The Chronicles of Light and Shadow

Book 1: A Conspiracy of Alchemists
Book 2: A Clockwork Heart

A CLOCKWORK HEART
The Chronicles of Light and Shadow, Book 2
LIESEL SCHWARZ
ISBN: 9780345545084, 9780345541291 (EB)
August 2013
Del Rey
www.delreybooks.com
Hard Cover / E-Book
$25.00 US / $28.00 CAN
304 Pages
Fantasy
Rating: 3 Cups

Not flying makes Elle Chance feel like a little piece of her soul is slipping away. Arguing with her husband over this fact is tiresome, yet Elle cannot imagine the future without him.

Worrying about his adventurous young wife is getting Hugh Marsh nowhere. It is high time he finds something to keep himself busy.

As Elle rushes home, all she can think about is how badly she has treated Hugh, and how much she wants to apologize. Hugh, however, is missing, which means this time it is Elle who will be frantically worrying where her husband could be. Finding Hugh is only the beginning of a horrible nightmare that Elle is poorly equipped to handle. She is up against a very old, very strong elemental whose sights are set on Hugh, as well as a little matter of controlling the world.

So much about this story is gray and dreary it seems the plot and setting match almost perfectly. There is a pervasive icy chill of evil I find impossible to ignore, even during scenes that are meant to lighten the mood. Not having read book one, it is hard to understand why Elle bucks her role as Oracle, as well as why she is so ignorant of her powers. I am hoping there is more to come for Elle and Hugh, because she is nowhere near the woman he needs her to be.

Lototy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More