Hey readers! Happy Friday! I have got one awesome post for you guys today. I am so excited to be part of this incredible review tour from Xpresso Book Tours. I won't like, I've had this book on my TBR forever so getting the change to finally check this one out made my day! What am I raving about? Lumiere by Jacqueline E. Garlick. Today's post will feature my review plus an awesome giveaway! Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel and our author:
Lumière by Jacqueline Garlick
(The Illumination Paradox #1)
Publication date: December 12th 2013
Genres: Steampunk, Young Adult
Seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth is no stranger to living in the dark. She’s hidden her secret affliction all of her life—a life that would be in danger if superstitious townspeople ever guessed the truth. After her mother is accused and executed for a crime that she didn’t commit, the now-orphaned Eyelet has no choice but to track down the machine—her last hope for a cure. But Eyelet’s late father’s most prized invention, the Illuminator, has been missing since the day of the mysterious flash—a day that saw the sun wiped out over Brethren forever.
Alone and on the run, she finds the Illuminator—only to witness a young man hauling it away. Determined to follow the thief and recover the machine, she ventures into the deepest, darkest, most dangerous part of her twisted world.
Jacqueline Garlick
I love to read, write, paint (walls and paper). I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate, grammar, and technology and would rather hang out with a dog, than a cat. I prefer creating things to cleaning things, and believe laughter is a one-stop-shop solution to all that ails you. You will always find a purple wall (or two) in my house (currently in my writing room), and there may or may not be a hidden passageway that leads to a mystery room. (Okay, so you won't find a hidden passageway, but a girl can dream, can't she?) Oh, and tea. There will always be tea.
*****
My Thoughts:
About a year ago, I really dove head first into a genre that I didn't really know much about. A genre that had always intrigued me, but at the same time left me with a lot of questions: steampunk. What is it? How does it work? Who does it involve? Once I finally devoured my first steampunk read, I realized: steampunk isn't just a genre, it's a way of life. Steampunk people. It's incredible. Shortly after I devoured my first steampunk series, I set out on an adventure to find as many as I could get my hands on. I read so many incredible novels in such a short time before I got burnt out. There has always been one on the backburner, though. One novel who's cover long told me it'd quickly turn into a favorite of mine. That novel? Lumiere.
And well. I was right.
And well. I was right.
While I won't lie and say the plot for this one was completely unpredictable, I was still blown away by Garlick's execution. There were numerous plot twists that kept me intrigued and a gripping central story line that grounded the story in the greatest of ways. It was one read that once I started, I could not set it down. A fast paced plot led to one incredible reading experience for me. It's a lengthy read (clocking in at over 300 pages) but it doesn't drag at all. It's full of spoilery goodness on every page so I won't say any more, but the ending was phenomenal. It will definitely leaving you begging for the sequel!
The biggest stand out aspect of this series is the incredible setting that Garlick has crafted. Holy smokes. She took it to the next level. The steampunk goodness combined with the paranormal-esque settings made my hair stand on end. The eerie feeling crept from page to page and gripped into me in the greatest of ways. It was truly a fantastical world that I loved piecing together in my mind. From the very beginning the entire novel is a journey through a beautiful landscape that I pictured in the most vivid of lights. If you weren't taken on a visual journey like none other, you read this one wrong!
One of the most intriguing aspects of this read were the characters and their development throughout the story. This novel actually didn't have a huge cast like I expected so Garlick was really about to keep the plot and development tied around our main characters of Urlick and Eyelet. Eyelet was written to perfection in my opinion, many reviews have taken issue with some of her characteristics, but I found her to be both cunning and charming. She was wise beyond her years and exhibited great moments of bravery throughout the story. The real shocker for me was the transformation of Urlick's character. I'm not going to say much on that front to avoid plot spoilers, but I was dead wrong about him and I couldn't be more pleased.
When it comes to the writing style of Garlick in this novel, I will admit it was a little different than I am used to. She writes it as though it truly is a Victorian era novel, much like the steampunk genre in general. The word choices were somewhat bizarre at times, but Garlick has quite the expansive vocabulary that leads to a story written with eloquence and a unique flair that I haven't seen in quite some time. A deeply original tale, Lumiere was everything I wanted and more.
As you guys can see, this was definitely a read that I thoroughly enjoyed from cover to cover. I could rave about this one for days. I haven't had a chance to check out the sequel yet, but you can bet money that I'll be devouring it ASAP. I am so excited to be granting Lumiere by Jacqueline Garlick a well-earned 5-star review. I couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome of this truly imaginative tale. I highly recommend this novel to all readers of young adult fiction. Don't miss this read! Add it to your TBR today!
One of the most intriguing aspects of this read were the characters and their development throughout the story. This novel actually didn't have a huge cast like I expected so Garlick was really about to keep the plot and development tied around our main characters of Urlick and Eyelet. Eyelet was written to perfection in my opinion, many reviews have taken issue with some of her characteristics, but I found her to be both cunning and charming. She was wise beyond her years and exhibited great moments of bravery throughout the story. The real shocker for me was the transformation of Urlick's character. I'm not going to say much on that front to avoid plot spoilers, but I was dead wrong about him and I couldn't be more pleased.
When it comes to the writing style of Garlick in this novel, I will admit it was a little different than I am used to. She writes it as though it truly is a Victorian era novel, much like the steampunk genre in general. The word choices were somewhat bizarre at times, but Garlick has quite the expansive vocabulary that leads to a story written with eloquence and a unique flair that I haven't seen in quite some time. A deeply original tale, Lumiere was everything I wanted and more.
As you guys can see, this was definitely a read that I thoroughly enjoyed from cover to cover. I could rave about this one for days. I haven't had a chance to check out the sequel yet, but you can bet money that I'll be devouring it ASAP. I am so excited to be granting Lumiere by Jacqueline Garlick a well-earned 5-star review. I couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome of this truly imaginative tale. I highly recommend this novel to all readers of young adult fiction. Don't miss this read! Add it to your TBR today!
*****
Giveaway
Alright readers, that's all I have for you on the topic of Lumiere by the amazing Jacqueline Garlick. I highly recommend this read and can't wait to add this beauty to my bookshelf in physical form. Keep in mind that this is a series and you'll definitely want to continue the story with book two, Noir, available now. Thank so much to the incredible team from XPresso Book Tours for allowing me to participate! Until next time, Happy Reading!
-Ethan
Wow! Ethan, can I say that I really wanna reach out and virtually hug you right now. You've just made my WEEK, MONTH, never mind, DAY. It's so cool when a reader really connects with a story and how the author's vision for it as well. It appears you've done that! Thank you so much for this wonderful and kind review. I do hope you'll share your words with Amazon as well. Every little bit helps! THANKS again, and (virtual hug!) J
ReplyDeleteOMIGOSH, that should say... and with the author's vision for it as well... not HOW the author's vision. lol See, I was so excited, I wrote it wrong! Thanks again, J
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