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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

a twisted world - Lumière (The Illumination Paradox #1) by Jacqueline Garlick

Seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth is no stranger to living in the dark. She’s hidden her secret affliction all of her life—a life that would be in danger if superstitious townspeople ever guessed the truth.


Description:

Even in a land of eternal twilight, secrets can’t stay hidden forever.

Seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth is no stranger to living in the dark. She’s hidden her secret affliction all of her life—a life that would be in danger if superstitious townspeople ever guessed the truth. After her mother is accused and executed for a crime that she didn’t commit, the now-orphaned Eyelet has no choice but to track down the machine—her last hope for a cure. But Eyelet’s late father’s most prized invention, the Illuminator, has been missing since the day of the mysterious flash—a day that saw the sun wiped out over Brethren forever.

Alone and on the run, she finds the Illuminator—only to witness a young man hauling it away. Determined to follow the thief and recover the machine, she ventures into the deepest, darkest, most dangerous part of her twisted world.


With Urlick imprisoned for the murder of Professor Smrt, Eyelet must find her way back through the Infirm-infested woods, to the forbidden city of Brethren, to free Urlick before it’s too late. 

Along the way, she elicits the help of Crazy Legs, Urlick’s longtime friend. Together they overthrow a travelling freak show train destined for Brethren, with plans to use it to distract the city, so Urlick can make an escape. But Eyelet is lead astray, when a haunting image from her past appears in an abandoned factory at the edge of town. There she unearths a series of ungodly secrets and soon finds herself, imprisoned. 

Will C.L. be able to save them both from their fates? 
Or will he too, fall prey to the tyranny of Brethren's newest Ruler? 

Rumor has it the Ruler has secrets of her own. 
Secrets she’s determined to keep. 
Seems an heir may have been overlooked. 
The true heir to the Commonwealth throne. 

NOIR “…one of the most inventive story worlds I’ve read in years…” Donald Maass, Author of Writing the Breakout Novel…

NOIR: A Steampunk Fantasy Romance Adventure Novel, book two of THE ILLUMINATION PARADOX SERIES. A Science Fiction romp through "...one of the most inventive story worlds I've read in years..." Donald Maass (Writing the Breakout Novel) featuring contraptions and creatures unique only to Garlick's magical creative fiction. Dark and mysterious, this YA novel reads like the love child of Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow and L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz. 
Fans of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments Series will enjoy this novel.

About the author:
I'm Jacqueline Garlick, author of young adult and new adult fiction. I love strong heroines, despise whiny sidekicks, and adore a good story about a triumphant underdog. (Don't you?) 
I love to read, write, paint (walls and paper). I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate, grammar, and technology and would rather hang out with a dog, than a cat. I prefer creating things to cleaning things, and believe laughter is a one-stop-shop solution to all that ails you. You will always find a purple wall (or two) in my house (currently in my writing room), and there may or may not be a hidden passageway that leads to a mystery room. (Okay, so you won't find a hidden passageway, but a girl can dream, can't she?) Oh, and tea. There will always be tea. 
My writing style has been described as edgy and rule-breaking, and by some--a touch Tim Burton-esque. Because of this, I am often referred to as the Quentin Tarantino of YA among writing friends. 

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

Lumière--A Romantic Steampunk Fantasy--my debut novel, is the recipient of an indieBRAG Medallion!!! B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree October 15, 2014) I am so proud! (LUMIERE by Jacqueline E. Garlick is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!) Book II of the ILLUMINATION PARADOX SERIES, is out January 26th, now on pre-order.

Also, check out my young adult contemporary romantic/mystery serial, IF ONLY, where reluctant telepathic sleuth Kyla Cooper must embrace her powers and risks all to solve the mystery of what happened to her boyfriend Denver Munro, becoming his voice of truth, before he has no voice at all...

I'm open to reviews and interview, requests for skype visits, guest blogs, pod casts and book club meetings! I LOVE TO HEAR FROM READERS!

I love hearing from READERS! Please contact me, either at my website: or catch up with me on 

9 comments:

kiwi_chick_2882 said...

I love the mix of old school and technology. Also the deribles if they have them. They're cool.

Jan Lee said...

I like steampunk a little, lol I do like to read about new inventions thru different mechanical means. I think I'd like to read this book :)

Arf2-D2 said...

This book sounds wonderfully bizarre.
Dog people rock.

Arf2-D2 said...

I'm not sure what I like about steampunk. I've read ones that I've liked and others that I haven't. I like the idea that science and magic both work (for the times that both are employed).

Simina said...

I'm so exitated about this book. The cover is amaizing and I really like it. So catchy :) <3

Stephanie LaPlante said...

I love the sounds of this book. A little odd and exciting.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the giveaway .

Unknown said...

I'm super thrilled to see so many of you are excited about it! It's really more of a Fantasy with Steampunk flare than a staunch Steampunk, so if you're a little wary for that reason, I hope you'll give it a try! Thanks to the blog host for this lovely presentation and discussion! :) J

Unknown said...

I love the dresses,style and manners in steampunk. the ingenuity is really cool too.