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mike_bolter's review
5.0
“Byron was the kind of man every mother warned her daughter about, but my mother had tried to drown me in a river, so I pretty much just ran on instinct.”
Man o man, where to begin with this book?! While Chasing the Star Garden took us on an adventure across Europe. The green fairy is trickier when being chased and leads through a much more mysterious place. The past.
Flying through the spectrum of emotions like.. well very much like the Stargazer itself flying across the sky this story runs from elated to heart broken and back again. We flash back and forth in time too quite a bit between the past and the present, giving a lot of insight into the relationships between the characters.
A portion of the story seems to be more of a setup for the next book as it just teases you with the fleeting hints of a grand conspiracy, new enemies, and new friends. An outstanding sequel, Chasing the Green Fairy has just as much action and heart as its predecessor though perhaps with a little less debauchery.
Man o man, where to begin with this book?! While Chasing the Star Garden took us on an adventure across Europe. The green fairy is trickier when being chased and leads through a much more mysterious place. The past.
Flying through the spectrum of emotions like.. well very much like the Stargazer itself flying across the sky this story runs from elated to heart broken and back again. We flash back and forth in time too quite a bit between the past and the present, giving a lot of insight into the relationships between the characters.
A portion of the story seems to be more of a setup for the next book as it just teases you with the fleeting hints of a grand conspiracy, new enemies, and new friends. An outstanding sequel, Chasing the Green Fairy has just as much action and heart as its predecessor though perhaps with a little less debauchery.
mellhay's review
4.0
This story has it's heartache and what affects Lily deeply. This is a turn of a corner for Lily, once again. But the heartache will take Lily on a new adventure in the air and in her heart. About half way through the story this drastic turn comes to light. This new turn caught my attention and drew me to wonder what would come next and where we would go. It's almost as the second part of the book is a different story. Mysterious and magical. The first half was emotional and the second half brings us to a curious feeling.
****FULL REVIEW****
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.
The qualifying race is coming soon, and Lily has woken to find the Stargazer has been sabotaged! Someone doesn't want them racing and wants to know what's made them so fast. The league for the qualifying races has changed it's rules. The winners of the qualifier, and racers of the World Grand Prix, will race around the world! And a dangerous race for all. With all the work needed on the Stargazer, Lily is called away to see Lord Byron. Lord Byron once again sends her on an extraordinary and out of this world adventure.
We have a different narrator this time. Danielle. She has the accents for Lily and those around her along with a lulling voice to flow with the words. But she doesn't have as many different tones for the different characters. Her voice works for the heartbreaking parts, and rises us up with the turn of events to bring us out of the haze we fell into with Lily.
Lily is cleaned up. But she still has her contacts in the opium world. Phineas is one she trusts to put the details together and figure out who is behind the destruction on her ship. But at Phin's she also talks to him about other things he's looking into for her. Temenos, her father. The mention of him since the adventure with Celeste had been tickling at her mind. Phin is also making a trip to check out a grave at the debtors prison as well...
The men in Lily's life...
In Chasing the Star Garden we got to know Sal. We even got to know her past and adoptive fathers. Here, we get to know Byron.
Lily's love, Sal. Lily seems to be questioning whether this is what she wants. She gets the feel that Sal sees her as his future wife and mother of his children. Is it nerves or something more? She's even agreed to move in with him above his new factory that will be opening. It seems Lily's actions at the end of Chasing the Star Garden has drawn eyes to Sal's invention. The parachute is something everyone wants now. And Lily has convinced him to produce the push button bodice.
We get detailed visits to Lily's past with Lord Byron and her ship, the Stargazer. Byron has been a huge part of Lily's life since she got the Stargazer, actually, just before she purchased the Stargazer. And unexpectedly he helped her in the purchase of it, and not in the normal fashion. Byron is one that Lily will always hold close to her heart.
This story has it's heartache and what affects Lily deeply. This is a turn of a corner for Lily, once again. But the heartache will take Lily on a new adventure in the air and in her heart. About half way through the story this drastic turn comes to light. This new turn caught my attention and drew me to wonder what would come next and where we would go. It's almost as the second part of the book is a different story. Mysterious and magical. The first half was emotional and the second half brings us to a curious feeling.
Everyone has doubts and regrets. How you live with them and handle them is what works on you, or not. But we can hope and strive to live life to the fullest, with no regrets in the end. Clearing the regrets and doubts is a way to help feel one is living free and life.
Melanie has packed a lot of leads in the first five chapters. Much to come to pass and work it's way out as the story continues. And oh so much more to learn. There is much more to this world in which we are just starting to scratch the top of the barrel of. We get to see more of what the series is named after; The Airship Racing Chronicles. We get to see the league and ride in a race with Lily.
****FULL REVIEW****
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.
The qualifying race is coming soon, and Lily has woken to find the Stargazer has been sabotaged! Someone doesn't want them racing and wants to know what's made them so fast. The league for the qualifying races has changed it's rules. The winners of the qualifier, and racers of the World Grand Prix, will race around the world! And a dangerous race for all. With all the work needed on the Stargazer, Lily is called away to see Lord Byron. Lord Byron once again sends her on an extraordinary and out of this world adventure.
We have a different narrator this time. Danielle. She has the accents for Lily and those around her along with a lulling voice to flow with the words. But she doesn't have as many different tones for the different characters. Her voice works for the heartbreaking parts, and rises us up with the turn of events to bring us out of the haze we fell into with Lily.
Lily is cleaned up. But she still has her contacts in the opium world. Phineas is one she trusts to put the details together and figure out who is behind the destruction on her ship. But at Phin's she also talks to him about other things he's looking into for her. Temenos, her father. The mention of him since the adventure with Celeste had been tickling at her mind. Phin is also making a trip to check out a grave at the debtors prison as well...
The men in Lily's life...
In Chasing the Star Garden we got to know Sal. We even got to know her past and adoptive fathers. Here, we get to know Byron.
Lily's love, Sal. Lily seems to be questioning whether this is what she wants. She gets the feel that Sal sees her as his future wife and mother of his children. Is it nerves or something more? She's even agreed to move in with him above his new factory that will be opening. It seems Lily's actions at the end of Chasing the Star Garden has drawn eyes to Sal's invention. The parachute is something everyone wants now. And Lily has convinced him to produce the push button bodice.
We get detailed visits to Lily's past with Lord Byron and her ship, the Stargazer. Byron has been a huge part of Lily's life since she got the Stargazer, actually, just before she purchased the Stargazer. And unexpectedly he helped her in the purchase of it, and not in the normal fashion. Byron is one that Lily will always hold close to her heart.
This story has it's heartache and what affects Lily deeply. This is a turn of a corner for Lily, once again. But the heartache will take Lily on a new adventure in the air and in her heart. About half way through the story this drastic turn comes to light. This new turn caught my attention and drew me to wonder what would come next and where we would go. It's almost as the second part of the book is a different story. Mysterious and magical. The first half was emotional and the second half brings us to a curious feeling.
Everyone has doubts and regrets. How you live with them and handle them is what works on you, or not. But we can hope and strive to live life to the fullest, with no regrets in the end. Clearing the regrets and doubts is a way to help feel one is living free and life.
Melanie has packed a lot of leads in the first five chapters. Much to come to pass and work it's way out as the story continues. And oh so much more to learn. There is much more to this world in which we are just starting to scratch the top of the barrel of. We get to see more of what the series is named after; The Airship Racing Chronicles. We get to see the league and ride in a race with Lily.
izziede's review
3.0
Be aware this series is incomplete.
At the start the heroine is restless, she is happy with Sal but misses parts of her old life.
She hears news that Lord Byron is dying so she goes to him.
This opens up a new thread to the story with mythical otherworldly side.
HFN.
At the start the heroine is restless, she is happy with Sal but misses parts of her old life.
She hears news that Lord Byron is dying so she goes to him.
This opens up a new thread to the story with mythical otherworldly side.
HFN.
violetlily13's review
2.0
I read this book at the beginning of the year, but my rating for it is so low that it's important to explain why, especially in the face of so many positive reviews for this story.
My difficulty with this novel is its inconsistency. The airship race at the end in itself deserves 5-stars for its excellent pacing, attention to detail, and imaginative use of steampunk elements. I would love for more of the novels to focus on the airship races and just on airships in general because Karsak writes about them fabulously. Lily is in her element during that race, and it is there that her characterization shines its brightest.
The mystery introduced at the beginning of the novel involving sabotage would have been very interesting to explore in more detail, but unfortunately, things don't turn out that way.
Now for the spoilery material:
This sense of distraction only intensifies when the reasons for the initial sabotage and the persons involved is resolved in a throwaway manner, like it didn't even matter. If that's going to be the inciting incident in a novel, it can't be discarded so easily. The plot needs to be streamlined, its points more carefully assembled to form a cohesive narrative. There's just too much stuff, for lack of a better word. Too many twists, too many events that would be better divided into two separate novels.
I keep following this series because it has a lot of potential - fascinating worldbuilding, larger-than-life characters in complicated relationships, and some excellent writing. But at the same time, it still harbours many weaknesses, and I just couldn't rate it higher than 2-stars.
My difficulty with this novel is its inconsistency. The airship race at the end in itself deserves 5-stars for its excellent pacing, attention to detail, and imaginative use of steampunk elements. I would love for more of the novels to focus on the airship races and just on airships in general because Karsak writes about them fabulously. Lily is in her element during that race, and it is there that her characterization shines its brightest.
The mystery introduced at the beginning of the novel involving sabotage would have been very interesting to explore in more detail, but unfortunately, things don't turn out that way.
Now for the spoilery material:
Spoiler
The inconsistencies in the narrative arise with the fairy plot, where, after following Lord Byron's clues, Lily finds herself in a fantasy land, carefully hidden from the rest of England for millenia by a secret society. These scenes, while the descriptions evoked lovely imagery, disrupted the narrative - not only was it too unbelievable for such a secret society to have existed in the way that Karsak portrays in the novel (not the fairy land, just the secret society), but it wasn't clear what purpose it has in Lily's story. It only felt like a distraction, much like that impossible fae-son of Byron.This sense of distraction only intensifies when the reasons for the initial sabotage and the persons involved is resolved in a throwaway manner, like it didn't even matter. If that's going to be the inciting incident in a novel, it can't be discarded so easily. The plot needs to be streamlined, its points more carefully assembled to form a cohesive narrative. There's just too much stuff, for lack of a better word. Too many twists, too many events that would be better divided into two separate novels.
I keep following this series because it has a lot of potential - fascinating worldbuilding, larger-than-life characters in complicated relationships, and some excellent writing. But at the same time, it still harbours many weaknesses, and I just couldn't rate it higher than 2-stars.
elyse_rn's review
5.0
So we’re back for round two with Lily Stargazer in Chasing the Green Fairy (The Airship Racing Chronicles book 2)! When last we left Lily she was set on getting clean, no more opium and no more absinthe. Karsak plunges us head first into the story when the Stargazer crew is preparing for the 1824 British airship qualifying race, but the misfortune of sabotage looms on the horizon. It’s easy for Lily to start pointing fingers when there are plenty of other teams who would love for the Stargazer to be put out of commission. But who really did it?
I had a lot of hopes for this book after having been so in love with the first in the series. Lily made a decision about her love life that haunted me, while she struggled with the possibility of having made the wrong choice – I also questioned it. While I made every effort to be satisfied with how things were going to be Karsak took me on a journey into Lily’s past explaining how it all began for Lord Byron and Lily. I fell even more in love with their story, and with Lord Byron. And once again she snatched the rug out from underneath me – then she proceeded to rip my heart out, stab it with a pair of scissors and then cut it up and throw it in the dirt.
*composes self* Where I found myself unable to connect with the characters in the first book Green Fairy made up for. This time around the book wasn’t as much action driven as it was character driven and I felt myself becoming deeply involved with Lily and friends.
So…gaze upon the beauty of that cover, prepare for the feels, and read this book!!
I had a lot of hopes for this book after having been so in love with the first in the series. Lily made a decision about her love life that haunted me, while she struggled with the possibility of having made the wrong choice – I also questioned it. While I made every effort to be satisfied with how things were going to be Karsak took me on a journey into Lily’s past explaining how it all began for Lord Byron and Lily. I fell even more in love with their story, and with Lord Byron. And once again she snatched the rug out from underneath me – then she proceeded to rip my heart out, stab it with a pair of scissors and then cut it up and throw it in the dirt.
*composes self* Where I found myself unable to connect with the characters in the first book Green Fairy made up for. This time around the book wasn’t as much action driven as it was character driven and I felt myself becoming deeply involved with Lily and friends.
So…gaze upon the beauty of that cover, prepare for the feels, and read this book!!
emskiewings's review
4.0
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand I loved it because I love Lily, on the other hand I feel sad because Byron died (despite the fact that I cursed him a few weeks ago for writing poems I did cry when he died). But also, because nothing happens. Like I know there are filler chapters in a book, but this entire book feels like a filler in the series.
Before I knew it, I had read more than half of the book and I was still waiting to the plot to start. Now I've finished the book and I'm still waiting for the plot. I figured that, with the fairy, there would be another quest. There wasn't. Not really. Lily doesn't even chase the green fairy. Sure, a few things happen, and maybe they will be important for the next book. But in this book, it's like we just got a glimpse of Lily's life, when she isn't searching for ancient statues.
Nonetheless, I did enjoy reading the book because it's Lily and I like the writing style, and because you can't go from book 1 to book 3 without reading number. All I'm saying it, don't expect too much action.
Before I knew it, I had read more than half of the book and I was still waiting to the plot to start. Now I've finished the book and I'm still waiting for the plot. I figured that, with the fairy, there would be another quest. There wasn't. Not really. Lily doesn't even chase the green fairy. Sure, a few things happen, and maybe they will be important for the next book. But in this book, it's like we just got a glimpse of Lily's life, when she isn't searching for ancient statues.
Nonetheless, I did enjoy reading the book because it's Lily and I like the writing style, and because you can't go from book 1 to book 3 without reading number. All I'm saying it, don't expect too much action.
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