This is the January book for Prideathon and I absolutely loved it.

The world was very well-developed, and a good blend of Victorian and modern. I haven’t read very many steampunk books, so I don’t have much to compare this one to. I really liked it, though. I liked the history, the magic, the clock towers, all of it. It was unique and honestly ingenious.

I haven’t loved a cast of characters this much in a while. Danny was a clock mechanic with anxiety and PTSD. His mom was grieving and his best friend Cassie was an eager, supportive car mechanic. Colton was the clock spirit at a tower Danny fixed frequently, and due to his lack of contact with the outside world he had an adorable, childlike innocence. Daphne took a bit of time to warm up to, but she had an interesting backstory and I liked her in the end. All of them had depth and I loved following their journeys.

I daresay the relationships are one of the best parts of this book. Danny and his mom are distant after his father is trapped in the Stopped town, but over time you see them forgive themselves and each other. Danny and Cassie were such supportive friends, both ready to help one another at a moment’s notice. And, even better, they were completely platonic. Granted, Danny is gay, but it’s always nice to see a guy and a girl be friends, nothing more. As for Danny and Colton, they’re definitely my favorites. Two soft boys in a forbidden romance? Sign me up! I never use this term, but they’re honestly cinnamon rolls and the sweetest couple. I ship them so so much, I can’t even.

And on top of all of that, the plot was amazing. It was slower paced at times, yes, but it was so intriguing. On top of the aforementioned forbidden romance, there were unexplained explosions and a surprise betrayal. I didn’t want to stop reading.

If there was one thing I didn’t like so much, it was the inconsistent POV switch. I found the Aetas chapters a bit boring, and although I see why other narratives were important in some situations, I much preferred Danny. But it didn’t bother me enough to make me lower my rating, so no big deal.

I highly recommend reading this if you haven’t yet, and I can’t wait to pick up the sequel!!