Lucy Pickett is a researcher for the Botanical Aid Society of London, looking for ways to counteract the "Anti-Vampiric Assimilation Aid" when she goeLucy Pickett is a researcher for the Botanical Aid Society of London, looking for ways to counteract the "Anti-Vampiric Assimilation Aid" when she goes to visit her newly married cousin Kate. Kate has written to say she's not feeling well - something unusual for her. As she's married the younger brother of the Earl of Blackwell, whose wife of a month died 6 months earlier followed the next day by the death of his sister Marie, Lucy is concerned. The Earl is not in residence when she arrives, but the house is dark and sinister feeling, and Kate is definitely unwell. When Lucy encounters the ghost of Marie, who obviously wants her to do something, she knows all is not how it should be. The Earl has secrets, but as he's good friends with her own brother, she begins to trust him. There's a vampire on the loose, someone is poisoning Kate, and the Earl is a shapeshifter. Together they overcome the problems and uncover the truth. Steampunk version of Beauty and the Beast - clean and well done....more
Really more of a 4.5 because the ending bothered me, but I'm hoping more is explained in the sequels. Irene is a Librarian (what could be better) who Really more of a 4.5 because the ending bothered me, but I'm hoping more is explained in the sequels. Irene is a Librarian (what could be better) who travels between alternate worlds gathering works of fiction for The Library, which exists between all of the worlds. Just returned from one assignment, she's suddenly sent on another, with an new apprentice, Kai. With virtually no background information, she's thrust into an alternate London rife with "chaos". Suddenly dealing with the Fae (magical creatures who cause chaos) and the only Librarian who's ever gone rogue, Irene and Kai make shaky alliances or enemies of those they meet in their quest to find a version of Grimm's Fairy Tales that has an unique story. Irene gradually realizes that Kai is a dragon (whose job it is to keep order) and all is not as it seems. This is imaginative and compelling. Fans of "The Night Circus" or The Book of Lost Things" may like this....more
I'm generally not a big fan of steampunk, but I do love a twisted fairy tale, and this version of Sleeping Beauty was a fun one. Dr. Isla Cooper is a I'm generally not a big fan of steampunk, but I do love a twisted fairy tale, and this version of Sleeping Beauty was a fun one. Dr. Isla Cooper is a feisty, talented heroine and Daniel Pickett is a great knight in shining armor. The steampunk elements were believable, but didn't overwhelm the story. Good enough to get me to go back and read the first in the series. Clean but romantic....more
14 year old Sophronia wants to find out how things work instead of becoming a lady, so her mother jumps at the chance to send her away tMore of a 3.5.
14 year old Sophronia wants to find out how things work instead of becoming a lady, so her mother jumps at the chance to send her away to Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.
She soon realizes the school is not what her mother expected. Housed in a massive series of hot air balloons floating above the moors, the girls do learn etiquette and dress but also the finer arts of dealing out death, diversion and espionage while maintaining a lady like façade. Sophronia and her room mate Dimity get involved in a mystery and lots of scrapes during their first term....more