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nellesnightstand1's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely gripping! I'll have to say I loved Meg and Samuel, but I want more of Gregori!
nellesnightstand's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely gripping! I'll have to say I loved Meg and Samuel, but I want more of Gregori!
kayedacus's review
3.0
3.5 stars
This is the weakest story in the series so far . . . mainly because there is little plot (no supernatural McGuffin to drive the action/conflict of the plot outside of the relationship development)---and because Meg goes from a character with no motivation to a TSTL character and Samuel just isn't all that interesting. Which is ironic, given that in the author's note, Marlowe says these two are her favorite characters in the series.
The lack of a McGuffin/supernatural object creating a ticking clock and tension for the story meant that far too much of the narrative ended up wallowing in self-reflection and repetitive thought-thinking for far too much of the story. There's a great novella in this novel, which I might have enjoyed a lot more.
The best parts of this book were the scenes from Camden's POV, but even still, with as brief as those scenes were, those could still have been included in a Meg-and-Samuel novella without making it too long.
Then . . . ***sigh*** . . . the "big conflict" scene at the end.
As a writer, this was a good reminder to me of lessons I learned along the way with some of my favorite characters---they're so much harder to write as a main focus of a story because the author doesn't want to "be mean" to them and put them in hurtful, difficult situations. And, to me, that's what happened here. Marlowe loved these characters too much to throw an appropriate amount of conflict into the story---and also not to get mired down so much in their internal narratives instead of making the book more about external conflicts and action. And it's a rare romance novel I'd say that about, as I want as much relationship building as I do external plot/story building.
Now, all that said, I really hope this series isn't just a trilogy (though given how long it's been since this book was published, I have a feeling there will be no more Order of the MUSE books).
This is the weakest story in the series so far . . . mainly because there is little plot (no supernatural McGuffin to drive the action/conflict of the plot outside of the relationship development)---and because Meg goes from a character with no motivation to a TSTL character and Samuel just isn't all that interesting. Which is ironic, given that in the author's note, Marlowe says these two are her favorite characters in the series.
The lack of a McGuffin/supernatural object creating a ticking clock and tension for the story meant that far too much of the narrative ended up wallowing in self-reflection and repetitive thought-thinking for far too much of the story. There's a great novella in this novel, which I might have enjoyed a lot more.
The best parts of this book were the scenes from Camden's POV, but even still, with as brief as those scenes were, those could still have been included in a Meg-and-Samuel novella without making it too long.
Then . . . ***sigh*** . . . the "big conflict" scene at the end.
Spoiler
The fight scene between Samuel and Grigori was just getting good and interesting and had me completely buying into it when he turned into a dragon when . . . wah-wah, "Oh, it's true love. Of course I won't kill you." There's something to be said for antagonists who are redeemable being redeemed at the end of a book. But Grigori had NO REDEEMING QUALITIES. I understand that he was needed in order to set up what I'm assuming is a future book for Paschal, since Paschal needed a keeper/companion to keep his deadly power in check. But this was such a cop out.As a writer, this was a good reminder to me of lessons I learned along the way with some of my favorite characters---they're so much harder to write as a main focus of a story because the author doesn't want to "be mean" to them and put them in hurtful, difficult situations. And, to me, that's what happened here. Marlowe loved these characters too much to throw an appropriate amount of conflict into the story---and also not to get mired down so much in their internal narratives instead of making the book more about external conflicts and action. And it's a rare romance novel I'd say that about, as I want as much relationship building as I do external plot/story building.
Now, all that said, I really hope this series isn't just a trilogy (though given how long it's been since this book was published
Spoiler
and the resolution of the Camden/Vesta storylinestorieswithsoul's review
5.0
Wow! This was quite a read. Its a historical romance novel which also has a lot of mystery, intrigue, excitement and people with special powers or gifts. In my opinion it is very difficult to put it in one specific genre, it has a bit of everything which makes it perfect. It has a beauty-and-the-beast-ish touch but a lot more mystery revolving around "the beast" i.e. Lord Badewyn.
Meg is a member of M.U.S.E. Her ability is that she can find things and people. It is a dangerous gift and every time she goes "finding" she gets closer to her death. This is the reason why she is forbidden by the Duke of Camden to use her power until they can find a safe way for her to do so. But sometimes she simply cannot resist the urge to use her gift. On one such occasion she stumbles upon an ongoing robbery. And finds out that her uncle and cousin are planning to get to her so that she can go back to helping them robbing people.
Duke is furious, which is to be expected but it is also a good thing they are fore warned. Now they can hide Meg until the threat is gone. It is decided that she will go to Welsh and stay with Lord Badewyn for the time being. He is a recluse who avoids company as much as possible. considering the remote location of his castle it is not so difficult. When Meg's arrive at his castle he acts like a brute towards her. The reason is something he cannot reveal to her but its important that they don't get attached to each other.
The plot is very interesting and author's way of writing has made it even better. I loved it and would recommend to all book lovers. This is an awesome book which kept me awake late at nights.
Meg is a member of M.U.S.E. Her ability is that she can find things and people. It is a dangerous gift and every time she goes "finding" she gets closer to her death. This is the reason why she is forbidden by the Duke of Camden to use her power until they can find a safe way for her to do so. But sometimes she simply cannot resist the urge to use her gift. On one such occasion she stumbles upon an ongoing robbery. And finds out that her uncle and cousin are planning to get to her so that she can go back to helping them robbing people.
Duke is furious, which is to be expected but it is also a good thing they are fore warned. Now they can hide Meg until the threat is gone. It is decided that she will go to Welsh and stay with Lord Badewyn for the time being. He is a recluse who avoids company as much as possible. considering the remote location of his castle it is not so difficult. When Meg's arrive at his castle he acts like a brute towards her. The reason is something he cannot reveal to her but its important that they don't get attached to each other.
The plot is very interesting and author's way of writing has made it even better. I loved it and would recommend to all book lovers. This is an awesome book which kept me awake late at nights.
malissac's review against another edition
4.0
I rather enjoyed this entire series and wasn't quite ready for it to end. I wish that Camden and Vesta had been given their own book, but I am happy with the outcome we get between them in this story. I think this series could have been quite a long one if given the chance.
I particularly enjoyed the plot line in this one, something completely different than whatIve read recently in a paranormal romance and of course being a history buff having a historical paranormal romance is just the thing for me.
If you're looking for something different to add to your tbr, if you enjoy paranormals, romances, historicals...give this series a try. I can't say it will be a 5 star read for you but it will be engaging and enjoyable. You must read this series in order, each book is not a standalone within a series.
I particularly enjoyed the plot line in this one, something completely different than whatIve read recently in a paranormal romance and of course being a history buff having a historical paranormal romance is just the thing for me.
If you're looking for something different to add to your tbr, if you enjoy paranormals, romances, historicals...give this series a try. I can't say it will be a 5 star read for you but it will be engaging and enjoyable. You must read this series in order, each book is not a standalone within a series.
booksuperpower's review against another edition
4.0
The Lost Soul of Lord Badewyn by Mia Marlowe is a 2015 Entangled: Select Historical publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
An incredibly vivid, and imaginative story!
I picked this book up without realizing it was part of a series, but people who know me, can attest to my long running habit of reading books out of order. All's well that ends well, at least in this case, since, thankfully, this book can be read a stand alone.
The other thing most people know about me, is that paranormal elements are not my first choice these days. But, since this is also a historical romance, I thought I might give this one a try, and I am happy to report once more.. All's well that ends well.
M.U.S.E - Metaphysical Union of Sensory Extraordinaires
“I've heard it said the best gift a man can have is a noble friend. Failing that, the second best gift is a noble enemy. I have no friends and my enemy is my father. Alas, he is anything by noble.”
Samuel Badewyn is a Nephilim – part human, part fallen angel. He's an astronomer, is a gifted 'watcher', but has locked himself away in his castle located in Wales. He will not fall in love, he will not marry, nor will he have children. To do such a thing would come at too high a cost.
“When I was younger, I longed for a way to escape Uncle Rowney and the crowds he drew, by using my unusual ability. I thought I'd be swallowed up by all those pressing bodies, those desperate demands for me to “Find” their loved ones or their lost heirlooms. Now, in the loneliness of Faencaern Castle, I could do with a bit of a crowd.”
Meg has been taken in by the Duke of Camden and the order of the M.U.S.E, and is trying to learn how to become a proper lady, and use her gift of “finding' to help others. However, her relatives have caught up with her, so in order to keep her safe, she is sent to Wales, where Samuel Badewyn will protect her.
Naturally, Sam and Meg find themselves to be kindred spirits of sorts, and while Sam would not mind marrying Meg, the dastardly plans of his father, Gigori, a fallen angel who fell in love with a human, which brought down a horrible curse, makes it impossible for them to marry.
“The only thing more difficult than not having a well thought out plan is knowing what will happen if my spontaneous efforts fail”
This story has a poignancy to it, mixed in with the author's huge imagination, a little action/ adventure, and some very interesting characters and scenarios.
Sam and Meg are both down on themselves and feel love is something they are not worthy of, but find in one another the true meaning of love. Even if you are skeptical of the 'soul mate' concept, it's hard to argue with the idea when it's so obvious Sam and Meg are made for each other. The forbidden love element is a big hurdle to jump, with their class differences, and of course the danger involved if they were to marry, making the situation tense and emotional.
The side story involving the Duke's quest to make contact with his deceased wife, opens up a new avenue for Camden, and his romance with the fire Mage, Vesta, could take an unexpected turn, as a result.
“I used to think the stars were cloaked in mystery, distant and unknowable. Now I am persuaded they are open books compared to the human heart. For good or ill, a person will surprise you every time.”
I don't read a lot of books that feature angels, fallen or otherwise, and in all honesty, before I read this book, I had never even heard of a Nephilim. The author did a great job of building up a story around this cryptic creature mentioned in the Bible. However, a lot of references to religion and God in this context makes me uncomfortable. I know, I hear a collective groan going up, but that's just me. Still, I am able to keep it in perspective and I do think I understand what the author was going for here and it really was quite intriguing.
There were a lot of characters in the book, and the author wisely included a guide with the cast of characters listed along with their particular gifts. Often, I complain long and loud about this type of thing, but with this book, it didn't do any harm, because the story didn't get bogged down or become too busy. In fact, the pacing was even, and the story flowed smoothly.
I was a little puzzled by the end of the thread involving Sam's father. After all the push/pull in the story, I would have thought this story line would have been tightened up a little, because I still had some questions in regards to that curse, and still felt a little uneasy about Grigori.
Overall, when you get down to the nuts and bolts, this is a sweet, epic love story, albeit a little unusual, about two people coming together, determined to hold on to what they have with each other, despite the odds against them, and finding that they really do deserve to be loved and find happiness.
An incredibly vivid, and imaginative story!
I picked this book up without realizing it was part of a series, but people who know me, can attest to my long running habit of reading books out of order. All's well that ends well, at least in this case, since, thankfully, this book can be read a stand alone.
The other thing most people know about me, is that paranormal elements are not my first choice these days. But, since this is also a historical romance, I thought I might give this one a try, and I am happy to report once more.. All's well that ends well.
M.U.S.E - Metaphysical Union of Sensory Extraordinaires
“I've heard it said the best gift a man can have is a noble friend. Failing that, the second best gift is a noble enemy. I have no friends and my enemy is my father. Alas, he is anything by noble.”
Samuel Badewyn is a Nephilim – part human, part fallen angel. He's an astronomer, is a gifted 'watcher', but has locked himself away in his castle located in Wales. He will not fall in love, he will not marry, nor will he have children. To do such a thing would come at too high a cost.
“When I was younger, I longed for a way to escape Uncle Rowney and the crowds he drew, by using my unusual ability. I thought I'd be swallowed up by all those pressing bodies, those desperate demands for me to “Find” their loved ones or their lost heirlooms. Now, in the loneliness of Faencaern Castle, I could do with a bit of a crowd.”
Meg has been taken in by the Duke of Camden and the order of the M.U.S.E, and is trying to learn how to become a proper lady, and use her gift of “finding' to help others. However, her relatives have caught up with her, so in order to keep her safe, she is sent to Wales, where Samuel Badewyn will protect her.
Naturally, Sam and Meg find themselves to be kindred spirits of sorts, and while Sam would not mind marrying Meg, the dastardly plans of his father, Gigori, a fallen angel who fell in love with a human, which brought down a horrible curse, makes it impossible for them to marry.
“The only thing more difficult than not having a well thought out plan is knowing what will happen if my spontaneous efforts fail”
This story has a poignancy to it, mixed in with the author's huge imagination, a little action/ adventure, and some very interesting characters and scenarios.
Sam and Meg are both down on themselves and feel love is something they are not worthy of, but find in one another the true meaning of love. Even if you are skeptical of the 'soul mate' concept, it's hard to argue with the idea when it's so obvious Sam and Meg are made for each other. The forbidden love element is a big hurdle to jump, with their class differences, and of course the danger involved if they were to marry, making the situation tense and emotional.
The side story involving the Duke's quest to make contact with his deceased wife, opens up a new avenue for Camden, and his romance with the fire Mage, Vesta, could take an unexpected turn, as a result.
“I used to think the stars were cloaked in mystery, distant and unknowable. Now I am persuaded they are open books compared to the human heart. For good or ill, a person will surprise you every time.”
I don't read a lot of books that feature angels, fallen or otherwise, and in all honesty, before I read this book, I had never even heard of a Nephilim. The author did a great job of building up a story around this cryptic creature mentioned in the Bible. However, a lot of references to religion and God in this context makes me uncomfortable. I know, I hear a collective groan going up, but that's just me. Still, I am able to keep it in perspective and I do think I understand what the author was going for here and it really was quite intriguing.
There were a lot of characters in the book, and the author wisely included a guide with the cast of characters listed along with their particular gifts. Often, I complain long and loud about this type of thing, but with this book, it didn't do any harm, because the story didn't get bogged down or become too busy. In fact, the pacing was even, and the story flowed smoothly.
I was a little puzzled by the end of the thread involving Sam's father. After all the push/pull in the story, I would have thought this story line would have been tightened up a little, because I still had some questions in regards to that curse, and still felt a little uneasy about Grigori.
Overall, when you get down to the nuts and bolts, this is a sweet, epic love story, albeit a little unusual, about two people coming together, determined to hold on to what they have with each other, despite the odds against them, and finding that they really do deserve to be loved and find happiness.
pavi_fictionalworm's review against another edition
3.0
I received an eARC of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Historical romance is one of my favourite genres, and when it is combined with paranormal genres it becomes an explosive combination and that was my hope when I requested this book!
This book takes a while to get into – not because it isn’t easy to read, it actually is – but because it feels as you are missing some information, as if it was a part of a series – which it was but I haven't read the first two parts!
I liked the plot in the story – the characters are pretty interesting, especially Meg and Lord Badewyn. Meg is a simple girl with a family she doesn’t really like – with an addition that she can “find” things or even people. When her family tries to find her, her real family tries to save her by sending her off to Lord Badewyn.
Lord Badewyn is a recluse – not by choice – but by circumstance. He has a curse that makes sure that he can never fall in love – so when Meg comes to live with him, he is unprepared for the attraction that is between them.
This has an interesting plot, that is unparalleled because the twists and turns that came were absolutely inspired (case in point – Badewyn’s father :D) – but what I didn’t like or rather didn’t make sense was Meg and Badeweyn’s relationship – while I liked them individually, together were only lukewarm and so quick to profess their love for each other that I actually had to read back just to check whether I missed any important bits!
Such a good plot foiled by the inability of characters to cooperate!
For more book recommendations and reviews, please visit For The Love of Fictional Worlds
Historical romance is one of my favourite genres, and when it is combined with paranormal genres it becomes an explosive combination and that was my hope when I requested this book!
This book takes a while to get into – not because it isn’t easy to read, it actually is – but because it feels as you are missing some information, as if it was a part of a series – which it was but I haven't read the first two parts!
I liked the plot in the story – the characters are pretty interesting, especially Meg and Lord Badewyn. Meg is a simple girl with a family she doesn’t really like – with an addition that she can “find” things or even people. When her family tries to find her, her real family tries to save her by sending her off to Lord Badewyn.
Lord Badewyn is a recluse – not by choice – but by circumstance. He has a curse that makes sure that he can never fall in love – so when Meg comes to live with him, he is unprepared for the attraction that is between them.
This has an interesting plot, that is unparalleled because the twists and turns that came were absolutely inspired (case in point – Badewyn’s father :D) – but what I didn’t like or rather didn’t make sense was Meg and Badeweyn’s relationship – while I liked them individually, together were only lukewarm and so quick to profess their love for each other that I actually had to read back just to check whether I missed any important bits!
Such a good plot foiled by the inability of characters to cooperate!
For more book recommendations and reviews, please visit For The Love of Fictional Worlds
fortheloveoffictionalworlds's review against another edition
3.0
I received an eARC of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Historical romance is one of my favourite genres, and when it is combined with paranormal genres it becomes an explosive combination and that was my hope when I requested this book!
This book takes a while to get into – not because it isn’t easy to read, it actually is – but because it feels as you are missing some information, as if it was a part of a series – which it was but I haven't read the first two parts!
I liked the plot in the story – the characters are pretty interesting, especially Meg and Lord Badewyn. Meg is a simple girl with a family she doesn’t really like – with an addition that she can “find” things or even people. When her family tries to find her, her real family tries to save her by sending her off to Lord Badewyn.
Lord Badewyn is a recluse – not by choice – but by circumstance. He has a curse that makes sure that he can never fall in love – so when Meg comes to live with him, he is unprepared for the attraction that is between them.
This has an interesting plot, that is unparalleled because the twists and turns that came were absolutely inspired (case in point – Badewyn’s father :D) – but what I didn’t like or rather didn’t make sense was Meg and Badeweyn’s relationship – while I liked them individually, together were only lukewarm and so quick to profess their love for each other that I actually had to read back just to check whether I missed any important bits!
Such a good plot foiled by the inability of characters to cooperate!
For more book recommendations and reviews, please visit For The Love of Fictional Worlds
Historical romance is one of my favourite genres, and when it is combined with paranormal genres it becomes an explosive combination and that was my hope when I requested this book!
This book takes a while to get into – not because it isn’t easy to read, it actually is – but because it feels as you are missing some information, as if it was a part of a series – which it was but I haven't read the first two parts!
I liked the plot in the story – the characters are pretty interesting, especially Meg and Lord Badewyn. Meg is a simple girl with a family she doesn’t really like – with an addition that she can “find” things or even people. When her family tries to find her, her real family tries to save her by sending her off to Lord Badewyn.
Lord Badewyn is a recluse – not by choice – but by circumstance. He has a curse that makes sure that he can never fall in love – so when Meg comes to live with him, he is unprepared for the attraction that is between them.
This has an interesting plot, that is unparalleled because the twists and turns that came were absolutely inspired (case in point – Badewyn’s father :D) – but what I didn’t like or rather didn’t make sense was Meg and Badeweyn’s relationship – while I liked them individually, together were only lukewarm and so quick to profess their love for each other that I actually had to read back just to check whether I missed any important bits!
Such a good plot foiled by the inability of characters to cooperate!
For more book recommendations and reviews, please visit For The Love of Fictional Worlds
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