Scan barcode
xtinetreasure's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
chrystalo's review against another edition
4.0
I don't have the energy to write a real review, but I did enjoy this book. It took a while to get over the Victorian style language, but I loved how it was still super snarky and the heroine was someone who felt like a real person - super sincere, makes dumb decisions sometimes, and, of course, has sexy times. Well done. I'll read the rest :)
magikspells's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I don't know what else I can say. I normally don't listen to a whole audiobook in one day, but I couldn't turn this one off. This book was just absolutely enjoyable all around.
bat11692's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
If Jane Austen were horny
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
5.0
I don't do cover buys. I don't think you could call this a cover buy, but when I was scrolling through Facebook last weekend I stumbled upon someone selling quite a few books from her collection. Among which some installments from this series. And although the covers made me look closer, it was the promise of werewolves, vampires and parasols getting me interested. When I looked the book up here and read the summary I was sold. I bought the series and started reading the first book right away.
And although I had to get used to the writing style, I normally read books with simpler, but less beautiful, English, I quite quickly didn't want to put the book down anymore. Mostly because the mix of all these unique elements works amazingly well. I loved the supernatural world and the way it was embedded in the Victorian Society. I loved all the politics, involving the Queen herself. I loved the steampunk elements and I loved the romance.
I think that the Victorian kind of romance and I are a good match to begin with. After all, if even a little touch is already scandalous people are forced to get to know each other at least a little before taking more drastic steps. And although it's quite clear that we missed some history here, I did enjoy the banter. I also liked how this book didn't simply throw away the social norms of the time. It simply showed that werewolves and humans might value different qualities in women.
And although our heroine is a tad more modern than society would like her to be, which is mainly because she's intelligent and incapable of keeping her mouth shut, she never feels out of place. She never becomes that modern that setting the story in Victorian England doesn't make sense anymore. Although the storyline of the first book has been wrapped up quite nicely, I'm quite curious and excited about reading the rest of the series!
And although I had to get used to the writing style, I normally read books with simpler, but less beautiful, English, I quite quickly didn't want to put the book down anymore. Mostly because the mix of all these unique elements works amazingly well. I loved the supernatural world and the way it was embedded in the Victorian Society. I loved all the politics, involving the Queen herself. I loved the steampunk elements and I loved the romance.
I think that the Victorian kind of romance and I are a good match to begin with. After all, if even a little touch is already scandalous people are forced to get to know each other at least a little before taking more drastic steps. And although it's quite clear that we missed some history here, I did enjoy the banter. I also liked how this book didn't simply throw away the social norms of the time. It simply showed that werewolves and humans might value different qualities in women.
And although our heroine is a tad more modern than society would like her to be, which is mainly because she's intelligent and incapable of keeping her mouth shut, she never feels out of place. She never becomes that modern that setting the story in Victorian England doesn't make sense anymore. Although the storyline of the first book has been wrapped up quite nicely, I'm quite curious and excited about reading the rest of the series!
katieinca's review against another edition
3.0
When our strong-willed female protagonist meets the attractive alpha werewolf in the first chapter, certain things about where this book is coming become apparent. It was a fun ride to get there, however, and the heroine is more Amelia Peabody than Anita Blake.
clynnbevens's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
edshara's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a couple of chapters to get into this one, but once I did I loved every bit of it. This was a great read, filled with mystery, action, humor and just the right amount of romance. Most of the characters were likable and realistic. I also found it very interesting the slight twists she put on the vampire race and the fact that humans knew of the existence of Supernaturals. I will definitely be continuing the series.
freadomlibrary's review against another edition
5.0
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
I loved this! It was entertaining, suspenseful and intriguing. It was full of mystery with a sprinkle of action. There were parts that were really dark and creepy and completely and totally freaked me out. But definitely my favorite part of the whole thing is that its historically accurate with a splash of supernatural, definitely unique and interesting.
Writing Style – 4 out of 5 stars
Along with the plot, the writing style is historically accurate. It takes awhile to get used to because its so verbose but once you get in the rhythm, its super easy to fly through. The pace is so fast but it doesn’t deter from the amazing world-building and the really great descriptions. The best part of the writing style is that its hilarious. I could not stop laughing the whole time because it was super dry and sarcastic just like our heroine.
Characters – 5 out of 5 stars
I absolutely adore every single one of these characters. They are all so complex and interesting and they work so well together. Their bounce off each other in a way that’s heartfelt and hilarious. Alexa, our main character, is amazing! She’s the perfect female protagonist for me, sassy, witty and strong. She has an independent streak which kind of contradicts the times that she’s in but it just makes her that much more awesome. She’s smart and strong and passionate about the things she likes while still maintaining the majority of the ladylike behaviors that plague a woman of her social standing. I wish I could plant myself in this world just to be her friend. Conall Maccon, our male counterpart, is just as opinionated as her but just a little bit more clueless. He’s a werewolf so obviously he’s strong, fierce and tough. A little rough around the edges but with great intentions all the time. He’s protective of his pack and the people he loves and passionate about what he feels is right. The supporting characters are all fun and eclectic. There’s more werewolves, vampires, crazy scientists, uptight families, and hat wearing best friends. They’re all special in their own way and bring a different kind of comedy to the cast. Love them!
Emotionally
The plot is really interesting. We start right off into the action with our main character killing a vampire who’s trying to bite her with her parasol while at a party. If that doesn’t sound bizarre but hilarious at the same time, I don’t know what does. The entire thing is just the right amount of mysterious and funny to keep you hooked the whole way. There are some strange things happening in London and Alexia, being the curious person that she is and becoming involved because that incident I just mentioned, starts to investigate. This gets her into a lot of crazy and improper situations which are just hilarious. I know I’ve used that word a lot but when I read this book with my book club buddies, we could not stop laughing the entire time. Since it is steampunk, there’s a lot of strange science involved. There are a lot of familiar gadgets to what we have but they have different names and are a bit more elaborate than usual. It was very well described and I never felt like I couldn’t imagine what they were trying to say. It definitely added an intriguing aspect to the story that went beyond just the plot and more into the entire world as a whole. There is also an romance subplot I guess you can say. There’s a bunch of UST (unresolved sexual tension) and banter between the two main characters and its incredible. It’s not the focus of the book but it keeps your attention as well. I spent chapters just begging for Alexia and Conall to be in the same room.
Alexia is amazing! She’s sassy and harsh. She says just what she has in her brain and has no care in the world for what people think of her. She knows how different she is, from her family and from society, and she just owns it, she’s proud of it. She follows social regulations while still being herself and that’s what I liked most about her. The only thing that bothered me was her personal perception. She’s a spinster and Italian (with a big nose and curvaceous body.) It’s understood that in that time it’s the “norm” or the most desirable but it was a bit annoying and sad how much she put herself down because of it. I hope in the next books that tapers down a bit.
Conall was hilarious and cute! He’s totally clueless about anything not having to do with being a werewolf, meaning romance. It took him a bit to get his act together but still it was endearing. Professor Lyall is Conall’s Beta of the pack and his best friend you could say. He’s the guy that’s focused on keeping his Alpha sane and well dressed and he’s freaking awesome. A bit stoic but it doesn’t deter from having his personality shine through. Lord Akeldama is one of Alexia’s close friends and he just happens to be a vampire. He is quite eccentric, in absolutely everything he does, clothing, home decor, lifestyle, etc. I loved him and his strange nicknames. And last but not least, we have Alexia’s best friend, Ivy, who’s a lot clueless but completely sweet and caring. She has an awful tendency of wearing the ugliest hats imaginable which drives her best friend nuts and brings a lot of hilarious commentary on the look of those special hats.
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
I loved this! It was entertaining, suspenseful and intriguing. It was full of mystery with a sprinkle of action. There were parts that were really dark and creepy and completely and totally freaked me out. But definitely my favorite part of the whole thing is that its historically accurate with a splash of supernatural, definitely unique and interesting.
Writing Style – 4 out of 5 stars
Along with the plot, the writing style is historically accurate. It takes awhile to get used to because its so verbose but once you get in the rhythm, its super easy to fly through. The pace is so fast but it doesn’t deter from the amazing world-building and the really great descriptions. The best part of the writing style is that its hilarious. I could not stop laughing the whole time because it was super dry and sarcastic just like our heroine.
Characters – 5 out of 5 stars
I absolutely adore every single one of these characters. They are all so complex and interesting and they work so well together. Their bounce off each other in a way that’s heartfelt and hilarious. Alexa, our main character, is amazing! She’s the perfect female protagonist for me, sassy, witty and strong. She has an independent streak which kind of contradicts the times that she’s in but it just makes her that much more awesome. She’s smart and strong and passionate about the things she likes while still maintaining the majority of the ladylike behaviors that plague a woman of her social standing. I wish I could plant myself in this world just to be her friend. Conall Maccon, our male counterpart, is just as opinionated as her but just a little bit more clueless. He’s a werewolf so obviously he’s strong, fierce and tough. A little rough around the edges but with great intentions all the time. He’s protective of his pack and the people he loves and passionate about what he feels is right. The supporting characters are all fun and eclectic. There’s more werewolves, vampires, crazy scientists, uptight families, and hat wearing best friends. They’re all special in their own way and bring a different kind of comedy to the cast. Love them!
Emotionally
Spoiler
I was absolutely blown away by this book. I was completely entertained the whole way through and I laughed my ass off like never before.The plot is really interesting. We start right off into the action with our main character killing a vampire who’s trying to bite her with her parasol while at a party. If that doesn’t sound bizarre but hilarious at the same time, I don’t know what does. The entire thing is just the right amount of mysterious and funny to keep you hooked the whole way. There are some strange things happening in London and Alexia, being the curious person that she is and becoming involved because that incident I just mentioned, starts to investigate. This gets her into a lot of crazy and improper situations which are just hilarious. I know I’ve used that word a lot but when I read this book with my book club buddies, we could not stop laughing the entire time. Since it is steampunk, there’s a lot of strange science involved. There are a lot of familiar gadgets to what we have but they have different names and are a bit more elaborate than usual. It was very well described and I never felt like I couldn’t imagine what they were trying to say. It definitely added an intriguing aspect to the story that went beyond just the plot and more into the entire world as a whole. There is also an romance subplot I guess you can say. There’s a bunch of UST (unresolved sexual tension) and banter between the two main characters and its incredible. It’s not the focus of the book but it keeps your attention as well. I spent chapters just begging for Alexia and Conall to be in the same room.
Alexia is amazing! She’s sassy and harsh. She says just what she has in her brain and has no care in the world for what people think of her. She knows how different she is, from her family and from society, and she just owns it, she’s proud of it. She follows social regulations while still being herself and that’s what I liked most about her. The only thing that bothered me was her personal perception. She’s a spinster and Italian (with a big nose and curvaceous body.) It’s understood that in that time it’s the “norm” or the most desirable but it was a bit annoying and sad how much she put herself down because of it. I hope in the next books that tapers down a bit.
Conall was hilarious and cute! He’s totally clueless about anything not having to do with being a werewolf, meaning romance. It took him a bit to get his act together but still it was endearing. Professor Lyall is Conall’s Beta of the pack and his best friend you could say. He’s the guy that’s focused on keeping his Alpha sane and well dressed and he’s freaking awesome. A bit stoic but it doesn’t deter from having his personality shine through. Lord Akeldama is one of Alexia’s close friends and he just happens to be a vampire. He is quite eccentric, in absolutely everything he does, clothing, home decor, lifestyle, etc. I loved him and his strange nicknames. And last but not least, we have Alexia’s best friend, Ivy, who’s a lot clueless but completely sweet and caring. She has an awful tendency of wearing the ugliest hats imaginable which drives her best friend nuts and brings a lot of hilarious commentary on the look of those special hats.
oumaima_mekni's review against another edition
4.0
I've got to say it wasn't the plot or the storyline that got me to love this book. It was the characters.
From the witty and sarcastic Miss Alexia Tarabotti, to Lord Akeldamma, the flamboyant and colorful vampire that you wish you were his friend. To the sexually attractive and socially awkward Lord Maccon, the alpha of the werewolves, and to Miss Ivy Hisselpenny, the one with the good heart but sadly ugly hats. I loved the characters so much, they were unorthodox and original and reading their adventures was so, so refreshing and entertaining. And I'll be moving on to the next book in the series very soon.
From the witty and sarcastic Miss Alexia Tarabotti, to Lord Akeldamma, the flamboyant and colorful vampire that you wish you were his friend. To the sexually attractive and socially awkward Lord Maccon, the alpha of the werewolves, and to Miss Ivy Hisselpenny, the one with the good heart but sadly ugly hats. I loved the characters so much, they were unorthodox and original and reading their adventures was so, so refreshing and entertaining. And I'll be moving on to the next book in the series very soon.