Firelight (Darkest London, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Jan 20, 2012 D.G. rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, reviewed, steampunk

I should first clarify that I'm not a fan of historical paranormals. I always feel that these books are set in a historical setting to justify some weird aspect of the PNR plot. And this is exactly what happened in this book. There's no reason for this book to be set in the Victorian era, if you don't count that having a masked hero would look really weird in this day and age or that the heroine needed to have fire around to do her neat tricks.

I liked some things in the book. The paranormal aspe ...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Thenia rated it liked it

Shelves: series, romance, reviewed, historical-romance, r-ab, paranormal, 2013

Yet another case of "it's not you, it's me"...

Intriguing story that started out great but, unfortunately, took a different direction from the one I hoped for.

Miranda and Archer both had their own deep dark secrets and neither one wanted to reveal theirs first in fear of being rejected. Their reluctance to share, though understandable, made me feel that there was little forward progress for a big part of the story.

I'd figured out who the main bad guy was long before the final revelation and was o ...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Lauren⁷ 💜 rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, fantasy-sci-fi-romance-romantasy, romance, historical-romance, library-has-a-copy

This was so good! Archer made me swoon and Miranda was a perfect match for him! The mystery side was just as great, very tantalizing! And I loved the supporting characters! I loved this! Just loved this!

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Dec 19, 2011 Logan rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-bought-ebook, historical-fiction, paranormal, 2013-books-read

I loved the hints of Beauty and the Beast and Phantom of the Opera in this one. Though my guesses were way off about the secrets in this one, it was still unique and interesting, if not a little bizarre. I'll be continuing in the series, though I was disappointed to see it centers on Miranda's sisters as central characters, and not her. ...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Alisha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: z-archive-bli-rev

Rating: 4.5, I think .

(Originally posted at Book Lovers Inc.)
I’d like to begin by saying the following: this book has absolutely zero relationship with the Sophie Jordan book of similar title. I sort of wish the PTB (Powers That Be) had decided against using a title that was already in use for a relatively recent (2010) and extremely popular book and series.

But I digress. ^_^ Firelight, by Kristen Callihan, is the first book in the paranormal historical romance series called “Darkest London.” T Rating: 4.5, I think .

(Originally posted at Book Lovers Inc.)
I’d like to begin by saying the following: this book has absolutely zero relationship with the Sophie Jordan book of similar title. I sort of wish the PTB (Powers That Be) had decided against using a title that was already in use for a relatively recent (2010) and extremely popular book and series.

But I digress. ^_^ Firelight, by Kristen Callihan, is the first book in the paranormal historical romance series called “Darkest London.” The series title is truly appropriate in this case, given that there’s no romanticization of the city at all. It’s real, it’s ugly, it’s tough. But the juxtaposition of the unforgiving setting with the intensely sweet romance makes for a very exciting, unique story.

This book most definitely works the “beauty and the beast” trope, adding some mysterious, mystical elements. But funnily enough, though this book is a paranormal romance, the paranormal aspect takes a bit of a back seat to other elements (like the mystery, the romance, and the dark London setting). Though there are very early references to both main characters having special “traits,” the progression of the story doesn’t explicitly make use of it. Not really. I was a little disappointed by this, but only because Lord Archer’s and Miranda’s unique attributes ended up being really intriguing.

The sensuality found in this book was very much dependent on the romance. Lemme explain: there were a lot of bated-breath, almost-kissing-but-not-quite moments that, by themselves, were rather tame as far as most romances go. But they were given so much more weight by the steady buildup of trust and affection between the main characters. Callihan did a marvelous job of illustrating the personal qualities and moments that form the basis of Archer’s and Miranda’s mutual attachment. It was the romance alone that added that .5 to the star rating, for me. ^_^

The mystery was more or less solid, but it was the element that gave me moments of frustration. The plot doesn’t reveal a whole lot (read: anything) regarding Archer and his unique history, leaving the reader to rely on other cues for the appropriate reader reactions or expectations. And because it figures substantially into the mystery, I found it hard for some of the related developments to properly resonate with me. I kept thinking to myself, “why should this dilemma matter to me?” Of course, to some readers that might sound like a good thing, the deep mystery. To each their own, I guess. ^_^

I liked Archer, even with his standoffish demeanor and inaccessibility; however, it was the smart and resourceful Miranda that really kept me intrigued. She’s a survivor. Some of her back story is only hinted at (though fleshed out a bit in the short-story prequel, Embers), but what’s revealed is a breath of fresh air from many a wallflower and wannabe bluestocking in HR. ^_^ Really, the prominent males of her life depend on her, in a way, either financially or emotionally. It was fascinating to read about her strength and resilience, as well as her vulnerabilities. They held up well to a character as intense and multilayered as Archer.

This book is certainly meant for reread; the story will open up, take on new dimension with the addition of more context. From the in-text clues (and the excerpt at the end of the book), it’s obvious what the next story, Moonglow, is going to focus on, and it seems like that book will be more forthcoming with the paranormal aspects. I cannot wait to read it. ^_^

Bottom Line: This is no typical historical romance, with plenty of intense action, dark intrigue, and swoon-worthy romance. It’s a solid debut novel and a great series opener! ...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Christal rated it really liked it

Shelves: multiple-leads, demons, romance, magical-or-paranormal, mind-bullets, historical-fiction, murder, 2012-favorites

I loved Firelight; it's quite possibly my favorite historical/paranormal romance debut that I've read so far. Everything about the story was lovely and so fierce. I can't wait to read the next books in the series.

Miranda was the star of this book and I adored her. She was fiesty and spirited, but she could back it up with follow through. The girl could take care of herself... and everyone else around her! She is married off to Lord Archer, a man who keeps his face covered at all times, and feels ...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Samantha rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: meh, 2013, pnr

This book was a mixed bag, with some aspects that I liked and others that just made me roll my eyes. There was potential, but not what it could have been. For instance, there's an interesting component to our heroine in that she has the power to control fire, but for most of the book it's shoved to the side except when it's convenient to the story. The hero's 'curse' was also unique story once it comes out in the last quarter of the book and even then isn't explored much more than just told to u ...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Hasien rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery, humans-w-extra, hist-romance

3.5 stars
I really liked this story. This story starts out with an arranged marriage. Miranda will marry Lord Archer or become homeless, as her father will through her out of her home. After speaking with the mysterious masked Lord Archer, Miranda goes forward with the marriage. Miranda is not your typical royal, she is a thief but once married she no longer needs to perform that act. She has her secrets and Lord Archer has his secrets.

This was an entertaining whodunit, or should I say who is th ...more

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