The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason

[hayleyb1]

The joining of the famous Stoker and Holmes families in a murder is inspiring and revolutionary. This amazing murder novel is a must read for all young ladies facing self-consciousness in today's world to show them you can be strong, intelligent, and awkward without feeling ashamed. The combination of clockwork mechanisms with Egyptology and criminal investigations is fun, exciting, and incredibly unique.
Mina Holmes embodies the legends of her uncle Sherlock with her observation skills and powers of deduction while being limited as a Victorian woman having to adhere to social customs and expectations. She is socially awkward and constantly self-conscious because of her physical features, but still remains confident in her abilities and driven by the puzzle.
Evaline Stoker shows her skills as a vampire hunter with supernatural strength and speed while unconsciously limiting her connections to humans through insecurities that headstrong, young women face and the jealousies of other women's' abilities.
The friendship between these two strong and lovely ladies shows the society struggles with marriageable women in love with the "wrong" sort of man and the difficulties faced by the restrictions placed on them by "acceptable" clothing and mannerisms while trying to assert their own identities and gifts.
I could not put The Clockwork Scarab down from start to finish because the Victorian language put me directly into Mina and Evaline's world, experiencing their sensations and stresses, as well as their victories.