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athene_sionnach's review against another edition
3.0
A good book but my head wasn't in it and what should have taken less than a week to read took several. Highly annoyed by the cover art though. I didn't realize his ethnicity until the story told me because the cover didn't look that way.
mariathelibrarian's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
felinity's review
3.0
Although I really enjoyed the first book in the series, each successive book just seemed a little more formulaic. Each is set in a different area (Mongolia, Greece, Canada and finally England) with "magic" based on the local mythology. The romance angle comes more into play with books 2-4, to the point where it seemed a bit incredulous here. I might re-read Warrior at some point, but I doubt I'll bother with the others now I've finished the story cycle. If I'd realized that they were supposed to be romance-fantasy rather than fantasy with a dash of romance I probably wouldn't have picked them up.
amysugden's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ria_mhrj's review
2.0
I wanted to love this. Warrior and Rebel were fine but I have a huge soft spot for Scoundrel ("Monkeys in hats!"), so I hoped that the Blades of the Rose series was a bit like pre-JJ Star Trek movies: even numbers good, odd numbers... well, subject to fanboy debate.
Catullus Graves is fascinating in theory: nineteenth century inventor, genius, lover of waistcoats and well-spoken Englishman with African roots. Brilliant.
Sadly, his story was underwhelming and I am struggling to pinpoint why exactly. The plot is epic, Gemma is interesting in her own right and the action was non-stop. Yet I found I didn't really care about the characters or what would happen to then. There is a lot of telling in this book and not much showing - the romance seems almost predestined without much cause beyond the fact that they magically 'understand' each other immediately. I was hoping for more complexity for Catullus, given his importance in all previous books.
The hunt for an Indiana Jones-style romp continues.
Catullus Graves is fascinating in theory: nineteenth century inventor, genius, lover of waistcoats and well-spoken Englishman with African roots. Brilliant.
Sadly, his story was underwhelming and I am struggling to pinpoint why exactly. The plot is epic, Gemma is interesting in her own right and the action was non-stop. Yet I found I didn't really care about the characters or what would happen to then. There is a lot of telling in this book and not much showing - the romance seems almost predestined without much cause beyond the fact that they magically 'understand' each other immediately. I was hoping for more complexity for Catullus, given his importance in all previous books.
The hunt for an Indiana Jones-style romp continues.
renpuspita's review against another edition
4.0
If I compare the last book in The Blades of The Rose series with the others, this book is GREAT. But I decided to give it just 4 stars
Don't get me wrong, the adventure still exciting, the idea is fresh, and the sex is still steamy. But there are some aspect that make me reduce the stars. Maybe because I feel the last part feel too rushed. Still I adore Catullus and Gemma, their adventure to the underworld is great and I love the scene at the cabin, LOL!
Love Bennett who give advice to Catullus and act as an uncle to Catulus (yet Catullus is waaaaay older than Bennett. It just Bennett have more "experience")
I must say that The Blades of The Rose is one of my favorite series in this year, and I'm sad because I expect for more Blades in the future.
My cast pic for:
Catullus Graves : Idris Elba
Gemma Murphy : Isla Fisher
Don't get me wrong, the adventure still exciting, the idea is fresh, and the sex is still steamy. But there are some aspect that make me reduce the stars. Maybe because I feel the last part feel too rushed. Still I adore Catullus and Gemma, their adventure to the underworld is great and I love the scene at the cabin, LOL!
Love Bennett who give advice to Catullus and act as an uncle to Catulus (yet Catullus is waaaaay older than Bennett. It just Bennett have more "experience")
I must say that The Blades of The Rose is one of my favorite series in this year, and I'm sad because I expect for more Blades in the future.
My cast pic for:
Catullus Graves : Idris Elba
Gemma Murphy : Isla Fisher
gonturans's review
4.0
3.5 stars for a good time
I appreciate the author for her inclusion of diversity in these books as an integral part of the characters’ background and the world they live in, especially the acknowledgement that an interracial couple in 1875 would have to fight racism and bigotry.
The pacing feels kind of odd, and this book leans very hard into the fantasy aspect moreso than the previous books, AND you kind of have to accept there’s a sort of fate-at-work aspect going on with each of these couples since they fall in love in a matter of days. My biggest critique is the Primal Source is always mentioned to be from Africa, which is... a giant continent. It wouldn’t have killed Zoe Archer to pull out a map and choose a country to refer to. Also, “primal”? I–
I appreciate the author for her inclusion of diversity in these books as an integral part of the characters’ background and the world they live in, especially the acknowledgement that an interracial couple in 1875 would have to fight racism and bigotry.
The pacing feels kind of odd, and this book leans very hard into the fantasy aspect moreso than the previous books, AND you kind of have to accept there’s a sort of fate-at-work aspect going on with each of these couples since they fall in love in a matter of days. My biggest critique is the Primal Source is always mentioned to be from Africa, which is... a giant continent. It wouldn’t have killed Zoe Archer to pull out a map and choose a country to refer to. Also, “primal”? I–
witandsin's review
3.0
My review is posted on Joyfully Reviewed: http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/new-reviews/stranger-by-zoe-archer
Reporter Gemma Murphy is often considered an anomaly: she’s a woman who wants to write about more than traditional “female” topics. Gemma has to work twice as hard as a man to get a good story, so she never lets the prospect of one pass her by. So when she’s on the edges of the Canadian wilderness and overhears an elegant Brit talking about magic, saving the world, and danger, how can she pass the story up? But the Brit and his companions are no fools and Gemma’s soon caught spying on them. But discovery is only the beginning of her adventure, for the man she’s spying on is no other than Catullus Graves.
Catullus Graves knows what it’s like to be considered strange. His ancestors were slaves, but for the past few generations the Graves family has been a part of the Blades of the Rose, a group of men and women intent on protecting the world’s magic from those who would seek to harness it for themselves. Catullus himself is even more eccentric than the rest of his family; he’s a genius inventor with a taste for fashion and a shyness around women.
Bold, brilliant Gemma Murphy tempts Catullus in ways he’s never before experienced, but he can’t afford to be distracted by the beautiful reporter. The Heirs of Albion – a cult of British supremacists who want to use magical Sources to take over the world in the name of England – have unlocked the most powerful Source of all. The fate of the world hangs in the balance as good battles evil. And two strangers with a powerful attraction might just be the ones who tip the scales.
The dynamic Blades of the Rose series reaches its climax in Stranger. Zoë Archer has built up Catullus all throughout the series, so I was eager to see everyone’s favorite genius fall in love. Happily, Gemma is his match in every respect while being quite different from Catullus in many ways. It was easy for me to become invested in their romance and I was thrilled to discover that – with all that goes on in terms of action in Stranger – Ms. Archer keeps the focus of the story centered on Catullus and Gemma.
Stranger is the fourth book in the Blades of the Rose series and it should definitely not be read as a standalone. The skirmishes against the Heirs of Albion in Warrior, Scoundrel, and Rebel are nothing compared to what happens in Stranger; everything comes together in this book. The action/adventure of Stranger kept me eagerly turning the pages, and though I don’t want to spoil what happens, I will say that the one thing that bothered me about Stranger was the shift in genres mid-story. The entire Blades of the Rose series has been paranormal, but Stranger switches awkwardly from paranormal to fantasy and back again. Still, even with this minor complaint, Stranger gave me everything I needed as a fan of the Blades of the Rose series: a satisfying romance, danger, action, and a chance to revisit all my favorite Blades of the Rose characters.
Reporter Gemma Murphy is often considered an anomaly: she’s a woman who wants to write about more than traditional “female” topics. Gemma has to work twice as hard as a man to get a good story, so she never lets the prospect of one pass her by. So when she’s on the edges of the Canadian wilderness and overhears an elegant Brit talking about magic, saving the world, and danger, how can she pass the story up? But the Brit and his companions are no fools and Gemma’s soon caught spying on them. But discovery is only the beginning of her adventure, for the man she’s spying on is no other than Catullus Graves.
Catullus Graves knows what it’s like to be considered strange. His ancestors were slaves, but for the past few generations the Graves family has been a part of the Blades of the Rose, a group of men and women intent on protecting the world’s magic from those who would seek to harness it for themselves. Catullus himself is even more eccentric than the rest of his family; he’s a genius inventor with a taste for fashion and a shyness around women.
Bold, brilliant Gemma Murphy tempts Catullus in ways he’s never before experienced, but he can’t afford to be distracted by the beautiful reporter. The Heirs of Albion – a cult of British supremacists who want to use magical Sources to take over the world in the name of England – have unlocked the most powerful Source of all. The fate of the world hangs in the balance as good battles evil. And two strangers with a powerful attraction might just be the ones who tip the scales.
The dynamic Blades of the Rose series reaches its climax in Stranger. Zoë Archer has built up Catullus all throughout the series, so I was eager to see everyone’s favorite genius fall in love. Happily, Gemma is his match in every respect while being quite different from Catullus in many ways. It was easy for me to become invested in their romance and I was thrilled to discover that – with all that goes on in terms of action in Stranger – Ms. Archer keeps the focus of the story centered on Catullus and Gemma.
Stranger is the fourth book in the Blades of the Rose series and it should definitely not be read as a standalone. The skirmishes against the Heirs of Albion in Warrior, Scoundrel, and Rebel are nothing compared to what happens in Stranger; everything comes together in this book. The action/adventure of Stranger kept me eagerly turning the pages, and though I don’t want to spoil what happens, I will say that the one thing that bothered me about Stranger was the shift in genres mid-story. The entire Blades of the Rose series has been paranormal, but Stranger switches awkwardly from paranormal to fantasy and back again. Still, even with this minor complaint, Stranger gave me everything I needed as a fan of the Blades of the Rose series: a satisfying romance, danger, action, and a chance to revisit all my favorite Blades of the Rose characters.
jaimewrites's review
4.0
A great adventure romp! It veered into cliche once or twice - oh look, there are all our couples from all the previous books! everyone is paired and happy! - but Catallus and Gemma were wonderful heroes, which made it all worthwhile. I loved having a interesting, intelligent, compelling black hero, along with an unapologetically inquisitive and career-driven heroine. This wasn't a perfect book - some of the pacing suffered towards the middle-to-end - but it's a worthy end to a fun series. Overall, I'd recommend the whole thing!
novel_nomad's review
4.0
Another re-read as the books arrive in the post, and I am enjoying the mix of adventure, romance and cryptic puzzle solving.