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They’re always watching. They’re always waiting. They’re always starving Ten years ago, the sky shattered and the Hellions emerged.
No one was able to keep them from destroying the city of Westraven. Now that the bloodthirsty monsters rule the skies and have forced the few remaining humans underground, Claire Abernathy lives in a nightmare. She survives by using her skills They’re always watching. They’re always waiting.
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They’re always starving Ten years ago, the sky shattered and the Hellions emerged. No one was able to keep them from destroying the city of Westraven. Now that the bloodthirsty monsters rule the skies and have forced the few remaining humans underground, Claire Abernathy lives in a nightmare.
She survives by using her skills as an engineer for a ruthless tyrant connected to her mother and father’s past failure. Then Claire’s world is torn apart when her sister Abby is kidnapped by the Hellions, and Claire herself is taken by dangerous sky pirates known as marauders.
But Claire will not be intimidated by them while her sister’s life hangs by a thread, and so she strikes a deal with them: If they help rescue Abby, she will fix their ship and give them the chance to take the revenge they desperately seek. As Claire fights for her sister’s life, she begins to realize that the Hellions are not the only dangers she’ll face. Burdensome secrets and devastating betrayals threaten her at every turn, and if she loses herself to them, it won’t just be her life that is destroyed.
Humans were driven underground the day the Hellions first rained blood and death over the city of Westraven. That was ten years ago and the world is now a living nightmare, both from the monsters in the sky and from the cruel dictator below ground. Claire survives by using her gift for engineering as she risks life and limb on a daily basis for the tyrant below the earth.
If not for her young sister, she would rather face a quick death than either the bloodthirsty Hellions or the monster she wor Humans were driven underground the day the Hellions first rained blood and death over the city of Westraven. That was ten years ago and the world is now a living nightmare, both from the monsters in the sky and from the cruel dictator below ground. Claire survives by using her gift for engineering as she risks life and limb on a daily basis for the tyrant below the earth. If not for her young sister, she would rather face a quick death than either the bloodthirsty Hellions or the monster she works for. True Hell on Earth came when the Hellions kidnapped her sister and Claire vows to bring her back or die trying.
No shrinking violet, when Claire finds herself captured by sky pirates, she makes a deal with the devil to save her sister’s life. Betrayal, danger, horrors and an unwelcome attraction to one of the pirates are all part of the journey Claire must undertake to save her sister and humanity from the ghoulish vampires. Unlikely allegiances will be formed, loyalties tested and the grit of true strength of character make Amy Braun’s Crimson Sky read like a daring bungee jump from an abandoned train track. Share the terror and the unknown from inside Claire’s mind and be part of the nightmare she lives as one outspoken and daring young lady risks life and limb for the freedom of more than just her young sister. Brilliant dialogue shows that Claire is not cut out for the life she must undertake, but in spite of her whining, she jumps into the fray like a true hero. A swashbuckling, arrogant pirate plays off her more serious nature with a hint of romance and a touch of humor as heads will roll, blood will be shed and horrific and heartbreaking secrets will be revealed. Who knew vampires, steampunk and a dystopian tale could be brewed into a concoction that will glue readers to every page and feeling every moment?
I received this copy from Amy Braun in exchange for my honest review. Series: Dark Sky - Book 1 Publisher: Amy Braun (February 2, 2016) Publication Date: February 2, 2016 ISBN-10: 099387584X ISBN-13: 9847 Genre: Fantasy| Steampunk| Dystopian Print Length: 282 pages Available from:| For Reviews & More.
The Love and Bond of sisters. The depths of what one would endure to make sure that the other sister was safe. Claire and Abby had a bond that would be tested and pushed to the limits of love and bonds. Their world and their lives changed the day that the skies above were shattered hell became a daily routine.
The Hellions emerged and life for the sisters would never be the same again. This read was a mixture of all the things that I love in read.
It was full to the brim with fantasy, sci-fi, st The Love and Bond of sisters. The depths of what one would endure to make sure that the other sister was safe. Claire and Abby had a bond that would be tested and pushed to the limits of love and bonds. Their world and their lives changed the day that the skies above were shattered hell became a daily routine. The Hellions emerged and life for the sisters would never be the same again. This read was a mixture of all the things that I love in read.
It was full to the brim with fantasy, sci-fi, steampunk mechanics. The world was diverse, vast, and vivid. This ya dystopia was appealing and captivating with its dangers, betrayals, test of loyalties, pirates, creatures, strength of one self. Claire was a very strong and capable young woman.
She took a stand and did not let much step in her way. She had to save her sister and she let nothing and no one deter her from the goal she had. As the scope of things become clearer. Claire has to put on the fight of her world not just for the love of her sister and her safety but for the world itself. You will not be lacking for entertainment.
With Vampires, pirates, humans, a steampunk mixture, a touch of sci-fi, paranormal, and maybe just maybe a little beginning of a romance. What will be next in the great adventure? I read the last 3 or 4 chapters within the span of about a week.
It took me like 3 days just to force myself to get it over with and read that final chapter. That's how bad it got for me. I think this book is for MG, though some of the incidents are very adult in nature, so perhaps it's meant as a YA book, I'm not sure, but the consistency of the tone is all over the place. We've got the dystopian setting with the aforementioned dark depraved things happening to people, then we've got the spunky I read the last 3 or 4 chapters within the span of about a week. It took me like 3 days just to force myself to get it over with and read that final chapter. That's how bad it got for me.
I think this book is for MG, though some of the incidents are very adult in nature, so perhaps it's meant as a YA book, I'm not sure, but the consistency of the tone is all over the place. We've got the dystopian setting with the aforementioned dark depraved things happening to people, then we've got the spunky hero who does heroic things that succeeds the way MG heroes do. It just made me feel like I was reading a very superficial book, and the inconsistency of the tone made me unable to immerse myself in the story. And the attempt at romance just bored me.
Doubtful I'll be picking up the sequels:(. They’re always watching. They’re always waiting. They’re always starving Ten years ago, the sky shattered and the Hellions emerged. No one was able to keep them from destroying the city of Westraven.
Now that the bloodthirsty monsters rule the skies and have forced the few remaining humans underground, Claire Abernathy lives in a nightmare. She survives by using her skills as an engineer for a ruthless tyrant connected to her mother and father’s past failure. Then Claire’s world is torn apart whe They’re always watching. They’re always waiting. They’re always starving Ten years ago, the sky shattered and the Hellions emerged. No one was able to keep them from destroying the city of Westraven.
Now that the bloodthirsty monsters rule the skies and have forced the few remaining humans underground, Claire Abernathy lives in a nightmare. She survives by using her skills as an engineer for a ruthless tyrant connected to her mother and father’s past failure. Then Claire’s world is torn apart when her sister Abby is kidnapped by the Hellions, and Claire herself is taken by dangerous sky pirates known as marauders. But Claire will not be intimidated by them while her sister’s life hangs by a thread, and so she strikes a deal with them: If they help rescue Abby, she will fix their ship and give them the chance to take the revenge they desperately seek. As Claire fights for her sister’s life, she begins to realize that the Hellions are not the only dangers she’ll face.
This was a promising book, though I was ultimately disappointed. I love the concept of sky pirates versus a breed of vampires wearing cool masks with needles on their faces. The cover art was also really solid. I like taking a look at fresh Indie authors and enjoying the start of a good series. Minimal typos and decent formatting got me ready for an engaging read, but after the opening chapters things started going downhill. The character of Garnet was as cliche as villains come. Oppressive, fat This was a promising book, though I was ultimately disappointed.
I love the concept of sky pirates versus a breed of vampires wearing cool masks with needles on their faces. The cover art was also really solid.
I like taking a look at fresh Indie authors and enjoying the start of a good series. Minimal typos and decent formatting got me ready for an engaging read, but after the opening chapters things started going downhill. The character of Garnet was as cliche as villains come. Oppressive, fat, ugly, bald, sweaty, chauvinist... It was like the author just made a list of terrible traits and applied them all to one character. The main character was sympathetic enough, having a sister to look after, but her backstory and skill set was really far-fetched.
She supposedly stayed in Garnet's favor with her skills as an 'Engineer' but this is hard to believe when she fails to use screwdrivers correctly. (They are for screws, not bolts.) Despite a good concept, decent action, and effectively scary villains, the book falls down when it comes to world-building. I feel the author did the minimum of effort when it came to creating a believable world for the characters to inhabit.
The result was pretty terrible in both scenery and technology. Concrete+rebar+manhole covers=city scenery. Need a place to hide? Just add more rebar! In a junkyard? We've got piles of scrap metal+wire+springs.
This scenery doubles as convenient place to gain parts for your airship and your story. Gears+tubes+wires=flashbang grenades Gears+wires+cogs+electricity=magically levitating skyship engine. How is this all possible? (Learned from parents at age of ten) But look out, here's where things get confusing.
The world of Aon has the technology for plastic, circuit boards, inter-dimensional space vampires, and gravity-defying airships, but heroes fight with flintlocks, cannons, and cutlasses. (But don't worry because they will consistently not use these weapons on other humans as a way to avoid bloodshed.) They have gasoline but only use it to light tires on fire and make them explode.??? What were the tires used on if there are no cars or motorized vehicles? And tires don't explode with no air in them. Okay, no worries. Tire fire was just a distraction. Still need to save your hunky man from cannibals because he wouldn't use his gun on them because he's such a nice pirate?
Just use more rebar! Gosh that stuff is handy. Sadly the should-be terrifying villains were inconsistent too.
Their armored ship is only dented by cannonballs but can be easily punctured by hand-held harpoons. Right after we're told that Hellions don't use weapons because they prefer to rip with their hands, the heroes start a fight with Hellions using shovels as weapons. Hero still doesn't want to use his gun because it will make too much noise, but the scene is full of screaming, and shovels flying around into metal objects. Good thing he didn't fire that flintlock and save his girl that beating she just took. We were told all story how impossibly difficult it is to kill a Hellion, but heroes dispatch several with single shots to the head while boarding the ship. They are equally vulnerable to swords, but one characters defies all logic and only ever tries to fight them with brass knuckles. The book was still going to earn three stars from me till I ran across the last straw of ridiculous explanation of the villains' stationary ship that has been menacing the terrain for so long.
'The steering wheel is locked, and there's no autopilot. That's probably why the Behemoth has been hovering for years.' The villains have been stuck hovering in mid-air for ten years because they couldn't unlock the steering wheel of their own ship? Man, that's way more stupid than the pirate ship you have on the ground that runs on 'gears' and electricity with zero explanation of how it flies or why it needs sails. Even more stupid than three pirates hanging out in a hangar with this downed ship for ten years because they were waiting for an engineer who could misuse a screwdriver. What could have been a really cool story sadly gets sunk by these inconsistencies.
I applaud the author for her creative ideas and fun storyline, but would suggest that she spend a bit more effort on learning the rules of her own world and sticking to them. A little research on tools and technology being used in the story would help too. If you can't manage that, just say it runs on fancy magic and be done with it. A better-crafted version of this world would be one I would be willing to spend more time in.
I wish her the best in future stories and I hope she gains a few more honest beta readers to nab these inconsistencies prior to publication. When that happens I might read more. Actual Rating: 4 Steampunk Stars! “Combining vampires and pirates into a cohesive story is something I’ve wanted to do since childhood.” — Amy Braun. This book captured my heart right from the beginning mostly because of the writing and the characters itself. Claire is a good person and she is a believable character. She's strong but not void of fear.
She wants the best for her sister and try to provide that even if it means sacrificing her own life for it to happened. S Actual Rating: 4 Steampunk Stars! “Combining vampires and pirates into a cohesive story is something I’ve wanted to do since childhood.” — Amy Braun. This book captured my heart right from the beginning mostly because of the writing and the characters itself. Claire is a good person and she is a believable character. She's strong but not void of fear.
She wants the best for her sister and try to provide that even if it means sacrificing her own life for it to happened. She's also confident with her abilities and accepting of her weaknesses while trying to help others in every way possible. She's a fighter and a survivor. The side characters were all so unique, and so lovable in their own individual ways. The all contributed something so deep to the overall plot, and I really enjoyed the fact that instead of focusing on their individual subplots, the author decided to weave their stories into the overarching plot. Steampunk is a really interesting genre, a mix of science fiction and fantasy.
And it can be set in all sorts of places, as well illustrated in this great anthology. I see steampunk as existing on the threshold of mystery; it is the off-balanced moment where the comprehensible teeters on the brink of the inexplicable. Steam technology was not exclusive. It represented a shared vision. Every class of citizen could engage with it, because it was so blatant. The boilers and furnaces, the pipes and valves, the pistons and crankshafts, the funnels and wheels—every part of every engine was visibly working to advance the Empire to which the people belonged.
*ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review* Amy has been a favorite author of mine since early last year and she doesn't disappoint! I am a huge fan of how she can create so many different worlds for me to obsess over with the characters to match. She wields an unforgettable story founded on unconditional love. This book had an amazing and intense start and it was action-packed until the very end. It was full of brutality and love to even it out. The only reason I didn't give this five s *ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review* Amy has been a favorite author of mine since early last year and she doesn't disappoint! I am a huge fan of how she can create so many different worlds for me to obsess over with the characters to match.
She wields an unforgettable story founded on unconditional love. This book had an amazing and intense start and it was action-packed until the very end. It was full of brutality and love to even it out. The only reason I didn't give this five stars was that I had a difficult time picturing the Hellions. I think it's my fault though, I'll have to reread it again. And another reason was that I wasn't incredibly invested in the romance aspect of the story. I loved our main character, Claire, and her engineer talents.
She was so unique and felt real to me. I loved how she would go through great lengths in order to get her sister to safety and wouldn't give up. Sadly, I am not attached to Sawyer yet but I hope he wows me in the sequel!
I also figured out his secret from the beginning so it didn't come as a great shock to me when it was revealed. But I am growing obsessed with a certain guy named Riley!!! I need more of him soon before I go crazy!
With that said, I would like to take a moment and confess my sins. Amy has successfully made me despise a character by the name of Garrett. I don't ever ever want to hear that name again.
That's how bad it is. Anyway, this story involves sky pirates and bloodthirsty Hellions with a dash of romance, what more could a reader want?? Keep in mind, this story may not suitable for readers under 18. Title: Firecracker or nah? “Crimson Sky” by Amy Braun Reviewed by T’s Blogging 1/9/2016 9:58 p.m. Claire is the key, but how in the hell will this teenager rid the world of the blood sucking killers known as the Hellions? Author Amy Braun invites young adult readers into a world that has been invaded by monsters, leaving the humans to become prey and fuel.
No longer listed as being at the top of the food chain, humans take to the underground tunnels in hopes of simply surviving. With the predators w Title: Firecracker or nah? “Crimson Sky” by Amy Braun Reviewed by T’s Blogging 1/9/2016 9:58 p.m. Claire is the key, but how in the hell will this teenager rid the world of the blood sucking killers known as the Hellions? Author Amy Braun invites young adult readers into a world that has been invaded by monsters, leaving the humans to become prey and fuel.
No longer listed as being at the top of the food chain, humans take to the underground tunnels in hopes of simply surviving. With the predators waiting above ground, Claire, Braun’s main character, finds herself seeking refuge under the thumb of a lunatic, Garnet. He is the epitome of an egotistic, selfish, emotionless prick that will cause reader’s lips to curl. Like so many, Claire decides it is better to deal with the human monster rather than attempt to relocate and faceoff with the Hellions. The only issuethe way fate is setup, eventually she will have to deal with them both.
Readers will enjoy the ease of the story as it plays out on paper as well as in their minds. Braun knows exactly how much enough is, and answers some questions while leaving countless others floating in the air. One thing is for certain this author keeps reader’s hearts thumping with explosive scenes and heart wrenching endings.
Everyone has secrets, and as the truth shines its light on the darkness, readers will be surprised by the unexpected. But this is what really makes Braun the next must read author, she is not afraid to kill off anyone.
No one is safe, not even Braun’s main characters. Crimson Sky is fantastic, and offers such an amazing start to what appears to be a great series. Cannot wait for book 2.
I give “Crimson Sky” 5 out of 5 stars. Happy Reading T’s Blogging. Title: Crimson Sky Author: Amy Braun Genre: New Adult/Fantasy/Dystopian Format: Ebook Pages: 282 Rating: 5 Setting: Westraven Main Characters: Claire Supporting Characters: Abby, Sawyer, Nash, Gemma Summary: Ten years ago the Hellions came out of a tear in the sky, called the Breach, and now most of the survivors live underground in hiding. Claire, one of the few engineers, and her sister Abby live in a colony in sewer drains with about 200 others.
Forced by the overlord, Garrett the electrician Title: Crimson Sky Author: Amy Braun Genre: New Adult/Fantasy/Dystopian Format: Ebook Pages: 282 Rating: 5 Setting: Westraven Main Characters: Claire Supporting Characters: Abby, Sawyer, Nash, Gemma Summary: Ten years ago the Hellions came out of a tear in the sky, called the Breach, and now most of the survivors live underground in hiding. Claire, one of the few engineers, and her sister Abby live in a colony in sewer drains with about 200 others. Forced by the overlord, Garrett the electrician, to scavenge for parts and build whatever is needed, Claire is thankful for her skill for it protects her enough to take care of her sister.
Everything changes when Abby is taken by the Hellions and Claire is taken in by pirates. Thoughts: I was pulled in right from the start, it was so intense. I love Claire, her strength and determination along with her doubts and fears made her so real. With so many secrets and the emerging feeling between Claire and Sawyer the reader is kept on their toes the entire time. The only thing I had trouble with was actually picturing the Hellions, they are like a mix between a vampire and werewolf. The survive on blood, have clawed hands, and some other parts that just couldn’t paint a picture in my head.
But the weirded twist was Sawyer’s secret which left me with so many questions that I anxiously await the next book, hoping that they are answered. Grab a copy of this if you can, it is so worth it! I received a free copy from Book Review Buzz for an honest review. Braun combined Vampires and Pirates, in a dystopian world, to create their war for freedom, in a uniquely riveting way.
I read all genres, and have reviewed hundreds of books; this is unlike any I’ve ever read. The imagery was brilliant; readers are really brought into the story with the characters. I personally connected with a few different characters, but I loved how she introduced each and every one, even the bad guys! I can’t go into much detail; it’s hard not to spoil it for future readers Braun combined Vampires and Pirates, in a dystopian world, to create their war for freedom, in a uniquely riveting way.
I read all genres, and have reviewed hundreds of books; this is unlike any I’ve ever read. The imagery was brilliant; readers are really brought into the story with the characters. I personally connected with a few different characters, but I loved how she introduced each and every one, even the bad guys! I can’t go into much detail; it’s hard not to spoil it for future readers. I can say the emotions run high, and the suspense is even stronger. There are so many twists in Crimson Sky, you will be hooked immediately. Though this is an excellent stand-alone book; I see a great start to an action packed series.
I would highly recommend this to any reader, regardless of genre preference. Crimson Sky: A Dark Sky Novel is rated a strong 5 boundless stars. I absolutely loved it.Beth.
Book Review Title: Crimson Sky Author: Amy Braun Genre: Sci-Fi/Steam Punk/Dystopian Rating: ***** Review: This book was sent to me by the author; Amy Braun and this is book 1 in the Dark Sky Series, so I can’t wait to read the follow up novels. I loved the opening sentence “The sky used to hold hope for me”, as it gives off a major sense of foreboding before the book has even really begun.
A lot of books have great first chapters but the first line or page isn’t great, but Amy Braun got this opening Book Review Title: Crimson Sky Author: Amy Braun Genre: Sci-Fi/Steam Punk/Dystopian Rating: ***** Review: This book was sent to me by the author; Amy Braun and this is book 1 in the Dark Sky Series, so I can’t wait to read the follow up novels. I loved the opening sentence “The sky used to hold hope for me”, as it gives off a major sense of foreboding before the book has even really begun. A lot of books have great first chapters but the first line or page isn’t great, but Amy Braun got this opening so right. I loved the Hellions they are scary and provide an epic survival scene on the first page, they also reminded me of the abbies from the Wayward Pines series by Blake Crouch which I absolutely loved. I also enjoyed the fact Braun uses things we take for granted everyday like light and food are used as ways of maintaining secondary power and what I mean by this is the Hellions hold the primary power as they are the dominant force but the Electricians hold secondary power over everyone else and in their distress they create order in some way but overall its a dictatorship not a democracy.
We follow Claire and her younger sister Abbey, we look at their struggles underground. Claire is an engineer and is trying to escape for the Electrician; Garnet mainly for her sister.
We learn that if Claire doesn’t get herself and Abbey out in the next 4 years (by the time Abbey is 12), she will be used for the repopulation program run by Garnet himself and Claire will end up dead. So immediately we sympathize with her cause and are counting on her to win, but in dystopian novels with a superior force like the Hellions it doesn’t really work that way so I’m intrigued to see what Braun does with this genre. We can also see in this time of need Claire has a plan to figure out what her mother meant when she saved them and what the strange key on her necklace is for. This is great because Claire is struggling to unravel the secrets of her past while staying mental and physical present in the here and now and no one knows what the future will hold, if there is a future at all. I loved the fight scenes, there are bloody battles one after another between the humans and Hellions and there are some Marauders thrown into the mix as well. I also like the romance feel between Claire and Sawyer, especially his nickname for Claire “firecracker”.
I also loved how the friendships bloomed between the four with the hatred of the enemy and their unity in their quest for survival and freedom from the tyranny of Garnet and the Hellions. I also loved how Amy Braun has weaved some absolutely elegant backstories into Crimson Sky despite it only being just over a hundred pages long. My favourite thing about this novel is there is hardly any fluffiness, all the characters have tragic backstories, they are all broken and can’t be restored but they can accept their lives and move on. For a sci-fi/steam punk novel it is very real, it is almost similar to the Hunger Games. My favourite character was Claire because not only is she an awesome character and developed well throughout the novel but she also serves a far higher purpose. She also does the impossible on a regular basis like fighting the Hellions on their ship, at first I though she was insane but then you realise it is the one move the Hellions won’t be expecting. It gives them the element of surprise and that makes Claire a genius.
And the ending was amazing. I honestly believe Amy Braun could have written Crimson Sky as a 300+ page novel with more detail on the world, the Strom and delving in deeper to the characters backstories especially that of Claires parents and Sawyers family. But the 100+ pages is a great length for this story as it allows something to always be happening whether its an action packed fight scene or a slightly romantic one. It always the story to be fast paced and gripping through its entirety and I loved it, I am definitely going to be reading more by Amy Braun.
If you liked the Hunger Games or the Wayward Pines Series read Crimson Sky. It just like these only with more steam punk! This book was provided by the author for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. A steampunk world invaded by vampiric monsters and one young engineer with the drive to find her sister in the first book of the Dark Sky series, Crimson Sky. With a solid writing style and a fast-paced story, Braun weaves an adventure about family loyalty and friendship in a world where neither seems possible.
An okay start to a series but it ha This book was provided by the author for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. A steampunk world invaded by vampiric monsters and one young engineer with the drive to find her sister in the first book of the Dark Sky series, Crimson Sky. With a solid writing style and a fast-paced story, Braun weaves an adventure about family loyalty and friendship in a world where neither seems possible.
An okay start to a series but it had its issues as well. I think the strength of this book lies in the world. I love pirates, and I love vampires (to an extent) so the combination worked for me. Granted, the pirates didn't do much pirating but I have hopes for the sequel.
Hellions (the vampiric creatures) are quite nasty and setting them as the monstrous villains worked and left the room for the plot twist at the end. Braun's writing style wasn't exactly my cup of tea -- don't get me wrong, it's good, just not a style that I fell into right away, personally. Despite that, I had no trouble making quick work of Crimson Sky, finishing in a few hours. Though all interesting in their own rights, I couldn't get into the characters. I never connected with Claire, the protagonist. Not that she was poorly written, but I never felt like I could relate to her enough to make that reader-character connection. She became frustrating at times, seeming useful for a second then having to be saved for the rest of the moment.
And while I understand that her motivation for everything she did was to save her sister, having it said over and over was more annoying than anything. I liked the marauders more and once they came into the picture the story held my interest better. Nash and Gemma in particular seem to have interesting backstories that I'd like to learn more about. Sawyer grew on me but as soon as a romance subplot (of sorts) came into play, I was done.
That was my biggest issue with this book. Everything was moving along nicely and the story had that edge of originality I love to see but Sawyer steps on the scene and it's headfirst into your typical end-of-the-world plot.
Then, with minutes left in the book, a love triangle is introduced. If I hadn't been reading on my Kindle, I would've thrown the book across the room.
I know that probably seems overly critical for the book but after reading the same type of plot line over and over, it does it old regardless of the writer's skill. (There's also the fact that the airship they have is named Dauntless.
A little thing but I immediately thought of Divergent.) Falling in line with the been there done that plot, I had no problems guessing the twists and turns as Braun lays out a pretty clear trail. It took a bit of the excitement out of the story but there weren't so many that it became boring. But in the way Crimson Sky ended, I see promise for the sequel not having this issue or any of the others I've mentioned. Overall, I found the plot predictable but engaging, original yet cliche. The steampunk-esque world mashed with the harsher horrors of the Hellions made for a story that keeps you hooked from start to finish.
A rough start to the series but a solid one and I look forward to the next book, Midnight Sky. Same Review Also Posted In My Blog: This was my second book from Amy Braun and once again I’m impressed with her creative skills. The combination of vampires and pirates in a dystopian world is really a unique mix and I immensely enjoyed it. Basically, I love dystopian reads especially the ones that has unique combination so I couldn’t help myself picking this up. Claire is really a tough character that I liked and her love for her little sister is quite admirable. The monsters Same Review Also Posted In My Blog: This was my second book from Amy Braun and once again I’m impressed with her creative skills. The combination of vampires and pirates in a dystopian world is really a unique mix and I immensely enjoyed it.
Basically, I love dystopian reads especially the ones that has unique combination so I couldn’t help myself picking this up. Claire is really a tough character that I liked and her love for her little sister is quite admirable. The monsters in this book called Hellions are kinda like blood sucking vampires but they aren’t like those handsome sparkly vampires that you can fall in love with instead they are freaky, terrifying and dangerous. The story takes place after ten years when the city of Westraven is destroyed by the blood thirsty monsters named Hellions who feeds on human blood.
To keep themselves safe from the hellions, Humans are bound to the underground tunnels and has build colonies. Claire Abernathy is a young teenager who lives in tunnels along with her little sister. She is engineer who works under violent tyrant who loves physical abuse more than anything. One day, when she and her sister are at the ruins of the city, her sister gets kidnapped by the hellions. And then she was found by the dangerous sky pirates known as marauders. Claire will do anything to save her sister from the hellions, so she strikes a deal with the intimidating pirate named Sawyer that she would help repair their air ship in exchange for their help in saving her sister.
In her journey to save her sister’s life, many secrets are revealed that totally shakes her world. I really liked Claire in this story.
Even though sometimes I found her a bit annoying, I really liked her attitude, courage and stubbornness. Claire is a vulnerable character but when it comes to saving her sister, she’s one hell of a fiesty bitch. Sawyer is not bad but he didn’t impressed me yet so I really hope it’s gonna change in the next book.
I really enjoyed Claire and Sawyer together and I know the romance wasn’t the main aspect of this book but I wish there was more Sawyer and Claire together in it. The supporting characters Gemma and Nash are nice additions to the plot. I also liked the relationship between Claire and her sister Abby, it was sweet and admirable. Finally, not to forget Riley, the new possible love interest that I’m really curious about and I’ll definitely look forward to know more about him. The plot is amazing and engaging.
The story is a bit slow at start but it gets quite interesting when Abby gets kidnapped by the hellions. The pacing is also quite good and the action is definitely entertaining. I liked the writing and the world building is just amazing. It’s really a unique combination of vampires, pirates, dystopia and a bit of steampunk that I haven’t read before and I’m so glad that I gave this a try. Overall, it was amazing!
It’s really a great start for a new series and I can’t wait to read the sequel Midnight Sky. Crimson sky is the first installment in YA action packed sci-fi/dystopian series titled Dark Sky and I highly recommend it. 3.5 Stars I received this in exchange for an honest review.
*Warning: Possible spoilers* It started out interesting and action packed. Claire is an engineer for a colony run by a domineering dictator who controls his colony and the amount of electricity the people receive to live. Most people live underground due to an invasion from an alien race a decade ago. While the Hellions aren't called 'vampires' per se, all descriptions pretty much point in that direction. On a raid one day Claire's sister 3.5 Stars I received this in exchange for an honest review.
*Warning: Possible spoilers* It started out interesting and action packed. Claire is an engineer for a colony run by a domineering dictator who controls his colony and the amount of electricity the people receive to live. Most people live underground due to an invasion from an alien race a decade ago. While the Hellions aren't called 'vampires' per se, all descriptions pretty much point in that direction.
On a raid one day Claire's sister is kidnapped by the Hellions, and Claire has to try to get her back. When Claire has an opportunity to escape from the colony she takes it, only to be caught by 3 marauders. They come to a mutual agreement: she fixes their airship, and they help her get her sister back.
Of course there's the macho Sawyer who respects Claire so little he continues to call her by a nickname she hates. There's a bit of an attraction on both of their parts, which Sawyer only engages in while drinking (the only time he spills secrets, too). Here's why I didn't like it as much as I hoped I would: Claire continues to forgive Sawyer for his secrets, his picking on her, and even though she knows she's being used to fix the ship, she lets it happen. Even after they kick some Hellion ass on their own ship and free some people.
She rescues the sweet, handsome, and nice guy Riley, and starts to fall for him, too. Except she's heartbroken over Sawyer's new distance and secret keeping. And all he says is typical alpha misogynist b.s. 'I can't protect you' and 'you make me weak'. I'd have punched him in his newly scared face for that. Sorry you see a relationship as weakness, 'bro'. I'm even sorrier Claire doesn't have the self esteem to punch you and walk away::eye roll:: What IS it with weak little girls who go after the 'oh so secretive dark and brooding' guy??
Go for the nice guy! Stop ruining it for the rest of us! I wanted her with Riley so f'n bad. Would serve Sawyer right for being a douche. Aside from that there wasn't much character development. Even after saving everyone's life, rebuilding countless machines, and doing her own share of fighting, Claire can't see herself as anything other than something to be protected, b/c she doesn't see herself as a warrior.
Jesus christ, grow a spine. The only things I'm really curious about are finding out what the key her mother gave her is for and if Sawyer's brother is going to come back and kill him, b/c I actually DO want to see Sawyer get his self righteous ass handed to him. One word to describe this book: “In-freaking-credible”!! I admit I don’t give out many 5 stars, but this one is it. It is a “one-sit” wonder.
I started reading after work and didn’t put it down until the very end. Claire’s world is harsh. When you think of electricians and engineers, I’m sure you don’t think of wicked evil warlords. Electricians and Engineers is the primo occupation during this time. If you control the electricity or can fix any complicated machine, you are fairly safe.
Not entir One word to describe this book: “In-freaking-credible”!! I admit I don’t give out many 5 stars, but this one is it. It is a “one-sit” wonder.
I started reading after work and didn’t put it down until the very end. Claire’s world is harsh. When you think of electricians and engineers, I’m sure you don’t think of wicked evil warlords. Electricians and Engineers is the primo occupation during this time.
If you control the electricity or can fix any complicated machine, you are fairly safe. Not entirely, though. Everyone has an agenda and everyone wants to be the king of the mountain. Claire lives within a colony of humans who lives below ground in very poor accommodations. Think of peasants in the medieval times with access to small steampunk like tools and generators powering big airships.
The creatures that are the most savage are the Hellions – vampire like demons that suck dry any human they can find above ground. Claire is vulnerable because she wants to protect her 8 year old sister (a sister who has never known a world without monsters) so she has to work for the warlord. The warlord beats her within an inch of her life more often than not, but she can’t run away. Where would she go? The warlord controls food, shelter, electricity – everything.
It’s a vicious circle. The adventure starts when 8 year old Abby is stolen by the Hellions.
Claire is “captured” by pirates and has to convince this crew of marauders to help her save her sister. She makes a deal with them and commences the fight of her life. Her side of the deal isn’t impossible, but what she wants in exchange.wowzerthat in all reality has very slim chances of success. Badge5v4When you start this book, be sure you have time to finish. It is fast paced and sometimes I couldn’t read fast enough to find out what happened next.
Once Abby is taken, the adventure is ON. I couldn’t look away, I couldn’t get anything to eat. It was THAT good.
OH, and there is no cliffhanger, but there is indication there will be more books. Claire and her sister Abby are living in a world where electricity and food are scarce and blood sucking aliens called Hellions are killing Westraven citizens.
When Abby is kidnapped by the Hellions, Claire stops at nothing to save her. She joins forces with the dangerous sky pirates called Marauders and agrees to fix their ship in exchange for their assistance in saving her sister. As Claire searches for her sister, she learns that the Hellions are not the only things she has to fear in Westrav Claire and her sister Abby are living in a world where electricity and food are scarce and blood sucking aliens called Hellions are killing Westraven citizens. When Abby is kidnapped by the Hellions, Claire stops at nothing to save her. She joins forces with the dangerous sky pirates called Marauders and agrees to fix their ship in exchange for their assistance in saving her sister. As Claire searches for her sister, she learns that the Hellions are not the only things she has to fear in Westraven. There are secrets, betrayals, and other threats that terrorize every decision she makes.
Braun does an excellent job creating both likeable characters as well as characters that are easy to hate. I was instantly disgusted by Garnet and the Hellions for good reason, but I was immediately drawn to Claire and Sawyer. Both of the main characters have such strong personalities and are like magnets towards each other one minute and then repel each other the next. The tension in their romance was enough to keep me coming back for more, but not too stick-your-finger-in-your-mouth cliché. When it comes to the setting of the novel, I had a little bit of a difficult time.
I wasn't sure if Westraven was built in the air, on the ground, in the future, in the past, or in the present. There were pirates and aliens as well as space ships and floating pirate ships. I had a difficult time wrapping my mind around what kind of scene Braun was creating for the reader, but maybe that was just me being too close-minded. I also wish the Hellions were called something a little more creative. Some of the terminology was very creative, and then some was plain and simple. I know this is a simple detail, but it did bug me a little. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next in the series.
I am intrigued to see what happens with the old characters and excited to meet some new ones. I would recommend this book to friends for sure! Rating 3.5/4 *I was given an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review*. Received a free copy to review from Xpresso Reads The Good: • Interesting take on vampires • Liked the Gaslamp factors and Claire’s engineering magic • Liked the character progression and reveals The Bad & The Other: • Took some time to become engaged & warm up to Claire • Predictable • Knew Sawyer’s secret immediately Claire, our reluctant heroine, was annoying at times in the beginning and felt off.
I was very tired of hearing “I don’t know and don’t wanna.” It was also hard hearing her t Received a free copy to review from Xpresso Reads The Good: • Interesting take on vampires • Liked the Gaslamp factors and Claire’s engineering magic • Liked the character progression and reveals The Bad & The Other: • Took some time to become engaged & warm up to Claire • Predictable • Knew Sawyer’s secret immediately Claire, our reluctant heroine, was annoying at times in the beginning and felt off. I was very tired of hearing “I don’t know and don’t wanna.” It was also hard hearing her think she’s no one and nothing when that’s so clearly wrong. I was just waiting for her to get her shit together. Once the pirates crash the scene it gets interesting. However, there was hamhanded foreshadowing throughout.
Every time someone said “it’ll be fine” or ignored their instincts it bit them in the ass. Plus, there’s no self-awareness or fake outs. While I wasn’t 100% right about how, I was right about what would happen.
Even with all that, Claire grew on me as did Sawyer. For me, even if it was strained at times, the action and romance saved Crimson Sky. While the worldbuilding was interesting, I didn’t start caring until the characters showed up.
Towards the end, there’s acomplication, a romantic complication. While I went “Noooooo! But Sawyer!”, I didn’t hate him or the situation. It was fitting and Claire’s realization at the end was touching. 3 Stars: Solid. A rocky thus slow beginning led to predictable but enjoyable action and a budding romance I can cheer for. Finally engaged, I look forward to reading Midnight Sky.
I think it’ll pay off and the unique worldbuilding will get to shine. A fast, fun read I picked up this book after reading Michael Sullivan's (Riyria Revelations series author) review. I found his review to be mostly spot on.
I will not give the plot away, but the story is a blend of sci-fi, horror/mystery with a steam punk flair and seems to set up what should be an interesting series. If you like that type of world-building and storytelling, you will enjoy this book. The authors sets you in a post armageddon world, populated by pirates, airships and vampire/alien A fast, fun read I picked up this book after reading Michael Sullivan's (Riyria Revelations series author) review. I found his review to be mostly spot on. I will not give the plot away, but the story is a blend of sci-fi, horror/mystery with a steam punk flair and seems to set up what should be an interesting series. If you like that type of world-building and storytelling, you will enjoy this book. The authors sets you in a post armageddon world, populated by pirates, airships and vampire/aliens.
The writing is crisp and descriptive, designed to pace the book making it a fast read. I noted a few editing errors, but nothing that took away from the book. The story is focused on the heroine's point of view, and she and the main male character are well developed.
However not as much attention is spent on the surrounding cast who at times default to a stock type. The main lure in the story is the mystery surrounding how the world came to be and the respective lineage of the two main characters. There is a bit of a 'Divergent' vibe in that the heroine has a secret/ability that seems to make her alone able to save this post Armageddon world, but the world building mutes it.
Seeds planted in this story suggest that the steam punk/horror portions of the book could play a bigger role in future stories in the series which would be a plus. Overall it was a fast, fun read and for me an introduction to a new author and enjoyable series. And for the relatively inexpensive price for the kindle edition, it is well worth trying out. I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. This is the first novel I have read from Amy Braun, but it is certainly not the last. While I appreciate other genres beyond romance and erotica, it has to really be something to grab my attention.
Crimson Sky had me from page one. Not only did it blow me away, I became obsessed, having to know what happened next and not being satisfied until I finished the novel. Crimson Sky is an action packed novel that is hard to describe. Brau I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first novel I have read from Amy Braun, but it is certainly not the last. While I appreciate other genres beyond romance and erotica, it has to really be something to grab my attention. Crimson Sky had me from page one. Not only did it blow me away, I became obsessed, having to know what happened next and not being satisfied until I finished the novel. Crimson Sky is an action packed novel that is hard to describe.
Braun is such a talented writer, she easily incorporates multiple genres into one. It can be classified as steampunk, horror, action, romance, and dystopian all in one. I appreciate that Braun could easily show so many themes without having to shove it down our throats. She does such a good job of showing, there is no need for telling. This novel is an intense roller coaster ride that begins from the very first page. Filled with complex realistic characters in a terrifying world, Braun weaves a story filled with twists and personal growth that keeps you hooked until the very end.
It’s been a long time since I have been this obsessed with a novel that didn’t qualify as erotic. Even now, I am stuck in literary limbo because nothing seems to match up to the intense emotions this novel pulled from me. I can’t wait to read more. Actual Rating: 2.5/2.75 I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would.
There were info dumps and I wasn't intrigued. I expected a lot more gore. I probably didn't get that much gore because I only got through 25% of the book. The only gore I got was from the 4 sentences in chapter 1, which made me happy.
Then, things started going downhill. It [plot, story, and concept] followed mainstream, dystopian YA novels:,,, etc. I was compelled to read this Actual Rating: 2.5/2.75 I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. There were info dumps and I wasn't intrigued. I expected a lot more gore.
I probably didn't get that much gore because I only got through 25% of the book. The only gore I got was from the 4 sentences in chapter 1, which made me happy. Then, things started going downhill.
It [plot, story, and concept] followed mainstream, dystopian YA novels:,,, etc. I was compelled to read this book because of its genre: gore and steampunk, but I rarely got any of that. Why I didn't continue. The main character kept repeating I have to save my sister.I won't help you unless we save my sister.sister.sister.sister. Petty reason, but it grated on my nerves. Amy Braun creates some seriously kick-butt worlds and the steampunk world in Crimson Sky does not disappoint.
Family, sisters, specifically, are a running theme in almost every novel. Braun writes girl power with the best of them. Crimson Sky brings us Claire, who is trying to survive in a world with Hellions (weird creatures after humans), pirates, and vampires. I mean really! What more could you ask for. Claire is trying to save her sister from the Hellions. She is double-crossed by Garnet, the Amy Braun creates some seriously kick-butt worlds and the steampunk world in Crimson Sky does not disappoint.
Family, sisters, specifically, are a running theme in almost every novel. Braun writes girl power with the best of them. Crimson Sky brings us Claire, who is trying to survive in a world with Hellions (weird creatures after humans), pirates, and vampires. I mean really! What more could you ask for. Claire is trying to save her sister from the Hellions.
She is double-crossed by Garnet, the leader of fellow survivors (not the nice one's either) and then Sawyer. Oh my, Sawyer! One reason I love Amy Braun's books is her ability to write snarky, sassy females who take no flack, especially from the men. The sexual tension between Claire and Sawyer is palpable, even if Sawyer doesn't acknowledge it. However, the romance is really an aside to all the crazy action that goes on in Crimson Sky. Take a chance on this one for sure!
It is ridiculously good! Loved this book! Amy Braun does an amazing job of keeping the tension wound tight throughout the story. Her use of first person narrative works incredibly well. It put me in the main character's (Claire) head. The two main characters were complex. The supporting characters were easy to visualize and relate to--or to just out and out dislike.
There's a nice slow little love story that flirts with taking off in the story. But the two MC's, Claire and Sawyer, are bother broken people, wonderfully fl Loved this book! Amy Braun does an amazing job of keeping the tension wound tight throughout the story. Her use of first person narrative works incredibly well.
It put me in the main character's (Claire) head. The two main characters were complex.
The supporting characters were easy to visualize and relate to--or to just out and out dislike. There's a nice slow little love story that flirts with taking off in the story. But the two MC's, Claire and Sawyer, are bother broken people, wonderfully flawed, and each as a secret or two to keep the reader guessing. So they take their sweet time moving past those challenges to a place where they are both ready. The technology was suitably creepy for a steampunk story.
The world was dark and dismal. The Hellions were straight from hell. Truly scary bad guys. I'd read more of this author's work. I received a copy of Crimson Sky book from Xpresso Book Tours in return for an honest review.
I enjoyed Crimson Sky and had trouble putting in down. I really liked the heroine, Claire, who is a smart, skilled engineer fighting for the life of her younger sister, who has been captured by evil vampire/aliens called Hellions. The action is non-stop and the characters are interesting. I would say this book for mature young adults as there is plenty of violence and a very disturbing scene on the Hell I received a copy of Crimson Sky book from Xpresso Book Tours in return for an honest review.
I enjoyed Crimson Sky and had trouble putting in down. I really liked the heroine, Claire, who is a smart, skilled engineer fighting for the life of her younger sister, who has been captured by evil vampire/aliens called Hellions. The action is non-stop and the characters are interesting. I would say this book for mature young adults as there is plenty of violence and a very disturbing scene on the Hellion ship.
I did have a little difficulty picturing the world of Westraven and Aon and whether it is a future Earth or a completely new planet. I'm hoping that more will be filled in with Midnight Sky, the next book. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was an interesting book, and was very different from the normal books I read, and I mean that in a good way! I really enjoyed the unique plot, and seeing how everything played out for Claire on her quest to save her sister, and her adventures with Sawyer.
It was the right mix of action and mystery, and kept me turning pages until I'd finished it We're left with some questions, which is to be expected since this is the first in I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was an interesting book, and was very different from the normal books I read, and I mean that in a good way! I really enjoyed the unique plot, and seeing how everything played out for Claire on her quest to save her sister, and her adventures with Sawyer. It was the right mix of action and mystery, and kept me turning pages until I'd finished it We're left with some questions, which is to be expected since this is the first in the series I'm definitely hoping that things work out for Claire and Sawyer and they eventually get their HEA. I'd be disappointed if they didn't.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is fairly fast-paced and well-plotted, though a bit predictable in some places.
The writing and world building are excellent and I truly enjoy the way the humans have adapted now that the Hellions have taken over Earth. I really enjoyed reading about Claire and her relationship with her sister. She has no training outside of being an engineer, but she's determined to save her sister. She contributes where she can, especial I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is fairly fast-paced and well-plotted, though a bit predictable in some places. The writing and world building are excellent and I truly enjoy the way the humans have adapted now that the Hellions have taken over Earth.
I really enjoyed reading about Claire and her relationship with her sister. She has no training outside of being an engineer, but she's determined to save her sister. She contributes where she can, especially with her new crew, and I can't wait to see where the next book goes.