Audiobook Review: Of Silk and Steam by Bec McMaster, Narrated by Alison Larkin

I heard so many great reviews about “Of Silk and Steam” by Bec MacMaster that I wanted to find out for myself how her stories were. Although this is the fifth book in this steampunk series and I had not read or heard any of the previous stories in the series, I really enjoyed it. McMaster had me hooked from the first line and even though it is a lengthy story I was never bored. I always wanted to know what would happen next and how the story would unfold.

The story had me hooked by the heroine- Lady Armina or Mina as she is known- being a kickass. She is a complete alpha woman! I was so impressed with her that she completely made me enjoy this story. Her rival is Leo Barrons. They have had a very antagonistic relationship for years. They were on opposite sides and Mina swore to kill Leo out of vengeance. Leo is a perfect match for Mina. He loves making her angry and endearingly calls her “Duchess” to make her angry at him. Aside from the sexual tension between them, Leo and Mina are on opposites sides of the Ivory Tower in London. There is a big secret that Leo has been carrying for years and inadvertently Mina exposes his big secret.

Mina is the right hand woman of the Queen. Although there are blue bloods and other such creatures that are half human and half machine, the Queen is entirely human. She sits on the thrown of the tower with the awful prince consort. As the prince consort tries to fend off rebellions in his kingdom Mina and Leo have to figure out if they can trust each other enough to over thrown him.

Aside from the tension between Mina and Leo is the tension of the rookeries and the rebels in Echelon. I have to confess that there were parts I was lost and the author named characters from the previous books. I would highly recommend hearing or reading the previous books in the series since the plots are a lead up to what finally happens in “Of Silk and Steam.” Nonetheless I was glued and riveted by the story.

A huge part of this enjoyable factor for me was Alison Larkin. I’ve reviewed books by her before and she is a great narrator. She knows when to draw a reader in with her character impersonations and when to step back and take the place of a narrator. I really enjoyed and recommend this audiobook and plan to read or hear the previous ones in the series.

**Audiobook Provided by Publisher**

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Review: Of Silk and Steam by Bec McMaster

If you have followed the London Steampunk series to this point, you already know what an awesome series this is. (If you have not read the rest of the series, I highly recommend you do so before embarking on book #5 of this series. It will be more enjoyable to read them in order.)

Of Silk and Steam is the high drama, dark, atmospheric, action-packed, and very sexy conclusion to the London Steampunk series. I have loved every book in the ongoing story of the struggle between London's human classes and the aristocratic blueblood class. I actually pre-ordered the finale so it would appear on my e-reader as soon as it was released in March. However, reluctant to see it end, I left the book on my e-reader, unopened until recently.

In Of Silk and Steam, there are many characters since it brings back the best of the series right along with the stars of this book. I'll start with the main characters, Leo Barrons and Aramina Duvall (Mina). The story revolves around these two bluebloods.

Barrons has been in the entire series. At first I viewed him as a bit of a milquetoast character. He was there, important to the plot, but, in the end, everyone else did the heavy lifting. Through the series, his role has grown in size. His character has grown as well. In Of Silk and Steam, the history that shaped the man is revealed. No spoilers, here, but now I really like Barrons and the story that needed to be told is right there in Of Silk and Stream.

Aramina Duvall, Countess of Casavian, is just a little bit scary. Scary in a good way. Mina is super tough and takes no crap. And she is smart. I like how she reads a book to learn how to pilot an airship. Of course, there is no guarantee that book smart is the same as airship smart. Barrons' father was responsible for the death of Mina's father and she would like nothing more than to exact revenge.

The sexual tension between Barrons and Mina is present from the prologue up to consummation. It is intense and it is hot! Barrons knows he wants Mina. But Mina not only despises Barrons for who he is, but she is also sure she does not want any man. These are just the attitudes of a hero and heroine you need to create some great dialog and steamy almost-sex scenes. Mmmm! Barrons and Mina are a very steamy couple.

Aside from Barrons and Mina, there are several interesting characters in Of Silk and Steam, including the Duke of Caine – Barrons' father, Queen Alexandra, and the prince consort. The prince consort has been the ultimate antagonist throughout the series. Powerful, power-hungry, egotistical, controlling and devious. Chapter two starts out ominously with the words “Is the prince consort mad?” I do so like really evil character.

Of course the main characters from the rest of the series show up in Of Silk and Steam. Blade and Honoria, Esme and Rip, Lena and Will, Lynch and Rosalind, Garrett and Perry and the Nighthawks. When the time comes to confront the maniacal prince consort, it will take the combined efforts of everyone if the people of London stand a chance.

One of the things I like about this series, is that Ms. McMaster has come up with the best steampunk machines. I've loved the metaljackets since book one. Well, not loved, because they are truly heinous automatons, but they are so deliciously, coldly evil, they deserved my appreciation. Now there are the Cyclops. Who would not want to own a Cyclops. Strong, flexible, and large. If I had my own cyclops, nothing and no one could stand in my way. Well, they could, but it would be a really bad idea! Plus, I would be really tall when I wore my Cyclops suit.

The endless struggle of London's human and mech classes against the blueblood aristocracy has been fascinating for 5 novels and 2 novellas. Renegade bluebloods like the Devil of White Chapel and Nighthawks, werewolves and vampires give the series its paranormal flavor, while the fascinating machines like metaljackets bring in the steampunk element. All in all, London Steampunk has been a series I have thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to seeing what Bec McMaster comes up with next!

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Review: The Curse of the Brimstone Contract by Corrina Lawson

Mystery, magic, adventure and romance mixed to precise and perfect proportions make Corrina Lawson's The Curse of the Brimstone Contract one of my new favorites.

Steampunk is one of my genres of choice. So I am always on the lookout for a something new in that classification. The Curse of the Brimstone Contract fits the bill very nicely. Steam power makes machines run in 19th century London. But magic makes the wheels of commerce turn. Only the upper class possesses mage power and the nobility will do everything to ensure it stays that way.

Joan Krieger is the merchant seamstress who aspires to design trend-setting fashions and is on her way to getting a rich client to endorse her latest design. But her client dies under mysterious circumstances. When it appears the the cause of the death may have been magical, the family business comes under suspicion. It seems that Joan's prospects are dashed and her family's business is doomed.

Needing to know the truth about the suspicious death, Joan hires Gregor Sherringford to help her find the facts. Gregor is aloof, intelligent and seems to command a little magic himself. But his true genius is revealed when he recognizes Joan's quick mind and determined nature and agrees to team up with her.

There are many things I liked about The Curse of the Brimstone Contract. But mainly I like the two main characters.

Having a seamstress as a main character appeals to the needleworker in me. I've sewn all my life and even went through stage of designing my own clothes. I related to Joan's thrill of creating a new and unique design, especially one that is appreciated by others. Joan is creative and very intelligent. She is ever aware of class and sex differentiations that determine too much of her life. But her insistence in knowing the truth is what makes her bloom into a force to be reckoned with, whether you are her friend or her foe.

Gregor is a genius. He is also opinionated (arrogant), distracted, observant, enigmatic and seemingly magical. He is not always forthcoming, which only serves to annoy Joan. But overall, Gregor is a likable man, with an honorable nature that that is both attractive and sexy. Joan and Gregor make a formidable investigative team. And as they investigate the case, they get closer to each other.

The author mentions Arthur Conan Doyle as an influence. Yes, I can see a bit of Sherlock Holmes in Gregor. And for you Sci Fi fans, in Gregor, I also saw hints of The Doctor.

One of the ongoing themes in the book is the source of magic. Supposedly, only the upper echelon of society is supposed to be able to wield magic. Of course, when you think about that, there are all sorts of flaws with that theory, the primary one being that nobility does not consort only with nobility. So where did the magic come from in the first place? There is one theme that I really loved. The idea that energy of creativity is a source of magical power. That a person's ingenuity has the power to alter the rules of the world as we know it. I fear this idea spells trouble for the nobles of London.

There is so much more than a mystery to be solved in this book. Romance. Of course there is romance. Gregor's and Joan's ability to merge their minds to solve a mystery presages the sweet uniting of their hearts. In addition to mystery and romance, there are class issues, an arranged marriage (unwanted), old magic, curses, new magical ability, and secrets. So many secrets. There is not a boring page in The Curse of the Brimstone Contract. I hope to be reading another book in the series soon!

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Review: Tangled in Time by Pauline Baird Jones

Okay, quick background. It is 2010. Humans are out there in space, in another galaxy. Of course, it is a big secret on earth. But the military is all over the other galaxy. It takes a while to get to there from Earth. But once there, humans discovered a portal that allows a person to travel instantaneously through space and time. Kind of like Star Trek's transporter, only better.

At the beginning of Tangled in Time, Colonel Carey is testing the portal, when an unexpected impact lands him somewhere that is not where he expected to go. Soon he meets Olivia Carstairs, who has traveled to that point via steam-powered transmogrification machine. She, also, is not where she expected to be. By the way, she looks like Mary Poppins, complete with parasol. And the Colonel wants “to kiss her like it was his job.”

What follows is the adventures and romance of two people, well, Tangled in Time. The title may be giveaway, but in case it is not, the Colonel and Olivia are from two different time periods and end up in a third time period. Oh, there is some time tangling going on.

Steampunk elements abound - steam and brass, a teapot, an Individual Discovery Velocipediator, a Mapulator Retrieval Apparatus and some pretty fancy goggles. Plus, the aforementioned parasol. If it seems a stretch to mix steampunk with Sci Fi, it is. A good stretch. Like when you have been sitting for a long time and you stand up to stretch your legs.

The romance is light-hearted. The fact that the Colonel and Olivia come from different centuries has no effect on their mutual respect and pretty much instant attraction. I would describe their relationship as sweet and funny.

In a Sci-Fi/Steampunk adventure, you would expect there to be a bad guy. There is the mysterious Professor Smith, who seems like he is not on the side of right, but you really can't tell, which makes him all the more intriguing. Professor Smith is an ambiguous character that will most likely be around for another story in the series.

Tangled in Time is the third book in the Project Enterprise series. Though there are a few references that you will not get unless you read the first two books, I think Tangled in Time can be be read as standalone. The feel of it is entirely different from the first two, but writing style is very similar.

Speaking of writing style, Ms. Jones' is unique. She has a direct, smart-alecky voice that is also very smart and witty. I love it!

Ms. Jones writes in a variety of genres, but I think she excels at Sci Fi Romance. The first two books in this series, The Key, and Girl Gone Nova are on my favorites shelf.

The e-book version of Tangled in Time has just the one story. There is a print version of the book that also includes two bonus Project Enterprise stories. But print, or digital, Tangled in Time is Sci-Fi/Steampunk Romance at its best. It is only about 80 pages long, so if you are looking for a quick, extremely entertaining read, I highly recommend it.

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Review: The Clocks of London by Pamela Lyn

I'm a fan of Lyn Brittan's Outer Settlement Agency series and I enjoy steampunk. So when The Clocks of London came out, it was easy to make the decision to spend my hard earned cash on it. Good decision!

Loved it! The Clocks of London is wonderfully original and utterly charming. Set in an alternate London that exists in tunnels covered by ocean waters, the setting is certainly unique. Ms. Lyn populates this world with quirky, entertaining characters that are out to solve a mystery the rest of London doesn't even realize exists.

Moira Gear sets out to demonstrate her talent as an investigator. Overshadowed by her brother and a family that does not acknowledge her talents, she has much to prove. When she notices that poor children are going missing, she decides to find out why, since nobody else has taken notice. A chance meeting with her brother's friend, Patrick Clock – also an investigator – gives her a resource and friend to help with her investigation. And, it turns out, they can help each other.

Ms. Lyn's singular writing style is refreshing. Her characters say what is on their minds instead of internalizing before speaking. Moira is essentially lacking any kind of internal filter which leads her to humor, shock, amaze and endear her to Patrick. And to the reader I would add. I think Patrick was smitten from the moment he met her, as was I.

Moira's relationship with Patrick's foster brother, Kennerick, is a love/hate relationship. Make that hate/love. So – fun also! Kennerick is an interesting character and I am looking forward to reading more about in The Doctor of London, #2 in the Waters of London series.

And somewhere in this amazing setting with its unconventional characters, there is a mystery to be solved. I do love a good mystery! Actually, there is more than one mystery. So, lots of investigating, which is exactly what Moira and Patrick are made for. Well that is not all they are made for. Did I mention there is a romance also?

So, if you like your history altered and laced with mystery and romance, The Clocks of London may be right up your alley. Or should I say tunnel?

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Feature and Giveaway: Of Silk and Steam by Bec McMaster

ENEMIES. ALLIES. LOVERS.

When her beloved father was assassinated, Lady Aramina swore revenge. The man responsible is well beyond her grasp, but his dangerously seductive heir, Leo Barrons, is fair game. When Mina obtains evidence proving that Leo is illegitimate, she has the means to destroy both the killer and his son, a man who troubles her heart and tempts her body.

A woman of mystery, Mina’s long driven Leo crazy with glimpses of a fiery passion that lurks beneath her icy veneer. He knows she’s hiding something, and he’s determined to unravel her layer by silken layer. He just doesn’t expect the beautiful liar to be the key to overthrowing the corrupt prince consort…or to saving his own carefully walled-off heart.

Bec McMaster lives in a small town in Victoria, Australia and grew up with her nose in a book. A member of RWA, RWA (Australia) and RWNZ, she writes sexy, dark paranormals and steampunk romance. When not writing, reading, or poring over travel brochures, she loves spending time with her very own hero or daydreaming about new worlds.

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Review: The Clockwork Dagger by Beth Cato

The Clockwork Dagger is the first book in an wonderfully compelling series that features Octavia Leander, a healer with supernatural abilities. A little dark and a lot mysterious and magical, Ms. Cato's first novel is extraordinary!

Octavia is about to embark on her first mission as a trained healer in a land that is scarred by an ongoing war and rife with hardship. However, the route to Octavia's destination is marked with intrigue and betrayal. On her journey she is joined by Viola, Alonzo and Leaf. To say too much about these characters might be a spoiler. Suffice it to say, each has their own importance to the story and their presence only adds interest and potential for excitement in this story and in the next.

I really liked Octavia. She has such a good spirit and only wants to make life better for everyone. She wants to use her ability to heal to make the world a better place. But betrayal shakes her spirit and leads her to hard choices. And she comes to realize her healing abilities are magical and great and are coveted by all sides. Sides in a war that it appears no one will, or should, win.

The Clockwork Dagger is about Octavia grasping for her place in the world and determined not to let others dictate that place. While this is not an unusual theme in the fiction I read, I really liked the heart of this particular heroine. She is strong and smart and brave, but has enough self-doubt to need her friends and her magic to help her find her path.

The first book in the in the series ends with resolution of some of the plot lines, but also on a bit of a cliffhanger. Only a really good book can pull this off and not make me angry! As it is, I just wish I had not read this book until the second book was also out so I could read them back-to-back. The Clockwork Crown will not be available until June, but in the interim, The Deepest Poison, a story about Octavia's beginnings,will be available in April. I will look forward to both of them. When I purchased The Clockwork Dagger, it was in the $9 range, as is the anticipated price for The Clockwork Crown. I certainly got my $9 of enjoyment out of it but Dagger is currently in the $3 range at Amazon, making it an even better buy!

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Interview with Author Bec McMaster and Giveaway

Meet Bec McMaster, author of Forged by Desire.

Award-winning author Bec McMaster lives in a small town in Australia and grew up with her nose in a book. A member of RWA, she writes sexy, dark paranormals and steampunk romance. When not writing, reading, or poring over travel brochures, she loves spending time with her very own hero or daydreaming about new worlds.

Find Bec at:

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ARC Review: Gilded Hearts by Christine D’Abo

Usually I don’t read too many paranormal stories because I find that I have a difficult time identifying with the characters. I was really intrigued by this story because of the backstory of Jack the Ripper. Even though it’s a horrid historical occurrence the mysterious identity of who he was continues to intrigue. There are many different aspects of this story that are engaging. I was also interested to learn about Piper Smith and Sergeant Samuel Hawkins.

The story begins with the murder of a woman of the night. Immediately we are told that it’s Jack the Ripper who is responsible because he leaves a note. This is a dark story and there are some difficult scenes to read. I struggled at first to understand the main characters and there were so many layers behind these characters that they provided as much of a mystery as Jack the Ripper. There are a lot of characters and they all play a very interesting role. I enjoyed that all the characters were relevant to the story and interesting. It became like putting the pieces of a puzzle together. Piper Smith and Sergeant Samuel Hawkins bring many interesting aspects to the story in both the present and in the past. At first we know that Piper and Samuel grew up together but Samuel “abandons” Piper. This is a big issue between them and even though they share a very strong history in the present day they are practically strangers. Piper is trying to prove herself as an archivist. She has a machine that grabs the memories of the murder women. As an archivists the memories become hers. Since they can be a very scary to hold on to all those memories, Piper goes through a memory erasing exercise. Some memories she still wants to keep. Although Piper and Samuel share an intense history there is always friction between them. They are on opposite sides. Samuel, once a part of the Archivists' Guild with Piper, left with no explanation. Samuel is now a Sergeant at the King’s Sentry. This conflict becomes a major part of the story as it unravels. The feelings that Samuel has for Piper are evident but he keeps resisting them and trying to protect her. Samuel is your typical tortured, handsome alpha male.

This story is really a mixture of everything: science fiction, murder mystery and romance. It really has a little of everything but it mixes well. Sci-Fi readers will easily love this story since there are so many wonderful scenes (and gadgets) filled with imagination. Overall, I enjoyed the story, even though there were parts that I struggled through. Piper and Samuel made the story a great read for me, I wanted them to come to terms with their past and gain perspective on their future. I also really loved how Piper evolved from a shy and fragile young girl to a strong and in control woman. As Samuel and Piper are forced to work together they have to learn to trust. But the question becomes who they can trust. From the first memory extraction, Piper discovers clues that the murder might be an Archivist. She follows her instinct and keeps the information from her mentor Master Ryerson. Master Ryerson and Samuel definitely don’t like each other, and the reasons become evident. This was a very intense and intriguing read. This was my first read by Christina d’Abo but I look forward to reading more especially the next addition to The Shadow Guild.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Guest Post with Emma Jane Holloway and Giveaway

Meet Emma Jane Holloway, author of A Study in Silks.

Ever since childhood, Emma Jane Holloway refused to accept that history was nothing but facts prisoned behind the closed door of time. Why waste a perfectly good playground coloring within the timelines? Accordingly, her novels are filled with whimsical impossibilities and the occasional eye-blinking impertinence—but always in the service of grand adventure.

Struggling between the practical and the artistic—a family tradition, along with ghosts and a belief in the curative powers of shortbread—Emma Jane has a degree in literature and job in finance. She lives in the Pacific Northwest in a house crammed with books, musical instruments, and half-finished sewing projects. In the meantime, she’s published articles, essays, short stories, and enough novels to build a fort for her stuffed hedgehog.

Places to fine Emma Jane:

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Guest Post with Author Zoë Archer and Giveaway

Please give a warm welcome to authors Zoë Archer and Nico Rosso  Both are celebrating the release of their newest book in the Ether Chronicles series, Skies of Gold and have stopped by to chat.

Zoë Archer is an award-winning romance author who thinks there's nothing sexier than a man in tall boots and a waistcoat. As a child, she never dreamed about being the rescued princess, but wanted to kick butt right beside the hero. She now applies her master's degrees in Literature and Fiction to creating butt-kicking heroines and heroes in tall boots. She is the author of the acclaimed BLADES OF THE ROSE series and the paranormal historical romance series, THE HELLRAISERS. She and her husband, fellow romance author Nico Rosso, created the steampunk world of THE ETHER CHRONICLES together. Her new gritty Victorian romance series, NEMESIS, UNLIMITED, launched this Spring. Zoë and Nico live in Los Angeles.

Places to find Zoë:                     Places to find Nico:

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Guest Post with Author Theresa Meyers and Giveaway

Today I am happy to welcome back to RFTC, author Theresa Meyers. Theresa is gearing up for the release of The Chosen, book 3 in her Legend Chronicle series and has stopped by to chat. Please give Theresa a warm welcome.

The progeny of a slightly mad (NASA) scientist and a tea-drinking bibliophile who turned the family dining room into a library, Theresa Meyers learned early the value of a questioning mind, books and a good china teapot.

A former journalist and public relations officer, she found far more enjoyment using her writing skills to pen paranormal novels in the turret office of her Victorian home.

She’s spent nearly a quarter of a century with the boy who took her to the Prom, drinks tea with milk and sugar, is an adamant fan of the television show Supernatural, and has an indecent love of hats.

Places to find Theresa:

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ARC Review: Touch of Steel by Kate Cross

I don't even know where to begin with this book. First I will say that prior to reading Touch of Steel, I had not read anything in the Steampunk genre before. Secondly, why haven't I? Yeah, I loved this book. For real. I love the mix of modern with historical. Kate Cross created a world that felt real to me. Not only did she create this wonderful fantastical world, but she created a group of characters that I was really taken with and I found myself on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen with everyone.

Claire Brooks is a spy on a mission. She is out to kill the man that she feels is responsible for the death of her beloved brother Robert. She almost succeeds when she is injured and then captured by the Wardens, a rival spy group. When she makes a deal with the Wardens that she will give up any secrets of the Company's (the spy group she works for) in exchange for her release to enact vengeance on her brother, she is in turn placed into the custody of Alistair Payne one of the Wardens top spies.

Alistair wants nothing to do with Claire Brooks. There is something about her he doesn't trust. He knows she is hiding something and he's bound to find out what it is. Yet, he made a promise that he would escort her to find the man responsible not only for the death of her brother, but the man responsible for his best friend Lucas's memory loss. Even though Alistair and Claire dislike each other immensely both can't help but find the other attractive. Though beyond a small kiss, neither acts on the growing attraction.

Slowly but surely the farther along in their travels they get the harder they are finding it to resist one another. Both find that they really can't trust the other, especially in the case of Alistair with Claire. Alistair has been burned and deceived by women in his past so it's even harder for him to let Claire in. Yet, even though he can't really trust her he is quickly realizing that he just might not care.

As for Claire she's realizing the more time she spends with Alistair the more she is growing to like and appreciate him. In a different world he would be the man she would want to marry but here and now, with her future looking all but non existent, she knows that she must keep focused on her mission, you take down the man who killed her brother.

I can't say how much I enjoyed this book. The action, adventure, the romance, it was all so very good. Kate Cross crafted a winner with Touch of Steel and I very much it enjoyed it. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in her Clockwork Agents series. If it's half as good as Touch of Steel was I know I'm in for a treat.

**ARC provided by Author**

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