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Treasure Chronicles #1
Treasure, Darkly
Seventeen-year-old Clark Treasure assumes the drink he stole off the captain is absinthe…until the chemicals in the liquid give him the ability to awaken the dead. A great invention for creating perfect soldiers, yes, but Clark wants to live as a miner, not a slave to the army—or the deceased. On the run, Clark turns to his estranged tycoon father for help. The Treasures welcome Clark with open arms, so he jumps at the chance to help them protect their ranch against Senator Horan, a man who hates anyone more powerful than he.
And he is not alone. His new-found sister, Amethyst, thinks that's rather dashing, until Horan kidnaps her, and all she gets is a bullet through her heart. When Clark brings her back to life, she realizes he's more than just street-smart - and he's not really a Treasure. Amethyst’s boring summer at home has turned into an adventure on the run, chock full of intrigue, danger, love, and a mysterious boy named Clark.
And he is not alone. His new-found sister, Amethyst, thinks that's rather dashing, until Horan kidnaps her, and all she gets is a bullet through her heart. When Clark brings her back to life, she realizes he's more than just street-smart - and he's not really a Treasure. Amethyst’s boring summer at home has turned into an adventure on the run, chock full of intrigue, danger, love, and a mysterious boy named Clark.
289 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2015
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1129 people want to read
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May 12, 2015
It appears I'm the black sheep here . . .
Alright, let's start!
Treasure Darkly is my first western steampunk novel. It’s an original read, though the obvious plot twists are rather too obvious and unexciting. Therefore, I might as well spoil the story in ways that can’t be considered “spoiling” when it won’t even ruin the book for you. Read at your own expense.
The story opens with the 15-year-old protagonist stealing a vial of some sort from one of his mother’s clients. His mother is a prostitute and Clark lives with her at the saloon. He hopes to earn enough money from his job at the mines so they can move out of their mining town and to a pleasant farmhouse.
His hopes, however, are destroyed.
Stealing and drinking from the vile has deadly consequences.
Two years later, we discover he’s been on the run, keeping his ability to resurrect the dead a secret. The army's search isn't ending any time soon and they intend to use him as a government weapon. He seeks refuge at Treasure Ranch, where he is surprisingly and warmly welcomed by his father, Garth Treasure, and his wife. Only the children have a hard time adjusting to their half-brother.
I won’t give too much away. You’ll have to read the book in order to find out more about Clark’s ability and what happens with him during those two years on the run. At first, I found Clark to be an intriguing character. He’s underestimated and shunned by people, but he has the survival skills set, determination, and devotion to prove them wrong. My problem with him: Having a gift/curse to raise the dead doesn't make you oh-so-special in my eyes. He gets less and less interesting and impressive as the story goes on and I didn't give a rat's ass about what happened to him anymore.
Amethyst, his half-sister, rubs off as a snobby and self-absorbed spoiled brat just because she wears the Treasure’s name. (I’m positive the author intends for readers to dislike her.) The Treasure family is one of the most powerful families in the kingdom and she is used to being idolized. She’s a city girl; not a ranch girl and hates having to move back. She happens to return home on the same day Clark arrives and announces himself as Garth’s bastard. What I really find repulsive about Amethyst is she flaunts herself at Clark, even when she reminds herself that they’re siblings. I can’t blame Clark for his attraction, but the girl doesn’t have to encourage it.
Another reason for me to detest her character: When she’s kidnapped, do you want to know what goes through her mind while she is held captive? She doesn’t fear death and worry about what her captors can do to her— rape, torture. Oh, no, all she thinks about is making headlines in the newspaper, about the people who will sympathize and send her gifts, about how this little episode will convince her father to send her back to the beloved city. Even after she’s rescued, it’s like nothing happened. She seriously thinks she’s untouchable, which only serves her right that she dies later on for running her mouth off.
But then Clark resurrects her and things go on from there. (I’ll talk more about this later.)
The building romance— or love, if you want to call it that— is absolutely boring.
I wasn’t reading for the romance and expected this story to be straight-up badass and awesome. And what did I get? Two horny teenagers. How do you expect me to care about a relationship between Clark and Amethyst when Clark’s attraction to her is mind-numbing and Amethyst is a shallow human being? I tried. I really tried not to hold Amethyst’s privileged lifestyle against her, but she’s an awfully dull and annoying character. I especially don’t find “naivety” and “tenacity” attractive, which I guess it’s why Clark likes her because she’s from a whole different world.
And because the allure of a forbidden romance between brother and sister.
Eventually, Clark learns they aren’t blood siblings.
Good for you, Clark. You don’t have to feel dirty about wanting to touch your “sister” anymore. Now tell me why should I give a fuck?
What bothers me the most is I find it hard to believe how Clark can trust Amethyst so effortlessly just because he thinks he knows her nature. I can understand that he needs an explanation after bringing her back from the dead, but he easily confides in her and spills out everything.
And you know what else is unbelievable?
When the readers are let into Amethyst’s thoughts, do we see she’s troubled by the fact that the entire terrifying army is after him?
Let’s see . . .
“What would he look like with that shirt off, his skin tanned and glistening with the sweat of the hot day?”
“She’d wondered why she found him so irresistible when her parents claimed he was her half-sibling. Staying at the ranch wouldn’t be dull at her. He spoke to ghosts, for steam’s sake.”
“She wondered if he’d eaten watercress before. She could introduce him to a new plate of tastes and textures. How exciting!”
“His throat worked with each swallow . . . how would he taste if she licked those muscles?”
“Clark wiped his mouth on his linen napkin. What manners for being a street urchin!”
Uhhh, no.
On the occasions when the author peers into Amethyst’s mind, does anything she has to say useful to readers?
No.
Right again!
The established trust and chemistry (or lack of chemistry) between Amethyst and Clark feels forced and is still gross to me.
And did I mention she has a boyfriend— a boy toy— back in the city? A boy who she just happens to forget about when she had contemplated marrying him in the beginning?
Yeah.
You know that saying that goes something like “your book is only as good as your villian”? Well, I’m applying it to Treasure Darkly. Even with the bad guys, the danger is nonexistent and the adventurous drama is plain boring. (How many times have I repeated boring by now?) Funny how Amethyst is the damsel in distress who’s always getting kidnapped and coming close to death when Clark is truly the one with a price on his head. Throughout the book (and what felt like forever), they spend their time traveling, kissing, tumbling in bed, visiting the city, shopping, dining out, dodging death, being pursued, etc, etc, whatever rich lustful teenagers do. They end up falling in love, getting married, and more crap happens. You read correctly: They got married. And this is all within one book!
I think this pretty much sums up the story. The only outcome I can appreciate about their relationship is Amethyst soon realizes what a naïve and selfish person she is and wants to change for the better. The downside: And it’s all because of Clark. All because of a fucking boy and hundreds of near-death experiences.
Overall: I know all I talked about was the romance, but this is more of a romance book than anything else and that’s why I didn’t enjoy it. I’m not impressed one bit and don’t plan to continue the series. It is not fantasy. It’s a fucking love story.
I have to give Treasure Darkly a one star and it's not out of hate. It's out of a deep scorching disappointment in the book . . . and in myself for being fooled by the cool and badass misleading cover. Never again. What a book cover fraud. It is nothing like I pictured.
Anyways, don’t let my review discourage you, readers! You may enjoy the book more than I did and you should definitely form your own opinions instead of adopting mine.
ARC was given through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alright, let's start!
Treasure Darkly is my first western steampunk novel. It’s an original read, though the obvious plot twists are rather too obvious and unexciting. Therefore, I might as well spoil the story in ways that can’t be considered “spoiling” when it won’t even ruin the book for you. Read at your own expense.
The story opens with the 15-year-old protagonist stealing a vial of some sort from one of his mother’s clients. His mother is a prostitute and Clark lives with her at the saloon. He hopes to earn enough money from his job at the mines so they can move out of their mining town and to a pleasant farmhouse.
His hopes, however, are destroyed.
Stealing and drinking from the vile has deadly consequences.
Two years later, we discover he’s been on the run, keeping his ability to resurrect the dead a secret. The army's search isn't ending any time soon and they intend to use him as a government weapon. He seeks refuge at Treasure Ranch, where he is surprisingly and warmly welcomed by his father, Garth Treasure, and his wife. Only the children have a hard time adjusting to their half-brother.
I won’t give too much away. You’ll have to read the book in order to find out more about Clark’s ability and what happens with him during those two years on the run. At first, I found Clark to be an intriguing character. He’s underestimated and shunned by people, but he has the survival skills set, determination, and devotion to prove them wrong. My problem with him: Having a gift/curse to raise the dead doesn't make you oh-so-special in my eyes. He gets less and less interesting and impressive as the story goes on and I didn't give a rat's ass about what happened to him anymore.
Amethyst, his half-sister, rubs off as a snobby and self-absorbed spoiled brat just because she wears the Treasure’s name. (I’m positive the author intends for readers to dislike her.) The Treasure family is one of the most powerful families in the kingdom and she is used to being idolized. She’s a city girl; not a ranch girl and hates having to move back. She happens to return home on the same day Clark arrives and announces himself as Garth’s bastard. What I really find repulsive about Amethyst is she flaunts herself at Clark, even when she reminds herself that they’re siblings. I can’t blame Clark for his attraction, but the girl doesn’t have to encourage it.
Another reason for me to detest her character: When she’s kidnapped, do you want to know what goes through her mind while she is held captive? She doesn’t fear death and worry about what her captors can do to her— rape, torture. Oh, no, all she thinks about is making headlines in the newspaper, about the people who will sympathize and send her gifts, about how this little episode will convince her father to send her back to the beloved city. Even after she’s rescued, it’s like nothing happened. She seriously thinks she’s untouchable, which only serves her right that she dies later on for running her mouth off.
But then Clark resurrects her and things go on from there. (I’ll talk more about this later.)
The building romance— or love, if you want to call it that— is absolutely boring.
I wasn’t reading for the romance and expected this story to be straight-up badass and awesome. And what did I get? Two horny teenagers. How do you expect me to care about a relationship between Clark and Amethyst when Clark’s attraction to her is mind-numbing and Amethyst is a shallow human being? I tried. I really tried not to hold Amethyst’s privileged lifestyle against her, but she’s an awfully dull and annoying character. I especially don’t find “naivety” and “tenacity” attractive, which I guess it’s why Clark likes her because she’s from a whole different world.
And because the allure of a forbidden romance between brother and sister.
Eventually, Clark learns they aren’t blood siblings.
Good for you, Clark. You don’t have to feel dirty about wanting to touch your “sister” anymore. Now tell me why should I give a fuck?
What bothers me the most is I find it hard to believe how Clark can trust Amethyst so effortlessly just because he thinks he knows her nature. I can understand that he needs an explanation after bringing her back from the dead, but he easily confides in her and spills out everything.
And you know what else is unbelievable?
When the readers are let into Amethyst’s thoughts, do we see she’s troubled by the fact that the entire terrifying army is after him?
Let’s see . . .
“What would he look like with that shirt off, his skin tanned and glistening with the sweat of the hot day?”
“She’d wondered why she found him so irresistible when her parents claimed he was her half-sibling. Staying at the ranch wouldn’t be dull at her. He spoke to ghosts, for steam’s sake.”
“She wondered if he’d eaten watercress before. She could introduce him to a new plate of tastes and textures. How exciting!”
“His throat worked with each swallow . . . how would he taste if she licked those muscles?”
“Clark wiped his mouth on his linen napkin. What manners for being a street urchin!”
Uhhh, no.
On the occasions when the author peers into Amethyst’s mind, does anything she has to say useful to readers?
No.
Right again!
The established trust and chemistry (or lack of chemistry) between Amethyst and Clark feels forced and is still gross to me.
And did I mention she has a boyfriend— a boy toy— back in the city? A boy who she just happens to forget about when she had contemplated marrying him in the beginning?
Yeah.
You know that saying that goes something like “your book is only as good as your villian”? Well, I’m applying it to Treasure Darkly. Even with the bad guys, the danger is nonexistent and the adventurous drama is plain boring. (How many times have I repeated boring by now?) Funny how Amethyst is the damsel in distress who’s always getting kidnapped and coming close to death when Clark is truly the one with a price on his head. Throughout the book (and what felt like forever), they spend their time traveling, kissing, tumbling in bed, visiting the city, shopping, dining out, dodging death, being pursued, etc, etc, whatever rich lustful teenagers do. They end up falling in love, getting married, and more crap happens. You read correctly: They got married. And this is all within one book!
I think this pretty much sums up the story. The only outcome I can appreciate about their relationship is Amethyst soon realizes what a naïve and selfish person she is and wants to change for the better. The downside: And it’s all because of Clark. All because of a fucking boy and hundreds of near-death experiences.
Overall: I know all I talked about was the romance, but this is more of a romance book than anything else and that’s why I didn’t enjoy it. I’m not impressed one bit and don’t plan to continue the series. It is not fantasy. It’s a fucking love story.
I have to give Treasure Darkly a one star and it's not out of hate. It's out of a deep scorching disappointment in the book . . . and in myself for being fooled by the cool and badass misleading cover. Never again. What a book cover fraud. It is nothing like I pictured.
Anyways, don’t let my review discourage you, readers! You may enjoy the book more than I did and you should definitely form your own opinions instead of adopting mine.
ARC was given through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2015
While his mother’s client was asleep, Clark Treasure riffled through his coat pockets – the vial with a green liquid inside he assumed was absinthe – but the taste was dreadful. But it was what happened afterwards which made Clark realized it wasn’t absinthe that he drank; the strange ability he attained meant the army was after him and wouldn’t give up until they captured Clark…
Garth Treasure was a wealthy ranch owner and when Clark, a young man Garth had no previous knowledge of, arrived on their doorstep, Garth and his wife accepted him into the family with no hesitation. When sixteen year old Amethyst arrived from the city to spend the summer on her father’s ranch, she was surprised to learn she had a previously unknown half-brother; the boring summer she had been dreading looked like it had immediately improved.
A fierce and ongoing feud between the Treasures and nearby neighbours the Horans suddenly became violent and deadly – with the army on one side and the Horans on the other, Clark wasn’t sure where to turn. He knew the Treasure name would keep him safe – at least he hoped so. But as Clark found himself needing to use his strange ability he feared he would be found out. His life wouldn’t be worth living if the army got hold of him…
Treasure, Darkly by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek is a light and entertaining read which has a mix of a futuristic wild west, mystery and paranormal blended throughout. It has an intriguing plot with interesting characters – both good and bad. I enjoyed Clark’s character and felt the need to smack Amethyst on occasion! I have no hesitation in recommending Treasure, Darkly to lovers of paranormal, steampunk and young adult – all would enjoy! And I look forward to book two when it's released soon!
With thanks to the author for my copy to read and review.
Garth Treasure was a wealthy ranch owner and when Clark, a young man Garth had no previous knowledge of, arrived on their doorstep, Garth and his wife accepted him into the family with no hesitation. When sixteen year old Amethyst arrived from the city to spend the summer on her father’s ranch, she was surprised to learn she had a previously unknown half-brother; the boring summer she had been dreading looked like it had immediately improved.
A fierce and ongoing feud between the Treasures and nearby neighbours the Horans suddenly became violent and deadly – with the army on one side and the Horans on the other, Clark wasn’t sure where to turn. He knew the Treasure name would keep him safe – at least he hoped so. But as Clark found himself needing to use his strange ability he feared he would be found out. His life wouldn’t be worth living if the army got hold of him…
Treasure, Darkly by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek is a light and entertaining read which has a mix of a futuristic wild west, mystery and paranormal blended throughout. It has an intriguing plot with interesting characters – both good and bad. I enjoyed Clark’s character and felt the need to smack Amethyst on occasion! I have no hesitation in recommending Treasure, Darkly to lovers of paranormal, steampunk and young adult – all would enjoy! And I look forward to book two when it's released soon!
With thanks to the author for my copy to read and review.
March 5, 2015
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am relatively new to the Steampunk genre. It combines an old world feel with gadgets and technology beyond its years. I find the contrast fascinating. Treasure, Darkly is a perfect example of a well written Steampunk novel. Despite its YA listing, I would recommend it to older teens and adults.
There should have been a warning label on that drink Clark stole from the captain of the army...serves him right for stealing! Little did he know it was a special invention to give a person the ability to bring the dead back to life. Now, Clark is a wanted man. He runs to the father he never knew. Clark is welcomed with open arms. The Treasure family is well respected and with great influence. Hopefully, they can keep Clark safe. The army may not be Clark's only problem when his sister, Amethyst, is kidnapped. Can Clark help save Amethyst? Will his family find out Clark's secret?
Despite his unfortunate upbringing, Clark is a hard working young man who doesn't want a hand out...just a little help. Being on the run has shaped his character, but he still holds true to what his mother taught him. Amethyst is one spoiled princess. Nothing a summer in the country and a kidnapping won't cure! What an enjoyable read! I will have to say I stared at the last page for a while...wanting, needing more. I can't wait till the next book in this series comes out!
I am relatively new to the Steampunk genre. It combines an old world feel with gadgets and technology beyond its years. I find the contrast fascinating. Treasure, Darkly is a perfect example of a well written Steampunk novel. Despite its YA listing, I would recommend it to older teens and adults.
There should have been a warning label on that drink Clark stole from the captain of the army...serves him right for stealing! Little did he know it was a special invention to give a person the ability to bring the dead back to life. Now, Clark is a wanted man. He runs to the father he never knew. Clark is welcomed with open arms. The Treasure family is well respected and with great influence. Hopefully, they can keep Clark safe. The army may not be Clark's only problem when his sister, Amethyst, is kidnapped. Can Clark help save Amethyst? Will his family find out Clark's secret?
Despite his unfortunate upbringing, Clark is a hard working young man who doesn't want a hand out...just a little help. Being on the run has shaped his character, but he still holds true to what his mother taught him. Amethyst is one spoiled princess. Nothing a summer in the country and a kidnapping won't cure! What an enjoyable read! I will have to say I stared at the last page for a while...wanting, needing more. I can't wait till the next book in this series comes out!
July 22, 2019
He thought he was taking a vial of Absinthe, but he soon learned whatever he drank gave him the power of life over death with just one touch. Now he is on the run from the army as he has become a secret weapon they could use. Could his birth father’ with all of his wealth and power save him? Will he even accept his bastard child?
Clark is a wonderful character, forced to grow up without a father, just a letter from him given to his prostitute mother who is now dead. Welcomed into his father’s home, welcomed by almost all of his siblings and even his father’s wife, Clark is sure he is dreaming. But that dream will soon become a nightmare when a powerful ranching family with ties to the government get wind of who Clark is and attempt to bully their way into capturing him. Meanwhile, Clark finds he has less than brotherly affection for his spoiled and flirtatious half-sister. Is there more to his ancestry than Clark knows? Can the Treasure name keep him safe?
I enjoyed this one from Elizabeth Jordan, but Clark’s “power’ is kind of rushed over, then there is a time gap where he has been on the run, hiding from the army that created the concoction he drank. I did love his new family, the ghost who visited him, but I am not too sure about his half-sister, who came across as devious, and a very spoiled.
Elizabeth Jordan has nailed the steampunk atmosphere without going overboard in TREASURE, DARKLY and added some very interesting characters, as well! All in all, quick read that makes a nice escape from reality!
I received a complimentary copy from Jordan Elizabeth! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Series: Treasure Chronicles - Book 1
Publisher: CHBB Publishing (July 13, 2019)
Publication Date: July 13, 2019
Genre: Steampunk Fantasy
Print Length: 270 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Clark is a wonderful character, forced to grow up without a father, just a letter from him given to his prostitute mother who is now dead. Welcomed into his father’s home, welcomed by almost all of his siblings and even his father’s wife, Clark is sure he is dreaming. But that dream will soon become a nightmare when a powerful ranching family with ties to the government get wind of who Clark is and attempt to bully their way into capturing him. Meanwhile, Clark finds he has less than brotherly affection for his spoiled and flirtatious half-sister. Is there more to his ancestry than Clark knows? Can the Treasure name keep him safe?
I enjoyed this one from Elizabeth Jordan, but Clark’s “power’ is kind of rushed over, then there is a time gap where he has been on the run, hiding from the army that created the concoction he drank. I did love his new family, the ghost who visited him, but I am not too sure about his half-sister, who came across as devious, and a very spoiled.
Elizabeth Jordan has nailed the steampunk atmosphere without going overboard in TREASURE, DARKLY and added some very interesting characters, as well! All in all, quick read that makes a nice escape from reality!
I received a complimentary copy from Jordan Elizabeth! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Series: Treasure Chronicles - Book 1
Publisher: CHBB Publishing (July 13, 2019)
Publication Date: July 13, 2019
Genre: Steampunk Fantasy
Print Length: 270 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
March 21, 2015
Read more reviews like this at http://lovelybooksblog.blogspot.com!
Let me just start this review by saying that the cover of this novel is one of the most beautiful, amazing, fantastic, awesome, brilliant covers I have ever seen in my life. The second I saw the cover of this novel I knew I wanted to read it and I just have to give the biggest shout out in the world to the person who designed it, because honestly it's just gorgeous. Okay, now that I've got that out of my system, on to the actual review!
Treasure, Darkly is one of those novels that's going to be interesting to review because I'm just so on the fence about how I feel about it. The novel started off interesting enough, with Clark stealing a vial of what he though was absinthe, and instead gaining some cool preternatural abilities. Though his abilities are fascinating, they really take a backseat to the rest of the drama going on in the novel, and I wish we could have seen them in action a little more. However, with the army after him, a long lost father to learn about, inventions to find, and a new family to meet there was plenty going on in this novel to keep me turning pages.
When Clark is taken in by the Treasures, and instantly accepted, the action really picks up and I absolutely loved the western/steampunk setting. Elizabeth really did a fantastic job with the world building and I loved learning more about the world she created. From steamcycles to evil ranchers this novel had it all. The only problem I had with the plot was that there was no resolution to any of the conflicts, there are so many story arcs going on that I figured at least one of them would have been resolved. Instead all we get is a rather abrupt ending that had almost nothing to do with the main story.
Though there were a lot of good things about this novel there were a few that really bothered me too. First of all there was just something about Clark that rubbed me the wrong way. I don't quite know what it was about him but as the novel went on I started to like him less and less. His cocky attitude and some of his inner dialogue had me quickly losing respect for him and toward the end of the novel I just couldn't stand him anymore. Amethyst, on the other hand, had a bit of a flat personality but wasn't as bad as Clark. Though for the amount of times she was kidnapped you would think she would have some sort of reaction, but she just goes back to lusting after Clark instead.
Maybe part of the reason I disliked Clark as much as I did was because of his relationship with Amethyst. The romance in this novel was so lewd and lust driven that reading about Clark and Amethyst honestly made me uncomfortable. There was absolutely no mutual affection between them and some of the inner dialogue Clark had about Amethyst was just plain disgusting. I wanted to root for them, I really did, but in the end I just couldn't do it.
Though there were a lot of things I really enjoyed about this novel, mainly the setting and the steampunk elements, the romance made me feel so icky that I had to knock this one down a little bit. Overall not a bad read, but I could have done without the romance.
*I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
Let me just start this review by saying that the cover of this novel is one of the most beautiful, amazing, fantastic, awesome, brilliant covers I have ever seen in my life. The second I saw the cover of this novel I knew I wanted to read it and I just have to give the biggest shout out in the world to the person who designed it, because honestly it's just gorgeous. Okay, now that I've got that out of my system, on to the actual review!
Treasure, Darkly is one of those novels that's going to be interesting to review because I'm just so on the fence about how I feel about it. The novel started off interesting enough, with Clark stealing a vial of what he though was absinthe, and instead gaining some cool preternatural abilities. Though his abilities are fascinating, they really take a backseat to the rest of the drama going on in the novel, and I wish we could have seen them in action a little more. However, with the army after him, a long lost father to learn about, inventions to find, and a new family to meet there was plenty going on in this novel to keep me turning pages.
When Clark is taken in by the Treasures, and instantly accepted, the action really picks up and I absolutely loved the western/steampunk setting. Elizabeth really did a fantastic job with the world building and I loved learning more about the world she created. From steamcycles to evil ranchers this novel had it all. The only problem I had with the plot was that there was no resolution to any of the conflicts, there are so many story arcs going on that I figured at least one of them would have been resolved. Instead all we get is a rather abrupt ending that had almost nothing to do with the main story.
Though there were a lot of good things about this novel there were a few that really bothered me too. First of all there was just something about Clark that rubbed me the wrong way. I don't quite know what it was about him but as the novel went on I started to like him less and less. His cocky attitude and some of his inner dialogue had me quickly losing respect for him and toward the end of the novel I just couldn't stand him anymore. Amethyst, on the other hand, had a bit of a flat personality but wasn't as bad as Clark. Though for the amount of times she was kidnapped you would think she would have some sort of reaction, but she just goes back to lusting after Clark instead.
Maybe part of the reason I disliked Clark as much as I did was because of his relationship with Amethyst. The romance in this novel was so lewd and lust driven that reading about Clark and Amethyst honestly made me uncomfortable. There was absolutely no mutual affection between them and some of the inner dialogue Clark had about Amethyst was just plain disgusting. I wanted to root for them, I really did, but in the end I just couldn't do it.
Though there were a lot of things I really enjoyed about this novel, mainly the setting and the steampunk elements, the romance made me feel so icky that I had to knock this one down a little bit. Overall not a bad read, but I could have done without the romance.
*I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
March 20, 2015
Can we just talk about this cover for a second? Because I love it so much. I love how the cover reveals that this book is clearly a steampunk novel. I love the girl on the cover and the colors. It’s just an awesome cover. I’m a little sad that I had this an ebook format because I would love to have on my shelf. Okay, now that that’s out of my system.
The prologue starts with Clark stealing and drinking a vial of some sort from a strange man’s coat. I had a lot of inner dialogue while reading this book and it all started at this moment in the prologue. Who drinks whatever’s in a weird vial that they just stole? Clark had no idea what it was! It could have been poison! It was at that moment, I learned that Clark was stupid. But other than that, the prologue was pretty good. It had me wanting more and even though Clark was an idiot, I wanted to know what happened to him.
Chapter 1 starts two years after the prologue ends. I normally have a hard time with massive jumps in time like this but in this book, it really worked well. Clark’s been in the run from the government because he drank the vial and now he can awaken the dead.
The female protagonist is Amethyst, who happen’s to be Clark’s half-sister. At first I was super excited about this. The idea of a brother and sister teaming up and kicking butt seemed perfect to me. I feel like author’s are always putting unnecessary romance in Young Adult books these days. A brother/sister team would eliminate all the unnecessary romance and stick with just butt kicking action, right? Wrong! That’s right, Jordan Elizabeth Mierek went there. Even though both Clark and Amethyst know right from the moment they meet that they are siblings, Amethyst is encouraging Clark to like her and flaunting herself around. It’s nasty. And even besides that, Amethyst is really over the top snobby and bratty. Why the author would write a protagonist, a female one on top of it, that’s so unlikable, I’ll never know. Nothing about Amethyst is promoting well written female characters in YA. If anything, she’s a character that’s holding the genre back from being taken seriously.
The “romance” or “love” between Clark and Amethyst is forced and unnecessary. This book should have been purely about Clark and his new-found powers. Not a brother and sister having some sort of wacky romance. Because in a month, that’s all I’m going to remember about this book. How horrible the “romance” was. And reasons Clark found Amethyst attractive were so stupid! How is “naivety” is good thing in a girl? In anyone? I just… Ugh.
I could go on and on about how much I hate Amethyst. She is so stupid and shallow, it’s unbelievable. When the story switches from Clark’s perspective to Amethyst’s, the whole plot is put on hold for all her stupid ramblings. A line from her perspective that really stood out to me was, “She wondered if he’d eaten watercress before. She could introduce him to a new plate of tastes and textures. How exciting!”.
Overall, this book doesn’t promote well written, strong female characters in YA. I spent almost the entire book shaking my head. One thing that I will say that this book as going for it, it really got a rise out of me. I hated it and I’ve rarely been so angry at a book and fictional character. But Jordan Elizabeth Mierek wrote book that really got me emotionally invested. Even if it was in a negative way.
The prologue starts with Clark stealing and drinking a vial of some sort from a strange man’s coat. I had a lot of inner dialogue while reading this book and it all started at this moment in the prologue. Who drinks whatever’s in a weird vial that they just stole? Clark had no idea what it was! It could have been poison! It was at that moment, I learned that Clark was stupid. But other than that, the prologue was pretty good. It had me wanting more and even though Clark was an idiot, I wanted to know what happened to him.
Chapter 1 starts two years after the prologue ends. I normally have a hard time with massive jumps in time like this but in this book, it really worked well. Clark’s been in the run from the government because he drank the vial and now he can awaken the dead.
The female protagonist is Amethyst, who happen’s to be Clark’s half-sister. At first I was super excited about this. The idea of a brother and sister teaming up and kicking butt seemed perfect to me. I feel like author’s are always putting unnecessary romance in Young Adult books these days. A brother/sister team would eliminate all the unnecessary romance and stick with just butt kicking action, right? Wrong! That’s right, Jordan Elizabeth Mierek went there. Even though both Clark and Amethyst know right from the moment they meet that they are siblings, Amethyst is encouraging Clark to like her and flaunting herself around. It’s nasty. And even besides that, Amethyst is really over the top snobby and bratty. Why the author would write a protagonist, a female one on top of it, that’s so unlikable, I’ll never know. Nothing about Amethyst is promoting well written female characters in YA. If anything, she’s a character that’s holding the genre back from being taken seriously.
The “romance” or “love” between Clark and Amethyst is forced and unnecessary. This book should have been purely about Clark and his new-found powers. Not a brother and sister having some sort of wacky romance. Because in a month, that’s all I’m going to remember about this book. How horrible the “romance” was. And reasons Clark found Amethyst attractive were so stupid! How is “naivety” is good thing in a girl? In anyone? I just… Ugh.
I could go on and on about how much I hate Amethyst. She is so stupid and shallow, it’s unbelievable. When the story switches from Clark’s perspective to Amethyst’s, the whole plot is put on hold for all her stupid ramblings. A line from her perspective that really stood out to me was, “She wondered if he’d eaten watercress before. She could introduce him to a new plate of tastes and textures. How exciting!”.
Overall, this book doesn’t promote well written, strong female characters in YA. I spent almost the entire book shaking my head. One thing that I will say that this book as going for it, it really got a rise out of me. I hated it and I’ve rarely been so angry at a book and fictional character. But Jordan Elizabeth Mierek wrote book that really got me emotionally invested. Even if it was in a negative way.
January 18, 2015
This book has a little bit of everything in. It takes place in a world similar to our own but very different. The location is the wild west and the tech is steam power. The hero, Clark is looking for his father and ends up caught up in an adventure that has the potential to change the world he lives in as he knows it. So if you like steampunk, romance and westerns this is the book for you.
May 21, 2015
(I was given a copy by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.)
I had read a couple of short stories by this author, and thought the world she developed would be worth the read. I'm sorry to say I couldn't push myself to enjoy Treasure, Darkly, in spite of a good beginning. Or perhaps because the beginning led me to hope for something quite different, something I'd have liked instead.
Adventure in a steampunk, western-like world, along with a mysterious power allowing the male protagonist to bring people back to life: that would've rocked, and it's what I got in the first chapters. Clark seemed an intriguing character. On the run from the Army after he accidentally used their latest invention and ended up with powers over the dead, he turned to the only people he thought would be able to protect them, thanks to their wealth and reputation; a risky move if you ask me, but why not, when you don't have much left to lose? Clark was kind of resourceful—ready to use whatever resources he could find, aware that he had to be ruthless at times, yet still trying to fit in in a "good" way no matter what.
The world depicted in the novel was interesting, too. Perhaps with a bit too much "steampunkish eye-candy", in that you'd have to simply enjoy the descriptions and atmosphere for what they are, not look for any detailed explanation behind some of the machines. At some point, Clark goes on a quest for missing inventions, and if you like reading about such contraptions, well, those fit well within a steampunk universe.
However, I found it really difficult to remain invested into the story after the 40%-50% mark. First, Amethyst's expected death doesn't occur before then, i.e. a bit too late to my liking. Second, what would've been somewhat stereotypical but still enjoyable plot in a western-type plot (the Treasures vs. the Horans) wasn't that much developed, with the race to find the missing inventions getting muddled in there. Third, and a killer for me, those parts of the plot, along with Clark's power and running away from the military, got lost in the romance.
I didn't care the least bit for the romance here. Partly because of the brother/sister thing, even though there's a twist here. Partly because I wanted to see a kickass brother/sister pairing living adventures in a Weird Wild West world. Partly because it didn't make much sense when pitched against the other stakes (the Horans, Clark being on the run, how the family in general was supposed to accept him...).
Amethyst I found fairly unlikeable all along. I could've forgiven her snobbish ways in the beginning, if only coming back from the dead would've redeemed them. I'd expect dying, then being resurrected would leave heavy traces in someone's psyche, make them contemplate their mortality, see the world in a different way; but Amethyst doesn't change, and remains as superficial as ever (all the more as she's cast several times in a Damsel In Distrest role, moments during which she worries about the wrong things).
Clark's power remained vague and not exploited after the first half. For instance, we're told that when he brings back someone, he has to give death in the next minutes or so for the first life to indeed be spared, yet he's never seen doing it, which felt like a cop-out. The villains didn't do much in the second half either, the two brothers vanishing from the scene fairly quickly, to better leave room to Clark and Amethyst traipsing around, buying clothes, camping in the woods, and so on. Also, Clark's secrets got out in the open too easily, and it was hard after a while to believe that people wouldn't talk about it sooner, that he wouldn't get in trouble sooner because of it.
In short, based on the first half of the novel, I was somewhat enthused, and expected adventure and a grand finale. In the end, I got bored by the romance and distractions from what should've remained the issues at stake. By the time they came back, it was too late.
1.5 stars.
I had read a couple of short stories by this author, and thought the world she developed would be worth the read. I'm sorry to say I couldn't push myself to enjoy Treasure, Darkly, in spite of a good beginning. Or perhaps because the beginning led me to hope for something quite different, something I'd have liked instead.
Adventure in a steampunk, western-like world, along with a mysterious power allowing the male protagonist to bring people back to life: that would've rocked, and it's what I got in the first chapters. Clark seemed an intriguing character. On the run from the Army after he accidentally used their latest invention and ended up with powers over the dead, he turned to the only people he thought would be able to protect them, thanks to their wealth and reputation; a risky move if you ask me, but why not, when you don't have much left to lose? Clark was kind of resourceful—ready to use whatever resources he could find, aware that he had to be ruthless at times, yet still trying to fit in in a "good" way no matter what.
The world depicted in the novel was interesting, too. Perhaps with a bit too much "steampunkish eye-candy", in that you'd have to simply enjoy the descriptions and atmosphere for what they are, not look for any detailed explanation behind some of the machines. At some point, Clark goes on a quest for missing inventions, and if you like reading about such contraptions, well, those fit well within a steampunk universe.
However, I found it really difficult to remain invested into the story after the 40%-50% mark. First, Amethyst's expected death doesn't occur before then, i.e. a bit too late to my liking. Second, what would've been somewhat stereotypical but still enjoyable plot in a western-type plot (the Treasures vs. the Horans) wasn't that much developed, with the race to find the missing inventions getting muddled in there. Third, and a killer for me, those parts of the plot, along with Clark's power and running away from the military, got lost in the romance.
I didn't care the least bit for the romance here. Partly because of the brother/sister thing, even though there's a twist here. Partly because I wanted to see a kickass brother/sister pairing living adventures in a Weird Wild West world. Partly because it didn't make much sense when pitched against the other stakes (the Horans, Clark being on the run, how the family in general was supposed to accept him...).
Amethyst I found fairly unlikeable all along. I could've forgiven her snobbish ways in the beginning, if only coming back from the dead would've redeemed them. I'd expect dying, then being resurrected would leave heavy traces in someone's psyche, make them contemplate their mortality, see the world in a different way; but Amethyst doesn't change, and remains as superficial as ever (all the more as she's cast several times in a Damsel In Distrest role, moments during which she worries about the wrong things).
Clark's power remained vague and not exploited after the first half. For instance, we're told that when he brings back someone, he has to give death in the next minutes or so for the first life to indeed be spared, yet he's never seen doing it, which felt like a cop-out. The villains didn't do much in the second half either, the two brothers vanishing from the scene fairly quickly, to better leave room to Clark and Amethyst traipsing around, buying clothes, camping in the woods, and so on. Also, Clark's secrets got out in the open too easily, and it was hard after a while to believe that people wouldn't talk about it sooner, that he wouldn't get in trouble sooner because of it.
In short, based on the first half of the novel, I was somewhat enthused, and expected adventure and a grand finale. In the end, I got bored by the romance and distractions from what should've remained the issues at stake. By the time they came back, it was too late.
1.5 stars.
October 21, 2017
Thank you to the author, Jordan Mierek, for providing me with a review copy. All expressed opinions are my own.
This is another book I feel conflicted about. Just like Such A Good Girl, I couldn't decide on the first read through how I felt about it. On one hand, it has such a dangerous feeling and I've never read anything like it, and on the other hand, some passages felt irksome to me and I couldn't get over how the world is glossed over. I finally decided that in spite of that, I did like it, with some reservations. Let me explain:
1. The plot. This is the most interesting aspect of the book for me. The story centers around Clark and how he finds his father after being on the run for several years. He's sent on a mission to collect certain items and that's when it gets really interesting. On both read-throughs I was completely absorbed in the story and what would happen. Mierek does a wonderful job of keeping the reader on the edge of their seat as there are so many little hiccups along the way. The plotline is a piece of art.
2. The characters. The book is set up as a third person omniscient POV which means that the narrator pops into all of the characters' heads at one point or another. For a while, I was worried the characters would remain flat as they had been throughout the first fourth of the book. However, once these little jumps into different consciousness's were first introduced, the characters really began to be fleshed out in a more substantial way. We get to know Clark and Amethyst pretty well because they're the main characters but there are also dives into Amethyst's brothers (Jeremiah and Zachariah) that provided a wonderful insight. One point I couldn't get over, though, is the use of 'brass glass' as a curse. I completely understand that the author used it as a device to connect the reader to the world but to me, it just felt silly and impractical. Curse words roll off the tongue and are typically all-purpose (like you can't use 'shit' in basically any other context other than swearing but you can use both 'brass' and 'glass'). I don't know, maybe I'm getting too into the morphological uses here but it bothered me throughout the novel.
3. The world. This is where I had the most issues with the book. While I did enjoy each of the settings the author introduces the reader to, they aren't exactly painted with a fine-tipped brush. They're more represented by broad sweeps and most of the outer world isn't touched at all. This is the first book so there can't be a whole lot of world building (there's character building to be done, after all!), but I couldn't really picture the places they went and their specific layouts. Characters went here and there but there was no in between and no directional orientation which made it difficult to become fully immersed.
4. The romance/customs. Of course, there is a romance, and I found it to be rather meh considering that it doesn't add too much to the story. It adds a slight secondary plot line and a little more tension than normal but otherwise I didn't find that there was too much chemistry between the two. I was also slightly confused on what the customs are exactly in terms of courting and whatnot. This book is set in a sort of post-industrial wild west (think the Western US in 200 years after a government collapse or something of the sort) and there's sort of a mix between what we think of as traditional and modern dating practices. The characters kept mentioning courting and modesty but the next minute, there seems to be scandal everywhere with the romance (or what I should think would cause a scandal; premarital sex for one thing). The world seems to be undergoing a sort of transition between the two belief systems but I just wish it was made a little more clear what the sort of expectations are for couples.
5. Clark's powers. I wanted to give this it's own little section because Clark's powers kind of puzzle me. He has the ability to bring the dead back to life (only the very, very recently dead apparently) and then can maybe sometimes use it to kill people too. I would have loved a little more information on the mechanics of this because that's pretty much all that's said about it. I also would have loved to hear more of Clark's feelings on the fact that he has these crazy, abnormal powers that he's somehow completely okay with. I mean, in his thoughts he almost sounds cheered that after bringing someone back, he can transfer that power to a living persona and kill them but an hour later he's saying that it's a curse and that's that. We don't really get any of his feelings on the subject which is a disappointment.
The Final Verdict:
The shining star of this book is the plot and characters and I have no doubt that their majesty will continue in the next books. The world, however, could use some more development and a little clarification on the romance standards also wouldn't be amiss. Also, Clark's powers continue to puzzle me (I seriously am thinking about another reread to maybe clear this up).
3 stars
This is another book I feel conflicted about. Just like Such A Good Girl, I couldn't decide on the first read through how I felt about it. On one hand, it has such a dangerous feeling and I've never read anything like it, and on the other hand, some passages felt irksome to me and I couldn't get over how the world is glossed over. I finally decided that in spite of that, I did like it, with some reservations. Let me explain:
1. The plot. This is the most interesting aspect of the book for me. The story centers around Clark and how he finds his father after being on the run for several years. He's sent on a mission to collect certain items and that's when it gets really interesting. On both read-throughs I was completely absorbed in the story and what would happen. Mierek does a wonderful job of keeping the reader on the edge of their seat as there are so many little hiccups along the way. The plotline is a piece of art.
2. The characters. The book is set up as a third person omniscient POV which means that the narrator pops into all of the characters' heads at one point or another. For a while, I was worried the characters would remain flat as they had been throughout the first fourth of the book. However, once these little jumps into different consciousness's were first introduced, the characters really began to be fleshed out in a more substantial way. We get to know Clark and Amethyst pretty well because they're the main characters but there are also dives into Amethyst's brothers (Jeremiah and Zachariah) that provided a wonderful insight. One point I couldn't get over, though, is the use of 'brass glass' as a curse. I completely understand that the author used it as a device to connect the reader to the world but to me, it just felt silly and impractical. Curse words roll off the tongue and are typically all-purpose (like you can't use 'shit' in basically any other context other than swearing but you can use both 'brass' and 'glass'). I don't know, maybe I'm getting too into the morphological uses here but it bothered me throughout the novel.
3. The world. This is where I had the most issues with the book. While I did enjoy each of the settings the author introduces the reader to, they aren't exactly painted with a fine-tipped brush. They're more represented by broad sweeps and most of the outer world isn't touched at all. This is the first book so there can't be a whole lot of world building (there's character building to be done, after all!), but I couldn't really picture the places they went and their specific layouts. Characters went here and there but there was no in between and no directional orientation which made it difficult to become fully immersed.
4. The romance/customs. Of course, there is a romance, and I found it to be rather meh considering that it doesn't add too much to the story. It adds a slight secondary plot line and a little more tension than normal but otherwise I didn't find that there was too much chemistry between the two. I was also slightly confused on what the customs are exactly in terms of courting and whatnot. This book is set in a sort of post-industrial wild west (think the Western US in 200 years after a government collapse or something of the sort) and there's sort of a mix between what we think of as traditional and modern dating practices. The characters kept mentioning courting and modesty but the next minute, there seems to be scandal everywhere with the romance (or what I should think would cause a scandal; premarital sex for one thing). The world seems to be undergoing a sort of transition between the two belief systems but I just wish it was made a little more clear what the sort of expectations are for couples.
5. Clark's powers. I wanted to give this it's own little section because Clark's powers kind of puzzle me. He has the ability to bring the dead back to life (only the very, very recently dead apparently) and then can maybe sometimes use it to kill people too. I would have loved a little more information on the mechanics of this because that's pretty much all that's said about it. I also would have loved to hear more of Clark's feelings on the fact that he has these crazy, abnormal powers that he's somehow completely okay with. I mean, in his thoughts he almost sounds cheered that after bringing someone back, he can transfer that power to a living persona and kill them but an hour later he's saying that it's a curse and that's that. We don't really get any of his feelings on the subject which is a disappointment.
The Final Verdict:
The shining star of this book is the plot and characters and I have no doubt that their majesty will continue in the next books. The world, however, could use some more development and a little clarification on the romance standards also wouldn't be amiss. Also, Clark's powers continue to puzzle me (I seriously am thinking about another reread to maybe clear this up).
3 stars
November 22, 2015
I need to collect my thoughts on this...review to come!
Update 11/21/15:
See more reviews on my blog Novels and Necklaces
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I don't really know where to begin with this review because I really wanted to like this book. The cover is gorgeous, and obviously shows this book is steampunk. Right away, that got me excited because I love me some steampunk. While I've never read a western in my life, I thought it was an intriguing idea to mix the 2 genres, so I thought, why not give it a shot? Well, the cover and the summary were the first of many deceptive things about this book. I definitely didn't get what I expected, and that is really unfortunate as this could have been a great book. I know I'm in the minority here who didn't really enjoy this book, but there was just too many things in this book that I couldn't get over.
I'll start with the characters. The prologue was actually pretty interesting and made me want to keep reading, and it is in this prologue that we meet one of the lead characters, Clark. It was also in this prologue where we learn that Clark is pretty stupid. That's a little harsh, but I thought this could have just been a one-time-deal, but throughout the book he constantly reminded me that he wasn't someone I was going to like. He did have his redeeming moments though, so I will give him that. The biggest problem I had with Clark was why he was attracted to Amethyst, our female lead. Now I will admit that Amethyst is the biggest problem I had with this book. I couldn't stand her from the moment we met her, and that disgust (yes disgust) continued for the rest of the book. She is vapid, stupid, an shallow. I could barely stand her chapters because of her nonsense rambling. It bothered me because Clark's chapters were filled with the (actually somewhat exciting) plot and her chapters just put the book on hold with babble. I could go on and on about her character but I want to keep this review as short as possible. Ultimately, the biggest problem with the characters was that they weren't developed enough, and I could never truly connect with them in anyway. I was waiting for some sort of inner struggle with Clark's character and his ability, but there was nothing. Plus, the characters don't grow throughout the book, so they didn't change how they acted or who they were as people, which both leads needed.
The romance between Clark and Amethyst disturbed me a bit. I know that , but their romance was forced and I never thought it was actually necessary for the story. Originally, I thought it was going to be pretty cool that Amethyst and Clark teamed up...they would be a brother/sister butt-kicking team. Clark would rub off on Amethyst and she would become less spoiled and stronger and willing to fight. But then the story went in a completely different direction and had them get together as a couple.
It bothered me from the start, because while I had a feeling that there would be a revelation with this relationship, I didn't think either character acted in the way they should have. Amethyst seemed to be enticing and encouraging Clark just for the sake of it, and Clark just liked Amethyst because she was attractive and naive. Personally, I think it's kind of nasty.
Lastly, I don't know if this book knew what it wanted to be. The start of the book was steampunk/western, but then about halfway in it turned into a straight up teen romance novel, which is not what I expected at all. Ultimately, this is were I was most disappointed because if I'm reading a steampunk/western, I want this to be continued throughout the book. The jarring switch confused me at first because I truly wasn't expecting it.
Overall, this book just didn't work for me. I was tempted to DNF it, but by that point, I was invested and I kept hoping the book would get better. The plot was actually kind of interesting, it was other aspects of this book that made me dislike it. It's a shame because this book could have been phenomenal, and to some, it might be. But that person is not me.
Happy reading :)
Update 11/21/15:
See more reviews on my blog Novels and Necklaces
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I don't really know where to begin with this review because I really wanted to like this book. The cover is gorgeous, and obviously shows this book is steampunk. Right away, that got me excited because I love me some steampunk. While I've never read a western in my life, I thought it was an intriguing idea to mix the 2 genres, so I thought, why not give it a shot? Well, the cover and the summary were the first of many deceptive things about this book. I definitely didn't get what I expected, and that is really unfortunate as this could have been a great book. I know I'm in the minority here who didn't really enjoy this book, but there was just too many things in this book that I couldn't get over.
I'll start with the characters. The prologue was actually pretty interesting and made me want to keep reading, and it is in this prologue that we meet one of the lead characters, Clark. It was also in this prologue where we learn that Clark is pretty stupid. That's a little harsh, but I thought this could have just been a one-time-deal, but throughout the book he constantly reminded me that he wasn't someone I was going to like. He did have his redeeming moments though, so I will give him that. The biggest problem I had with Clark was why he was attracted to Amethyst, our female lead. Now I will admit that Amethyst is the biggest problem I had with this book. I couldn't stand her from the moment we met her, and that disgust (yes disgust) continued for the rest of the book. She is vapid, stupid, an shallow. I could barely stand her chapters because of her nonsense rambling. It bothered me because Clark's chapters were filled with the (actually somewhat exciting) plot and her chapters just put the book on hold with babble. I could go on and on about her character but I want to keep this review as short as possible. Ultimately, the biggest problem with the characters was that they weren't developed enough, and I could never truly connect with them in anyway. I was waiting for some sort of inner struggle with Clark's character and his ability, but there was nothing. Plus, the characters don't grow throughout the book, so they didn't change how they acted or who they were as people, which both leads needed.
The romance between Clark and Amethyst disturbed me a bit. I know that , but their romance was forced and I never thought it was actually necessary for the story. Originally, I thought it was going to be pretty cool that Amethyst and Clark teamed up...they would be a brother/sister butt-kicking team. Clark would rub off on Amethyst and she would become less spoiled and stronger and willing to fight. But then the story went in a completely different direction and had them get together as a couple.
It bothered me from the start, because while I had a feeling that there would be a revelation with this relationship, I didn't think either character acted in the way they should have. Amethyst seemed to be enticing and encouraging Clark just for the sake of it, and Clark just liked Amethyst because she was attractive and naive. Personally, I think it's kind of nasty.
Lastly, I don't know if this book knew what it wanted to be. The start of the book was steampunk/western, but then about halfway in it turned into a straight up teen romance novel, which is not what I expected at all. Ultimately, this is were I was most disappointed because if I'm reading a steampunk/western, I want this to be continued throughout the book. The jarring switch confused me at first because I truly wasn't expecting it.
Overall, this book just didn't work for me. I was tempted to DNF it, but by that point, I was invested and I kept hoping the book would get better. The plot was actually kind of interesting, it was other aspects of this book that made me dislike it. It's a shame because this book could have been phenomenal, and to some, it might be. But that person is not me.
Happy reading :)
March 6, 2015
I was offered a free copy of Treasure, Darkly in exchange for my honest review. I was immediately excited upon reading the novel's synopsis, as I love a good western and especially love one with a genre-bending twist such as this. I was just the tiniest bit hesitant, though, because the steampunk writings that I've enjoyed in the past were few and far between; I don't seem to have very good luck within the genre.
Jordan Mierek completely took my breath away, though. To begin with, the cover is absolutely gorgeous! Very eye catching, elegant, and with a captivating quality that kept me staring at the details long after I should have pressed on to page one.
But finally I did press on, and the action kicks in right off the bat. The lead character is soundly established very early on -- characterization seeming nearly effortless on the part of this author -- and the setting itself flows naturally into being without the strained, heavy-handed world-building that so many cross-genre stories find themselves faltering in. In the afterword, Mierek mentions that she was inspired by shows such as Big Valley and The Lone Ranger, and those influences are very apparent. I personally was put in mind of the movie Wanda Nevada over and over again, especially as the plot's central romance developed. The lead character is just noble enough -- just, just barely -- to convince readers to overlook the coarseness of his lust, which in itself seemed to me very fitting in this pseudo-cowboy epic. I thought it was a perfect balance, and even though I'm not much of one for romances in general, I really must say that it won me over.
The story line itself is entertaining and fast-paced, and I thought all of the crossed-genre ingredients came together perfectly; the novel is just as much a western as it has to be, just as much a steampunk expo, just as much a ghost story as is necessary. All in all, I was very pleasantly surprised; even the abrupt ending -- not quite a cliff-hanger, but bloody close -- didn't really put me off that much.
I will definitely have to keep my eye out for the sequel. Five well-deserved stars for Treasure, Darkly.
Jordan Mierek completely took my breath away, though. To begin with, the cover is absolutely gorgeous! Very eye catching, elegant, and with a captivating quality that kept me staring at the details long after I should have pressed on to page one.
But finally I did press on, and the action kicks in right off the bat. The lead character is soundly established very early on -- characterization seeming nearly effortless on the part of this author -- and the setting itself flows naturally into being without the strained, heavy-handed world-building that so many cross-genre stories find themselves faltering in. In the afterword, Mierek mentions that she was inspired by shows such as Big Valley and The Lone Ranger, and those influences are very apparent. I personally was put in mind of the movie Wanda Nevada over and over again, especially as the plot's central romance developed. The lead character is just noble enough -- just, just barely -- to convince readers to overlook the coarseness of his lust, which in itself seemed to me very fitting in this pseudo-cowboy epic. I thought it was a perfect balance, and even though I'm not much of one for romances in general, I really must say that it won me over.
The story line itself is entertaining and fast-paced, and I thought all of the crossed-genre ingredients came together perfectly; the novel is just as much a western as it has to be, just as much a steampunk expo, just as much a ghost story as is necessary. All in all, I was very pleasantly surprised; even the abrupt ending -- not quite a cliff-hanger, but bloody close -- didn't really put me off that much.
I will definitely have to keep my eye out for the sequel. Five well-deserved stars for Treasure, Darkly.
June 21, 2015
I got a copy of this book from the publisher to review (thank you to Curiosity Quills Press for forwarding a copy on when I kind of didn’t download it from NetGalley before it was archived). I really enjoyed this book a lot. There is a lot of action and adventure, some magic, and tons of wonderfully western steampunk goodness.
Clark Treasure stole a bottle of what he thought was absinthe off of one of his mother’s customers. Well, it ended up being something else...something that made Clark very hard to kill and gave him the ability to raise the dead. It also made it so that Clark is being hunted down by the military who wants to use him for his ability. When Clark finds out his unknown father is the famous General Treasure he goes to the General’s home seeking protection.
However, Clark was not counting on a ghost haunting him to demand Clark retrieve his inventions which are being weaponized by General Treasure’s rival Horus. Clark did also not count on the beautiful and spunky Amethyst Treasure who is set on making her summer away from the city something to remember.
This was a very well written and entertaining read. I read this book very quickly, it was engaging and incredibly hard to put down.
Clark has such a good ole’ noble cowboy tone to him, but with a dangerous roguish edge. He has a great sense of humor, has some interesting magical abilities, and is just all around fun to read about.
I loved the rest of the Treasure family as well; they are surprisingly supportive of Clark (well most of them are) and very entertaining.
There is some great world-building here. The story has a very old-west feel to it, however in this alternate old west there has been a technological revolution. The result is a number of crazy contraptions and high tech inventions that you don’t expect to see in a western.
The story wrapped up nicely and I am very eager to read more about the adventures of Clark and Amethyst and about this fascinating world.
Overall I absolutely loved this book. The story is fast-paced and engaging. It’s a wonderful blend of steampunk, fantasy, and western with tons of excellent action. I loved the characters as well. The story balances action, adventure, politics, mystery, and romance in perfect proportions. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of alternate history, steampunk or fantasy with a western feel to it. I can’t wait to read Born of Treasure when it releases in September!
Clark Treasure stole a bottle of what he thought was absinthe off of one of his mother’s customers. Well, it ended up being something else...something that made Clark very hard to kill and gave him the ability to raise the dead. It also made it so that Clark is being hunted down by the military who wants to use him for his ability. When Clark finds out his unknown father is the famous General Treasure he goes to the General’s home seeking protection.
However, Clark was not counting on a ghost haunting him to demand Clark retrieve his inventions which are being weaponized by General Treasure’s rival Horus. Clark did also not count on the beautiful and spunky Amethyst Treasure who is set on making her summer away from the city something to remember.
This was a very well written and entertaining read. I read this book very quickly, it was engaging and incredibly hard to put down.
Clark has such a good ole’ noble cowboy tone to him, but with a dangerous roguish edge. He has a great sense of humor, has some interesting magical abilities, and is just all around fun to read about.
I loved the rest of the Treasure family as well; they are surprisingly supportive of Clark (well most of them are) and very entertaining.
There is some great world-building here. The story has a very old-west feel to it, however in this alternate old west there has been a technological revolution. The result is a number of crazy contraptions and high tech inventions that you don’t expect to see in a western.
The story wrapped up nicely and I am very eager to read more about the adventures of Clark and Amethyst and about this fascinating world.
Overall I absolutely loved this book. The story is fast-paced and engaging. It’s a wonderful blend of steampunk, fantasy, and western with tons of excellent action. I loved the characters as well. The story balances action, adventure, politics, mystery, and romance in perfect proportions. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of alternate history, steampunk or fantasy with a western feel to it. I can’t wait to read Born of Treasure when it releases in September!
June 7, 2015
Oh man... This was some read! It's shock full of steam-punky goodness, action and romance.
The story opens with an intro into how it all began with Clark Treasure. It gives a beginning to how things play out throughout the book. It makes the reader feel for Clark and want for everything to go in his favor. Clark's character was very well written and his goals weren't far fetched at all. I was very happy to see him gain so much when all he was looking for was protection. He never imagined that he would gain that and so much more, including the woman who would become the love of his life.
The story moves at a steadily increasing pace that doesn't overwhelm, it keeps you wondering what's going to happen next. There isn't much backstory, but the little that's provided is delivered in a way that keeps the story going smoothly. The world building was done in a very believable way that brought back memories of old westerns with their saloons and horses, and of course the town drunk (lol) The romance parts of the book actually added to the story quite well. It was so sweet and tender it put smiles on my face every time, and had me rooting for Clark and Amethyst (along with Eric, they are my three favorite characters). At first it was a bit weird, but that didn't last very long (can't give away that little tidbit since it's a HUGE part of the story). The villains really angered me (which is an excellent thing). They had me yelling at how awful they were and I couldn't wait for them to get their comeuppance.
Even though I'm fairly new to the steampunk genre, I feel like this was a very good fit. There were steam powered vehicles used in conjunction with horses that kept things firmly planted in a Western time-frame. I have only read Victorian steam punk, so this was a delightful change. The classic corset and skirt combos for the women, and the numerous brass buttons on the pants and drawstring ties on the shirts (not to mention the cowboy hats) was what I expected as it always helps to draw me further into the story if I can imagine exactly what the characters are wearing. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I look forward to the continuation of Clark and Amethyst's story.
I highly recommend this to any steam punk fan.
The story opens with an intro into how it all began with Clark Treasure. It gives a beginning to how things play out throughout the book. It makes the reader feel for Clark and want for everything to go in his favor. Clark's character was very well written and his goals weren't far fetched at all. I was very happy to see him gain so much when all he was looking for was protection. He never imagined that he would gain that and so much more, including the woman who would become the love of his life.
The story moves at a steadily increasing pace that doesn't overwhelm, it keeps you wondering what's going to happen next. There isn't much backstory, but the little that's provided is delivered in a way that keeps the story going smoothly. The world building was done in a very believable way that brought back memories of old westerns with their saloons and horses, and of course the town drunk (lol) The romance parts of the book actually added to the story quite well. It was so sweet and tender it put smiles on my face every time, and had me rooting for Clark and Amethyst (along with Eric, they are my three favorite characters). At first it was a bit weird, but that didn't last very long (can't give away that little tidbit since it's a HUGE part of the story). The villains really angered me (which is an excellent thing). They had me yelling at how awful they were and I couldn't wait for them to get their comeuppance.
Even though I'm fairly new to the steampunk genre, I feel like this was a very good fit. There were steam powered vehicles used in conjunction with horses that kept things firmly planted in a Western time-frame. I have only read Victorian steam punk, so this was a delightful change. The classic corset and skirt combos for the women, and the numerous brass buttons on the pants and drawstring ties on the shirts (not to mention the cowboy hats) was what I expected as it always helps to draw me further into the story if I can imagine exactly what the characters are wearing. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I look forward to the continuation of Clark and Amethyst's story.
I highly recommend this to any steam punk fan.
April 11, 2015
This was the first full fledge novel I've read by Jordan Elizabeth and I wasn't at all disappointed. I read her short stories in Gears of Brass which was the first time I tried out steampunk. I have to say I am really loving the steampunk world! If I could pull off wearing gears and such I would start wearing them right now.
The cover is awesome! It really shows that iconic steampunk style that so many people love. I think it would be appealing enough to draw peoples eyes to it and that's always the goal with the cover.
Clark steals a vial of what he thinks is absinth and downs the entire thing. He realizes it wasn't absinth when he can bring someone back from the dead. Now he is on the run from the army, where he would become a science experiment. He runs to the family that didn't know he existed, The Treasure's. When another family starts causing issues with his new found family Clark will stop at nothing to protect it.
I did think it was a little odd that Amethyst and Clark were crushing on each other when they thought they were related. I guess it's good that they were not really related but it was still odd. Once I found out they were not actually half brother and sister I did start to root for them. I'm a very odd person apparently.
It was awesome and strange how quickly Mr. and Mrs. Treasure accepted Clark into their family. And how okay she was with hearing her husband was unfaithful all those years ago. It was strange how easily Mrs. Treasure got used to Clark killing people, she acted like it was nothing. But I guess he did save her life so maybe that helped.
I liked how Eric followed Clark around helping him when he needed help. Though they did not have that father and son relationship, Eric still watched after him in spirit- literally. I did wonder how many times Amethyst was going to get captured by the Horan family though.
All in all I enjoyed this book and since it's book one, I look forward to book two.
For more of my reviews visit: http://www.hyperashley.com/
The cover is awesome! It really shows that iconic steampunk style that so many people love. I think it would be appealing enough to draw peoples eyes to it and that's always the goal with the cover.
Clark steals a vial of what he thinks is absinth and downs the entire thing. He realizes it wasn't absinth when he can bring someone back from the dead. Now he is on the run from the army, where he would become a science experiment. He runs to the family that didn't know he existed, The Treasure's. When another family starts causing issues with his new found family Clark will stop at nothing to protect it.
I did think it was a little odd that Amethyst and Clark were crushing on each other when they thought they were related. I guess it's good that they were not really related but it was still odd. Once I found out they were not actually half brother and sister I did start to root for them. I'm a very odd person apparently.
It was awesome and strange how quickly Mr. and Mrs. Treasure accepted Clark into their family. And how okay she was with hearing her husband was unfaithful all those years ago. It was strange how easily Mrs. Treasure got used to Clark killing people, she acted like it was nothing. But I guess he did save her life so maybe that helped.
I liked how Eric followed Clark around helping him when he needed help. Though they did not have that father and son relationship, Eric still watched after him in spirit- literally. I did wonder how many times Amethyst was going to get captured by the Horan family though.
All in all I enjoyed this book and since it's book one, I look forward to book two.
For more of my reviews visit: http://www.hyperashley.com/
April 28, 2015
Whew. There was never a dull moment in this book. I believe that it may have been my first steampunk read, so I was a bit hesitant going into it. I worried that I would not understand everything, but after a few chapters I was more than okay.
First of all, the cover is stunning and the characters are awesome. Clark was an interesting main character that I highly enjoyed reading about. I liked that he was different from the Treasure family. He was always protecting and saving people. Then there’s Amethyst, who is pretty badass for a rich girl. She wanted to learn to use a gun and to defend herself. She was curious and wanted to go on adventures to learn more about what’s outside of her world.
I loved that Clark could confide in Amethyst. They had a very honest and open relationship. They made a great team. It was really odd at first when Amethyst kept coming onto Clark, because I honestly believed that they were related. However, once I learned the truth, I loved the relationship that had blossomed between them. She may have tried throwing herself at him, but for the majority of the book they were simply really good friends. More like partners in crime. Clark had known that there was a possibility of him falling in love with her, but of course everyone believed that they were brother and sister. This forbidden romance aspect made for an even more interesting read.
The more I think about this book, the more I like it. It was so different than what I typically read. In this world, people are not afraid to kill. They just get rid of the bodies and they move on. The action in Treasure Darkly was great and kept me on my toes throughout the entire novel. I highly recommend this book to those who want to get into the steampunk genre! I rated Treasure Darkly 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was such a delight to read and review this book for the author.
https://readsbymandm.wordpress.com/20...
First of all, the cover is stunning and the characters are awesome. Clark was an interesting main character that I highly enjoyed reading about. I liked that he was different from the Treasure family. He was always protecting and saving people. Then there’s Amethyst, who is pretty badass for a rich girl. She wanted to learn to use a gun and to defend herself. She was curious and wanted to go on adventures to learn more about what’s outside of her world.
I loved that Clark could confide in Amethyst. They had a very honest and open relationship. They made a great team. It was really odd at first when Amethyst kept coming onto Clark, because I honestly believed that they were related. However, once I learned the truth, I loved the relationship that had blossomed between them. She may have tried throwing herself at him, but for the majority of the book they were simply really good friends. More like partners in crime. Clark had known that there was a possibility of him falling in love with her, but of course everyone believed that they were brother and sister. This forbidden romance aspect made for an even more interesting read.
The more I think about this book, the more I like it. It was so different than what I typically read. In this world, people are not afraid to kill. They just get rid of the bodies and they move on. The action in Treasure Darkly was great and kept me on my toes throughout the entire novel. I highly recommend this book to those who want to get into the steampunk genre! I rated Treasure Darkly 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was such a delight to read and review this book for the author.
https://readsbymandm.wordpress.com/20...
March 12, 2015
What I Thought:
I am a true lover of all things steampunk. I can't get enough of it, and absolutely LOVE reading steampunk!
This book is a steampunk story, which has a Wild West sort of theme to is, with gunfights and horseback, all mixed in with a man who has gained some unusual powers and, of course, a load of steampunk action.
I found that the author through us into the mix straightaway. We met our main character, Clark, who is trouble himself, even though he doesn't always mean to be. He is a small time thief, at times, and believes he stealing a vial of absinthe - which is already enough to make you go mental - but he is actually stealing a government produced elixir, and soon he'll be paying for it with his life.
After drinking, he is involved in a mine incident, which ultimately brings out his powers and put the government on his trail. We then shoot to a few years in the future, where Clark becomes part of the family of his father, and then the real action begins!
I love that this story is a bit of a mix of steampunk, with a little paranormal thrown in the mix. The action and intense moments where there are feuds between locals and Clark avoiding capture, are excellent. They have loads of details, blended with the emotions and thoughts from the characters. The amount of steampunk in the book is good, though I wouldn't mind a bit more detail and usage of steampunk weapons.(Though toward the end we saw more, so I am very excited to see how much is in the second book!)
I thought the story was interesting and unique. There was a minor love story sort of taking place, which is both awkward and understood - but I'll leave you to read that. I thought, though it was at times very awkward, it really added to the tension and suspense of the story.
Overall, this was a brilliant beginning to a steampunk series. I am very keen to read more and I really think steampunk and paranormal readers would love this read!
October 13, 2015
I was given a free copy from the author for an honest review.
Here's the thing with this book, I didn't really get it. There is so much stories withing the one story.
So the mainest of the main characters, Clark, ended up having these special abilities, abilities he got from drinking a potion type thing from a vial. So he's on the run.
I get it, I do, the army killed his mom and he has no one left, but what are these abilities, how does it work? Yeah Clark explains this and we read Clark perform it, but I never got to explore Clark's time trying to figure these things out.
But then, years later, he's back claiming to be the bastard son of a wealthy man. Everyone seems to except Clark. Besides his years on the run, a time I hardly get to know about, he has it easy.
Well this issue.....Clark kinda has the hots for his said-to-be half sister. That kinda of had me thinking, "okay so this accepting of Clark too easily makes sense...."
The novel was written by an author who knows how to write and describe, yet, I just cannot find interest reading the book. I do blame it on timing. I've been really busy with my studies and had no time, so it might have affected my opinion of the novel.
I do, however, recommend this book to others, just not everyone. Maybe I can give this book another chance later, for I feel awful rating it how I did.
Here's the thing with this book, I didn't really get it. There is so much stories withing the one story.
So the mainest of the main characters, Clark, ended up having these special abilities, abilities he got from drinking a potion type thing from a vial. So he's on the run.
I get it, I do, the army killed his mom and he has no one left, but what are these abilities, how does it work? Yeah Clark explains this and we read Clark perform it, but I never got to explore Clark's time trying to figure these things out.
But then, years later, he's back claiming to be the bastard son of a wealthy man. Everyone seems to except Clark. Besides his years on the run, a time I hardly get to know about, he has it easy.
Well this issue.....Clark kinda has the hots for his said-to-be half sister. That kinda of had me thinking, "okay so this accepting of Clark too easily makes sense...."
The novel was written by an author who knows how to write and describe, yet, I just cannot find interest reading the book. I do blame it on timing. I've been really busy with my studies and had no time, so it might have affected my opinion of the novel.
I do, however, recommend this book to others, just not everyone. Maybe I can give this book another chance later, for I feel awful rating it how I did.
July 28, 2015
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book the steampunk genre is relatively new to me.
A mixture of old west customs and traditions mixed with the gadgets and gizmos of a more modern society, Treasure Darkly an interesting and fascinating read.
I enjoyed the characters and setting everything was detailed beautifully from the style of clothing to the locations.
The storyline flowed really well with surprising twists and turns that were unexpected.
The ending was a killer I want to know what happens next, what is in store next for Amethyst and Clark? What about Horan? Gah will be waiting impatiently for the next book in this series..
Highly recommend this book to all readers.
I received an ecopy of this book for review.
A mixture of old west customs and traditions mixed with the gadgets and gizmos of a more modern society, Treasure Darkly an interesting and fascinating read.
I enjoyed the characters and setting everything was detailed beautifully from the style of clothing to the locations.
The storyline flowed really well with surprising twists and turns that were unexpected.
The ending was a killer I want to know what happens next, what is in store next for Amethyst and Clark? What about Horan? Gah will be waiting impatiently for the next book in this series..
Highly recommend this book to all readers.
I received an ecopy of this book for review.
December 8, 2015
My second by this author
I have to first say that I love this authors writing style she has no qualms about yanking you right into the world she created and keeping you till the end. This was a fantastic story and will be reading more from this author.
I have to first say that I love this authors writing style she has no qualms about yanking you right into the world she created and keeping you till the end. This was a fantastic story and will be reading more from this author.
November 6, 2017
Review to come!
June 5, 2020
When Clark steals a drink, he doesn’t know exactly what it is but assumes it’s alcohol. When it turns out that it gives him powers, a whole new world opens up for him. When Clark turns to his father for help, he’s put in charge of protecting their ranch. When he crosses paths with Amethyst Treasure, things change.
An interesting mix of genres—western and steampunk—this was the first book like this that I’ve read. I loved it though. The characters were real, and the plot was suspenseful. I’ll admit that I didn’t really care much for Amethyst. After a little while, her antics got on my nerves, but Clark was a solid one.
Narration was well done.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
An interesting mix of genres—western and steampunk—this was the first book like this that I’ve read. I loved it though. The characters were real, and the plot was suspenseful. I’ll admit that I didn’t really care much for Amethyst. After a little while, her antics got on my nerves, but Clark was a solid one.
Narration was well done.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
August 31, 2018
I am loving steampunk! This is my first book of this genre and I love the mix of modern conveniences and Old West style living/mannerisms come together. Amethyst and Clark are having some incredible adventures while truths are revealed. I love the touch of paranormal integrated into the story as well. Will be reading more of this author.
October 5, 2015
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
The first part of Treasure Darkly was an intriguing dark steampunk Western that had me riveted until the half way mark. Then, inexplicably, the story changed into a bodice ripper Western historical with fantastical elements. I think where the book lost me was with the characters - I found that the more I read, the less I liked them. By the end I didn't believe in them or really care what happened to them.Story: The Treasure Family rule the desert are of Hedlund - their farmstead and mines are among the richest. But in a saloon in an rusty town, young Clark has gone to find his father - the scion of the Treasure family. For Clark is illegitimate, wanted for the theft of a mysterious potion that he drank and allows him to see ghosts/revive the dead, and desperate. When he shows up on the Treasure homestead, his half brother doesn't welcome, half sister hits on him, and stepmother oddly welcomes him. But Clark's past is going to catch up to him and he is going to find himself falling hard for his half sister.
It all started so well - great steampunk elements, gritty and edgy feeling story, and a true Western feel. I was enjoying it immensely, curious to see where it would go after Clark shows up on the Treasure family's porch step. But then the fantastical elements kicked in and Clark starts a whirlwind romance with his sister-who-is-not-his-sister while finding mysterious objects thanks to hints by the ghost of his real father. And my interest waned as it morphed more and more into a Clark x Amethyst insta-luv romance.
First and foremost, the author wrote Amethyst Treasure to be unlikable so that she can have a 'growing up' moment later on. I didn't buy it and I still didn't like her. Her only purpose is to be kidnapped (twice within 30 pages) so Clark can rescue her. She never seems to feel much quibble about it though and worries more about the newspaper writing about the kidnappings or her appearance that day than in being raped/murdered by someone with a strong hate for her family.
Clark started out interesting but then apparently had a lobotomy the minute he laid eyes on his 'sister'. She's obnoxious, petulant, annoying, but pretty. So how am I to respect a guy (especially one who grew up in a brothel and should know better) who likes a girl based on looks alone - so much so that he ignores that she's spoiled rotten? Let's not get into the time it takes to realize she may not be related in blood yet still lusts after her. Ew. And really, let's also not forget no mention of a beau back in the City just waiting for her to return (while she endlessly hits on and flirts with her brother).
The bad guys are stupid. Their only point is to annoy the treasure family and kidnap Amethyst so Clark can go rushing in and easily save her. There are several bad guys and they are used rather interchangeably: Clark has guys after him (including the one who murdered his mother) and the Treasures have enemies. They move in and out, do their bit to show how much Clark and Amethyst lurve each other, then move out.
This isn't Earth - it's a fantastical place a lot like the American West (with a bit of Australian colonialism issues thrown in). There are statements that could be made about the enslavement of natives, but what is written is trite and gets blown off so Clark can ogle Amethyst and look saintly while promoting natives' rights. It just seemed a waste to include the 'noble savage' elements at all.
The ending felt rushed and is very abrupt. As well, there are scenes in there suddenly establishing an instu luv situation for Amethyst's brother that are really random and seemed to be filler. I imagine the author will expand on it further in later issues but its introduction in this novel feels very extraneous.
I would categorize this as a romance first, Western second, and then with some steampunk trappings in a random alternate universe American West. So I would recommend this for those who like historical romances in the Western vein. For me, I was looking for the reverse order: Western, Steampunk, and a *little* romance. Oh, and the cover? Absolutely nothing to do with the story. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
March 12, 2016
It started out so promising. The author seemed to be on to something, writing a book that crosses Western with Steampunk some Paranomal, Action and some potential Romance. Made even more interesting by the fact that she has chosen a male lead (unusual for a female author). Or so I gathered from the intriguing short that accompanies this book. Unfortunately it fell flat and sunk like a river stone. The best thing about Treasure Darkly is most likely it's cover. Let's be honest, that cover is a gorgeous piece of art.
Treasure, Darkly starts out with a boy named Clark. His mother, whose occupation is a dubious one, raises him. Through bad luck, he manages to get his hands on a vial of potion which gives him the ability to see and talk to ghosts, bring back the recently deceased and take a live right after. By acquiring it, he has also brought the wrath of the military on himself. When his mother is killed in his pursuit, he runs, leaving everything behind.
The story picks up a few years later when Clark finally emerges from hiding and decides to seek his esteemed father. The family takes him in and he immediately hits it off with his 'half-sister' Amethyst.
~ "You don't want me?'" She blinked. People loved to do things with her. No one excluded Amethyst Treasure from a gala.
Clark is an interesting character. I could relate to him and liked his survival skill and determination. Amethyst seriously grinds on my nerves. I am assuming the author decided to let her come across as bratty and reckless as a point of interest, which is in it self fine, characters need room to grow, however don’t expect this to happen in this book. She is not only obnoxious; she is also petty and horribly shallow. In all honesty, I have no idea why Clark has any interest in her.
~ This wasn't the city. He wasn't a prospective suitor. Clark was...a secret. She slid back her chair and sashayed around the table. Just because they where stuck together as supposed siblings didn't mean she had to give up all the games.
That brings me to the next struggle. Why the hell is he so fascinated by her at all? And why is the whole plot abandoned as soon as she makes an appearance? This book went from adventure to a bad romance so fast it gave me whiplash! The parts that do convey some action are over all to quickly and apart from running from one location to another, there is not much else happening aside from Clark and Amethyst trying to hide their bedroom antics.
~ She nodded and pressed closer to curl against his chest. he wrapped his arms around her to hold her tighter. He might not have a hero, but he could be hers.
There where so many opportunities to really break out and make this unique. I missed a real insight into the characters and surely there is an aftermath of the actions they took? All in all, it just left me wanting. Perhaps I just had my hopes raised way to high.
It also reads like a stand-alone novel. There is no real lead up to give away this is a series. The sequel, Born of Treasure, is to be released some time this year and at this stage I’m not sure if I’m relieved they are attempting to get back to the story (Bonnie & Clyde style?), or horrified at the notion of having to read more of Amethyst.
So would I recommend it?
Simply put, No. If you are looking for a decent Steampunk element then The Emperor s Edge is a much better alternative.
April 7, 2015
ARC given to me through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Originally posted on Roberta's Literary Ramblings
Overall Impression: This is more of a lusty teenage romance novel than an action packed steampunk western.
Recommended for: Fans of teenage romance.
This book started off all right, but then gradually went downhill. I found the idea behind the book interesting and thought that this new power that Clark discovers he gets after he drinks this potion would create a great way to examine his character throughout the book. How does he choose who lives and dies? What are the consequences of this power? However, his power is never completely explained, but it almost sounds like there isn't much of a downside other than the army is chasing after him. He can bring people back from the dead soon after they die. The only catch it seems is that if he touches someone soon after this, they will die. Yet, this "side-effect" wears off after a few minutes. This left me wondering throughout the book how this could be a bad thing. There is no inner struggle before he raises the dead since there really aren't any consequences. The only thing he worries about is being found out, which seems pretty minor compared to if the whole touching someone afterward side-effect was more permanent, or lasted longer than a few minutes. This way, Clark would have to be more careful about the people that he chooses to save since the consequences could more extreme, and decisions would give us better insight into his character.
I also found it really difficult to attach myself to these characters. Clark was all right, but his character could have some more building which may have been helped by an increase in the consequences of his power like I was talking about above. He remains mostly the same throughout the book, and while it appears that this book is going to be part of a series, a little bit of character growth is required to keep things interesting.
However, at least I kind of liked Clark. It was Amethyst that I mostly had a problem with. She's spoiled, rude, and kind of useless. At some point, she felt more like a romantic/sexual object of Clark's rather than an actual character. She doesn't become less spoiled by the end of the book. If anything, she is worse, and I couldn't see what Clark saw in her other than the fact that she was attractive. She doesn't do much except get into trouble, and most of the time she can't even come close to saving herself. At one point, it looked like she was going to start becoming a little less damsel-in-distressy when she insists that Clark teach her how to shoot a gun, but this ends up going no where.
I think the most disappointing thing about this book was that it was completely not what I was expecting to read, and not in a "this was surprisingly good" way. The cover led me to believe that it was going to be mostly about a badass female protagonist and be an awesome steampunk adventure. Well, it's not. It's actually more a teenage romance novel with some steampunk elements.
It doesn't help that halfway through the book, it basically changes genre. The first half of the book did follow the whole adventure thing that I was expecting, albeit with some issues. However, practically right when you hit the middle of the book, it changes into a straight up romance novel. Everything that was an issue in the first half goes by the wayside and kind of comes up near the end of the book, but not really. It was jarring and confusing.
This book did not work for me, since I'm not huge on overt teenage romance, (meaning I don't like the romance to be the main focus of the book) but I know that plenty of others do. For them, this book may be enjoyable, but this was not my cup of tea.
Originally posted on Roberta's Literary Ramblings
Overall Impression: This is more of a lusty teenage romance novel than an action packed steampunk western.
Recommended for: Fans of teenage romance.
This book started off all right, but then gradually went downhill. I found the idea behind the book interesting and thought that this new power that Clark discovers he gets after he drinks this potion would create a great way to examine his character throughout the book. How does he choose who lives and dies? What are the consequences of this power? However, his power is never completely explained, but it almost sounds like there isn't much of a downside other than the army is chasing after him. He can bring people back from the dead soon after they die. The only catch it seems is that if he touches someone soon after this, they will die. Yet, this "side-effect" wears off after a few minutes. This left me wondering throughout the book how this could be a bad thing. There is no inner struggle before he raises the dead since there really aren't any consequences. The only thing he worries about is being found out, which seems pretty minor compared to if the whole touching someone afterward side-effect was more permanent, or lasted longer than a few minutes. This way, Clark would have to be more careful about the people that he chooses to save since the consequences could more extreme, and decisions would give us better insight into his character.
I also found it really difficult to attach myself to these characters. Clark was all right, but his character could have some more building which may have been helped by an increase in the consequences of his power like I was talking about above. He remains mostly the same throughout the book, and while it appears that this book is going to be part of a series, a little bit of character growth is required to keep things interesting.
However, at least I kind of liked Clark. It was Amethyst that I mostly had a problem with. She's spoiled, rude, and kind of useless. At some point, she felt more like a romantic/sexual object of Clark's rather than an actual character. She doesn't become less spoiled by the end of the book. If anything, she is worse, and I couldn't see what Clark saw in her other than the fact that she was attractive. She doesn't do much except get into trouble, and most of the time she can't even come close to saving herself. At one point, it looked like she was going to start becoming a little less damsel-in-distressy when she insists that Clark teach her how to shoot a gun, but this ends up going no where.
I think the most disappointing thing about this book was that it was completely not what I was expecting to read, and not in a "this was surprisingly good" way. The cover led me to believe that it was going to be mostly about a badass female protagonist and be an awesome steampunk adventure. Well, it's not. It's actually more a teenage romance novel with some steampunk elements.
It doesn't help that halfway through the book, it basically changes genre. The first half of the book did follow the whole adventure thing that I was expecting, albeit with some issues. However, practically right when you hit the middle of the book, it changes into a straight up romance novel. Everything that was an issue in the first half goes by the wayside and kind of comes up near the end of the book, but not really. It was jarring and confusing.
This book did not work for me, since I'm not huge on overt teenage romance, (meaning I don't like the romance to be the main focus of the book) but I know that plenty of others do. For them, this book may be enjoyable, but this was not my cup of tea.
March 23, 2015
**I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review**
3 ½ stars!
Growing up with no father around and with a mother that is a Tarnished Silver, a prostitute in a small mining town called Tangled Wire, Clark Treasure does what he needs to get by – even if that means stealing from his mom’s clients now and then. But when he comes across a vial of what he believes to be Absinthe and he drinks it – he changes his future forever. Next thing he knows, his mom is killed, he figures out he can now raise the dead (or kill) with a simple touch, and the army is now looking for him like he’s enemy #1 as the substance he ingested was actually a serum the army owned to create the perfect soldier that could do just as Clark figured out he could do. On the run for his life, Clark turns to the only people he can think of – the Treasure family, to his father who spent a night with his mother 19 years prior, was unfaithful to his wife, and got Clark’s mom pregnant.
The family accepts him, given the letter and photo Clark has regarding his parentage – both Garth and Georgette Treasure give him a home along with their other children Jeremiah, Zachary, and Amethyst. No one knows the secret that Clark is keeping, that with a touch he can either bring or take life from someone. Clark sets out to get to know his family – however reluctant the boys are – his wild-spirited sister Amethyst makes up for it by trying to learn as much as she can about him…which includes following him around as she is extremely intrigued by him. But Clark has discovered another “power” from the substance he drank two years earlier – he can sometimes see spirits, and when Amethyst is kidnapped by a strange aircraft, it is Clark to her rescue, but not before a spirit tells Clark what the craft is. He feels this must just be a coincidence and is focused on helping to rescue his sister, but when Clark later finds out that the spirit is really his deceased father – an inventor named Eric Grisham, Clark is mystified that his attraction to his “sister” isn’t something to be ashamed of. Upon saving Amethyst from the evil land owner, the Horen family, Clark’s father explains that he wants Clark to liberate the inventions that are in the Horen’s possession that were stolen upon his murder by the family and are rightfully Clark’s. But on a fateful day, Amethyst is once again the victim of the Horen family – this time with a bullet to the heart. Clark restores her and is forced to trust her with his secrets. And when the two fall for each other, they are forced to keep their love a secret or be obligated to expose all they have learned.
This was my first steampunk novel and I really enjoyed how all of the inventions were described and created, all without having indoor plumbing in most homes. Clark was a strong and noble character, who has only ever wanted a family to call his own. Amethyst is wild and stong-willed – she is a perfect complement to Clark as she brings fun and excitement to his life. The rest of the Treasure family is the perfect balance of sophistication and grace in their accepting of Clark and everything he encompasses. My sole complaint was the format – there were multiple POV’s, and there was never a really clear change, other than a little marker between paragraphs. You had to be reading for a while to figure out whose prospective you were listening to, which it would have been nice to have made the separation and POV a little clearer. This was an enjoyable story that left readers on the edge of their seats with a cliff-hanger ending, and I am looking forward to seeing what else is in store for the Treasure/ Grisham family.
3 ½ stars!
Growing up with no father around and with a mother that is a Tarnished Silver, a prostitute in a small mining town called Tangled Wire, Clark Treasure does what he needs to get by – even if that means stealing from his mom’s clients now and then. But when he comes across a vial of what he believes to be Absinthe and he drinks it – he changes his future forever. Next thing he knows, his mom is killed, he figures out he can now raise the dead (or kill) with a simple touch, and the army is now looking for him like he’s enemy #1 as the substance he ingested was actually a serum the army owned to create the perfect soldier that could do just as Clark figured out he could do. On the run for his life, Clark turns to the only people he can think of – the Treasure family, to his father who spent a night with his mother 19 years prior, was unfaithful to his wife, and got Clark’s mom pregnant.
The family accepts him, given the letter and photo Clark has regarding his parentage – both Garth and Georgette Treasure give him a home along with their other children Jeremiah, Zachary, and Amethyst. No one knows the secret that Clark is keeping, that with a touch he can either bring or take life from someone. Clark sets out to get to know his family – however reluctant the boys are – his wild-spirited sister Amethyst makes up for it by trying to learn as much as she can about him…which includes following him around as she is extremely intrigued by him. But Clark has discovered another “power” from the substance he drank two years earlier – he can sometimes see spirits, and when Amethyst is kidnapped by a strange aircraft, it is Clark to her rescue, but not before a spirit tells Clark what the craft is. He feels this must just be a coincidence and is focused on helping to rescue his sister, but when Clark later finds out that the spirit is really his deceased father – an inventor named Eric Grisham, Clark is mystified that his attraction to his “sister” isn’t something to be ashamed of. Upon saving Amethyst from the evil land owner, the Horen family, Clark’s father explains that he wants Clark to liberate the inventions that are in the Horen’s possession that were stolen upon his murder by the family and are rightfully Clark’s. But on a fateful day, Amethyst is once again the victim of the Horen family – this time with a bullet to the heart. Clark restores her and is forced to trust her with his secrets. And when the two fall for each other, they are forced to keep their love a secret or be obligated to expose all they have learned.
This was my first steampunk novel and I really enjoyed how all of the inventions were described and created, all without having indoor plumbing in most homes. Clark was a strong and noble character, who has only ever wanted a family to call his own. Amethyst is wild and stong-willed – she is a perfect complement to Clark as she brings fun and excitement to his life. The rest of the Treasure family is the perfect balance of sophistication and grace in their accepting of Clark and everything he encompasses. My sole complaint was the format – there were multiple POV’s, and there was never a really clear change, other than a little marker between paragraphs. You had to be reading for a while to figure out whose prospective you were listening to, which it would have been nice to have made the separation and POV a little clearer. This was an enjoyable story that left readers on the edge of their seats with a cliff-hanger ending, and I am looking forward to seeing what else is in store for the Treasure/ Grisham family.
March 20, 2015
Verdict: A western romance. Doesn't look like it, does it?
To all potential readers: The cover might be beautiful, but that mysterious girl doesn’t capture the likeness of anyone I’ve read about. This is also primarily a western romance, not steampunk, action, mystery, or anything else you might be hoping for.
It started strong with intriguing concepts, relatable characters, and a prose that pulled me in. There’s a lot to enjoy in this story, especially towards the start, but the longer it went on the less invested I felt.
A lot of what spurred me to read this book – necromancy, wanted by the army, warring clans - was actually fairly irrelevant to the overall story. I almost forgot it was supposed to be steampunk until a devise was mentioned with ‘steam’ in front of it, like steamcycle instead of motorcycle. It’s a little disappointing when you can tweak away the genre.
As the blurb states, Clark gains the ability to bring people back to life, but he also has a ten minute gap afterwards where he can take a life. He also has a perfectly working gun... I can’t say I fully understood it. I wanted to know how he discovered this side effect of his power, how it worked, and how he knew it had such a tight deadline to abide by, but alas it was never used. I have no idea why it was mentioned.
Clark is instantly likable, as a modest survivor who’s just thankful to be alive. Amethyst on the other hand is a character that will probably grate on a lot of readers, but I found her entertaining to read. She’s spoilt, attention seeking, and enjoys flirting, including with her new half-brother Clark. I’m not a fan of half-sibling romances. I found it just as peculiar yet predictable in this novel as I did in the Mortal Instruments series. Maybe it’s because I’ve never fancied any of my family members before, but it’s also somewhat due to the amount of times the author wrote something along the lines of, ‘Bloody gears, I can’t think about my sister like that’. The repetition irked me just as much as the persistent flirting.
As well as repetitive phrases, the plot was repetitive before it grinded to a halt. All I’ll say is Amethyst reminded of a yoyo. But as soon as she stopped being a yoyo, nothing else happened. Okay, so they went camping, talked about garden designs, and threw a party, but nothing interesting happened. The romance overshadowed the plot to the point it can barely be categorised as anything else.
I just wasn’t expecting this to be a straightforward romance novel. I thought there’d be quirky inventions, an overarching plot involving the main villain for more than just a cameo role, and at least one original and clever situation for Clark to use his skill.
The book is very different from the one first painted in the opening chapters. If you’re looking for a paranormal romance set in a non-standard western, then hop on in. It’s not a bad book, but it just wasn’t what I hoped for.
Source: NetGalley.com
Blog:ScookieReviews
To all potential readers: The cover might be beautiful, but that mysterious girl doesn’t capture the likeness of anyone I’ve read about. This is also primarily a western romance, not steampunk, action, mystery, or anything else you might be hoping for.
It started strong with intriguing concepts, relatable characters, and a prose that pulled me in. There’s a lot to enjoy in this story, especially towards the start, but the longer it went on the less invested I felt.
A lot of what spurred me to read this book – necromancy, wanted by the army, warring clans - was actually fairly irrelevant to the overall story. I almost forgot it was supposed to be steampunk until a devise was mentioned with ‘steam’ in front of it, like steamcycle instead of motorcycle. It’s a little disappointing when you can tweak away the genre.
As the blurb states, Clark gains the ability to bring people back to life, but he also has a ten minute gap afterwards where he can take a life. He also has a perfectly working gun... I can’t say I fully understood it. I wanted to know how he discovered this side effect of his power, how it worked, and how he knew it had such a tight deadline to abide by, but alas it was never used. I have no idea why it was mentioned.
Clark is instantly likable, as a modest survivor who’s just thankful to be alive. Amethyst on the other hand is a character that will probably grate on a lot of readers, but I found her entertaining to read. She’s spoilt, attention seeking, and enjoys flirting, including with her new half-brother Clark. I’m not a fan of half-sibling romances. I found it just as peculiar yet predictable in this novel as I did in the Mortal Instruments series. Maybe it’s because I’ve never fancied any of my family members before, but it’s also somewhat due to the amount of times the author wrote something along the lines of, ‘Bloody gears, I can’t think about my sister like that’. The repetition irked me just as much as the persistent flirting.
As well as repetitive phrases, the plot was repetitive before it grinded to a halt. All I’ll say is Amethyst reminded of a yoyo. But as soon as she stopped being a yoyo, nothing else happened. Okay, so they went camping, talked about garden designs, and threw a party, but nothing interesting happened. The romance overshadowed the plot to the point it can barely be categorised as anything else.
I just wasn’t expecting this to be a straightforward romance novel. I thought there’d be quirky inventions, an overarching plot involving the main villain for more than just a cameo role, and at least one original and clever situation for Clark to use his skill.
The book is very different from the one first painted in the opening chapters. If you’re looking for a paranormal romance set in a non-standard western, then hop on in. It’s not a bad book, but it just wasn’t what I hoped for.
Source: NetGalley.com
Blog:ScookieReviews
April 5, 2015
I believe that Jordan Elizabeth is quite an entertaining storyteller. Her characters are believable, true to their natures and interesting. Her sentence structures, chapters and ideas are right on for an up and coming YA/Steampunk novel.
I don't like to include spoilers, but I will take the time to address the story's plot and the few (lower starred reviews) of this book. Just suffice it to say, I think they were incredibly unjust.
I was sent this book in PFD format, and asked to give it a fair & honest review by the Author.
I don't know her personally, but I hope I can do her novel justice.
*Clark Treasure is one of the best Hero's I've seen in a YA novel in some time. He's thoughtful, considerate and a real thinker. He wasn't portrayed as a hostile youth or neglected child, though his past could speak volumes to that sentiment. His mother was a prostitute and he hated her profession, but loved her deeply. As a young adult, he is affected by an Army-conceived potion he stole and drank, which makes him able to bring the dead back to life.
The novel moves on to allow Clark to grow accustomed to his gifts, while seeking refuge from the Army that wants to exploit him.
He finds solace in the home of whom he believes to be his father. There, he learns he has two brothers, a sister and a step-mother figure. They are quite wealthy, but his humble upbringing keeps him level-headed with the arrangement.
His new sister Amethyst is sassy, spoiled and bored. She isn't likeable, until she finds a purpose to quench her thirst for life. She was raised to believe she was didn't have to work, learn to protect herself or achieve anything on her own.
When she falls in love with Clark, it's natural to assume his freedom to do as he pleases because he was a male Treasure, was a key part in that attraction. Not to worry, they find out early on, they are not related so they can become the young lovers to root for.
This is a Steampunk-era novel, with inventions and airships abound. The setting is the Old West and the characters are well thought out and portrayed. The story is simply, fun.
There has been a bit of jabber about the novel having incest, because Clark falls for his "sister", however, he doesn't act on his feelings until it is clear that she is not a blood relative. So, I think the naysayers are being terribly unfair.
YA novels should remain true to the problems in all aspects of life, whether they be family related, sexual orientation or otherwise. To me, it appears as if the people that didn't like the novel or its characters, hadn't truly read it to THE END.
I enjoyed the adventurous spirits of Clark and Amethyst. Together, they make quite a team and I am left with the hunger of wanting to read the next installment of this series.
During the novel, they are continually fighting another family, as many Old West families did, hoping to keep their hard earned family fortunes in tack and Clark out of the Army's hands. There are kidnappings, deaths and provoked revenges.
It's a wonderful story. Cheers!
I don't like to include spoilers, but I will take the time to address the story's plot and the few (lower starred reviews) of this book. Just suffice it to say, I think they were incredibly unjust.
I was sent this book in PFD format, and asked to give it a fair & honest review by the Author.
I don't know her personally, but I hope I can do her novel justice.
*Clark Treasure is one of the best Hero's I've seen in a YA novel in some time. He's thoughtful, considerate and a real thinker. He wasn't portrayed as a hostile youth or neglected child, though his past could speak volumes to that sentiment. His mother was a prostitute and he hated her profession, but loved her deeply. As a young adult, he is affected by an Army-conceived potion he stole and drank, which makes him able to bring the dead back to life.
The novel moves on to allow Clark to grow accustomed to his gifts, while seeking refuge from the Army that wants to exploit him.
He finds solace in the home of whom he believes to be his father. There, he learns he has two brothers, a sister and a step-mother figure. They are quite wealthy, but his humble upbringing keeps him level-headed with the arrangement.
His new sister Amethyst is sassy, spoiled and bored. She isn't likeable, until she finds a purpose to quench her thirst for life. She was raised to believe she was didn't have to work, learn to protect herself or achieve anything on her own.
When she falls in love with Clark, it's natural to assume his freedom to do as he pleases because he was a male Treasure, was a key part in that attraction. Not to worry, they find out early on, they are not related so they can become the young lovers to root for.
This is a Steampunk-era novel, with inventions and airships abound. The setting is the Old West and the characters are well thought out and portrayed. The story is simply, fun.
There has been a bit of jabber about the novel having incest, because Clark falls for his "sister", however, he doesn't act on his feelings until it is clear that she is not a blood relative. So, I think the naysayers are being terribly unfair.
YA novels should remain true to the problems in all aspects of life, whether they be family related, sexual orientation or otherwise. To me, it appears as if the people that didn't like the novel or its characters, hadn't truly read it to THE END.
I enjoyed the adventurous spirits of Clark and Amethyst. Together, they make quite a team and I am left with the hunger of wanting to read the next installment of this series.
During the novel, they are continually fighting another family, as many Old West families did, hoping to keep their hard earned family fortunes in tack and Clark out of the Army's hands. There are kidnappings, deaths and provoked revenges.
It's a wonderful story. Cheers!
April 5, 2015
Review also at Pinker Than Fiction Reviews.
Treasure, Darkly has an interesting premise with potential to be a good read, but unlikable characters and poor story continuity make this book one to miss.
Treasure, Darkly has a pretty strong start. We're thrown right into an intriguing world, a sort of alternate wild west with touches of steampunk. Immediately Treasure, Darkly's supernatural elements are introduced with Clark's transformation and ability to bring back the dead. And what a power - another life must replace that of the one brought back. So what Elizabeth almost had here is Pushing Daisies meets Wild, Wild West. I say almost, however, because after the first chapter Treasure, Darkly loses the plot. Clark's powers are never developed further than bringing the dead back with a touch and seeing spirits - despite mentioning the whole 'must kill another' thing, Clark never actually does so. It's kind of senseless.
Plus, we meet Amethyst. Amethyst has to be the most pathetic, snotty, childish, and annoying character to grace the pages of a book. There is no redeeming Amethyst, more's the pity. She's definitely one of the biggest faults of this book. The incestuous overtones are another. Granted, it's pretty obvious what the twist is and it's revealed early on, but the way Amethyst and Clark lust after each other despite being half-siblings is quite uncomfortable. Even putting that aside, Treasure, Darkly lacks a well developed romance to hook readers anyway. Clark's pandering to Amethyst is boring and just as irritating as Amethyst herself, so what appeal he has is quickly lost.
Elizabeth has some good descriptive prose, however; building tension and constructing a fascinating world. As the story continues and Clark begins his hunt for the inventions Senator Horan intends to use for villainous purposes, Treasure, Darkly almost becomes a good read. There's definitely potential. But then Elizabeth does a complete 180 plot wise, having Clark and Amethyst abandon the search to instead have party's and go camping with their family. The villains are barely mentioned again! The last half of the book becomes pointless, to be honest, and I can't help but wonder if Elizabeth simply decided to drag the story out in order to try and create a series. Treasure, Darkly would benefit from a more solid plot, that's for sure. And less Amethyst. Did I mention my dislike for her?
Despite it's interesting world and promise of an intriguing story, Treasure, Darkly simply does not deliver. I was much too happy for it to finally be over!
I received this book through NetGalley from Curiosity Quills Press for review.
Treasure, Darkly has an interesting premise with potential to be a good read, but unlikable characters and poor story continuity make this book one to miss.
Treasure, Darkly has a pretty strong start. We're thrown right into an intriguing world, a sort of alternate wild west with touches of steampunk. Immediately Treasure, Darkly's supernatural elements are introduced with Clark's transformation and ability to bring back the dead. And what a power - another life must replace that of the one brought back. So what Elizabeth almost had here is Pushing Daisies meets Wild, Wild West. I say almost, however, because after the first chapter Treasure, Darkly loses the plot. Clark's powers are never developed further than bringing the dead back with a touch and seeing spirits - despite mentioning the whole 'must kill another' thing, Clark never actually does so. It's kind of senseless.
Plus, we meet Amethyst. Amethyst has to be the most pathetic, snotty, childish, and annoying character to grace the pages of a book. There is no redeeming Amethyst, more's the pity. She's definitely one of the biggest faults of this book. The incestuous overtones are another. Granted, it's pretty obvious what the twist is and it's revealed early on, but the way Amethyst and Clark lust after each other despite being half-siblings is quite uncomfortable. Even putting that aside, Treasure, Darkly lacks a well developed romance to hook readers anyway. Clark's pandering to Amethyst is boring and just as irritating as Amethyst herself, so what appeal he has is quickly lost.
Elizabeth has some good descriptive prose, however; building tension and constructing a fascinating world. As the story continues and Clark begins his hunt for the inventions Senator Horan intends to use for villainous purposes, Treasure, Darkly almost becomes a good read. There's definitely potential. But then Elizabeth does a complete 180 plot wise, having Clark and Amethyst abandon the search to instead have party's and go camping with their family. The villains are barely mentioned again! The last half of the book becomes pointless, to be honest, and I can't help but wonder if Elizabeth simply decided to drag the story out in order to try and create a series. Treasure, Darkly would benefit from a more solid plot, that's for sure. And less Amethyst. Did I mention my dislike for her?
Despite it's interesting world and promise of an intriguing story, Treasure, Darkly simply does not deliver. I was much too happy for it to finally be over!
I received this book through NetGalley from Curiosity Quills Press for review.
April 28, 2015
This is a peer review.
Treasure Darkly is the first Steampunk Romance novel I have ever read, and my first literary experience with the author Jordan Elizabeth. My reads are, for the most part, strictly contemporary. The stories I typically aim for have a realistic feel to them, and the more the characters endure all the more I enjoy them. That's just my personal taste.
Treasure Darkly is nothing remotely similar to what I've read before which is why I loved it so much! It was fresh and innovative for someone like me who has encountered similar storylines and plots which have put me on occasion in the dreaded reader's rut. This was not the case for Treasure Darkly.
Jordan Elizabeth has a unique way of storytelling; weaving in multiple points of view, yet still adhering to a prolific third person narration that keeps you engaged. Her prose ability is simple yet incredibly sophisticated if that makes any sense. The use of terminology frequently used in Steampunk sometimes eluded me, but Elizabeth did one hell of a job to describe the scenes well so I it was easy for me to envision what she meant.
Treasure Darkly is the story of a young man by the name of Clark Treasure who took something he shouldn't have, which made him see and do things ordinary people can't do. With time he grows into his abilities, and goes on a life journey of sorts trying to reconnect with his past and in search of his father after his mother died tragically as a tarnished silver. There are many twists and turns in storyline, and just when you thought you had it all figured out, Elizabeth, in true Perfection (game I played as a child) fashion, shakes the story up and has you guessing all over again. That ending? It's not a "I want to slam my head against the wall repeatedly" kind of cliffhanger, but one that has me eager to read it's sequel when it releases this Fall. I'm eager to know where Clark's journey will take us, especially after that ending which I didn't see coming. Did I mention the romance between Clark and Amethyst is as decadent and rich as a slice of chocolate cake with ganache? Is it Fall yet?
While this novel is different, I definitely recommend it and I thank Elizabeth for allowing me to experience a new genre. I'll definitely read more Steampunk fiction in weeks to come. There's something about gears, guns, inventions, goggles, steam cycles and corsets that definitely piques my interest.
Brava, Elizabeth. Treasure Darkly gets five "blooming gears" from me.
Treasure Darkly is the first Steampunk Romance novel I have ever read, and my first literary experience with the author Jordan Elizabeth. My reads are, for the most part, strictly contemporary. The stories I typically aim for have a realistic feel to them, and the more the characters endure all the more I enjoy them. That's just my personal taste.
Treasure Darkly is nothing remotely similar to what I've read before which is why I loved it so much! It was fresh and innovative for someone like me who has encountered similar storylines and plots which have put me on occasion in the dreaded reader's rut. This was not the case for Treasure Darkly.
Jordan Elizabeth has a unique way of storytelling; weaving in multiple points of view, yet still adhering to a prolific third person narration that keeps you engaged. Her prose ability is simple yet incredibly sophisticated if that makes any sense. The use of terminology frequently used in Steampunk sometimes eluded me, but Elizabeth did one hell of a job to describe the scenes well so I it was easy for me to envision what she meant.
Treasure Darkly is the story of a young man by the name of Clark Treasure who took something he shouldn't have, which made him see and do things ordinary people can't do. With time he grows into his abilities, and goes on a life journey of sorts trying to reconnect with his past and in search of his father after his mother died tragically as a tarnished silver. There are many twists and turns in storyline, and just when you thought you had it all figured out, Elizabeth, in true Perfection (game I played as a child) fashion, shakes the story up and has you guessing all over again. That ending? It's not a "I want to slam my head against the wall repeatedly" kind of cliffhanger, but one that has me eager to read it's sequel when it releases this Fall. I'm eager to know where Clark's journey will take us, especially after that ending which I didn't see coming. Did I mention the romance between Clark and Amethyst is as decadent and rich as a slice of chocolate cake with ganache? Is it Fall yet?
While this novel is different, I definitely recommend it and I thank Elizabeth for allowing me to experience a new genre. I'll definitely read more Steampunk fiction in weeks to come. There's something about gears, guns, inventions, goggles, steam cycles and corsets that definitely piques my interest.
Brava, Elizabeth. Treasure Darkly gets five "blooming gears" from me.
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