Wild and Steamy is an anthology made up of three stories. The Blushing Bounder by Meljean Brook, Vixen by Jill Myles and Kitten – Tiger and the Monk b...moreWild and Steamy is an anthology made up of three stories. The Blushing Bounder by Meljean Brook, Vixen by Jill Myles and Kitten – Tiger and the Monk by Carolyn Crane.
In my opinion Meljean Brook is the queen of steampunk, nobody does it quite as well as she does and The Blushing Bounder is no exception. The steampunk element was amazing and complimented by a lovely romance, good storyline and likeable characters. It is an awesome novella that fits in well with the rest of the Iron Seas series.
Vixen was my least favourite of the bunch but that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it. It was well written, had a good story line and good characters. It was also extremely saucy.
Kitten – Tiger and the Monk introduced me to a new series. I haven’t read any of the Disillusionist books but after reading this I most definitely will be. I loved the dark and dreary world this was set in, loved the less than perfect characters and loved the storyline behind it.
Wild and Steamy is one of the better adult anthologies I have read. None of the stories were bad; each had its appeal and was enjoyable. (less)
The Iron Duke is the first steampunk book I have ever read. I didn’t quite know what to expect. I had a vision in my head...moreReview also posted on my blog
The Iron Duke is the first steampunk book I have ever read. I didn’t quite know what to expect. I had a vision in my head of what a stempunk world might look like and I wasn’t repulsed by it, but putting that world in words seemed a little too much for me and I thought I would hate it. In the end I was pleasantly surprised. I did like this book, and I did like steampunk.
The world in this book was unlike anything else I have read; I swallowed it up whole and enjoyed the craziness of it. It was extremely imaginative and I happily gorged myself on it.
The story was great. I was expecting the norm paranormal romance/adult stuff (Likable characters, hot scenes and so much sexual tension you could drown in it) but was surprised to find that this had a lot more substance, it had a decent storyline and didn’t just rely on sex and a dominant male character. Sure it had all the normal stuff in it as well but there was much more to it than that which was a nice change.
Another thing I liked about this book was the characters. Mina and Rhys (the main characters) were great, especially in the beginning when there is a ton of tension and banter between them. But it is in the secondary characters where this book really gets its personality. Scarsdale (Rhys friend) literally made this book for me, I utterly adored him. He was charming and cheeky and by far the funniest thing in this book. Also Newberry (constable to Mina’s Lieutenant) deserves a mention for being utterly adorable.
Unfortunately, for me, this book had some major problems. My main issue with this is that a majority of the time I wasn’t quite sure what was going on, it confused me and used words and terms that I didn’t understand. I am not sure if this is because it is a steampunk book and I am unfamiliar with them of if it is just this book. Either way I felt that it shouldn’t have been so difficult to comprehend.
At times the book seemed to move and an agonizingly slow pace. It took me a long time to read it. A whole day for just under 400 pages (I read really fast and can normally read two books of this length in one day.) I felt like every sentence was full of stuff that needed to be processed but still the plot never moved on.
Also, I had an issue with the romance between Mina and Rhys. It was weird because I was never quite sure what was going on with them. He, at times, seemed a little forceful and she was a bit of a tease. It was not the worse romance I have read by a long shot but still I struggled to get fully behind them.
Overall The Iron Duke was an enjoyable read that I would recommend to fans of the genre and of romance. It was a good introduction into a genre that I knew nothing about and it has definitely made me want to read more steampunk. (less)
Some books just put a massive smile on your face and make you feel really great, Soulless was one of those books and I absolutely loved it.
I have read...moreSome books just put a massive smile on your face and make you feel really great, Soulless was one of those books and I absolutely loved it.
I have read many historical paranormal romances but none as witty and vibrant as this. The writing was just amazing, I loved the use of language and turn of phrase, Carriger has an individual writing style that I adore.
I enjoyed the storyline, it was entertaining, the touch of steampunk was well executed and the romance toe curling good. There was also lots of humour which I also liked.
By far the best element of this book was the characters. They were all so well developed and vibrant, I loved every single one of them.
Alexia was stubborn, witty and impossible to dislike. She somehow managed to be so proper whilst doing the most improper things. She amused me throughout and never once irritated me. Lord Maccon was slight devastating (I do like a nice, big werewolf.) Again, he was impossible to dislike he was surly and moody but had a soft side, his way of cursing made me chuckle throughout. I felt quote sorry for him as he grappled with his feelings for such an impossible woman. Alexia bought out the soft side and they were perfect for one another. I took no persuading to get behind their romance.
I think the best character has to be Lord Akeldama whom I utterly adored. He is flamboyant on a huge scale and had to be the campest, funniest and more endearing vampire I have come across. I struggle to describe him you need to read it to understand just how magnificent he is.
Soulless is a great book that I enjoyed immensely. I highly recommend it to everyone. (less)
The Mysterious Madam Morpho is a novella between books 1 and 2 of the Blud series. I have not read the first bo...moreFor this review and more visit my blog
The Mysterious Madam Morpho is a novella between books 1 and 2 of the Blud series. I have not read the first book in the series but do not think you need to in order to understand and enjoy this book. It did take a little getting used to but after a few pages I was fine.
I really quite liked this, the storyline was entertaining and exciting. I also loved the setting and the steampunk elements.
The characters were great both Imogen and Henry are extremely likeable. The chemistry between them was obvious from the moment they met and I found their romance to be very cute.
I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series as I really enjoyed this little taster.
The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for and honest review (less)
I really enjoy Delilah S Dawson’s Blud series; I think it is entertaining and well written. So far she has not created a character I dislike and that...moreI really enjoy Delilah S Dawson’s Blud series; I think it is entertaining and well written. So far she has not created a character I dislike and that didn’t change after reading The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance.
Frannie is a great lead character; she is strong, kind and likeable from beginning to end. She has no problem standing up for herself which I also liked. I was in love with Scottish fireman Thom the moment he appeared. He is completely devastating, charming, tough and brave with a kind and helpful nature. I really liked the chemistry between him and Frannie, they were clearly perfect for one another.
The other main character is the useless yet adorable Casper, Frannies lodger. Casper is a famous musician and full time drunk. He is hansom and talented but cannot stop himself from causing trouble. Despite that I really liked him and cannot wait to read more about him in the upcoming books in the series.
Despite the good characters there were times where I felt the story dragged a little and I would have liked the steampunk element to have been bigger, but apart from that it was very enjoyable.
*I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for a review*
Something Strange and Deadly is exactly my kind of book. It is a little bit different, a little bit funny and a little bit bizarre which is exactly what I like in my fiction. I also loved how this book combined 18th century America with zombies. What this book offers is a good story, great characters and some lovely writing. It is a cross between The Evil Dead and Downton Abbey…just with more cute boys and corsets.
All in all I found this book to be gripping and exciting, there is a lot of action and at times it was also quite spooky. It had its touching moments, funny moments and an ending that leaves you satisfied but also impatient for more.
One of the great things about this book is the characters. Elenor is a great. She is stubborn, smart and brave. She won’t let people walk all over her and I ended up liking her quite a lot. Daniel was also great. He is introduced in a peculiar way and it was impossible not to like him instantly. He is cute but that is not why you like him, he has bundles of personality which makes him easy to adore.
The romance was a sweet one but there wasn’t much of it, that wasn’t a problem because instead of insta-love there was a build-up which made everything feel more real and more intense. There is a lot of humorous banter between the two characters and you can feel the connection and attraction between them building and building. I felt that the romance was realistic which was a real plus for me and something that I adored about this novel.
I loved the way this book was written all the characters were well developed; all the world building made everything easy to envision and the language used was spot on for the period.
I would love to give this book five stars but there is one thing holding me back. I found it a little predictable, not the plot or the characters; I didn’t know what was coming next. But I knew the ‘who did it’ reveals long before they happened. I have a habit of doing this all the time so I don’t know if it is the book or me.
Apart from that I was really impressed with this book, it is one of my books of the year so far and a great start to what I hope will be a great series. I highly recommend it and cannot wait for it to come out so I can get a physical copy! (less)
I was sent a copy of this book for free from the publisher for review
When I started this book I thought I was o...moreFor this review and more visit my blog
I was sent a copy of this book for free from the publisher for review
When I started this book I thought I was onto a winner. I liked the beginning, it was strained and awkward between the characters and it really worked. It was well written and stuffed full of atmosphere. The problem was that it didn’t get better from there, if anything it got worse. This book just seemed to lose steam as it went on.
At first I really liked Minerva, she has been through a lot but came through the other side stronger for it. I didn’t like these changes in her. Asher was no better. I struggled to like him from the beginning of the book to the end. He was to head strong and refused to listen to anyone. He also is in possession of extraordinary bad judgement skills which he demonstrated when he tried to seduce Minerva just moments after she had been attacked, kidnapped and hurt.
The romance between them was bland. They spent most of their time either arguing with or distrusting each other. I didn’t feel anything between them and thought they lacked chemistry.
I did like the steampunk element in this story. Often I find steampunk hard to understand and follow but this was written plainly which I was very grateful here.
This book is not a bad effort but it just didn’t hit the mark for me. (less)
Innocent Darkness is a book that I sometimes loved and sometimes hated. There were exciting, funny and enthralling moments. But there were also some...more Innocent Darkness is a book that I sometimes loved and sometimes hated. There were exciting, funny and enthralling moments. But there were also some annoying, boring and confusing moments to.
The idea behind this book is a gutsy one. It inhabits many genres and sub genres which I admire the author for trying. But at the same time I think it is where a lot of the problems with this book lie. There are pacing issues as we go from one theme and genre to another and I often got the impression that this book just didn’t know what it wanted to be. It goes from steampunk fun, to the horrors of reform school and woman’s rights (even touching on sexual assault) and from there goes somewhere else entirely. For this review and more check out my blog
*I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for a review*
My big gripe with all this is that the book starts so well. The prologue and first few chapters were amazing and I really thought I was on to a winner but from there it just seems to die a bit. The steampunk all but disappears and the book losses its edge.
Like the plot I found the main character Noli to be a little inconsistent as well. She is supposed to be a bit of a brain box but doesn’t come across as smart. She is also in possession of an independent streak and is supposed to be free spirited but she struggles to stick up for herself.
There is also a love triangle that I just couldn’t quite get into. Love triangles have been done so often in teen fiction that authors now have to do something pretty awesome with the characters and the romance to make it stand above the others for me. Unfortunately that doesn’t quite happen here.
I felt like this book had a lot of potential but it couldn’t quite reach what it promised. I applaud Lazear for trying something a little different but generally speaking this book missed the mark for me.(less)
*The publisher provided me with this book for review, via Netgalley.*
I was so excited to read this book. It’s...moreThis review can also be found on my blog
*The publisher provided me with this book for review, via Netgalley.*
I was so excited to read this book. It’s a YA steampunk book!! I was absolutely chomping at the bit to get into it. The description and cover were amazing and I had a big idea of what this book would be like. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
I was disappointed in this book. It was not what I was expecting at all. The pace moved so slowly and I found myself skimming. There were moments where things got exciting and I thought that the book was finally on the right track…but then those moments faded away and it was back to being boring again.
Another problem is that nothing is really explained. The book started and by chapter 3 I still wasn’t sure who was who and what was going on. The characters are introduced so quietly that you almost miss them. I just wanted more background, more explanations for what was going on. Nothing or no-one was fleshed out which was such a shame.
There was a good idea in here. It had the potential to go far but it just stalled and flailed into nothing.
The characters are alright. There is no-one that I felt a connection for. I think you need to have a female lead in books like this that you can get behind. Unfortunately Lena, at times was just really annoying. She acted like a fourteen year old instead of an eighteen year old a majority of the time. Especially if she was around a boy. She had some moments of growth towards the end but really it wasn’t enough.
I think that this is not really a steampunk novel. There are a few things here and there but really there is not enough to class this as steampunk, so if that is what you are looking for then I think you will be disappointed.
Another annoyance is the chapter titles. It might seem like a petty thing to bring up in a review but they literally ruin what is coming up. They are spoilers in their own right and do nothing to help me get involved in a book that I was already struggling with.
It is not that this book is especially bad, it is ok, but just lacked a little of everything. I have seen better steampunk worlds, and better YA. (Although it is worth pointing out that I have also seen a lot worse)
This book promised a lot and delevered little. (less)
*I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for a review*
I have been looking for a good adult steampunk romance ever since I read The Iron Duke earlier this year, and for the most part A Lady can Never Be too Curious fit the bill.
I really liked Janette. She was not meek or silly; she was a fighter and saw no reason why she could not be an intellectually equal to a man. She was not easily frightened and instead was naturally inquisitive, a trait I liked in her. I loved her interaction with Darius, there was plenty of humour and banter between them and a bucket load of sexual tension. The romance was great, it built agonizingly slowly and when the sex scenes came they were really, really great.
The only issue I had with the romance was Darius. I liked him but he was constantly doubting Janette and warning her away from him. It was ok for a while but it stretched the whole book and got really repetitive.
I liked the story line and enjoyed the level of the steampunk element; it was neither over nor under-done. I felt like there were times where there was a bit too much dialogue and not enough action which caused my attention to drift occasionally.
This book is not perfect but it didn’t matter too much, I still found it very entertaining. (less)
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