Review: Fifty Shames of Earl Grey by Andrew Shaffer

Book Title/Author: Fifty Shades of Earl Grey by Fanny Merkin (aka Andrew Shaffer)
Publisher/Year Published: July 31st 2012 by Da Capo Press
Where I got it: NetGalley
Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:via Goodreads

A shrewd, laugh–out–loud parody of E. L. James' bestselling Fifty Shades of Grey series:

Young, arrogant, tycoon Earl Grey seduces the naïve coed Anna Steal with his overpowering good looks and staggering amounts of money, but will she be able to get past his fifty shames, including shopping at Walmart on Saturdays, bondage with handcuffs, and his love of BDSM (Bards, Dragons, Sorcery, and Magick)? Or will his dark secrets and constant smirking drive her over the edge?

I have never read Fifty Shades of Grey*. I've heard a lot about it and realized quite quickly through some snippets that Fifty Shades was not a book for me. That said, I am sort of obsessed with the phenomenon that is Fifty Shades and have read a few reviews, followed a lot of romance community's opinion and listened to one hilarious podcast. Knowing how much I enjoyed the tongue in cheek podcast, I knew 50 Shames of Earl Grey was right up my alley. It did not disappoint. In fact, it did the opposite.

This book is a parody and boy does it do a good job at it. There were quite a few instances of me being afraid of disturbing the peace with my laughter. Like the TSA was going to come take me off the airplane sort of thing. It does a great job of parodying not just the ridiculous story lines of Fifty Shades of Grey and Twilight but also how they're horridly written. It takes a really smart written book to be able to ironically write badly.

I knew enough about the general gist of the source material to highly enjoy this book. You don't have to have read either of the sources to enjoy it, though I would suspect people who had would pick up more of the subtle parody. I did however knock a star off because it did start to drag a bit toward the middle to the end of the book. This may be a limitation on the source material, but I was getting a bit bored a little over halfway through.

Overall, this book was a really fun read. If you are looking for a light read that mocks current pop culture as well as "those" popular books, give this a try. There are some sexy-times, but they usually culminate in being only a few lines or doves coming out the hooha. You know, the normal stuff.

PS: Kudos on the awesome cover. The first 80 times I looked at this cover I didn't notice the 'special' gesture our tea drinker is making. Love it!

*Sidenote: Seriously, every time I spell 'grey' or 'gray' I think, "Which way am I supposed to spell it again?" And I work in a job where 'greyscale' is a word I type all the time.

Review: The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan

Book Title/Author: The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan
Publisher/Year Published: April 2012, Self Published by Courtney Milan
Where I got it: Barnes and Noble Nook store
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary:via Goodreads

She will not give up…

Three months ago, governess Serena Barton was let go from her position. Unable to find new work, she’s demanding compensation from the man who got her sacked: a petty, selfish, swinish duke. But it’s not the duke she fears. It’s his merciless man of business—the man known as the Wolf of Clermont. The formidable former pugilist has a black reputation for handling all the duke’s dirty business, and when the duke turns her case over to him, she doesn’t stand a chance. But she can’t stop trying—not with her entire future at stake.

He cannot give in…

Hugo Marshall is a man of ruthless ambition—a characteristic that has served him well, elevating the coal miner’s son to the right hand man of a duke. When his employer orders him to get rid of the pestering governess by fair means or foul, it’s just another day at the office. Unfortunately, fair means don’t work on Serena, and as he comes to know her, he discovers that he can’t bear to use foul ones. But everything he has worked for depends upon seeing her gone. He’ll have to choose between the life that he needs, and the woman he is coming to love…

I loved this. Best 99 cents spent ever.

The Story
The Governess Affair is about two non-noble (yay!) people. Serena was a governess cast out because of her unchaste behavior. Hugo is the duke's "man" who is trying to solve all his money problems so that Hugo can get some money of his own. They run into each other when Serena refuses to leave the front of the Duke's house until he owns up to his behavior. Oh yeah, he raped her and got her with child. Serena is confused and doesn't think it was forced because she didn't scream. Happy story, right?

Well Hugo is charged with getting rid of her and he slowly learns the facts to what happens. As that happens he also learns what a joy Serena is and they fall in love.

This is a novella at about 250 ish pages (says my nook) but never once did I feel rushed or think that I was getting cheated. This story was brilliant in the way that it handled what was going on. This book is to set up Milan's new series as we can see through the epilogue. I thought it did well on it's own.

I am torn on if I wish we saw more of them. An additional 50 pages may have been good to flesh out the ending with Hugo especially, but overall, unlike a lot of reviewers, I didn't mind the length that it was.

The Characters
Let's look at Serena. She was never defined by the fact that she was raped. She took it as something that happened to her, and she needed to move on for the sake of her child. And I loved it. Her character was super well rounded and strong.

Hugo was smart, witty and ambitious. He was also super well-rounded. He knew what was happening between them and tried to come to terms with that while keeping his main goal (being the riches coal miners son in all of England) in sight.

The Romance
More love here. You see, it is be very hard to deal with the rape aspect in romance novels. You want it to be serious enough but have the woman be able to move past it enough to be with the man she loves. I think Milan does excellent here. The sexy times scene is probably one of my favorites ever. I don't want to say any more because I want you to go spend 99 cents and read this!

The Execution
For a novella and for a full length novel, I adored this. There were some things that maybe could have been fleshed out more for a full length novel, but I really didn't mind. I bought their romance in the time it occurred in because of how they communicated with each other. There is one letter writing scene that I just adored.

The Overview
I don't know what more that I can say except add me to the mass of people who adored this book. I need a new word besides adored but it's true. It will be an excellent 99 cents spent if you buy this. Milan's writing is brilliant and she give it her all even though this is a novella. I can't wait for the series this sets up :)

Review: The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

Book Title/Author: The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook
Publisher/Year Published: October 2010 by Berkley Trade
Where I got it: Borders Blowout
Rating: 4/5 stars
Challenges: Reading Romances May Challenge: SciFi; TBR Pile Challenge
Summary:

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power-and fear-of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

But when Mina uncovers the victim's identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans-and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen, as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.

I've been hearing rumblings about The Iron Duke around the internet for quite a while, especially when talking about steampunk books. I don't know what put me off reading it. Maybe there were a bit of mixed messages, but forever reason I didn't read it. I ended up reading it now because I randomly picked it up at one of Border's going out of business sales because I vaguely remembered good things. Well now I have an option. And overall that one is good.

The Story:
I don't even know how to start explaining the story. There is just so much intricacy built in with the way Brook constructed the book. The world-building was excellent. It really felt like the past mixed in with the alternate reality future. At first I was a little put off and confused by the terminology but she doesn't deluge you with facts and slowly awakens your knowledge of the world she has created. I was soon up on the lingo and the world.

The basic plot is there an inspector, Mina, who get's called out on a case at the Iron Duke's house. He is sort of a celebrity in London due to him freeing them from their former occupiers, the Horde. As the investigation grows into something bigger either thought, they are pushed together more often than not and drawn to each other.

I don't want to give too much away, but this story is WAY more than just a who done it. It turns into some crazy shiz. And yes, that is the technical term.

The plot was no too hard to follow, but some scenes I thought were a bit rushed or non-existent. Like one in particular time, she built us up for a sea battle and we saw very little of it. Boo. The ending was okay I guess. I can't put my finger on why it felt off for me (and I mean like the VERY ending).

The Characters:
This was by far my favorite part of this book. The leads were wicked dimentional. The secondaries were as well and I really hope to see more of them again with their own book.

Mina, the inspector, has some interesting issue to deal with and I thought they were handled well. I didn;t think they were too glossed over and instead took a bit to be worked out. Rhys, the Duke, though could be a hit or miss for people. Early on he seems like the biggest alphole to ever walk the pages of my brain, but slowly you see him grow and change. His growth and change however does not make him lose his alpha characteristics. That's why he could be hit or miss. Within the context of this book and because of this character growth, he was a hit for me. Well, I warmed up to him.

It's gotta be mentioned. Scarsdale made me laugh out loud at least once a time he was on the page. Between him and Lady Corsair they were probably the most well rounded secondary characters I have seen in a romance novel for a while.

The Romance:
This is a paranormal romance novel and thus there are a number of romantic-centric scenes. But I hesitate to say that is how I would define it. It is very much a well done interweaving of romance and paranormal. It's easy to get lost in either side.

There are some difficult romantic elements in this book dealing with the way sexuality was expressed during the Horde rule. They are not comfortable scenes. Were they necessary in the context of the book? I think so. I really do. It made the world more real to me.

Also, the sexy times are frequent, hot and like I mentioned sometimes tied to some heavy emotional moments that could be triggers for some of us, so if you are not into that, this may not be for you.

The Execution:
Overall I enjoyed it but my biggest qualm lay here. Some of the scenes, especially ones with lots of action seemed unbelievably confusing to me. I literally read a page 3 times very slowly to try and get what just happened and I still had trouble. The times I had to do this were not overwhelmingly high, but enough to bother me.

What did bother me though is there are two admirals each with a B name and one is a good guy and one is a not-so good guy (?) and I still get them confused. We didn't see them enough for me to remember the name and who was what. I wish that one of the other letters of the alphabet were used so I wasn't like "Wait, isn't he dead?"

The Overview:
Overall, I sure as hell enjoyed it enough to survive this hectic work week with only on average 5 hrs of sleep. That may even be a max of five hours each night. All because I wanted to go back into this world and be with these people. I am really excited to continue this series.

Review: Like No Other Lover by Julie Anne Long

Book Title/Author: Like No Other Lover by Julie Anne Long
Publisher/Year Published: October 2008 by Avon
Where I got it: The library
Rating: 4/5 stars
Challenges: Reading Romances April Challenge: Borrowed Books

Summary:via Goodreads

It's the last chance for Cynthia Brightly, the ton's most bewitching belle. Driven out of London by a secret scandal, she must find a grand husband at the Redmonds' house party before word of her downfall spreads all over England. Unfortunately, someone at Pennyroyal Green is already privy to the whispers of broken engagements and dueling lovers: Miles Redmond, renowned explorer and—thanks to his brother's disappearance—heir to the family's enormous fortune.

Miles set his sights on Cynthia once, at a time when the ambitious beauty thought herself too good for a second son. But now he's heir apparent, relishing his control. He strikes a bargain with her: he'll keep Cynthia's steamy secrets and help her find a husband among the guests—in exchange for a single kiss.

What could be the harm in a simple kiss? Cynthia is about to discover that it's enough to unleash fierce passion—and that Miles Redmond is most certainly like no other lover in the world.

It's time to review another romance novel! This one is the second in the Pennyroyal Green series, the first of which was The Perils of Pleasure, which I liked well enough. This one however was quite good.

Like No Other Lover reminded me of the early Bridgerton novels by Julia Quinn: sweet scenes, hilarious scenes, and great characters. The plot, let's be honest here, is one that has been done before. Impoverished beauty needs to find a husband so she doesn't end up on the streets, thus she has to do it quickly. Enter house-party romance time.

Miles' family through the house party and she shows up. He of course knows (somewhat) of her plight and tries to help her find a man, all the while falling for her himself.

So let's clearly the plot is not what sets this book apart. It's the characters. I loved the leads. I thought they had the best chemistry I've read in a while. While both are mainly a romance novel stereotype, Miles the studious man in the glasses who people overlook and Cynthia the impoverished beauty, they have enough depth and dimension that this doesn't define them.

And not only the leads are well rounded, the secondary characters carry themselves as well. I hope we see more of those guys pop up in later books (there are six so far I believe). Without these characters, this novel really would have fallen flat.

This is a good stand alone, as well. One thing I have seen about this series is you really don't have to read it in any order (unless you are anal like me and HAVE to). This would be a good book for someone looking to read a "desperate times call for desperate measures" house party story.

As I mentioned earlier, some scenes really reminded me of Julia Quinn in their hilarity. The drinking game is one that stands out for me. There were quite a few times that I would laugh out loud in a crowded airplane. And to make people look at me like I am that crazy person, clearly this must have been good.

There was one thing that I couldn't get over though, and this has no fault with the actual story. The covers, particularly the back cover, is holy cow embarrassing. Remember how I said I was reading this on an airplane, well I didn't realize the horrid nature of the back cover until I saw down in the boarding area.

Here it is. The flash location is a happy coincidence.

So overall summary: Great book, wonderful characters, good chemistry, get it as an eBook :)

Review: Paris in Love by Eloisa James

Book Title/Author: Paris in Love: A Memoir by Eloisa James
Publisher/Year Published:April 3rd 2012 by Random House Publishing Group
Where I got it: The library
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary:via Goodreads

In 2009, New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James took a leap that many people dream about: she sold her house, took a sabbatical from her job as a Shakespeare professor, and moved her family to Paris. Paris in Love: A Memoir chronicles her joyful year in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

With no classes to teach, no committee meetings to attend, no lawn to mow or cars to park, Eloisa revels in the ordinary pleasures of life—discovering corner museums that tourists overlook, chronicling Frenchwomen’s sartorial triumphs, walking from one end of Paris to another. She copes with her Italian husband’s notions of quality time; her two hilarious children, ages eleven and fifteen, as they navigate schools—not to mention puberty—in a foreign language; and her mother-in-law Marina’s raised eyebrow in the kitchen (even as Marina overfeeds Milo, the family dog).

Paris in Love invites the reader into the life of a most enchanting family, framed by la ville de l’amour.

Every once in a while, I am up for a good memoir. I think memoirs are my favorite form of non-fiction. When I heard that one of my favorite romance novel authors was publishing one, I immediately added it to my to be read shelf. The funny thing was, I had already had a secret inside look into this book and didn't even know it.

Let's backup. A few years ago when authors starting Facebook and Twitter accounts became the thing to do, I started following Elosia James. Little did I know I stumbled into the most eloquent and beautiful status updates ever. Eloisa and family were living in Paris at the time, and she would frequently post snippets of life while she was there. These would range from the sound and sights of the city to (my favorite) exploits of her then 10-year old daughter. Scrolling through the news feed, I would always stop and read those.

For Paris in Love, Eloisa took that same format of short paragraph like status and collected them seemingly chronologically to tell the story of her year abroad. Some I remember reading real time, but a lot she took an expanded on (including some very good longer essays) and she included some more personal introspection.

The result is a wonderful journey through her and her family's year in Paris that takes you out of whatever location you are and sets you down in Paris.

I love the things she describes to, the way the horses on the carousel look, the windows in the subway, the laughing statues on the bridge. But what really drives this home for me is the family stories. Again the worse paint a picture for you that made me just cringe or laugh or insert appropriate emotion while reading it. I am pretty sure I even face-palmed while chuckling at the thought of 10-year-old Italian students trying to do a play in French that no one understood with all the calamity that you would think would happen, does.

Despite the short format, there are some cohesive threads that travel through the book which make you want to keep reading. At the same time it was easy for me to find a "stopping point" (in quotes because, really, is there ever such a thing as a stopping point in a book?? Maybe the words 'the end'). It made it really convenient to shove in my purse and open at random times.

Overall, the book was a light-hearted read that was at times touchingly poignant. I feel like I would read anything that Eloisa wrote, even if it was a limerick on a bar napkin. If you enjoy memoirs with a splash of French travel and family shenanigans (oh! and a rotund dog) definitely check this one out. Who could say no to rotund dogs?

Review: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Book Title/Author:I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Publisher/Year Published: July 1999 by St. Martin's Press (first published 1948)
Where I got it: Boarders Blowout last year
Rating: 4/5 stars
Challenges: March Entry from TBR Pile Challenge

Summary:via Goodreads

I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"--and the heart of the reader--in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

I have had I Capture the Castle on my to-read list for years. In fact Goodreads said I added it to my shelves in August of 2009! So almost three years later, I got around to reading it. And it was quite a good book.

Cassandra is our narrator of this story and she chronicles the going on of her family, who are destitute and living in a ramshackle castle, through a series of journals. You can see her writing become better as the story progresses. Cassie is the middle child of a famous ex-writer. She lives with her older sister, Rose, a beauty who's only hope for bringing the family income is marriage; her younger brother Thomas, still in school; her step-mom Topaz, a former model for famous painters; her father the ex-writer who does nothing all day much to the dismay of the family; and Stephen, a son of a former maid who grew up with the family and is the only one providing any income for them to live and is in love with Cassie.

The cast of characters in this novel are remarkably well rounded. I loved the interactions between them all, and those interactions really drove the plot. The first few chapters are getting to know them and their situation, but the plot really begins when two men stumble into the castle one day. These two men are the new owner of the castle they rent, Simon, and his brother Neil.

Shenanigans ensue.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun read and toward the end it was hard to put down. The narrator was sometimes a pain to deal with because she had teenager like tendencies and thus would ramble out love and miss the obvious. But that's expected. It was an artistic choice that sometimes didn't work for me, but sometimes did. I know this sounds really wishy washy. Let's see if I can give an example. Cassandra falls in love in this book. It's her first love so much of her journal is about him. Expected of a 17 year old? Absolutely. Good reading material? Not really.

By the end of the book, I had wished the outcome different with her and one of the guys (trying to stay vague here), but it was still a satisfying conclusion.

I would recommend this to people who like historical fiction and a fun set of love stories. It really is just a picture of these peoples lives, a really interesting picture too.

I am glad I finally read it, and I am glad I own it because I will probably be reading this one again.

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Book Title/Author: Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Publisher/Year Published: January 2012
Where I got it: The library
Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:via Goodreads

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

When I read the description for Everneath a few months back, I thought to my self "This sounds a lot like Hades/Persephone." Now that I have finished I can confidently say, that this is like mythology updated in a rather unique way with a dash of Persephone, a splash of Orpheus and Eurydice and a hint of old school Egypt.

The story actually starts off pretty confusingly as we are pushed right into the mythos of Ashton's world. No backstory. No "these are the rules". Nothing. We learn what was going on through a series of flashbacks and/or as Nikki learns it herself. Which I don't really have a problem with. I actually prefer it this way over the info-dump.

The story soon sucked me in. I really like how it is inspired by mythology, but not a direct copy. The plot was very well paced. As the time got close to her decision, I felt the sense of urgency with Nikki.

The characters were pretty okay. Rather well rounded, but there is some room for improvement. Nothing that ever actively made me want to kill them because they bored me, that's for damn sure. None of these characters are boring.. well strike that. Some of the secondary characters I would like to see fleshed out more (Jules, Dad, brother), but the main ones were far from flat.

Nikki was not too teen like, but not too mature, but not to well functioning for all the stuff that happened to her aka 100 years in the Everneath. It was a perfect mix.

Jack had a little less depth to him, at least that we could see, but I guess this it makes sense. The novel was told from Nikki's perspective so I can forgive this one.

Now. Cole.

I hope this is never mistaken for a "love triangle book" or never becomes one in the future because seriously, this guy is a dick. I see almost no good qualities in him, besides he somewhat keeps his word when he gives it. I think I could grow to love to hate him. I understand him, he his a well written character, but still. A big fat tool. Whom I want to read more about...

The ending, which of course is a set up for a series (I really, really need to read some standalone ya. Does it even exist anymore?), I thought was pretty satisfying and the pitch for the next book isn't a horrid cliffhanger or anything. The story of this book solidly wraps up. It just leaves that hook dangling and the reader wishing for a time machine.

So overall I was highly engaged and am looking forward to reading the next ones. I would LOVE to see more mythology inspired books like this one.

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Book Title/Author: Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Publisher/Year Published:January 2012 by Feiwel & Friends
Where I got it: The library
Why I read this book: Short answer: The cover
Rating: 4/5
Cross posted at The Broke and the Bookish

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

This summary sounds amazing right?! And the book totally lived up to the it. So let me just dive in.

Humans and Androids? Already seems intriguing, right? Yes. We'd be correct. The intermingling of humans, machines, and human machines is awesome and unique. The machines are incorporated into the culture, just like watching an updated Jetsons. The futuristic bit of this book is quite well done!

This is set in the East, specifically New Beijing. I LOVE Asian-esque books. Sadly this isn't maximized to it's full possibilities, but the mentions of the culture are there if you look. The people use chopsticks, the celebrations are decorated in red and gold, things like that. But outside of the Chinese honorifics and these side things, it could very well be set in America.

Let's look at the gifted mechanic cyborg, Cinder. I love that she is, for lack of a better term, useful. She takes control of her own destiny despite obstacles thrown in her path. She is a strong lead and the highlight of the story by far.

Mentioned in the summary is the step-sister's illness. This is clear distinction that while it is a Cinderella retelling, Meyer also makes it her own. And it really succeeds at this. Meyer takes a fairy tale that we know from either the original story (or the Disney movie) and seamlessly interweaves the plot points into an awesome retelling.

How could I not mention Intergalactic struggle? Space?! LUNAR PEOPLE! Well, yeah. There is an evil moon people and an interesting story-line surrounding that. The post-apocalyptic atmospheric and this story line make it a wonderful SciFi dystopian.

Let's not forget the forbidden attraction. Yay, a love story! Yay, not a love triangle! I love myself some forbidden attraction. And it is done decently well.

Outside of all of that, the story was very fulfilling. A little more world building would have been cool, but there are three other books in the series. Kai's character is starting off okay, but I look forward to reading more about him and watching him develop further. Cinder however is awesome now and probably one of my favorite heroines that I have read in a while. The twist, if that is what is was suppose to be, is really predictable as is the story if you are at all familiar with Cinderella, but I don't think that is a bad thing.

It is a wonderful start to a new series that I know I will be devouring as they come out! If you like fairy tales, dystopians, scifi or YA, check this out!

And I still really like that cover!

Series Review: The Stud Club Trilogy by Tessa Dare

via Tessadare.com

The heroes—a duke, a war hero, and a low-born scoundrel—hold shares in a priceless racehorse. When the club's founder is tragically murdered, these three unlikely associates are united by chance, divided by suspicion, and brought to their knees by love

Ah, romance! I love a series that ties together but is still loose enough to read on its own. I heard of The Stud Club and Tessa Dare through Smart Bitches, but I didn't get around to sampling this series until December/January.

I decided instead of making three reviews of each of these books, to do one big monster review. I'll give a nice little summary and a mini-review of each. The overall star rating was a 3-4 and I was not disappointed in any of them.

Book Title: One Dance With A Duke
Publisher/Year Published:May 2010 by Ballantine Books
Where I got it: The library
Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:via Goodreads

A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members—yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing “Duke of Midnight.” Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke—until Lady Amelia d’Orsay tries her luck.

In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke’s dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother’s debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is a man of mystery, perhaps connected to the shocking murder of the Stud Club’s founder. Will Amelia lose her heart in this reckless wager or win everlasting love?

This was a great introduction to the series! Not only that, but it was a good stand alone book as well.

Both the main characters were interesting and well rounded and the plot kept moving. It was fun, there is an interesting tie that brings these people together, but I only gave it three stars.

The ending really started to drag for me. It just got a little repetitive. Also the ending made me just feel.. meh. The beginning and most of the book was really cool, and then I just lost interest. I would still recommend it though. It was worth my time.


Book Title/Author:Twice Tempted by a Rogue
Publisher/Year Published: June 2010 by Random House Publishing Group
Where I got it: The library
Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:via Goodreads

Luck is a double-edged sword for brooding war hero Rhys St. Maur. His death wish went unanswered on the battlefield, while fate allowed the murder of his good friend in the elite gentlemen’s society known as the Stud Club. Out of options, Rhys returns to his ancestral home on the moors of Devonshire, expecting anything but a chance at redemption in the arms of a beautiful innkeeper who dares him to take on the demons of his past—and the sweet temptation of a woman’s love.

Meredith Maddox believes in hard work, not fate, and romance isn’t part of her plan. But when Rhys returns, battle-scarred, world-weary, and more dangerously attractive than ever, the lovely widow is torn between determination and desire. As a deep mystery and dangerous smugglers threaten much more than their passionate reckoning, Meredith discovers that she must trust everything to a wager her heart placed long ago.

The second stud club book takes us completely away from London and up into the wilds. I really enjoyed the small town feel of this book. The female lead is strong on her own and doesn't need the hero to come and save her from anything.

The fact that it does not take place in London is enough to set this apart from other romance novels set in the Regency, but the characters are interesting, the mystery from the first one continues on through this one and in general its just a good book.

I dont know if I would like this one more or less than the first book, but again it is enjoyable and I would recommend reading this one... especially because it leads to the third.


Book Title/Author:Three Nights with a Scoundrel
Publisher/Year Published:July 2010 by Ballantine Books
Where I got it: Borders Blowout Sale
Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:via Goodreads

The bastard son of a nobleman, Julian Bellamy is now polished to perfection, enthralling the ton with wit and charm while clandestinely plotting to ruin the lords, ravish the ladies, and have the last laugh on a society that once spurned him. But after meeting Leo Chatwick, a decent man and founder of an elite gentlemen’s club, and Lily, Leo’s enchanting sister, Julian reconsiders his wild ways. And when Leo’s tragic murder demands that Julian hunt for justice, he vows to see the woman he secretly loves married to a man of her own class.

Lily, however, has a very different husband in mind. She’s loved Julian forever, adores the man beneath the rakish façade, and wants to savor the delicious attraction they share—as his wife. His insistence on marrying her off only reinforces her intent to prove that he is the only man for her. Obsessed with catching a killer, Julian sinks back to the gutters of his youth, forcing Lily to reach out with a sweet, reckless passion Julian can’t resist. Can her desire for a scoundrel save them both—or will dangerous secrets threaten more than their tender love?

Ah, finally! My favorite! This book grabbed me and didnt let go! I am pretty sure I read this in about 24 hours.

Why did I like this one more? The characters are so unique and interesting in the romance novel world! Let's take a look.

Lily is deaf. She was sick as a girl and lost her hearing, so this already makes for an interesting perspective. I loved seeing how she interacted at a dinner scene or could read lips pretty well, but could hardly ever get new names.

Then there is Julian. He is trying to assuage his guilt over his friends death all the while trying to fight his love for Lily. Among other things. There are some things I dont want to spoil :)

I think I love this book because I know the characters. I know the background of what Julian is doing. The characters themselves have a history that we may not know at the beginning of the book, but sometimes its nice interacting with a book where the characters aren't love struck.

So there we have it. The Stud Club trilogy. Would I recommend it? Yup! It was really entertaining! Very satisfying as well.

Review: Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

Book Title/Author:Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
Publisher/Year Published: Oct 2008 by Harper Perennial (first published in 2002)
Where I got it: I got it from Half Price Books
Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:via Goodreads

With only a yellowing photograph in hand, a young man - also named Jonathan Safran Foer - sets out to find the woman who might or might not have saved his grandfather from the Nazis. Accompanied by an old man haunted by memories of the war, an amorous dog named Sammy Davis, Junior, Junior, and the unforgettable Alex, a young Ukrainian translator who speaks in a sublimely butchered English, Jonathan is led on a quixotic journey over a devastated landscape and into an unexpected past. As their adventure unfolds, Jonathan imagines the history of his grandfather's village, conjuring a magical fable of startling symmetries that unite generations across time. Lit by passion, fear, guilt, memory, and hope, the characters in Everything Is Illuminated mine the black holes of history. As the search moves back in time, the fantastical history moves forward, until reality collides with fiction in a heart-stopping scene of extraordinary power. An arresting blend of high comedy and great tragedy, this is a story about searching for people and places that no longer exist, for the hidden truths that haunt every family, and for the delicate but necessary tales that link past and future. Exuberant and wise, hysterically funny and deeply moving, EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED is an astonishing debut.

Jonathan Safran Foer is a name that has been on my to reads shelf since I joined Goodreads. I had heard such good things about this book and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close but they were always just general good things. I never really knew why they were so good, just that I had to read them.

On my biannual trip to Half-Price books, I really wanted to get this book and finally get around to reading it. Well, toward the end of last year I finally started it. And I couldn't put it down.

The way the book is written can at first be really jarring. It alternates between the story of the past the what is going on in the present. Until I really because connected to the characters, it actually was really annoying and I wondered how I would ever get through this book! But that is the thing that this book excels: the characters.

I loved all the characters in the past and all in the present so much so I would always be lamenting them switching each time.

The story has a very unique way of coming across, through letters and the past, and if you are not one for out of the ordinary formats you probably wont like this book. As for me, though I went it blind, I am definitely coming out illuminated.

(Sometimes you just have to end in a pun. Forgive me.)

Review: A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Book Title/Author: A Million Suns by Beth Revis
Publisher/Year Published: January 2012 by Razorbill
Where I got it: The library
Series: Second in the Across the Universe Trilogy
Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: via Goodreads

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

About this time last year, I reviewed the first book in this series, Across the Universe. I remember wanting to read it from the buzz I had seen in the blogger reader world, and also because I couldn't take my eyes off that breathtakingly gorgeous cover.

In summary, I loved the first book. Devoured it in 24 hours almost. I've been looking forward to the sequel for a while. And now it is hear and read.

And just as awesome as the first one.

Not to give too much away about the first book, but we left the story with the 16-year-old Elder in charge. And things go south pretty quickly. Elder is trying to fix all the problems while warring with doing what he really wants, spending time with Amy the girl from Sol-Earth. Amy has her own fascinating story arc with a nice mystery twist.

Elder and Amy's characters were just as dynamic as the first book, showing ever growing well rounded personas. Nothing is cake and cookies in this book, and each teen is dealing with that in their own way. I really enjoyed these characters and could empathize with all of their feelings. The writing and style convey this really well.

One downside is that the non-main characters are not as well rounded as these two. Though they are close to being plot points that can talk, ultimately they are fine especially because the plot picks up for any lost character development. I guess this is also a limit from the first persons narratives. The villain to me was really predictable, not so much in his actions but the twists surrounding the character. The plot however sometimes did throw me for a loop.

The plot was another thing this book does exceptionally well. I was always eager to find out more of what was going on, turning the page to get my fix. What sort of clues are on this ship? What actually is going on? I read this book in two large stints because it was that page-turner good.

This is a great middle book. It sets the third book up well but doesn't just serve as a bridge between the first and last. It has a strong plot and the main characters are continually growing and changing, and it left me champing at the bit for the final book, Shades of Earth.

The cool thing about this series is it is science fiction fantasy but not in such a way that makes me want to claw my eyes out or feel like I am being talked down to. If you are interested even remotely in dramas set in space, give this series a go. The first person narrative that switches between each chapter can be jarring at first, but it really adds to the feel of the story.

So in short: Ingenious storytelling, excellently wow.

Review: Across the Universe - Beth Revis

Book Title/Author:Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Publisher/Year Published: January 2011 by Razorbill
Where I got it: The library
Rating: 4/5 stars
Challenges: A to Z Challenges: Male Name (E), Female Name (A), Book (A) and Author (B)

Summary:via Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Thoughts:
I am shocked by how much I liked this book. I read an author Q&A around the release date and thought the premise sounded good, so onto the TBR library waiting list it went. It would probably be a quick read and if it was bad, I'd stop reading.

It was not bad.

You can read the summary above but basically there is a ship living in a fairly dystopian world, where a leader born to rule runs the people. The ship is on a trans-universal flight to inhabit a new earth and thus has frozen some smart people to help colonize it once they get there. Amy is one of those people. Well, she is the daughter who was aloud to be frozen, but she is accidentally woken up too early. Elder is next in line to be leader and is trained by Eldest, the current leader. With the unfrozen Amy now in his life he begins to question all that he knew.

Despite the summary being mostly about Amy, I really think this was Elders story, or at least I identified more with him. Everything he knew gets upended during his quest for discovering more about his destiny.

This book is gripping. The world that Revis builds is completely believable and interesting. She shows us the right amount of atmosphere without bogging us down in details. The narrative is told in first person alternating between Amy and Elder. It bothered me a bit occasionally but knowing how the course of the novel plays out, it was the best choice.

The novel is marketed YA, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and the questions it raises. I would recommend it to anyone who likes dystopian-science fiction. The way I would classify it would be a gripping science fiction book without getting bogged down in all the heavy details that science fiction books usually contain (I'm looking at you Dune).

Although, I am left with a general annoyance that was just kind of aggravated to the point of discussion. It seems that right now EVERY YA book is a damn series. This is too, (I found out by looking at the authors website) but that narrative doesn't suffer because of it. I fully believe that I could just read this book and be happy with how it wrapped up content that this is the end. That is the mark of a good first in a series book. I don't want to have to keep reading to finish a story that I started a book ago. So bravo on that account. You've passed this cynic's annoyance test with flying colors. So 1 point in her favor there.

I don't plan to stop reading here though. I like the voice and the concept of colonizing another planet, so I'll read on.

Review: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

Book Title/Author:
Publisher/Year Published: 2005 by RH Audio
Where I got it: The library
Rating: 4/5 stars
Challenges:A to Z Male Name: Z, A to Z Female Name: T, A to Z Book Title: H, A to Z Authors: D, 2011 TBR Challenge

Summary:via Goodreads
Don't leave Earth without this hilarious international bestseller about the end of the world and the happy-go-lucky days that follow. Join the gruesome twsome of Arthur Dent and his friend, Ford Perfect, in their now-famous intergalactic journey through time and space.

Thoughts:
I can't believe it took me this long to read this, well listen to it anyway. Back in 2004 I took a novels class where we were allowed to chose our own books. My one friend read this trilogy and told me I would love it. Well 6ish years later and I finally got around to it!

I think I really liked this book hearing it read to me by the lovely Stephen Fry. Would I have liked it just reading it myself? Sure. But I really think that his voices and twists on some of the dialogue really brought it to life for me during the snow-filled trecks home from work.

The most interesting part for me was stumbling across a word or phrase that I'd heard thrown around before and realizing that it originated in this book! And it was so nice to finally hear the story behind the answer to the life, universe and everything!

It's hard for me to describe this book in review form. I read a review on Goodreads that mentioned that however you feel about Monty Python is how you will feel about this book, and I think that is true. It's out there comedy; sometimes it's extremely random. But overall, it's super entertaining! So if you like fantastical fantasy and random insanity, I think that you would enjoy reading or listening to this book!

I plan to continue my listening journey with the other 4 audiobooks and also the radio plays!

Scandal of the Year - Laura Lee Guhrke

Book Title/Author:Scandal of the Year by Laura Lee Guhrke
Publisher/Year Published: January 25th 2011 by Harper Collins
Where I got it: I received a review copy from netGalley
Rating: 4/5 stars
Challenges: A to Z Male Name: A, A to Z Female Name: J, A to Z Book Title: S

Summary: via Laura Lee Guhrke's website

From their very first meeting, Julia knew that Aidan Carr, the oh-so-proper Duke of Trathen, had a bit of the devil in him, a devil who secretly yearned for what he could not have, a devil who harbored a desire for her. So when she needed to be caught in a compromising situation, Aidan was the answer to her prayers.

Aidan is supposed to be looking for a bride, yet his scandalous liaison with Julia is all he can think about. Hot, erotic memories of kissing her skin, falling into her bed, pulling her naked body on top of his own continue to torment and tempt him. What is it about this brazen seductress that he finds so hard to resist? And how can he stop himself from falling into her bed a second time?


The second book in the Abandoned at the Altar series, Scandal of the Year lets us follow the tale of my two favorite people from the first book, Julia and Aiden. I didn't really like the first book all that much, but was still excited to read this. The two characters were already interesting and I was curious on how they would be developed further.

I read this book in a day, yet I needed the extra days to really digest everything. It was engaging to see how the story unfolded. It wasn't in a linear fashion, but instead we were told the relevant facts in the beginning (in the summary even) and then as we watched the characters develop and grow, we were shown things that happened prior providing an interesting juxtaposition between past and present. Outside of that, the story was just interesting!

I really enjoyed where Guhrke took these characters. She didn't change who they were in the first book as so often happens when secondary characters get books of their own, but just expanded what we already knew. The growth and arc Julia and Aiden experienced individually and as a couple worked. It wasn't too little or too much. It just worked.

I really think that if I had to sum up the book in a sentence, it would be "It just worked."

Though you may notice that it only has for stars. I can hear, "But wait! If it just worked, why only four stars?" There were some moments that I thought were a little long during the flashbacks. Also, the last book was summarized in thought about 4 times (as well as at least one other previous Gurhke book) and this just rubbed me the wrong way. It was a little too strange for me to hear one character summarize another book in dialogue with the person who supposedly lived it.

But overall it still 'just worked.'

Storming the Castle by Eloisa James

Book Title/Author: Storming the Castle by Eloisa James
Publisher/Year Published: 2010 by Harper Collins
Where I got it: I downloaded it for my Nook
Rating: 4/5 stars
Challenges: n/a

Summary: via Goodreads What Miss Phillipa Damson needs is a good, old fashioned knight in shining armor. What she has is a fiancé she never wanted and a compelling urge to run away. But if she manages to escape, will she find her happily ever after?

I love Eloisa James' stories. I like being up to date on what she is writing, hence I follow her witty remarks on facebook and twitter. This is how I learned about this companion short story to A Kiss at Midnight, Storming the Castle.

This book did not feel like a short story to me. Nothing felt rushed; things were fleshed out beautifully to the point that after I finished I felt the same euphoric feeling I get after I finish a full length novel with characters I love. Phillipa and Wick are to die for. She knows what she wants and takes a huge risk to go out and seek her own path in life. Wick is as charming as ever, bringing the character that I loved so much back from A Kiss at Midnight.

If you want a quick little novella about two adorable characters, this is your story. It was so nice to have it in line with me during the holidays. In fact, I am pretty sure I finished it in line at Wal*Mart.

This book is available on eBook only, but it was worth my $2.00

Wicked Intentions

I read this book for a challenge, though I could not tell you which challenge it was at this point. But check out my reivew of Elizabeth Hoyt's Wicked Intentions over at the Broke and the Bookish

Dropping Names

If you visit the following webpage Authors We Read This Spring you will find a list of authors that were mentioned in the completed task posts for the spring challenge (only linked authors are included in this list). Find an author on this list that you haven't read previously and read their most popular book. (The author's most popular work is the one listed first on their profile).

I read Mockinjay in 24 hours. It would have taken less, but that thing called “work” got in my way. I’ve decided that I want a place to let my spoiler filled views to be known, so…

Book Title/Author: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Publisher/Year Published: 2010 by Scholastic
Where I got it: My local library (first one to get my greedy hands on it :) )
Rating: 4/5 stars

WARNING: THIS REVIEW IS GOING TO CONTAIN WICKED AMOUNTS OF SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY AND THE ENTIRE MOCKINGJAY BOOK. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

Great Minds Think Alike

For this task we will find out if this saying is true when in comes to reading preferences. Go to the individual page for the last book you gave a 5 star rating to (i.e. if the last book you rated 5 stars was The Help by Kathryn Stockett you would go to this page The Help). Scroll down to the section for other reviews and click on the link for 5 stars...then click on the link to organize the list by date. Once you do that you will need to click on page 6,7, or 8 (if the book you use does not have that many pages of 5 stars use page 1-3) and select a person. Visit that persons profile and select another book (one that you haven't read before) that they gave 5 stars to and that will be the book you need to read for this challenge task.

Yeah. This one was a bit confusing, but somehow at some point in time this summer I stumbled on someone reading the following.

Book Title/Author: The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University by Kevin Roose
Publisher/Year Published: 2009 by Grand Central Publishing
Where I got it: My local library
Rating: 4/5 stars

I've been wanting to read The Unlikely Disciple since I found out about it through a Goodreads giveaway. When I found out he was a protegee of A.J Jacobs (whose The Year of Living Biblically I absolutely adored!), I needed to read this book.

Here is some of the summary from Goodreads:

As a sophomore at Brown University, Kevin Roose didn't have much contact with the Religious Right. Raised in a secular home by staunchly liberal parents, he fit right in with Brown's sweatshop-protesting, fair-trade coffee-drinking, God-ambivalent student body. So when he had a chance encounter with a group of students from Liberty University, a conservative Baptist university in Lynchburg, Virginia, he found himself staring across a massive culture gap. But rather than brush the Liberty students off, Roose decided to do something much bolder: he became one of them.

I have to give him credit. Going into it I thought it would be more biased than it actually was. He did a great job of separating himself from what he already knew and trying to understand the things he didn't. I don't know if I could have been so forgiving to some of the things he witnessed. Also I think it would be a whole different experience for a woman (not to mention the fact that I was raised Catholic).

But Roose takes a very open-minded stance, but he does this without losing himself. Many of the passages he wrote, I could feel the struggle within him between what he thought he knew about Liberty students and what he was seeing before his eyes.

If you are at all interested in religion and the perception thereof in modern American society, this is a great book, especially for the college sect. It was something I could relate to while learning a lot about a major religious demographic that I know next to nothing about.

B&N Classics

For this task you need to read a book off the Barnes and Noble classic list. Classics

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
first published 1914
Notes: I received this ebook free from Barnes and Noble classic summer downloads
Rating: 4/5

Just a warning before we begin. I go a little into detail about the relationship between Eliza and Henry which includes commentary about what happens after. If you have not seen the play and want to be surprised, be warned.

When I was in high school, I tried out for Pygmalion. I didn't get any part and in my anguish did not go see the show. I had heard that My Fair Lady was based on this play, but I've never seen that. I've read the myth about Pygmalion, but honestly didn't make the connection until I was reading the footnotes. So suffice it to say all I knew about Pygmalion's Eliza and Henry I learned from Family Guy.

So with practically a clean slate I dove in and I must say I rather enjoyed myself. I've always liked the quotes I've seen by Shaw floating around the internet, but never made the connection to the playwright.

It was interesting, surprisingly funny and quite entertaining. I could see in my head some of the cues onstage and how well they would work. I enjoyed Eliza and Henry's interactions the most, and was honestly quite confused by the ending. I clicked next page and there was no more play, but a nice essay by Shaw about what happened after. Toward the end there is quite a conversation between Higgins and Eliza which to me it dripped with sexual tension, but that was just my romance novel reader brain apparently. Because that is not how it ended. It was really interesting reading Shaw talking about why he chose to end the play the way he did going against what the mainstream public would want. Apparently, he added this afterword because everyone kept asking, but why can't they be together?

There have been times, wikipedia told me, that certain directors have changed the ending to suit the happiness of the audience, but I understand where Shaw is coming from. The play he wrote is a jab and society. Its a comedic satire, not a love story. There is no need for a happily ever after, because this is supposed to be real life. It's interesting also because the myth of Pygmalion has the sculptor living happily ever after with his creation, so he even deviated from the source material.

I don't know how I feel about changing the ending to suit the coffers. Part of me says "If you don't like it, write your own play!" but the other part of me says "Gotta do what's best for business." I am not really curious to see how My Fair Lady ends but I would tend to be more lenient about this seeing as it is an adaptation of the play.

So in conclusion, this really is a great play. I really enjoyed it and would love to see it onstage at some point.

Birthdays and Birthmonths: Book B

Since roughly 90% of the people in my (Ms. Anderson's) life were born in June, I thought it would be fun to do a task related to birthdays!

For your first book, pick out your birthday month from this list and read a NONFICTION book about that topic.
...
December: History of Language (EXAMPLE: Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World)

For your second book, find out what day of the week on which you were born (if you don't know already) and read a FICTION book from that genre.
...Tuesday: Alternate History (EXAMPLE: The Yiddish Policemen's Union)
...
Note: The books are two distinct categories, so therefore do not need to be related at all.

Book title and author:Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate, #1) by Gail Carriger
Info: published 2009 by Orbit
Where: Picked it up off the new book shelf at my college library
Rating: 4/5

This book was a breath of fresh air. I think reading this first chunk of the summary (via Goodreads) sums it up quite nicely.

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

First of all, what is "soulless"? Why are there vampires in Victorian England? And when have vampires ever been in the realm of social etiquette?

This first book in the series answers all those questions and more. It is a debut effort by Gail Carriger that mixes steampunk, paranormal elements and a powerfully strong heroine, adding a dash of romance and a whole smattering of intelligence. The writing is snarky and delicious and really brings you into a story where you have no trouble believing that vampires and werewolves are an integral and excepted part of English society.

With the resident werewolf love interest, Lord Maccon (who is to die for in his powerful manliness) and the lovable effeminate vampire Lord Akeldama are wonderful characters! And that only really names two. The secondary characters really round out the story and give it that extra something. The book is complete with horrible sisters, a mysterious society and all the glories of steampunk London.

It is worth taking a look. A good alternative to the many formulaic books on the shelf today. An interesting world, an interesting plot, awesome characters. Win, win, win.