Tuesday, June 9, 2015

The Clockwork Crown by Beth Cato

All she can do is run.  She's a mage who can heal and magic is frowned upon, her magic especially.  She and the Lady of the Tree can restore life with the use of a leaf.  Unfortunately, it seems everyone is afraid of her and most would like to kill her.  Is no place safe?

Harper Voyager and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It's being published today.  Today is my birthday, so I'm featuring this book because reading it was like getting a present. This is the sequel to The Clockwork Dagger.  I didn't get the chance to read that one but I love this one.

The tale starts with Octavia and Alonzo trying to escape their enemies.  They do what they have to do to survive and they hunt for the tree.  The living tree is usually hidden but now it's in plain view.  While Octavia uses the Lady's help to heal, she's never seen the tree.  The biggest problem is that there are a lot of various groups, many of them powerful, between her and the tree.

They encounter some very dangerous things on the way to the tree.  They also make friends with gremlins and have the support of those still alive that she lived and learned with as a child.  They are few and far between but they help.

The sweetest part of the story is the romance between Alonzo and Octavia.  He was a Clockwork Dagger who was supposed to kill her.  She brought him back to life after his death and now he's her companion and guardian.  They love each other but can do nothing about it until her quest is over.  Neither one knows if they will survive the quest.  But they are both willing to try.

This is a busy story with lots of characters.  Octavia's body is beginning to change and it's making her real nervous.  The Lady of the Tree hasn't shared all her secrets with Octavia and she has deep dark plans for her.

I was all set to be disappointed and angry about the ending but Ms. Cato came up with just the right touch and made it better.  The ending is appropriate, the world is going back to normal, and things are good.  I prefer happy endings and this author gave me one.

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