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Celestial Mechanism Cycle #2
The Doomfire Secret
The second in a brand-new, richly-immersive, magical fantasy trilogy from author Annaliese Avery, perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Cornelia Funke, and Diana Wynn Jones.
A new fate awaits, despite the danger
Paisley Fitzwilliam is not supposed to be alive. Her stars told her she was going to die, and she did—stabbed by the Dark Dragon. Against all logic, she has come back through the Veil and now has to deal with the wreck that was left behind. Her mother is dead and her brother, Dax, has been taken by the fierce and mysterious dragon riders, the Krigare. To make matters more complicated, Paisley receives a message that the Chief Designer wants to gift her a second set of stars. A new track to follow in life. A fresh start after her rebirth—something the Chief Designer has never offered before. But the stars have brought Paisley nothing but pain, and she no longer wants anything to do with them. She just wants to rescue her brother and stay safe from the Dark Dragon.
And so Paisley begins the journey to the icy Northern Realms accompanied by her trusted friends. Her plan is to bring their new Dragon Guard companion, Hal Northman, home to the north and pray that the Krigare will give her Dax in exchange for him. She only hopes that they make it before Dax is further imperiled. Paisley must trust her instincts to forge her own path if she is going to survive the dangers ahead.
A new fate awaits, despite the danger
Paisley Fitzwilliam is not supposed to be alive. Her stars told her she was going to die, and she did—stabbed by the Dark Dragon. Against all logic, she has come back through the Veil and now has to deal with the wreck that was left behind. Her mother is dead and her brother, Dax, has been taken by the fierce and mysterious dragon riders, the Krigare. To make matters more complicated, Paisley receives a message that the Chief Designer wants to gift her a second set of stars. A new track to follow in life. A fresh start after her rebirth—something the Chief Designer has never offered before. But the stars have brought Paisley nothing but pain, and she no longer wants anything to do with them. She just wants to rescue her brother and stay safe from the Dark Dragon.
And so Paisley begins the journey to the icy Northern Realms accompanied by her trusted friends. Her plan is to bring their new Dragon Guard companion, Hal Northman, home to the north and pray that the Krigare will give her Dax in exchange for him. She only hopes that they make it before Dax is further imperiled. Paisley must trust her instincts to forge her own path if she is going to survive the dangers ahead.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2022
7 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Annaliese Avery
6 books109 followersAnnaliese Avery is a former library manager and children's book editor who lives in Suffolk, England. She has an MA in creative writing and a life long interest in physics and astronomy and in 2017 she founded an astronomical society.
Her MG debut, The Nightsilver Promise, is published by Scholastic UK in May 2020 and Scholastic US in November 2021. The Nightsilver Promise is the first book in the epic Celestial Mechanism Cycle.
Twitter: @AnnalieseAvery
Instagram: @AnnalieseAvery
Her MG debut, The Nightsilver Promise, is published by Scholastic UK in May 2020 and Scholastic US in November 2021. The Nightsilver Promise is the first book in the epic Celestial Mechanism Cycle.
Twitter: @AnnalieseAvery
Instagram: @AnnalieseAvery
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 15, 2023
🔥❤️🔥📙𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖒𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖊 𝕾𝖊𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖙📙❤️🔥🔥
3.5 Stars
Paisley Fitzwilliam is going to receive a second track of stars, stars that could reveal a fate she never asked for. On her search for Dax, she journeys with Hal and Odelia, braving the troubles they face. All of them are on the run. Paisley for being a girl that defied the stars; Hal, a captive; and Odelia, a dragon-touched warrior. With Corbett on a separate mission, he is captured by Roach and forced to forge things for the enemy. Roach struggles with his warring emotions and the decisions he must make. His track tells him of one fate, yet his heart tells him of another. Meanwhile, Paisley's newfound revelation has her reeling, as her place in this complicated war could be changed forevermore. One mistake could change the course of history. Paisley's life could have been changed by a single victory. Celestial Mechanism Cycle #2 is a stunning addition to the story that tops volume one with precision and talent.
"I... I don't know, Paisley. I know my stars, I can see my track clearly, and I know what I must do, but every time I... you, Paisley Fitzwilliam, it's as if my track twists towards you and away from my stars, just like your mother forced the comet to twist away from its track."
-Roach
(IN OTHER WORDS Despite fate telling me to let go of you, I can't!!!!!)
Detailed world-building, a complex war, and dynamic characters make The Doomfire Secret a fantastic read. On a side note, I was holding this book outside when someone's volleyball slammed into it as it fell onto the muddy ground. Then I experienced one of a book lover's worst nightmares: damage. I successfully managed to clean off the mud and use the "eraser technique" [literally, just using an eraser to erase the stains]. Okay! Now here's the real review:
This book would have clearly been a four- or four-point-five-star read. Yet perhaps that incident added some stress to this reading experience. I was also quite worried due to the several tests I had to study for. Having not liked book one that much, I didn't find it to be particularly memorable. I could remember a lot of key events, but not a lot about the character dynamics and relationships.
Book two relies on book one in order to establish several things, which didn't play out that well with my lack of knowledge. Still, in an odd way, this was also a beneficial experience. I got to really see Annaliese Avery's ability to build upon what happened in book one in order to create more character growth and world-building. From the start, the author was already really talented, but her writing improved incredibly. It gave me the sense that she really paid attention to her readers. I didn't like the really generic-sounding speech quotes, yet the dialogue was so much smoother with profound proclamations that were more subtle than loud and random.
Judging by the much higher rating this book received compared to book one, it just goes to show how much better this book was. There were no flaws I could find to nitpick at, no annoying character proclamations to point out. When there were proclamations, they were well-timed and very important. Each and every character was complex, dynamic, and determined. Their set of morals and backstory help us really understand why they will react in a certain way or make a certain decision. I found myself loving all the characters and deeply caring for them despite not really remembering where they were when the story began. What I knew was that I didn't like any of the characters all that much, yet now I felt myself invested in their journey.
While I yearned for more Dax content, the focus on friendships was well-needed. Hal and Odelia had a relationship that I greatly enjoyed. There was a deep understanding between the two of them that made for a very precious bond. Both Hal and Odelia are proud of their roots. While Hal understands Paisley's point of view, there are certain teachings that he still believes in, and I respect that. Odelia is a warrior who is put through quite a lot. I love how she learns about the beauty of being vulnerable with those you trust. Paisley felt a lot more mature in this book, which I enjoyed. Corbett was kindhearted as always, and his relationship with Paisley was sweet. Roach had so much internal conflict that it made for an interesting character.
The worldbuilding was phenomenal as always. I loved the way all the information was given in such an easy-to-absorb way. Being such a big fan of dragons, I loved how they were in this world! Dóm-Fyr was the cutest little dragon! I was quite distracted and disoriented when reading, so a re-read of books one and two is bound to happen again sometime before the next book comes out. In conclusion, I'm really excited to read Annaliese Avery's other works!
☑️PLOT
☑️PLOT TWISTS
☑️CHARACTERS
3.5 Stars
Paisley Fitzwilliam is going to receive a second track of stars, stars that could reveal a fate she never asked for. On her search for Dax, she journeys with Hal and Odelia, braving the troubles they face. All of them are on the run. Paisley for being a girl that defied the stars; Hal, a captive; and Odelia, a dragon-touched warrior. With Corbett on a separate mission, he is captured by Roach and forced to forge things for the enemy. Roach struggles with his warring emotions and the decisions he must make. His track tells him of one fate, yet his heart tells him of another. Meanwhile, Paisley's newfound revelation has her reeling, as her place in this complicated war could be changed forevermore. One mistake could change the course of history. Paisley's life could have been changed by a single victory. Celestial Mechanism Cycle #2 is a stunning addition to the story that tops volume one with precision and talent.
"I... I don't know, Paisley. I know my stars, I can see my track clearly, and I know what I must do, but every time I... you, Paisley Fitzwilliam, it's as if my track twists towards you and away from my stars, just like your mother forced the comet to twist away from its track."
-Roach
(IN OTHER WORDS Despite fate telling me to let go of you, I can't!!!!!)
Detailed world-building, a complex war, and dynamic characters make The Doomfire Secret a fantastic read. On a side note, I was holding this book outside when someone's volleyball slammed into it as it fell onto the muddy ground. Then I experienced one of a book lover's worst nightmares: damage. I successfully managed to clean off the mud and use the "eraser technique" [literally, just using an eraser to erase the stains]. Okay! Now here's the real review:
This book would have clearly been a four- or four-point-five-star read. Yet perhaps that incident added some stress to this reading experience. I was also quite worried due to the several tests I had to study for. Having not liked book one that much, I didn't find it to be particularly memorable. I could remember a lot of key events, but not a lot about the character dynamics and relationships.
Book two relies on book one in order to establish several things, which didn't play out that well with my lack of knowledge. Still, in an odd way, this was also a beneficial experience. I got to really see Annaliese Avery's ability to build upon what happened in book one in order to create more character growth and world-building. From the start, the author was already really talented, but her writing improved incredibly. It gave me the sense that she really paid attention to her readers. I didn't like the really generic-sounding speech quotes, yet the dialogue was so much smoother with profound proclamations that were more subtle than loud and random.
Judging by the much higher rating this book received compared to book one, it just goes to show how much better this book was. There were no flaws I could find to nitpick at, no annoying character proclamations to point out. When there were proclamations, they were well-timed and very important. Each and every character was complex, dynamic, and determined. Their set of morals and backstory help us really understand why they will react in a certain way or make a certain decision. I found myself loving all the characters and deeply caring for them despite not really remembering where they were when the story began. What I knew was that I didn't like any of the characters all that much, yet now I felt myself invested in their journey.
While I yearned for more Dax content, the focus on friendships was well-needed. Hal and Odelia had a relationship that I greatly enjoyed. There was a deep understanding between the two of them that made for a very precious bond. Both Hal and Odelia are proud of their roots. While Hal understands Paisley's point of view, there are certain teachings that he still believes in, and I respect that. Odelia is a warrior who is put through quite a lot. I love how she learns about the beauty of being vulnerable with those you trust. Paisley felt a lot more mature in this book, which I enjoyed. Corbett was kindhearted as always, and his relationship with Paisley was sweet. Roach had so much internal conflict that it made for an interesting character.
The worldbuilding was phenomenal as always. I loved the way all the information was given in such an easy-to-absorb way. Being such a big fan of dragons, I loved how they were in this world! Dóm-Fyr was the cutest little dragon! I was quite distracted and disoriented when reading, so a re-read of books one and two is bound to happen again sometime before the next book comes out. In conclusion, I'm really excited to read Annaliese Avery's other works!
☑️PLOT
☑️PLOT TWISTS
☑️CHARACTERS
May 16, 2022
THE DOOMFIRE SECRET is the second book in the Celestial Mechanics series, a UKMG series that is fast becoming a secret. I mean, THE NIGHSILVER PROMISE was even more of a joy to read the second time around.
The world is just such a delight - an alternative universe that has dragons and is the electric version of steampunk. There are so many things that made me smile when they were introduced. I think my favourite was that the king's title is "The George" (after George of George and the Dragon fame who is said to be the first king of Albion) and so the correct honorific is "your Georgeness." It's little things like that, different from our world, steeped in lore, and just so much inventive fun that make this world a joy to be in.
Also, Paisley et al find themselves in York, so naturally I squealed at seeing my university city come to life here, with all the quirky fun (there are no fewer than three exclamation points in my review notes.) The old city! The fact the Minster is now the Mechster!
The book is dual POV again, with Paisley having the most to say and Roach as the other narrator. He had more page time this book, and I've really liked seeing his journey over the two books - he's not quite a villain, but he also isn't on their side (I'm thinking he might end up fighting with them in the final book, given he gave a lot of help this time.) He was certainly conflicted, but deciding to forge ahead as "this was his path," though his final revelation might tip that mindset...
There is also a lot more on-page dragons in this book. I mean, it does head northward where dragon riders dwell, but there's one dragon we spend a lot of time with (beyond the Dark Dragon, who doesn't really count as she's always in human form.) It was nice to see them in this book, and possibly get to see even more of them in books to come.
Also, that ending! How could the author kill that character?!? That was such a sad moment, and so many set up pieces clicked into place making the act feel so inevitably heroic (and also tragic.) Because of all the time with that character, and having just had time with Paisley and Dax starting the journey to coming to terms with grief, it hit much harder than the death at the end of the first book.
The world is just such a delight - an alternative universe that has dragons and is the electric version of steampunk. There are so many things that made me smile when they were introduced. I think my favourite was that the king's title is "The George" (after George of George and the Dragon fame who is said to be the first king of Albion) and so the correct honorific is "your Georgeness." It's little things like that, different from our world, steeped in lore, and just so much inventive fun that make this world a joy to be in.
Also, Paisley et al find themselves in York, so naturally I squealed at seeing my university city come to life here, with all the quirky fun (there are no fewer than three exclamation points in my review notes.) The old city! The fact the Minster is now the Mechster!
The book is dual POV again, with Paisley having the most to say and Roach as the other narrator. He had more page time this book, and I've really liked seeing his journey over the two books - he's not quite a villain, but he also isn't on their side (I'm thinking he might end up fighting with them in the final book, given he gave a lot of help this time.) He was certainly conflicted, but deciding to forge ahead as "this was his path," though his final revelation might tip that mindset...
There is also a lot more on-page dragons in this book. I mean, it does head northward where dragon riders dwell, but there's one dragon we spend a lot of time with (beyond the Dark Dragon, who doesn't really count as she's always in human form.) It was nice to see them in this book, and possibly get to see even more of them in books to come.
Also, that ending! How could the author kill that character?!? That was such a sad moment, and so many set up pieces clicked into place making the act feel so inevitably heroic (and also tragic.) Because of all the time with that character, and having just had time with Paisley and Dax starting the journey to coming to terms with grief, it hit much harder than the death at the end of the first book.
August 26, 2024
Even though I had my doubts, Book 2 of this series shows that Paisley is not getting unhinged or anything, not in the least. Which is pretty fantastic, looking at what Avery throws at her. She's such a strong character! I'm glad that she gets the plot she deserves, if that comment makes sense. Elodia was also great, and I loved Hal too.
It was fun getting a closer look at the George (I love that concept of turning the name into a ruler's title) and delving even deeper into the world of the Celestial Mechanism. We also discover the Northern Realm here (think Vikings), which is also a lot of fun. The author astounded me at a certain moment with a major plot twist as well.
There were a couple of typos, once even two in less than one page, but it's not yet annoying. The style itself isn't too special, but it didn't bother me either. And it does go very quickly.
Is there a Book 3 coming? I'm a bit flummoxed, because there are definitely signs of that in the story, but I can't find anything yet online. Let's hope we don't get left hanging, because that would be a yrue shame with such a marvellous story.
8/10
It was fun getting a closer look at the George (I love that concept of turning the name into a ruler's title) and delving even deeper into the world of the Celestial Mechanism. We also discover the Northern Realm here (think Vikings), which is also a lot of fun. The author astounded me at a certain moment with a major plot twist as well.
There were a couple of typos, once even two in less than one page, but it's not yet annoying. The style itself isn't too special, but it didn't bother me either. And it does go very quickly.
Is there a Book 3 coming? I'm a bit flummoxed, because there are definitely signs of that in the story, but I can't find anything yet online. Let's hope we don't get left hanging, because that would be a yrue shame with such a marvellous story.
8/10
July 29, 2024
My high hopes for this sequel were not in vain. Far, far from it. If possible, it was even better than the first book!
Everything I was expecting to happen in the book did, but Annaliese Avery threw in some incredible, completely unexpected plot twists too!'
Also, the character relationships and developments were absolutely incredible.
I have only one negative thing to say about this book: If you set out to read the series, be forewarned that the third book is not out yet, and the second one definitely ends at a cliffhanger!
Everything I was expecting to happen in the book did, but Annaliese Avery threw in some incredible, completely unexpected plot twists too!'
Also, the character relationships and developments were absolutely incredible.
I have only one negative thing to say about this book: If you set out to read the series, be forewarned that the third book is not out yet, and the second one definitely ends at a cliffhanger!
May 26, 2023
Annaliese Avery has a huge imagination that is a joy to explore. Following on from the cliffhanger from book 1, The Nightsilver Promise, Paisley has to save her brother with some unexpected, but frankly awesome friends. The world of Albion is rich and exciting. Looking forward to more books from this talented author.
April 21, 2022
What a fabulous sequel! Even my 61 year old husband is reading it having just raced through book 1 😁.
Some things in here I really didn't see coming. Missing it now I've finished, and can't wait for number 3!
Some things in here I really didn't see coming. Missing it now I've finished, and can't wait for number 3!
October 30, 2023
Ce second tome ne nous laisse pas souffler une seule seconde et les personnages sont intenses, ne baissent pas les bras et se battent pour leurs convictions !
17/20 - https://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/2...
17/20 - https://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/2...
January 27, 2025
The series is getting so good! I kind of hate that they're in such small bites and I don't know how many there are going to be, but it also makes for a fairly quick and exciting reads. I just love every character and how everybody and everything is so intertwined.
August 26, 2022
amazing! I can't wait to read the next one! (even though I'll have to.) I am in love with the world, the characters, just everything. thank you Anneliese Avery for writing this wonderful book :D
July 12, 2023
I enjoy reading this story, but did love it.
November 23, 2023
I really love this series!!!! And I don't want to write a ton in my review so future jess will have to reread nightsilver and this before the third/final one comes out ☺️
Want to read
June 22, 2024A
June 19, 2025
This book was almost too good for me. It was amazing, I adore this book and it's thriving characters and it's moving storing plots.
December 27, 2023
Highly entertaining story that asks some big questions about fate. Do we determine our own paths or are they chosen for us by a grand design? Young adult novel, but covers themes like bias and racism, but of dragons! Can’t wait for book 3!
October 29, 2023
SO AWESOME!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews