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A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure
Miss Clara Marie Stanton's family may be eccentric, but they certainly aren't insane.
London, England, 1860
When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.
Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost.
London, England, 1860
When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.
Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost.
379 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2024
317 people are currently reading
11.7k people want to read
About the author
Angela Bell
4Ìýbooks305ÌýfollowersAngela Bell is a twenty-first-century lady with nineteenth-century sensibilities. She resides in Texas with her charming pup, Mr. Bingley Crosby. One might categorize her books as historical romance, but Angela likes to describe them as “a cuppa Victorian whimsyâ€� because it sounds so much more poetical. Whenever you need a respite from the modern-day hustle, you're welcome to visit her parlor AuthorAngelaBell.com, where she can be found waiting with a pot of tea and a great book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 701 reviews
February 25, 2024
In a Nutshell: Historical + Adventure + Clean Romance + Christian. If all these points are appealing to you, this entertaining book delivers exactly as it promises. If faith-based content isn’t your cup of tea, stay away. I loved the characters and the story. What a charming debut novel!
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Plot Preview:
Until a few years ago, if anyone called a book 'Christian fiction', all that came to my mind was a goody-goody family story where devout characters spouted biblical verses. Because of NetGalley, I discovered, to my great happiness, that this genre spans so many more sub-categories than just family drama. This book covers a jolly adventure though Europe, and the journey is thrilling as well as soothing.
Bookish Yays:
😠Clara and Theodore: Loveable characters who are perfect for the storyline. Both are realistically sketched, and utterly adorable.
😠Theodore’s physical features: If you observe the cover carefully, you will see that the MMC is disabled. This aspect is used well by the author in the plot without anyone resorting to sympathy or insults.
😠Mrs. Stanton, Clara’s amazing mom: I dare you to find me a historical novel where the mom climbs trees willingly! Mrs. Stanton is such a wacky yet endearing character, well beyond her time. Her animal rights activism (or perhaps I should say, extremism) lends itself to some hilarious scenes. (Of all her non-human charges, I loved Fred the most!)
😠The Scavenger Hunt: The hunt felt like a combo of ‘Around the World in Eighty Days� (without a challenge) and ‘The Da Vinci Code� (without the murders.) It runs through several wonderful locations across Europe, all of which are historically accurate in rep.
😠The themes: Theodore has PTSD. Clara suffers from commitment phobia. Both of them have grief in their past. The writing also covers social stigma over supposed lunacy. The book doesn’t feel heavy-handed despite such intense topics.
😠The romance: Slowburn and squeaky clean and based on a soul connection than a physical one � just as I love it. Moreover, the romance elements never overshadow the core plot.
😠The automata made by Clara’s grandfather: These were far too advanced to be realistic, but let's treat them as an appealing fantastical addition to the story. I loved their imaginativeness! They complemented the scavenger hunt perfectly.
😠The writing: Easy-going with a balance between characters and plot. There are many sweet moments balanced with tense ones, with a generous dollop of faith and fun.
😠Some amazing quotable quotes herein, with a memorable first sentence that has the potential to become one of the best opening lines of 2024 fiction.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😠The Christian content: As a practising Christian, I don’t mind books having faith-based content, as long the content isn’t restricted to characters spouting biblical verses. This book doesn’t have that issue. The belief system of the characters is integrated beautifully into the plot for most of the journey. However, the balance is missing towards the end, as the final quarter has too many faith-based thoughts and scenes, which affects the pace of the story.
😠I wish Clara’s father had had a more active role in the story. He seemed like an interesting character, but we hardly get to see him.
Bookish Nays:
😒 I wish there had been no sob-story attached to you-know-who-if-you-read-the-book. That part didn't come across as convincing, and felt more like a forced justification.
All in all, I enjoyed this adventurous romance that is more adventure and less romance. The historical elements obviously are not fully accurate considering the whimsical storyline and the innovative automata, but overall, it is still an entertaining and magical journey.
Definitely recommended to readers of historical fantasy who are okay with strongly faith-oriented content. I loved this debut full-length novel, and look forward to seeing what more amazing adventures this talented author will spin in future.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure�. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Plot Preview:
1860, England. Clara Stanton, lovingly called ‘little Atlas� by her grandfather, actually feels like weary Atlas, always worried about protecting her beloved but eccentric family from her ex-fiancé who is intent on proving them to have hereditary insanity.
When her inventive Grandfather Drosselmeyer takes on a skilled vagabond named Arthur as an apprentice, Clara is sure “Arthur� is a spy working for her ex. She has no idea that “Arthur� is actually Theodore, looking for a fresh start away from his past. Before she can confirm her fears, her grandfather disappears in his secret flying owl machine, with a note asking Clara to follow him on the adventure and leaving clues for a scavenger hunt. Clara has no choice but to obey his wishes, but she isn’t happy about his last instruction: she needs to take “Arthur� along on the audacious journey.
To make matters worse, there is someone on their trail, who wants the flying machine at any cost. How will this quest pan out for the principal characters?
The story comes to us in the third person perspectives of Clara and Theodore.
Until a few years ago, if anyone called a book 'Christian fiction', all that came to my mind was a goody-goody family story where devout characters spouted biblical verses. Because of NetGalley, I discovered, to my great happiness, that this genre spans so many more sub-categories than just family drama. This book covers a jolly adventure though Europe, and the journey is thrilling as well as soothing.
Bookish Yays:
😠Clara and Theodore: Loveable characters who are perfect for the storyline. Both are realistically sketched, and utterly adorable.
😠Theodore’s physical features: If you observe the cover carefully, you will see that the MMC is disabled. This aspect is used well by the author in the plot without anyone resorting to sympathy or insults.
😠Mrs. Stanton, Clara’s amazing mom: I dare you to find me a historical novel where the mom climbs trees willingly! Mrs. Stanton is such a wacky yet endearing character, well beyond her time. Her animal rights activism (or perhaps I should say, extremism) lends itself to some hilarious scenes. (Of all her non-human charges, I loved Fred the most!)
😠The Scavenger Hunt: The hunt felt like a combo of ‘Around the World in Eighty Days� (without a challenge) and ‘The Da Vinci Code� (without the murders.) It runs through several wonderful locations across Europe, all of which are historically accurate in rep.
😠The themes: Theodore has PTSD. Clara suffers from commitment phobia. Both of them have grief in their past. The writing also covers social stigma over supposed lunacy. The book doesn’t feel heavy-handed despite such intense topics.
😠The romance: Slowburn and squeaky clean and based on a soul connection than a physical one � just as I love it. Moreover, the romance elements never overshadow the core plot.
😠The automata made by Clara’s grandfather: These were far too advanced to be realistic, but let's treat them as an appealing fantastical addition to the story. I loved their imaginativeness! They complemented the scavenger hunt perfectly.
😠The writing: Easy-going with a balance between characters and plot. There are many sweet moments balanced with tense ones, with a generous dollop of faith and fun.
😠Some amazing quotable quotes herein, with a memorable first sentence that has the potential to become one of the best opening lines of 2024 fiction.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😠The Christian content: As a practising Christian, I don’t mind books having faith-based content, as long the content isn’t restricted to characters spouting biblical verses. This book doesn’t have that issue. The belief system of the characters is integrated beautifully into the plot for most of the journey. However, the balance is missing towards the end, as the final quarter has too many faith-based thoughts and scenes, which affects the pace of the story.
😠I wish Clara’s father had had a more active role in the story. He seemed like an interesting character, but we hardly get to see him.
Bookish Nays:
😒 I wish there had been no sob-story attached to you-know-who-if-you-read-the-book. That part didn't come across as convincing, and felt more like a forced justification.
All in all, I enjoyed this adventurous romance that is more adventure and less romance. The historical elements obviously are not fully accurate considering the whimsical storyline and the innovative automata, but overall, it is still an entertaining and magical journey.
Definitely recommended to readers of historical fantasy who are okay with strongly faith-oriented content. I loved this debut full-length novel, and look forward to seeing what more amazing adventures this talented author will spin in future.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure�. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Connect with me through:
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April 8, 2025
No wit. No subtlety at all.
I should have noticed that the publisher was Bethany House, a Christian imprint. The premise seemed great, but the summary neglects to mention how increasingly heavy-handed the Christian elements would get. Actually, the summary doesn’t mention religion at all, so the only way you’d know there would be Christian content going in is by recognizing the imprint. I loathe when books are deliberately light with religious themes at first and then come on strong after drawing you in. This book gets downright preachy and the original point of the adventure is lost. A great premise squandered. (ETA: Another review noted that the religious content starts on page 170.)
When God showed up in a dream around the 80% mark, I had to laugh. The character who lost half a leg in the Crimean War no longer needs a crutch! It's a miracle, y'all.
I am not interested in Christian fiction, but those who are deserve better than this heavy-handed, clunky approach.
Reviews are for readers, especially when the publisher's summary doesn't completely convey the content of the book.
I should have noticed that the publisher was Bethany House, a Christian imprint. The premise seemed great, but the summary neglects to mention how increasingly heavy-handed the Christian elements would get. Actually, the summary doesn’t mention religion at all, so the only way you’d know there would be Christian content going in is by recognizing the imprint. I loathe when books are deliberately light with religious themes at first and then come on strong after drawing you in. This book gets downright preachy and the original point of the adventure is lost. A great premise squandered. (ETA: Another review noted that the religious content starts on page 170.)
When God showed up in a dream around the 80% mark, I had to laugh. The character who lost half a leg in the Crimean War no longer needs a crutch! It's a miracle, y'all.
I am not interested in Christian fiction, but those who are deserve better than this heavy-handed, clunky approach.
Reviews are for readers, especially when the publisher's summary doesn't completely convey the content of the book.
April 30, 2024
About this book:
“Miss Clara Marie Stanton's family may be eccentric, but they certainly aren't insane.
London, England, 1860
When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.
Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost.�
Series: As of now, seems to be a stand-alone novel.
Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are mentioned; Prayers; Singing a hymn; Talks about God, trusting Him, giving up control, & leaning and relying on Him; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Clara believes that everything is up to her and wants to make sure she doesn’t disappoint her family or her God, but both her mother and grandfather witness to her about trusting God and giving up control; Clara’s mother accuses her of trying to carry the world on her shoulders when she’s not God; Clara, her mother, and Theodore visit a handful of beautiful cathedrals, but Theodore doesn’t enter them due to his belief that he’ll soil the Almighty’s house due to past actions; Theodore longs to enter different cathedrals and wonders if he staying away from the Lord’s house has been a mistake; *Spoilers* ; Clara receives letters for her grandfather encouraging her to pursue relying on the Lord and being dependent on Him; *Spoilers* ; Many mentions of God, Jesus, trusting Him, giving Him control, leaning and replying on Him, faiths, & Hope; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of God’s creation & His animals (Clara’s mother is an advocate for rescuing mistreated and injured ones); Mentions of cathedrals, visiting them, worship, stained glass windows, statues of saints, & priests; Mentions of songs of worship & it being moving (bells at a cathedral & singing a hymn); Mentions of Jesuits & saints; Mentions of a parade of the apostles and with the archangel Michael battling a skeleton figuring (representing death) at an event; A few mentions of thanking God; A few mentions of blessings; A couple mentions of Providence; A couple mentions of Heaven; A couple mentions of a priest spewing brimstone and hellfire; A mention of the Resurrection; A mention of the return of Christ; A mention of the Gospels & reading them; A mention of divine intervention; A mention of being a good Christian woman (Clara’s mother jokes that she’s not one until she’s had her tea and toast); A mention of a vicar; A mention of Clara’s mother’s plan to baptize animals (not sure if joking or said in earnest);
*Note: ‘Good heavens� is said four times, ‘Thank heavens� twice, ‘Heavens above� twice, ‘Heaven knows� twice, ‘Dear heavens� once, ‘for heaven’s sake� once, and ‘how in the name of heaven and earth� once; A woman yells out for Heaven to save her after seeing a rat; Someone says that “there is no darker hell than a government intuition�; A swan is called a “winged demon� by Theodore; Mentions of Greek mythology and gods, statues of them, & parts of the legends; Mentions of a hobgoblin (Clara calls Theodore one multiple times); A couple mentions of something not being magic but ingenuity; A mention of Theodore’s demons haunting him and controlling his nightmares; A mention of demonic rodents; A mention of sinfully delectable chocolate truffles; A mention of an ungodly speed of a train; A mention of animal being an omen of good luck; A mention of someone screeching like a banshee.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘bah�, a ‘confounded�, a ‘what the devil�, two ‘bloomin’s, two ‘for the love of all’s, two forms of ‘my foot�, two forms of ‘what the dickens�, three ‘cursed’s, three forms of ‘shut up�, three forms of ‘what in the blazes�, four ‘botheration’s, four forms of ‘drat�, four ‘stars above’s, five ‘gah’s, seven ‘by jove’s, seven ‘shove off’s, seven ‘what the deuce’s, eight forms of ‘blast�, eight forms of ‘dashed/dash it all�, eight forms of ‘idiot�, ten forms of ‘stupid�, and sixteen ‘stars� (exclamation); Theodore exclaims “Rusted cogs!� six times; Other made-up curses like “Salted paper cuts�, “Feathers and figs�, “Liver and onions�, and “Rust and rot� are used; Mentions of curses (including Clara holding some back when in pain and Theodore being tempted to swear; others are said, but not written out); Some eye rolling & sarcasm; Being kidnapped, Being held at knife- and gunpoint, Being drugged (chloroform), Being tied up, Almost drowning, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, & Passing Out (up to semi-detailed); Stabbing someone & Seeing someone shot (self-defense, up to semi-detailed); Seeing someone knocked out, the injuries and blood, & Being concerned for the person (up to semi-detailed); Nightmares (Theodore about his time in a bloody battle and seeing deaths along with hurtful and hateful words from his father and being whipped and slapped by him as well, semi-detailed); Some grief (Clara for her grandmother); Clara feels panic when her mother disappears (she walked away from her, up to semi-detailed); Clara’s ex-fiancé is stalking her due to her family’s money & she is mistrusting towards others because of what he’s done and threatens to do; Clara’s mother rescues animals that are injured, mistreated, or about to be killed by a human (we see this on page and some were going to be drowned); Clara’s mother gets excited about watching two men engage in fisticuffs (they witness the fight, up to semi-detailed); Clara tells a white lie to her mother, but her mother calls her out on it; Mentions of battles, deaths, injuries, a soldier’s “mental faculties� being “deemed damaged beyond hope� and being committed to an asylum, & nightmares and guilt over it (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of deaths of loved ones & grief (Clara for her grandmother, but we also see mentions of her grandfather’s grief for his late wife and son, and mentions of Clara’s grandmother receiving horrible news that caused her to collapse and later her death); Mentions of train crashes, deaths, & Clara’s fear of trains because of hearing about people trapped in them (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of an abduction/kidnapping, chloroform, being tied-up, being held at knife- and gunpoint; Mentions of fights, fighting, an attack, people being shot at, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of violence, thieves, thefts, pick-pockets, stealing, stolen items, robberies, & break-ins; Mentions of stalking & a stalker; Mentions of jails/prisons, arrests, & deaths; Mentions of threats, blackmail, dastardly spies, & revenge; Mentions of gambling, a man’s addiction, bets, debts, a debt’s prison, & a man being beaten and threatened by his creditor (*Spoiler* ); Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & deception (including Theodore lying to get Clara’s mother’s animals on a train); Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & drunks (including a man pouring a drink for someone who has passed and then pouring the wine in a river); Mentions of manure/excrement & chamber pots; Mentions of injured animals & Clara’s mother rescuing them before they die or are killed by humans (including drowning the animals in a sack or tossing them off a ship); A few mentions of murder & murderers (mostly towards animals, which Clara’s mother stops); A few mentions of taxidermists; A few mentions of fashionable items being made from animals (pelts and feathers for hats); A few mentions of the death of a mother animal; A couple mentions of a saint being tortured and thrown off a bridge wearing heavy armor; A couple mentions of nooses; A couple mentions of an ambush with torches and pitchforks; A couple mentions of tobacco; A mention of being conned; A mention of a hunter;
*Note: Theodore’s father resents him for his mother passing away when giving birth to him (He recalls his father saying that he would trade Theodore for his wife, a few times), is verbally, emotionally, and physically abusive, & whips Theodore in past memories and nightmares; Theodore does not have a good family and the topic of his family is a sore spot for him; Theodore views himself as a spare part in the world and a faulty one (because of his father’s ugly words); *Spoiler* ; Clara is afraid of her family members being committed to an asylum due to their personalities and rumored “hereditary insanity�; Mentions of asylums, those committed to one, the deplorable conditions (including the patients being chained and whipped), Clara being afraid of her family members being committed to one, being threatened about sending someone there, & deaths that happened at asylums; Mentions of Clara’s medical journals cautioning travelers about “railway madness� that can happen with all the jostling on a train and sensory exposure & she is concerned that her mother could get it (also concerned about her mother’s mind “becoming unhinged� due to the train); A few mentions of authors, books, & fictional characters (Pride and Prejudice & The Three Musketeers); A couple mentions of children discriminating other children because of their parents� prejudices; A mention of Clara’s ex-fiancé telling her she had no business to be involved in his business deals; A mention of a dog Clara’s mother saved from having his ears docked.
Sexual Content- Two hand kisses, an almost kiss, and a barely-above-not-detailed kiss; Staring at another’s lips; Touches, Dancing, Hand holding, Warmth, Butterflies, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Recalling touches & warmth (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Flirting, Blushes, & Winks; Clara’s mother hints to Clara and Theodore kissing & that they should not do something scandalous when being unchaperoned for a moment (her eyebrows waggling imply her wanting to do that latter one, though, and Theodore teases Clara about doing something scandalous with her); Theodore gives Clara a foot massage (not sexual, just a sweet action); a ‘trollop�; Mentions of blushes & winks; A few mentions of an almost kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of chaperones; A mention of seducing; A mention of the sort of women that lure unsuspecting lads into alleys and “have their way with them� (Theodore teasing Clara); Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Clara is shocked to hear her mother say the word “rousing� and begs her to never use it again in her presence; Clara kicks a man in his loins to vent a measure of her fury (which causes him pain & to moan in agony); Clara knees a man & it’s implied to have been in his private area as she hopes he can’t sit right for a month; When falling into a lake, Clara starts to undress to help her not drown (not sexual at all or commented on by Theodore); Mentions of Theodore’s mother dying in childbirth; A handful of mentions of Clara’s mother’s ample bosom & Clara being squished by it in an embrace; A few mentions of Clara’s mother’s concern about her new mice friend’s habitat having to consider their “conduciveness to pleasant procreation practice� for the habitat to be deemed suitable; A mention of Clara’s mother wanting to order someone to shoot a man in a place that will “end his chances of reproducing�.
-Clara Stanton, age 23
-Theodore “Arthur� Kingsley
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1860
383 pages
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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
I’ve heard a lot of different opinions about this book, so even though I was already curious about this book the minute I heard about it, I became even more curious hearing that it was actually a steampunk book and not just a Historical book like I was expecting. Had I not known it would have a Steampunk influence (mainly through automatons and flying machines), though, I think I would’ve been very confused and it would’ve altered my enjoyment of the book. So go into this book knowing this information!
It had its silly moments with all the many animals Clara’s mother has rescued, but then it would take a turn to solemn moments with the mentions of asylums and deaths of loved ones. It was a bit jarring at time, but that’s trying to continue living life and also facing on-going grief.
I can see why some people didn’t like Clara with her attitude towards Arthur—I enjoy it for the first part but I do wish she would’ve been kinder to him quicker because he was a dear. But I can see where she was coming from (trying to protect her family from the scoundrel she used to be engaged to) and I did enjoy how he didn’t let her suspicions and general mistrust of him to bother him. He kept teasing her good naturedly and was such a sunshine-like character. She did lighten up before the half-way mark and when he started to do a bit of flirting, it was so smooth and so cute. They really were a good match and I really enjoyed reading their adventure and quips.
The faith content was lovely and often what my own heart needed to hear along with Clara’s. It was worked in beautifully with letters from her grandfather and conversations with her mother. Arthur/Theodore doesn’t think he can come to God because of his past actions and his earthly father’s loathing, but how it was shown and what happened at the end brought tears to my eyes. Also how their growing faiths made a big role of her acceptance of his feelings and wanting to seek God’s guidance before becoming closer to Theodore was great to see.
I really liked so many aspects of this book! The humor and whit in this book took me my surprised and I really liked it. I also really liked Clara and her protectiveness for her family. This book had a whimsical writing style that can be a little difficult I think to get into at first, but it was fun and fit the mood of the story.
Overall, I found it to be utterly charming. I can’t think of a better word than charming, but I suppose whimsical and even delightful would fit as well. The romance was light and cute, the whit and banter was great, and the faith content was something I needed. Really enjoyed this book and suspect it will be a favorite from 2024!
Link to review:
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“Miss Clara Marie Stanton's family may be eccentric, but they certainly aren't insane.
London, England, 1860
When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.
Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost.�
Series: As of now, seems to be a stand-alone novel.
Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are mentioned; Prayers; Singing a hymn; Talks about God, trusting Him, giving up control, & leaning and relying on Him; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Clara believes that everything is up to her and wants to make sure she doesn’t disappoint her family or her God, but both her mother and grandfather witness to her about trusting God and giving up control; Clara’s mother accuses her of trying to carry the world on her shoulders when she’s not God; Clara, her mother, and Theodore visit a handful of beautiful cathedrals, but Theodore doesn’t enter them due to his belief that he’ll soil the Almighty’s house due to past actions; Theodore longs to enter different cathedrals and wonders if he staying away from the Lord’s house has been a mistake; *Spoilers* ; Clara receives letters for her grandfather encouraging her to pursue relying on the Lord and being dependent on Him; *Spoilers* ; Many mentions of God, Jesus, trusting Him, giving Him control, leaning and replying on Him, faiths, & Hope; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of God’s creation & His animals (Clara’s mother is an advocate for rescuing mistreated and injured ones); Mentions of cathedrals, visiting them, worship, stained glass windows, statues of saints, & priests; Mentions of songs of worship & it being moving (bells at a cathedral & singing a hymn); Mentions of Jesuits & saints; Mentions of a parade of the apostles and with the archangel Michael battling a skeleton figuring (representing death) at an event; A few mentions of thanking God; A few mentions of blessings; A couple mentions of Providence; A couple mentions of Heaven; A couple mentions of a priest spewing brimstone and hellfire; A mention of the Resurrection; A mention of the return of Christ; A mention of the Gospels & reading them; A mention of divine intervention; A mention of being a good Christian woman (Clara’s mother jokes that she’s not one until she’s had her tea and toast); A mention of a vicar; A mention of Clara’s mother’s plan to baptize animals (not sure if joking or said in earnest);
*Note: ‘Good heavens� is said four times, ‘Thank heavens� twice, ‘Heavens above� twice, ‘Heaven knows� twice, ‘Dear heavens� once, ‘for heaven’s sake� once, and ‘how in the name of heaven and earth� once; A woman yells out for Heaven to save her after seeing a rat; Someone says that “there is no darker hell than a government intuition�; A swan is called a “winged demon� by Theodore; Mentions of Greek mythology and gods, statues of them, & parts of the legends; Mentions of a hobgoblin (Clara calls Theodore one multiple times); A couple mentions of something not being magic but ingenuity; A mention of Theodore’s demons haunting him and controlling his nightmares; A mention of demonic rodents; A mention of sinfully delectable chocolate truffles; A mention of an ungodly speed of a train; A mention of animal being an omen of good luck; A mention of someone screeching like a banshee.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘bah�, a ‘confounded�, a ‘what the devil�, two ‘bloomin’s, two ‘for the love of all’s, two forms of ‘my foot�, two forms of ‘what the dickens�, three ‘cursed’s, three forms of ‘shut up�, three forms of ‘what in the blazes�, four ‘botheration’s, four forms of ‘drat�, four ‘stars above’s, five ‘gah’s, seven ‘by jove’s, seven ‘shove off’s, seven ‘what the deuce’s, eight forms of ‘blast�, eight forms of ‘dashed/dash it all�, eight forms of ‘idiot�, ten forms of ‘stupid�, and sixteen ‘stars� (exclamation); Theodore exclaims “Rusted cogs!� six times; Other made-up curses like “Salted paper cuts�, “Feathers and figs�, “Liver and onions�, and “Rust and rot� are used; Mentions of curses (including Clara holding some back when in pain and Theodore being tempted to swear; others are said, but not written out); Some eye rolling & sarcasm; Being kidnapped, Being held at knife- and gunpoint, Being drugged (chloroform), Being tied up, Almost drowning, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, & Passing Out (up to semi-detailed); Stabbing someone & Seeing someone shot (self-defense, up to semi-detailed); Seeing someone knocked out, the injuries and blood, & Being concerned for the person (up to semi-detailed); Nightmares (Theodore about his time in a bloody battle and seeing deaths along with hurtful and hateful words from his father and being whipped and slapped by him as well, semi-detailed); Some grief (Clara for her grandmother); Clara feels panic when her mother disappears (she walked away from her, up to semi-detailed); Clara’s ex-fiancé is stalking her due to her family’s money & she is mistrusting towards others because of what he’s done and threatens to do; Clara’s mother rescues animals that are injured, mistreated, or about to be killed by a human (we see this on page and some were going to be drowned); Clara’s mother gets excited about watching two men engage in fisticuffs (they witness the fight, up to semi-detailed); Clara tells a white lie to her mother, but her mother calls her out on it; Mentions of battles, deaths, injuries, a soldier’s “mental faculties� being “deemed damaged beyond hope� and being committed to an asylum, & nightmares and guilt over it (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of deaths of loved ones & grief (Clara for her grandmother, but we also see mentions of her grandfather’s grief for his late wife and son, and mentions of Clara’s grandmother receiving horrible news that caused her to collapse and later her death); Mentions of train crashes, deaths, & Clara’s fear of trains because of hearing about people trapped in them (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of an abduction/kidnapping, chloroform, being tied-up, being held at knife- and gunpoint; Mentions of fights, fighting, an attack, people being shot at, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of violence, thieves, thefts, pick-pockets, stealing, stolen items, robberies, & break-ins; Mentions of stalking & a stalker; Mentions of jails/prisons, arrests, & deaths; Mentions of threats, blackmail, dastardly spies, & revenge; Mentions of gambling, a man’s addiction, bets, debts, a debt’s prison, & a man being beaten and threatened by his creditor (*Spoiler* ); Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & deception (including Theodore lying to get Clara’s mother’s animals on a train); Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & drunks (including a man pouring a drink for someone who has passed and then pouring the wine in a river); Mentions of manure/excrement & chamber pots; Mentions of injured animals & Clara’s mother rescuing them before they die or are killed by humans (including drowning the animals in a sack or tossing them off a ship); A few mentions of murder & murderers (mostly towards animals, which Clara’s mother stops); A few mentions of taxidermists; A few mentions of fashionable items being made from animals (pelts and feathers for hats); A few mentions of the death of a mother animal; A couple mentions of a saint being tortured and thrown off a bridge wearing heavy armor; A couple mentions of nooses; A couple mentions of an ambush with torches and pitchforks; A couple mentions of tobacco; A mention of being conned; A mention of a hunter;
*Note: Theodore’s father resents him for his mother passing away when giving birth to him (He recalls his father saying that he would trade Theodore for his wife, a few times), is verbally, emotionally, and physically abusive, & whips Theodore in past memories and nightmares; Theodore does not have a good family and the topic of his family is a sore spot for him; Theodore views himself as a spare part in the world and a faulty one (because of his father’s ugly words); *Spoiler* ; Clara is afraid of her family members being committed to an asylum due to their personalities and rumored “hereditary insanity�; Mentions of asylums, those committed to one, the deplorable conditions (including the patients being chained and whipped), Clara being afraid of her family members being committed to one, being threatened about sending someone there, & deaths that happened at asylums; Mentions of Clara’s medical journals cautioning travelers about “railway madness� that can happen with all the jostling on a train and sensory exposure & she is concerned that her mother could get it (also concerned about her mother’s mind “becoming unhinged� due to the train); A few mentions of authors, books, & fictional characters (Pride and Prejudice & The Three Musketeers); A couple mentions of children discriminating other children because of their parents� prejudices; A mention of Clara’s ex-fiancé telling her she had no business to be involved in his business deals; A mention of a dog Clara’s mother saved from having his ears docked.
Sexual Content- Two hand kisses, an almost kiss, and a barely-above-not-detailed kiss; Staring at another’s lips; Touches, Dancing, Hand holding, Warmth, Butterflies, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Recalling touches & warmth (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Flirting, Blushes, & Winks; Clara’s mother hints to Clara and Theodore kissing & that they should not do something scandalous when being unchaperoned for a moment (her eyebrows waggling imply her wanting to do that latter one, though, and Theodore teases Clara about doing something scandalous with her); Theodore gives Clara a foot massage (not sexual, just a sweet action); a ‘trollop�; Mentions of blushes & winks; A few mentions of an almost kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of chaperones; A mention of seducing; A mention of the sort of women that lure unsuspecting lads into alleys and “have their way with them� (Theodore teasing Clara); Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Clara is shocked to hear her mother say the word “rousing� and begs her to never use it again in her presence; Clara kicks a man in his loins to vent a measure of her fury (which causes him pain & to moan in agony); Clara knees a man & it’s implied to have been in his private area as she hopes he can’t sit right for a month; When falling into a lake, Clara starts to undress to help her not drown (not sexual at all or commented on by Theodore); Mentions of Theodore’s mother dying in childbirth; A handful of mentions of Clara’s mother’s ample bosom & Clara being squished by it in an embrace; A few mentions of Clara’s mother’s concern about her new mice friend’s habitat having to consider their “conduciveness to pleasant procreation practice� for the habitat to be deemed suitable; A mention of Clara’s mother wanting to order someone to shoot a man in a place that will “end his chances of reproducing�.
-Clara Stanton, age 23
-Theodore “Arthur� Kingsley
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1860
383 pages
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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
I’ve heard a lot of different opinions about this book, so even though I was already curious about this book the minute I heard about it, I became even more curious hearing that it was actually a steampunk book and not just a Historical book like I was expecting. Had I not known it would have a Steampunk influence (mainly through automatons and flying machines), though, I think I would’ve been very confused and it would’ve altered my enjoyment of the book. So go into this book knowing this information!
It had its silly moments with all the many animals Clara’s mother has rescued, but then it would take a turn to solemn moments with the mentions of asylums and deaths of loved ones. It was a bit jarring at time, but that’s trying to continue living life and also facing on-going grief.
I can see why some people didn’t like Clara with her attitude towards Arthur—I enjoy it for the first part but I do wish she would’ve been kinder to him quicker because he was a dear. But I can see where she was coming from (trying to protect her family from the scoundrel she used to be engaged to) and I did enjoy how he didn’t let her suspicions and general mistrust of him to bother him. He kept teasing her good naturedly and was such a sunshine-like character. She did lighten up before the half-way mark and when he started to do a bit of flirting, it was so smooth and so cute. They really were a good match and I really enjoyed reading their adventure and quips.
The faith content was lovely and often what my own heart needed to hear along with Clara’s. It was worked in beautifully with letters from her grandfather and conversations with her mother. Arthur/Theodore doesn’t think he can come to God because of his past actions and his earthly father’s loathing, but how it was shown and what happened at the end brought tears to my eyes. Also how their growing faiths made a big role of her acceptance of his feelings and wanting to seek God’s guidance before becoming closer to Theodore was great to see.
I really liked so many aspects of this book! The humor and whit in this book took me my surprised and I really liked it. I also really liked Clara and her protectiveness for her family. This book had a whimsical writing style that can be a little difficult I think to get into at first, but it was fun and fit the mood of the story.
Overall, I found it to be utterly charming. I can’t think of a better word than charming, but I suppose whimsical and even delightful would fit as well. The romance was light and cute, the whit and banter was great, and the faith content was something I needed. Really enjoyed this book and suspect it will be a favorite from 2024!
Link to review:
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
February 28, 2024
What a fabulous debut! A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is a clever, whimsical mashup of the Nutcracker, Around the World in 80 Days, steampunk, and faith with a witty, slow burn reverse grumpy/sunshine romance and lots of adventure along the way. I didn’t know what to expect going in and I highly suggest reading it that way. It’s best experienced with just the cover as your guide, and what a gorgeous cover! I loved the exciting scavenger hunt across Europe and the heartfelt clues from a grandfather to his granddaughter. The whimsy and humor is beautifully balanced with faith and overcoming truly painful betrayals. It’s an amazing story and I can’t wait for more!
Clara Stanton takes her family’s reputation and burdens directly on her slim shoulders. She firmly believes she’s the only one who can protect them, especially after her ex-fiancé threatens to expose a potentially damaging family secret. When her clockmaking, inventor Grandfather Drosselmeyer takes on a handsome, new apprentice, she’s immediately skeptical of Arthur.
Declared dead by his abusive father, Theodore/Arthur must rely on his talent for tinkering with clocks to make his way and is grateful for a new start. When Clara’s grandfather suddenly disappears in his owl flying machine, Clara, Arthur/Theodore, and her mother along with a growing menagerie of animals must work together as they follow Grand’s scavenger hunt clues across Europe all while trying to evade a vicious villain determined to obtain the invention for himself.
I loved the character arcs of both Clara and Theodore/Arthur. Clara experienced the hard-learned lesson that she can’t control everything. I loved how her grandfather helped her regain her faith and excitement for exploring again. Little by little his challenges and beautifully written clues lead her back to herself before betrayal made her controlling and bitter.
Theodore had to learn his own worthiness. His abusive father made him feel completely less than and his mistakes felt like a self-fulfilling prophesy of his father’s words. In this adventure of seeking Clara’s grandfather, he’s forced to come to terms with his PTSD from the war and his father’s treatment, and realize his many capabilities. I also adored Mrs. Stanton and her fierce love of all creatures. Her antics were hilarious and heartwarming and kept me smiling throughout the book.
This is definitely a must read for historical/Victorian romance fans who enjoy a bit of whimsy, steampunk, and faith in the mix. I’m so excited to see what this author writes next. A truly impressive debut. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher via AustenProse PR. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4 1/2 stars!
Clara Stanton takes her family’s reputation and burdens directly on her slim shoulders. She firmly believes she’s the only one who can protect them, especially after her ex-fiancé threatens to expose a potentially damaging family secret. When her clockmaking, inventor Grandfather Drosselmeyer takes on a handsome, new apprentice, she’s immediately skeptical of Arthur.
Declared dead by his abusive father, Theodore/Arthur must rely on his talent for tinkering with clocks to make his way and is grateful for a new start. When Clara’s grandfather suddenly disappears in his owl flying machine, Clara, Arthur/Theodore, and her mother along with a growing menagerie of animals must work together as they follow Grand’s scavenger hunt clues across Europe all while trying to evade a vicious villain determined to obtain the invention for himself.
I loved the character arcs of both Clara and Theodore/Arthur. Clara experienced the hard-learned lesson that she can’t control everything. I loved how her grandfather helped her regain her faith and excitement for exploring again. Little by little his challenges and beautifully written clues lead her back to herself before betrayal made her controlling and bitter.
Theodore had to learn his own worthiness. His abusive father made him feel completely less than and his mistakes felt like a self-fulfilling prophesy of his father’s words. In this adventure of seeking Clara’s grandfather, he’s forced to come to terms with his PTSD from the war and his father’s treatment, and realize his many capabilities. I also adored Mrs. Stanton and her fierce love of all creatures. Her antics were hilarious and heartwarming and kept me smiling throughout the book.
This is definitely a must read for historical/Victorian romance fans who enjoy a bit of whimsy, steampunk, and faith in the mix. I’m so excited to see what this author writes next. A truly impressive debut. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher via AustenProse PR. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4 1/2 stars!
February 12, 2025
This is my attempt at a cohesive review after the fangirl rambling of my notes, haha. No promises, just know, I ADORE this book and would happily force it on everyone. 😂
This whimsical, hilarious voyage into steampunk Victorian Europe was everything I didn’t know I needed in a book! Truly enchanting and a sheer delight to experience!
Clara Stanton is one of the characters I’ve most deeply resonated with in fiction. Responsible. No nonsense. Straight laced. With a keen sense of duty. Wary of men. And a control freak. Yes, ducky, she was a little too much like me, and her story hit close to my own. Her struggles & reasonings & fear & broken heart are all things I find in the mirror of my heart. It was as healing as it was convicting. Yes, she should have been nicer to Arthur sooner, but I understand why she wasn’t, the poor dear.
As for the dear, sweet, tormented Arthur/Theodore� well! For the record, your girl here is no swooner, but when it comes to Mr. Theodore Kingsley, how can a girl not swoon?! 🫠His banter with Clara is comedic gold—and I was grinning like a ninny the entire way through the book because the cuteness & razor sharp wit was killing me! 🤣
As precious as the romance was, the deeper truths were just as impactful. Clara’s struggle to release control to her Heavenly Father was beautiful. And Theodore’s finding-Jesus-moment? Glorious. The faith was so real—living and breathing and marvellous. THIS is what I miss in Christian Fiction. It was soul-searching without being preachy. 💛
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the bonds in Clara’s family. The wisdom of her mother & grandfather, especially. Dear Mrs. S is to be protected at all costs! 😂
I cannot recommend this book highly enough! It’s fresh. Charming. Original. All the makings of a masterpiece! And for the girls with hearts a man broke? I’ll leave you with this:
“‘Just because one malevolent man trods on you, don't for a second think you deserved it. Heaven knows you're precious and worth protecting even when men don't.’�
Quotes
“‘Sometimes it takes idealistic scribblings to remind us of that truth when the whole of our very real, very dark world makes it feel like a lie.’�
“The endless possibilities creation has to offer. Possibilities for joy and beauty, adventure and wonderment. Can you not see now that there is more to life than the pain and sorrow we've experienced? Yes, we have known the sting of betrayal. The ache of loss. But we are not without hope, Clara. For it never ceases to exist. Hope's light lives on in the One who ignited its flame through His resurrection. The One who even now dwells within us and we in Him.�
“‘I didn't screech. I cried out in warranted fright.�
He quirked a fair eyebrow. ‘You screeched. Vociferously. Prague's dead have thus been awakened to roam the streets in confusion.’�
“Mr. Forrester would bring ruin upon her family at last—all because she'd been fool enough to accept his proposal, weakened by the selfish longing to have someone take care of her for once.�
“‘Just because one malevolent man trods on you, don't for a second think you deserved it. Heaven knows you're precious and worth protecting even when men don't.’�
“‘If I told you my surname, I should want you to keep it too.’�
“‘Don't confuse the character of your heavenly Father with the voice of your earthly one.’�
“Now Theodore remembered why talking to God was so dashed frustrating the Almighty had a penchant for answering him with a particularly profane four-letter word.
°Â²¹¾±³Ù.â€�
“‘Dearest Clara, I would rather be absurd with you than normal with anyone else.’�
This whimsical, hilarious voyage into steampunk Victorian Europe was everything I didn’t know I needed in a book! Truly enchanting and a sheer delight to experience!
Clara Stanton is one of the characters I’ve most deeply resonated with in fiction. Responsible. No nonsense. Straight laced. With a keen sense of duty. Wary of men. And a control freak. Yes, ducky, she was a little too much like me, and her story hit close to my own. Her struggles & reasonings & fear & broken heart are all things I find in the mirror of my heart. It was as healing as it was convicting. Yes, she should have been nicer to Arthur sooner, but I understand why she wasn’t, the poor dear.
As for the dear, sweet, tormented Arthur/Theodore� well! For the record, your girl here is no swooner, but when it comes to Mr. Theodore Kingsley, how can a girl not swoon?! 🫠His banter with Clara is comedic gold—and I was grinning like a ninny the entire way through the book because the cuteness & razor sharp wit was killing me! 🤣
As precious as the romance was, the deeper truths were just as impactful. Clara’s struggle to release control to her Heavenly Father was beautiful. And Theodore’s finding-Jesus-moment? Glorious. The faith was so real—living and breathing and marvellous. THIS is what I miss in Christian Fiction. It was soul-searching without being preachy. 💛
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the bonds in Clara’s family. The wisdom of her mother & grandfather, especially. Dear Mrs. S is to be protected at all costs! 😂
I cannot recommend this book highly enough! It’s fresh. Charming. Original. All the makings of a masterpiece! And for the girls with hearts a man broke? I’ll leave you with this:
“‘Just because one malevolent man trods on you, don't for a second think you deserved it. Heaven knows you're precious and worth protecting even when men don't.’�
Quotes
“‘Sometimes it takes idealistic scribblings to remind us of that truth when the whole of our very real, very dark world makes it feel like a lie.’�
“The endless possibilities creation has to offer. Possibilities for joy and beauty, adventure and wonderment. Can you not see now that there is more to life than the pain and sorrow we've experienced? Yes, we have known the sting of betrayal. The ache of loss. But we are not without hope, Clara. For it never ceases to exist. Hope's light lives on in the One who ignited its flame through His resurrection. The One who even now dwells within us and we in Him.�
“‘I didn't screech. I cried out in warranted fright.�
He quirked a fair eyebrow. ‘You screeched. Vociferously. Prague's dead have thus been awakened to roam the streets in confusion.’�
“Mr. Forrester would bring ruin upon her family at last—all because she'd been fool enough to accept his proposal, weakened by the selfish longing to have someone take care of her for once.�
“‘Just because one malevolent man trods on you, don't for a second think you deserved it. Heaven knows you're precious and worth protecting even when men don't.’�
“‘If I told you my surname, I should want you to keep it too.’�
“‘Don't confuse the character of your heavenly Father with the voice of your earthly one.’�
“Now Theodore remembered why talking to God was so dashed frustrating the Almighty had a penchant for answering him with a particularly profane four-letter word.
°Â²¹¾±³Ù.â€�
“‘Dearest Clara, I would rather be absurd with you than normal with anyone else.’�
March 12, 2024
A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure - Angela Bell 🦉🌠�
"Just as Grand would never expect a clock to mend its own windings, God would never expect us to mend our own hearts."
🦉🌠✨What a fun, whimsical story with great quirky characters that go on an adventure together! This is a Christian Historical Romance that has some steampunk-ish vibes and is a great read for lovers of The Nutcracker or Around the World in 80 Days! 4 stars!
This book starts off with our main character of Clara Stanton trying to protect her family from her ex-fiancé's schemes and society's prejudice about them because they are very different! Her Grandfather brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg and boy do things get wild from here!
We see Theodore Kingsley, the apprentice who repairs clocks, desperate for a fresh start from his disappointed father who wants nothing to do with him and declared him dead. When Clara's Grandfather disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves a note behind and she goes on an quite the adventure/scavenger hunt with Theodore...
I had a fun time reading this one! It made me laugh several times throughout the story and the premise is such a unique one that I haven't seen before in the Christian Fiction market! While the first 40% took me a little bit to warm up to Clara as she was very hesitant to trust anyone, including Theodore and had quite a bit of sass with him, once she started opening up and realizing she misjudged him, I really liked her character arc and where things went, especially in the faith developments. While I am not the biggest enemies to lovers person, the ending of this was very well done and I really appreciate the romance and faith elements in the end.
Grand was also absolutely precious and chapter 27 was probably my favorite. I think anyone who loves a fun, whimsical story with unique characters, great historical background and beautiful faith content will enjoy this one! Excited to see what Angela comes up with next!
Thank you to the publisher for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
"Just as Grand would never expect a clock to mend its own windings, God would never expect us to mend our own hearts."
🦉🌠✨What a fun, whimsical story with great quirky characters that go on an adventure together! This is a Christian Historical Romance that has some steampunk-ish vibes and is a great read for lovers of The Nutcracker or Around the World in 80 Days! 4 stars!
This book starts off with our main character of Clara Stanton trying to protect her family from her ex-fiancé's schemes and society's prejudice about them because they are very different! Her Grandfather brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg and boy do things get wild from here!
We see Theodore Kingsley, the apprentice who repairs clocks, desperate for a fresh start from his disappointed father who wants nothing to do with him and declared him dead. When Clara's Grandfather disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves a note behind and she goes on an quite the adventure/scavenger hunt with Theodore...
I had a fun time reading this one! It made me laugh several times throughout the story and the premise is such a unique one that I haven't seen before in the Christian Fiction market! While the first 40% took me a little bit to warm up to Clara as she was very hesitant to trust anyone, including Theodore and had quite a bit of sass with him, once she started opening up and realizing she misjudged him, I really liked her character arc and where things went, especially in the faith developments. While I am not the biggest enemies to lovers person, the ending of this was very well done and I really appreciate the romance and faith elements in the end.
Grand was also absolutely precious and chapter 27 was probably my favorite. I think anyone who loves a fun, whimsical story with unique characters, great historical background and beautiful faith content will enjoy this one! Excited to see what Angela comes up with next!
Thank you to the publisher for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 9, 2024
a very unique and silly premise, and the perpetually annoyed woman x charming considerate man dynamic always hits!!!!
"I could never be that, Miss Stanton. Disappointed, yes. Pining for you, most earnestly. But never cross."
"I could never be that, Miss Stanton. Disappointed, yes. Pining for you, most earnestly. But never cross."
Want to read
April 17, 2024i too want to partake in the silly little giggles of this book (ty tiff for putting this on the radar, i need a cleanse after predatora à¨à§ )
February 7, 2024
This book is so much fun! I absolutely loved it! It’s got a little bit of The Nutcracker in it especially with the main character being named Clara and her Grandfather Drosselmeyer. Also has Around the World in 80 days vibes as Clara chases/follows her Grandfather’s flying owl machine with him flying in it, to different destinations. Along with Clara, her mother and Theodore come along on the journey. Clara’s mom is hilarious, and does whatever it takes to help animals. Theodore, who has a metal foot, and newly employed to Drosselmeyer, is on Clara’s bad side. She doesn’t trust him but as they go along the journey together she learns to. I love Clara and Theodore’s relationship. There is a lot of banter and wit that just made me smile and laugh. They are awesome together. And then thrown in Clara’s mom and it’s just a good time. There is a villain in this story as well that is chasing them and they have to outrun them and get to Grandfather first. The Christian message is strong in this story, mainly being Clara tries to control everything and do everything on her own and learns to lean on God and let him control things and guide her.
“There is a God who loves us more than we could ever love each other, and because there’s no darkness in Him at all, we can trust His love absolutely. We can lean wholly upon it and follow Him into the unknown, trusting that He will carry us through sunshine and storm. Trusting that the Way, the Truth, and the Life is better than our way, our understanding, and our might.�
Overall a fantastic read and I definitely recommend!
âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
“There is a God who loves us more than we could ever love each other, and because there’s no darkness in Him at all, we can trust His love absolutely. We can lean wholly upon it and follow Him into the unknown, trusting that He will carry us through sunshine and storm. Trusting that the Way, the Truth, and the Life is better than our way, our understanding, and our might.�
Overall a fantastic read and I definitely recommend!
âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
March 16, 2024
First reaction:
*sighs*
So Satisfied ðŸ˜
I literally can’t stop smiling after that ending�
Full review:
*sighs* this book is so close to my heart…I just…this is gonna be a hard review. *clears throat* Okay let’s try to do this from the top!
Overview
Miss Stanton is simply trying to navigate life as best as she can. A life of balancing her mother’s collection of animals, her fathers mechanical butterfly collection, and the grief they all have after her grandmother’s passing. She has little time for enjoying life and going on the adventures her younger self happily indulged in. Theodore is simply trying to outrun the past. While searching for a different future his clock working skills land him a job with Miss Stanton’s grandfather. Soon, when her grandfathers owl invention takes to the skies, it takes Miss Stanton and Theodore on an adventure to find not only the clues Miss Stanton’s grandfather left behind but to the hopeful souls inside each of them that they once left behind.
Characters
- Mrs.S - AHHHHHH I think she was my favorite character. I loved how passionate she was about saving animals to the extent it was slightly silly. She made me laugh with her constant protests and bringing Clara into a crazy whimsical circumstance. I adored how motherly she was, the Christian like advice she gave, and her humor.
- Miss Stanton - wow she was just something else. I really loved how feisty she was. The thing was she reminded me of me and it was so hard watching her go through tests of her faith since it reminded me of me. It was so realistic in how people told her things that people actually told me in learning to not need to “fix� everything on our own.
- Theodore - Ahh! Who doesn’t love Theodore! I thought it was cool how he had a prosthetic leg since you don’t see that often. I like how the author portrayed him having a night terror too in a very realistic way not how the movies show it. And Theodore was just so sweet and amazing I justâ€�.big hugs from me. He made me laugh, smile, and learn all the same. And yea I shipped them from the first chapter of his POV ðŸ¤
- Grand - Miss Stanton’s grandfather. I loved the little Christian nuggets he gave the whole time. I think I must have so many pics of quotes from his perspective.
- Mr. Forester - MR FOrrEsTeR!!!!! 😡 that’s it.
*But he needs a hug poor guy. I liked the opportunity for him to repent in the end.
My reading journey:
I adored this book. I feel like I’ve said that so many times already…but it’s true! It wasn’t a kind of binge read, I took it pretty slow but the world building was amazing. I usually don’t like world building bc then I end up skimming but this time it was gorgeous. And the food dishes that were described AND ACTUALLY REAL! I was like I need to put these dishes on my bucket list.
Christian/Mental Health Content
Wow this book really pushed me in my faith. JUST WOW. Big themes of letting go of control, letting God take control, forgiveness, and enjoying the little things. Also this book was highly accurate in mental health topics (the author def did their research) and addressed them while not capitalizing on it, which I truly appreciated. Also very strong family ties which I appreciated since you don’t often get a book where the entire family is super close.
Dislikes (tho very few)
There were only a few dislikes I had of this book (btw these are VERY minor in the book just pointed out here and there but I would feel bad if I didn’t state it)
- doctrinal issues: it does take place in cathedrals which personally I’m not Catholic and don’t necessarily agree with everything there since the Bible doesn’t really talk about priests and some practices. But I could overlook it because it had such strong spiritual content
- Drinking - some characters drank wine only once. Not in a bad way it’s just stated they drink wine. But can someone explain to me why books have characters drink wine? It doesn’t make sense to me…and I don’t really agree with it since John the Baptist was said to not be a wine bibber.
- Violence/Trickery - at times one character was rooting for a physical fight. It’s not the most Christian like approach but it was understandable with what the other character had done. Also some characters do lie to get animals into places where they’re banned.
AND THATS ALL FOLKS!
I will now have to put this book away ðŸ˜â€�.
Oh yes and for those who don’t know if they should read it�.READ IT. It changed my life. Maybe a big dramatic lol but it really made me rethink my faith walk.
*sighs*
So Satisfied ðŸ˜
I literally can’t stop smiling after that ending�
Full review:
*sighs* this book is so close to my heart…I just…this is gonna be a hard review. *clears throat* Okay let’s try to do this from the top!
Overview
Miss Stanton is simply trying to navigate life as best as she can. A life of balancing her mother’s collection of animals, her fathers mechanical butterfly collection, and the grief they all have after her grandmother’s passing. She has little time for enjoying life and going on the adventures her younger self happily indulged in. Theodore is simply trying to outrun the past. While searching for a different future his clock working skills land him a job with Miss Stanton’s grandfather. Soon, when her grandfathers owl invention takes to the skies, it takes Miss Stanton and Theodore on an adventure to find not only the clues Miss Stanton’s grandfather left behind but to the hopeful souls inside each of them that they once left behind.
Characters
- Mrs.S - AHHHHHH I think she was my favorite character. I loved how passionate she was about saving animals to the extent it was slightly silly. She made me laugh with her constant protests and bringing Clara into a crazy whimsical circumstance. I adored how motherly she was, the Christian like advice she gave, and her humor.
- Miss Stanton - wow she was just something else. I really loved how feisty she was. The thing was she reminded me of me and it was so hard watching her go through tests of her faith since it reminded me of me. It was so realistic in how people told her things that people actually told me in learning to not need to “fix� everything on our own.
- Theodore - Ahh! Who doesn’t love Theodore! I thought it was cool how he had a prosthetic leg since you don’t see that often. I like how the author portrayed him having a night terror too in a very realistic way not how the movies show it. And Theodore was just so sweet and amazing I justâ€�.big hugs from me. He made me laugh, smile, and learn all the same. And yea I shipped them from the first chapter of his POV ðŸ¤
- Grand - Miss Stanton’s grandfather. I loved the little Christian nuggets he gave the whole time. I think I must have so many pics of quotes from his perspective.
- Mr. Forester - MR FOrrEsTeR!!!!! 😡 that’s it.
*But he needs a hug poor guy. I liked the opportunity for him to repent in the end.
My reading journey:
I adored this book. I feel like I’ve said that so many times already…but it’s true! It wasn’t a kind of binge read, I took it pretty slow but the world building was amazing. I usually don’t like world building bc then I end up skimming but this time it was gorgeous. And the food dishes that were described AND ACTUALLY REAL! I was like I need to put these dishes on my bucket list.
Christian/Mental Health Content
Wow this book really pushed me in my faith. JUST WOW. Big themes of letting go of control, letting God take control, forgiveness, and enjoying the little things. Also this book was highly accurate in mental health topics (the author def did their research) and addressed them while not capitalizing on it, which I truly appreciated. Also very strong family ties which I appreciated since you don’t often get a book where the entire family is super close.
Dislikes (tho very few)
There were only a few dislikes I had of this book (btw these are VERY minor in the book just pointed out here and there but I would feel bad if I didn’t state it)
- doctrinal issues: it does take place in cathedrals which personally I’m not Catholic and don’t necessarily agree with everything there since the Bible doesn’t really talk about priests and some practices. But I could overlook it because it had such strong spiritual content
- Drinking - some characters drank wine only once. Not in a bad way it’s just stated they drink wine. But can someone explain to me why books have characters drink wine? It doesn’t make sense to me…and I don’t really agree with it since John the Baptist was said to not be a wine bibber.
- Violence/Trickery - at times one character was rooting for a physical fight. It’s not the most Christian like approach but it was understandable with what the other character had done. Also some characters do lie to get animals into places where they’re banned.
AND THATS ALL FOLKS!
I will now have to put this book away ðŸ˜â€�.
Oh yes and for those who don’t know if they should read it�.READ IT. It changed my life. Maybe a big dramatic lol but it really made me rethink my faith walk.
December 17, 2024
I really loved this book! The steampunk vibes, the Nutcracker references, the romance!
February 20, 2025
"ð˜“ð˜°ð˜·ð˜¦ ð˜ªð˜´ ð˜®ð˜¶ð˜¤ð˜© ð˜ð˜ªð˜¬ð˜¦ 𘢠ð˜§ð˜ð˜°ð˜¸ð˜¦ð˜³, ð˜¤ð˜©ð˜ªð˜ð˜¥. ð˜ ð˜°ð˜¶ ð˜¤ð˜¢ð˜¯'𘵠ð˜¨ð˜¶ð˜¢ð˜³ð˜¢ð˜¯ð˜µð˜¦ð˜¦ ð˜ªð˜µ'ð˜ð˜ ð˜¨ð˜³ð˜°ð˜¸ ð˜°ð˜³ ð˜¦ð˜¯ð˜¥ð˜¶ð˜³ð˜¦ 𘢠ð˜£ð˜ªð˜µð˜µð˜¦ð˜³ ð˜¸ð˜ªð˜¯ð˜µð˜¦ð˜³ ð˜µð˜° ð˜£ð˜ð˜°ð˜°ð˜® ð˜¢ð˜¨ð˜¢ð˜ªð˜¯. ð˜ˆð˜ð˜ ð˜ºð˜°ð˜¶ ð˜¤ð˜¢ð˜¯ ð˜¥ð˜° ð˜ªð˜´ ð˜±ð˜ð˜¢ð˜¯ð˜µ ð˜¸ð˜©ð˜¢ð˜µ ð˜ºð˜°ð˜¶'ð˜³ð˜¦ ð˜¨ð˜ªð˜·ð˜¦ð˜¯, ð˜µð˜¦ð˜¯ð˜¥ ð˜ªð˜µ ð˜§ð˜¢ð˜ªð˜µð˜©ð˜§ð˜¶ð˜ð˜ð˜º, ð˜¢ð˜¯ð˜¥ ð˜³ð˜¦ð˜ð˜º ð˜°ð˜¯ ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ ð˜Žð˜°ð˜¥ ð˜¸ð˜©ð˜° ð˜¤ð˜¢ð˜³ð˜¦ð˜´ ð˜§ð˜°ð˜³ ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ ð˜ð˜ªð˜ð˜ªð˜¦ð˜´ ð˜°ð˜§ ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ ð˜§ð˜ªð˜¦ð˜ð˜¥ ð˜¢ð˜´ ð˜®ð˜¶ð˜¤ð˜© ð˜¢ð˜´ ð˜ð˜¦ ð˜¤ð˜¢ð˜³ð˜¦ð˜´ ð˜§ð˜°ð˜³ ð˜°ð˜¶ð˜³ ð˜©ð˜¦ð˜¢ð˜³ð˜µð˜´."
Why didn't I read this book sooner?! It was sooo amazing, so much more than I ever could've imagined!
I honestly didn't know what I was getting into with this book...it sounded kinda odd to me for awhile, but after I saw more and more people's reviews for it, I knew I had to give it a try!
The faith content in this book is definitely what spoke to me the most, it's been awhile since I read a book packed with this much strong, inspiring messages. It brought tears to my eyes so many times, and I had to just stop and think about it multiple times. It's sooo deep, there's no way you can soak it all in that fast. 🩷
The romance was just perfect. It was a reverse grumpy sunshine trope, which I've never read before, and it might be my new favorite. 😅 Theodore struggled to be confident within himself, to find his light in life, but he never lost Clara's. Never doubted her, never stopped trying to show her how special she was. And when Clara hit rock bottom and showed her raw emotions...let's just say she wasn't the only one crying. 😥
This definitely became a new top favorite book that I'll read over and over, and I'll always flip back to my many tabs. (I've never tabbed a book this much before 😅)
If you enjoy historical fiction faith-filled, sweet romance books, then don't look any further! ðŸ˜
*And a big thanks to my sweet friend @faerytalesarereal for gifting me with this book! 🤗🩷
"ð˜‹ð˜°ð˜¯'𘵠ð˜¤ð˜°ð˜¯ð˜§ð˜¶ð˜´ð˜¦ ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ ð˜¤ð˜©ð˜¢ð˜³ð˜¢ð˜¤ð˜µð˜¦ð˜³ ð˜°ð˜§ ð˜ºð˜°ð˜¶ð˜³ ð˜©ð˜¦ð˜¢ð˜·ð˜¦ð˜¯ð˜ð˜º ð˜ð˜¢ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ð˜³ ð˜¸ð˜ªð˜µð˜© ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ ð˜·ð˜°ð˜ªð˜¤ð˜¦ ð˜°ð˜§ ð˜ºð˜°ð˜¶ð˜³ ð˜¦ð˜¢ð˜³ð˜µð˜©ð˜ð˜º ð˜°ð˜¯ð˜¦...ð˜¥ð˜¦ð˜±ð˜¦ð˜¯ð˜¥ ð˜°ð˜¯ ð˜ð˜ªð˜®..."
Why didn't I read this book sooner?! It was sooo amazing, so much more than I ever could've imagined!
I honestly didn't know what I was getting into with this book...it sounded kinda odd to me for awhile, but after I saw more and more people's reviews for it, I knew I had to give it a try!
The faith content in this book is definitely what spoke to me the most, it's been awhile since I read a book packed with this much strong, inspiring messages. It brought tears to my eyes so many times, and I had to just stop and think about it multiple times. It's sooo deep, there's no way you can soak it all in that fast. 🩷
The romance was just perfect. It was a reverse grumpy sunshine trope, which I've never read before, and it might be my new favorite. 😅 Theodore struggled to be confident within himself, to find his light in life, but he never lost Clara's. Never doubted her, never stopped trying to show her how special she was. And when Clara hit rock bottom and showed her raw emotions...let's just say she wasn't the only one crying. 😥
This definitely became a new top favorite book that I'll read over and over, and I'll always flip back to my many tabs. (I've never tabbed a book this much before 😅)
If you enjoy historical fiction faith-filled, sweet romance books, then don't look any further! ðŸ˜
*And a big thanks to my sweet friend @faerytalesarereal for gifting me with this book! 🤗🩷
"ð˜‹ð˜°ð˜¯'𘵠ð˜¤ð˜°ð˜¯ð˜§ð˜¶ð˜´ð˜¦ ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ ð˜¤ð˜©ð˜¢ð˜³ð˜¢ð˜¤ð˜µð˜¦ð˜³ ð˜°ð˜§ ð˜ºð˜°ð˜¶ð˜³ ð˜©ð˜¦ð˜¢ð˜·ð˜¦ð˜¯ð˜ð˜º ð˜ð˜¢ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ð˜³ ð˜¸ð˜ªð˜µð˜© ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ ð˜·ð˜°ð˜ªð˜¤ð˜¦ ð˜°ð˜§ ð˜ºð˜°ð˜¶ð˜³ ð˜¦ð˜¢ð˜³ð˜µð˜©ð˜ð˜º ð˜°ð˜¯ð˜¦...ð˜¥ð˜¦ð˜±ð˜¦ð˜¯ð˜¥ ð˜°ð˜¯ ð˜ð˜ªð˜®..."
March 8, 2025
This is a Christian Fiction comic historical fantasy adventure with a romance subplot and a theme of trusting God and enjoying life, inspired by Around the World in 80 Days and The Nutcracker and with a character processing trauma from the Charge of the Light Brigade. I am frankly both amazed and delighted that a book with so quirky a pitch was traditionally published!
I was highlighting Bell’s irrepressible, golden retriever-energy prose like mad, and somehow Kindle lost all of my highlights?! So disappointing!
I really enjoyed the clockpunk elements! I had no idea that would be such a big part of the book. The madcap family reminded me of something out of a Frank Capra movie—I highlighted so many passages of the mum and her zealous campaigning for animals. And all the literary Easter eggs!
I’d recommend downloading the sample to check if the distinctive prose style is to your taste, and if it is, you will likely have a blast with this novel. I would not call this a romance as the fmc’s quest and family relationships and faith are more central to the plot.
I hope Angela Bell gets to write and publish more quirky books!
I was highlighting Bell’s irrepressible, golden retriever-energy prose like mad, and somehow Kindle lost all of my highlights?! So disappointing!
I really enjoyed the clockpunk elements! I had no idea that would be such a big part of the book. The madcap family reminded me of something out of a Frank Capra movie—I highlighted so many passages of the mum and her zealous campaigning for animals. And all the literary Easter eggs!
I’d recommend downloading the sample to check if the distinctive prose style is to your taste, and if it is, you will likely have a blast with this novel. I would not call this a romance as the fmc’s quest and family relationships and faith are more central to the plot.
I hope Angela Bell gets to write and publish more quirky books!
December 29, 2024
This was so much fun despite it DEFINITELY not being my genre or time period of choice, but the steampunk “Around the World in Eighty Days� with a dash of “The Nutcracker� paired with a whimsical writing style and a cast of truly likable, fun, and endearing characters certainly helped!
Clara and Theodore are such broken dears I very much felt for and was invested in seeing grow and become better, more faithful people (especially Clara, like good grief, girl, yet I totally understand why you’re acting this way), and Mrs. S. was a RIOT, I love her so much! Drosselmeyer was awesome too along with the ever growing menagerie of trouble, lol.
There are truly some beautiful lines in this book that are so poetic and made me appreciate the story all the more and now I want to go to Europe or at least have my own wild adventure somewhere. The Christian elements were woven beautifully throughout the story without being preachy or landing in “same old, same old� territory which is rare for me to find in Christian fiction so I like to point it out when I do come across it.
A true delight that helped me through a few depression days and kept me smiling even when I couldn’t about anything else.
‼︰ä´Ç²Ô³Ù±ð²Ô³Ù‼ï¸
TRIGGER WARNING: a character has PTSD and nightmares about war with blood and bodies (not to semi detailed); a character’s father was physically, verbally, and emotionally abusive; a man stalks a woman
Language: gah; hell; what the deuce
Violence: injuries and blood (not detailed); a couple of fist fights (not detailed); a woman is hit on the head with a teapot; a knife is held to a woman’s throat; characters are threatened with a gun; a character shoots a man’s hand (not detailed)
Sexual: a kiss (not detailed)
Other: talk about the deaths of loved ones and the grief still felt; characters are labeled as insane; a man was unlawfully sent to an insane asylum; a man blackmails and stalks a woman; a character has PTSD and nightmares about war with blood and bodies (not to semi detailed); a character’s father was physically, verbally, and emotionally abusive; a character is kidnapped, tied up, and locked up; talk about debtors prison; a character’s father gambled
Clara and Theodore are such broken dears I very much felt for and was invested in seeing grow and become better, more faithful people (especially Clara, like good grief, girl, yet I totally understand why you’re acting this way), and Mrs. S. was a RIOT, I love her so much! Drosselmeyer was awesome too along with the ever growing menagerie of trouble, lol.
There are truly some beautiful lines in this book that are so poetic and made me appreciate the story all the more and now I want to go to Europe or at least have my own wild adventure somewhere. The Christian elements were woven beautifully throughout the story without being preachy or landing in “same old, same old� territory which is rare for me to find in Christian fiction so I like to point it out when I do come across it.
A true delight that helped me through a few depression days and kept me smiling even when I couldn’t about anything else.
‼︰ä´Ç²Ô³Ù±ð²Ô³Ù‼ï¸
TRIGGER WARNING: a character has PTSD and nightmares about war with blood and bodies (not to semi detailed); a character’s father was physically, verbally, and emotionally abusive; a man stalks a woman
Language: gah; hell; what the deuce
Violence: injuries and blood (not detailed); a couple of fist fights (not detailed); a woman is hit on the head with a teapot; a knife is held to a woman’s throat; characters are threatened with a gun; a character shoots a man’s hand (not detailed)
Sexual: a kiss (not detailed)
Other: talk about the deaths of loved ones and the grief still felt; characters are labeled as insane; a man was unlawfully sent to an insane asylum; a man blackmails and stalks a woman; a character has PTSD and nightmares about war with blood and bodies (not to semi detailed); a character’s father was physically, verbally, and emotionally abusive; a character is kidnapped, tied up, and locked up; talk about debtors prison; a character’s father gambled
April 25, 2025
5 Stars �
Historical Fiction/ Steampunk
“Dearest Clara, I would rather be absurd with you than normal with anyone else.�
London England 1860
When Clara's ex-fiance spreads rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from society's prejudice. However, that proves to be difficult when her grandfather takes off on a flight of fancy. Thrown together with a vagabond tinker, Clara sets off on a whimsical adventure and finds a love that defies the odds.
This book stole my heart, and entertained me so much. I can hardly believe it is a debut, the writing seemed effortless. Angela Bell is officially an auto-read/buy author. In this story we follow some very eccentric characters that will be sure to make you laugh out loud. The banter and humor added so much joy to the story, along with the faith themes sprinkled throughout. It took a little while for me to enjoy Clara’s pov, but only because she had issues with trusting- which was part of her character arc over the course of the book. I grew to like her as her character developed. Clara’s mother was my favorite character, I wish I had a family member or friend like her. She was hilarious and unapologetically herself. Oh and all her animal babies 💗 Theodore the MMC was a cinnamon bun 🥰 you couldn’t help but fall in love with his heart and generosity. I can see myself rereading this often as a comfort read. It was so much fun! Highly recommend.
Historical Fiction/ Steampunk
“Dearest Clara, I would rather be absurd with you than normal with anyone else.�
London England 1860
When Clara's ex-fiance spreads rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from society's prejudice. However, that proves to be difficult when her grandfather takes off on a flight of fancy. Thrown together with a vagabond tinker, Clara sets off on a whimsical adventure and finds a love that defies the odds.
This book stole my heart, and entertained me so much. I can hardly believe it is a debut, the writing seemed effortless. Angela Bell is officially an auto-read/buy author. In this story we follow some very eccentric characters that will be sure to make you laugh out loud. The banter and humor added so much joy to the story, along with the faith themes sprinkled throughout. It took a little while for me to enjoy Clara’s pov, but only because she had issues with trusting- which was part of her character arc over the course of the book. I grew to like her as her character developed. Clara’s mother was my favorite character, I wish I had a family member or friend like her. She was hilarious and unapologetically herself. Oh and all her animal babies 💗 Theodore the MMC was a cinnamon bun 🥰 you couldn’t help but fall in love with his heart and generosity. I can see myself rereading this often as a comfort read. It was so much fun! Highly recommend.
April 20, 2024
A historical romance filled with fun, adventure and steampunk magic!
Once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. I loved the steampunk creatures, the eccentric characters and the faith. If you like National Treasure type clues, Mary Poppins magic and Around the World In 80 Days you are going to enjoy this fun ride!
*thank you to Bethany House for a copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts are my own. (3.5â�)
Once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. I loved the steampunk creatures, the eccentric characters and the faith. If you like National Treasure type clues, Mary Poppins magic and Around the World In 80 Days you are going to enjoy this fun ride!
*thank you to Bethany House for a copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts are my own. (3.5â�)
March 15, 2024
One word: brilliant!
More words: I am endlessly excited when I discover a new author with a pitch-perfect voice and a storytelling talent that shines. Angela Bell's A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is such a delight! I adored the humor, the unique plotline and just the sense of whimsy and wonder that was threaded throughout the whole story. There's a lovely romance and touching emotional growth for the main characters, and the steampunk slant just adds another layer of fun. Charming all around!
I just really, really loved this and can't wait to see what Angela writes next!
More words: I am endlessly excited when I discover a new author with a pitch-perfect voice and a storytelling talent that shines. Angela Bell's A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure is such a delight! I adored the humor, the unique plotline and just the sense of whimsy and wonder that was threaded throughout the whole story. There's a lovely romance and touching emotional growth for the main characters, and the steampunk slant just adds another layer of fun. Charming all around!
I just really, really loved this and can't wait to see what Angela writes next!
September 12, 2024
5âï¸ This was such an exciting book! It gave “Enola Holmesâ€� and “A Series of Unfortunate Eventsâ€� vibes the whole time!! 😠The only thing that disappointed a little bit from becoming perfect was that Clara was so angry all the time at first but then suddenly she changed. I wish it was more of her growing and not just a sudden change like that. But otherwise: This was one of my first fantasy reads and I was impressed!! This is a new favorite of mine!! 🥰
January 18, 2025
“Any broken thing can be made whole again. It all depends on who you give the pieces to.�
This book was whimsical and beautifully poetic!
Such a beautiful lesson of releasing control of things we were never designed to carry in the first place to the One who can carry it all without sweat marring his brow.
The story was an adventure from the first page, and I loved the homage to well loved classics. (I feel like I need to read Around the World in 80 Days now)
While Clara’s resistance to relinquishing control was driving me crazy, I also could empathize with her in her fully human nature. Because honestly…same girl. 😅 But her “breaking point� when she finally gave up control she never actually had was beautiful.
And UGH! The moment when Theodore had his “come BACK to Jesus� moment. Whhheeeew I was sat. With rapt attention. And maybe a hitch in my breath at how beautiful it was.
This book is a little chunky. And full of fun antiquated words/phrases that I wish we would revive in this the year of our Lord 2025. But every moment is worth it for there were SO MANY STINKIN� gems of Godly wisdom and reminders.
Grands & Mama Stanton (and of COURSE Fred) made the book all the more touching!
I am so looking forward to Angela’s next whimsical story, and all the adventures she’ll take us on.
4.5/5 stars
*I received this book from the publisher**All opinions are my own*
This book was whimsical and beautifully poetic!
Such a beautiful lesson of releasing control of things we were never designed to carry in the first place to the One who can carry it all without sweat marring his brow.
The story was an adventure from the first page, and I loved the homage to well loved classics. (I feel like I need to read Around the World in 80 Days now)
While Clara’s resistance to relinquishing control was driving me crazy, I also could empathize with her in her fully human nature. Because honestly…same girl. 😅 But her “breaking point� when she finally gave up control she never actually had was beautiful.
And UGH! The moment when Theodore had his “come BACK to Jesus� moment. Whhheeeew I was sat. With rapt attention. And maybe a hitch in my breath at how beautiful it was.
This book is a little chunky. And full of fun antiquated words/phrases that I wish we would revive in this the year of our Lord 2025. But every moment is worth it for there were SO MANY STINKIN� gems of Godly wisdom and reminders.
Grands & Mama Stanton (and of COURSE Fred) made the book all the more touching!
I am so looking forward to Angela’s next whimsical story, and all the adventures she’ll take us on.
4.5/5 stars
*I received this book from the publisher**All opinions are my own*
March 4, 2024
Oh my goodness, this book was SO MUCH FUN!!! 😆😂😠I don’t think any other book has made me laugh so much or so hard (I was seriously cackling)!!
Combine The Nutcracker, Around the World in 80 Days, a healthy dose of whimsy, bucketload of humor, and some sweet enemies-to-lovers romance with tons of witty banter, and you get A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure! From the first chapter, I fell in love with Clara’s eccentric family, especially her mother who is **extremely** passionate about animal rights and has a house full of disabled pets including a blind monkey named Bartimaeus 😂 I absolutely loved every second of following Clara and company on her grandfather Drosselmeyer’s scavenger hunt around Europe, and I was honestly sad to see the adventure end!
There were so many hilarious moments I wish I could quote here, but there’s too many to fit in this review and you won’t be able to get the full effect unless you read the book!! So just go read it, and I promise you will have a delightful time 😂😆ðŸ˜ðŸ‘🻠Mrs. S and her living ermine “stoleâ€�, Fred, were my favorite characters in the book for sure 🤣 and most of my favorite moments/scenes involved them! LOL
What makes this book even better is that it’s not just fantastical and hilarious. It’s also filled with beautiful faith content from cover to cover! Clara and Theodore are each transformed spiritually as they travel the continent together, and all of the nuggets of truth woven in along the way were so good. I found myself wanting to highlight several really great quotes! 🩵
A brilliant debut, and one that will be on my top reads of 2024 list, without a doubt!! I’m so excited to see what other stories Angela brings to the world!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Combine The Nutcracker, Around the World in 80 Days, a healthy dose of whimsy, bucketload of humor, and some sweet enemies-to-lovers romance with tons of witty banter, and you get A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure! From the first chapter, I fell in love with Clara’s eccentric family, especially her mother who is **extremely** passionate about animal rights and has a house full of disabled pets including a blind monkey named Bartimaeus 😂 I absolutely loved every second of following Clara and company on her grandfather Drosselmeyer’s scavenger hunt around Europe, and I was honestly sad to see the adventure end!
There were so many hilarious moments I wish I could quote here, but there’s too many to fit in this review and you won’t be able to get the full effect unless you read the book!! So just go read it, and I promise you will have a delightful time 😂😆ðŸ˜ðŸ‘🻠Mrs. S and her living ermine “stoleâ€�, Fred, were my favorite characters in the book for sure 🤣 and most of my favorite moments/scenes involved them! LOL
What makes this book even better is that it’s not just fantastical and hilarious. It’s also filled with beautiful faith content from cover to cover! Clara and Theodore are each transformed spiritually as they travel the continent together, and all of the nuggets of truth woven in along the way were so good. I found myself wanting to highlight several really great quotes! 🩵
A brilliant debut, and one that will be on my top reads of 2024 list, without a doubt!! I’m so excited to see what other stories Angela brings to the world!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
March 5, 2025
There are some books that come along at just the right moment in your life... This was one of those for me. I related so hard to Clara, and so many lines directed at her hit me hard y'all...the themes in this book are exceptional!
Characters:
Clara was so relatable for me...her constant striving to control every situation, to make up for a mistake she deemed she'd made, and her tendency to hold the weight of the world and family on her own shoulders. Boy, did I relate... and her arc through the story was beautiful!
Arthur, oh dear man...I loved him! And often found myself relating to him as well. I felt so bad for him and wanted desperately to give him a big hug!
Grand...dear, dear grand! I loved him! Both wise and absolutely hilarious at the same time!
Mrs. Stanton reminded me of my sister, Rissy, in that fact...Rissy would totally have all the animals and want to bring them/save them.😂
Themes:
That the future, both ours and the future of those we love, does not rest in our hands but in God's. We were never made to hold the weight of the world.
That we will never be too far gone for God. That all of us were made with a purpose and loved by God no matter our real or perceived mistakes.
Language:
N/A
Romance:
A slow burn, enemies to lovers/grumpyxsunshine...it was so cute!
Violence/Gore:
Arthur has some dreams related to the war and some abuse from his father, nothing is overly detailed. Someone gets held at knife point, someone gets shot, and knocked over the head.
Overall:
This was a really good book! The pacing was a bit slower than what I normally read, but it picked up toward the end, and the meandering pace of the beginning works well with the story and helps highlight Clara's frustration.
I'd recommend for anyone 13+
Characters:
Clara was so relatable for me...her constant striving to control every situation, to make up for a mistake she deemed she'd made, and her tendency to hold the weight of the world and family on her own shoulders. Boy, did I relate... and her arc through the story was beautiful!
Arthur, oh dear man...I loved him! And often found myself relating to him as well. I felt so bad for him and wanted desperately to give him a big hug!
Grand...dear, dear grand! I loved him! Both wise and absolutely hilarious at the same time!
Mrs. Stanton reminded me of my sister, Rissy, in that fact...Rissy would totally have all the animals and want to bring them/save them.😂
Themes:
That the future, both ours and the future of those we love, does not rest in our hands but in God's. We were never made to hold the weight of the world.
That we will never be too far gone for God. That all of us were made with a purpose and loved by God no matter our real or perceived mistakes.
Language:
N/A
Romance:
A slow burn, enemies to lovers/grumpyxsunshine...it was so cute!
Violence/Gore:
Arthur has some dreams related to the war and some abuse from his father, nothing is overly detailed. Someone gets held at knife point, someone gets shot, and knocked over the head.
Overall:
This was a really good book! The pacing was a bit slower than what I normally read, but it picked up toward the end, and the meandering pace of the beginning works well with the story and helps highlight Clara's frustration.
I'd recommend for anyone 13+
August 30, 2024
A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure 🦉🌠�
“The Lord, never promised that life would be safe. But he did promise to be with us always. Whatever the horror and Journey of life may bring, rest assured, you shall never be left to face it alone.�
What a journey this was. Wow!
I loved every. single. second of this bookðŸ˜ðŸ™ŒðŸ¼. This is going down as one of my favorite books ever! The adventure, the characters, the animals, the romance, the family dynamics, the message, EVERYTHING is amazing! I am so happy I gave this debut a chance.
If you love witty banter, historical fiction, enemies to lovers, and quirky characters, please do yourself a favor and read this novel!
All the stars in Wyld’s Great Globe 🌎 🌟
“The Lord, never promised that life would be safe. But he did promise to be with us always. Whatever the horror and Journey of life may bring, rest assured, you shall never be left to face it alone.�
What a journey this was. Wow!
I loved every. single. second of this bookðŸ˜ðŸ™ŒðŸ¼. This is going down as one of my favorite books ever! The adventure, the characters, the animals, the romance, the family dynamics, the message, EVERYTHING is amazing! I am so happy I gave this debut a chance.
If you love witty banter, historical fiction, enemies to lovers, and quirky characters, please do yourself a favor and read this novel!
All the stars in Wyld’s Great Globe 🌎 🌟
February 25, 2024
1860 London, England
What a unique debut! A charming and whimsical tale about a young woman, Clara, that feels the weight of her family on her shoulders. Her mother is eccentric and huge animal lover.
Theodore Kingsley has been turned away by his family and seeks employment as a clock maker with Clara's Grandfather "Grand".
Grand leads Clara and Theodore on a great adventure. They learn so much on their journey. Lots of banter between the two main characters.
My gratitude to publisher Bethany House and the author for a complimentary copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.
What a unique debut! A charming and whimsical tale about a young woman, Clara, that feels the weight of her family on her shoulders. Her mother is eccentric and huge animal lover.
Theodore Kingsley has been turned away by his family and seeks employment as a clock maker with Clara's Grandfather "Grand".
Grand leads Clara and Theodore on a great adventure. They learn so much on their journey. Lots of banter between the two main characters.
My gratitude to publisher Bethany House and the author for a complimentary copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.
February 28, 2025
This was one of the best books I've read in forever. Both characters actually act like adults, have amazing character arches, and the suspense was fun without being scary. The nutcracker theme was very fun, and not overdone. But I think the most masterful thing was the fact that it was steampunk without that fact being shoved in your face. It was just a part of the story done perfectly. It made me want to reread it the moment I was done. I will definitely be reading more by this author!
March 20, 2024
Story Enjoyment Rating: 8.5/10 Christian Faith Rating: 3/3
A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell is a historical Christian fiction novel. It follows Clara, whose ex-fiancé tries to have her family put in an asylum. Her grandfather is a great inventor and makes amazing things with clockwork. He takes on an apprentice and Clara is highly suspicious of him. Clara’s grandfather goes off in his flying owl machine, forcing Clara to follow after him, following the clues that he leaves her.
I loved the eccentric nature of this book. I loved the quirky characters. Although some of them got on my nerves to start with, I warmed to them by the end.
Both of the main characters have a redemption story. At the beginning, they are carrying a lot of hurt and this makes them either hit out and hurt other people or draw into themselves so they can’t be hurt by others. Clara feels she is responsible for her whole family and it weighs heavily on her.
Both characters go on a journey of faith in God and change considerably throughout the book. At the beginning of the book Clara has some unlikeable qualities, but she changes as she heals both emotionally and spiritually.
The book travels throughout Europe and I would have liked more description and grounding in the places that they visited. Many of them felt the same, and I would have liked to see more of a distinction in the atmosphere of each place.
The Christian content was great and choked me up on two occasions. The character development was also good. The clockwork automatons were a fun and an interesting touch too.
A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell is a historical Christian fiction novel. It follows Clara, whose ex-fiancé tries to have her family put in an asylum. Her grandfather is a great inventor and makes amazing things with clockwork. He takes on an apprentice and Clara is highly suspicious of him. Clara’s grandfather goes off in his flying owl machine, forcing Clara to follow after him, following the clues that he leaves her.
I loved the eccentric nature of this book. I loved the quirky characters. Although some of them got on my nerves to start with, I warmed to them by the end.
Both of the main characters have a redemption story. At the beginning, they are carrying a lot of hurt and this makes them either hit out and hurt other people or draw into themselves so they can’t be hurt by others. Clara feels she is responsible for her whole family and it weighs heavily on her.
Both characters go on a journey of faith in God and change considerably throughout the book. At the beginning of the book Clara has some unlikeable qualities, but she changes as she heals both emotionally and spiritually.
The book travels throughout Europe and I would have liked more description and grounding in the places that they visited. Many of them felt the same, and I would have liked to see more of a distinction in the atmosphere of each place.
The Christian content was great and choked me up on two occasions. The character development was also good. The clockwork automatons were a fun and an interesting touch too.
September 20, 2024
There is no way I’m done with this book. It’s not possible to be done with such an elegant novel.
Clara was so delightful and realistic. I related to her so easily. I wanted to give her a hug. She started off so hardened and burdened, but her growth was graceful. One thing I really loved was how feminine yet strong she was. She had a graceful air, but she knew how to handle tough situations.
Mr. Theodore was an amazing man. He was so burdened by shame, but that moment when *spoilers* Words can’t even describe how lovely it was. He was so protective and manly. He knew when to keep his distance, but he was bold and respectful.
Mrs. S was a character. She practically had a zoo by the end of the book. But she also was a matchmaker which ended up being delightful.
Grand was a mystery. I loved following the owl. He took the crew on a delightful trip around Europe. His automatons were boggling.
This book has truly encouraged me to seek out better vocabulary. To trust God, not just myself. To take the chance for adventure. To make friends along my way. To not be afraid to love. To appreciate the family I have, for they will always be there.
I cannot speak about this book highly enough. I’m looking at it while writing this review. I may never articulate how much I care for this novel, but read it, and understand its depths.
Content: semi-detailed violence (some heavy moments, but not described), one kiss (it was one sentence), ptsd (dreams of horrific events, not something I believe would bother most, but I would note)
Clara was so delightful and realistic. I related to her so easily. I wanted to give her a hug. She started off so hardened and burdened, but her growth was graceful. One thing I really loved was how feminine yet strong she was. She had a graceful air, but she knew how to handle tough situations.
Mr. Theodore was an amazing man. He was so burdened by shame, but that moment when *spoilers* Words can’t even describe how lovely it was. He was so protective and manly. He knew when to keep his distance, but he was bold and respectful.
Mrs. S was a character. She practically had a zoo by the end of the book. But she also was a matchmaker which ended up being delightful.
Grand was a mystery. I loved following the owl. He took the crew on a delightful trip around Europe. His automatons were boggling.
This book has truly encouraged me to seek out better vocabulary. To trust God, not just myself. To take the chance for adventure. To make friends along my way. To not be afraid to love. To appreciate the family I have, for they will always be there.
I cannot speak about this book highly enough. I’m looking at it while writing this review. I may never articulate how much I care for this novel, but read it, and understand its depths.
Content: semi-detailed violence (some heavy moments, but not described), one kiss (it was one sentence), ptsd (dreams of horrific events, not something I believe would bother most, but I would note)
March 27, 2024
This book had a lot of potential, and I’m a bit of an outlier, but I struggled to finish� in fact I did something I hardly ever do and skipped a few chapters. I will say the audiobook is well narrated and I did like Clara, and Arthur/Theodore was an interesting character and unusual to have a disabled main character, albeit with a mechanical leg! And there were parts of the story I enjoyed and found sweet.
What didn’t work for me was the LONG scavenger hunt� I just wanted to get on with the book. I know there was relationship building but it got old, especially Grandma rescuing animals at every stop. And the fact that every character seems so quirky. Now I love a quirky character, but combined with all the electronic gadgets it just was over the top for me. Also, I didn’t realize it was so Christian/faith based. It stated more understated but became very dominant as the book progressed. It was well done but not my typical choice and not what I was expecting. I did notice afterwards that it is tagged as Christian fiction so that’s on me, but it’s not noted in the summary at all.
A lot of people really enjoyed it, and I do think readers have an advantage over listeners when books drag because it’s easier to skim ahead. I did increase the speed more than my typical part way through and that helped.
What didn’t work for me was the LONG scavenger hunt� I just wanted to get on with the book. I know there was relationship building but it got old, especially Grandma rescuing animals at every stop. And the fact that every character seems so quirky. Now I love a quirky character, but combined with all the electronic gadgets it just was over the top for me. Also, I didn’t realize it was so Christian/faith based. It stated more understated but became very dominant as the book progressed. It was well done but not my typical choice and not what I was expecting. I did notice afterwards that it is tagged as Christian fiction so that’s on me, but it’s not noted in the summary at all.
A lot of people really enjoyed it, and I do think readers have an advantage over listeners when books drag because it’s easier to skim ahead. I did increase the speed more than my typical part way through and that helped.
October 2, 2024
This was such a fun read. It was so quirky and quaint.
The reason it's 4 instead of 5 stars is because I didn't completely fall in love with the characters, if I had it would be a solid 5 stars.
The reason it's 4 instead of 5 stars is because I didn't completely fall in love with the characters, if I had it would be a solid 5 stars.
April 5, 2024
âð™¸ðš� ðšðš‘𚎠ðšŒðšŠðš™ðšŠðš‹ðš•ðšŽ ðš‘ðšŠðš—ðšðšœ ðš˜ðš ð™¶ðš˜ðš, ðš˜ðš—ðšŽ'𚜠ðš ðš˜ðš›ðšœðš ðš—ðš’ðšðš‘ðšðš–ðšŠðš›ðšŽ ðšŒðš˜ðšžðš•ðš ðšðš›ðšŠðš—ðšœðšðš˜ðš›ðš– ðš’ðš—ðšðš˜ 𚊠ðšðšŠðš—ðšðšŠðšœðšðš’ðšŒðšŠðš• ðšðš›ðšŽðšŠðš– ðšðš‘ðšŠðš ðšœðšžðš›ðš™ðšŠðšœðšœðšŽðšœ ðšðš‘𚎠ðšœðšŒðš˜ðš™ðšŽ ðš˜ðš ðš˜ðš—ðšŽ'𚜠ðš ðš’ðš•ðšðšŽðšœðš ðš’ðš–ðšŠðšðš’ðš—ðšŠðšðš’ðš˜ðš—.â�
I checked this book out on a whim and got so much more in return. 🥰
It's a book of
🔹 Adventure
🔹 Good hearted (but quirky) family
🔹 Learning to love again
🔹 Learning to trust the Maker with His own creation
🔹 Following clues around the world
And it's packed full of
🔹 Action
🔹 Ultra clean romance
🔹 Mysterious and tragic pasts
🔹 Quirky animal sidekicks (it's like Disney but better bc it could totally be pulled off in the real world)
🔹 Stunning Quotes (honestly I could've just made a review of all the quotes hehe)
🔹 Priceless banter and sweet sarcasm
🔹 Seamless faith ties that all of us can really relate to
🔹 Sarcasm & witty banter that had me laughing out loud ðŸ¤
Honestly it was a pretty special book! At first I was hesitant but the quirkiness of the family is such a cool aspect, and the pets (er equally treated business partners... iykyk) were such a fun part too. I couldn't help but laugh out loud in way to many sections, and my heart felt every witty banter this book contained. So if you're a fan of historical fiction, strong families, gentlemen, growing to trust your Maker, and you know... animals with big personalities than this book is a must read! It's clean enough for a family read but still deep enough to hold your attention *glances at the lack of sleep I had for the past 3 days*
For me, it's definitely an amazing debut novel!!
(And to be real, I totally need my own copy so I can highlight all my favorite quotes <3)
But tysm for taking the time to read my rant 🥰
Le ✨Quotes�:
~ “ð““ð“®ð“ªð“»ð“®ð“¼ð“� ð“’ð“µð“ªð“»ð“ª, 𓘠ð”€ð“¸ð“¾ð“µð“ ð“»ð“ªð“½ð“±ð“®ð“» ð“«ð“® ð“ªð“«ð“¼ð“¾ð“»ð“ ð”€ð“²ð“½ð“± ð”‚ð“¸ð“¾ ð“½ð“±ð“ªð“· ð“·ð“¸ð“»ð“¶ð“ªð“µ ð”€ð“²ð“½ð“± ð“ªð“·ð”‚ð“¸ð“·ð“® ð“®ð“µð“¼ð“®.â€�
~ “ð»ð‘’ð’¶ð“‹ð‘’ð“� ð“€ð“ƒð‘œð“Œð“ˆ ð“Žð‘œð“Š'ð“‡ð‘’ ð“…ð“‡ð‘’ð’¸ð’¾ð‘œð“Šð“ˆ ð’¶ð“ƒð’¹ ð“Œð‘œð“‡ð“‰ð’½ ð“…ð“‡ð‘œð“‰ð‘’ð’¸ð“‰ð’¾ð“ƒð‘” ð‘’ð“‹ð‘’𓃠ð“Œð’½ð‘’𓃠ð“‚ð‘’𓃠ð’¹ð‘œð“ƒ'ð“‰, ð’¶ð“ƒð’¹ ð’½ð‘’ð’¶ð“‹ð‘’𓃠ð“Œð’¾ð“ð“ ð’¹ð‘’ð’»ð‘’ð“ƒð’¹ ð“Žð‘œð“Š ð‘’ð“‹ð‘’𓃠ð“Œð’½ð‘’𓃠ð“‚ð‘’𓃠ð’»ð’¶ð’¾ð“.â€�
~ “ð“¨ð“¸ð“� ð“ªð“»ð“® 𓪠ð“¶ð“ªð“´ð“®ð“». ð“ð“¸ð“½ ð“½ð“±ð“® ð“œð“ªð“´ð“®ð“».â€�
~ “ð’²ð‘�'ð“‹ð‘’ ð’·ð‘’ð‘’𓃠ð“‰ð’½ð“‡ð‘œð“Šð‘”ð’½ ð“‰ð’½ð’¾ð“ˆ ð¹ð“‡ð‘’ð’¹ð’¹ð“Ž. ð’¯ð’½ð‘’ ð“ð’¶ð“ˆð“‰ ð“‰ð’¾ð“‚ð‘’ ð“Žð‘œð“Š ð“…ð“ð’¶ð“Žð‘’ð’¹ ð’»ð‘œð“Šð“‡ð“‰ð’½ ð’¶ð“‰ ð“‰ð’½ð‘’ ð“Œð’½ð’¾ð“ˆð“‰ ð’¸ð‘œð“ƒð“ˆð‘œð“‡ð“‰ð’¾ð“Šð“‚, ð“Žð‘œð“Š ð’·ð‘’ð’½ð‘’ð’¶ð’¹ð‘’ð’¹ ð“‰ð’½ð‘’ ð“†ð“Šð‘’ð‘’𓃠ð‘œð’» ð’½ð‘’ð’¶ð“‡ð“‰ð“ˆ, ð’¶ð“ƒð’¹ ð“‰ð’½ð’¶ð“‰ ð‘’ð“ƒð’¹ð‘’ð’¹ ð’·ð’¶ð’¹ð“ð“Ž ð’»ð‘œð“‡ ð’¶ð“ð“ ð’¸ð‘œð“ƒð’¸ð‘’ð“‡ð“ƒð‘’ð’¹.â€�
~ "ð“žð“·ð“¬ð“® ð“¼ð“½ð“¾ð“·ð“° ð“«ð”‚ 𓪠ð“±ð“¸ð“»ð“·ð“®ð“½, ð“²ð“½ ð”€ð“ªð“¼ ð“·ð“ªð“½ð“¾ð“»ð“ªð“µ ð“½ð“¸ ð“¼ð“±ð”‚ ð“ªð”€ð“ªð”‚ ð“¯ð“»ð“¸ð“¶ ð“ªð“·ð”‚ð“½ð“±ð“²ð“·ð“° ð“½ð“±ð“ªð“½ ð“«ð“¾ð”ƒð”ƒð“®ð“, ð”€ð“ªð“¼ ð“²ð“½ ð“·ð“¸ð“½?"
~ "ð’«ð‘’ð‘œð“…ð“ð‘’ ð“Œð’¾ð“‰ð’½ ð’¹ð’¾ð“‚ð“…ð“ð‘’𓈠ð’¶ð“‡ð‘’ ð“‡ð’¶ð“‡ð‘’ð“ð“Ž ð’¹ð“‡ð’¶ð“Œð“ƒ ð“‰ð‘œ ð“‹ð’¾ð‘œð“ð‘’ð“ƒð’¸ð‘’."
I checked this book out on a whim and got so much more in return. 🥰
It's a book of
🔹 Adventure
🔹 Good hearted (but quirky) family
🔹 Learning to love again
🔹 Learning to trust the Maker with His own creation
🔹 Following clues around the world
And it's packed full of
🔹 Action
🔹 Ultra clean romance
🔹 Mysterious and tragic pasts
🔹 Quirky animal sidekicks (it's like Disney but better bc it could totally be pulled off in the real world)
🔹 Stunning Quotes (honestly I could've just made a review of all the quotes hehe)
🔹 Priceless banter and sweet sarcasm
🔹 Seamless faith ties that all of us can really relate to
🔹 Sarcasm & witty banter that had me laughing out loud ðŸ¤
Honestly it was a pretty special book! At first I was hesitant but the quirkiness of the family is such a cool aspect, and the pets (er equally treated business partners... iykyk) were such a fun part too. I couldn't help but laugh out loud in way to many sections, and my heart felt every witty banter this book contained. So if you're a fan of historical fiction, strong families, gentlemen, growing to trust your Maker, and you know... animals with big personalities than this book is a must read! It's clean enough for a family read but still deep enough to hold your attention *glances at the lack of sleep I had for the past 3 days*
For me, it's definitely an amazing debut novel!!
(And to be real, I totally need my own copy so I can highlight all my favorite quotes <3)
But tysm for taking the time to read my rant 🥰
Le ✨Quotes�:
~ “ð““ð“®ð“ªð“»ð“®ð“¼ð“� ð“’ð“µð“ªð“»ð“ª, 𓘠ð”€ð“¸ð“¾ð“µð“ ð“»ð“ªð“½ð“±ð“®ð“» ð“«ð“® ð“ªð“«ð“¼ð“¾ð“»ð“ ð”€ð“²ð“½ð“± ð”‚ð“¸ð“¾ ð“½ð“±ð“ªð“· ð“·ð“¸ð“»ð“¶ð“ªð“µ ð”€ð“²ð“½ð“± ð“ªð“·ð”‚ð“¸ð“·ð“® ð“®ð“µð“¼ð“®.â€�
~ “ð»ð‘’ð’¶ð“‹ð‘’ð“� ð“€ð“ƒð‘œð“Œð“ˆ ð“Žð‘œð“Š'ð“‡ð‘’ ð“…ð“‡ð‘’ð’¸ð’¾ð‘œð“Šð“ˆ ð’¶ð“ƒð’¹ ð“Œð‘œð“‡ð“‰ð’½ ð“…ð“‡ð‘œð“‰ð‘’ð’¸ð“‰ð’¾ð“ƒð‘” ð‘’ð“‹ð‘’𓃠ð“Œð’½ð‘’𓃠ð“‚ð‘’𓃠ð’¹ð‘œð“ƒ'ð“‰, ð’¶ð“ƒð’¹ ð’½ð‘’ð’¶ð“‹ð‘’𓃠ð“Œð’¾ð“ð“ ð’¹ð‘’ð’»ð‘’ð“ƒð’¹ ð“Žð‘œð“Š ð‘’ð“‹ð‘’𓃠ð“Œð’½ð‘’𓃠ð“‚ð‘’𓃠ð’»ð’¶ð’¾ð“.â€�
~ “ð“¨ð“¸ð“� ð“ªð“»ð“® 𓪠ð“¶ð“ªð“´ð“®ð“». ð“ð“¸ð“½ ð“½ð“±ð“® ð“œð“ªð“´ð“®ð“».â€�
~ “ð’²ð‘�'ð“‹ð‘’ ð’·ð‘’ð‘’𓃠ð“‰ð’½ð“‡ð‘œð“Šð‘”ð’½ ð“‰ð’½ð’¾ð“ˆ ð¹ð“‡ð‘’ð’¹ð’¹ð“Ž. ð’¯ð’½ð‘’ ð“ð’¶ð“ˆð“‰ ð“‰ð’¾ð“‚ð‘’ ð“Žð‘œð“Š ð“…ð“ð’¶ð“Žð‘’ð’¹ ð’»ð‘œð“Šð“‡ð“‰ð’½ ð’¶ð“‰ ð“‰ð’½ð‘’ ð“Œð’½ð’¾ð“ˆð“‰ ð’¸ð‘œð“ƒð“ˆð‘œð“‡ð“‰ð’¾ð“Šð“‚, ð“Žð‘œð“Š ð’·ð‘’ð’½ð‘’ð’¶ð’¹ð‘’ð’¹ ð“‰ð’½ð‘’ ð“†ð“Šð‘’ð‘’𓃠ð‘œð’» ð’½ð‘’ð’¶ð“‡ð“‰ð“ˆ, ð’¶ð“ƒð’¹ ð“‰ð’½ð’¶ð“‰ ð‘’ð“ƒð’¹ð‘’ð’¹ ð’·ð’¶ð’¹ð“ð“Ž ð’»ð‘œð“‡ ð’¶ð“ð“ ð’¸ð‘œð“ƒð’¸ð‘’ð“‡ð“ƒð‘’ð’¹.â€�
~ "ð“žð“·ð“¬ð“® ð“¼ð“½ð“¾ð“·ð“° ð“«ð”‚ 𓪠ð“±ð“¸ð“»ð“·ð“®ð“½, ð“²ð“½ ð”€ð“ªð“¼ ð“·ð“ªð“½ð“¾ð“»ð“ªð“µ ð“½ð“¸ ð“¼ð“±ð”‚ ð“ªð”€ð“ªð”‚ ð“¯ð“»ð“¸ð“¶ ð“ªð“·ð”‚ð“½ð“±ð“²ð“·ð“° ð“½ð“±ð“ªð“½ ð“«ð“¾ð”ƒð”ƒð“®ð“, ð”€ð“ªð“¼ ð“²ð“½ ð“·ð“¸ð“½?"
~ "ð’«ð‘’ð‘œð“…ð“ð‘’ ð“Œð’¾ð“‰ð’½ ð’¹ð’¾ð“‚ð“…ð“ð‘’𓈠ð’¶ð“‡ð‘’ ð“‡ð’¶ð“‡ð‘’ð“ð“Ž ð’¹ð“‡ð’¶ð“Œð“ƒ ð“‰ð‘œ ð“‹ð’¾ð‘œð“ð‘’ð“ƒð’¸ð‘’."
February 26, 2024
A little Victorian Steampunk, a little Jules verne, a little Nutcracker makes this a fabulous book that blends quirky characters, acerbic wit, an interesting premise and Godly wisdom.
Clara feels responsible to look after her family. She has a hard time seeing that God is in control, not her. Her grandfather Drosselmeyer, is a clockmaker and inventor of marvelous contraptions. Theodore Kingsley, who has a hidden past, is taken on as an apprentice. He is mistrusted by Clara but they, along with her Mum, set out on a scavenger hunt to track down Grand and his flying owl, while fleeing a dastardly villain.
The descriptions of the places they visit make me feel like I was there. And throughout the journey Clara thaws toward Theodore.
Mum was a favorite character. She advocated for animals and their welfare and wore a live ermine named Fred as a stole.
The clues for the scavenger hunt were so well done and were connected to an intricate pocket watch. The message clues from Grand to Clara were full of godly wisdom and helped Clara to see that she didn’t have to live up to her nickname of Little Atlas with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
An exceptional and cleverly executed debut from an outstanding author.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*
Clara feels responsible to look after her family. She has a hard time seeing that God is in control, not her. Her grandfather Drosselmeyer, is a clockmaker and inventor of marvelous contraptions. Theodore Kingsley, who has a hidden past, is taken on as an apprentice. He is mistrusted by Clara but they, along with her Mum, set out on a scavenger hunt to track down Grand and his flying owl, while fleeing a dastardly villain.
The descriptions of the places they visit make me feel like I was there. And throughout the journey Clara thaws toward Theodore.
Mum was a favorite character. She advocated for animals and their welfare and wore a live ermine named Fred as a stole.
The clues for the scavenger hunt were so well done and were connected to an intricate pocket watch. The message clues from Grand to Clara were full of godly wisdom and helped Clara to see that she didn’t have to live up to her nickname of Little Atlas with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
An exceptional and cleverly executed debut from an outstanding author.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*
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