Beast Heart by Kyle Richardson Blog Tour

Are you a fan of stand alones of trilogies?

I have to admit that I like a bit of both. I love the idea of happy ever after and that feeling of completion when you reach the end of a story but I also adore the thrill of a cliffhanger.

So when I was given the chance by Meerkat Press to receive an ARC and join the blog tour for Kyle Richardson's novel Beast Heart - part of his Steambound trilogy - my excitement was palpable and of course my answer was a resounding yes.

When Gabby’s hand turns to steam, her mom hires an engineer to build her a clockwork glove. It’s the last thing Gabby wants—if only she could be normal. But when her mom is attacked by something monstrous, normal is no longer an option. Now the only person she can turn to is a grizzled detective, who promises to help her become something … more.

Meanwhile, Kemple’s foster dad treats him like a slave. And the beatings are getting worse. So when a rebellious girl named Josephyn arrives—with a plan to escape to the city—he doesn’t hesitate. But there are creatures in Iron Bay whose slashes are worse than skin-deep. And as Kemple evolves into something inhuman, his search for a cure begins.

They are strangers in a city where carriages rattle, airships rumble, and where their own dark pasts continue to haunt them. Soon their paths will collide, and the girl who slays monsters will come face to face with the boy who is becoming a beast.

Beast Heart is a book that you need to go into with an open mind, expect the unexpected.

Split into parts, this tale follows two main protagonists. Kemple and Gabrielle.

Starting when they are both ten years old, we see two entirely different characters, both dealing with challenges and difficulties that I think we as humans could never imagine facing.

Gabby is what we'd typically call a freak, well at least that is how she sees herself. After visiting numerous doctors about her deformed hand it has now been made into something clockwork, but that isn't her only problem. She also has to wear chunky telescopic goggles which look less than normal. No matter how many times her mother tries to comfort her, convince her that normal isn't all it is cracked up to be, normal is still what Gabby Craves.

Then there's Kemple. Living through a life of abuse, regular beatings from his foster dad and left starving on many occasions, Kemple seems resigned to this life he's been given. Then a young, feisty girl called Josephyn comes to live in the foster home, who is willing to break the rules, leading him to protect her from a vicious beating. As they bond over their circumstances, these two run away together to Iron Bay in the hopes of a better life. The best laid plans, when Kemple gets scratched by a feral cat it becomes infected, leading to horrific long term effects.

Skip forward ten years ...

Gabby, now known as Brielle and Kemple an almost seventeen year old are about to see their worlds collide.

Their younger selves now long gone. Gabby is looking to slay the beasts the brutally killed her mother whilst Kemple is desperately trying to find a cure for the sickness that continues to take him down.

Steampunk.

Dystopian.

Beast Heart is a novel which is rich in detail. A slow building tale that for a shorter, slow-building  novel manages to pack a punch and draw you in with every turn of the page. It is deliciously dark and gritty with a real heart to it (just like the title suggests) and each character adds a depth needed to the story.

The chapters are short, which if I'm honest, added to the feeling that I just couldn't put this book down. I was totally invested in Gabby and Kemple's stories and was desperate to see where they might lead.

Prepare to redefine the way you see monsters.

The writing style subtle yet wickedly dramatic at the same time.

And that ending! 

If you're not a fan of cliffhangers then I'd suggest waiting until the full trilogy is released but I implore you to make the effort to read this story at some point. I'm now on tenderhooks waiting for book two. I have questions that NEED answers and I'll be honest I am desperate to see the growth of Kemple and Brielle's quirky relationship.

If you're liking the sound of Beast Heart, make sure you join the rest of the blog tour for more insight into this brilliant adventure.

BUY LINKS: Meerkat Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Kyle Richardson lives in the suburban wilds of Canada with his adorable wife, their rambunctious son, and their adventurous daughter. He writes about shapeshifters, superheroes, and the occasional clockwork beast, moonlights as an editor at Meerkat Press, and has a terrible habit of saying the wrong thing at the most inopportune moments. His short fiction has appeared in places such as Love Hurts: A Speculative Fiction Anthology and Daily Science Fiction.