A fierce young female adventurer battles time itself to claim her destiny in a sweeping new fantasy saga from the author of the Hundredth Queen series.Everley Donovan is living on borrowed time. The lone survivor of her family’s unexplained assassination, she was saved by an ingeniously crafted clockwork heart. But the time she was given won’t last forever. Now, every tick-tock reminds her how … reminds her how fragile her existence is and hastens her quest to expose Killian Markham, the navy admiral who shattered her world and left her for dead. But Everley’s hunt for justice will be a long and hard-won voyage.
Her journey takes her to a penal colony on a cursed isle, where she will be married off and charged to build the new world. It is here, and beyond, that hidden realms hide, treasures are unearthed, her family secrets are buried, and young love will test the strength of her makeshift heart. When Everley discovers Markham may not be who he seems, her pursuit for truth is bound to his redemption, her tragic history, and her astonishing destiny.
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I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I was expecting just another young adult angst fantasy novel. What I got was a page turner that I couldn’t turn away from. I love the elements of steampunk. It wasn’t overt, it was subtle. As this is listed as first in a series, I am looking forward to the second.
I LOVED Hundredth Queen by Emily R. King so I was thrilled so see she has a new series . . . AND that I was able to get my mitts on it before release day via Amazon Prime First Reads. YEEESSS, King!
Before the Broken Star is an adventure across the sea, to an untamed and dangerous island, and realms beyond. Creative, unpredictable, and filled with out-of-this-world characters who are courageous and scared. I am already looking forward to book two!
Tick-tock.
I loved this book so much and was one of my top reads of the year! Everley is a bada** who is hell bent on avenging her family who was slain when she was a kid and left her with a clock heart. I liked her tenacity and how she did what needed to be done. The sisterhood that was built amongst the women was powerful and the romance understated but satisfying. The world building is was breathtaking and so realistic that I felt like I was in this new world. I loved how detailed it was and how original as well. The ending left me ready for the next book.
This book has creative worldbuilding, with a clockwork-heart girl, convicts exiled to a cursed island, and a logical religious mythology that twines its way through the plot. I like that some of the characters were a bit hard to read—not straight up good or evil, nicely complex. There were some fun twists near the end, although things felt somewhat unfinished overall since it paves the way for a sequel. I’m not sure I liked Everley’s choice at the end as it related to Jamison; was she just trying to be strong and independent? (I know, I know, she finds it hard to trust people; that’s probably part of it.) I also expected a bit more emotion from her regarding Tavis; she was curiously unaffected.
There is just something about steampunk novels and watches that makes reading such an enjoyable experience. Combine that with the fantastical, and you have a winner. Such is the case with Before the Broken Star that follows one Everly Donovan, a girl with a clockworks heart on a quest for revenge.
Everly is a hard character, which is to say that the world she lives in has hardened her, left her for dead, her family taken from her in a single night. If not for the luck of her uncle stumbling upon her, she would be dead. Moreover, her clockwork heart restricts her, limits her ability to live a normal life. So, she is a bit bitter and angry. King makes sure, however, to ensure that the character is likable. Her Everly’s attitude is not off-putting, but somewhat understandable, and as hard as her character may seem, she can show compassion, to be kind and thoughtful. She is also intelligent and grows throughout the novel. Her new experiences influence her greatly, changing her perception and allowing her to grow as a character. She never loses that sharp edge, of course, but that is okay because she would not be herself without it.
As for the story, what is interesting is the mythology of the novels and how they intermingle with the fairy tales the author has worked to create for the novel. It is a world of its own in this novel and makes for a fantastic read to see the fairy tales develop and come to life for the characters. It adds the fantasy into the story, creates tension and mystery, and makes for a fantastic read.
I really enjoyed Before The Broken Star by Emily R. King!
This is a newer author to me, but I thought the story was well written with strong female characters, fun & quite imaginative. I was captured at the beginning, following along with Everly’s adventure and fate. Duels, pirates, sea monsters, a cursed island, pixies and so much more!! Looking forward to the next adventure!
I think I read this whole book more to see what would happen than anything else. It is written in a way that is easy to visualize. But it was a little difficult to go with the idea of how Everly was saved by her uncle.
Filled with action, romance, and female friendships, this story is perfect for those looking for high seas adventure, mythical creatures, and a villain who is just as brutal as he is cunning. With masterful plotting and beautiful writing, Before the Broken Star is a high-concept idea wonderfully executed.
An epic quest for revenge tests the limits of Everley’s mysterious clock heart and her dauntless spirit in this wildly imaginative adventure story. A pulse-pounding read that gripped me on every page.
~REVIEW~
The Quick and Dirty:
Compelling characters –
Complex and vivid world building –
Strong story arc complete with plot twists –
Revenge storyline, strong female characters, epic sword battles, monstrous sea beasts & a quest into a fabled land where trees have the power of creation, all while fighting against time –
Everley is a girl whose family was murdered by her father’s partner, Markham. She was thought dead but her uncle saved her by fashioning her a clock heart to replace her beating one. When she learns Markham is in town but about to set sail for Dagger Island, she finds a way onto his ship, intent on exacting her pound of flesh. Fate has bigger plans for her than just revenge though. Everley learns Markham’s true identity and finds herself on an epic journey that will test her wit, her resolve and the strength of her heart.
I love Emily King’s world building. Her descriptions are always vibrant and so vivid that you can easily imagine yourself as a bystander, watching the action unfold before your eyes. My only qualm was how badly poor Jamison was treated. I hope Everley realizes what an asset he is in the next book! There were also moments where he felt more like an ancillary character or an after thought than part of the main cast, though after the last chapter in this book, I anticipate that will change. Can’t wait to read Into the Hourglass!
Overall: 4.5/5
Steam: make out only
Feels:
~QD STORY DETAILS~
Tear jerker: No
Paranormal/Fantasy: Yes
Location: Various, including Wyeth/Dorestand, Dagger Island, The Everwoods
Character age range: late teens/early 20s
Lead: Everley/Evie Donovan
Love interest(s): Jamison Callahan
HEA: No – cliff hanger
~QD BOOK INFO~
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Audible: Yes – Narrated by Lauren Ezzo
Series: Yes – The Evermore Chronicles – Book 1
1. Before the Broken Star – released 6/1/19
2. Into the Hourglass – releasing 8/20/19
~QD~
Sex/kink type: None, kissing only
Possible triggers: murder, betrayal, mention of rape
Oh my heck. This book. I’m still trying to process what happens in this story. But let me back up a bit. It took me a little while to get into this book, but I blame that on myself for getting distracted. Once my mind was focused on reading, I couldn’t stop. As I was reading, I was picking up on different clues of what would come next. I won’t lie, I was getting a bit of an ego boost thinking I knew what the plot twists and turns would be for this book. Lies, all lies. There had been a keyword in the summary blurb for this book, and because of that word, I was bamboozled. It was one of the greatest, jaw-dropping moments I’ve experienced in a while with a book. By the time I finished the book (which didn’t take long), I was firmly invested in the storyline and promptly preordered the sequel.