I really enjoyed this! I love the clockwork heart concept and female characters. Everly was everything I could want in a character. I will definitely be picking up the sequel.

I thought the best part of the book was the last third or so, when it became more of a treasure hunt. The first part didn't hold my attention as well, and I never did really connect with Everley. Her behavior didn't make a lot of sense to me. A lot of the time she was rude to pretty much everyone, even to one person that treated her with a lot of consideration. She also seemed determined to view a few people as her friends, though they never did anything that wasn't serving their own interests.

The bad guy was interesting enough and easy to dislike. I would have been happier with the story without the threat of sexual violence against a child which came up a few times. The world building was good. The creation story lost me a little bit, but the story was easy to follow. For much of the story I felt more or less irritated and stressed, so, though I am a little curious about how the story ends, I'll probably wait til a boxed set of the series is available at a good price.

There is just something about steampunk novels and watches that makes reading such an enjoyable experience. Combine that with the fantastical, and you have a winner. Such is the case with Before the Broken Star that follows one Everly Donovan, a girl with a clockworks heart on a quest for revenge.

Everly is a hard character, which is to say that the world she lives in has hardened her, left her for dead, her family taken from her in a single night. If not for the luck of her uncle stumbling upon her, she would be dead. Moreover, her clockwork heart restricts her, limits her ability to live a normal life. So, she is a bit bitter and angry. King makes sure, however, to ensure that the character is likable. Her Everly's attitude is not off-putting, but somewhat understandable, and as hard as her character may seem, she can show compassion, to be kind and thoughtful. She is also intelligent and grows throughout the novel. Her new experiences influence her greatly, changing her perception and allowing her to grow as a character. She never loses that sharp edge, of course, but that is okay because she would not be herself without it.

As for the story, what is interesting is the mythology of the novels and how they intermingle with the fairy tales the author has worked to create for the novel. It is a world of its own in this novel and makes for a fantastic read to see the fairy tales develop and come to life for the characters. It adds the fantasy into the story, creates tension and mystery, and makes for a fantastic read.

Before the Broken Star was a fun adventure with a fierce protagonist, but I felt a disconnect from the story and it dragged on a bit for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the authors previous series so I was excited to dive into this. It was pretty good. So many besties, so many strong females. I absolutely loved this book! Definitely a different fantasy read!

Before the Broken Star is about Everley the only survivor of a tragic event where her family is murdered. On borrowed time she wastes no time in trying to expose Killian. Killian Markham is the one who killed her family and the one who wants her dead.

Overall the story is extremely entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I was provided this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

I recommend this book and give it a 4 Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Such an interesting read and start of a series. Even though the main character is young, she's an old soul. An interesting premise will have me reading the next one in this series.

An intriguing read that combines steampunk and fairy tale elements together. The clockwork heart reminded me of jack and the cuckoo clock heart. Everly was an interesting character but I would have liked to have seen a little more depth from her. I don't mind a stubborn main character but I felt that she was so much so that her character growth was quite limited.
However I'm really hoping there will be a second book that does allow her that chance. The other characters were wonderful, such as the cat and fox characters. They were probably my favorite and the most fun to read.

Firstly I'd like to thank netgalley for providing me with an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn't read anything by Emily R.King before but had heard quite a few good things about her prior books so jumped on this one when I saw it was available. Plus...look at that cover!!! It is one that just draws you in and makes you want to read it, no matter what the synopsis might read. And the naked hardback is just divine!

Anyway, to the actual book; it was good! Nothing incredibly amazing, but it was fun, had character growth, a good build up to the climax of the problem, and some great characters. I liked the really slow-burn of the romance and how it didn't take away from the main character's mission for revenge. I love that she grew with the story and with the other characters, and allowed her mission to change with all of that. The setting and pace was especially interesting and I really liked the feel of being on the island. The ending was great and left me smiling, ready for the next book.

The blurb for this book had me hooked but I found myself quite disappointed from reading the book. Certain elements just didn't strike right with me like teaming up with the villiann but being shocked by the bad deeds at the end. Surely that was obvious. Obviously a popular read but not for me. Thank you for the opportunity to read this net gallery.

-- Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity! --

This was a solid read. I really enjoyed the concept of Father Time as one of the 'real' deities and his involvement in the story. What starts out as a sort of steampunk story, with Everley and her clockwork heart becomes so much more. There are many influences from fairy tales, and the story sort of becomes a medium for the meta-discussion of such tales and their origins, which I loved.
The characters are fun, and don't fall too flat. My favourites were probably the Cat and the Fox, for their sassy friendship and loyalty, especially to each other. Everley annoyed me quite a bit, as she comes over as a bit of a brat and is convinced that she is in the right at all times. In her mind, there is no room for doubt or self-reflection, which for me is rather important in a character.

3.5 Stars

An intriguing story featuring a revenge seeking young woman with a clock heart, badass women, a kind captain, a fantasy world coming to life, and time itself.
The story started out as a revenge story, after haunting events in childhood Evelyn now have a clockwork heart. When the man responsible for it reappears in her life she sees her chance to get revenge on him. Then it takes a 180 and the story gets weird, but in a good way.
Everley is a really pessimistic main character, which is understandable with her background but at times it does get a bit annoying that she can't think that anything someone else does is for pure kindness. The change of scenery from the town to the colony on the island was interesting, if somewhat surprising at first.

Though I did enjoy the book, I can't deny that the second half of the book (from about when they arrive at the colony) couldn't quite keep up my attention the same way the first half had. It felt a bit overwhelming. It went from chugging along in a nice pace to all the sudden make a 180 turn with a big revelation. There was so much information och new things coming all at once that I couldn't really keep up with it all. I feel the book could have been a 50 pages longer so it could fit all that information with a nicer tempo for the reader, well if it was important to keep all of it. Some things could just as well been put off until the sequel.

This book was such a big positive surprise!
I expected something like a children's fantasy book and got a complex, compelling, exciting and heartbreaking story with badass females and great, innovative Fantasy parts. You can tell: I am absolutely in love with this story and was positively surprised when I recognized it was written by the same author as "the hundredth queen".

Evie is a girl with a clockwork heart, on revenge on behalf of her family. She spins farther and farther into problems and secrets to finally uncover what has really happened and how gods and queens have deceived the folk. The characters were so great and badass and I LOVED Evie and her kickass ladies! Female pirates are rare though they are just the best! And then there is kind Jamison! The first genuine and kind male character I absolutely and directly fell in love with - because he is just sexy and polite and awesome. The fantasy part was super innovative and not similar to anything I ever read, though Evie had some Major "Mia Corvere" or "Lilah Bard" vibes , means she is cold as ice and badass until the end. Today it rarely happens that someone really invents new tales and fantasy lines, but Mrs King here did an amazing job in luring me into a new story and keeping me there for some short hours, that I spend skimming like a maniac through the pages.

I finished the first book and immediately started the second one - because I was in a reading slump lately, this was super amazing and made me more than happy. A surprisingly good story is always something to celebrate.

Wow really enjoyed this book! Excellent start to a new series; the characters were super engaging, the world building was awesome and the pace was just right. A great mixture of elements and themes from historical, fantasy, steampunk, and adventure. Had a hard time putting this book down every night, it was easy to get into, fun to read, and felt new and different from the usual. Definitely worth the read!

This book was a wonderful and amazing surprise! Exciting and unpredictable adventure fantasy, featuring an unusual fusion of swashbuckling adventure and fairytale quests (with a dash of steampunk).

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, not having reviewed the synopsis before starting (other than knowing it was a YA Fantasy and the main character had a clockwork heart)...so I expected maybe a steampunky adventure...but what I got was so much more:

A great adventure that starts off with our heroine arrested for illegal dueling and morphing into a swashbuckler as she connives to be found guilty and boards a ship headed for a penal colony (all to put herself in the path of the man that killed her family)...and then the fairytale overtones and promise of magic set in and the real epic quest of the story begins with the hunt for a long hidden gate that grants access to other magical realms (and a princess and world frozen in time). Could be standard fare, but the plot, while familiar, is also wrapped up in unusual and interesting details and characters. The world building (especially on the island and in the “other” worlds) is great.

I loved the unpredictable and unusual main and secondary characters (you’re never quite sure of what characters are up to here, lots of mixed/complex motivations). The villian is done especially well, and I liked the tension between our heroine and her love interest. You also get the feeling there’s a lot more to come from some of the secondary characters. Great climatic ending while still setting us up for the next adventure and dangling enough of a carrot that I want to start it NOW;-)

I’m late to this party for sure. I’ve seen Emily R. King’s books on book twitter so many times in the last couple of years. How did I never pick one up? Well I’ve remedied that failing of mine, and I’m glad I did.

Ms. King’s new series, The Evermore Chronicles, focuses on a heroine with a heart … well not of gold. She has a clock where a heart should be. As you can imagine that is not easy to deal with, especially when you are a young, energetic, forthright, adventurous type, as Everley Donovan is.

Everley is determined to find the man who killed her family and wounded her so heinously. Stabbed through the heart, she was saved with this contraption housed in her chest. She wants answers and vengeance. This quest leads her to some incredible places and adventures.

Ms. King’s writing is a dream. Easy to read, and a quick but smooth ride. She reminds me a lot of Jeff Wheeler and Charlie N. Holmberg. All three write with an enviable ease. An excellent weekend read, and the start to what is shaping up to be a great new series. This is one to check out!

Song for this book: Heart Like a Wheel – Kate and Anna McGarrigle

Not a bad read. Quite interesting, expanding the motif of time. To me, it went to a similar road as Everless by Sara Holland.
Everley lives on borrowed time, she is the only survivor of her family and she has a mechanic heart to keep her on track.
Even though there are some similarities between the two books, this one turns to a whole new experience when Everley ends up in a colony on a cursed island where she has to marry and build a new world.
A quite fascinating book, definitely worth seeing how it further develops.

Emily R. King spins a tale of sailing and island exploration in her latest novel and first in a brand new trilogy, Before the Broken Star, making it the perfect summer read! There’s uncharted waters, a mysterious island to explore and a world conflicted by the gods. It has a storybook charm that makes it quick to read and ends with a cruel plot twist that will leave you reaching for its sequel! I want to thank Netgalley and Skyscape for the opportunity to read an early copy and review it.

“Could you become a monster to destroy one?”

This is definitely the constant question that Everley Donovan asks herself. This is a main character whose heart is filled with rage and revenge. Her story weaves much like the rumors surrounding Anastasia. She is the sole survivor of a targeted attack on her family, leaving her with one goal in mind; avenge her family by killing the very man who executed them.

“But I believe in monsters. I have seen them take and destroy, suffocate and shred, every sliver of light in the world. Monsters exist and Markham is the worst sort. He pretends he’s charming, but I have felt the coldness of his steel in parts of me that no man has seen or ever will see. He’s the vilest, most treacherous monster there is—the kind that feeds off the light.”

I liked how goal-oriented she was because it showed how committed she was in her mission. She didn’t flip flop which was really great because there’s nothing worse than a main character who can’t make up their mind. No, this girl had no doubt in her mind and the only time she second guessed herself was when those she cared for were caught in the crossfire. Her head was clear and her lust for revenge made her a treat to read. I wouldn’t call her an anti-hero but she was definitely different than most heroines because she wasn’t afraid to act to get what she wanted. She’s also not your typical 17-year-old girl hell-bent on revenge. She’s also working on borrowed time and that has everything to do with her clock for a heart. See when her family was killed, she looked straight into the man’s eyes as he drove the sword through her chest. Something that should’ve killed her and yet didn’t. Admirable and very Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. It was a great, unique way to cause more problems for her and she handled it with a stubborn grace.

“Neither of us would make a good wife. I’m not the doting sort, and you…darling, you’re as frosty as a blizzard.”

Her lust for revenge sends her chasing after Markham to this unknown island that only her father has explored. The Queen in this story has an idea that reminds me a lot of the tv show, The 100 where they send convicts (who are expendable) to sniff out and make sure that it’s actually safe and habitable and this is exactly what happens here. Convicts are sent to colonize this new island and Everley gets a first class ticket to the women’s ship and marriage was definitely not on her mind, but you know things never go according to plan. Enter Jamison Callahan, Lieutenant and second in charge. Oh and Everley’s new husband! I absolutely love the fake relationship tropes and this one was on point!

“Quinn, dance with Laverick and Claret. My wife needs to rest. ‘Don’t call me that.’ He winks at Quinn. ‘My wife is testy.”

Jamison is an honest, sweet, confident gentleman with a pretty great sense of humour. I devoured every scene with him because he was such a likable character. Most of the time the main character steals the show because they get the most time to develop but King was able to establish the same degree with Jamison. They were an evenly matched pair which I feel is rare. His relationship with Everley reminded me a lot of The Hunger Games power couple, Peeta and Katniss. Both of their personalities seem to be very closely matched and that dynamic made this an addictive read. This was naturally a slow burn romance due to their unconventional meet and abrupt marriage but if anything I think that made the story even better because it didn’t feel like an unrealistic insta-love story. These two took time and it definitely tries a person’s patience but it’s worth it. With the ending (don’t worry no spoilers here!) I definitely think he deserves better but he’s quite adorable and the perfect guy for Everley!

“You’re more than a girl with a clock heart. You’re Everley Donovan, born into this world to do great things.’ He tips his head against mine, his forehead to my temple. His deep voice curls into my ear. ‘You are not broken.”

Sorry! I also forgot to mention that this guy is definitely swoon-worthy!!! (Yes, every one of those exclamation points are necessary haha) This is a love story where she hates everything he stands for and he’s blinded by a promise to protect her.

The only downside I found with this book was the sheer amount of creation story involved because it was definitely a complicated world to understand and the lengths that King went to to explain became a little overwhelming. It was like she was too caught up in her world that she created, she forgot to explain in a more structured, less sporadic way of the events that unfolded to establish it. This is a slight criticism because it could definitely be a ‘me’ only problem but too much lore can muddle the plot and that’s what happened here for me. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked this book and her world was fascinating and the creation of it with a fairytale-esque feel definitely got me hooked. I enjoyed all the easter eggs of famous fairytales hidden in here and I must admit, that was pretty clever of King. I finished this book eager to start the next!

I absolutely loved this book. There is something about the way that Emily R King writes that I just can’t put down. It was such a neat concept that Everly’s heart is attached to time. The story flowed so nicely together that it was hard to stop reading. I didn’t expect Prince Killian, or what happened with the princess.. My only complaint is I felt the final battle was very built up and then just ended very quickly and abruptly.

The book started of interesting, but didn’t manage to keep my interest. The characters were bland, and the reasoning for what that was happening on the page did not hold the grounds for it to make sense to me. Like for example: they all know a certain character is a villain, and they have to team up with him. Later he does “evil” things and they are all shocked, as if they already didn’t know he was the bad guy? The whole book has too many different vibes for it to work for me as well, the pacing felt really off. So all in all, I didn’t really enjoy it, but was intrigued by some parts. 2/5 stars.