Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway:
Lumiere by Jacqueline Garlick

BookCrushin is happy to be a part of this blog tour for Lumiere by Jacqueline Garlick! In today’s post we will give you all the book information, review and a giveaway! I totally judged this book by the cover, and how could you not? It’s gorgeous. That green dress? Phenomenal. Plus, I always enjoy reading steampunk novels, for the mixture of antiquated ways of life with amazing inventions and fantastical elements, so I couldn’t wait to jump into Lumiere.

 

Lumière by Jacqueline Garlick

Series: Illumination Paradox #1
Category: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publication: August 11th, 2015; Skyscape
Pages: 458
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Purchase: Amazon, B&N, Book Depository

One determined girl. One resourceful boy. One miracle machine that could destroy everything.After an unexplained flash shatters her world, seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth sets out to find the Illuminator, her father’s prized invention. With it, she hopes to cure herself of her debilitating seizures before Professor Smrt—her father’s arch nemesis—discovers her secret and locks her away in an asylum.

Pursued by Smrt, Eyelet locates the Illuminator only to see it whisked away. She follows the thief into the world of the unknown, compelled not only by her quest but by the allure of the stranger—Urlick Babbit—who harbors secrets of his own.

Together, they endure deadly Vapours and criminal-infested woods in pursuit of the same prize, only to discover the miracle machine they hoped would solve their problems may in fact be their biggest problem of all.

 

 

Review:

[book rating=4.5/5.0]

One of these days, I will find the right book.
And when I do, it’ll lead me to my father’s machine.
And then I’ll fire up the Great Illuminator and use it to cure myself of these hideous seizures…

Lumiere is a layered, complex book, and I enjoyed it immensely. Eyelet, named for the beauty of lace that surrounds a button-hole, and Urlich, a lonely boy with a tragic past, make for a smart pairing of intelligence, hope, and resilience. Both are searching for a machine called the Great Illuminator, and both are willing to go to the ends of the earth – literally – and back to find this machine, which they hope will cure their ailments.
 
Eyelet and Urlich are likeable, engaging, and multi-dimensional. I like that they are equally smart and capable; each has different strengths that, when complemented with one another, make for a formidable team.
 
The most amazing part of the story has to be the world that Jacqueline E. Garlick created; it was breathtaking. This genre really appeals to me, and I was sucked in from the first page with the description of the brass mechanical elephant. Ms. Garlick crafts a vivid world and her characters are filled with as much wonder as her readers. The depth and detail of Lumiere is beyond impressive, from the streets of the Commonwealth to the compound where Urlich lives, a truly magical location.
 
There were a few scenes when I felt the book slightly dragged, but this is a very long story so in the grand scheme of things, this didn’t matter much. The majority of the book is action-packed. There are some great humorous scenes, too – neither Eyelet nor Urlich are afraid to lay bare their feelings.
 

Lumiere: 4.5/5 stars: Sharp wit, vivid landscapes full of wonder and enchantment; plucky protagonists. The book did contain some editing mistakes (missing quote marks and choppy sentences that seemed punctuated at incorrect spots), but because the book was as intriguing as it was, the mistakes did not detract from the reading experience.

 
Quotes:
Not to mention, I’ve just challenged male authority in a world where women have no right to do so. – Eyelet
 

When Mother insisted I run and hide, I’m sure she didn’t mean in the underground lair of a total stranger at the edge of the civilized world. – Eyelet
 
How does he keep doing that, switching from nice to nauseous, in so few breaths? Such talent this man possesses. – Eyelet in reference to Urlich.
 
She flips up her skirt, exposing her entire thigh, and I nearly faint at the sight.
“What?”
“Nothing.” I choke on my breath…I swear if she doesn’t stop with these draper antics it’ll be the end of me. – Urlich

 

Pre-Order Noir Now! Available August 18th

Find it: Amazon, B&N, Book Depository, Goodreads

 

Author Bio: Jacqueline Garlick

I write YA, New Adult, and Women’s Fiction. I love strong heroines, despise whiny sidekicks, and adore a good story about a triumphant underdog. I love to read, write, paint (walls and paper) and plan cool writing events for cool writers (check out niagarawritersretreatandconference (dot) com.) I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate, grammar, and technology. I prefer creating things to cleaning things, and baking to cooking and believe laughter is a one-stop-shop solution to all that ails you. I also firmly believe ELO’s Mr. Blue Sky can improve even the worst day. And if that doesn’t work, there’s always Ellen Degeneres. You will always find a purple wall (or two) in my house (perhaps even a door) and a hidden passageway that leads to a mystery room. (Okay, so you won’t find a hidden passageway but a girl can dream, can’t she?) Oh, and tea. There will always be tea. I love specialty teas…and collecting special teacups from which to drink them. (See collection below.)

In my former life, I was a teacher (both grade school and college – long story, don’t ask) and more recently, I’ve been a graduate of Ellen Hopkin’s Nevada Mentor Program and a student of James Scott Bell, Christopher Vogler and Don Maass. An excerpt from Lumière earned me the 2012 Don Maass Break Out Novel Intensive Scholarship.

Known for my edgy, rule-breaking, Tim Burton-esque style of writing, I’m often affectionately referred to as the Quentin Tarantino of YA among friends in writing circles.

Author Links:
Facebook * Twitter * Website

Giveaway:

*US and Canada Only