A review by jackiespider
House of Bane and Blood by Alexis L. Menard

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

This book the perfect example of a good plot/romance ratio. I saw in another review (though I’ve forgotten who!) that you could take the fantasy out of it, and the romance would stand on its own. I absolutely LOVED the setting. Gaslamp fantasy is now on my radar, and it was such a refreshing change from witches and fae in forests and castles. The characters were sooooo likeable. Both of them morally grey and conflicted, Nico was an absolute delight, and Camilla was hilarious. Their chemistry was everything and I am so glad I took the time to savour them. I’m very excited to see where this goes in the next book! Brilliant. Loved everything about it.