Camille (Camille, #1)

Apr 27, 2011 Steph Sinclair rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own-it, 2011-reads, i-liked-it, ebook, short-and-sweet, werewolves, young-adult

If I had to describe this book in one word it would simply be: sweet. I was a little skeptical that this book could draw me in and keep me there in such few pages. But I am happy I gave it a chance.

Camille is the story of a young girl living in England who hunts werewolves alongside Dr. Bennett, her guardian. Together they hunt beasts by night, but desperately continue to search for a cure by day. This endeavor becomes even more important when Camille and Dr. Bennett encounter Nathaniel Strider...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Rebecca ♥ Ash, Jem, Warner ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, ebook, historical-fiction, paranormal, romance, shapeshifters, reviewed, memorable-men

This book was wonderful! Camille and her guardian, Dr. Bennett, hunt and study werewolves. It is an interest that was shared by her father until it killed him 6 years earlier. One night, while Camille and Dr. Bennett are out hunting a particular werewolf, they witness a young man is bit on the leg before they manage to take it down. Dr. Bennett sends Camille to follow the young man, Nathaniel, and see if he is being affected by the bite. It doesnt take long for Camille to see that all the women...more

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May 06, 2012 oliviasbooks rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, shapeshifters, self-published, e-version, historical-fantasy, she-is-a-he-or-he-is-a-she, zombies-monsters, love-story-romance

“I quieted my trembling hands, swallowed to wet my dry throat, and cursed myself for becoming so ridiculously agitated at the sight of him. Perhaps Dr. Bennett would be better for this task.“ How right you are, you insufferable wench. For Dr. Bennett would not inform us on each and every page how aroused he became while watching the recently infected "specimen", homeless Whitechapel grave robber Nathaniel Strider, who would turn into a people-eating, brainless werewolf within a month and who wou...more

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Jan 23, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who's wiling to spend 99 cents on it to see what I'm yammering about

Shelves: surprisingly-liked, best-characters, best-couples, swoon-worthy-book-crushes, 2011-reads, glad-i-gave-it-a-chance, want-a-sequel, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, exceeded-my-expectations, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, love-it-for-the-characters, reviewed

I would like to start off this review with an apology: I misjudged this book harshly even before I had read it since (a) the excerpt I read reminded me of too many paranormal YA novels with flat heroines and domineering love interests, (b) it is a book about werewolves, who are almost as overused as vampires by now, and (c) it is an indie book (and I have a love/hate relationship with indie books since they fall into one of three categories -- brilliant, predictable, or just plain awful). I woul...more I would like to start off this review with an apology: I misjudged this book harshly even before I had read it since (a) the excerpt I read reminded me of too many paranormal YA novels with flat heroines and domineering love interests, (b) it is a book about werewolves, who are almost as overused as vampires by now, and (c) it is an indie book (and I have a love/hate relationship with indie books since they fall into one of three categories -- brilliant, predictable, or just plain awful). I would have ridden off this book because of my preconceived notions, and I would have been very sorry indeed for missing out on it. Basically -- I AM SO GLAD I SPENT 99 CENTS ON IT, AND NOW I WANT A PAPERBACK COPY TO HUG AND SQUEAL OVER. (What a turnaround, eh?)

Here's the story set-up (since reading the excerpt will probably give YOU preconceived notions about this book too): Camille is the would-be assistant to John Bennet, a man who is trying to find a cure for lycanthropy after a devastating turn of events years earlier that has something to do with Camille's past and why her sister lives in an asylum now. This search for a cure includes also hunting and finding werewolves as specimens before killing them off with silver bullets. Everything is going as planned until one night things get out of Camille's and Dr. Bennet's hands. . .and they must help the werewolf victim survive.

I have to give Camille a lot of applause as a heroine. I didn't find her annoying at all (strange, really, since I find most YA heroines at least a *twinge* annoying); actually, I was rather impressed by her. She has a good head on her shoulders, she's not a typical 19th century girl, and she seems to be thinking about more than marriage and babies in her future. In many ways, survival is her main goal, and thus she's rather level-headed. . .until a boy, quite different personality-wise from her, crashes into her life and leaves her a bit topsy-turvy.

Ah, the boy. I was so ready to ride off Nathaniel Strider as a cad with no substance right from the start -- but I'm so glad that, like Camille, I decided to give him a chance even despite his first appearances, all of which involved rather disreputable acts. (There we go again with the preconceived notions!) Yes, he's a bit of a cad and an insufferable flirt -- but he DOES have substance. It's easy to see why Camille becomes taken with him. The two of them have a nice banter between them, wit and sarcasm and chemistry clashing in one tidal wave of emotion. I just loved them together, and every single scene with them had me either smiling or laughing.

No, I'm not here to say that you should read this book because it is EPIC or BRAIN-BENDING. It's just a really nice read that's atmospheric, witty, and a little angsty. (This book even made feel miserable a few times -- but that may be just me, getting swept up in Camille's thoughts and emotions.) What could have made this book better? I think a run-in with another werewolf would have done Strider and Camille some good. That would have added some more action and suspense -- even though for much of the book I waffled between 'Will she kill him? Or won't she?' (It was the same quandary I, quite idiotically, had with Twilight. Even as I approached book four in the series, a part of me was hoping for a darker twist where Edward lost it and actually DID try to kill Bella! I was so ready for the fairy tale to be shattered by one psychopath twist -- but, alas, it did not occur. It did not stop me from speculating and wondering, though!) In the end, with the way things transpired, I was satisfied, and the last few pages even made me smile wistfully.

HOWEVER. . .I want to put out a personal appeal to Tess Oliver: this NEEDS a sequel! It can't just end that way! Give me something more! PLEASE!!! There MUST be a sequel!

Now, tell me: how many books can make someone sound like such a begging, gushing fool in a review? Not many, I would reckon -- so I hope interested readers will track this one down, dole out the 99 cents, and read it. For the right kind of reader, I would hedge my bets and say it would be worth the investment.

(Note: If you read the book yourself and wonder, 'How come this chick gave the book five stars? It's not THAT great,' well, I have this to say: my rating had less to do with innovative writing or blow-your-mind storytelling and more to do with my emotions while reading the book and the attachments I developed to the main characters. I will never give five stars to books where I don't love the characters in some way, so that's why this book earned five stars from me.)(less)

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Apr 11, 2011 Elle Beauregard rated it 2 of 5 stars

**Note: I've edited this review since it was first written because I didn't like my snarky tone. :) It wasn't meant to be snarky, more comical/exasperated.**

Camille finds herself in a unfortunate situation when she falls in love with a boy who is about to turn into a werewolf.

I was very much looking forward to this book. Victorian Era England + Werewolves + strong, ass-kicking heroine = awesome. And the story did deliver on all of those facets, which was entertaining and a fun new take on a tri...more **Note: I've edited this review since it was first written because I didn't like my snarky tone. :) It wasn't meant to be snarky, more comical/exasperated.**

Camille finds herself in a unfortunate situation when she falls in love with a boy who is about to turn into a werewolf.

I was very much looking forward to this book. Victorian Era England + Werewolves + strong, ass-kicking heroine = awesome. And the story did deliver on all of those facets, which was entertaining and a fun new take on a tried-and-true genre.

The story arc was very fast, however, lending itself to characters in want of substance. Camille's intentions and motivations were told to the reader, more than shown. This gave the feeling that every plot device was happening to the character, but that she wasn't actively participating within it, or working to shape her world, the story, or the readers experience of her as a character. As a result, her relationship with Strider was hard to believe because there simply wasn't enough meat to their interactions. (Though I will say that he had all the makings of a very delicious and likeable flawed hero--yum!)

Much of the characters' interactions, experiences and behavior were wildly outside of acceptable or expected codes of conduct within Victorian Era England, when/where this story was placed. On the one hand, this is okay, because this historical England is obviously an alternate one. On the other, for someone who loves the Victorian Era, it was a bit distracting. By no means did it ruin the reading experience, and the issue certainly didn't make me put the book down (I finished it very quickly, in fact--a testiment to a good story, overall,) so perhaps this wouldn't bother other readers.

The ending tied up too quickly, too neatly, and without the conflict (both internal and external) that I would have expected. It left this reader feeling rushed through to the end. Camille seemed to go to sleep in places that were very inconvenient for the reader. Will we ever know what Nathaniel's quasi-transformation was like? No, because Camille fell asleep on the freezing, stone ground of a mausoleum at the very moment Nathaniel began to transform. I would have liked to know more about his transformation, and had the opportunity to see the way the characters interacted through it.

An easy-to-digest read that kept me turning pages but left me, ultimately, dis-satisfied. Just when I was ready to really fall in love with the characters (who all had very good potential and likeability) the story came to an end. (less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Evelyn Ink rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: indie-authors

Three UP. . . For humor, plot, and style.

1. Oliver writes refreshingly humorous dialogue. The main character’s sarcasm and wit create great banter between both her guardian, Dr. Bennett, and her intended match, Strider. It’s a little like Jane Austen with Werewolves.

2. Oliver writes a well-paced plot (though one might find the ending a bit blunt and summarized). Overall however, the book roles with an excellent mix of action, humor, and romance (leaving little room for the reader to squeeze in...more

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Mar 11, 2011 Tammara added it

Set in Dicken's England, the heroine Camille, along with her doctor guardian, hunts and kills recently-turned werewolves - hopefully before they can wreak havok on the locals. Complications occur when three street urchins turned grave robbers are in the wrong place at the wrong time, and in front of the hunters' eyes, one of them is bitten before the werewolf can be shot.

Camille goes in search of the boy who was bitten in hopes of using him as a guinea pig for a cure. She finds a charmer named N...more

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Feb 11, 2011 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-covers, ya, historical, own-ebook, paranormal, reviewed, girls-dressed-like-boys, to-read-again, location-uk

I'm sort of a sucker for a good period piece and for a strong female character and this book started out with both. It faltered, it wasn't perfect, but overall this book was strong enough that I enjoyed having read it.

Camille does not lead a typical life for a young woman living in London in the 1800s. She dresses in trousers as a boy and spends her nights hunting werewolves with her guardian (which makes the cover a little confusing since she so rarely wears dresses). That is how she meets Nath...more

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Mar 29, 2011 Melynda rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a fun, clean read. The 16 year old didn't read like a 16 year old. I often thought she was much older because of her knowledge and self awareness. Not many characters though but the writing and word usage was beautiful and interesting. Only $0.99 on Amazon Kindle and 250 pages. A few times I kept reading into the middle of the night. I also liked the use of cellular biology - made me feel smart to understand what the Dr. was talking about. Not a deep book, but a fun book. All the charac...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Sandee rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: free-on-kindle, meh

Let me first start by saying that I found this book on BookBub as a free deal. I liked the story at first. I liked the female lead, physically she is fragile-looking, petite, dressed like a man. But she is intelligent and a bit rough. Why not, she kicks werewolf butt.
As I read further though, I can see how this book can be a real hit with some readers. Oliver follows what I call, "The Twilight Formula." Lead male is irresistible, totally hot and hugely flawed--but still the lead female just canN...more

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Dec 10, 2011 Samantha rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Teen Girls, YA Romance Fans, Paranormal Romance.---& of course MYSELF!!!

Shelves: coming-of-age, favorites, girly, random-fun, reviewed, romance, teen-read, paranormal, werewolves

OHMIGOSH!!!!! Hmm...just a second please. *spins around in a circle while squealing and hugging book close to chest*

Ahem. Okay. I simply adored this book. I went into the library down the road, with the hopes of finding a good book or two. I went to the teen section and picked out a few graphic novels and then walked around to see what other things were lying around. Set out on a little stand was this book. My eyes were caught instantly by the cover. I absolutely LOVE the dress she is wearing.....more OHMIGOSH!!!!! Hmm...just a second please. *spins around in a circle while squealing and hugging book close to chest*

Ahem. Okay. I simply adored this book. I went into the library down the road, with the hopes of finding a good book or two. I went to the teen section and picked out a few graphic novels and then walked around to see what other things were lying around. Set out on a little stand was this book. My eyes were caught instantly by the cover. I absolutely LOVE the dress she is wearing....so gorgeous, I want it.

Then I flipped it over and checked out the back. I saw werewolf and a battle soon ensued in my mind. "Should I? I haven't really read any books about werewolves besides Twilight. That one kinda stunk with the werewolf bit, but then Twilight didn't leave me satisfied so maybe I should give this one a shot. But what if I hate it? Ah what the heck? I guess I'll try it...but just to be sure..." I flipped it over again and opened to chapter 1 and read the first paragraph. I tucked it under my arm and went to check it out. (This book isn't so much about the werewolf aspect as the relationship between Camille and Strider, as well as Camille learning more about herself and her family)

I read chapter 1 as soon as I got home. Then made myself stop there. At school the next day I read about 3 or 4 more chapters, then was forced to stop by the work building up on my desk. Finally, last night I stayed up until about 2 AM, crawled up under the covers in pure pleasure, unable to stop reading. I was constantly *silently* squealing to myself and hugging the book. I could feel my brow knit together in worry and it furrowed whenever Strider managed to walk away for an hour or so.

I was so happy with this book! Camille was a great heroine who I found was believable since she was so unsure of herself at times and totally confident at others. I could understand where she was coming from. She has faced a lot and, to me, she seems to be a very strong character.

...Don't get me started on Nathaniel Strider. That boy...ugh!!! He frustrates me to no end!! & its only because he is so darn loveable. I found myself hating him at times, but then-just like Camille- I would just as easily forgive him and after some consideration, couldn't figure out why!!! So frustrating at times!! Ms. Oliver really knows how to get a certain boy into a girl's heart and not easily let him escape. I found myself falling and swooning for Strider throughout the entire stupid book. He may be a cad & a scoundrel at times, but at others he's so sweet, caring and vulnerable.

Overall, this is one of the best books I've ever read. I can't wait to get my own copy so I can swoon all over again =D.(less)

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Jan 15, 2012 Gretchen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-and-urban-fantasy-challenge

Camille by Tess Oliver is a novel set in England in the 1800's (at least, I think, she never says) about a girl named Camille (go figure) who lives with Dr. Bennett. Together they hunt down and kill werewolves. But then they find a boy who's been bitten and try to save him, because Camille falls in love with him and his death would totally suck.

This book wasn't really good or bad. It was an easy read and it was entertaining. There were some interesting revelations, and some okay romance. The cha...more

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May 11, 2011 Marsha rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Young Adults and Adults

(3 and one half stars) I have often wondered what are the keys to success of a good book. I believe that a good read must contain intrigue, danger, discovery of new facts or information, truly vile antagonist(s), action, and a little kissy face."Camille" has the majority of these attributes; but, is missing one, action. This is truly a wonderful story. Camille's parents are dead and her twin sister is living in an insane asylum. She lives with her guardian, Dr. Bennett who hunts down and studies...more (3 and one half stars) I have often wondered what are the keys to success of a good book. I believe that a good read must contain intrigue, danger, discovery of new facts or information, truly vile antagonist(s), action, and a little kissy face."Camille" has the majority of these attributes; but, is missing one, action. This is truly a wonderful story. Camille's parents are dead and her twin sister is living in an insane asylum. She lives with her guardian, Dr. Bennett who hunts down and studies werewolves.

This is not your typical werewolf story where the creature is more human than beast. The shape shifter does not have control over his shifts nor does it have control with regards to its' need to kill. This is the Lon Chaney version of the beast.

The story takes place in Victorian London. Camille, Dr. Bennett and their trusty werewolf sniffing cat, Dutch are in a graveyard tracking down a werewolf before it has a chance to kill. Unfortunately some young grave robbers happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and one is bitten by the creature.

Camille is not a typical Victorian young woman. She wears pants and tracks down information for Dr. Bennett basically acting unbecoming for a woman of her station. However, a girl must do what a girl must do. Right? SO, she sets off to track down the boy who was bitten, Nathaniel Strider. When she finds him, it turns out to be quite difficult to get him to come back to Dr. Bennett's lab with her. Strider is a thief who steals from the dead in order to survive. While Camille finds this deplorable, she also finds his living conditions even worse. Oh, and did I mention that Strider is a womanizer and Cad? Well, he didn't get those good looks for nothing!

As you can imagine, Camille is uncomfortable with all of this interaction with Strider because it is not wise to get close with someone you will eventually have to kill. Or will she? That is why you have to read this book to find out.

I truly enjoyed the read but it lack action. There were no fight scenes or major confrontations. In all fairness, there was a few moments of stress when Camille's sister almost dies and when Strider has his first encounter with the full moon. It just was not enough. But don't let this stop you from reading the book.(less)

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Feb 11, 2011 Jen rated it 1 of 5 stars

Camille is a female Van Helsing, but her prey is the werewolf; surprisingly populous in her corner of London. She is an unwilling participant in the battle against good and evil, having been forced into her trade after the death of her turned-werewolf father. Spending her teenage years in the care of an affluent doctor, she broods over her beautiful twin sister who is voluntarily confined in a psychiatric hospital and who holds strange power over Camille and her foster father. The promised roman...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

A period romance isn't usually my cup of tea, but Camille was a nice girly change of pace for me. It was a sweet historical tale with a teeny tiny touch of horror. Out of everything, I was most impressed with the author’s knowledge of the time period. She most definitely did her research and I found myself captivated by the information in the book, even little things like how they cooked a meal was interesting to me. It was also clear that Oliver did tons of scientific research as well. Points t...more A period romance isn't usually my cup of tea, but Camille was a nice girly change of pace for me. It was a sweet historical tale with a teeny tiny touch of horror. Out of everything, I was most impressed with the author’s knowledge of the time period. She most definitely did her research and I found myself captivated by the information in the book, even little things like how they cooked a meal was interesting to me. It was also clear that Oliver did tons of scientific research as well. Points to her for that.

However, while Camille was a fast and entertaining read, I did have issues with it. The majority of the book was good, but once I got about a quarter through it problem after problem popped up. One of my big issues was the main character herself – Camille. In the beginning Camille was a very likable character. She was sweet and somewhat proper, but unlike the other women around her she was a bit rough around the edges. I liked that. What I didn’t like was that towards the end of the book she became a total raging bitch. She was suddenly being cruel to those that had been nothing but kind to her. It was ridiculous and completely caught me off guard. I don’t know how the author acts when she’s in love, but when I fall in love I don’t all of a sudden start treating every other person like trash.

But that’s not where the badness ends. There was another BIG problem I had and it was with the story. Without spoiling the it for you, let’s just say that the author forgets all of the science at the end and the story suddenly makes no sense at all. I mean, we get a great period novel full of all this science and all this time spent trying to find a werewolf cure, then at the end the science is just thrown out the window and we get a finale that makes no kind of sense. The loose ends continue to frustrate me.

Judging by all the amazing reviews on this book, I am guessing I am one of the few people that noticed how the pieces really didn’t fit together in the end. I guess they got caught up in the romance of it all.

Overall, I really have mixed feelings on this book. Like I said, Camille was an entertaining Victorian tale. But, that issue with the ending kind of ruined my opinion of the novel. Camille’s bitchy attitude didn’t help.

(less)

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Mar 29, 2011 Amy Jones rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Camille and scientist Dr. Bennett are trying to find a cure for people who are attacked by werewolves. They must be treated before the next full moon or they will mutate into the monster that infected them. During one of their 'stake' outs, Camille and Dr. Bennett witness a group of grave diggers attacked by the beast they are stalking to kill. All of the grave diggers are killed except for one, Nathaniel Strider, who has been infected by the beast. Camille and the Dr. follow and eventually invi...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Natasha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, horror, sci-fi, kindle-read-to-me

This book was an interesting blend of historical-ish, sci-fi (biology-wise), and love. Camille hunts werewolves with her guardian. Her sister lives in a psych ward, but there's nothing wrong with her. And she falls in love with boy who will be her victim on the next full moon. Enticing right?

Well it actually was pretty enticing. Although it is essentially a "werewolf" book, the story didn't give any indication that werewolves were anything but feral (unlike many popular books today where it's ok...more This book was an interesting blend of historical-ish, sci-fi (biology-wise), and love. Camille hunts werewolves with her guardian. Her sister lives in a psych ward, but there's nothing wrong with her. And she falls in love with boy who will be her victim on the next full moon. Enticing right?

Well it actually was pretty enticing. Although it is essentially a "werewolf" book, the story didn't give any indication that werewolves were anything but feral (unlike many popular books today where it's okay to date/mate/marry one) and it was more realistic in that way. Even though Camille did some very, let's say, wimpy things for a heroine, she was always strong and didn't ever let her emotions rule her more than her logical side. She was a likable character. A bit eccentric, but that made her all the more real.

Nathaniel Strider was enticing, but I don't think he'll have a very big "fangirl" gathering. He was appropriately bland, yet with facets of intrigue. Of course, he was also a bad boy orphan, who stole from corpses. He didn't "wow" me, but he didn't falter under the aura Camille exerted throughout the story, which was a feat.

Camille's sister, Emily, didn't appear very much but was mentioned a lot. She added an interesting depth to the story, a thorn in the picture. It never was explained clearly why she was in the mental facility to begin with, other than the fact that she just "could no longer face the outside world", which I thought was odd for someone who wasn't ill, but maybe she was and I missed it. Either way, I kind of liked her, both whimsical and moody alike.

The biology aspect of the whole story really appealed to me. The details were a little sketchy on how the Doctor described things, but then again, I'm pretty sure this was set back at least a good 70 years or so and they wouldn't know half as much about blood cell intricacies as we do today. As a molecular biology major, it bothered me slightly, but it probably won't be noticed by anyone other than me. Plus it was technically historically accurate.

All in all, the story was decently paced. I never really lost interest. The action starts right away, but it doesn't quite pull you all in like some other thriller books. It's more of a lazy read, or to have your Kindle read it to you while you drive back and forth from Nashville to Atlanta. It was fairly decent and not too shallow development-wise for some enjoyment to come out of it.

The Kindle edition does have its fair share of typos (like, GLARING typos) so be warned. (less)

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Oct 15, 2012 Jeni rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

Firstly, where can a girl get the sort of kiss that continually threatens to knock you off balance?

I was torn with this book on several points. Initially I thought it was another werewolf book, a typical girl loves a monster book, a typical Victorian girl breaking the Victorian mold. And wow am I glad I was wrong on all points.

Yes there is a Werewolf plot but think more Van Helsing then howling at the mood. The wolf story is a drive, but also a back drop.
Yes, it is set in Victorian London but...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Jackie Miller rated it 3 of 5 stars

I found this book one day while messing around on my Nook. I searched for 'young adult paranormal romance' and quite a few books popped up. Most of them were what I would consider indie authors, which I have no problem with. The simple title of this book jumped out at me, so I decided to see what it was about. The synopsis sounded like something I would like, and there was an excerpt from the book that totally sold me on it. It was steamy, angsty and tense. Just what I was looking for (don't jud...more

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May 03, 2011 Carina rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars
This was ok.
There wasn't much keeping me reading. The protagonist was naive, childish and annoying most of the time. She bugged the bejesus out of me. The romance was not beliabable. It had no building up to it and I'm tired of the 'love at first sight' romance that keeps happening on most YA books.
It felt like I was told what to feel towards everything. I knew how the protagonist was feeling cause I was 'told' how she felt. I knew she was crazy for the guy cause I was 'told' so, etc. I...more

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Feb 24, 2011 Megan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-and-young-adult, paranormal-and-supernatural, 2-stars, fiction

I enjoyed the premise and the set-up for this book. Plucky, teenage Camille and her scholarly guardian are werewolf hunters in Victorian-era London. There's some family intrigue going on: since the death of their father, Camille's twin sister hides away in a mental asylum despite the fact she's more or less sane. The story starts when Camille and her guardian witness Strider, a grave-robbing boy from the streets, being bitten by a werewolf. They now have one month to try to save him by finally s...more I enjoyed the premise and the set-up for this book. Plucky, teenage Camille and her scholarly guardian are werewolf hunters in Victorian-era London. There's some family intrigue going on: since the death of their father, Camille's twin sister hides away in a mental asylum despite the fact she's more or less sane. The story starts when Camille and her guardian witness Strider, a grave-robbing boy from the streets, being bitten by a werewolf. They now have one month to try to save him by finally succeeding on their search for a cure for lycanthrophy. If they can't figure out a cure by the next full moon, they'd be forced to kill him to protect him from killing innocent people. And of course, matters get complicated when Camille falls in love with Strider...

Oh, if only this book actually followed up on the possible consequences inherent in this premise! If it had, it might have been really good.

I was in the mood for a historical-paranormal story, and I was interested enough in the premise to buy this self-published book at the 99-cents price point. While I at first loved the set-up and was enjoying the book well enough for what it was (straightforward paranormal YA), things started going horribly wrong when I was gobsmacked by a very soap opera twist midway through the book. The book took a downward turn from there, and characters basically went through the motions of a stereotypical YA paranormal story, and there were no consequences for characters' actions or decisions.

I was most disappointed by the flimsy, selfish, and unintelligent main character, Camille. I was already tired of her lovesick and lack of consistent character traits, but the tipping point was when she does something suicidal for the SOLE purpose of getting her love interest to prove his love for her and ~rescue~ her. Um. Um. I know this is a review and all, but there really aren't words for the levels of awfulness of that.

Also jaw-droppingly awful was her complete disregard for the safety and well-being of other people as she prepared for Strider's transformation into a werewolf. Her plan was to knock out her guardian (the only person who could conceivably help her if her paper-thin plan went wrong), lock her lover up in a crypt, hope it was effective at keeping his superstrength werewolf-self secure, and then just catch a ride home and wait for morning. WTF, Camille? She doesn't have the decency to consider putting the safety of others before her lovesickness, which made her a wholly unsympathetic protagonist. I wanted to like Camille. I mean, she cross dresses! And Strider kisses her while she cross dresses! That's just awesome! But even excusing her sixteen-year-old selfishness, there was nothing vaguely heroic to recommend her. She barely made any decisions of consequence, as her plot moved forward by virtue of accidents and mishaps, and when she did make stupid decisions, she rarely faced ill consequences. For an example of that, witness the inane ending of the book.

I did like Strider and found him complicated in good ways, and I often enjoyed his and Camille's interactions (like when she made fun of him for hurting himself on the microscope), but uncritical, lovesick protagonists aren't my bag, and unfortunately, that was exactly what Camille was.

Also, authors, hi, can we can just STOP using a character's clumsiness as a character trait or as a way to incite plot? It was already old and ineffective when it was Bella in Twilight, and it's even worse to encounter the trope now. It's lazy writing and annoying to read. I assumed popular culture has already mocked this well enough to warn authors away, but apparently not.

The prose was fine and even excellent at points, but this book is good evidence of why an editor is needed, even if an author has a good handle on how to write. An editor could have helped structure the story so that there was an actually climax (this book has, quite possibly, the most anticlimactic "climax" I've ever read), so that there were actual consequences for Camille's actions, and so that Camille actually had to make decisions instead of being passively pushed around by circumstances.(less)

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Feb 02, 2011 Paula Griffith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Camille Kennecott lives with her benefactor, Dr. Bennett, and they hunt werewolves. Dr. Bennett is looking for a cure for lycanthropy, and Camille assists him in this endeavor because her father was turned and almost killed her and her sister before getting shot. Her sister is now in a mental ward from suffering from the aftereffects of their father's death. The premise of this story is good, and it starts out great. Camille is a Victorian woman who often walks about in men's clothing as she goe...more

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Feb 14, 2011 Brittany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Okay, so I really enjoyed this book! From the start until the very end the story captivated me and it has great characters too!

Camille and her guardian, Dr Bennett, are werewolf hunters. The story begins in a graveyard where the two are hunting a werewolf where they catch a bunch of thieves stealing from a grave. One of the thieves, a boy named Nathaniel Strider, gets bitten by the werewolf before Dr Bennett shoots it with a silver bullet. Camille is then sent to find this boy as Dr Bennett want...more

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Feb 15, 2011 Sarah Snyder rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: indies, purchased-ebooks, lend-me-nookbooks, books-i-own

review originally posted at http://thatbookishgirl.blogspot.com/2...

I stumbled across Camille while perusing the young adult paranormal romance NookBook section on Barnes and Noble. I’ll admit, this is pretty much a daily activity. I had not heard anything about the book before, but it sounded rather intriguing. So, with my trusty nook in hand I “previewed” the first few pages of the book. The preview was to my liking, so I went ahead and purchased it.

Now, I am going to have to be honest with y...more review originally posted at http://thatbookishgirl.blogspot.com/2...

I stumbled across Camille while perusing the young adult paranormal romance NookBook section on Barnes and Noble. I’ll admit, this is pretty much a daily activity. I had not heard anything about the book before, but it sounded rather intriguing. So, with my trusty nook in hand I “previewed” the first few pages of the book. The preview was to my liking, so I went ahead and purchased it.

Now, I am going to have to be honest with you – I put off reading this book for a LONG time. Other books kept jumping into my hands (they have a tendency to do that, you know) and Camille was getting lost in the shuffle.

Thankfully, one day I had a surprise break between classes and because I am such a complete nerd, I had my nook with me. Finally, I started Camille. I finished it that day.

This book was incredibly surprising, in a wonderful way. I instantly took to the heroine, the ever witty, Camille. This sixteen year old was such a brilliant character - in a number of ways. First of all, she is incredibly strong. Cami has overcome a number of difficult obstacles in her life and it has left her somewhat emotionally closed off. She only really interacts with two people – her legal guardian, Dr. John Bennett and her twin sister, Emily. Camille certainly has a curious existence; she assists John in hunting werewolves. The two of them track and kill dangerous wolves in Victorian London, which desperately searching for a cure.

Unsurprisingly, Camille’s day job contributes to her withdrawn attitude. She has learned to analyze her actions and thoughts, instead of forming an emotional attachment to things. She is remarkably intelligent and incredibly different from the other females of her time. Camille prefers to discuss scientific findings to engaging in local gossip and she feels much more comfortable in trousers than in a frilly dress. She is a determined girl, who does not take kindly to being pushed around and always stands on her own two feet.

Camille’s world turns upside down when she and John witness a werewolf attack a teenage boy. The boy, Nathaniel Strider manages to escape, but he is bitten in the process. Dr. Bennett decides that he simply must study Strider – that Nathaniel is the best hope of finding a cure. He soon sends Camille to fetch the “young lad”.

Now, when I was first introduced to the character of Strider I did not like him in the least. The first time we meet him, he is grave robbing. Then, the next few times Camille tracks him down, he is with a different girl. At this point, both Camille and I came to the same conclusion – Nathaniel Strider is a manwhore. However, soon enough I had to eat my words, because like with any great character, Nathaniel was full of surprises. I am not going to spoil anything for you, but believe me, he quickly grows on you. He is incredibly well-rounded and unexpectedly vulnerable underneath. He isn’t used to opening up to anyone either, so it takes a lot for him to let his guard down around Camille.

Not surprisingly, despite her early hatred for Nathaniel, much to her dismay, Camille falls for him. This terrifies her for a number of reasons – the largest being the fact that he is turning into a werewolf. This sets up a great dynamic for the book; the race against time to find a cure for Strider. If he turns into a werewolf, he will be a deadly one, and Camille will be faced with the task of killing him.

The plotline is laid out beautifully. Right from the beginning, you are swept up in Camille’s rather exciting and unconventional world. The pacing remains quick throughout the story, with contributes to the “race against time” storyline I was telling you about earlier.

The only qualm I had with this book was the ending. It felt like things were settled too easily. There was so much buildup to the conflict that the resolution seemed to fall a bit short. I am always a fan of a happy ending, but this one was a little too rushed. I cannot believe I am saying this, but I wish it would have been dragged out a bit more.

I am not sure when the next book is coming out, but I can tell you that I will be reading it. Camille exceeded my expectations in nearly every way. Oliver did a remarkable job creating the central characters; both Camille and Nathaniel are dynamic and likable. If you are looking for an exciting ebook read, I would certainly try Camille.(less)

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Mar 07, 2011 Penny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, 2011

I'm not going to lie, the fact that the male lead is called Strider may have caused me to develop a crush on the character faster than I would have otherwise. But he's is devastatingly charming. A hot street urchin with a heart of gold - COME ON! I loved Camille, she was really strong and feisty, but in a realistic way at least in this day and age. I can't really imagine she and Dr. Bennett would have gotten away with her antics in Victorian England, but isn't that the fun of reading fiction. Th...more

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Jan 03, 2011 Bon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well, i read this on my kindle, and for that reason I have to hold back a little judgment (my "version" had multiple spelling and grammatical errors). This was like a guilty pleasure, to be indulged in quickly and at night, you know? Reading it went really quick, but pleasantly for the most part. Your main character, who has a dark past behind her that is often alluded to, is stuck in the biggest dilemma you can imagine for her "line of work". I use that hesitantly, because she basically follows...more

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Mar 20, 2011 ♥Ayla Chanel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-my-kindle

I found this book to be just "ok". I loved Striders character - he was very charming, Camille was an alright character very logical but when she met Strider she began to listen to her heart more, I thought she should have been able to look after herself better, hence dealing with werewolves and all but the story was a fine read. It's nice to read a book for a change that doesn’t have a sequel and you’re not left on the last page wondering what happens next. Although it was kind of left open at t...more

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Mar 11, 2011 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: epics, books-i-reviewed

Sixteen-year-old Camille Kennecott and her guardian, Dr. Bennett, live a most unconventional life in London. They hunt werewolves.When unwitting victim, Nathaniel Strider, wanders into one of their full moon pursuits, Camille and Dr. Bennett believe they have found a specimen for their study.

At first when I saw this book my kindle recommended it to me. (I worship that thing so how could I disobey what it wishes me to read.) The topic seemed almost completely cliche to me. Werewolves. What sparke...more Sixteen-year-old Camille Kennecott and her guardian, Dr. Bennett, live a most unconventional life in London. They hunt werewolves.When unwitting victim, Nathaniel Strider, wanders into one of their full moon pursuits, Camille and Dr. Bennett believe they have found a specimen for their study.

At first when I saw this book my kindle recommended it to me. (I worship that thing so how could I disobey what it wishes me to read.) The topic seemed almost completely cliche to me. Werewolves. What sparked my interest was the fact that it wasn't centered around two boys having undying love for a flimsy human girl. (I mean seriously how much love can you have for a teenage girl who's only train of thought is "I wish he were here! Oh which one do I pick? His gaze is sooooo dreamy!") It was actually about the study of lycanthropy, and so my reading began.

The Style

I loved the writing style. I'm a sucker for first-person especially when it makes the characters sound sensible and devious at the same time. Oliver's writing seems to flow effortlessly throughout the story making it a lot easier to read thank god. I hate it when my English-teacher mind picks up a wrong word or fragment.

The Plotline

The computer just tried to correct me when I put plot and line together...

Anyway the plot-line was interesting different suspenseful. You can go from kinda falling asleep to choking on spit in disbelief in one page! In a way it's like the other books, she loves him he loves her, he's trying to fight the wolf inside of him. But in other ways it's way different. The love is actually INNOCENT (We've all read the books where the romance goes a little too far) while Nathaniel is now an almighty wolf, he struggles to comprehend the big picture and is in numerous self-conflicts through-out the story, Camille also struggles against her feelings harvesting them as more incentive to help him. Even though some spots may be a little slow the overall plot is enthralling.

The Characters

Are excellently defined. Oliver has succeeded in giving them depth and highlighting each part about them. Their reactions don't seem strained either which is awesome considering a book is about two-thirds talking. Well done Oliver!!

I did think the ending could use a little more pzazz but that may just be the romantic melodramatic side of me coming out. I don't know about you but my favorite character was her sister Emily. And NO it has nothing to do with the fact that Emily is my name...

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who's got a couple of hours to kill. A easy quick read for weekend or whatever day you want to read. (I like pancake days) Camille was an awesome book, definitely the best out of her books.

My Rating: four stars(less)

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Oct 15, 2012 Hannah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1800-novels, freebies, kindlebooks, just-random-books, love-the-cover, paranormal-romance, series-i-might-keep-reading, troubled-romance

I promise to be brutally honest with my opinion, but it should not be taken as fact. Any reader should read it for themselves, before they decide if this book has any merit or not. Do not judge this book biased solely on my opinion. If you do, you might miss out on a great read. You never know. It could happen.

1. Strong Main Character/ Female Heroine: Camille is a young woman with an iron will in the Victorian era. She is sweet and gentle hearted, but she is not naïve to the evils of the less...more I promise to be brutally honest with my opinion, but it should not be taken as fact. Any reader should read it for themselves, before they decide if this book has any merit or not. Do not judge this book biased solely on my opinion. If you do, you might miss out on a great read. You never know. It could happen.

1. Strong Main Character/ Female Heroine: Camille is a young woman with an iron will in the Victorian era. She is sweet and gentle hearted, but she is not naïve to the evils of the less prestigious streets in London, England. She speaks plainly and has a straight forward, no nonsense attitude that I find refreshing in young adult novels; however, Camille is headstrong enough to resist the charms and arrogance of a grave robber. I find Camille’s character in a Shakespearian romance with Nathaniel, even though their love ends up with a less tragic ending than in the famous Romeo and Juliet. Camille is endearing to the reader, especially her childlike behavior at times. It reminds the reader that Camille has doubts, because she is only sixteen. 3 out of 5 stars

2. Strong Minor Characters: All three of the minor characters are three dimensional in the story. There are so many sides to each and every character that the reader cannot help but want more of them. Dr. John Bennett, the uncle, is a scientist that is only interested in scientific subjects. He sounds familiar to the husband and physician John in “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Gilman. Both characters are in fact, very similar, although the Uncle Bennett in this book seems to have fatherly feelings for Camille and her sister. There is a hidden tenderness in him that one does not see in the other work. Nathaniel is a wickedly handsome, bad boy that will make a reader’s heart throb with barely contained passion. Every page spills with sexual tension between this most unlikely pair. Camille’s sister is a pure mystery to the reader and I wish that I would have gotten to know more about her. Emily is soft spoken and a bit delusional; hence, her stay in an asylum. Obsessed with faeries and an employee of the ward, she is a balanced slice of crazy with a side of affectionate, sisterly love. 4 out of 5 stars

3. The Setting: This fast paced read takes you all over the city of London from the streets of high society to the slums. I love it, when a story actually takes me through tons of places with extensive detail, I am in book heaven! Although this book did not take it to THAT extreme, the author does have first-rate knowledge about the Victorian era from Camille’s dresses to the mannerisms of the day. Everything was really on the money and since an author is in the business of selling books, that holds a lot of merit. 4 out of 5 stars

4. The Plot: Although the book is advertised as a paranormal romance novel, it is a historical romance at best. The only scenes that seem to flow smoothly are the romantic ones between Camille and Nathaniel. The sisters’ relationship seems stilted and awkward like the author did not know how to properly portray a sisterly bond tainted by tragedy and dismal circumstances. The writing is mediocre at best and only shines through during the more intense scenes. The werewolf hunting that made this novel to be classified as “paranormal” seemed tacked on to appeal to a larger reading pool and possibly a younger audience as well. This novel is a okay historical romance, but a really crappy paranormal one. There was not even that much paranormal to the story and all of the “paranormal” aspects were explained away by science. To be truly “paranormal”, it cannot be explained away by normal science. It just frustrates me how an author can think that this is a paranormal romance. It puzzles me so. 2 out of 5 stars

Overall, I would have to give this book two stars, because of the paranormal romance label. It is misleading the reader to think this book is something that it was not. As a historical romance, I give this book 3 ½ stars overall, because it brings great insight into the Victorian era. I might consider to continue reading this series as a historical romance, but I might reconsider that.

(less)

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Jan 15, 2012 Wendy Dunn rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book had a lot of potential but didn't deliver. As much as I wanted to like Cami, the main character, I felt repeatedly pulled out of the story by many things. Her voice was not a sixteen year old's voice, her actions were not in line with the period, and she was never truly in danger because either Strider saved her or the danger evaporated. The romance was unbelievable. Strider, a notorious ladies man, reformed his ways and fell quickly in love with Cami. And then there was the class diff...more

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Camille (Camille #1)

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