Tarnished (The St. Croix Chronicles, #1)

Aug 13, 2012 Lilli Perspice rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: too-smexeh-for-mah-shirt, steampunk, reviewed, they-live-in-my-house

I have come to enjoy reading books with a "broken" heroine. Dead on the Delta, Unholy Ghosts, even Mind Games all have heroines with some serious issues going on, so I was expecting to be okay with that aspect of Cherry's character. But I wasn't. I think part of the problem is that Cherry lacked much personality past her addiction. Oh, there was the mention of her being scientific-minded, but this played absolutely no part in her daily life past a few short conversations with various characters....more I have come to enjoy reading books with a "broken" heroine. Dead on the Delta, Unholy Ghosts, even Mind Games all have heroines with some serious issues going on, so I was expecting to be okay with that aspect of Cherry's character. But I wasn't. I think part of the problem is that Cherry lacked much personality past her addiction. Oh, there was the mention of her being scientific-minded, but this played absolutely no part in her daily life past a few short conversations with various characters. I felt like this was treated as something to bring out to shock polite society and show what an independent woman Cherry is instead of being an integral part of her character.

I was thrown by this description early on (page 6): "I am wholly dependent on a stipend allotted by my guardian every month. Unfortunately, I am a creature of expensive habits and necessity. The tools of science are not cheap." This led me to believe that, in addition to her opium habit, she did science type stuff too (experiments and scientific discoveries, oh my!). Unfortunately, this was not the case. Either I understood it wrong, or the author just failed to deliver.

Cherry uses her job as a collector, a combination of a bounty hunter/retriever/killer for hire (Cherry, of course, never takes jobs that involve children or murder) to pay for her opium habit (and the never-revealed "tools of science"). I might be able to buy her ability to do this considering her unusual upbringing, but I did find it hard to believe that she kept it a secret for years from her household. She sleeps until noon after her nighttime jobs, though when she gets up everyone else is also still enjoying breakfast. Since when is this acceptable in proper London society? (and trust me, her governess/chaperone is a stickler for propriety). She also disappears from her room regularly when her lady-like sensibililties have been taxed, yet her governess has never checked up on her? This just didn't seem plausible to me.

Also, I never understood why she felt the need to try to fit into Society in the first place, other than the author's need to build conflict in her life. There was vague mention of repercussions to her household if she failed, but nothing concrete. She doesn't seem to want to be a part of Society (she hates Society's rules, the "proper" role of women, fashion, gossip...), so why is she trying so hard to fit in? Why not throw caution to the wind and pursue the science she claims to love?

The plot itself was...confusing. And unresolved. Very unresolved. I read a lot of series, so I know that you can, in fact, resolve issues in one book in a satisfactory way while still continuing an overarching story. I felt no resolution here. I was left with a vague feeling of disappointment and wondered if maybe I had missed something. A quick reread of the final chapters did nothing to dispell this feeling. (view spoiler)

Also, a final pet peeve of mine. It really bothers me when authors try to pass off a false sense of modesty in their characters by making them hate the things that 99.9% of us would find beautiful/appealing/attractive. Descriptions of Cherry's "unfortunate" full lips, thin waist with broader bosom and hips were peppered through the narrative, in first person no less. This is the description she gives of her hair (page 24-25): "As Betsy worked my auburn hair through her hands, the daylight creeping through my window picked out gleaming strands of jewel red and uncanny hints of near violet. A fashionable fringe draped across my forehead, but the rest fell nearly to my waist in unruly curls. I hated it, my hair."

The first person descriptions of her hair having "gleaming strands of jewel red" and "uncanny hints of near violet" are completely at odds with someone who hates their hair. That's like me sitting here telling you: I hate my eyes. They are the exact green color of leaves just turning to autumn, with striations of brown fanning from the pupil like tendrils of dark sunlight. No, no, no. If I hated my eye color, I would be describing it as dull, muddy green. Or, ya know, stick to the color: I have hazel eyes. See how easy that is?
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Jun 04, 2012 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, edelweiss-arc, arc, 2012-reads, 2012-reviews, reviewed, mystery, ssh-ssh-family-secrets

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After going through several (5 or more) steampunk novels last month I took a bit of a breather, only to be broken when I couldn't resist the synopsis for Cherry's first exploits and I am glad I did. Fun, easy and with a new outlook on alchemy and steampunkey (not to mention London!), Tarnished is a fun, entertaining read. The beginning novel of a new series blending steampunk, mystery and the paranormal, Karina Cooper delivers up the goods in her fi...more Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

After going through several (5 or more) steampunk novels last month I took a bit of a breather, only to be broken when I couldn't resist the synopsis for Cherry's first exploits and I am glad I did. Fun, easy and with a new outlook on alchemy and steampunkey (not to mention London!), Tarnished is a fun, entertaining read. The beginning novel of a new series blending steampunk, mystery and the paranormal, Karina Cooper delivers up the goods in her first outing of the Chronicles: a strong but likeable protagonist in Cherry St. Croix, handsome Earls with which to dally, Society drama to keep the intrigue high and the exploits hidden, the alluring and dangerous Micajah Hawke, and multiple unique and creative applications of steampunkery. In short, there is a lot of story, adventure and romance to be had here, and Karina Cooper makes the ride quite imaginative and original throughout. And, as an added bonus, you can pre-order this deceptively simple novel for only $4.99 for Nook! How can you resist that? Fans of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series or Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine's Ministry of Pecular Occurrences novels might look to find their next fix between the pages of Tarnished.

A blend of several genres, it is the steampunk that stands to the fore here. Largely, that is due to the author's original conception of a lower and upper London -- one divided in half, with the rich and elite literally raised above, on steel stilts higher than the fog of the industrial, steam-powered "London below" of the less fortunate. ("The city above the drift glimmered and danced; a glittering dowager festooned with diamonds. Below, she was pocked and diseased, her skirts hanging torn and stained around her roughened knees." ARC, p.47) I love when authors actual use steampunk to be creative, rather than as drapery for a scene or as a simple deux-ex-machina (coughTheSteampunkChroniclescough), and happily for me, this is one such author. I really like the idea of London raised on stilts -- it's like a steampunk Venice, with air canals and sky gondolas as part and parcel of the whole shebang. The accompanying gadgets and gizmos dreamed up to operate in this imagined version of London perfectly complement Cherry's role as a collector, and the story at large. This bifurcated London is very different, wholly unique but one that still provides a familiar backdrop. Other imagined aspects of London that Cooper has created, like the Midnight Menagerie, only add the atmosphere prevalent throughout the entire novel. This is a dark, sexy mystery set in the perfect locale.

Cherry St. Croix leads a double life, and it is a complicated one. Or two. Colored and judged by Society's perceptions of her "mad doctor" father and the beautiful-but-dead mother she hardly remembers, Cherry must eke out a living (and cash for her addiction) by collecing bounties. While bounty-hunting may not be the most believable means of income for a young lady of society, it naturally leads Cherry to the seedy (and literal) underbelly of London and the main plot of Tarnished. Cherry's involvement in the subsequent events and mysteries of the lower classes felt natural and evolved organically; though she is torn between her two lives (and the men in them! I foresee a major love-triangle forming over the horizon for book two!), she can operate easily within either. It's easy to distinguish Cherry-the-lady from her alter-ego, as well as it is easy to feel a rapport with the character. Though it took me a while to fully get there, this spirited and intelligent character makes a favorable, lasting impression as a protagonist. I do feel a bit of apprehension with the definite possibility of love-triangles forming for Cherry in further novels (Micajah Hawke, Cornelius Kerrigan Compton) and hope the author has the aplomb to pull it off without spoiling the characterization developed so far for all characters involved.

A new spin on a lot of UF/steampunk favorites and tropes help to make Tarnished one of the more fun steampunk escapades I've read. With the events of book one mostly resolved and the few open plotlinese clearly extended toward a book two, I am eagerly awaiting more Midnight Menagerie (Hawke! I want more Hawke, definitely), more freakish alchemy and fresh interpretations of old ideas from this inventive author. I can't wait for book two.

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Jun 25, 2012 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read, needs-review, edelweiss, steam-level-steamy, steampunk, no-hea, urban-fantasy, warrior-woman, love-triangle, major-character-death, major-illness-or-injury, magick

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.

Expected Release Date: June 26, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: Avon
Author’s Website: http://www.karinacooper.com
My Source for This Book: Edelweiss
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, St. Croix Chronicles
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy

I stayed up until past three in the morning, even knowing I had to get up at seven, in order to finish this book, because I couldn’t stand the thought of putting it down....more

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Reviewed by Gemma for www.BookChickCity.com

For me, steampunk books can be a very hit or miss affair, with some books trying too hard to be quirky with its inventions or trying to be “modern” in a Victorian setting.

Thankfully, TARNISHED isn’t one of these books and to be honest should be tagged more as a thriller set in Victorian England, with hints of steampunk technology. This isn’t a bad thing and is actually a very fun read, as you aren’t bogged down with the inventions.

The main plot is cente...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Kara-karina rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5/5
Tarnished is a delicious appetiser which left me hungry for more. It introduces you to dark, gritty and very visual steampunk London where Cherry St. Croix leads a double life.

During days she is up above the black smog of London among the strange cluster of mansions for rich and privileged, bridges and air gondolas, designed by her father and lifted above the city to escape the contaminated air. During days she is Cherry St.Croix, an unconventional daughter of a mad scientist, forced to beh...more 4.5/5
Tarnished is a delicious appetiser which left me hungry for more. It introduces you to dark, gritty and very visual steampunk London where Cherry St. Croix leads a double life.

During days she is up above the black smog of London among the strange cluster of mansions for rich and privileged, bridges and air gondolas, designed by her father and lifted above the city to escape the contaminated air. During days she is Cherry St.Croix, an unconventional daughter of a mad scientist, forced to behave according to high society standards otherwise her guardian will stop her allowance and her scientific experiments.

At nights, Cherry is a different person. Ms. Black is a collector (as in bounty hunter) in the blackest areas of London, fitted into a black garb with armoured corset, respirator and night vision goggles, she hunts the streets for thieves and those unfortunate indebted to Chinese mafia of Karakash Veil and their dangerous and seductive representative Micajah Hawke. She is a flawed heroine who is driven by her opium addiction acquired as a child, when she grew up as an acrobat in a street circus before her guardian found her.

Cherry and her gritty harsh world undeniably reminded me of the series I adore - Downside Ghosts by Stacia Kane. She is trapped in a vicious circle of nightmares and addiction just like Chess is trapped. She might not be poor but she is surrounded by secrets. Her guardian has one, deliciously sinful Hawke has several, and even her powerful aristocratic admirer, Lord Compton hides something.

Cherry manages to stay under a radar of London crime lords until few prostitutes approach her asking to find and stop a mad killer who is butchering their friends. She starts the investigation and in the process finds unexpected links to her past, a powerful magical solution which weakens the link between body and soul, so the body can be possessed, and the most dangerous of all, - she gets indebted to Karakash Veil...

I won't give anything else away, but this an exciting, exhilarating read, with an albeit abrupt ending, and I highly recommend it not only to the fans of steampunk, but to anyone who loves Stacia Kane. I, for one, am determined to find Ms. Cooper's backlist and start reading it.(less)

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May 04, 2013 Coffeecup rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, historical, reviewed, action

I went into this book completely blind. Well, almost completely blind. I knew it had steampunk elements, but that's it.

The first time I started reading it it bored me and I stopped. And for some unknown reason (perhaps boredom again?) I decided to pick it up again. This time it hooked. Me. In. The voice of the narrator took some getting used to, but once I did I enjoyed it thoroughly.

It wasn't what I expected it to be. It wasn't steampunk in the way that other books in the genre are, so if what...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Tahyun rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

To be honest.... Avon sent me this book but I don't even know if I would call it a romance... I mean, there were moments when vague romance happened, but those were overshadowed entirely by the other plot aspects. Is this a romance? Does it fall under another genre? Steampunk suspense/mystery? Is this what they mean when they say "gothic novels"? I have no idea.

Another thing, this was my first Steampunk "romance". I found the aspects that were Steampunk interesting, although they were very fore...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was more of a 3 1/2 stars. I think the series has potential; the world and the characters and an interesting twist on the Ripper murders definitely intrigue me (although Cherry is rather full of her own cleverness in this book), and I definitely want to know more about the loose ends. Will Cherry's addiction swallow her up? What's the deal with her terrifying guardian? What do these handsome, powerful men see in her, and which one will she ultimately fall for? What's the deal with Sweet Too...more This was more of a 3 1/2 stars. I think the series has potential; the world and the characters and an interesting twist on the Ripper murders definitely intrigue me (although Cherry is rather full of her own cleverness in this book), and I definitely want to know more about the loose ends. Will Cherry's addiction swallow her up? What's the deal with her terrifying guardian? What do these handsome, powerful men see in her, and which one will she ultimately fall for? What's the deal with Sweet Tooth (not the most clever of names, but hey)? The way Cherry's lifelong opium addiction is handled (and the awesome descriptions of her world on opium) are also high points in the story.

That said, this book was not without its flaws. The plot felt really disorganized and downright opaque at times. it's one thing for Cherry not to know what's going on, but it gets rather tiresome for the reader to have absolutely no clue either. Cherry's relationship with Fanny was puzzling to me; WHY should a mere companion have such an authoritative say over every aspect of her mistress's life? The romantic elements came completely out of left field for me, too-- perhaps the author did TOO good a job of defining Cherry as a blunt, odd, and antisocial bluestocking.

And speaking of romantic interests... I found Hawke's attitude towards Cherry puzzling (and more than a little offensive) from the start. She's been doing this job successfully for, what, 5 years? The woman clearly has chops-- so where does this "you're a child, you understand nothing" bit suddenly come from? If he's trying to drive her off, he should've known her long enough to realize that was the WORST possible strategy. (Yes, Hawke is smokin'... but that NEVER excuses alphole behavior.) The scene where he helps her break free of the magic opium is blazing sexy-hot, but also kind of... WTF? What WAS he trying to do, and why did it work? Was it just a gratuitous almost-sex scene because Hawke doesn't know how to use his words? (Good job there, though, Cherry, on NOT bemoaning the accidental loss of your virginity to your friend who's a sex slave.) There are a few too many scenes like that, where something bizarre happens and then is left completely unexplained.

Despite the flaws in the first book (and the COMPLETELY unresolved ending), I think it's still got a lock on me for the second title in the series. After that... we'll see. This series is on probation with me.(less)

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Jan 23, 2013 Kim Power rated it 4 of 5 stars

A stunning introduction to a new series, Tarnished offers us the obligatory feisty heroine in an most original Victorian steam punk setting. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that the premise on which the book rests, that Cherry is society lady by day and bounty hunter by night seems a stretch. Yet we accept Sherlock Holmes could be respectable gentleman and crime fighter. But he is fully adult and lives independently.

However, once disbelief is suspended, the story is a ripping yarn. B...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Satyrblade rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Fun book overall. Great characters and an engaging setting. A lot of REALLY nice setpieces made the book more or less a joy throughout its length.

The "less" part of that involves some sloppy inconsistencies that tighter editing and beta-reading should have caught. The main character wears a metal-boned armored corset that runs from waist to neck, yet performs improbable - and in one case, physically impossible - gymnastics while wearing it. One of the hooks involves the same character's financi...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Dangerous Romance Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

My name is Cherry St. Croix. Society would claim that I am a well-heeled miss with an unfortunate familial reputation. They've no idea of the truth of it. In my secret world, I hunt down vagrants, thieves . . . and now, a murderer. For a monster stalks London's streets, leaving a trail of mystery and murder below the fog.

Eager for coin to fuel my infatuations, I must decide where my attentions will turn: to my daylight world, where my scientific mind sets me apart from respectable Society, or to...more My name is Cherry St. Croix. Society would claim that I am a well-heeled miss with an unfortunate familial reputation. They've no idea of the truth of it. In my secret world, I hunt down vagrants, thieves . . . and now, a murderer. For a monster stalks London's streets, leaving a trail of mystery and murder below the fog.

Eager for coin to fuel my infatuations, I must decide where my attentions will turn: to my daylight world, where my scientific mind sets me apart from respectable Society, or to the compelling domain of London below. Each has a man who has claimed my time as his—for good or for ill. Though as the corpses pile, and the treacherous waters of Society gossip churn, I am learning that each also has its dangers. One choice will see me cast from polite company . . . the other might just see me dead.

The world that Cooper has created is a fascinating, fun, and has an interesting if unbelievable twist on Victorian London.

Our Heroine, Cherry St. Croix, is the daughter of a scientific madman. Orphaned at a young age, she was forced to live in lower London, filled with crime; poverty, and black smog so thick, folks must wear goggles to see in it. Above, the wealthy have ratcheted up all the beautiful homes, businesses and museums, and they travel around in the clean air by way of steamship. I kept waiting for someone to fall off a front porch and drop 1000 feet below or something but it never happened.

When Cherry's parents died tragically when she was a child, she became a child of the streets; a theif, a circus performer, and unfortunately an opium addiction was forced upon her at a young age so the Fagin like leader of the gang of children could keep them in line. She was practically feral when she was rescued by her Guardian and she has been raised ever since by the staff at the beautiful home she lives in, and she tries to live up to their ideals. Her guardian is another mystery we have yet to solve as he is never around and she wouldn't recognize him if she saw him on the streets, despite the years that have gone by of her living in his home under his protection.

Now she is expected to live “above”, to have with manners and dignity, and to try to get society to forget that her father was a brilliant but crazed man, who invented many of the things the wealthy live by now, but who was not accepted socially. However, Cherry’s guardian, despite never being around, is accepted enough to get her invited to the high society balls that she attends with her best friend Teddy, an aristocrat's son. Teddy seems to find her scientific mind and beautiful face a fascinating puzzle, but doesn't appear to be in love with her, he is more of a brotherly type. Her staff desperately hope she will make a good match, if not with Teddy, then hopefully with one of his friends as he squires her around town. However there are some very large obstacles looming in the way.

Cherry is a girl with a lot of secrets. She has a terrible past, most of which she must keep secret or she won’t be accepted in polite society, of which even in a steampunk alternate reality of London, she still must abide by the strictures of Victorian society or risk being made a pariah. She has her secret opium addiction, forced on her as a child by the Fagen like man who ran the kids gang, as a way of keeping the children compliant. Having escaped this environment, the addiction is still with her however, forcing her to take risks that no woman from polite society would normally take. In order to fund her habit, she is forced to create an alternate persona.

By day, she is a respectable member of society, living in above London, wearing beautiful gowns and attending wealthy people’s society events, by night she is dressed like a man, wearing goggles so she can see in lower London’s smog and working as a bounty hunter. No one from either world can ever learn her secret or else her worlds will collide.

In the above life, there is a handsome Earl’s son who is starting to woe her, in the below world, there is Cage, a handsome dark secret of a man himself, who works for the largest gang in Below London, a Chinese Tong type gang that runs the prostitutes who work in Covent Garden and the Circus of which Cage is the Manager. Cage, on the surface, could seem like a monster given his lifestyle, but he is not a one dimensional character.

A murderer is killing prostitutes and her friends at the Garden, the soiled doves, have hired her to find the killer. In attempting to do this, Cherry is forced to take risks she has never taken before with both her identities, and winds up finding out things about her own past that shock and horrify her. The story has a lot of twists and turns. A stolen bounty, murdered informants, that lead her back to the man she wants to avoid at all costs. She knows Cage is dangerous but on this case, Cherry has gotten in over her head and needs his help.

I really enjoyed this book. It had so many loose ends it left me feeling a little frustrated so I had to read it again! Of course, I won’t be satisfied until the next book comes out but still…..Cherry has strange relationships with all the men in her life. Her best friend is a man of society who loves to talk science with her in the above world, but who may have secrets of his own. The other aristocrat who is interested in her, the Earl’s son seems to have mysterious motives, and Cage is a complete cypher…saving her over and over and yet keeping his distance emotionally. Oh and she might have a serial killer with a crush on her. It’s a fascinating, fun, steampunk of a ride. Hop on one of the Zepher’s and find out all about Cherry’s world. It is a place of Victorian society rules, scientific discoveries, urban fantasy magic, and clockworks galore. Cage is delicious. Also the book gets extra points for its "Saved by sex" scene alone.
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Aug 05, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-sheila

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A dark and dangerous hunt for a serial killer where magic and science clash in opium-laced perceptions.

Opening Sentence: I was nine years old when I picked my first pocket.

The Review:

Steampunk is a beautiful blend of the Victorian Era and Industrial Revolution: Tarnished takes this one step further. The London of this world is split into two distinct areas; above and below. The pollution and poverty was left on the ground when the movers and...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Catherine Wilson rated it 2 of 5 stars

Tried something different - new author (for me), new series (for her), with steampunk-ish grace notes. The blurbs for Karina Cooper’s new series, The St. Croix Chronicles, intrigued me. Here is a murder mystery in an alternative historical London with science fiction, horror and romance elements that push it into the Urban Fantasy - Steampunk realm. Sounds like a perfect summer read!

Cooper’s TARNISHED has a lot going for it. I liked the set-up; I liked a lot of the writing. I really liked author...more Tried something different - new author (for me), new series (for her), with steampunk-ish grace notes. The blurbs for Karina Cooper’s new series, The St. Croix Chronicles, intrigued me. Here is a murder mystery in an alternative historical London with science fiction, horror and romance elements that push it into the Urban Fantasy - Steampunk realm. Sounds like a perfect summer read!

Cooper’s TARNISHED has a lot going for it. I liked the set-up; I liked a lot of the writing. I really liked author’s vision of an alternative Victorian London. Cherry St. Croix, the heroine / sleuth, is engaging, with lots of grit and determination. My enjoyment held on, even when certain underpinnings of the story structure began to quiver. Cooper’s writing kept me turning the pages, anyway. I had hopes that the author’s skill would win through.

By the final third of the novel, though, those flagged structural twinges, for me, became real problems. First up is the voice. I like first person storytelling. But, in this case, the storyteller, Cherry, is an opium-addicted main character and her self-absorption (with the seeming-constant need for a fix) bogs down the pace. The climax is told through a drug-induced haze, caused by one of her adversaries. (I’m not exactly sure what was real and what, in the next installment, might prove to be an erroneous conclusion.)

Frankly, Cherry became tiresome and lost credibility with me. I had to wonder how she had survived five years as a “collector” (a bounty hunter, of sorts). What competence she may have had in the backstory wasn't very apparent during the story. I might have worked through this, though, along with the hazy climax, but for my main problem with this book -- there seemed to be no resolution by the time I got to the last page: no growth of character, no conclusions or advancement to most of the pressing questions posed by the plot. No hook to make me want to come back and find out.

It's as if the author called it quits in mid-chapter. The story drifts to a stop. There was no payoff.

Not the best way to begin a series.
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Jun 28, 2012 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ever read a book and it just took you awhile to figure out what direction it was going? That's a good description for the start of this book. Set in Victorian England, this steampunk novel introduces us to Cherry St. Croix, and an entirely different London. With horrible smog, the rich and important have been lifted high into he London sky, while the rift raft and other undesirables remain stuck in the dark misery of the below.

Cherry is a woman with a foot in both worlds. By day she is an unwant...more Ever read a book and it just took you awhile to figure out what direction it was going? That's a good description for the start of this book. Set in Victorian England, this steampunk novel introduces us to Cherry St. Croix, and an entirely different London. With horrible smog, the rich and important have been lifted high into he London sky, while the rift raft and other undesirables remain stuck in the dark misery of the below.

Cherry is a woman with a foot in both worlds. By day she is an unwanted member of the peerage, a madman's unconventional daughter deemed to be trying to rise above her the below to collect bounties, usually set by those with power.

Cherry is not your typical romantic heroine and this is not a typical romance book. This is ultimately a murder mystery involving a young heroine coming into her sexuality. The romantic elements a both an after thought but also vital to the story. Cherry is a one minded woman, she wants to reach the age of 21 and gain control of her life and fortune. Her background is an interesting one and explains why she is the way she is, untrusting, secretive, both naive but knowing. She is confident in her abilities to the point of over estimating herself. Hence why she spends a good deal of the book having things fall down around her.

Part of this book is watching Cherry finish maturing. She is naive in thinking that she wants to stay alone forever and constantly pushes people away. Even the servants who have cared for her for years she never sees as hers. They are always the spies for her guardian. Likewise, she doesn't understand and doesn't want the feelings that go along with her interactions with Hawke (underworld ruler) and The Earl of Compton. Like her persona, she is torn between one world she feels she belongs in and one world where she is the outcast. In either place she must keep secrets and it is these secrets that are slowly tearing her apart.

Cherry is a deeply flawed character. She uses and abuses opium, not necessarily for the high, but rather as an easier way of not having to deal with any emotion, either current or in regards to her past. It is a crutch that allows her to hold herself away from people and the only way she can keep the extreme abuses she has witnessed and endured under her control. The author does an excellent job at expressing both Cherry's desperation for the relief opium gives her without idolizing the use or making it seem acceptable.

As stated,in the first half of the book I really had difficulty
Figuring out where the author was going. There are lots of different and competing elements in the book and the only made sense once you got much further along. There is a lot of background information that needs to be exposed and this does slow the pace of the book down while
you push your way through it. But once into the meat of the story I was easily and quickly hooked.

The plot is slightly macabre with gothic overtones. Those paying attention will quickly pick up on the Jack the Ripper connection, which was very well done. By the end, the story goes through more twists and turns then a figure eight, many are completely out of the blue. And while a few questions were answered by the end of the book, many more were left. Who will Cherry end up with? Who is the other collector? Who tried to steal the new ship? Most readers will find themselves interested enough to look for the next book in the series.

B
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Apr 19, 2012 Lisarenee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Meet Cherry St. Croix

"My name is Cherry St. Croix. I am a collector, one of the many who are employed to acquire, kill or investigate for bounties. My rules are simple: I don't collect children, and I don't murder for coin. Truth be told, I've never killed for any reason...Many of the bounties I pulled from the collector's wall came from the Menagerie. They paid well and often."

Cherry St. Croix is leading a double life. A wealthy orphaned society Miss by day and a collector (bounty hunter) by ni...more Meet Cherry St. Croix

"My name is Cherry St. Croix. I am a collector, one of the many who are employed to acquire, kill or investigate for bounties. My rules are simple: I don't collect children, and I don't murder for coin. Truth be told, I've never killed for any reason...Many of the bounties I pulled from the collector's wall came from the Menagerie. They paid well and often."

Cherry St. Croix is leading a double life. A wealthy orphaned society Miss by day and a collector (bounty hunter) by night. Still not legally old enough to inherit her parent's wealth she's under the guardianship of a man she seldom sees. She receives a stipend each month, but it's not nearly enough to fund her scientific research and bad habits she's acquired over the years. To supplement her income, she goes "collecting". When the Menagerie's ring master, Micajah Hawke, doesn't pay her for the bounty she deposited at his doorstep, she starts making noise. Unfortunately, that gets her noticed by those higher up in Menagerie's ranks, a mistake that could come back to haunt her.

Finding herself without her collector's fee, she agrees to work for Zylphia and some of the other women of the Menagerie. They want her to find and collect the person responsible for killing 4 of their coworkers. The London times had recently printed stories about a serial killer whom they deemed 'Leather Apron', a killer who reportedly mutilates his victims much like Jack the Ripper. Cherry suspects there might be a connection between serial killer and the Menagerie murders. All her experience hunting bounties, however, could not have prepared her for the possibility that she could become the prey. This may be the first and last job she'll be unable to fulfill.

This was a face paced thriller that kept me on my toes wondering what all was going on. The story has a very dark, gothic edge to it and a feel that anything could happen. Living in a time when woman were treated like property, Cherry is a very independent woman who doesn't wish to exchange her independence for marriage. With only a year to go until she inherits her family's fortune, she tries to patiently bide her time while supplementing her allowance. As we are introduced to Cherry, we find her at a low point in her life. Both of the worlds she's emerged herself in seem to be falling apart. For not only has her supplemental income come into question for the first time, but she's also given the cut direct by Lady Almira Louise Compton, the Marchioness of Northampton, in front of all of London society. A slight not easily lived down.

While the Marhioness may disapprove of Cherry, her son, His Lordship Cornelius Kerrigan Compton, does not. In fact, he appears to be pursuing her. One thing is for sure, Cherry is not lacking for suitors. She's got many things going for her that men are looking for--she's smart, pretty, and an heiress. Among some of her admirers is the dark and mysterious ringmaster of the Menagerie, Micajah. Cherry said he was a 'serpent of an earthly Garden of Eden. He tempted everyone. That was his job.' He is a man she should probably stay away from because his intentions are probably be less than honorable. Being a collector for the Menagerie, however, makes that next to impossible. Cherry finds him attractive, but has no clue of how he feels about her. Truth be told, we don't either, but I have a sneaking suspicion from what we read that he does, so I'm including him on the list.

Teddy is Cherry's best friend whom she has no romantic feelings for, but whose friendship she values very deeply. They've known each other for years and share a love of science. He's the youngest son of a viscount and makes it known he wouldn't be opposed to a match between the two. In regards to their friendship, however, Cherry states, 'I could handle being cut from the Marchioness's social graces. I could take the lack of invites, even the whispers when I moved in public now. But if it had cost me Teddy's company, I would have gone in and challenged the woman myself. Not, of course that ladies dueled.'

The Midnight Menagerie is run by a mysterious organization known as the Karakash Veil. It is rumored to be associated with a criminal organization of Chinese origin. It was the place where those who could afford it went to indulge in all forms of pleasures 'above or below the drift.' It is also one of the primary places that Cherry collects bounties from. Nobody from the Menagerie knows her true identity, and she intends to keep it that way. Only a couple of trusted individuals know of her double life and she had no intention of ever letting her two worlds collide.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. It contained plenty of murder, mayhem, magic, action, and the ultimate betrayal. Ms. Cooper created a fun alternate reality for London which sported air gondolas as a fashionable mode of transportation. It kept my attention, had a surprise twist I didn't see coming, and made me wonder what Ms. Cooper has in mind for Cherry's next adventure. Whatever that is it's not likely to be boring. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one scores a SHOWER rating - a cold shower is necessary (need I say more?). Some books should come with a warning - make sure your significant other is handy or your shower is in working order. lol I think this was one of the hottest 'love' (and I use the term loosely) scenes I've read where the heroine wasn't fully compromised. This definitely has the potential of becoming one of my favorite series.

To view more of my reviews, please visit my blog at www.seducedbyabook.com I'd greatly appreciate it.(less)

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Jun 26, 2012 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, edelweiss-arc

Tarnished Shines With Gritty Steampunk Fashion
She straddles two worlds, belonging to none. Daughter of an accused madman, Cherry St. Croix was orphaned at a young age, forced by circumstance and a keen instinct for survival into the life of a thief, a circus performer, and an opium addict. At the tender age of nine, she picked her first pocket. By fifteen, she had been pulled out of that life and thrust into another, just as ill-fitting.

Found by her guardian and set adrift in polite society, she...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Mara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: steampunk, urban-fantasy

Tarnished has taken a bit of history and transformed in a very good alt-his.

But for all the intriguing world (and my love of London), Tarnished failed to grip me. Do not take me wrong, it's a book worth reading. Unfortunately I could not warm to the heroine and the plot had many, many cliché (plus, to be honest, a surprsing ending, albeit completely unfinished).

Cherri St Croix came out as a mystery and not in any good way. I understand that the upper/lower level London represented class. This...more Tarnished has taken a bit of history and transformed in a very good alt-his.

But for all the intriguing world (and my love of London), Tarnished failed to grip me. Do not take me wrong, it's a book worth reading. Unfortunately I could not warm to the heroine and the plot had many, many cliché (plus, to be honest, a surprsing ending, albeit completely unfinished).

Cherri St Croix came out as a mystery and not in any good way. I understand that the upper/lower level London represented class. This separation is fascinating in a city, in a character you think of a split personality disorder. Moreover, Cherri simply is not up to her task. You do really wonder how she can possibly be a collector (bounty hunter). She comes out as a loser in every single fight, she is pretty dumb, runs into unknown situation without a logical thought and is arrogant to boot. (And an opium addict too).
The upper side Cherri is even worse. I know women in Victorian London were probably restrained by society. But the power her governess has on her is difficult to accept. She is drawn as a "scientist", but you never see her logic (except in her refuse to believe magic). Oh, she sprouts a couple of "scientific speeches", but has no scientific, logical mind. Nor does she experiment or such.
The sexuality is a WTF moment. In this she can't play both sides. She is either a Victorian miss or not.

I loved a few broken heroines (think of Lilith Saintcrow's), but there's broken and broken, when you read defeated. Drug-addicts are such to me. I can't be sympathetic. (It's the reason why I stay clear of Ms Kane's Downside Ghost series.)

The cliché.
-Victorian London. Jack the Ripper, Opium addict. Shall I really add anything else? (I could add the Chinese triad...) Yes, they are woven in a new story, but I felt a heavy hand in all of those together (plus some other).

The villain. Let's say that there's a big surprise, but also a clearly spelled arrow on a minor character. It doesn't imply much, but it's an other thread left hanging (there's plenty of those).

The ending. There's no ending. Yes, the book ends, but there's no resolution. Not a big deal, it wouldn't be the first time. And I can't really say it's irritating as a cliff-hanger. But honestly I do not like bait. And this is it.
I prefer to read the sequel on the strength of the story, not out of curiosity as the author is writing part I, part II rather than book one, two, etc.
(less)

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Jan 20, 2013 Turtles rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: stories-historical

This was a hard book to rate, and I think this is one of those reviews where I tend to pick out more things I disliked than liked. Cherry St. Croix is a hard girl to like. She lives in an alternate London where the ton has been elevated, via technology, above the fog and filth of its bad neighborhoods. Cherry is unable to live solely above since she has ties below; she was actually kidnapped after her parents' death and raised, on opium, in a menagerie/circus. She was later found and rescued, th...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an interesting steampunk novel that gives you quite the mystery and intrigue. The setting is creative and appropriately dark. So well crafted you can feel the air about you and the movement of the shadows as you cavort with Cherry in the dark underground of London. The character of Cherry and her staff are well crafted and you get to know all of them quite well through this tale. You also get introduced to several of the "circus", or the menagerie people in a club filled with alchemy and...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Alexandra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

I would really like to give this book a higher rating, but I can't. There are some aspects of this book that I really liked and some character's that I loved, but the book as a whole just didn't come together for me. It felt like it was a jig saw puzzle except I had the pieces to several different puzzles. Some of the events and character had nothing to do with he general trend of the story. I don't mind having tangent to a story but everything overall should some how relate back.
I also felt th...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Misti rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story takes place in a London where dust and fog have overcome the streets so the wealthy people have had their homes and businesses raised above the fog on mechanical stilts which gives them a kind of "Venice but with air instead of water" lifestyle. The poor and working class live down below in the fog and grime. Cherry St. Croix is straddling both worlds as a collector down below and a debutant up above.

I ate this one up. The steam punk aspects were light and I've picked my favorite out...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: advanced-reading-copy, fiction, read-2012, steampunk

I liked this book well enough. The second half was a lot better than the first. The first half was very slow, kind of hard to get through. The second half took off, had lots of action and adventure.

If the mysterious collector isn't who I think it is, I will be very surprised. The author still has the ability to change who it is, but as far as I am concerned with the information that we are giving in this first book, it can really only be one of two people. I am leaning more towards one.

I was a l...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don't usually read steampunk. It's not that I dislike the genre, but I'm still kind of new to it. Reading the blurb on this book, I found myself intrigued. Cherry St. Croix leads something of a double life. By day, she moves among London society, while by night, she enters the the soot-filled underbelly of the city to work as a bounty hunter.

What the blurb doesn't tell you is that Cherry is an opium addict. That her employers run a sick Menagerie... a den of iniquity, powered by slave-like pet...more I don't usually read steampunk. It's not that I dislike the genre, but I'm still kind of new to it. Reading the blurb on this book, I found myself intrigued. Cherry St. Croix leads something of a double life. By day, she moves among London society, while by night, she enters the the soot-filled underbelly of the city to work as a bounty hunter.

What the blurb doesn't tell you is that Cherry is an opium addict. That her employers run a sick Menagerie... a den of iniquity, powered by slave-like pets. Cherry takes gigs to pay for her drug habit, but operates on the fringe of the Menagerie --until she is hired to find a sadistic killer who has been targeting the prostitutes who work for her employers. Soon the hunter becomes the hunted and Cherry gets wrapped up an ordeal of even more powerful drugs, threats to her life, and sexual situations beyond her control.

All this, as her life in society is shaken up as well. She is barely tolerated by the upper-crust because of her late father's reputation as a mad scientist. While putting on a brave face to the sharks of the ton, she ends up in an unlikely sort-of relationship with the handsome Lord Compton. I really thought these two might make a go of it. Then I thought maybe she'd end up with Hawke, her mysterious boss at the Menagerie. Then everything went crazy and all the relationship stuff got shoved aside in place of outlandish experiments and near death experiences.

I was intrigued by the world building. The upper and lower London set-up was really cool. But I felt like there was too much going on. Especially in the second half, when it seemed to drop off the deep end a little. It all started out pretty straightforward, but when the story started dipping into magic dust and Frankenstein themes, it started to lose me.

I actually liked one of the two love interests more than the other, but I think she's going to end up with the other guy. Either way, it was left very unresolved, which is a blow to my romance-oriented heart. In fact, when all was said and done, just about everything was left open ended. It's one of those stories that doesn't get finished in one book --and you should know that going in.

I have mixed feelings about this one. The set-up was good, but the more I read, the less I felt like it was the right fit for me.

*ARC Provided by Avon(less)

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Jan 16, 2013 Visionary rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My first foray with Karina Cooper. Bittenbybooks brought her to my attention, and I seen the first book of her steampunk book was for 99 cents on kindle. So I decided to take a chance and read it.

This series is the third steampunk I read. I've read Delilah Dawsons and Meljean Brooks. And I like how eacy steampunk book is not the same. That each author has their own unique twist in the world.

Same with Karina. The world is so different from the other. The heroine leads a sort of double-life, wi...more

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May 11, 2012 Carmel Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

I must say the girl on the cover is really creepy looking and looks much too old represent 20 year old Cherry St. Croix (an awesome name, no?).

Cherry St. Croix is more than meets the eye. If you met her during the day, you would see her as a wealthy red-headed socialite orphan who lives above the drift. However, if you met Cherry St. Croix at night, you would see her as Ms. Black, a collector or also known as a bounty hunter, with blackened hair, and often mistaken for a man. Cherry is too young...more I must say the girl on the cover is really creepy looking and looks much too old represent 20 year old Cherry St. Croix (an awesome name, no?).

Cherry St. Croix is more than meets the eye. If you met her during the day, you would see her as a wealthy red-headed socialite orphan who lives above the drift. However, if you met Cherry St. Croix at night, you would see her as Ms. Black, a collector or also known as a bounty hunter, with blackened hair, and often mistaken for a man. Cherry is too young to receive her deceased parent's inheritance and has no interest in marriage. She spends her allowance which she receives from her elderly guardian on scientific research and opium. To supplement such habits, Cherry collects for Menagerie, a organization with ties to the 'Karakash Veil', a Chinese originated crime circle. What matters to Cherry though is her bounty.

When some of the female workers of the Menagerie turn up dead, Cherry is approached by her friend, Zylphia, who also works for the Menagerie to catch the killer, but what Cherry unearths is something bigger than she could ever imagine.

Tarnished is a novel set in a Steampunk world. Cooper has created a new, unique version on London. High class London society has been altered and sits above the unclean air known as the drift and the lower class civilians, literally. I found this a little tough to imagine so I had a hard time picturing everything that was going on while I was reading.

Cherry is an interesting character. She is independent in a world where women were seen as nothing but property with no interest in marriage, much to her carer's, Fanny, sadness. Cherry is also smart and cool. She has a sharp wit and she can take down the average man easily.

Someone who also finds Cherry interesting is Lordship Cornelius Kerrigan Compton. He seems to have Cherry in his sights, much to his mothers dismay. As a character, Compton is the average handsome man with his own secrets. However, what annoyed me was how Cooper wrote him in, to only diminish his presence with no real answer.

Tarnished also holds some steamy (Yes, pun intended) aspects which gives the book a well needed kick in the romance department. So, be warned, this book is for mature YA readers. It also has a lot of murder as well as action, and some lesser interesting parts that all happen when Cherry is above the drift.

Final Thought.
Give it a read. The plot has twists and turns and is one of those books where you should expect the unexpected.(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Joe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk

The first book in the St. Croix Chronicles, the book is an excellent example of steampunk fiction. From the first page you are met with a London very different from the historical one. Pollution has put the city to the point of raising the more affluent buildings above the rest of the buildings, but also above the everlasting, discolored fog. Travel between London Above and London Below is done through airship versions of ferries. Goggles, rebreathers and armored corsets are featured heavily. Mo...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk

3.5 stars, I wanted to like this a whole lot more than I did. The setting and rich descriptiveness of a steampunk London both below and above 'the drift' didn't make up for characters that felt shallow to me.

While we get quite a bit of background on Cherry herself the rest of the people who surround her were curiously underdeveloped. There isn't much romance to keep things humming and the nature of the relationships she does have with the men in her life were disappointing, well with one except...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Yvonne Boag rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I'd tried reading Karina Cooper's other series but couldn't get into it. This one was a huge surprise and I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. Set in an alternate London in the Victorian era, we are introduced to Cherry st. Croix who lives jointly in society and far beneath it. Cherry has a sordid past and an opium addiction that requires far more money then she receives from her guardian. So for the last five years Cherry has been collecting. She hunts down people who owe ot...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Talk Supe Blogspot rated it 5 of 5 stars

Originally published at Talk Supe

The murder mystery will keep you guessing and the big reveal will blow you away, if your heart doesn't go out to Cherry then you, my friend, are made of stone. The world building is amazing as well, London is a dump ridden with thieves and criminals with people wearing goggles similar to gas masks to protect them from the noxious fumes. I personally would like to visit Midnight Menagerie not only to see their exotic program but to catch a glimpse of their other s...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Nicola O. rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm at a loss to review this without giving away huge, huge chunks of plot.

Tarnished sits well over the line in the Urban Fantasy section; there's no Happily Ever After to make it a candidate for Romance-- but there's no lack of sexy possibilities. I really liked it... my only issue is that it's a bit grisly in places; Cooper definitely brings some classic horror elements to this story. That's a preference of mine, not a problem with the story.

Moody, evocative, creative, surprising -- I loved i...more

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Tarnished (The St. Croix Chronicles #1)

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