"Beauty and the Clockwork Beast" Book Review

"Jane Eyre meets Beauty and the Beast in a Steampunk Proper Romance"

(From the backcover of the book)

One of my favorite things to do is to read, but since I became a mother over two years ago, I find it hard to find time to read. And then I find it even harder to find a book that I like enough to read all the way through to the end. That definitely was not the case with Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen. I made time to read, read when I knew that Squid was occupied enough, and read every night before going to sleep. To put it simply: I COULDN'T PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!!!

Let's start with a little back story: On August 4th I received and email from Deseret Bookshelf (like I do often) with the above description as the subject line. I immediately opened it and read the following synopsis: 

When Lucy Pickett arrives at Blackwell Manor to tend to her ailing cousin, Kate, she finds more than she bargained for. A restless ghost roams the hallways, werewolves have been reported in the area, and vampires luck across the Scottish boarder. 

Lord Miles himself is clearly hiding a secret. He is brash and inhospitable and does not take kindly to visitors - even one as smart and attractive as Miss Pickett. He is unsettled by the mysterious deaths of his new wife, Clara, and his sister, Marie. Could Miles himself be to blame for their deaths?

Working together, Miles and Lucy attempt to restore peace to Blackwell Manor. But can Lucy solve the mystery of Miles? Can she love the man - beast and all?

Talk about an attention grabber! I then read it aloud to FATMAN! who also took immediate interest. There's just one thing that held us both back... it's a romance novel. I loathe romance novels (and movies), unless they are romantic comedies. I have always thought that romance novels give a false illusion as to what love is and have always steered away from them. But I kept reading the synopsis over and over again and finally made a decision that if I ever got the chance, I would buy a copy and at least give it a chance. Two days later I found myself in Deseret Book searching for the book, opening it to the middle to test the writing style of Nancy Campbell Allen (I haven't read anything else by her), and rushing to the counter to buy it. I then read the first chapter aloud on the trip home. I would have read more but my throat had started to get rough and I was running out of water. I read a couple of more chapters and then had to put the book on pause when the last of the N.E.R.D.S. book came in special order through the library. BUT as soon as I finished N.E.R.D.S., I immediately jumped back into Beauty and the Clockwork Beast.

I honestly don't even know where to begin! I LOVE this book! I love everything about it, even the romance. There's supernatural elements, Steampunk technology and fashion (which I'm starting to get into), two murder mysteries to solve (yes, that's a small spoiler), and action! Oh my goodness, I was happily surprised at the little bit of action that was in it. But what I think I love the most are the two main characters, Lucy Pickett and Lord Miles Blake, and the transition they make from being so independent to needing to rely on each other and the vulnerability and frustration that comes with feeling true love, despite obvious flaws. 

I love that this book is a "proper romance" and that it's very clean in general. There's no sex, no descriptive nudity (but nudity is mentioned in general when absolutely necessary), there is one very mild swear word, and there's no rude or vulgar jokes, stories, sayings of any kind at all from any of the characters. This is a truly clean and proper romance novel, even if the romance part of it is not the forefront of the story. 

The mystery and supernatural elements are the biggest part of the book and that's what really drew me in and made me want to keep reading even when I had responsibilities to tend to, Little Bug to take care of, needed sleep, etc. It really was a sacrifice and took a great amount of effort for me to tear myself away from the book to go do things. I had to keep it in the other room (out of sight, out of mind) to keep myself from reading all day long. Ghosts, werewolves, vampires, and mediums are everywhere you turn while reading. And I like the take on vampires that Nancy Campbell Allen writes. Vampires being able to walk and live among regular people with help from an illegal medicine. They can turn into mists of black and travel quickly. They have a great ability of strength and to see in the dark. The werewolves she describes are just as impressive with their heightened senses, even in human form, the build and strength of the creatures, even the personalities of the creatures in wolf and human forms and how they relate to each other. But wait until you meet the ghost who is haunting Blackwell Manor! Oh, the description, the horror, the excitement!

I think I'm going to stop here because I feel like if I keep going, I will spoil everything. A small word of caution: this book is a little intense. If you don't like being sucked in and wondering in excitement and (a little bit of) fear, DO NOT pick up this book! I guarantee that your interest will be grabbed and held onto until you finish the last word. I highly recommend Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen to anyone who loves a good book. If I didn't already have another book in my possession lined up to read next (and FATMAN! didn't want to read it), I would have immediately flipped back to the beginning and started it all over in a heartbeat.

And I haven't even mentioned the amazing Steampunk technology and fashion. I just love the detail that is given for the different outfits, transportation, and tools. 

It's Sad To See the End

WARNING: This may be is a ridiculous post, but hopefully funny too.

Call me crazy, but I occasionally (okay more like almost always) get attached to TV shows and the stories and characters, especially the ones that are relatable. For those of us who are Netflix binge watchers, you may relate (or at least I hope you do). 

What is it that makes me get so attached to these shows? Is it the characters? Is it the story? Is it the development? Is it the lessons/morals? Or is it the fact that you just binge watched the entire series in just a matter of days? Maybe it's a compilation of everything I just said and more. 

I love Netflix because I can watch an entire series without commercials, on my own time, and I can pause the show and go do something without missing a thing, unlike live TV. I love that I have many shows available to me, including shows I have wanted to see, want to watch again, and shows that look interesting but I'm hesitant. I hate Netflix because I am a stay at home mom and will binge watch. I will get through an entire series in a matter of days and then have to find something else to watch, which can be a drag. Another reason I hate Netflix is because some of the shows that are currently on don't update with new episodes as fast as I would like. Though that is one reason why I like Hulu. Hulu streams current shows for free, but you have to deal with commercials, not all TV shows are available, and some shows are available the next day after premiering and others are available a week later. 

Here are some shows I have binge watched on Netflix and/or Hulu:

Bones: This show is an awesome combination of science and crime solving. It's about a forensic anthropologist and her team who gets partnered up with an FBI agent and together they solve murder cases that pop up all over. The catch: all of the victims show up in only their bones and very little else. This show is mysterious, funny, educational, and romantic, sort of. There is always sexual tension between the main characters. This show is amazing! And it is still airing. So I binge watched this on Netflix and then thought about going to Hulu to get caught up, but FATMAN! loves this show too. So we watch this one together as the new seasons come out on Netflix. 

Sabrina the Teenage Witch: For a little while, Hulu offered this whole series. This show is about a girl who finds out she is a witch and we follow her through high school and college as she discovers how her new found magic works. I grew up watching this show and was very happy to find it. And at a moment when I needed to feel nostalgic. When I found Sabrina on Hulu, I was feeling very homesick and needed something that reminded me of home and that everything was fine. A comedy that should be in everyone's home. 

Alias: If you are into action and amazing disguises, this is the show for you. This show follows Sydney who is recruited out of college and becomes a spy and then a double agent when the branch of the CIA she works for kills her boyfriend. My husband, FATMAN!, suggested this one to me. It was slow getting into the show, but once it picked up it was phenomenal! All of the action, disguises, gadgets were all beyond its time. The last season tried taking on a supernatural vibe and totally flopped, but the rest of the show was great. 

How I Met Your Mother: Shortened to HIMYM, this sitcom follows five friends as they go through life's twists and turns while Ted finds his wife. The show is a series of back flashes as Ted is telling his two children how he met their mother (hence the title). The comedy is often raunchy, but there are amazing catchphrases, one-liners, stories, and hilarious situations. My best friend recommended this one to me and, though it took a couple of years to actually watch, I am so glad that I did. The ending is a bit controversial but if you really think about it after watching the series, it fits and makes sense. If you are looking for something to relax with after a long, hard, busy day, this is the right show for you. Great laughs, no thinking required. 

Friends: Most most recent binge (as in I finished it last night). After watching this series, I feel like Friends is the original HIMYM. Friends follows six friends as they go through life in Manhattan. From love to mistakes to work situations, no matter what happens these friends stick together. I wasn't as teary-eyed when I watched the finale last night, but I had my moments of LOLs and teary-eyed moments throughout the entire series. There are touching moments, comedic moments, moments that make you wonder how they are going to fix the problem, moments of love, and moments that, at one point or another, you can relate to. I love my friends and would do anything for them if needed, as the six friends here do. This show proves that friendship can survive anything. 

And last, but certainly not least....

Supernatural: This is another show that is still currently airing. Another show that my best friend wanted me to watch that took a couple of years. Another show that I started watching on Netflix and then moved to Hulu to keep up. The title says it all. This show is about two brothers who hunt and kill the supernatural, like vampires, werewolves, pagan gods, angels, demons, etc. This show is scary but amazing and addictive. If I don't stop now, I could go on forever about this show. 

There are many other shows that I have binged on thanks to Netflix, Hulu, and the local library. And there will be many more shows to come. But why do we get so attached? Maybe it's because goodbyes are always hard, even to fictional characters. 

Images taken from other sites found through googling.