The Girl with the Iron Touch (The Steampunk Chronicles, #4)

by Kady Cross

In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons-or forfeit her friends' lives.

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin.

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine.

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation-an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has...

• ISBN10: 037321085X
• ISBN13: 9780373210855
• Publish Date: 28 May 2013 (first published 1 January 2013)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Imprint: Harlequin Teen
• Edition: Original ed.
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

The Girl with the Steel Touch delivers the most romantic tale of the series thus far. We see character and relationship growth all while fighting our favorite nemesis. I was captivated from page one and cannot wait for the next book in this series.

We are back in 1987 London after our adventure in America and something is wrong with Griffin. Jack shares some interesting and disturbing news about a crate he delivered and Emily is kidnapped by automations. The tale that unfolds was riveting as we face danger, see relationships develop and face our nemesis the Machinist once again.

While all of Cross’s characters are fleshed out this tale gives us the most romantic developments to date and we see character growth in quite a few characters. Griffin the big lug is struggling with the Aether and of course keeps it all to himself causing Jayne to feel cut off from him and unsure where she stands. Griffin really carries the weight of the world and fate of his friends on his shoulders and watching him open up and expose himself was delightful. We see growth in Jayne as she takes chances, faces danger, and makes personal demands. It was delightful to watch. Sam and Emily are two of my favorite and tormented characters. There is a lot of self discovery and confessions which I loved. Their interactions had me giggling one moment and sighing the next. Jasper is still a character we do not really know all that well, and I am anxious for his story to be revealed. Jack Dandy is back and ooh baby he can call me poppet anytime. Perhaps the most mysterious character in the series we see a softer side of him and questions are raised about his true identity. I want to peel back all of his layers and expose him and look forward to what Cross reveals next. We meet a new character and I adore her and hope she has a larger role in future novels. Leonardo Garibaldi aka the Machinist and his rogue automations are back and creepier than ever. Cross brings them all to life making the danger real.

From the very first page Cross allowed me to slip into the world she has created immediately drawing me into the story and the characters I have come to love. Her descriptive writing style brings the automations and steampunk gadgets to life making for some heart stopping action. This was fast paced and before I knew it I’d finished the tale. I loved the banter between the characters and found the danger Emily faced to be fascinating and cleverly done. Cross mixes a little paranormal into her steampunk that is clever and I enjoyed the thread regarding Griffin and his struggles with it. The climatic ending was suspenseful and I felt Cross gave me a panoramic view of the events as they unfolded. The author has a vivid imaginations that she seamlessly conveys into the pages of her novels from the gadgets to the characters facial expressions. I am looking forward to continuing this story and like the way the overall ARC is progressing.
ARC received in exchange for unbiased review and originally published Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

The Girl With the Iron Touch is a fantastic read, filled with excitement, mystery, and daring adventure. Kady Cross does not disappoint, as she continues to build her world with interesting technology, beautifully descriptive surroundings, and wonderful characters. The setting of this novel is absolutely brilliant! Set in the Victorian era, the gorgeous imagery is vibrant and alive with an air of sophistication that is sure to wow and stun readers. This is definitely a steampunk paranormal novel that is not to be missed out on.

Cross develops her characters brilliantly, as she adds more depth and layers to them. The story and plot thickens quite well and is easy to follow along with. The Girl With the Iron Touch, is definitely a worldly and captivating novel, that will take the reader on an epic journey. I fell in love with Cross's writing style and had absolutely no problem following along with the story, as the point of views switched flawlessly. The level of creativity that went into this story is amazing.

I always found myself marveling at the inventions that Emily and Griffin came up with. They were just so unique and intriguing. There are so many wonderfully written twists and turns in this book, that it will have you glued to the last page. The romance between the characters sparked so much wonderful tension, that you couldn't help but want to see experience more. This is easily one of the best reads for this year!