I received an ARC of Dirt Town by Paula Baker and Aidan Davies earlier this past year, and absolutely loved it! Fans of Brandon Sanderson and Matthew Stover are in for a treat with Dirt Town. Perfect for YA steampunk fans, this book captivates readers from the first page. I loved the dialogue and world building in this book. Five stars!!! Highly recommend.

Dirt Town was exciting from start to finish. The introduction of new characters along the way, in combination with plot twists and turns made it hard to put down. Doctor Durante is quite the character who proves that seeking answers to question can make a difference. The friends he meets are all unique in their own ways and, as a reader, easy to connect with. Themes of good vs evil; Poor vs Rich; loyalty and, what happens when Artificial Intelligence is put in the wrong hands makes for an interesting read, regardless of what genres you usually choose. As a school principal, I think this book is a must have for intermediate libraries and would recommend this book to young readers and adults alike.

Dirt Town was exciting from start to finish. I loved the "steampunk" theme of industrial revolution meets robots and automated cars meets magic. The introduction of new characters along the way, in combination with plot twists and turns made it hard to put down. Today's relevant topics of concern such as good vs evil; rich vs poor and what happens when AI is put in the wrong hands makes for an interesting read for readers young and old. (I'm a retired middle school principal.) Loved cheering on the heroes (Aldrich and Fia). I can see young readers also cheering on Wilhemina. Is she good or is she evil? An opportunity for real discussion.

It is not really my type of book but I was pleasantly surprised. The flow of the book was excellent. Right from the beginning I was drawn into the adventure. I like the characters.
Firstly the unhero hero objective to do the right thing for all people. The two female characters I enjoyed, the young independent 14 year old girl and the ruthless female mercenary.

I did get bogged down with the battling at the end, but I am sure this would appeal to the younger readers.

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity. I recommend reading this book.

I like a book that grabs you right away and continues to keep you engaged - this book delivered that. I just wanted to keep reading once I started it. Great characters and lots of twists and turns. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review - I recommend this book.

An excellent, well written narrative that draws you in from the start. A clear divide of the rich versus the poor with a chance meeting which causes a catalyst of life changing events and battles. Highly recommended. I received an ARC copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was provided an advance copy of this book, and this is my voluntary review.
Dirt Town is not a genre I would normally pick up to read, but once I started the book, I couldn’t put it down.
The characters were well developed with beautiful imagery of a magical world. The plot twists and turns had me fascinated; I couldn’t wait to find out if good could win over evil! I am really hoping this is the first in a series! Thank you, Paula and Aidan; you have made a Steampunk Fantasy fan out of me!

Thank you to Paula and Aidan for giving me the opportunity to read and review your new book.
I was immediately drawn into this story early when the local Dr. Aldrich Durante chance encounter with the young but powerful child Fia takes them on an amazing journey. He is taken out of his privileged and secure life to lead a group of unique and interesting characters to crusade for a better life for all. This is a fascinating world you have created with elements of magic, politics and robots. The characters were well developed and interesting.

This story addressed some very relevant issues in today's society. I could see using this book as a resource to ignite thought-provoking discussion between peers and different age groups.

Although he is an adult, Dr. Durant's dawning realization of the real world around him (and it's workings), makes this a well written coming-of-age story.

This book starts off with a bang and keeps the pace up to the end. I really enjoyed it, and hope it’s the start of a series.

We all have at least one person who has changed our life in ways unexpected and unforeseen. One individual without whom that life would be …?
Aldrich Durante was content with who and where he was. The world was ordered and manageable. So, life being the ever-changing tableau it is, naturally things moved on. He met Fia. Slowly, Aldrich sees his horizon expand – a world he never knew existed takes Durante along a path he never imagined to travel
Each of Baker and Davies’ main characters are engaging. The story is told from 2 perspectives. Each chapter is introduced with a news item from the city’s daily paper. The chapter proper then focuses on Aldrich or Fiam and their interaction with people and events.
Side note – the divide between the reported version of events and the reality was close to what we have seen in the real world of late, in my opinion.
Let us be thankful to and for those who changed our lives – the Aldriches and Fias. In truth, they helped us get where we were meant to be.

“STOP HERE,” ALDRICH ordered.
Instantly, the automatized carriage rolled to a stop and he climbed out. It was a beautiful morning.
Strolling along the tidy street, he was reminded of his life before he met Fia. Everything had been so uncomplicated then. He walked to the clinic, saw his patients, went to his club for dinner and walked
home. Simple.

Dirt Town: A Steampunk Fantasy Adventure for Young Adults, my second read from author Paula Baker, co-written with her son Aidan Davies. A 464-page entertaining & enjoyable epic steampunk fantasy adventure. “I received a Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I'll read more from this author. I look forward to reading Rebels of Halklyen: A YA Dark Lord Fantasy (The Hawks Book 1) down the road. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

An interesting read in which I enjoyed the steampunk parts. A fascinating tale between those who have and the have not.

There is no question that Paula Baker and Aiden Davies will provide the reader with an action packed yarn. Their settings societies are always very creative as is the case with Dirt Town. I enjoyed the greater character development in this book. For young readers there is the requisite hero, lots of peril, and an adequate sprinkling of violence and gore, underpinning the positive moral message. It is an easy reading fantasy and it kept me thoroughly entertained.

Note: This reviewer received an ARC copy of the book.

Dirt Town by Baker & Davies is a gripping young adult steampunk fantasy that blends political intrigue with a richly imagined world. The story masterfully reflects today’s political climate, exploring themes of power, inequality, and the manipulation of the masses. The plot is fast-paced and filled with twists that kept me eagerly turning pages, while the complex characters and timely social commentary make it impossible to put down. I looked forward to reading it every day, and it’s a must-read for fans of political thrillers and thought-provoking fantasy.

OMG

I was thrilled to receive a free copy of Dirt Town in exchange for my honest review! This is a must read as it touches upon social and political issues in our present world…the demise of the church, electric cars, rich vs poor, controlled elections…as well as a futuristic look at the world with robots. I was touched by the main character’s compassion and his commitment to really changing some of the ugliness in his country. Bravo, Paula and Aidan!

Wow! I loved this story! I loved the characters, Aldrich, Fia, Winston, Willy, Munash. All of the character growth was expertly written. Paula Baker and Aiden Davies has a creative mesmerizing way their world building. They take you right into the story with them. Being in upper Cairnisle and Dirt Town was like night and day. I love how the good Dr. Aldrich Durante fought for Dirt Town. This book is a great read and I absolutely recommend reading it!

Dr Aldrich from Upper Cairnisle runs into orphan Fia setting off a collision of two worlds, one rich and comfortable and the other poor and chaotic. The narrative is told from their two individual perspectives throughout the story and has several twists thrown into the plot. This is a fast-paced, steampunk style, fantasy adventure that keeps the reader engaged till the end.

I'm a member of the ARC team and have left an honest review voluntarily.

I found this book to be intriguing! It reminded me a bit of A Tale of Two Cities and a bit of Les Miserables, with a fantastic society that contained a steampunk feel with wonderful world building. There were several unexpected twists that created great new direction in the story! My main concern was the amount of violence and gore. Otherwise it was an excellent book! I would recommend it if battle scenes don’t faze you.

Dirt Town masterfully intertwines steampunk fantasy with the very real fears and hopes of our modern era. In a world where AI and robotics are at our fingertips, Doctor Aldrich Durante's struggle against a society controlled by machines and magic is both thrilling and thought-provoking. A stark reminder of the growing divide between rich and poor, and the power of standing up for change.

This was a really fun read. To start it off they did such a great job with the world building and keeping you interesting in reading more. The book has some interesting twists and it keeps you on the edge of your seat.It's so interesting the mix of science, technology and magic. I definitely am looking forward to seeing more books in this universe.

Dirt Town is set in an industrial age where machines are powered through magic. If you are not a fan of stories involving magic, don't worry as it is more of an action and good vs evil novel than magic. The main characters are interesting and the story moves alone at a nice pace.

NOTE: I received a free copy for an honest review.

A well written narrative that draws you in from the start. Steampunk ambience. Great characters and lots of twists and turns. Life changing encounters and GREAT characters Dr. Durante gets his world upside down more than once. I received an ARC copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I got the Arc copy of Dirt Town so I would give my Honest opinion. Here goes! It shows the difference between the classes and has robots that take over. Things have to be controlled. This is very close to what is possible in the world today. Very interesting book. A very good read. These authors have interesting minds.

The future between 2 societies, the Rich and the Poor and how one can maybe change it .
This book cleverly involves common everyday issues into a great read for adolescent and also more mature readers. I could see this happening in the very near future.
I received this as a free copy and enjoyed reading it. maybe there is a 2nd volume coming up?

I got an advance copy to read & review. This book is a hoot! Be prepared to be kidnapped and taken for a wild ride!

I absolutely loved this book! It was a fun steampunk setting with a great storyline. I loved the character development of Aiden and how he has his mind opened to the injustices around him and he can’t stand by any longer. There was a lot of violence enacted on both sides that made it seem like there was a lack of concern for human life. That fed the story and made the situation more interesting.

The rot is deep but almost invisible to almost all of the citizens living above ground. The Good Doctor just happens to literally stumble into a offshoot of the rot while walking home from his doctors office. Gripping can't put down-able read and Fia is the spark that leads to ??? No Spoilers...I am an Honest ARC reviewer you should like this one.

"Dirt Town" is a story comparable to the best of fantasy fiction. While reading, sci fi writer Asimov came to mind - The Foundation Trilogy. Or Mervin Peake's Ghormenghast. While Dr. Aldrich Durante, Fia, Wilhelmina and a host of genuinely likeable characters fight against injustice, the future of the steampunk town of Cairnisle pivots in uncertainty. The action is continuous, the plot twists unexpected and the descriptions vivid. Young readers will be challenged grapple with the importance of democracy and to think critically about how their own world compares to Cairn. This is a must read book!

This book had me hooked from the opening pages. It was a very fast read. Definitely recommended!