The Lotus Effect

Title: The Lotus Effect
Author: Bridget Ladd
Publisher: Obese Rhino Publishing
Release Date: July 19, 2013

"An improbable partnership. An unforgettable love.
Lily Emerson, daughter of the Head of Council and Mistress of Science, has lived a privileged life. It's Lily's 18th nameday, the day she is to follow in her mother's footsteps, becoming the next Mistress of Science--the most powerful woman in all of City Prosper. The Architect and designer of Prosper's future.

During the night of her Coronation, the corruption of the Council spreads before her . . . opening her eyes to the cruelty that resides in the Council, even within her own parents. Lily realizes now the title of Mistress only comes with superficial power, that to truly save the citizens--she has to fight. Fight in the Barrage--the mechanical gladiatorial tournament in which one chosen pair of volunteers from each Sector fights, armor-clad and as a team, utilizing unique weapon specialties: the Gatling gun, the Cestus, Klaives, Crescent Knives, mechanically engineered beasts--in the hope to win the right to change the Law. A law that has remained unchanged since its creation almost eighty years ago.

The tournament that Xander, Engineering Blacksmith and Lily's partner, believes she has no business being in.

But Lily's different. And she sets out to prove just that."

What I liked:  It has a little bit of everything in it for everyone. That is the major point behind this book.  Steampunk, a little mystery, a dash of romance, a hint of fantasy, a sprinkle of sci-fi, and some dystopian magic weaved a story unlike any that I have read before. While it initially starts off slow once it starts to roll, the story moves along with lots of turns and some suspense thrown in. Having all of these different aspects, even the ones I'm not interested in led me to finish this book in near record time for me.

The characters all add their own flair to the novel and those that I didn't think we're going to have a role in the novel, ended up playing their parts. There was two characters; Scottie and Mistress Emerson; who I didn't enjoy at the beginning but I grew to respect towards the end of the novel. The fact that characters managed to change my opinion of them helped with my view of the book.

To break this down with the 2 characters who story this was: Lily and Xander. Both Sector 8 contenders who have their own reasons for entering the Barrage. Let me rephrase that to the only Sector 8 contenders. Lily being next in line for being the Mistress of Science and Xander who is an Engineering Blacksmith, have to learn to trust each other to win the Barrage and stay alive. What really drew me to this pair was their history together that once I knew the truth surprised me and Lily being willing to forgive and move on just to change the Law was not what I would have thought for as quick as she did things.

What I didn't: It starts off really slow and it does let you think its the Hunger Games (nothing to wrong with that)

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 - I docked it the half star for the slow start of the novel