Thursday 28 August 2014

REVIEW, RELEASE DAY & SERIES PROMOTION - THE PERIODIC SERIES & REVIEW - IRON PENDULUM - THE PERIODIC SERIES BY MEGAN CURD

Title: Steel Lily
Series: The Periodic Series
Author: Megan Curd
Genre: YA, Steampunk, Fantasy, Dystopian
Release Date: 12th August 2013

BLURB from Goodreads
AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She’s a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn’t any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.

…Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything…including the fate of your world.

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Title: Iron Pendulum
Series: The Periodic Series
Author: Megan Curd
Genre: YA, Steampunk, Fantasy, Dystopian
Release Date: 28th August 2014

BLURB from Goodreads
A month ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.

But a month can change everything.

After fighting to escape a tyranny she didn't even know existed, Avery has had to come to grips with all the secrets she's uncovered. But more secrets continue to come to light, revealing how little of her world she truly knew. When evidence starts to show that Dome Four might be under siege, Avery knows what she must do.

Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.

And they’re blaming Avery.

A month can change everything. One more month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.


Goodreads Link


INITIAL THOUGHTS
To say I was impressed and flattered is an understatement for how I felt when I was approached to read this, the second book in The Periodic Series, and review it too.  
I was really looking forward to catching up with Avery + Jaxon and their fledgling relationship as well as learning more about then Alliance (good guys) and the ever experimenting resistance ruled by Xander.

MY REVIEW
I received an e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review, and for posting that review during the blog tour.
The cover of Iron Pendulum is really eye catching and really adds to theme created with the Steel Lily cover. The cogs and wheels are carried over and I'm looking forward to seeing the cover for bk 3 Copper Phoenix hopefully continuing with this great cover theme.
Would the cover make me pick up the book from a book store shelf? Yes it certainly would, I think it gives the series a steampunk feel. The cogs are quite symbolic too of "things" within the plot all needing to fit together to reveal the larger picture/plot. 
So Avery, Jaxon & Alice are going undercover and back into Dome 4 to find out what has changed. Sadly a lot has changed and it isn't for the better. The "normal" "Traditionals" side of the dome is even more rundown than before. If it is even possible their conditions have gotten worse. The governor, Lindroth appears to be rationing the Air Filtration, so it means the traditional's are needing to wear their masks more and more.  The richer Elite side of the Dome don't appear to be short on power for the air filtration system and even if they were they have much more expensive superior masks to wear should the need arrive.The three teens find a place to stay with Dana and the youngsters she has taken in to love and protect when their own families cannot care or are no longer there to care for them. It was Dana that took in Avery when her parents disappeared. Avery's "talent"/element is as usual in much demand. Though it does seem that no matter how much power and steam she gives there is never enough to go around or even give a regular supply of clean air for the "traditional's" to breathe. In fact families are becoming ill due to the problem air they breathe in despite having their "protective" masks. Some of the children that Dana cares for are also getting sick and coughing up blood. Avery, Jaxon etc need to find out whats going on and what can be done to save the children and people that are dying. 
Avery must infiltrate the governors departments so she sets herself back into the task of using her ability. The one who replaced her (Erin) becoming jealous and resentful of Avery's return. Governor Lindroth assigns his son Vincent to keep an eye on Avery, whilst Jaxon tries to get close to Erin and find out the truth about the Zeroes army. Both Avery and Jaxon want to find out if Lindroth and Xander have some sort of plan.
Another character that features a lot in this installment of The Periodic Series is Legs, however there are a lot of questions as to where his loyalties really are. This book has lots of action, drama, conspiracy, betrayal, love of course and more!
I really can't go into any more details than I have as you need to read the book for yourselves. The end was kind of and abrupt end but a great cliff hanger ending. I love the characters even more than when I initially met them in the Steel Lily. I also loved the fact that the Steel Lily was mentioned in this book. I like the idea and the description og the Iron Pendulum in this book and am seriously already anticipating who/what the Copper Phoenix will entail within it's pages.
So did I enjoy the book? I'm being totally honest here, I truly loved it.                   Would I recommend the book? I do recommend this book, in fact I highly recommend this series. Would I want to read more of this series? Yes, please I'd love to read the Copper Phoenix as soon as it's available, please.                   Would I want to read other books by this author? I'd like to check out some of this authors other books too.


PURCHASE LINKS


***GIVEAWAY***


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