. She's exactly the same at the end of the book as she was in the beginning. Her clock-heart was an interesting idea, at the center of her persona, but in itself it wasn't a strong enough element to carry the story.
Quinn seemed extremely childish for a 12 year old. Vevina disappeared halfway through the story. The Cat and the Fox were bland. The blond girl could have been interesting, but ended up a caricature of the character she should have been.
Jamison was either weak, abusive, gentle, kind; overall, very inconsistent. The big bad guy was predicatble from the beginning and how... just how a 300 something year old being could be bothered to deal with a 17-year old girl with a clock-heart? Bro, just threaten her, scare her, and get everthing you want from her. He was not a scary or believable villain overall.
Ah, and I forgot one character. I even forgot he was there, that's the mark of a very insignificant character. I didn't even care that he died.
Plot-wise, I felt like a lot of things happened, but nothing at the same time. Although I didn't guess the twist despite all my guesses, it wasn't surprising at all. Pre-boat and settlment part I was just waiting for something to happen, and after it I lost interest.
Spoiler
And why did Markham(?) take all those people when he could have done with Everly (and maybe her brother as a threat) to get what he wanted? Why the need to involve four other characters who were completely useless, and weaponless?Overall, an okay read. I just didn't connect with it. I might give a chance to the next book only because I have Kindle Unlimited and can read it for free.
littleroseygirl's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this! Looking forward to reading the next one soon.