Timeless by Gail Carriger

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This is the last book in the Parasol Protectorate series. It makes me a little sad. I've loved watching Alexia and Lord Maccon duke it out in wits over the course of the previous books. Alexia is a hoot and a strong match for her Alpha Wolf husband.

We find out a bit more about Alexia's preternatural state and who her father was. They travel to Egypt and there are muggings, kidnappings, and crazy old vampires out to kill everyone. It's fun and funny, and even a bit tender in spots.

The first half was a bit slow but overall the ending made up for it. It ends well and that makes me happy. And they lived happilish everish after.

I have happy news that Gail Carriger is continuing her series but in a new direction with Lady and Lord Maccon's child Prudence.  Looks like we'll expect the first book in Fall of 2013 or early 2014. Yeah! More Parasol Protectorate fun!!!!!

Dreadnought by Cherie Priest

Genre: Steampunk, historical
FTC Disclosure: bought from Borders
Published: 2010
Pages: 400
Content: PG-13 for war and zombie violence.

One Line Review: This one wasn't as wonderful as the original Boneshaker, but it was still fun.

Priest links the two novels together at the end, which was fun to see some of the original characters.

Mercy Lynch is a nurse in the South during the Civil War and receives a telegram telling her to come and see her long-lost father before he passes. So she takes passage on a dirigible and soon a train bound for the West...along the way she meets quite the characters and zombies! Will she survive and make it to see her father? Well, I'm sure you can guess that but it's about the journey!

Mercy was a fun heroine. She is tough and smart and quick on her feet and yet still has her weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

Priest always paints a wonderful alternative history here in the States. The Civil War is going on forever and Texas is its own country.

Overall a great addition to the series!


Rating: 4/5

Blameless by Gail Carriger

Genre: steampunk, Victorian England, paranormal
FTC Disclosure: bought online from Book Depository
Published: 2010
Pages: 355
Content: PG-13

In a Line: Lacked the chemistry of the first two, but ended strongly.

I actually liked this one better, overall, than the second in the series Changeless. I was sort of outraged at the ending on that one. But this one came through, for the most part.

We start with Lady Macon being thrown out from the presence of Lord Macon. She is again living with her unbearable family and is THE scandal. And then her only real friend Lord Akeldama leaves town with his drones with nary a word. She soon finds herself on a journey to outrun all the vampires who now want her dead with no protection of the pack...due to her delicate condition. She turns to Italy, the land of the Templars, who may be able to shed some light on how she could even possibly be with child.

It's wit, danger, and a parasol at every turn. The only thing missing was the actual interaction of her and Conall. Everything turns out just dandy in the end so I can only imagine that the next in the series will be superb!

I'm really loving this series. It doesn't need to have an over reaching story arc...we can just follow along the lives of these adoring characters. Keep them coming Ms. Carriger!

Rating: 4/5

The Affinity Bridge by George Mann

Genre: steam punk, zombies, Victorian England, mystery
FTC Disclosure: library
Published: 2008
Pages: 330
Content: PG-13 for violence and adult themes

I was really excited about this book. I'm a big steam punk fan and was looking forward to this new novel...what a disappointment. The characters Hobbes and Newbury were flat and not that entertaining. The plot felt very cliche and I knew the outcome before the halfway mark. Also, much of the dialogue was just mediocre, oh and did I mention cliche?

There was one fight scene with the zombies that was fun...I was really hoping they would get to eat one of the characters!

This one just didn't stand out for me and I wouldn't recommend it.  But I will say, if you are just looking for a really quick, mind numbing read then maybe you can enjoy it.

Android Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and Ben H. Winters

I received an advance review copy for Android Karenina from the lovely people at Quirk Classics. As part of the blogger review explosion of Android Karenina Quirk Classics is offering a few prizes along the way today.
Readers have a chance to win over one of twenty-five Quirk Prize Packs. Each Prize Pack, with a retail value of nearly $100, will include:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith

How to Survive a Horror Movie by Seth Grahame-Smith

Dracula's Heir: An Interactive Mystery by Sam Stall

Extreme Encounters by Greg Emmanuel

How to Tell if Your Boyfriend is The Antichrist by Patricia Carlin

An Android Karenina Poster

And more!

So check out the links and mention my blog and I hope you win some good stuff!

Genre: classic mash-up, steampunk, sci-fi, Russian lit.
FTC Disclosure: Received ARC from Quirk Classics
Published: 2010
Pages: 538
Content: PG, for some robot and alien violence

Maybe it takes a lover of Tolstoy to really enjoy this work, I'm not sure since I've never read Tolstoy before. I had a really hard time getting into the characters. They never spoke to me.

Many times the events happened slowly and the next we have a paragraph describing a few years. I especially had a hard time with Anna Karenina. She's very complex, I'll give you that, but she was pretty messed up. She's willing to leave her son behind to run off with her lover and in the meantime she says she doesn't really love that son. She has a daughter with her lover and ends up trying to love that daughter. Just weird.

The steampunk version was fun. I enjoyed reading all the nuances of a groznium-filled world and robots. I also enjoyed how Winters ties in the title character Android Karenina with the character Anna. It's an interesting twist, for sure.

But overall, the book was just OK for me. I had a hard time following all the characters and all the events. Just because something is a classic doesn't necessarily mean I'll enjoy it. And Tolstoy may be one of those writers I won't be able to get into. Oh well. It looks like other authors who appreciate Tolstoy say they enjoy it and think Winters did a superb job of splicing this mash-up together.

But I think it opens up the classics to more people and I think that's important as well.

Rating: 3/5

Changeless by Gail Carriger

Genre: mystery, steampunk
FTC Disclosure: bought from Book Depository.com
Published: 2010
Pages: 374
Content: PG

Since I loved the first in this series I was really looking forward to the second. I must admit I was a bit disappointed. I felt that it took a bit too long to get into the good parts of the story. And the ending...well, I didn't like it that much...it was really, really maddening!!! You just want to grab a few of the characters through the pages and give them a good throttle!

But overall, I enjoy Alexia very much. Gail Carriger does a wonderful job with her. She gives a nice modern flair from the pages of Jan Austen. Alexia is as snobby as they come yet still very loyal and open. Her relationship with Lord Maccon is always a hoot. She makes it seem like she's not sure if she really loves her husband, but you know she does. It's hilarious! The supporting characters are always a hoot to read as well. And you throw in more steampunk goodness and it's still a very enjoyable story.

It ends in a major heart-wrenching cliffhanger! And I can't wait until the next one! Thank goodness it comes out soon.

Rating: 3.75/5

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Steampunk, sci-fi, alternate history
Published: 2009
Pages: 414
FTC Disclosure: bought from Dragons and Fairytales
Content: PG-13 for zombie violence and some mild swearing with no f-bombs

This book was fantastic! I was hooked from the start with images of Seattle walled up and streaming with zombies and a zombie-turning gas, airships and air pirates and the Civil War going on forever in the East. Even the ink on the page is in a sepia type ink so it makes you feel even more apart of the world she has created.

Briar Wilkes and her son live on the Outskirts of the walled up Seattle and struggling to make a living...see it was her husband Dr. Blue that created the Boneshaker that caused the terrible destruction to Seattle and the people within. But her son Zeke wants to know more about his father and maybe even to clear his name so he sneaks inside the wall one night hoping to find the evidence he needs. Things never go as planned and it's up to his mother Briar to rescue him.

And of course, along the way they meet all sorts of characters good and bad and zombies. The book starts with Briar and Zeke together and once they get separated a different chapter is devoted to each and leads us up to where they reunite...it's pretty clever.

It's an intriguing story whether or not you are a sci-fi fan...it's fast and engrossing and enjoyed every minute of it! Cherie Priest, I want more!

Rating: 5/5!

Soulless by Gail Carriger

 Summary: 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.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

This was a perfect blend of mystery, romance, steampunk, and the supernatural! Alexia Tabarotti is sensational; she's a wonderfully strong female character! Gail Carriger opens up a whole new world of the Victorian era of England. What would life be like if the natural and supernatural worked in league together?

Alexia just happens to be a preternatural, one who neutralizes the powers and characteristics of those who are supernatural...and thus they call her the soulless one.

There are a lot of Jane Austen homages in this book as well...the dress, the decorum, Alexia's family! Her mother is Mrs. Bennet and her two sisters are Lydia and Kitty. And her Lord Maccon is Austen's Mr. Darcy! Just lovely.