Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 4

Today's manga post is on Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 4 by Hiromu Arakawa. It is 256 pages long and published by Viz Media. The cover has Riza Hawkeye on it. As it is the fourth volume in the series, you need to have read the first three volumes to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes intense, shonen manga with great characters. There is mild foul language, no sex, and action violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the manga- In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Finding themselves at a crossroads, the brothers seek the guidance of a teacher, but her lessons are harder to master than any alchemy.

Review- This volume is a lynch point volume. The reader gets a lot background for Ed and Al. We see everything that happened from their childhood and how brilliant Ed has always been. The main plot is paused for this volume but for this background that is fine. The reader not only seeing Ed and Al from a younger age, we see others in the cast, like Mustang and King Bradley. But most importantly, we see The Truth. It is very important for plot and character development and I cannot wait to see how this is going to play out in the end. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next volume. 

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money. 

Bloodborne: A Song of the Crows

Today’s post is on Bloodborne: A Song of the Crows by Aleš Kot, illustrated by Piotr Kowalski, Brad Simpson. It is 31 pages long and is published by Titan Comics. The cover is red with the Eileen the Crow over the city. The intended reader is someone who has played the game Bloodborne and is interested in more of this world. There is no foul language, no sex, and some violence in this volume. The story is told from Eileen’s perspective. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the blurb on Hoopla- The city of Yharnam: an ancient, Gothic metropolis and home to the Healing Church.
Recent days have seen the city fall foul to a nightmarish plague known as the Ashen Blood disease, the source of which remains a mystery.
In a world of gods and monsters, sanity is merely subjective, and fear and blood are sanctified.
Hunters now stalk the streets in search of beasts as the moon hangs ominously low in Yharnam's sky.
But as uncertainty fills the air, and the thirst for blood becomes insatiable, the hunters become the hunted…

Review- Once again we are before the beast plague over takes Yharnam happens with Eileen seeing that she needs to be hunting again. She is older and has hoped to put aside the hunt but something has changed in Yharnam and now she must hunt again. The art is good, the story line is interesting, I liked seeing more of Eileen as she trying is discover what is going on in her home, and the way the story is told is interesting. Eileen is losing time, from all the years of hunting and using the blood to help her hunt and it gives the story the proper surrealism that fits the bizarre setting of Bloodborne.  I look forward to going with Eileen on her journey to find some answers.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this comic from my local library’s Hoopla account.

The White Rose

Today’s post is on The White Rose by Amy Ewing. It is the second novel of The Lone City. It is 308 pages long and is published by Harper Teen. The cover is white with the main character standing in the center which looks like a rose. The intended reader is someone who has read the first novel and likes dystopian novels. There is mild foul language, talk of sexuality and violence in this book. The story is told from first person perspective of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Violet is on the run. After the Duchess of the Lake catches Violet with Ash, the hired companion at the Palace of the Lake, Violet has no choice but to escape the Jewel or face certain death. So along with Ash and her best friend, Raven, Violet runs away from her unbearable life of servitude.
But no one said leaving the Jewel would be easy. As they make their way through the circles of the Lone City, Regimentals track their every move, and the trio barely manages to make it out unscathed and into the safe haven they were promised—a mysterious house in the Farm.
But there’s a rebellion brewing, and Violet has found herself in the middle of it. Alongside a new ally, Violet discovers her Auguries are much more powerful than she ever imagined. But is she strong enough to rise up against the Jewel and everything she has ever known?

Review- We pick up exactly where the last novel left off with Violet waiting for help and Ash in the dungeon below. Violet refuses to leave with him and then goes to save her friend Raven.  They travel throughout the Lone City and see the different ways that the people are suffering under the rule of the Royalty. Raven has been changed by what her mistress did to her and is now tormented by it. Ash is looked down on because of being a companion and is not trusted by anyone but Violet and Raven. When they leave the city we finally learn what is expected of Violet, she is the descendant of the original people who lived on the island and that is where her abilities come from. The Black Key, a resistance movement, wants her to destroy the walls that separate the city and protect the royals. We get some character development but this novel is mostly about developing the setting and backstory of the world. There was less tension in this novel for me because we are so far away from the villains in this book. But the ending is tight and I look forward to getting to read the final volume.

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

These Vicious Masks

Today's post is on These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker, Kelly Zekas. It is the first in their These Vicious Masks trilogy. The cover is grey with a black mask in the center and red ribbon trailing from it. The intended reader is someone who likes historical fantasy, Victorian X-Men, and fast plots. There is very mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from the first person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they’re not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true—and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.  

Review- I loved this book so much. X-Men in Victorian London is right up my alley. The writing is tight, the characters are fun, and the plot has just the right amount of action, mystery, and love story. The powers are varied and very interesting because they change the how that we see the character, not just how the other characters interact with each other. Evelyn is great, she has the healing powers and she can share them with others around her. The villain is nicely evil enough and I believed that he would do anything to get his end goals, which to him were good but to everyone else he was crazy and beyond help. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next volume and explore more of this world.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this volume from my local library.

Gilded Lily

Today's post is on Gilded Lily by Delphone Dryden. It is the third in her Steam and Seduction series. It is 296 pages long and is published by Berkley Sensation. The cover has the two main characters looking very steampunky. The intended reader is someone who likes steampunk, romance, and fun time. There is mild foul language, sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- HIDDEN IDENTITIES, SCANDALOUS SECRETS…
DEADLY ATTRACTION.
Frederique Murcheson’s introduction into society hasn’t gone smoothly—some would even call it a disaster. Only Freddie considers her debut a success. Her scheme to become a makesmith has gone off flawlessly. The only thing that could upset her plans now would be if someone discovered that brilliant tinker Fred Merchant is, in fact, a lady in disguise.
Wooing a spoiled heiress is not exactly Barnabas Smith-Grenville’s idea of high espionage. However, considering his brother disappeared on the job, supposedly into the most iniquitous of opium dens, he cannot expect much better. At least the assignment will afford him time to search for his brother, whom he suspects is in spy-related trouble rather than a drug-addled haze.
But when Freddie proves to be both irresistible and the key to the answers he seeks, Barnabas finds himself not only entwined in a scandalous mystery involving lethal submersibles and deranged dirigibles, but also in a dangerous game of the heart…

Review- As the last in the Steam and Seduction series, this was a nice send off. The missing brother was found and innocent, Barnabas get someone to love, and Freddie gets to live her own life. That said the villain was not great and I wanted Freddie's father to have to really deal with that he has done. I found the love story between Freddie and Barnabas to be very believable. They both want someone to share their lives with and they found that in each other. the steampunk stuff was more in the background for this final novel than in the previous two but I am okay with that. I think that this story was more about stopping the technology from being used badly than the other novels so that made it take more of a background. A nice, solid ending.

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Exile for Dreamers

Today's post is on Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin. It is the second in her Stranje House series. It is 384 pages long and is published by Tor Teen. The cover has the main character with her back to the reader walking to Stranje House. The intended reader is young adult, likes historical fiction with strong romance themes, and just a little magic. There is no foul language, no sex, and only mild violence in this book. The story is told from first person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- It’s 1814. Napoleon has escaped his imprisonment on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And at Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, five young ladies are secretly being trained for a world of spies, diplomacy, and war.

Tess Aubreyson can’t run far enough or fast enough to escape the prophetic dreams that haunt her. Dreams bring nothing but death and grief, and Tess refuses to accept that she may be destined for the same madness that destroyed her mother. Until her disturbing dreams become the only means of saving Lord Ravencross, the man she loves, and her fellow students at Stranje House. Tess’s old friend, the traitorous Lady Daneska, and Ghost, the ruthless leader of the Iron Crown, have returned to England, intent on paving the way for Napoleon’s invasion. Can the young ladies of Stranje House prevail once more? Or is England destined to fall into the hands of the power-mad dictator?

Review- An excellent sequel that will leave you wanting more. I really enjoyed the first Stranje House novel but I was worried about changing main characters for the second story. I should not have been. I loved reading about Tess and Gabriel's story. They are fun characters who get in over their heads but act like it was all their own idea the whole time. With Tess' fear of passing down her visions, she believes that she cannot be with anyone. Gabriel, now that he has found someone to love, he is not going to just let her be. Add in all the drama of a French invasion, a half-mad American inventor, and all of the personalities of the other young women and you have one interesting and fun tale. Tess grows so much over the course of this book and I'm sad to see her take a background place from now on but I really had fun with her. I can't wait for the next volume in this series.

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this novel from my local library.

Scarlet Devices

Today's post is on Scarlet Devices by Delphine Drysen. It is the second in her Steam and Seduction series. It is 279 pages long and is published by Berkley Sensation. The cover has the two main characters on it with a steam train behind them. The intended reader is someone who likes steampunk, romance, and travel stories. There is mild foul language, sex, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the main characters moving as needed over the course of the story. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- DRIVEN TO WIN.  DRAWN TO LOVE.
Fresh from university, Eliza Hardison is determined to crusade for workers’ rights until her cousin Dexter, the Makesmith Baron, prevails on her to represent Hardison House in the American Dominion Sky and Steam Rally.
The competition is fierce, but only one opponent really matters to Eliza. Dexter’s protégé, Matthew Pence, was always like a big brother to her. But now she’s grown up, and Matthew has made a break from Hardison House with his own business venture—and made his own entry in the rally.
Matthew intends to win while keeping Eliza safe on the perilous route from New York to San Francisco. As the threats escalate through treacherous skies and uncharted American wilds, though, Eliza and Matthew must work together, discovering a bond deeper than either could have imagined…but is winning the rally more important than winning at love?

Review- This is a fun second in the Steam and Seduction series. The characters were fun, the plot was really interesting, and I liked traveling in this world. The real plot is about people who have gone missing. The race is just the way to get there. Eliza is fun, she is a very well educated wealthy woman, who wants to make a difference in the world. Matthew wants to make his own way in the world. Together they both want to win this race. But something more is going on the background of the race. People have been going missing and no one knows anything about it. So with the race, the missing persons, and the romance, this is one fast-paced story. If you read the first one and liked it, then you will like this one too.

I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Gossamer Wing

Today's post is on Gossamer Wing by Delphine Dryden. It is the first in her Steam and Seduction series. It is 300 pages long and is published by Berkley Sensation. The cover has the two main characters on it and it so funny. It is the most cheesy steampunk cover ever but do not judge this book by its cover. There is foul language, sex, and some violence in this novel. The story is told third person close moving from one character to another. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A Spy. An Airship. And a Broken Heart.
After losing her husband to a rogue French agent, Charlotte Moncrieffe wants to make her mark in international espionage. And what could be better for recovering secret long-lost documents from the Palais Garnier than her stealth dirigible, Gossamer Wing? Her spymaster father has one condition: He won’t send her to Paris without an ironclad cover.
Dexter Hardison prefers inventing to politics, but his title as Makesmith Baron and his formidable skills make him an ideal husband-imposter for Charlotte. And the unorthodox undercover arrangement would help him in his own field of discovery.
But from Charlotte and Dexter’s marriage of convenience comes a distraction—a passion that complicates an increasingly dangerous mission. For Charlotte, however, the thought of losing Dexter also opens her heart to a thrilling new future of love and adventure.

Review- This is a fun steampunk love story. As it is a romance novel the main point of the story is the two characters falling in love, so the steampunk stuff is just in the background. The dirigible is cool and I liked the scenes with it but this is a love story. I liked both characters. Dexter is very compassionate to Charlotte having to play at being in love when she is still mourning her husband but Dexter knows very quickly that he is in love with her. So he has to help Charlotte be okay with being in love with someone else. Charlotte just wants to get her revenge on the French agent that murdered  her first husband and she does not care if that kills her. That said she is not stupid. When they come together there is real passion. I had a fun time with this story and I look forward to reading the others in the series.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The Aeronaut's Windlass

Today's post is on The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher. It is the first in his The Cinder Spires series. It is 640 pages long and is published by Roc. The cover has Captain Grimm on it looking cool. The intended reader is someone who likes steampunk, is a fan of Jim Butcher, and interesting plots. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third person moving from one character to another every chapter. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Since time immemorial, the Spires have sheltered humanity, towering for miles over the mist-shrouded surface of the world. Within their halls, aristocratic houses have ruled for generations, developing scientific marvels, fostering trade alliances, and building fleets of airships to keep the peace.
Captain Grimm commands the merchant ship, Predator. Fiercely loyal to Spire Albion, he has taken their side in the cold war with Spire Aurora, disrupting the enemy’s shipping lines by attacking their cargo vessels. But when the Predator is severely damaged in combat, leaving captain and crew grounded, Grimm is offered a proposition from the Spirearch of Albion—to join a team of agents on a vital mission in exchange for fully restoring Predator to its fighting glory.
And even as Grimm undertakes this dangerous task, he will learn that the conflict between the Spires is merely a premonition of things to come. Humanity’s ancient enemy, silent for more than ten thousand years, has begun to stir once more. And death will follow in its wake…

Review- A fun and fast-paced steampunk story. Butcher's writing is solid for this story, with interesting characters, fun world-building, and of course spiders. If I can ever get my hands on Tolkien, I will make him pay for all the spiders in fantasy novels. Seriously. But back to the story we have a world where humans and cats live on Spires and no one goes to the surface. We have interesting magic with half-mad and mad magic users. We have noble houses and criminal guilds and kings who everyone knows are just figureheads, no really he just says around all day totally not planning for everything to wrong and how to fix it when it does. The one weakness in this book is the last airship battle. Butcher lost me on that one. I do not know why but it just bored me. Other than that a very enjoyable story and I am curious about where the story is going to go now.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I was given this book by ACE/Roc in exchange for an honest review. 

The Hanged Man

Today's post is on The Hanged Man by P. N. Elrod. It is 333 pages long and is published by TOR. The cover has a the main character standing in London fog. The intended reader is someone who likes alternate history, steampunk, and good writing. There is mild language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- On a freezing Christmas Eve in 1879, a forensic psychic reader is summoned from her Baker Street lodgings to the scene of a questionable death. Alexandrina Victoria Pendlebury (named after her godmother, the current Queen of England) is adamant that the death in question is a magically compromised murder and not a suicide, as the police had assumed, after the shocking revelation contained by the body in question, Alex must put her personal loss aside to uncover the deeper issues at stake, before more bodies turn up.
Turning to some choice allies—the handsome, prescient Lieutenant Brooks, the brilliant, enigmatic Lord Desmond, and her rapscallion cousin James—Alex will have to marshal all of her magical and mental acumen to save Queen and Country from a shadowy threat. Our singular heroine is caught up in this rousing gaslamp adventure of cloaked assassins, meddlesome family, and dark magic.

Review- A wonderful and fast-paced action story from a master of her craft. This is steampunk at its best. The characters, the plot, the world building are all first rate. Alex is an excellent investigator. Lieutenant Brooks is a man fighting to be who he wants to be. And James is some of the best parts. He is so over the top about everything. Alex is attacked by the bad guys during a party that James is hosting is one of the funniest scenes in the book. The villains had good reasons for what they were trying to do and there is more that they could do. I hope that this is the first in a series because I want more of everything I found here.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The Diabolical Miss Hyde

Today's post is on The Diabolical Miss Hyde by Viola Carr. It is the first in her Electric Empire series. It is 444 pages long and is published by Harper Voyager. The cover has Lizzie Hyde on it with Captain Lafayette behind her. The intended reader is someone who likes steampunk, sort-of retellings, and a fun story lines. There is some language, sex, and violence in this book. The story is told in two ways third person from Eliza's perceptive and first person from Lizzie's. There be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Magic, mystery, and romance mix in this edgy retelling of the classic The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde–in which Dr. Eliza Jekyll is the daughter of the infamous Henry...
In an electric-powered Victorian London, Dr. Eliza Jekyll is a crime scene investigator, hunting killers with inventive new technological gadgets. Now, a new killer is splattering London with blood, drugging beautiful women and slicing off their limbs. Catching "the Chopper" could make Eliza's career—or get her burned. Because Eliza has a dark secret. A seductive second self, set free by her father's forbidden magical elixir: wild, impulsive Lizzie Hyde.
When the Royal Society sends their enforcer, the mercurial Captain Lafayette, to prove she's a sorceress, Eliza must resist the elixir with all her power. But as the Chopper case draws her into London's luminous, magical underworld, Eliza will need all the help she can get. Even if it means getting close to Lafayette, who harbors an evil curse of his own.
Even if it means risking everything and setting vengeful Lizzie free . . .

Review- This is a very fun steampunk adventure with some old literary threads. Carr does a lot with this plot and she makes it work. The steampunk world is very well realized and I want to see more if it. I liked both of our heroines. They bring different things to the table. Eliza is very practical and uses her brains to get through everything but Lizzie is the dark side that can solve the problems that need more than just brains. The villain for this book was okay but he was just stand in for the real villain. The real villain is very fun and I look forward to seeing more of him. The good captain was interesting and I look forward to seeing where he goes in the story. The one thing that I found annoying was how much Eliza and Lizzy dislike each other. They look down and almost hate their other half. That did get old. But it is a solid first in a new series.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Clockwork Heart

Today's post is on Clockwork Heart by Liesel Schwarz. It is the second in her Chronicles of Light and Shadow series. The cover has the main character on it looking over London. The intended reader is someone who has read the first novel, likes steampunk, and action. There is no sex, mild language, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the characters moving from one to another has the story goes. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- For better or curse. That might as well have been the wedding vow of Elle Chance and her new husband, the ex-Warlock Hugh Marsh. For the couple has scarcely returned from their honeymoon when the ancient battle between Light and Shadow tears them apart.
As Elle devotes herself to her duties as the Oracle- who alone has the power to keep the dark designs of Shadow at bay- Marsh finds himself missing the excitement of  his former life as a Warlock. So when Commissioner Willoughby of the London Metropolitan Police seeks his help in solving a magical mystery, Marsh is only too happy to oblige. But in doing so, Marsh loses his heart, literally.
In place of the flesh-and-blood organ is a clockwork device- a device that makes Marsh a kind of zombie. Nor is he the only one. A plague of clockwork zombies is afflicting London, sowing panic and whispers of revolution. Now Elle must join forces with her husband's old friend the Nightwalker Loisa Belododie to track down Marsh's heart and restore it to his chest before time runs out.

Review- Not a bad second book. I like that she killed Marsh and I hope that he stays dead. Not that he is a bad character but I want Elle to really be her own woman. From what little married interaction they had I did not think that she could be her own woman while married to Marsh. Schwarz took some risks with this novel and I am curious about where she is going to go next. The plot is very fast, everything happens within a week or so. I like how the magic grew over the course of the story. Elle is still not very happy with her place in this world but I think that she is prepared to do whatever she must. I am very curious about where Schwarz is going to go with the story now.


I give this book a Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The Girl with the Windup Heart

Today’s post is on The Girl with the Windup Heart by Kady Cross. It is the fourth in her Steampunk Chronicles. It is 396 pages long and is published by Harlequin Teen. The cover has one of the characters on it looking very pretty. The intended reader is someone who has read the other three, likes steampunk, and young adult. There is implied sex, mild language, and violence in this book. The story is told from the third person close of the main character’s moving from one to the next as the story progresses. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- In 1897 London, a final showdown is about to begin.
London’s underworld is no place for a young woman, even one who is strong, smart and part-automaton like Mila. But when master criminal Jack Dandy inadvertently breaks her heart, she takes off, determined to find an independent life, one entirely her own. Her search takes her to the spangled shadows of the West End’s most dazzling circus.
Meanwhile, taken captive in the Aether, Griffin King is trapped in an inescapable prison, and at the mercy of his archenemy The Machinist. If he breaks under the hellish torment, The Machinist will claim his powers and control of the Aether itself, and no one in either world will be safe- especially not Finley Jayne and her misfit band of friends.
Finley plunges headlong into the Aether the only way she knows how, by temporarily dying. But she cannot parry The Machinist’s maneuvers for long. To defeat him for good, Griffin will have confront his greatest fear and finally come face to face with the destructive power he wields.

Review- I think that this is going to be the last book Cross’ Steampunk series. She wraps up the major problems from the first three books. The plot is very fast in this one everything happens in three days, with some flash backs for Jack and Mila. But they are not the many focus of the story. It is really about finishing off The Machinist and Griffin stop being afraid of his power. Even through the plots is so fast I was bored for much of this book. I think that is because Cross is done with this series. She may want to write more with these characters at a later point in their lives but she is done with this part. Also I never had an doubt about Griffin making it out alive or that Jack and Mila would make up. Maybe I am just too old to be reading this series.

I give this book Three stars out of Five. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Ironskin

Today's post is on Ironskin by Tina Connolly. It is the first in her Ironskin Trilogy. It is 302 pages long and is published by TOR. The cover has the main character in a silver dress with her iron mask on looking at the reader. The intended reader is someone who likes retellings, steampunk, and some romance. There is no sex, some mild language, and some violence in this book. The story is told from the first person perspective of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Jane Eliot wears an iron mask. It's the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain- the ironskin.

When a carefully worded listing appears for a governess to assist with a 'delicate situation'- a child born during the Great War- Jane is certain the child is fey-cursed, and that she can help.
Teaching the unruly Dorie to suppress her curse is hard enough; she certainly didn't expect to fall for the girl's father, the enigmatic artist Edward Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her scars and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio... and come out as beautiful as the fey.
Jane knows Rochart cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what is neither of these things is true? Step by step unlocks the secrets of her new life- and discovers just how far she will go to become whole again.

Review- It was one of the best books that I have read so far this year. Everything about this book was great. The writing was solid, both original and at the same time you can see the effects of Jane Eyre on the style. The plot was mysterious, grand without being overdone. The character's were again unique but you can see where Connolly is borrowing them from. The descriptions were wonderful, lush and clear. In fact the only thing that I did not like about this novel is that it is only 302 pages long instead of the full length of Jane Eyre but that is it. Everything else I loved about it. The Fey were powerful and dangerous. The mystery was drawing and frightening when understood. Jane is an excellent character. She is smart but unsure of herself and her face. I look forward to reading the next in the series Copperhead.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

The Falconer

Today’s post is on The Falconer by Elizabeth May. It is the first in her Falconer trilogy. It is 378 pages long and is published by Chronicle Books. The cover has the main character holding a dagger with her long red hair. The intended reader is young adult but if you like stories where the fairies are what they are in the old legends then give this one a try. There is language, no sex, and lots of violence in this book. The story is told from first person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- One girl’s nightmare is this girl’s faery tlale.
She’s a Stunner.
Edinburgh, 1844. Eighteen-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, has everything that a girl could dream of: brains, charm, wealth, a title- and drop-dead beauty.
She’s Lair.
But Aileana only looks the part of a aristocratic young lady. She’s leading a double life: She has a rare ability to sense the sithichean- the faery race obsessed with slaughtering humans- and, with the aid of a mysterious mentor, has spent the year since her mother died learning how to kill them.
She’s a Murderer.
Now Aileana is dedicated to slaying the fae before they take innocent lives. With her abilities and her knack for inventing ingenious tools and weapons- from flying machines to detonators to lighting pistols- ruthless Aileana has one goal: Destroy the faery who destroyed her mother.
She’s a Falconer.
The last in a line of female warriors born with a gift for hunting and killed the fae, Aileana is the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity. Suddenly, her quest is a lot more complicated. She still longs to avenge her mother’s murder- but she’ll have save the world first.

Reivew- This is an interesting and well written historical fantasy. It’s like Buffy the Vampire Slayer set in 1884 Scotland. The Fae are as unhuman and ruthless as the old stories have them. Aileana is a good and interesting heroine. She has weakness, faults, and she has growth. Aileana wants to kill the fae that ate her mother to the point of blind madness. The side characters add color to this story that would otherwise be just blood red. The story happens very quickly with everything going south then ending with everything still up in the air. Normally those kind of cliff hangers annoy me because I think that good writer’s do not need to do that but not this time. I think that this is where the first book just ended for the writer. I am interested where this story is going because there are so many ways. I hope that the love triangle does not take center stage. I personally am pulling for the human but that is because I have read the old stories about the Fae.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The Clockwork Dagger

 

Today’s post is on The Clockwork Dagger by Beth Cato. It is the first in her Clockwork Dagger Duology. It is 358 pages long and is published by Harper Voyager. The cover has the two main character’s looking cool and steampunky on it. There is some language, no sex, and violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who likes steampunk, fantasy, good characters, and interesting magic. The story is told from the third person close of the main character Octavia. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Orphaned as a child, Octavia Leander was doomed to grow up on the streets until Miss Percival saved her. Gifted with incredible powers, the young healer is about to embark on her first mission, visiting suffering cities in the far reaches of the war-scarred realm. But the airship on which she is traveling is plagued by a series of strange and disturbing occurrences, including murder, and Octavia herself is threated.
Suddenly, she is caught up in a flurry of intrigue: the dashingly attractive steward may be one of the infamous Clockwork Daggers- the Queen’s spies and assassins- and her cabinmate harbors disturbing secrets. But the danger is only beginning, for Octavia discovers that the deadly conspiracy may reach the crown itself.

Review- This was a great read. I had just so much fun with it. The writing is good, the world-building is solid, the dialog is sharp, and the heroine is not stupid. The world-building is slow but I think that is a good thing. As we travel with Octavia we learn more about the world. The reader is not overwhelmed with everything about the world all at once. We learn about Octavia and her role as a healer. We learn about the war. We learn as Cato makes the world very real. I loved Octavia as a healer. She was a good one and not useless. She has brains and she uses them. The love story is important to the overall story but I did not feel that is over shadowed it. The hero is pretty good too. He is a veteran of the long standing war but he still believes in good and good things. He believes in  Octavia and he trusts her. He does so much right. I am really looking forward to the next book and I will be reading more of Ms. Cato as she writes it. I recommend this book.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library but I will be buying it when I get paid next.

The Ring & The Crown

Today’s post is on The Ring & The Crown by Melissa De La Cruz.  It is the first in her The Ring & 

The Crown  series. The it is 372 pages long and is published by Hyperion. The cover is a pinky-red 

with the title in black and a young woman at the bottom wearing a flower hat. The intended reader is 

someone who likes fantasy, Jane Austen like novels, and love triangles; older young adult and adult 

only. There is sex, talk of sex and rape, some violence and some strong language. The story is told 

from the third person perspective of the main character's moving from one to another chapter by 

chapter.  There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Magic is power, and power is magic. Once they were inseparable, just two
little  girls playing games in a mighty castle. Now Princess Marie-Victoria, heir to the mightiest
empire in the world, and Aelwyn Myrddyn, a bastard mage, face vastly different futures.

Quiet and gentle, Marie has never lived up to the ambitions of her mother, Queen Eleanor the 

Second. 

With the help her Merlin, Eleanor has maintained a stranglehold on the world's only source of magic. 

While the enchanters faithfully serve the crown, the sun will never set on the Franco-British Empire.

As the annual London Season begins, the great and noble families across the globe flaunt their 

wealth and magic at parties, teas, and, of course, the lavish Bal du Drap d'Or, the Ball of the Gold 

Cloth.

But the talk of the season is Ronan Astor, a social-climbing American with only her dazzling beauty 

to recommend her. Ronan is determined to make a good match to save her family's position. But 

when she falls for a handsome rogue on the voyage over, her lofty plans are imperiled by her desires.

Meanwhile, Isabelle of Orleans, daughter of the displaced French royal family, finds herself cast 

aside by Leopold, heir to the Prussian crown, in favor of a political marriage to Marie-Victoria. 

Isabelle arrives in the city bent on reclaiming what is hers. But Marie doesn't even want Leopold- 

she has lost her heart to a boy a future queen would never be allowed to marry.

when Marie comes to Aelwyn, desperate to escape a life without love, the girls form a perilous plan 

to endangers now only the entire kingdom but the fate of the monarchy.

Review- This was a fun read. There is drama, love triangles, magic, and some surprising tough 

issues. Leopold is a bad guy. He treats women like his personal sex toys and no one dares to try and 

stop him. Marie-Victoria just wants to be loved and she knows that Leopold will only make her 

miserable. Aelwyn wants her father to trust her and she wants power. I could go on but I think that 

you get the idea. All the characters are on the edge of adulthood and they do not know what to do 

with their personal desires or how to handle others. The character's are interesting and the plot is 

solid. But the stronger themes are a bit of surprise. Isabelle has been raped by some of the men in her

life and she does not know it. Leopold has magic on him that makes people want to please him. So 

Isabelle thought she wanted to have sex with him until she is out of his power. In addition to having 

a cousin who is a rapist. Aelwyn has a similar experience. I was uncomfortable with those parts of 

the story but I think that you should be. Someone being raped or deceived into sex is something that 

people should be uncomfortable with. I think that De La Cruz handles it well. I will be reading the 

next book in the series to see where she is going with it.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from 

my local library.