Roxy's Reviews: Blog Tour: Review, Excerpt + #Giveaway: Iron Pendulum by Megan Curd #ThePeriodicSeries

A month ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.

But a month can change everything.

After fighting to escape a tyranny she didn't even know existed, Avery has had to come to grips with all the secrets she's uncovered. But more secrets continue to come to light, revealing how little of her world she truly knew. When evidence starts to show that Dome Four might be under siege, Avery knows what she must do.

Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.

And they’re blaming Avery.

A month can change everything. One more month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.

AMAZON

EXCERPT

Her huff echoed in our headsets, and I was glad she couldn’t see my smile.

“Avery, don’t act like I don’t know you’re smiling behind that mask.”

I put my hands up in submission. Alice knew everything about me.

Jaxon took the map. “Let’s go left.” He turned and walked away like he expected us to follow. Which we did.

I was thankful for the mask, because it dulled the stench of refuse floating along the shallow water in the tunnel. Rats scurried along the waterline, our lights sending them into a frenzy. Each step caused the water to slosh and echo through the tunnel, giving our position away.

“We should try to stay out of the water,” I said into the mic, hoping someone would agree with me before Jaxon could argue.

No dice.

Jaxon touched his earpiece and spoke. “Why? Are you afraid of your toes pruning in the water?”

“It’s not that.”

“Contrary to legend, there are no alligators in the sewer.”

“That you know of,” Alice quipped.

Deep down, Alice liked Jaxon. She just enjoyed making him squirm. And the truth was, I enjoyed watching it happen.

“That I know of.” Jaxon admitted. “But I will take one for the team and wrestle the beast into submission if it floats down our tunnel. Then I expect minstrels to sing of my heroics in future years. You can be the minstrel, Alice. I bet you’d look great with a lyre and kilt-y getup.”

Alice shook her head. “If anyone would look good in a skirt, it’s you, chicken legs.”

“Oh, please, you know you wish you could look as good as me in a skirt. Have you seen your calves?”

Everyone laughed and Alice huffed. Jaxon took the lead and sloshed through the water, making more of a ruckus than necessary.

But then he went still. As still as a dog that had caught a scent on a hunt.

Alice’s whisper came through the earpiece. “Jax, what did you hear?”

I watched as the muscles in Jaxon’s back tensed and his shoulders squared. I heard the minor intake of breath and wondered if everyone else knew what it meant.

He was afraid.

REVIEW

Holy heck! This book was an explosive thrill ride from page one until the very end. Fast-paced, action-packed and filled with intrigue, betrayal, and heartache.

Unfortunately, I haven't read book 1, but I didn't feel completely lost when reading this book. There were times when I wondered what had happened in the first book, and I think I'm going to have to give it a read, even if it's just to be taken on another exciting journey with these characters.

Curd has created an interesting post apocalyptic world with fascinating characters. Even the evil guys were interesting to get to know. A complex web, woven with lies and corruption, there was never a dull moment, only many edge-of-my-seat, gasping-for-breath moments. Just as I thought I'd wrapped my head around what was going on in Dome Four, another curveball was thrown my way and the deeper into the story I got the darker it became.

This book had it all, and will appeal to a wide audience. Whether you're looking for kickass characters, a bit of romance, or just enjoy a great Steampunk Dystopian read, this is the one for you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Megan Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so while in college. When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Photography, traveling and snowboarding are hobbies she loves, and she doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and friends when it presents itself. Megan currently resides in Ohio with her husband and son, where she is trying to convert them into Buckeye fans.