The Clockwork Scarab: A Stoker & Holmes Novel

I unfortunately was extremely disappointed with this novel. The premise really interested me and I thought that it was going to be a wild and crazy ride, but it failed to deliver. Normally, I can appreciate and enjoy books that can fall under different genres. This novel, however, tried to fall under all of the genres imaginable and failed miserably. Time travel, historical fiction, romance, science fiction, mystery, vampires, steampunk…just to name a few off the top of my head.

The novel was written with two different point of views: Evaline Stoker, sister of Dracula author, Bram, and Mina Holmes, niece of Sherlock. In my mind, I thought of Evaline to be somewhat of headstrong character. Isn’t that what you would expect from a vampire hunter? From the start, it was hard to differentiate who was narrating what chapter. Mina and Evaline spoke and acted as the same. Also, it seems as Mina was being favored in this book with the most POVs, which was aggravating because she annoyed me.

The side characters frustrated me. I felt like most of them were just thrown in there to be thrown in. Dylan, for example, time traveled from our time to the time where the story was taken place. Why? Dylan served no purpose to the plot line, other than to add another element to the story that was unnecessary. Maybe he has a bigger purpose further into the series, which is fine. But why introduce him now when he doesn’t matter?

On the topic of story lines that didn’t matter..ALL of the romance. Mina was in some sort of weird love triangle while Evaline was into some guy with a – could be fake – Cockney accent who was somehow mixed in with all of the chaos that was going on. Also, while on the topic of accent guy, the author decided it was a smart thing to do to actually write the Cockney accent…which was unreadable. So I honestly couldn’t tell you a single word this guy said because I just decided to skip over his lines. Whoops.

One thing that intrigued me was the mystery itself. The Egyptian mythology really interested me and kept me intrigued with the how the mystery would be solved. Honestly, the only reason why I wanted to finish the book was so I could solve the case and move on. But no, no, no…that would only happen in a perfect world, yeah? I get having one huge case over the entirety of the series. I get it. It keeps your readers wanting more. Look at the Harry Potter series, for example. Though Harry fought multiple different fights over the course of the series, it was all for that final victory in the end.

Want to know the difference between this novel and Harry Potter? At least one was done properly. (I’ll let you take a guess at which one.)

Ok, ok..I’m done bashing. Let me finish off by saying I can see how people could enjoy this and find it interesting. I think if I read this when I was in elementary school, then I feel like I would have enjoyed it. But right now, just…no. I gave it a good shot.

I bought this book because obviously the premise of a story involving the niece of Sherlock Holmes and sister of Bram Stoker really intrigued me. I love books written in this particular setting. I enjoyed the descriptions, the narrations by the two leads and exploring their worlds through their eyes. The transitions between POVs was also really good and seamless and the characters were fleshed out really well. There was a great amount of wit and humor and I loved how natural the dialogue and POVs felt for that British time period; sometimes authors can be a bit lazy with that but the dialogue especially for Mina was really on point. The plot itself was really interesting as well. I found the Ankh to be an interesting villain and I loved the side characters like Pix, Dylan and Ms. Adler. I also really appreciated that the author took the time to explain how two young girls in a society like theirs could find themselves in the middle of an investigation and actually go about trying to stop the Ankh. I think sometimes authors just take that for granted but in this series, the author gave sufficient details that left you feeling that everything taking place but somewhat natural. Where books are written with a female(s) lead or even television shows or movies, a lot of times they tend to embody that Mary Sue type character which I know puts off a lot of people. In the first entry of this series both girls appear to have their own faults and insecurities that they tend to revisit often. These insecurities, coupled with their society lives and the fact that they're both aware they're so different from what society expects allows them to be really good feminist role models for young girls. They're strong, intelligent and opinionated and not afraid of being different. The issue of feminism is not to say that there isn't romance in this series but it's not done in anyway that, to me, compromises the identities that these girls have worked so hard to achieve. They don't get lost pining for the men in their lives nor do they lose sight of their goals. The men also seem to appreciate them for who they really are and not what society expects them to be. Overall I would say this is an excellent start to a very promising series.

Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes. Two highly intelligent and skilled girls brought together due to their family names. Both girls would rather work alone but this job calls for them to combine their strengths. Girls are going missing and turning up dead and the only clue connecting the girls is a small Scarab amulet near each of the victims. Mina and Evaline are thrust into secret societies and society life. They must blend in and blend together to make everything work.

What an exciting book. If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, you will love this book. It was a nice mystery with a hint of Egyptian mythology woven in and a dash of time travel to make things interesting.

Although I didn't fall in love with Mina as I have with Sherlock she was still a good character. Her age shows many times when she makes some rash decisions. Evaline does not play well with others so it was interesting watching her and Mina interact. Mina certainly did not make it easy to get along with her (as so happens when people think they are smarter than you).

I was not expecting the time traveling aspect in this novel and it was a welcome added mystery. I was also a very big fan of the Steampunk feel for the novel. It added an extra element to the atmosphere of the novel.

If you're looking for an exciting mystery I would highly recommended checking this one out. The only problem is that it's the first book in a series and book two doesn't come out until October 2014. You'll be dying to read book two, but won't regret having read this one!

First Line:
"Tonight, I ask, on behalf of Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Wales: will you do what no other young women are called to do, and place your lives and honor at the feet of your country?"

Favorite Line:
"They looked so very different than we women do, with their broad, square shoulders and bulging arms. And the muscular ripples on their torsos."

Colleen Gleason does it again!

When I saw that she had released a steampunk inspired YA novel featuring characters named Stoker and Holmes I knew I needed to read it and I didn't regret it. Oh yes you read those names correctly, and YES they are related to the characters you are thinking about.

Although it is a YA premise there are plenty of little gems scattered through out that fans of Gleason's previous work will definitely appreciate. From a nod to the Gardella history and a whimsical little quip from the young Miss Stoker to Bram that perhaps vampire hunting should be left to her opposite (an old man ..... Van Helsing .... Genius!) there was plenty in this that kept me turning the pages.

There is a LOT to take in, murder, vampires, Egyptian history and even some time travel. Add to that a new twist on some familiar faces and this was definitely a hit.

I cannot wait to read further adventures of this feisty little pair! A little suspension of belief may be suggested due to the way that the female characters are portrayed versus what they could probably have gotten away with in that age but the strong female theme is one of the things that Colleen does best and let's be honest .... when you throw in everything else if a touch of mismatched history is all you can find to point out ... that says it all!!

V""V

I've been looking forward to reading this book for ages, ever since I first heard about it! A young adult steampunk novel with Sherlock Holmes' niece and Bram Stoker's daughter as the protagonists? How could it not be awesome? I'm so glad that the writing in this book lived up to the fantastic premise because I loved every part of this book. Every twist in the plot, every alternating point of view, seemed to fit in perfectly. And then, of course, there were the steampunk elements that I absolutely loved. I really need to read more steampunk books but this version of London impressed me.

Once I finished the book, I was still trying to decide which girl I loved and related to more, Mina or Evaline. They both had their shortcomings and their advantages. I think I'd love to be as badass as Evaline was during her scenes but also feel more intellectual and uncomfortable in social situations like Mina. And the boys in this book! I was really relieved when I found out there's going to be more than one book because I went into this not knowing whether this would be a series. I don't feel like I got to know enough of the men in the novel, as mysterious and dashing as they are, and I hope more answers and their backstories will be revealed in the next book. Until then, I'll eagerly wait and try not to worry about it too much.

This is the kind of book with a setting that immerses me in a new world and left me imagining new stories and details in it. I didn't want to let it go when I closed the book. I could easily see so many new mysteries these two ladies will need to work together on. I can't wait to see how their odd partnership develops!

If you like mysteries, steampunk, wonderful leading ladies, and a new series to get addicted to, you should pick up this book!

I recently read The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason. I feel it was very well written and interesting. There is a plot twist early on that is both unexpected and completely predictable at the same time. The story is leading in a completely different direction, and suddenly there is a dead body with a boy in Nike shoes and an Aeropostale shirt standing over it. The story seems like time travel would be the last thing the author would write as part of this story, but since the story takes place in the past, time travel would be a likely plot development. I really liked that the story mainly took place in England in 1889, but not historical England, a steampunk version of it. Steampunk is a subgenre of science-fiction, usually taking place in the Victorian era, that features the use of steam-powered machinery, but is also somewhat historically accurate.
I also loved that the story is told from two different perspectives, Miss Evaline Stoker, Bram Stoker's sister, who is also a vampire hunter, and Miss Mina Holmes, Sherlock Holmes’ niece, who inherited Mr. Holmes’ great deductive reasoning. They have two completely different perspectives and backgrounds, which makes seeing their thoughts so much more interesting. Miss Stoker is a high society lady with a caring brother and his wife willing to take Miss Stoker in when their parents die. Miss Holmes is more socially awkward and has no real parental figures. Her mother left when she was young and her father is always at work. A few characters speak with very thick cockney accents, though, which is written as it would be spoken, so occasionally you may need to decipher some words. Other than that, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mystery, adventure, and a little romance.

THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB had me hooked from the summary. Bram Stoker's sister and Sherlock Holmes' niece must join forces to investigate the murders of girls their age? Hello awesome sounding novel! This book, was fantastic, let me tell you.

From the very first page, you are immediately drawn into the mysterious air of 1889 London. Miss Mina Holmes has received a letter telling her to go to the museum at midnight. Fishy, right? Once there, Mina comes across another young lady who has received the same letter. They have been recruited by the Princess to work together to solve these murders. They are believed to be connected and only the two of them have the skills to figure it out. Told from both Mina and Evaline's perspective, you're sure to enjoy this brilliantly smart novel!

Being Sherlock Holmes' niece, Mina is extremely analytic about the world around her. She can take something as simple as a handwritten letter and deduce what hand it was written with, the class level of the person, whether it's a male or female, etc. She's observant, clever, and prides herself on noticing things average people do not. She's also stubborn, a bit hard headed, and a little egotistical. But I absolutely loved reading her chapters. It was simply amazing at what she noticed about people and the conclusions she could draw. I will admit, especially during the first chapter or so, that she went a little too on and on about her surroundings. While I thought Gleason did a fantastic job with helping me visualize London during this time, I didn't really need to know what type of wood the furnishings in an office were or what was on the bookshelves. But, as the story dived into the mystery behind the murders and Mina trying to figure out the relevance of the Egyptian scarab, the extreme details were of utmost important. You really can appreciate how brilliant this girl is. I would never notice half the things she did.

Evaline Stoker is actually a vampire hunter. While she hasn't actually staked one yet, she does have the skills and supernatural strength and agility to take one down if necessary. She's a fighter and could easily outtake any human being. She also can't stand Mina. It was so funny listening to her complain and complain about Mina. She truly believed that Mina was a know-it-all and would never see Evaline as her equal. She's sort of right, at the beginning, to be completely honest. I loved how Evaline, despite being rash and a bit stubborn, wasn't afraid to get herself into trouble to find out answers. She had a wonderful sense of adventure and was quite clever. She meets a mysterious boy one night and I loved watching her pretend to be too high and mighty to ever fancy him. That facade doesn't last long! They both pretend to not like the other, but you can tell feelings are blooming. It was cute! Again at the beginning, her chapters were almost as observant and analytical as Mina's. This made their personalities seem more similar than they were different. Luckily, as the story went on, Evaline's chapters became more of a mission to prove herself and figure out what happened to a new missing girl than deductive reasoning. I liked how eventually you could see this difference between the two POVs.

THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB has so many interesting and intriguing things going on. You have two kick ass characters whose skills are something you could only wish to have. There is a boy from the year 2016 who has somehow ended up in the museum and is desperate to get back to his time. There is Egyptian mythology, a daunting clue of a scarab found at the murder sites, and a missing Sekhmet statue. All of these things seem completely unrelated but you'll be surprised just how related they will end up being. This book was nothing like I've ever read before and I couldn't get enough of the story line. I love, love Sherlock Holmes and thought Gleason captured the essence of those books/movies magnificently. The Egyptian mythology plays a huge part of this book and I absolutely loved that. This was such a unique twist to this type of novel and I'm so happy that something like this was done. This book was also very steampunk. I'm not typically a fan of steampunk novels but the way in which this was done happily converted me. The tools and gadgets the girls use and come across all have crazy names--how Gleason could come up with that many names for products, I have no idea!--and were so fun to picture. They were things which I'm pretty sure never did exist but I would love to have them!

As usual, when I absolutely love a book, I tend to ramble on and on about everything that I liked about it. Basically my point is this: if you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, read this book! If you love a murder mystery and being kept on your toes, never knowing exactly who the culprit is, read this book! I honestly was left guessing the whole entire book. I'd suspect one character, then I'd backtrack and suspect another. If you love thrillers and action packed plots, read this book! The climax of this novel lasted chapters and I literally could not set the book down until the action stopped. If you are the kind of person who hates cliff hangers and never actually finding out what happened, don't read this book. The ending, while perfect, had me screaming unladylike things out loud. It just...ended! You're left feeling like this isn't over and you don't even have a definitive answer as to who was doing everything. So frustrating! I NEED THE NEXT BOOK! That is all.

*Review posted on Page Turners Blog on September 25, 2014*
This book came out last year and it was one of the more enjoyable historical reads, and I'm really looking forward to the sequel, The Spiritglass Charade.

Evaline and Mina are a natural crime solving duo, after all it's in their genes. The mystery they solve is an entertaining one involving the highest levels of Victorian society. Then add to it a cell-phone-carrying, time-travelling young man and you have the makings of quite an interesting steampunkish setting.

I'd like to see a little more character development in both Mina and Evaline, but they are both the inquisitive, spirited girls you would expect in a mystery like this. I loved the dual points-of-view which helped explain the differences in the girls' approach to life, mysteries, just about everything. And yes, this is very much a plot-driven book rather than a character-driven one, the latter is much more my cup of tea.

If you are looking for a quick, enjoyable read on these chilly evenings, then The Clockwork Scarab is definitely a story you should pick up.

What a delightful premise: the teenaged niece of Sherlock Holmes and the teenaged half-sister of Bran Stoker meet up in fantasy London for night-time adventure and mystery-busting. Miss Stoker and Miss Holmes share the narration, switching from one to the other between chapters. Mina is more cerebral, like her Uncle Sherlock, looking for the whys and hows when London society girls begin to disappear. Evaline Stoker is more brash (but plenty smart) with super human strength that comes in handy at times. Author Gleason uses genteel language and quaint turns of phrase (the women often refer to each other as "Miss Stoker" and "Miss Holmes") to create a delightful 1800s London atmosphere. Pix and Dylan add romance to this world of cloaks and lamp-light and clockwork creatures.

Easy to recommend to 7th and 8th graders, or readers who enjoyed Gail Carriger's ETIQUITTE AND ESPIONAGE and Y.S. Lee's "The Agency" series, which starts with A SPY IN THE HOUSE.
About me: I'm a middle school/high school librarian
How I got this book: review copy from the publisher

Meet Miss Evaline Stoker and Miss Mina Holmes. The sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock. Yes, Stoker and Holmes working together. I never could have imagined it, but this is a dream come true. I love both Evaline and Mina and how different they are from one another and also how their unique skills complement each other perfectly. The Clockwork Scarab was very interesting and I can't wait to see what's next for these ladies.

I loved the interaction between Evaline and Pix, and Mia with Inspector Grayling and also with Dylan, who happens to be from another time and place. All of the characters were interesting, even the mysterious Ankh.

This book is a must read if you like mysteries and, of course, would like to meet these strong female relatives of Sherlock and Bram.

This is my first book from Colleen Gleason and my first Steampunk style read, I am now a fan of both.

Evalina Stoker and Alvermina Holmes are complete opposites; the only thing they have in common is they are both related to some pretty famous men.

Evalina Stoker is the sister of Bram Stoker. She is very popular and a socialite, invited to all the parties but she has a secret that only her brother knows she is a 17 year old badass Vampire Hunter by Heritage with Superhuman strength.

Alvermina (Mina) Holmes is the niece of Sherlock Holmes. She is very observant and prefers clockworks and modern mechanisms. She is extremely smart and tends to spend a lot of her time by herself. For some reason I really liked Mina I loved how quirky she was and her manner of speaking. I hate to pick favorite but I really enjoyed reading the book in Mina's POV.

The story takes place in 1889 London; both girls receive a little from a mysterious person to meet at the British museum. They are asked to help find who is responsible for the death of High Society Girls. Each girl is found with an Egyptian Scarab by her bodies and a strange person named the Ankh seems to be behind it. Who is the Ankh and can the girls put their differences aside to help find the killer? Will they be able to find them in enough time prevent anyone else from dying?

There was three guys in this book; Pix, Dylan and Inspector Grayling. Evalina and Pix has great chemistry I loved reading about the both of them together, they really played off of each other great. Mina and Inspector Grayling also had great chemistry I actually thought it was rather funny how she was so snarky with him. I didn't feel Dylan got enough page time. I am hoping to learn more about him in the next book.

I loved the mystery, history, steampunk, romance and even a bit of time travel.

I have to recommend this book. It did leave me with a lot of questions but that makes me more eager to read the next one when it comes out. Even if you are a first time reader of steampunk or love it this is a fantastic read.

I gave The Clockwork Scarab 4/5 stars because of its original story, awesome writing style and fantastic characters you grow to love.

Looking forward to reading more from Colleen Gleason and really looking forward to the next book :)

See the trailer on my blog love2readalways.blogspot.com

Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes are both heirs to their family's legacy but otherwise don't have much in common. Evaline is the chosen vampire killer of her generation and is stronger and quicker than other girls. However, she has a problem with seeing blood and has never actually killed a vampire. She is pretty and social and impulsive. Mina Holmes is the niece of Sherlock and the daughter of Mycroft. She is reclusive and logical and scientific. She is also awkward both physically and socially. When they are teamed together by Irene Adler to investigate the deaths of some young society girls, they have a lot of adjusting to do.

The setting is London in 1889 but it is quite different than the London we knew. Electricity has been made illegal and steam holds the power. Weapons and vehicles powered by steam are common as are buildings held up by balloons.

In the course of their, often separate, investigations, the girls meet three young men who are potential love interests. First they meet Dylan who is a time traveler from 2016 who finds himself in London as the result of touching a glowing scarab in a statue of Sekmet at the British Museum. Mina helps him out by taking him home with her. His goal is to return to his own time. Second, both girls meet Inspector Ambrose Grayling when they discover a body in the British Museum. He and Mina each try to outdo each other with their investigation of the body. Grayling also reappears frequently as he has a connection to high society. The third potential love interest is the most mysterious. Evaline meets a young man named Pix outside the British Museum. He has a strong Cockney accent and underworld ties. He also appears frequently in the course of the girls' investigation.

The story was well-written with a lot of time devoted to world building and building a relationship between Evaline and Mina. It is definitely the first book in a series and leaves plot threads hanging at the end. But I will be eager to read more adventures of these two intrepid young women.

This was a fun little story. Bram's little sister, Sherlock's niece, steampunk, time travel, Egyptian goddess and crime solving all mixed together. This sounded like a lot, but it was somehow well done. This book is written as YA which mainly comes out because the girls are teenagers. The steampunk was only background not overpowering which would probably have put it over the top. I bought this used at a book sale but am putting it on the series to read list.

I was leery about The Clockwork Scarab: A Stoker & Holmes Novel. It's main theme revolves around the rather crazy notion that Sherlock Holmes had a niece that also loved to solve crimes. And then add as her companion a sister of Bram Stoker, dedicated to fighting vampires, but willing and able to take on all kinds of monsters, a la Buffy the Mostly-Vampire Slayer. It seemed not only a bit farfetched, I suspected it would be trite and silly. It was silly, at times, but enjoyable throughout.

Mina, Holmes' niece, is brilliant, but awkward when handling proper London society. Evaline, Stoker's sister, is the pretty ingénue who is very at-home in society, though she would much rather be hunting vampires (although, the one time she has come face to face with one, it did not turn out as well as she had expected).
The two girls are paired together to solve the mystery of who is killing the daughters of the upper-crust society. The deaths are linked to an underground organization devoted to the Egyptian goddess, Sekhmet, a radical women’s liberation-type organization. No real time is wasted in telling why this is a logical pairing.
There’s also a random time traveler. It’s somehow tied in the Sekhmet cult but seems to serve no other purpose than to keep the reader eagerly awaiting the next book, to find out why he is really there and if he will end up with either of the girls.
The Clockwork Scarab was a fun romp, and there are more than a few questions to be answered, so I look forward to the next one in the series.

I picked The Clockwork Scarab up in the YA section of my public library. It is one of several books loosely based on the Sherlock Holmes books. The two main characters are Mina Holmes (niece of Sherlock) and Evaline Stoker (daughter of Bram Stoker). They are recruited by Irene Adler to find out why young women are disappearing. Add Dylan (a male that arrived from the future and is looking for a way to get home), Pip (a man from the other side of town) and Inspector Greyling (a police inspector who keeps arriving on the scene) and you have the main cast. It was a fun book that spend much of its time world and character building. The mystery is almost solved but it does leave loose threads for future books.

Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide

Completed: August 30, 2013
Publishing Info: September 17th, 2013 by Chronicle Books
Source: Approved by Chronicle Books via Edelweiss
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mythology (Young Adult)
POV: Alternating First Person (Mina Holmes, Evaline Stoker)

When I first heard of THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB, I was like, “Sherlock Holmes and Bram Stocker mash-up? In YA?! THIS IS SO MEANT FOR ME!!!” I did a bit of happy dancing and then finally got around to reading the book. Okay, this sounds like I’m setting you up for a terrible review and truly, honestly, the book was not awful. I was actually really entertained although not quite in the way I was hoping.

The chapters alternate between the first person POVs of Mina Holmes, the niece of famed detective Sherlock Holmes and Evaline Stoker, the much younger sister of author Bram Stoker (whose book about a famous vampire called Dracula has not yet been finished). The book kicks off with Mina’s POV and I feel like we see an AWFUL lot of Mina. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Sherlock Holmes and inductive reasoning, all that good stuff, but I felt like she kind of dominated the book and we didn’t see too much of Evaline. True, the chapters did alternate fairly evenly, but the book was really Holmes-heavy with lots of sleuthing and detective work and honestly zero vampire involvement. I’d really like to see these two worlds actually collide so I’m actually looking forward to picking up book two. I’m hoping we’ll really get to see Evaline in action!

The world building was a bit shaky for me. You wouldn’t think you would have to world build much by setting a book in an actual historical time period, but things are a bit…. different, shall we say. It wasn’t quite revealed until later (and I hope this isn’t a spoiler for anyone… it shouldn’t be that big of a deal to say) that this is more of a steampunk, almost alternate universe London. Colleen Gleason has an interesting setting where steam is king, electricity is a dirty word and… well, there IS more but those really might be spoilery things to say.

The mystery in this book involves Egyptian mythology/legends/gods, which HEY. That was perfect considering that’s what I’m using for Classics Retold. Everything seemed pretty spot on (that I could tell… which I may not be a reliable source for this, but take that as you will) but nevertheless, I still wasn’t quite into where the plot of the mystery took us. There were some great Holmesian moments, but I felt like some things were revealed a bit too early and others not early enough.

The romances in the book……… I was just not a fan. I couldn’t get into any of them. Yes, ANY. That means more than two. Mina has a bit of a love triangle (although not quite enough to be a triangle, I think) with a handsome inspector and a curious boy named Dylan who she ends up doubting, trusting, befriending, and then starting to feel all the feelings for (oh, and he’s American). Then we have Evaline and her chap who…. yeah, I just never liked. The personality didn’t have a chance to shine because I was so completely distracted by the cockney accent which was heavily written in. I don’t mind cockney accents, but I felt like my brain wasn’t allowed to pick up on it being stated that he had that accent and then a few words shortened here and it being written in other ways throughout the text. Nope. EVERY single dropped letter or change in speech was apostrophe’d up and it was distracting to read. I was trying to decipher what words were instead of being trusted to pick up the accent in my head and read it that way. It was too distracting for me and I felt like that totally lost the magic of the character.

The relationship between the girls was a bit… tiresome. They treated each other like nemeses when they first started working together on this case and it wasn’t really until the very end of the book that they started to realize they cared about each other as friends. With everything else that they were battling, it was just too much for me to have another conflict in the book. I can get a bit of annoyance or a touch of jealousy, but it was constant and it was too much for me.

Then the LAST thing was Dylan’s entire story line……… Where did this come from? This is a bit of a spoilery area so I really don’t want to say a lot about it but it was not explained well. Yes, yes, it is a series so I can only assume there’s more out there to be revealed but why was it necessary for him to be in the story? So far, it I took him out of THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB… pretty much the same book. Why was he a relevant part of the story? Why was it important that he meet Mina? How in the world did he end up in London? Again, hoping more questions will be answered in book two, but I was really hoping to get SOMETHING more in the first book to reassure me that this was, in fact, relevant information.

I was entertained by THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB, but there were just too many things that left me with an uneasy feeling after I was done. Even the mystery itself didn’t quite wrap up and that was something that I felt should be complete in book one and not left open for the rest of the series. It felt like a plot arc of the book, not a series arc. Anywho… I am interesting in reading the second book in the series when it comes out and hopefully get some closure on a few loose ends as well as more vampires. I would love for book two to just knock me off my feet!

What would happen if Bram Stoker's sister, trained in killing vampires, teamed up with a master of observation, Sherlock Holmes's niece? Colleen Gleason answers that question in her novel for young adults, The Clockwork Scarab.

The time is late 19th century London, a city that has outlawed electricity in favor of steam. Young women have been found dead, supposedly from suicide, with mechanical scarabs near their bodies. Eveline Stoker and Mina Holmes are sure the girls have been murdered, and evidence points to the presence of a secret society that may endanger others.

The two bristle at working together at first, because they are so different. Eveline is beautiful and part of the society scene. Mina has inherited the Holmes' nose and prefers her laboratory to parties. But their strengths complement each other in ways they each come to respect as they work together to solve the mystery.

As the beginning of a series for young adult readers, The Clockwork Scarab is lots of fun. With steampunk features (a steamcycle and steam-stream gun!), cameo appearances by the main characters' more famous relatives, a time traveler, handsome love interests, and two ahead-of-their-times heroines, it sets a rollicking pace that carries the reader all the way through.

The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mina Holmes is a lot like her uncle, self-assured (to the point of cocky) and brilliant at deduction. Evaline, though beautiful, is not as confident - as she has yet to kill a vampire and actually has a weak stomach when it comes to dead bodies. Mina thinks things through analytically. And Evaline jumps into danger without thinking, but she has super-powered strength thanks to her vampire hunting heritage. The two make a good pair, though this first novel has them at odds and working alone through most of the story.

The Clockwork Scarab is a fast-paced, exciting start of a unique new series. Classic gothic horror, steampunk, and time travel make for an interesting mash-up. I'm a fan of time travel when it comes to science fiction, if it's thought out logically. But time travel in a fantasy, is a little confusing. And it doesn't quite fit here. Though, maybe it will be fleshed out in future installments. The mystery itself revolves around ancient Egyptian mythology, but takes a backseat to Gleason's clever character development. Captivating, suspenseful, full of mystery, and a bit of romance - this new series is off to a encouraging start. I really enjoyed these characters and look forward to future adventures of Stoker and Holmes, especially if they begin working as a team.

*Review previously posted at SciFiChick.

Originally posted at Read. Run. Study.

Note: I received an ARC free from the publisher through LibraryThing EarlyReviewers program in exchange for an honest review.

I requested The Clockwork Scarab because I loved the cover and was intrigued by the synopsis. Bram Stoker’s sister (Evaline) and Sherlock Holmes’ niece (Mina) team up to solve mysteries in a steampunk-inspired London. Yes, please! Unfortunately, while the concept behind The Clockwork Scarab was interesting, it took me a while to get through it because the book as a whole didn’t work for me.

Basically, the book takes a fairly simple plot and throws in several “cool” elements like vampires, time travel, secret societies, romance, and murder. Unfortunately, the plot felt too contrived and I wasn’t happy with the direction it took (I’m still not satisfied with the ending). Additionally, the characterization lacked consistency and distinction. Both girls were supposed to have personality traits similar to their namesakes (ex: Mina was supposed to be extremely observant/intelligent and Evaline was supposed to be unusually strong), but they both seemed pretty ordinary in the scheme of YA protagonists. They bumbled about quite a bit more than would be expected of them based on the set up given, and they really didn’t seem to differ from one another enough (Evaline was just as likely to deduce something as Mina was and Mina was just as likely to run headlong into danger). Additionally, Gleason seemed to be setting up a couple of romantic possibilities for each of the girls, but they felt forced and I couldn’t get behind them.

The story was further hindered by cumbersome language such as unnecessarily large words (ex: appellation, supercilious, vexation, countenance, rejoinder, extricate, capricious, apprised) and weird phrases (ex: “extricating the recalcitrant heel”). I’m not sure if this is common for steampunk novels or not, but I found it jarring because it didn’t feel natural. I actually started listing the words as I came across them. Fundamentally, it felt like it was trying too hard and I couldn’t get past that.

In the end, while there were some parts of the book that I did like, it was mostly just okay. I think too many elements were thrown into too short of a story to really work well. It just felt like a hodgepodge of ideas married a thesaurus too frequently. As a whole, the book could have used a lot more polishing and I doubt I will continue with the series unless I hear very high praise for the next installment.

-Tanya Read (Read. Run. Study.)

Victorian London 1800's two young ladies work together to stop heinous crimes. One is smart, studious, serious and a mystery solver, her name Mina Holmes niece of Sherlock Holmes, the other is vivacious, headstrong, brave and a vampire hunter, her name Evaline Stoker sister of Bram Stoker. Both ladies are asked for their help in solving the crimes of two of societies young ladies who were killed. Working together, and sometimes separately, the girls find themselves pulled into a dark, mysterious and dangerous world. Will they solve the crimes, and help save lives or will their willful and headstrong ways get them into even deeper trouble?! An absolute must read to a new fantastic series.

When I first picked up the Clockwork Scarab I didn't know what quite to expect. The concept was intriguing. The niece of Sherlock Holmes (daughter of Mycroft) and the sister of Bram Stoker team up to solve a mystery. Drafted to do so by none other than Irene Adler, the nemesis of Sherlock Holmes.

Mina Holmes is a awkward young woman who much to her misfortune resembles her uncle in every way. This has made her something of an outcast to the rest of London society as she lacks the natural beauty of other young women her age. She drives herself into the art of detection that her uncle has mastered. Not realizing until later that she has done this as a way to seek approval from her uncle and father.

"...It was the excess of emotion, Uncle Sherlock claimed. that made the female gender unable to make rational decisions and deductions. Which I'd spent my entire seventeen years of life attempting to disprove. At least in my case..."

Evaline Stoker is the opposite of Mina in every way. She is beautiful and readily accepted into the higher lofts of society. If only she desired to do so. Instead she has embraced what all the women of her family have done before her. To become a vampire hunter. She possesses strength beyond her appearance and great fighting ability. Only there seem to be no vampires left to kill. Also, Evaline gets queasy at the sight of blood.

The two main characters are well thought out. Young women, each with their own calling trying to make it in a world meant for men. The supporting cast is also strong. Irene Adler as a master spy. Sherlock Holmes and Bram Stoker each making an appearance. Stoker adopting Mina's name for the female lead in a novel he is penning. Then there is the thief Pix and the strange young man Dylan who appeared from nowhere and seems unable to go back.

What is lacking here is actually a story. Or at the least a mystery to be solved. There is an Egyptian sect of worshipers who promise women freedom and strength only to sacrifice them for a purpose not made clear. It seems that Gleason did such a fine job of crafting these characters that the story pales in comparison. I will more than likely pick up the second book in hopes that she has a story that is worthy of such well written characters as Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker.

Young society girls have been found died with a strange clockwork scarab next to their bodies. Irene Adler, at the behest of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, has called on Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes to investigate. Evaline is the younger sister of Bram Stoker and a vampire hunter. Mina Holmes is the niece of Sherlock Holmes. She has inherited the Holmes ability for deduction. The girl's deaths are linked to a strange Egyptian cult. Stoker and Holmes must go undercover to investigate.

This was a very disappointing novel. I've read many Holmes pastiches so I was excited to receive this book. Unfortunately the story had many flaws. The biggest problem was that I couldn't stand the main characters. Evaline is a thinly veiled copy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Mina is insufferably arrogant. They both become flustered whenever they get near the opposite sex. After a while I just skipped the scenes with their love interests.

The steampunk setting felt forced. Electricity has been outlawed because it is too dangerous so everything is run by steam. Mina dresses like a steampunk cosplay at the San Diego Comic-Con. A character can't even have a normal pocket watch; it has to foldout to display more than one clock face. London is built in different levels with steam lifts and dirigibles dot the sky. Mina has a steam stream gun. The male character she is all nervous and excited about drives a steam motorcycle.

The plot was very thin. I kept reading the book because I wanted to find out the identity of the villain, but the ending was far from satisfying. This is going to be a new series so the author didn't wrap up the storyline. She also left a time traveling character high and dry. I do not plan to read the other books in this series when they are released.

Mina (short for the horrific Alvermina) Holmes, niece of Sherlock, and Evaline Stoker, sister of Bram, are called upon by the Crown, through its representative Irene Adler, to solve the murders of several young affluent women under mysterious circumstances. They all seem to be connected by the clockwork scarabs left near each corpse, apparently tokens of a secret society. The two young ladies alternatively butt heads and partner with Scotland Yard and other less savory elements of society to solve the mystery. Along the way, they have to overcome their own insecurities and put aside their petty rivalry to become true partners in the investigation.

As a fan of Gleason's adult fiction (Gardella Vampire Chronicles), I was pleased with this first installment in her new YA series. I enjoyed the references to the Gardella Chronicles throughout, and I also enjoyed the steampunk elements. I was somewhat let-down by the ending. You're left not really knowing whodunit, although I definitely have a strong suspicion. I was also left wanting to see more of Stoker and Holmes and their various acquaintances, so I look forward to book 2.

Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker team up to solve the mysterious deaths and disappearance of young society girls. While they don't exactly get along to start with, they learn to work together and use their strengths to get to the bottom of the mystery and save lives from the evil doings that are afoot. With Mina's observational and investigative skills and Evaline's superior strength and fighting ability, what could possibly go wrong? Unexpected twists and turns, as well as distractions such as handsome, enigmatic, and infuriating pickpockets, police inspectors, and time travelers, make solving this mystery a challenge. The descriptions of the steampunk gadgets and the workings of this alternate reality add to the gritty and fascinating world of steampowered London. I can't wait to read the further adventures of Stoker and Holmes.

Stoker and Holmes caught my attention in this novel titled The Clockwork Scarab. With a full mixture of mystery and steampunk London, the author has created a unique experience of reading. The reader is quickly introduced to the two main characters in the opening chapters, along with their first mystery to solve. Teenage girls are going missing and being murdered and it is up to the relatives of the famous Bram Stoker and Sherlock Holmes to crack the cases before it is too late, maybe even for them. Evaline and Mina each have talents of their own. Utilizing them when the moment is right. Because of their talents and famous bloodline, they are approached with the ultimate task. A special request that comes straight from royalty herself. There appears to be some love interest sprinkled within, but nothing that overpowers the storyline.

The novel is presented through the eyes of each main character chapter by chapter. This approach to writing has become very popular. Long gone are the days where novels are only written in 1st or 3rd person. My overall feelings for this novel are mixed. I was hooked with the first few chapters. However, the pace of the novel appeared to slow up causing my interest level in the characters to drift a bit. Knowing that this book is first of the series, I expected to be left hanging near the end. Gleason does a pleasant job of tying up loose ends, just enough to get the reader ready for the next installment. - Deitre

THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB: A STOKER AND HOLMES NOVEL by Colleen Gleason is a terrific start to a new and unique mystery series set in 1889 London. It's an amalgamation of several popular subgenres, including steampunk, time travel, romance and young adult mystery, and stars Evaline Stoker (Bram's half-sister) and Mina Holmes (Sherlock's niece and Mycroft's daughter) as courageous, self-reliant, 17-year-old sleuths under the tutelage of Irene Adler (Sherlock's admired female opponent).

Told in alternating points of views, the story follows Mina and Evaline as they use their unique skills to identify the person(s) responsible for kidnapping and murdering upper class teenage girls and dumping their bodies around London. The palm-sized mechanical scarabs found beside each body link the murders and are crucial to the investigation. These and other clues lead to a secret Egyptian society to which all the dead girls belonged.

As in all good mysteries, the two young sleuths face a number of obstacles to their investigation. The main one here, though, is the girls mistrust of each other. The ever observant and analytical Mina Holmes thinks Evaline is flighty, weak, not terribly bright, and uncooperative. The incredibly fast and strong Evaline Stoker believes Mina is a haughty know-it-all who is dull and has no sense of adventure. But as the story evolves and they save each other with their set of special skills, they grudgingly begin to admire one another as worthy partners.

Though Mina and Evaline are the main sleuths in the story, they have plenty of help in solving the murders. The girls are glad to have Irene Adler as their mentor and supervisor, but their other assistants aren't as welcomed. Mina has to share her quest with the maddening but intriguing Inspector Ambrose Grayling of Scotland Yard and the handsome time traveler Dylan Eckhart, while Evaline needs help from Pix, a young man of questionable character who knows more about the case than he lets on. The men are just a bit older than the girls and provide the light romantic elements in the story.

Steampunk is a large part of THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB. The variety of steam-powered mechanical devices, such as Night-Illuminators, Steam-Stream guns, and the Deluxe Tome-Selector, adds a bit of humor to the story, and a few are even used to help solve the murders.

Overall, THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB is an intriguing and well-plotted murder mystery that readers from 12 years of age and up will enjoy. If you like adventurous stories with unique characters and strong, confident heroines, then this book is for you. I only hate that I have to wait a whole year for the release of the next book in the series.

If You Like This, You Might Like - THE GARDELLA VAMPIRE CHRONICLES by Colleen Gleason, F.R.E.A.K. SQUAD INVESTIGATION MYSTERIES by Jennifer Harlow, THE STEAMPUNK CHRONICLES by Kady Cross, THE INFERNAL DEVICES SERIES and THE MORTAL INSTRUMENT SERIES by Cassandra Clare

* An ARC was provided by Chronicle Books and Edelweiss for an honest review.
** Visit Blue Moon Mystery Saloon blog for more book reviews.

This book was AMAZING!!!! It read just like a Sherlock Holmes novel but in the POV of two young women. I felt I was right there alongside Mina and Evaline as they investigated their case together. Another interesting aspect was the steampunk London setting. I love reading books with this trope and it did not disappoint. With appearances from familiar faces and exciting new characters, this book was fantastic from beginning to end. I could not put it down!

A definite must-read for those who like something unique and out of the ordinary. The Clockwork Scarab is an exciting and fast-paced young adult historical mystery read with a light steampunk theme that brings us two kickass females, Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes (Sherlock Holmes’ niece and Bram Stoker’s sister), who team up to solve the matter of some missing society girls. Totally fun and just the right touch for a pleasant reading experience.

It was decided here at Gnostalgia that this book would be sent to me since my wee one's (Kat) age is the intended audience. When I told Kat that a book was on the way and that she would be giving a review of it, she excitedly waited (and checked daily) for the mail. Last Wednesday, she rushed in with a package saying "It's here Nana"! So, we opened it, and her first journey into the world of murder mysteries and great sleuthing begun.

Now, my wee one is the typical 13 year old girl. She loves things pink, she loves fashion, she's into Skylanders...and video games. It just so happens that the same day we got this book, she also received a new video game that she had also been waiting for. She played that for a little while in her room and then came out and sat down and started the book. Even though she knew that I was an avid fan of Sherlock Holmes and have been watching him lately on Netflix, she basically knew very little about him and his stories except that he solved murder mysteries. So, when she started reading this book, and she read through the first 3 chapters before setting it down (remember, her NEW video game was here!), I knew that this book was something that was well written. After all, if it could take her attention from her favorite pastime and newly acquired and long-awaited video game, this author had accomplished a great feat!

Kat set the book down several times to play her video games during the first half of the book. But then, somewhere just after the half way mark, when she started reading again, she just couldn't seem to put it down. Even for her new video game. And she kept coming out from her room and telling me about what was happening in the story, VERY excitedly. And when she told me that she was close to the end of the book after about the 5th time of coming out from her room, I knew right then, that the author had a BIG hit on her hands!

When Kat finished the book, she told me all about it and said, "You'll like this book, Nana." And by George, she was right! Even though the intended audience is a young crowd, even some of us who are more acquainted with Sherlock Holmes will find this an interesting read. I could see why the first half of the book had a harder time keeping Kat away from her new video game than the last half because this is where the setup of the story is (naturally). And because this is Kat's first introduction to a murder mystery, she's not used to a longer developing plot. But, with that said, it DID keep pace and on par for her attention with her new game! This spoke volumes for this book. So, when I read it, I went in knowing it was a good read. I was not disappointed.

In classic Holmes style, this story is set in London, in 1889, at the dawn of electricity and the slow demise of steam generated mechanics and during the tumultuous time of Jack the Ripper. But here, steam generation reigns supreme. Electricity is outlawed. And three worlds are one. The world of the greatest sleuth of all times (Sherlock Holmes), the world of the greatest vampire story ever written, by Bram Stoker (Dracula) and the world of technology from steam mechanics (there's an awesome steam mortorcycle and air ship!) to time travelling, combine to create a most delightful stage for not only solving a murder but also involving deduction about an ancient secret society which introduces an arch nemesis for the great young female Holmes. No, there are no vampires. But there is a vampire hunter! And, there's a new generation involved, the niece of Holmes and the younger sister of Bram. Both are teenagers, coming into their own greatness and carrying on their families' tradition for sleuthing and solving mysteries.

Katana's review: "I like this book and I recommend it to any teen who likes murder mysteries. What kept me reading is the intrigue that faced the young teenage sleuths and the way the author combined the ancient world with the future.

The story starts with a mystery. A meeting is set up by Miss Holmes receiving a letter with directions to go to the British Museum at midnight if she was willing to follow in her family's footsteps as her help was needed. But there was no other information. No signature and other information would be given only at the meeting. She decided to accept the invitation. There, she met up with another young girl who happened to be another sleuth of a different kind, a vampire hunter and together, they went into the museum to meet with who sent them both the invitation.

They meet up with an older lady who tells them about 2 murders and a disappearance of 3 young teenage girls from well-known wealthy families which she wanted them to help find out who the murderer was. Found at each scene was a scarab. Which Miss Holmes found to be a mechanical geared device. While at the meeting, they heard a noise and followed it and found a weirdly dressed young man bent over yet another murdered young girl. And this began the mysterious journey through London, time and ancient secrets that kept me wanting to read this to the end. I hope the author makes this into a series because I want to read more about Miss Holmes and Miss Stoker and find out if the boy returns to his time in the future and if Ankh, Miss Holmes arch nemesis, returns."

Conclusion:

This is a very well written book which keeps you on the edge of your seat and waiting with bated breath as to what happens next. It even ends with a mystery! With the clever combination of ancient secrets, old and futuristic technologies, historical and fictional history set in the near past of today's world and the fact that it kept my wee one's attention and wanting more, we give this book 5 thumbs up!
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Disclosure of Material Connection: We received this book free from Chronicle Books. We were not required to write a positive review. The opinions Kat and I have expressed are our own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Evaline Stoker, the sister of Bram Stoker and Mina Holmes the niece of Sherlock Holmes. What a unique and intriguing idea. This one has been on my list for a while. I loved it. Stoker and Holmes are a bit snippy with each other, but I found that to be so fun. Both highly intelligent. They are so different from each other, but alike too. But neither can see how much they are alike.. or refuse to see it. I absolutely loved the Gardella connection. The Clockwork Scarab set in Victorian London 1889. I found it to be wonderful read. From the characters and plot to the delicious descriptions. If your a fan of Steampunk or Ms. Gleason's Gardella series definitely check this book out.

I found the story different and fun. I enjoyed the idea of teaming up two young women from famed families to work together in service of their country, the Royal Family. The neice of Sherlock Holmes, daughter of Mycroft Holmes; and a member of the Stoker family, famed killer of vampires. They both have obviously inherited the well-known talents of their family ancestors. There is an element of paranormal, the satisfaction of a mystery well solved, the tension of strong characters conflicting with one another, and a great "supporting" cast throughout the pages of the book. I am looking forward to future books in this series. It was a fun read.

**Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy**

THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB had a lot of potential - the niece and sister of famous literary characters! steampunk! Egyptian mythology! - and while it lived up to some of my expectations, I was slightly disappointed with parts of it as well. The very first thing I'll mention is that the book description is a bit misleading- Mina and Evaline didn't know each other before the book started, so they were barely rivals (even if they did dislike each other after meeting), and they definitely weren't fending off advances from three gentlemen (because I would barely call their conversations advances and I can't even remember a third gentleman) and they are both definitely already in the family business (even if Evaline hasn't managed to kill a vampire yet). It does get right the bit about the mystery, though.

THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB brought to mind The Parasol Protectorate series, with double the heroines and not as much cleverness. Since Mina and Evaline (Holmes and Stoker, respectively) switch off telling the story, it was hard to get engaged with either of them. They were both fun and interesting characters though, Mina with her inventions and scientific sleuthing, and Evaline with her inherited vampire hunting skills. I felt Mina was a more fleshed out character than Evaline, and as a result, I liked her narration better. I also enjoyed her little barely there flirtation with the detective. It was cute and the perfect amount of boy/girl interaction for this story, since the mystery was clearly the focus. I do wish I had gotten as much of a feel for Evaline as I had for Mina, because there seemed like there could have been a lot of possible depth there, and more back story that could have been delved into.

My biggest complaint is the random plot line of Dylan, a secondary character who became a friend of Mina's. I felt it was totally unnecessary to the book. Without spoiling anything- I have a threshold of suspending disbelief. And Dylan's plotline crossed that threshold in the world Gleason created. His being there didn't seem to make sense and he didn't seem to add much. My other issue is that the mystery didn't feel very resolved at the end. They never really confirmed who the villain was, and Dylan's plotline didn't get tied up, and as a result I felt a little unsatisfied.

I'm certainly curious to see where the Stoker & Holmes series goes. As a first book, THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB was a good opener, even if it wasn't perfect. The world was creative and I want to see where the relationship with Mina and the detective goes, and find out if Evaline ever gets to kill a vampire- any of which would be enough to bring me back for book number two.

The sister of Bram Stoker--Oh, and guess what? They're Gardella descendants!--and the niece of Sherlock Holmes teaming up. Yep, a concept any female reader is sure to find intriguing. Throw in a mystery threatening the young ladies of London and a dash of time travel and the story starts off with a decent premise. Non-consecutive chapters with Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker as the focus give a deeper look at each individually and yet somehow make them feel less like a team. While Evaline's status as a Venator makes her a bit more physical, Mina is rather cerebral which is far from surprising. What is surprising is how minimal scenes with Mina really deducing anything are only sprinkled in, I expected her to be just a bit more on her famous Uncle's level.

The plot itself is painfully slow, something I always struggle with when I read Gleason's work. It's interesting with elements of time-travel and steampunk flavoring the mystery and I was eager to see our young heroines unmask the villain. Alas, the mystery is unresolved! Great if you want to slog through a series to find out all of the answers, bad if you went in expecting each novel would have its own mystery that strengthens the friendship of the heroines. Bah! So much potential that just didn't get reached.

What did work for me was the somewhat romantic subplot. Three different gentlemen become enmeshed in the adventure, each unique and fun to read. I do enjoy a good love interest to keep things interesting and these guys serve that purpose very well. I also enjoyed the cameos from Bram, Sherlock and Dr. Watson, they definitely make it worth the read.

Sadly, there was a lot I didn't like about THE CLOCKWORK SCARAB, largest of all the inclusion of the Gardellas. Some fans of Gleason's might love that aspect but I felt like it cheapened the story. The ending left pretty much everything unresolved and if that kind of thing drives you as batty as it does me you'll want to throw the book at the wall. While I could only rate this as an okay read the target young adult audience will probably like it much more unless they have similar woes to those I mentioned. I'll probably give the series one more book to win me over since I still adore the concept and want to see if it can rise from the issues I had with this opener.

Notes: ARC received via Edelweiss.

Miss Mina Holmes, niece of the famed Sherlock and Miss Evaline Stoker, sister of the famed author, are called upon in secret to solve mysteries surrounding the deaths of young women in London. As a secret group is is discovered it ends up as more than just a feminist movement, and the deaths are more sinister than anyone thought.

I love that there are strong females in this book that do the saving and investigating on their own, in spite of some of the males who'd rather they just "be ladies". As the book smart Mina and street smart Evaline progress through the book, they both realize that they can't get through life being book OR street smart - it takes a little of both and they join forces beautifully. The male (potential) love interests have their places, but they're important places, small roles though they are. The women prove that they can save their boys by their actions which accompany their sassy attitudes. These ladies are not weak, helpless, or submissive, nor are they just talk.

One fun part was in an opium den where Evaline saw men shirtless...gasp! Yes really! It actually was just as scandalous for a man to be shirtless (around anyone who was not his wife). Now it's perfectly fine for men and only scandalous for women. What happened society?! Oh yeah, patriarchy...I really wish everyone in the world could read this section, just to know how skewed things have become toward women/men and clothing.

There are a couple of unresolved issues, but I know they are in book 2, so don't feel like it's too much of a cliffhanger.

Review also posted on my book blog, Babbling of a Book Babe.

You know, you’d never think that two teenage girls, one related to Bram Stoker from Dracula, the other related to Sherlock Holmes, could ever manage to work together to solve mysteries and save the day. And you’d be pretty much right. These two ladies definitely did not like each other and were not above making sure the other one knew it.

First we have Alvermina Holmes, who unsurprisingly goes by Mina, a young lady who was abandoned by her mother, lives with a brillant father who is never home, and is known to mostly because of her crime solving uncle, Sherlock Holmes. She is headstrong, just as brilliant as her uncle, unfortunately not very fashionable, and definitely socially awkward. Mina brings the brains and determination, the logically side to the duo. She is also my favorite out of the two. I loved seeing how her brain works, working out clues and determining all of the possible explanations. But I could still relate to her because she wasn’t just a robot, she was still an awkward teenage girl. And I loved how she had kind of the feminist streak in a time where women aren’t really supposed to do anything improper. She didn’t care about propriety, she just wanted to use her brains and help people, and was constantly annoyed when people underestimated her because she is a woman.

Evaline Stoker was a bit more difficult for me to like. She was beautiful, has super speed and strength, and has never killed a vampire despite her abilities. She made a few rash decisions in the book that she obviously didn’t think out, nearly getting both girls killed, and that annoyed me. I also didn’t like how she kind of seemed to put herself up on a pedestal because she was prettier and had more gentlemen interested in her than Mina. But I did like how she still tried her best to be a good addition to the team and use the strengths she had to help. I can appreciate when a character knows their strengths and weaknesses and can admit when they are a bit out of their league. I also found the whole vampire slaying thing to be really interesting, although we don’t get any of it since there are no vampires in London anymore, but I did like the few bits we got on her family history when vampires were still around.

As far as the romance goes, we have several cases of forced insta-infatuation and even a love triangle. Yep, the dreaded love triangle. Evaline falls for some guy that I can barely understand because he uses a strong Cockney accent, and wears a barrage of disguises. But the best part is that he is named Pix. Like a pixie. Don’t ask because I really don’t know. Then we have Mina who is getting all swoony over some Irish detective, but who could blame her with an accent like that? But she is also panting over some boy that is from the future of a parallel world. When she first sees the future boy, she immediately gasps over how attractive he is. Two second later the detective walks in, and she again gasps at how attractive he is. I’m pretty sure Mina is just going to become obsessed and insert herself into the lives of every eligible bachelor she meets. Really, with both girls, their relationships don’t really get to in depth, it’s mostly just a steamy attraction sort of thing, so it was of little to no interest to me.

I was actually really pleasantly surprised to see that this is a steampunk book. Very light steampunk for sure, but it’s still there and adds a little unexpected fun to this story. So this book looks kind of like a hot mess, considering just in the first few chapters we already have steampunk, vampires, time travel, and an evil Egyptian society, among other things. But I actually found that the author did a fairly good job of making things flow together well. She didn’t shove the steampunk stuff in your face or make it feel forced, so the little mentions we got of it were very intriguing.

The plot itself was pretty fast paced and fun. The mystery wasn’t anything amazing, especially since it really didn’t even get solved in the end, which I’m sure will tie into a later book. But I did really enjoy the world, the steampunk parts were very interesting and I loved the more traditional historical London feel too. I did enjoy seeing the girls kind of dance around each other, not wanting to work together or cooperate, only to become a bit closer by the end. Their banter was really entertaining, as well as seeing their different lifestyles and how they were both kind of jealous of each other, even though they would never admit it. As for the time travel part, that mystery wasn’t figured out, a pretty stereotypical explanation was given and that was that. I’m convinced that time travel is only in the book so the author could bring a ridiculously attractive boy from the future for Mina to fall in love with, only for there to be a huge amount of drama once they find a way to get him back to his own time.

The villain in this book was really strange to me. I get that the author wanted them to be mysterious, but literally no one in this book could tell if it was a man or a woman. Mina at one point thinks she knows who it is, but even then, I don’t get how there is literally no way to figure out what sex the person is. It absolutely drove me crazy and I didn’t understand the relevance of having the villain be like that in this story. It seemed really random and confusing.

While this book wasn’t anything amazing, I would consider it to be a light, entertaining sort of read. If you just want to settle down with a fun mystery, attractive young men, witty banter, and a hint of supernatural stuff, this would be the book for you. Just don’t expect to have your mind blown by an ingenious plot or character development. I’m pretty sure you’d be rather disappointed.

This was a nice start and introduction to this series. I like both Mina and Evaline. They are both trying to live up to their family names while having their own identities. Mina uses her intellect and observational skills, but has very hard time doing things spontaneously. Evaline definitely leaps before she looks. They both are excellent heroines for different reasons and they compliment each other. The story itself is good and the writing is well done. At the end it felt a bit like a throw away in terms of we got a sort of ending.

I enjoyed this novel, mainly because I haven't seen something like this before (however I bet it has been done before).

My favorite chapters were Mina's, because she would deduce things like Sherlock and go through all of the steps. But, I had a hard time getting into this novel, their was way too much expedition and not enough action/sassyness.

Plus there was a character that had an accent that was too hard for me to read a single word he said, lol.

I recommend this book if you like the concept.

This was a very different plot and setting then what I usually read and I loved it. The bitterness between the two main characters Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker is great. They are both so smart and cunning and at first have trouble working together, but in the end are there for each other. The end definitely left an opening for a second book maybe more and I will be reading them to find some answers.

Beautifully written, fast paced action addressed for young readers but enjoyed by middle aged woman. Great detail about outfits and character of the time but short and sweet for the reader to enjoy more of the main plot itself. fast read , 350 pages. I read this book in one sitting. Highly recommend for enthusiasts of Sherlock Holmes and Bram Stoker, although it is Holmes niece and Stoker's sister teens that are main characters in the book. They are destined to solve a crime of disappearing and murdered women with help of local thief and criminal as well as a guy from the future (2016). The book is very interesting and grasping attention. Read it if you like detectivist books with adventure and 19th century background.

The Clockwork Scarab is an interesting read with a fresh take on a mix of themes, and it works! I was not disappointed, and I am looking forward to reading The Spiritglass Charade next.

***I received a free copy of this book, and in exchange, I have provided an honest review.***

Sherlock Holmes' niece working (sort of) with Bram Stoker's younger sister to find and identify the person who is responsible for the deaths of young women in 1899 London. Egyptian mythology and a time traveler with a cellphone add interesting twists. This is a Young Adult book, also a good read for seniors!

It was good. I liked the story, an unusual combination of steampunk, time travel, Sherlock Holmes, mythology, and Dracula. The plot was engaging and I liked the mystery of it, as well as the action, for no good mystery is complete without action. The uncertainties of the main characters were well written, I like characters who are very obviously not perfect. They developed well over the course of the story, coming to realize that they couldn't do everything. 4 out of 5 stars.

This is an abridged version of the complete review as it appears (http://ianwoodnovellum.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-clockwork-scarab-by-colleen-gleason.html) at my blog dedicated to reading, writing (no 'rithmatic!), movies, & TV

I gave this novel the old college try, but I didn't like it. It's a YA novel but it felt to me like it was written at middle grade level with adult word choices! Hmm! The novel presents as a steam-punk wannabe (it's set in London in 1889), but it's really a paranormal romance.

It's also the increasingly inevitable first in the increasingly inevitable series. I mean why write one novel when you can rework the same story over and over, and get a whole series, instead of having to do the work of coming up with something brand new each time? Seriously, if you can find suckers who will buy it, where's the incentive to give more or do better? What it translates to, in effect, is that this whole novel was nothing more than a massive prologue. I don't do prologues. Nothing happens, nothing is resolved. What's the point?

So, Evaline Stoker and Alvermina Holmes, the nieces or whatever, of Bram Stoker and Sherlock Holmes. Yeah, bin there dun that. The problem here is that neither character is remotely likable. Stoker could have been - had she not been so ready to get jiggy with a disrespectful guy she just met and knew nothing about. Holmes is - how did Professor Snape put it? Oh yes: an insufferable know-it-all. Nothing to like here. Both characters sounded pretty much the same in each of their own chapters.

I was hoping this didn't signal a down-turn in the novel to match the down-turn in my mouth, but I was robbed of that hope very shortly afterwards, when the other main female character, Evaline (sounds like a brand of motor oil doesn't it?) was literally man-handled by a character and didn't even whisper a complaint. She was too busy swooning. Be still my fluttering heart! Oh how my delicate skin is flushed! Oh how moist is my valley!

Of course the standard cliché male was strong and broad-chested, had a stalker's knowledge of her, and had no idea what the term 'personal space' means. Of course he gave every indication that he was lower class, but gave every other indication that there was more to him than met the eye. And suddenly, you're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of stomach and churn, but of gag; a journey into a nauseous land whose boundaries are that of a complete lack of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead; your next stop: the Promethazone.

Why do authors do this to readers? Especially: why do female authors do this to their female characters? Here we have two characters who hold the promise of being strong, engaging, significant female characters, and who are already fighting against stereotyping in a Victorian era, and what does the author do to them? Rapes them. Forcibly stereotypes them. Demeans them. Belittles them. Makes them dependent upon a man even as we're told - not shown, but told - how strong, independent, and smart they're supposed to be.

I actively dis-recommend this cynical and exploitative excuse for a story.

Charming and borderline offensive

The first person narrative is charming, and Sherlock Holmes' niece and Bram Stoker's sister provide pleasant company, but ...

1. The story is a cheat because the mystery is deliberately unsolved so the reader is pushed into buying the next in the planned series. This is poor form in the mystery genre.

2. The presentation of the two young heroines is odd and somewhat offensive. They have a tendency to get all weak-kneed and "hot" (author's word) whenever they're around good-looking men, and they seem to find any male presence good-looking. Any intelligence or courage they have melts away and they become helpless girls.

3. The book is seriously lacking in atmosphere, both Victorian and Steampunk. The atmosphere, as such, is decorative only. The Steampunk elements don't make sense at all, for example, taking the most useless forms, such as a machine that puts your umbrella into the right slot. Gleason, the author, needs to do more research for her follow-up novels.