Susan Kaye QuinnCritiques

I'm sensitive to plot errors, and this started off with enough unplausable and contradictory elements i gave up before the end of the first chapter

After a bad experience with both an employer and a family, Lucia's delighted to be matched to a new family near her new job. But when the power cuts out unexpectedly she discovers her fresh start isn't going to be as simple as she'd hoped.

With an original plot, stellar world building, and an engaging writing style, this book has a bit of something for everyone. The only thing that detracted from it for me was Joe. I think he's meant to come off as romantic – but to me he reads as creepy and stalkerish.

I made it to 50%, a little past when "soul" is first mentioned (as in, Legacy humans still have souls so we're the real humans, not Ascenders). Nonsense. I already had issues with Ascender tech anyway, it makes no sense, and the differences between the changed people and unchanged people were also nonsensical. But having a religion movement bring down the high tech changed people? What? What's that got to do with anything? Oh, wait, Ascenders outlaw religion. The way they're described, they shouldn't care. But this is propaganda.

It's not very good, either. The idea of having an 'Olympics'' of arts, the idea of painting masterfully all at once, on cue, in front of an audience, is ridiculous. It's another way to paint (haha) Ascenders as less-than, not human, bad guys. As an artist, I call BS. As a writer, I call BS.

This is not okay. Don't give this to your kids.

Quick fun read

I read it so fast. The author did a fabulous job staying out of the way. A wonderful sci-fi that isn't apocalyptic.

I hate the three-book per story, but I am biting the bullet and reading the next one.

Love the story, hate the 150-page installments.

The good thing about the series is that she doesn't have to reintroduce every character or rehash the plot. Presumably, she wrote it as one reasonably large novel. I really like the pieces all brought together with what seems like effortless storytelling, but we all know that such writings and story craft is the hardest.

It feels like Star Trek, in that there us complicated, uninvented technology that isn't the focus of the story. It is only the premise, not the point. The real-seeming people and their problems and interactions are complex without becoming confusing. That's the best part of the novel's division into books. It introduces a new central character each time and the switch is built into the format. So, the multi-novel, book-selling strategy is well used even if it makes me grind my teeth every time I find another paywall. This final one is the most annoying because I expected to be done at the end of this book.

I'm still willing to continue, though. That's how fun and interesting I'm finding the "series." I am more used to a series that has a complete story per book and the stories are connected by world, character or idea.

Again, it's good, but it's more like an episodic novel than what I consider a series. There's no way could these be read out of order. It's not a rehash every time you start a new episode. So far I have sunk $6 and so it's not even close to the costs of the non-fiction that I typically read.

It's a decent way to pad my book goal on Goodreads.

A fine bit of reading! And a very interesting idea- these "collectors". Definitely leaves you wanting more.

While its commendable that the author wants to break gender roles and create an unconventional love interest

Desperate to marry the charming courtesan she loves

I cant help but think this word is being used wrong.

I'm not sure if the difference between books one and two is as big as it feels right now, or I just was feeling really generous when I read the first one. Everyone felt very stiff, shallow, and flat, nothing was very believable, and I had to resort to skimming large sections. Not sure if I'll pick the third one up at all now.

One of the bad guys got a bit close to being mustache-twirly, tie-you-to-the-tracks, and sometimes the plot movement was a little over-convenient. However, it was fun and entertaining in a fluffy way, and it takes steampunk out of England/US territory, which is nice. It's also nice to have a story set in a steampunk world that doesn't rely on a mad scientist type as a main character, it keeps the zany dampened down a bit. The cover is lovely.

I liked how Lucia Ramirez followed in her parent's footstep and became a power engineer and she left her previous assignment when a co-worker stalked her. Now, she back to her original home on power island one where she played when she was eight years old. Her parents were dead and she hoped that she would be accepted into a family at her assigned cottage. Being alone in California in 2050 here humans tried to right the wrongs of fossil fuel and climate change, she stumbles upon someone stealing power and she tries to discover who and some one wants her dead! I hope I get a chance to continue this series as I am hooked!

I realized why I'm in love with this serial: instant gratification.

And I want more.

loved it. The fast pace continues, the heat level rises, and I can't wait for the next one. Lirium is becoming one of my favorite characters

Another excellent episode.I'm really digging the world and each episode makes me hungry for more. Can't wait for the next one!

Every episode I fall more in love with this unique world and the characters. This episode could be my favorite, but get ready, it's going to hurt.

Wow. That was awesome. I've never read a novel serial before. It's the perfect mix of suspense, action an intrigue. I'm looking forward to reading the next episode.

Slow, never fully grabbed me

This book has an interesting premise, but the story was so slow to warm up that nothing ever quite grabbed me enough to pull me into this world. Kamali was arguably the most interesting character and, I’ll admit, it was a slog to get through to the end after she stopped being in the focal lens of the story.

I wanted to like it but it just never sucked me in. I won’t continue the series.

It was ok.

I enjoy sci-fi so the concept of a mindreading society was intriguing.

One thing that I really didn't like about this book was Kira's relationship with Simon. Like why? Just... why? From the beginning, you can tell he's a bad dude and his actions were just creepy to me.
With the other love interest, Raf, I don't see the chemistry. She liked him, he liked her, and I hated Simon, but there was nothing really there that made me want to see them get together in the end.

anti-Pinocchio

I like the author's description of a boy who wants to be a machine. This definitely belongs on the You g Adult shelf. It's an interesting world and l like the characters. I look forward to the rest of the series.

A fascinating story with a good flow that captivates the mind.
It is a story of growth and secrets mixed with steam technology that makes this a wonderful read.
Definitely worthy of reading time. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

Indian Steampunk read while in holidays in India

This story was good, it was well written. You were not sure who you could trust and who was working against the princess. Plenty of twists and turns.
It is a complete story but there is a theme plot that will run through the three books.

The premise was cool, but the writing was just so clunky. I gave up half way through. :(

OH MY GOSH! WHAT IF THIS REALLY HAPPENED IN THE FUTURE? I couldn't stop reading this book as I was concerned for Eli, his ill mom, and his dedicated friend. Since he could remember Elijah Brighton wanted to have a chance to ascend, to live forever, and to take care of his mom with no more experimental and illegal drugs to keep his mom until they could both ascend to her fail body could be as good as new. With the chance to be in the Olympics where he could ascend he was on step closer to achieving his goal. I admired this teenager and his love for his mom and I can't wait to read this rest of the series to see what happens next!

Restore Stories of Singularity is a book of hope for mankind as new technology moves at the speed of light. It is the chance to live longer and to beat all human diseases by using humanoid looking sentience in hospitals everywhere. Sentience 7435 cares for all of his masters. He has features that closely resemble human bodies, but he is two steps above. Like any machine he is perplex when he follows his master out of the hospital and into his home where an artist with cancer awaits him. Having restored 135 patients in his charge, he is confused when his master communicates in his mind to treat and lie to his lover. Restore first gave me hope to hang on until a cure for paralysis is found, but I am not sure if I WANT to be around.

(Originally posted on Word Cauldron.)

Continuing my quest this year of revisiting books I liked but hadn't reread in a while, and further closing out some series that had been sitting open for years on my to-read list, I reread Third Daughter, then went on to complete the Royals of Dharia series with Second Daughter and First Daughter. This rating is for this particular book, but this written review turned into more like a review of the series as a whole.

I had been wondering how the second and first daughters fit in to this since they are already married with children in the first book, and usually with these books it is about the protagonist finding her love, as it was with Aniri in the first book.

My hope was that I could come to terms with the confusing nature of the naming of these books. I constantly forgot that the first book in the series is the one that starts with "third," so sometimes when opening them on Audible I would pick the wrong one—at least the second one matches up with the second daughter so that's easy to remember.

Now having read them all, am I okay with it and has it been justified?

Eh. Not really.

The naming convention is unique and gets one's attention, but I don't think it necessarily needs to be a thing. It could be argued that it does at least mesh with the world that the author built, in that the numbering of children, particularly daughters, is very culturally significant, so I guess it is a mark for staying true to the world, even if it's confusing.

I thought the next two books, because they are titled for the other daughters, would have them as main characters, but they continue to follow Aniri's adventures and soul-searching with a little extra focus on her sisters:

- Third Daughter is about Aniri spying on Jungali and choosing between her love for Devesh and her growing feelings for Ash, as well as trying to understand her place in the courtly politics that surround her.

- Second Daughter is about Seledri being a target for assassination. Seledri is in the book a bit when they find her, but Aniri is the main protagonist and it's really about her trying to rescue of Seledri and her adventures associated with that.

- First Daughter is about Nahali coming into her own as Queen after their mother is injured by an assassin, but Nahali is barely in it (I think her "screen time" is about the same as Seledri's in the second book). Aniri is once again the main protagonist as she tries to follow through with her mother's instructions to disrupt the Samirian government from the inside to avoid war altogether. Her mother also tells Aniri to help Nahali become a good queen, but in the end, Nahali really does it on her own for the most part (which Aniri points out to her mother).

All that aside, this series of books is refreshing for me in two main ways:

- They are not all about each daughter finding a husband; in fact, Aniri and Ash don't even get officially married until the end of the third book. Instead, they are married in their hearts and understand that what matters is how they feel about each other and that they think of the other as their spouse, not that the union is recognized by a government or family.

- There were no magic or paranormal elements in these books. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy books like that, but a series in this genre that relies on none of that yet was still engaging and fun to read is an accomplishment. In fact, I think this is why they are so successful because it wasn't overcomplicated by a make-believe world that became unwieldy and unexplainable for the author.

This series is reliable, very well-written and edited, the world building and plot are just enough to be engrossing, atmospheric, and consistent, but don't go overboard with unnecessary complications or details. In particular, this author excels at describing clothing, rooms, scenery, and activities so these books really bring you into her world. I think my favorite was the description of the ceremony and dancing that occurs nears the end of Second Daughter. Gosh, that was a delightful read and almost brought me to tears with how touching it all was.

I thought all the names (male and female alike) in this book were beautiful, suited to the world, and well-chosen—they really added to the atmosphere, which I think is something not all authors are cognizant of (for an example of a fail in this area, see Witch’s Reign, as the naming choices in that book were one of my biggest complaints because they made no sense in the context of the world and distracted me mightily).

Character growth is, I think, logical and believable for everyone. Where the main character is concerned, Aniri is likable, although a bit tiresome in the second book and beginning of the third book with her inability to trust herself and her endless waffling over Devesh (who was clearly slimy from the get-go, used her, and betrayed her in multiple ways) and Ash (who clearly has her best interests in mind and wants to build a fair and prosperous future with her).

Overall, an enjoyable series (the audiobooks are excellent!) that provides a nice escape into a Bollywood-esque steampunk world with no major issues or complaints.