Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
This series came at the perfect time.
I am a little curious about the concept of "infernal" devices/relics? Why do so many steampunk novels use this idea? I couldn't find much online, sadly. *sits in a corner and regrets ignorance*
I am a little curious about the concept of "infernal" devices/relics? Why do so many steampunk novels use this idea? I couldn't find much online, sadly. *sits in a corner and regrets ignorance*
In a more magically-inclined 19th c London than the one with we are familiar with, there are three artifacts, three brothers, and some rather powerful sorcerers tangled up in a battle between sorcerous good and demonic evil. There is an elaborate sorcerous society and multiple associated creatures eg imps, animated statues, etc. McMaster successfully weaves sorcery through every aspect of her character's lives. Is it believable? Within the construct of her world, mostly - although the main male character is almost too in touch with his feelings.
McMaster adds characters throughout the narrative, which is less confusing than it sounds, because additions are related to prior characters or brought up early on as plot devices. She inserted multiple little twists throughout the story, which keep the reader alert & attentive and engender interest.
Basically, this was FUN to read. I like fun. I found it because I was hunting through the library shelves for something "available now," and when I picked it out, I had never heard of the author or the series. I was pleasantly surprised.
Solid 3.5 stars
McMaster adds characters throughout the narrative, which is less confusing than it sounds, because additions are related to prior characters or brought up early on as plot devices. She inserted multiple little twists throughout the story, which keep the reader alert & attentive and engender interest.
Basically, this was FUN to read. I like fun. I found it because I was hunting through the library shelves for something "available now," and when I picked it out, I had never heard of the author or the series. I was pleasantly surprised.
Solid 3.5 stars
Interesting steampunk world from McMaster, built more around sorcery than vampire/shifter. I want the next one right now. I seem to be stuck in a slow reading mode with most of my current books, so it was a pleasure to rip through this in a day.
I absolutely loved this author’s other series, Legends of the Storm, so I’m sad this one didn’t quite work for me. The premise is exciting and intriguing but for whatever reason, i struggled to connect with the characters, especially in comparison to those in her other series. I’m still a big fan of this author and her work, you can’t like them all can you? :)
Love this new series!! Everything Bec writes is delightful.
I love this author and I like the premise of this series....but
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
I do NOT like secret babies! The second I saw that was where this was heading I closed the book and haven’t picked it up since. I despise when women have a fling, get pregnant, and never even give the guy a chance to do the right/wrong thing. He missed the girl’s whole life because she was too chicken to tell him?? Lame and now I hate her.
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
I do NOT like secret babies! The second I saw that was where this was heading I closed the book and haven’t picked it up since. I despise when women have a fling, get pregnant, and never even give the guy a chance to do the right/wrong thing. He missed the girl’s whole life because she was too chicken to tell him?? Lame and now I hate her.
(2021) Reread again for the fourth time in two years! I cannot tell how much i love this series and the fact that i am reading it again and again. Yeah that's how much i hold this series in my heart. Anyway, time to meet my second book boyfriend, Adrian Bishop
I really enjoyed this story, but it was intense and dramatic, with a lot of violence [physical and emotional] and fairly graphic sex scenes. If any of those things are not for you, this book may not be either.
I like strong characters, especially female strong characters, and this book had more than one of those. The challenging side of that was that virtually every character in this book is, if not broken, certainly emotionally damaged in some way. That makes for intensely emotional and sometimes overwrought actions on the part of those characters. While that makes for an exciting, fast-paced story, it also makes for an emotionally wrenching experience for the reader. While I absolutely enjoyed this adventure, it was also at times exhausting to read.
I pretty much liked and felt a connection with almost all the characters in this book. Every one of them had something about them that drew me to them and made me want good things for them. That is probably a factor of the abuse that most of them had experienced, as you want to root for someone who has been to hell and back and not only survived, but made a life for themselves in spite of everything. I have a soft spot for underdogs and fighters, and this book is filled with both.
The plot is truly an emotional rollar-coaster of a thrill-ride, and once you start, it's hard to stop because something important seems to happen in every chapter. The story is well-thought-out and has a really nice pace to it. There is a good mix of emotional interactions between the various characters, and the excitement of the magical battles that are going on in the world the author has created here.
As noted earlier, there is some difficult violence in the story [though nothing excessive if you read this genre regularly] and the sex scenes between Lucien and Ianthe are on the graphic side [the language and descriptions lean more to modern and intense, than the gentle gauzy descriptions one might expect in other books], but again, if you read romance, there's nothing here you haven't seen before. However, if you prefer your romance "under the covers" this isn't going to deliver that feeling for you. Everything is full-on here where the sex is concerned.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was the ending, which leaves us hanging a little. Technically, the current book had an ending, but we are clearly given to understand that this ain't over, and I don't love cliff-hangers. Still, I very much enjoyed this book, and will definitely read the next in this series.
I like strong characters, especially female strong characters, and this book had more than one of those. The challenging side of that was that virtually every character in this book is, if not broken, certainly emotionally damaged in some way. That makes for intensely emotional and sometimes overwrought actions on the part of those characters. While that makes for an exciting, fast-paced story, it also makes for an emotionally wrenching experience for the reader. While I absolutely enjoyed this adventure, it was also at times exhausting to read.
I pretty much liked and felt a connection with almost all the characters in this book. Every one of them had something about them that drew me to them and made me want good things for them. That is probably a factor of the abuse that most of them had experienced, as you want to root for someone who has been to hell and back and not only survived, but made a life for themselves in spite of everything. I have a soft spot for underdogs and fighters, and this book is filled with both.
The plot is truly an emotional rollar-coaster of a thrill-ride, and once you start, it's hard to stop because something important seems to happen in every chapter. The story is well-thought-out and has a really nice pace to it. There is a good mix of emotional interactions between the various characters, and the excitement of the magical battles that are going on in the world the author has created here.
As noted earlier, there is some difficult violence in the story [though nothing excessive if you read this genre regularly] and the sex scenes between Lucien and Ianthe are on the graphic side [the language and descriptions lean more to modern and intense, than the gentle gauzy descriptions one might expect in other books], but again, if you read romance, there's nothing here you haven't seen before. However, if you prefer your romance "under the covers" this isn't going to deliver that feeling for you. Everything is full-on here where the sex is concerned.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was the ending, which leaves us hanging a little. Technically, the current book had an ending, but we are clearly given to understand that this ain't over, and I don't love cliff-hangers. Still, I very much enjoyed this book, and will definitely read the next in this series.