The Gentleman’s Daughter (The Gentleman Spy Series #2), By Bianca Schwarz ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Espionage, Historical Fiction, Misogyny, Mystery, Physical Abuse, Regency England, Romance, Secret Societies, Sex Trafficking, Sexual Abuse, Suspense, Trauma

Thanks to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 6th, 2021

352 Pages

Synopsis: The Gentleman’s Daughter is the second in a darkly entertaining historical romance mystery series set in Regency London…

Sir Henry, secret agent to the crown, must marry a lady above reproach to afford his illegitimate daughter entrance into society. After narrowly escaping marriage to a highborn bigot, he takes an assignment in Brighton, leading him to an abandoned abbey full of dark whispers, and a sinister secret society, the very one Henry has been investigating for three years.

Isabella is as beautiful as she is talented, but falling in love isn’t part of her plans. She only wants to paint, forget her painful past, and keep her overbearing mother at bay. But gaining one’s independence isn’t easy for a woman in 1823, so Isabella embarks on a fake courtship with Sir Henry. Soon, love and a painting career no longer seem so utterly incompatible.

But when the man Isabella fears most kidnaps her, all appears lost. Realizing the kidnapper is part of the same organization he is investigating, Henry chases after them. Entrapped in a web of secrets, both Henry and Isabella must face old enemies, and fight for their happily ever after. (Goodreads)

The Gentleman’s Daughter is a wonderful sequel to The Inkeeper’s Daughter, that much to my delight, surpasses the first book in The Gentleman Spies series.

I was immediately pulled into the story and easily finished this in two sittings. Like its predecessor, this is not your typical frothy Regency romance, as it deals with much darker themes such as: sex trafficking, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and espionage. 

My main issue with The Innkeeper’s Daughter was that I was uncomfortable with the romance between Henry (who is in his 30s), and Eliza (who is barely 18). Thankfully the age difference between Henry and Isabella is not such a yawning chasm. Although their romance is a slow burn through much of the book, I almost immediately loved them as a couple and was rooting for them the entire time. There are some fairly steamy scenes between the two, but they’re well written and believable. While I thought the middle of the book was noticeably slower than the rest, this wasn’t a huge issue and it didn’t take long for the action to pick back up. The ending wrapped up any loose ends ends which left me quite pleased.

Although The Gentleman’s Daughter is the second book in this series, you needn’t have read the first as this does an excellent job recapping without taking away from the current storyline. What I love about this series thus far is though it maintains the Regency setting which I love, Bianca Schwarz is unafraid to go deeper and darker, which makes The Gentleman Spies series quite unlike most others of its genre.

Outrageous (Rebels of the Ton #2), By Minerva Spencer ~ 2.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Diversity, Humor, Regency England, Romance, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 29th, 2021

304 Pages

Synopsis: From handsome hostage…

When Eva de Courtney kidnaps Godric Fleming, her only plan is to stop the irritating earl from persecuting her beloved brother. But once she has the intriguing rogue in the confines of her carriage, she longs to taste the passion she senses simmering beneath his rugged exterior. Her forbidden plan is foiled, however, when Godric turns the tables, taking her hostage instead—and demanding they marry at once…

To unexpected suitor…

The last thing Godric wants to do is make the fiery, impulsive Eva his wife, despite her delectable mouth and alluring innocence. He knows from experience that nothing is forever, not even love. But honor demands he do right by the lady, no matter how stubbornly Eva tries to hold on to her independence. And while the road to the Scottish border is beset with danger, Godric’s greatest challenge is keeping his hands—and his heart—from his captivating bride-to-be… (Goodreads)

First, I love the covers for the first two books in this series. They’re so lovely and eye-catching. After finishing the previous book, Notorious, I was looking forward to Outrageous because although Eva and Godric were secondary characters, they played pivotal roles in the story and I found them quite interesting. I knew that Godric was older than madcap Eva, but I didn’t realize there was a seventeen year age difference. While I ordinarily don’t judge these types of relationships in this case it left me feeling very discomforted as Godric thought of Eva as a child through most of the book. It got better later in the book, but it threw cold water on the er, more passionate scenes. I enjoyed seeing more of Eva in this, but I have to admit that her unthinking and immature actions at times frustrated me. I did like the secondary characters which has me cautiously optimistic for the forthcoming books in the series, but overall, Outrageous wasn’t for me.

Sixteen Scandals, By Sophie Jordan ~ 2.0 Stars

Tags

Regency England, Romance, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books For Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: May 25th, 2021

256 Pages

Synopsis: In this irreverent regency romp, by New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan, newly minted sixteen-year-old Primrose Ainsworth finds herself on a wayward birthday adventure through London with a mysterious hero—perfect for fans of “My Lady Jane.”

The youngest of four daughters, Primrose Ainsworth is used to getting lost in the shuffle. But when her parents decide to delay her debut into English society, Prim hatches a plan to go rogue on the night of her sixteenth birthday.

Donning a mask, Primrose escapes into the infamous Vauxhall Gardens for one wild night. When her cover is nearly blown, a mysterious stranger intercedes, and Prim finds an unexpected partner in mischief…and romance. But when it’s revealed her new ally isn’t who he says he is, her one night of fun may last past dawn.

In this frothy regency romp, perfect for fans of Austen-esque flirtation, and Shakespearean hijinks, sometimes a little scandal can be a good thing. (Goodreads)

I went into Sixteen Scandals knowing it wasn’t going to be a life-changing, deeply profound read, but was expecting a cute, frothy little escape. Instead, I found it to be puzzling and somewhat annoying. 

I liked Primrose and her mysterious love interest, Jacob, but even though there weren’t any graphically passionate scenes between them, I would have been more comfortable if she had been at least a year older. The secondary characters were either frustratingly underdeveloped or utterly reprehensible, particularly Primrose’s mother, who I kept wishing someone would have the gumption to shove out a window. 

There were a couple of scenes I felt were inappropriate for the young teen audience this is geared toward. Both take place during Primrose’s rebellious night at the infamous Vauxhall Gardens. One has an unseen couple having a rather amorous encounter, complete with sound effects. The other involves a bear baiting spectacle that was cruel and graphic enough, I had to skip over it. 

The ending was okay, but the book was too short with little character or plot development. I’m quite frustrated to tell the truth, because Sixteen Scandals had a lot of potential, especially in regards to gender roles during this time period, but instead, everything was rushed, including a really annoying hint at a possible same sex romance between one of Primrose’s sisters and her best friend, in the last couple of pages. It was as though the author thought “Oh, this is a YA book and I haven’t included any LGBTQ characters so I’d better throw a couple in!” Was Sixteen Scandals the worst YA book I’ve ever read? No, but there are far better series for teens in this genre, such as The Lady Janies series by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, and Cindy Anstey’s entertaining Regency romances and mysteries. If you have a teen looking for something magical or supernatural mixed in, I recommend the Cecelia and Kate series, by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermere, and the Lady Helen series, by Alison Goodman. And of course, you can’t go wrong with Jane Austen herself.

Notorious (Rebels of the Ton #1), By Minerva Spencer ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Diversity, Historical Mystery, LGBTQ, Regency England, Romance, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: November 24th, 2020

352 Pages

Synopsis: The cure for a willful wife…

Drusilla Clare is full of opinions about why a woman shouldn’t marry. But that doesn’t stop the rush of desire she feels each time her best friend’s brother, notorious rake, Gabriel Marlington, crosses her path. So imagine her dismay when she finds herself in the clutches of a scoundrel, only to be rescued by Gabriel himself. And when Gabriel’s heartless—and heart-pounding—proposal comes, it’s enough to make Dru’s formidable resolve crumble…

…is a smitten husband.

She’s sharp-tongued, exasperating, and due to one careless moment—about to become his wife. Still, something about Drusilla has Gabriel intrigued. First there’s the delicious flush of her skin every time she delivers a barb—and then the surprising sensual feel of her in his arms. Gabriel even finds himself challenged by her unusual philosophies. And when he discovers a clandestine rival for Dru’s affection, his temperature flames even hotter. But the real threat to their happiness is one neither of the newlyweds sees coming. If they’re to save their future—and their very lives—they’ll need to trust in each other and their growing love.

I have to confess that for the first few chapters I thought Notorious was going to be the second book in a row that would turn out to be a disappointment. I thoroughly disliked the shrewish Drusilla, and after a brief scene where Algerian born Gabriel, victim blames (he almost immediately apologizes), her, I wasn’t overly fond of him either. But then, much to my surprise they started growing on me. What begins as a cold marriage of convenience realistically develops into a true love match which was pleasurable to follow. The secondary characters are equally interesting, notably the villainous Godric Fleming, Earl Visel. Having done his best to torture Gabriel from the beginning of the book, his backstory is revealed about halfway through, and it makes him much more complex and sympathetic. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next book, Outrageous, which will feature him and Gabriel’s stepsister and Dru’s best friend, the impetuous Lady Eva de Courtney. Overall, Notorious is a thoroughly entertaining Regency romp with surprisingly diverse characters.

The Body In The Garden(Lily Adler Mystery #1), by Katharine Schellman ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Regency England

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: April 7th, 2020

Synopsis:

London 1815. Newly widowed Lily Adler returns to a society that frowns on independent women, but she’s no stranger to the glittering world of London’s upper crust. At a ball throw by her oldest friend, Lady Walter, she expects the scandals, gossip, and secrets. What she doesn’t expect, is the dead body in Lady Walter’s garden.

Lily happened to overhear the man just minutes before he was shot: young, desperate, and attempting blackmail, but she’s willing to leave the matter to the local constables, until Lord Walter bribes the investigating magistrate to drop the case. Stunned and confused Lily realizes she’s the only one with the key to catching the killer.

Aided by a roguish navy captain and a mysterious heiress from the West Indies, Lily sets out to discover whether her friend’s husband is mixed up in blackmail and murder. The unlikely team tries to conceal their investigation behind the whirl of London’s social season, but the dead man knew secrets about people with power. Secrets that they would kill to keep hidden. Now Lily will have to uncover the truth, before she becomes the killer’s next target.

My third book of 2020, and another pretty cover. I’m happy to say that after a slightly slow beginning, The Body In The Garden more than lives up to its appealing packaging.

The best way to describe Lily Adler is to say she’s like a female Sherlock Holmes, only without his annoying attributes. She could have come across as too good to be true, but the author skillfully makes her likable and relatable whilst also being a woman very much ahead of her time. Captain Jack Hartley and Ofelia Oswald are equally appealing and well-rounded characters who perfectly complete the team. I’m looking forward to seeing how the relationship between them continues to develop in subsequent books. While I’m not a historian, I think Schellman credibly captures Regency London in her physical descriptions and the way Society worked. Best of all, the mystery was intriguing and kept me guessing as to the villain’s identity almost right up to the very end.

Overall, The Body In The Garden is a promising beginning to this new historical mystery series. I highly recommend this to fans of the genre, particularly if you like authors such as Deanna Raybourn and Tasha Alexander. 

The Dark Days Club Blog Tour ~ The Dark Days Deceit (Lady Helen #3), by Alison Goodman

Tags

Dark Days Blog Tour, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal Fiction, Regency England, Romance, Suspense

This is the third and final part of The Dark Days Club Book Tour, hosted by Penguin Young Readers.

Release Date: November 20th, 2018

527 Pages

Synopsis: The thrilling genre-bending conclusion to Lady Helen’s demon-hunting adventures, set in the Regency world.

Lady Helen has retreated to a country estate outside Bath to prepare for her wedding to the Duke of Selburn, yet she knows she has unfinished business to complete. She and the dangerously charismatic Lord Carlston have learned they are a dyad, bonded in blood, and only they are strong enough to defeat the Grand Deceiver, who threatens to throw mankind into chaos. But the heinous death-soaked Ligatus Helen has absorbed is tearing a rift in her mind. Its power, if unleashed, will annihilate both Helen and Carlston unless they can find a way to harness its ghastly force and defeat their enemy.

In the final book of the trilogy that began with THE DARK DAYS CLUB and continued with THE DARK DAYS PACT, Lady Helen’s story hurtles to a shocking conclusion full of action, heartbreak, and betrayal.

I have one word after finishing The Dark Days Deceit: BRILLIANT! Okay, I have a few more like perfect, exciting, heartbreaking, etc. Everything came together perfectly in this thrilling conclusion. I honestly couldn’t have asked for anything more.

It had plenty of action and jaw-dropping plot twists which gave me a couple of late nights because I simply couldn’t put the book down. Looking back at the previous two books it’s obvious how much the characters have grown, especially Helen and Darby.

The amount of historical detail the author included again without detracting from the storyline again amazed me. She doesn’t shy away from anything including a character preparing to use a chamber pot.

While the romance once again took a backseat to the action, it was a beautiful slow burning one that had some truly swoon-worthy moments. The bittersweet ending tied everything up, yet left open the possibility of perhaps a spinoff series. I’m hoping this isn’t wistful thinking on my part because I’m just not ready to say goodbye to these characters. The Dark Days Club trilogy has become one of my favorites and if you love Regency fiction, the paranormal, and larger than life characters, I HIGHLY recommend these books!

About the Author: 

Alison Goodman writes in a variety of genres, ranging from the genre-bending DARK DAYS CLUB titles to the EON/EONA fantasy duology, to the YA science fiction thriller SINGING THE DOGSTAR BLUES. She was a D.J. O’Hearn Memorial Fellow at Melbourne University, holds a Master of Arts degree and mentors emerging writers. A long-time lover of the Regency period, she has a treasure trove of material to be viewed at https://www.pinterest.com/alisongoodman/ She’s online at http://www.darkdaysclub.com and on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/alisongoodman 

The Dark Days Deceit can be found at:

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Days-Deceit-Helen-Novel/dp/0670785490/ref=sr_

Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dark-days-deceit-alisongoodman/1128072856;jsessionid=1AEFD2CFCB16

Goodreads – https://goodreads.com/book/show/26061583-the-dark-days-deceit?from_search=true

Week 3 Blog Tour Schedule:

November 12 – Eater of Books ~ https://eaterofbooks.blogspot.com – Favorite Quotes

November 13 – @darkfaerietales ~ https://www.instagram.com/darkfaerietales_/ – Creative Instagram Picture 

November 14 – Darque Dreamer Reads  ~ https://darquedreamerreads.wordpress.com – Review with gifs and Moodboard 

November 15 – My Friends are Fiction ~ https://www.instagram.com/myfriendsarefiction – Review and Creative Instagram Picture

November 16 – By Hook Or By Book ~ https://cadburypom.wordpress.com – Review with gifs

 

The Dark Days Club Blog Tour ~ The Dark Days Pact (Lady Helen #2), By Alison Goodman

Tags

Adult Fiction, LGBTQ, Mystery, Regency England, Romance, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense

This is part two of The Dark Days Book Tour, hosted by Penguin Young Readers. After reading the second book in this series — The Dark Days Pact — I’m once again figuratively hitting  myself over the head for waiting so long!

Release Date: Available Now

496 Pages

Synopsis: June 1812. Just weeks after her catastrophic coming-out ball, Lady Helen Wrexhall—now disowned by her uncle—is a full time member of the demon-hunting Dark Days Club. Her mentor, Lord Carlston, has arranged for Helen to spend the summer season in Brighton so that he can train her new Reclaimer powers. 

However, the long-term effects of Carlston’s Reclaimer work have taken hold, and his sanity is beginning to slip. At the same time, Carlston’s Dark Days Club colleague and nemesis will stop at nothing to bring Helen over to his side—and the Duke of Selburn is determined to marry her. The stakes are even higher for Helen as she struggles to become the warrior that everyone expects her to be.

My one complaint about The Dark Days Club, was that I thought it took a little too long to get to the meat of the story. I don’t know if it was just the mood I was in, but with The Dark Days Pact, I was immediately sucked in. I actually read a little over half the book in my first sitting! There’s a lot more action in this sequel, as Lady Helen learns exactly what’s expected of her new duties as a Reclaimer. Balancing her secret life and maintaining her outward persona as a young lady of the Ton in 1800s England is proving to be more and more difficult. Having to disguise herself as a man while working requires certain sacrifices, including cutting her hair. And worse, she’s forcibly drawn into the politics of the Dark Days Club itself, which puts her into the position of keeping secrets from her mentor, Lord Carlston.

While their relationship has had it’s erm, prickly moments, things are now even more strained between them. In addition to Lady Helen’s secret mission, Lord Carlston is struggling with an unknown illness, and it’s one that his chief nemesis in the Dark Days Club is more than willing to exploit. And then there are the feelings that Lady Helen harbors for the Duke of Selburn. You all know my feelings toward love triangles. They’re one of my biggest pet peeves because I’ve rarely seen them work in a positive manner in a story. However, this (sort of) love triangle not only didn’t make me want to hurl the book at the wall, it also makes rational sense within the context of the story. Just as Lady Helen is torn between her role as a defender of humanity against the deceivers, and that of a respectable young lady in England’s high society, she is also torn between the brooding Lord Carlston who respects her and expects much from her despite her sex, and the adoring attentions of the Duke who wants to put her up on a pedestal. It seems pretty obvious (fingers crossed) Lady Helen will wind up with Lord Carlston who admires and respects both her intellect and her other attributes, but I can understand why she’s somewhat drawn to Selburn with his connections to her old life, despite her frustration with his insistence on being her protector. I also have a developing theory regarding Selburn, and if I’m correct, it will abolish any lingering feelings that Lady Helen has for him.

In the previous book, Lady Helen already was showing strong, feminist characteristics, and in this book she continues on that journey, growing more confident and self-assured as the story progresses. Aiding her on that journey is her maid Darby, who is not only her aide in her paranormal duties, but steadfastly backs her up when it comes to what is expected of her. I absolutely love their relationship! The other characters’ backstories are developed more, especially those of Lord Carlston’s aides, Mr. Hammond and his twin sister Lady Margaret. As difficult as things are today for anyone who’s LGBTQ, back in the 1800s it was even worse and this is realistically and heartbreakingly depicted by the scorn and disgust Mr. Hammond is forced to endure, as well as the danger being a “Molly” could bring, as it was an executable offense.

And finally, the supernatural world building against the all too real life for the upper and lower classes in Regency England continues to be a wonderful combination. It boggles my mind how the author can portray this historical period with such accuracy, even including actual historical figures and incidents, while adding all these supernatural elements.

In my estimation, The Darks Days Pact has surprisingly surpassed its fantastic predecessor, and it’s left me extremely excited to dive into the conclusion, The Dark Days Deceit, which is being released November 20th, 2018. 

~

About the Author:

Alison Goodman writes in a variety of genres, ranging from the genre-bending DARK DAYS CLUB titles to the EON/EONA fantasy duology, to the YA science fiction thriller SINGING THE DOGSTAR BLUES. She was a D.J. O’Hearn Memorial Fellow at Melbourne University, holds a Master of Arts degree and mentors emerging writers. A long-time lover of the Regency period, she has a treasure trove of material to be viewed at https://www.pinterest.com/alisongoodman/ She’s online at http://www.darkdaysclub.com and on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/AlisonGoodman

The Dark Days Pact can be found at:

 

Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dark-days-pact-alison-goodman/1123752847;jsessionid=9602CB07B357E29

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26061581-the-dark-days-pact

Tour Schedule:

WEEK ONE

September 10 – Eater of Books ~ https://eaterofbooks.blogspot.com – Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Read the Dark Days Club

September 11 – @darkfaerietales ~ https://www.instagram.com/darkfaerietales_/ – Creative Instagram Picture

September 12 – Darque Dreamer Reads ~ https://darquedreamerreads.wordpress.com – Review with gifs and Moodboard

September 13 – My Friends are Fiction – https://www.instagram.com/myfriendsarefiction – Creative Instagram Picture 

September 14 – By Hook Or By Book – https://cadburypom.wordpress.com – Review with gifs

WEEK TWO

October 8 – Eater of Books ~ https://eaterofbooks.blogspot.com – Moodboard 

October 9 – @darkfaerietales ~ https://www.instagram.com/darkfaerietales_/ – Creative Instagram Picture 

October 10 – Darque Dreamer Reads – https://darquedreamerreads.wordpress.com – Review with gifs and Moodboard 

October 11 – My Friends are Fiction – https://www.instagram.com/myfriendsarefiction – Review and Creative Instagram Picture 

October 12 – By Hook Or By Book – https://cadburypom.wordpress.com – Review with gifs

WEEK THREE

November 12 – Eater of Books ~ https://eaterofbooks.blogspot.com – Favorite Quotes

November 13 – @darkfaerietales ~ https://www.instagram.com/darkfaerietales_/ – Creative Instagram Picture 

November 14 – Dark Dreamer Reads ~ https://darkdreamerreads.wordpress.com – Review with gifs and Moodboard 

November 15 – My Friends are Fiction – https://www.instagram.com/myfriendsarefiction – Review and Creative Instagram Picture 

November 16 – By Hook Or By Book – https://cadburypom.wordpress.com – Review with gifs 

 

The Dark Days Blog Tour ~ Hosted By Penguin Young Readers

Tags

Alison Goodman, Dark Days Blog Tour, Mystery, Paranormal Fiction, Regency England, Suspense, The Dark Days Club

Penguin and Viking have put this re-read campaign together to get everyone ready for the third book, The Dark Days Deceit which is set for release November 20th, 2018. I’m especially excited to be part of this campaign and blog tour for the next three months because I never got a chance to read the first two books: The Dark Days Club and The Dark Days Pact. They’ve been on my tbr, but somehow I just never found the time. Well, after finishing the first book, I’m now figuratively hitting myself over the head for waiting so long. Without further ado, I present:

Release Date: Available Now

472 Pages

Synopsis: London, April 1812. 

On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears—and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

One thing I always look for in a historical fiction book is whether it actually makes me feel like I’m in that time period. Dark Days Club delivers on this. Alison Goodman has obviously done her research and makes it apparent that the Regency era wasn’t all pretty dresses and balls. There are some “ew” moments like what ladies had to put in their hair to keep their elaborate hair styles, and even what some had to do while waiting the many hours when being presented to the Queen and needed to go to the bathroom. Don’t worry. I won’t share any details with you! Suffice it to say I’m quite happy now to have born in the modern day era.

What I’ve loved about Goodman’s previous books is that she always brings something new and unique to the YA fantasy genre, and she does so with this book as well. She takes the beautiful dresses and balls, and shadows and gritty streets of 19th century London and adds her own creative touch. The world building is phenomenal and the paranormal elements are blended in perfectly. The exquisite detailing helps further bring this story to life. 

Strong-willed Lady Helen Wrexhall is not only dealing with the high expectations of the Ton, but also those of her well-meaning aunt and disagreeable uncle, who have raised her and her older brother Andrew after their parents mysteriously perished when they were young. Adding to this are the gossip and rumors which say that her mother was a traitor. She tries to fit in, but she knows there’s something different that sets her apart. And once she learns what that something is, she has to chose between the role in Society she’s been bred for, and the more exciting but dangerous world of Lord Carlston and the Dark Days Club.

When the dark, brooding Lord Carlston enters the picture, things begin to make more sense, and Helen is introduced to a whole new world where her unusual abilities are desperately needed. Their relationship doesn’t quite evolve into romance, but there’s definitely chemistry between them, and I can’t wait to see how their relationship evolves.

The action doesn’t actually begin until you’re about 150 pages in, and I confess I was getting a little impatient because I wanted to know what was going on, but that’s not to say the preceding pages are boring, especially if you love Regency novels. The ending perfectly sets things up for the second book which I’m now quite eager to dive into.

Overall, The Dark Days Club is a delightful beginning to this series and I highly recommend it for older teens and adults who like historical fiction mixed with paranormal elements. It’s an engrossing and enjoyable read that has left me wanting more! 

~

About the author:

Alison Goodman writes in a variety of genres, ranging from the genre-bending DARK DAYS CLUB titles to the EON/EONA fantasy duology, to the YA science fiction thriller SINGING THE DOGSTAR BLUES. She was a D.J. O’Hearn Memorial Fellow at Melbourne University, holds a master of arts degree and mentors emerging writers. A long-time lover of the Regency period, she has a treasure trove of material to be viewed at https://www.pinterest.com/alisongoodman/ She is online at http://www.darkdaysclub.com and on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/AlisonGoodman

The Dark Day Club can be found at:

 

Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dark-days-club-alison-goodman/1121865109?ean=9780670785476&st

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15993203-the-dark-days-club

~

Tour Schedule:

WEEK ONE

September 10 –  Eater of Books ~ https://eaterofbooks.blogspot.com – Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Read The Dark Days Club

September 11 – @darkfaerietales ~ https://www.instagram.com/darkfaerietales_/ – Creative Instagram Picture

September 12 –  Darque Dreamer Reads ~ https://darquedreamerreads.wordpress.com – Review with gifs & Moodboard

September 13 – My Friends are Fiction ~ https://www.instagram.com/myfriendsarefiction/ -Review & Creative Instagram Picture 

September 14 – By Hook Or By Book ~ https://cadburypom.wordpress.com – Review with gifs

WEEK TWO

October 8 – Eater of Books ~ https://eaterofbooks.blogspot.com – Moodboard

October 9 – @darkfaerietales ~ https://www.instagram.com/darkfaerietales_/ – Creative Instagram Picture

October 10 – Dark Dreamer Reads – https://darquedreamerreads.wordpress.com – Review with gifs & Moodboard 

October 11 – My Friends Are Fiction ~ https://www.instagram.com/myfriendsarefiction/ – Review & Creative Instagram Picture

October 12 – By Hook Or By Book ~ https://cadburypom.wordpress.com – Review & gifs

Week Three 

November 12 – Eater of Books ~ https://eaterofbooks.blogspot.com – Favorite Quotes

November 13 – @darkfaerietales ~ https://www.instagram.com/darkfaerietales_/ – Creative Instagram Picture

November 14 – Dark Dreamer Reads ~ https://darquedreamerreads.wordpress.com – Review with gifs & Moodboard 

November 15 – My Friends Are Fiction ~ https://www.instagram.com/myfriendsarefiction/ – Review & Creative Instagram Picture 

November 16 – By Hook Or By Book ~https://cadburypom.wordpress.com – Review & gifs

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore, by Kelly Jones ~ 3.5 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Mystery, Regency England, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 19th, 2017

304 Pages

Synopsis: The year is 1818, the city is London, and 16-year-old Annis Whitworth has just learned her father is dead and all his money is missing. And so, of course, she decides to become a spy.

Annis always suspected that her father was himself a spy, and following in his footsteps to unmask his killer makes perfect sense. Alas, it does not make sense to England’s current spymasters—not even when Annis reveals she has the rare magical ability to sew glamours—garments that can disguise the wearer completely.

Well, if the spies are too pigheaded to take on a young woman of quality, then Annis will take them on. And so, she crafts a new double life for herself. Miss Annis Whitworth will appear to live a quiet life in a country cottage with her aunt, and Annis-in-disguise as Madame Martine, glamour artist, will open a magical dressmaking shop. That way she can earn a living, maintain her social standing, and in her spare time, follow the coded clues her father left behind and unmask his killer.

It can’t be any harder than navigating the London social season, can it?

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore is a cute Recency romp, that had me laughing out loud more than once. 

Annis is a refreshing young miss. Despite her magical talent, she’s no special snowflake. She’s intelligent, but very naive and because of this, makes mistakes and has to rely on others to help fix them. Annis is not afraid to get her hands dirty, and in addition to investing her father’s mysterious death, takes time out to help others.

Millie, the maid to Annis and her aunt, actually wound up being even more interesting to me. She’s far more practical than Annis, and saves the day more than once. I also enjoyed the close friendship that developed between these two girls despite their dissimilar backgrounds. There’s a lot of “girl power” moments courtesy of these two as well as some secondary female characters.

I loved the fantasy elements added to this, but while there’s an acceptance that magical abilities are par for the course, there’s no other details on how they came to be. Also lacking is some character development, specifically in regards to men. There’s a hint of a potential future romance between Annis and her father’s lawyer, Mr. Harrison, but to be honest, by the last page I knew nothing more about him than I did at the beginning of the book. 

The mystery is intriguing and although I guessed who the villain was about halfway through the book, it still kept me reading. The ending isn’t a cliffhanger, but it leads me to believe there will be additional books.

Overall, Murder, Magic, and What We Wore may be a little short on details and development, but is still a quick and enjoyable read. I’m definitely interested in where Kelly Jones takes her characters and story next.

 

 

A School For Unusual Girls ~ By Kathleen Baldwin – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Alternative History, Intrigue, Napoleon, Regency England, YA Fiction

 I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: May 19, 2015

It’s 1814. Napoleon has been exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School For Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don’t fit high society’s expectations are banished to Strange House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. At least that’s the impression their parents are under. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies – plans that will entangle the girls in a dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war. 

After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while attempting a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House by her unforgiving parents. But, Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible – until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Forced together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads – or their hearts.

I really enjoy alternative history novels, so I was quite intrigued by the first book in this new series. While there’s a few similarities with other books in this genre, A School For Unusual Girls stands very much on it’s own. Kathleen Baldwin does a wonderful job capturing the feel of the Regency period and its structured social norms. Georgie is an appealing character who is extremely smart and chafes at the restrictions that have been placed upon her. Even though she knows her life would be much easier if she just acquiesced to her parents wishes, she stays true to herself and her ideals. Once ensconced at Stranje House, Georgie finds herself among four other girls whose various talents can be of use to the Crown. Because of the ongoing efforts of Napoleon’s supporters, it’s Georgie’s experiments in creating an invisible ink that have drawn the most interest. While they don’t quite hit it off in the beginning, because of their working closely together Sebastian and Georgie slowly fall in love. While I liked the two of them, I found their romance to be the weakest part of the story. It seemed to be almost forced and it definitely was predictable. It was reminiscent of Elizabeth and Darcy’s from Pride and Prejudice. Usually I can’t wait for two romantic leads to find each other, but in this case I was rather ambivalent. I honestly think that this is one of those YA books that would have been fine without a romance.  I loved the entire cast of characters including Emma Stranje. They all have backstories which are hinted at and I hope that even more will be revealed in the next book. While Georgie is obviously the heroine of the story, she wouldn’t be able to accomplish what she does without the others. The author does a great job at ratcheting up the tension and when the end came it was exciting and satisfying. This is the first book in a new series so it’ll be interesting to see how all the characters develop. If you like the work of Libba Bray, and Gail Carriger then I recommend you try this.