If you're looking for an intensely emotional, very different sort of YA romance, this is your choic...moreGothic. Mysterious. Haunting. Beautifully written.
If you're looking for an intensely emotional, very different sort of YA romance, this is your choice. I love that it's the girl with the serious pnr issues, and that she's the focus of all the drama. Lena is strong, fierce, beautiful, and so very worth Ethan's adoration.
The worldbuilding is topnotch. I can't think of anything else to say, other than read it yourself, if you haven't already. You probably have. (less)
This was arc I got from editor whose taste aligns with mine.
I'm a little speechless right now. This is Jane Eyre, re-imagined steampunk style. It's j...moreThis was arc I got from editor whose taste aligns with mine.
I'm a little speechless right now. This is Jane Eyre, re-imagined steampunk style. It's just amazing. Confident, clever prose. A ferocious heroine. A broken, tragic hero, who needs her.
The worldbuilding is just fascinating. The writing is fabulous. I devoured this book and now I'm hungry for the sequel. When it comes out, get it. (less)
First off, ignore the blurb. This heroine isn't forced to do anything. She's one of the most empowered heroines I've ever read. Second, this is a kick...moreFirst off, ignore the blurb. This heroine isn't forced to do anything. She's one of the most empowered heroines I've ever read. Second, this is a kick-ass retelling of Beauty and the Beast without the imbalance of power issues. So if that's your thing, then just get it. No need to read on.
This book has splendid writing, a riveting story, beautifully drawn characters, a compelling premise, smoldering sexual tension, and an unforgettable ending. Really, what more do you need to know? Go buy it, read it, and I defy you not to fall in love it. This will go on one of my Top 10 reads for 2012, and it's deliciously fresh & original.
This book was absolutely phenomenal. I just read a YA that was a struggle for me; I only finished it because I'm rather OC in some ways. Once I start...moreThis book was absolutely phenomenal. I just read a YA that was a struggle for me; I only finished it because I'm rather OC in some ways. Once I start a book, I want to know how it ends, so I limp to the finish even if I find it boring and excruciating. I bought NEVERMORE on Kindle last night, thinking it would be a good reward for keeping my word count goals on the novel I'm currently writing. I stared reading it after midnight, which was a huge mistake, because I couldn't stop until I finished it. I'm a fast reader, so I did get a little sleep last night, but not the normal amount...
Because NEVERMORE was delicious, addictive, unexpected, spooky / creepy, beautiful in the way that a graveyard in the moonlight is beautiful yet with a touch of the haunting forbidden. Isobel is a strong character who grows over the course of the book. I enjoyed her sense of humor and her willingness to say, "Hey, screw you, that's WRONG" to people she thought were her friends. (I'm not quoting dialogue by the way, merely referencing actions.) The way the mystery of Edgar Allan Poe weaves through the novel is fascinating.
The worldbuilding was splendid. The characters were divine. The story itself charmed and intrigued me, and I couldn't get enough.
If that's not sufficient reason to understand why I loved this book SO VERY MUCH, then there's Varen. I am a total sucker for a beautiful tormented Goth / emo boy, and I can't even express how much I adored the hero. He's the sort of character who creeps into your dreams, who tiptoes through your waking hours, and you can't stop thinking about him. Check it:
"She froze, locked by the intensity of his stare. His eyes were stark and cold, the concentrated green of pale jade. Outlined in smudged black kohl, those eyes focused on her, unblinking through the feathery strands of his jet-black hair, and it was like being watched through a cage by a complacent and calculating cat."
You get it now, don't you? He also possesses a Cassandra quality, that doomed kind of destiny, and I want ferociously for him to avoid it -- a white-knuckled sinking of the stomach where you whisper please, please, please, as you read. The first description I read of him, early on, literally took my breath away... and sealed the deal. I haven't crushed this hard on a fictional dude in ages. I'm also devastated that I have to wait until 2012 to read the next book.
This is such a beautiful book. I've never seen dual storylines intertwined with such facility and elegance. Usually, when the author take this approac...moreThis is such a beautiful book. I've never seen dual storylines intertwined with such facility and elegance. Usually, when the author take this approach, one will be more appealing than the other, but both stories were fascinating.
The historical detail was meticulous; the writing is lyrical and evocative. The characters feel real.
This book made me cry. I would recommend it for readers of Diana Gabaldon. Yes, it's that good. (less)
Meredith Duran is one of the most gifted writers of historical romance on the market today. I fell in love with her gorgeous prose after reading her d...moreMeredith Duran is one of the most gifted writers of historical romance on the market today. I fell in love with her gorgeous prose after reading her debut, THE DUKE OF SHADOWS.
I continue to be awed by her talent and imagination. This is a beautiful, evocative book. It enthralls you. It enchants you. It breaks your heart and makes you smile with tears still drying on your cheeks. Unlike many historical romances, this one has grit. You can taste the smoky air of Victorian London. You can imagine what the factories with small children chained to the machines were like. Within the framework of this darkness, she fashions the brightness of a love story. I could ramble on and on about how much I love this book, but I think I'll just say this. It's one of those that when you're done, you want to clasp it to your chest and just cherish that magnificent ache while asking yourself if you could ever create anything so splendid. (less)
Excellent suspense. Barely any romance, so if that's what you're looking for, this isn't the one for you. However, it does have a fascinating relation...moreExcellent suspense. Barely any romance, so if that's what you're looking for, this isn't the one for you. However, it does have a fascinating relationship and fabulous characters. It's spooky, tense, and atmospheric. (less)
This is absolutely amazing. The writing is evocative, lyrical, the epitome of elegant restraint. Ms. Stevens' grasp of setting as character is nothing...moreThis is absolutely amazing. The writing is evocative, lyrical, the epitome of elegant restraint. Ms. Stevens' grasp of setting as character is nothing short of sublime. Her Charleston is a fascinating place, every bit as vivid and enthralling as her lead characters, Amelia Grey and John Devlin. This book is a must-read for those who enjoy Gothic-touched mystery threaded through diamond-bright with sexual tension and forbidden longing. Why are you still here? Go get this book, and then read it immediately. (less)
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