Summary
Alexa is juggling her life in the city, her unusual housing situation, her toddler daughter, her daughter's guardian, and all the "usual" paranormal business in her life. Then she is summoned by a vampire queen to Egypt where mysteries abound. Final book in the Alexia Tarabotti series.
Review
I was sad to read this would be the last book in the series, but I have found out that the author is working on two new series related to this world that will come out in 2013. I love the dynamics in this book that are brought about by Alexa's daughter, Prudence. I think she really brings a freshness to the series. The rest of the regulars are present and continue to be fun to spend a few hours with. You can read about the rest of the books in the series here. I have really enjoyed this take on the paranormal fervor that has taken over much of the publisher world in the last few years. The steampunk elements make for another fun and unusual twist compared to most of the books I read.
4 out of 5 stars
Recommended for: sci-fi/fantasy/steampunk fans, fans of the previous books in the series, romance fans who want paranormal elements in their stories.
Cautions: romantic relationships and alternate lifestyles
Here are a few more new titles releasing this month:
Bliss ~ Katherine Littlewood (2/14)
Cinnamon Roll Murder ~ Joanne Fluke (2/28)
Death, Taxes, and a Skinny No Whip Latte ~ Diane Kelly (2/28)
Timeless ~ Gail Carriger (2/28)
Mask of the Sensei (Ninjago Graphic Novel #2) (2/28)
Splat Takes the Cake ~ Rob Scotton (picture book - 2/28)
Summary
Alexia is very pregnant and very tired of being targeted for murder because of her child. A plan to end the assassination attempts seems to be working when Alexia hears from a discombobulated ghost that the queen is in danger. Alexia decides she must put her personal drama aside and stop the plot against the queen - if only she can figure the plot out in time.
Review
If you are new to Alexia's story, you should know she lives in a world where vampires and werewolves roam free, and Alexia, who is the only person who can return a supernatural person to their human form just by a touch, works closely with the queen and the leadership of the two supernatural groups to keep everyone in line. But Alexia's "gift" makes some of the supernaturals very nervous - not to mention their fears about any child she might have. In this particular part of the story, Alexia is as spunky as ever. She is a great character - she tries to follow the rules for someone in her station, but reality and practicality often push her to take things into her own hands.
4 out of 5 stars
Recommended for: fans of supernatural fiction or "steampunk." The series is often shelved in the science fiction/fantasy section of bookstores, so if you like that sort of story with a strong female protagonist, give Alexia a try. The first book in the series was Soulless. You can read about the series here.
Cautions: Romantic relationships described in some detail as well as references to alternate lifestyles.
Alexia is in danger and outside the protection of her pack (you'll have to read Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate)
to find out why). With her husband in a drunken stupor, and her vampire confidant, Lord Akeldama, gone without a trace, Alexia needs to find her own answers. With Madame Lefoux, the inventor, and Floote, the butler, Alexia sets off for Italy in search of solutions for her current dilemma and information about her father.
I love Alexia's bluntness and her no-nonsense approach to most things. She has an excellent sens of humor. I also love the character of Professor Lyall who was developed nicely in this book. He is solid and dependable, with a dry humor, and he embraces is role in the pack and executes it well.
Great series. I was pleased to note that there will be another book in the series, Heartless, sometime next summer.
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[A sequel to Soulless]
Everyone is suspicious of Alexia when all the supernaturals in London lose their supernatural-ness. But one preternatural couldn't possibly affect an entire city, could she?
Alexia, and an inventor named Madame Lefoux, head off with an entourage to Scotland to look for answers to the "changeless" problem. Unfortunately, some supernaturals seem so certain Alexia is the problem, they want to see her dead. [A revelation at the end sheds more light on why some want Alexia dead.]
This is a hard book to talk about without giving away too much. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Alexia is still a delightful character - frank, inquisitive, and bold. The supernatural set she interacts with on a regular basis are distinct and delightful to spend time with. Carriger does a great job building her world and doling out information to the reader without just "dumping" it.
Next week I'll review the third book in the series.
[I am an Amazon Associate. If you link to Amazon from one of my blogs and purchase something, I receive a small percentage of the purchase price.]
These are just a few of the books I am looking forward to this month.
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A few weeks ago I mentioned the book Changeless as one I was eager to read. I realized after I posted that that Changeless was actually the second book in the series. Book one, Soulless, is about a woman in Victorian England named Alexia Tarabotti. In Alexia's London, vampires, ghosts, and werewolves are an accepted part of the culture. Alexia is her own sort of "supernatural," though - she has no soul and therefore can keep a vampire from producing fangs and a werewolf from changing into the wolf. Mysterious things are happening around London and Alexia keeps finding herself in the middle of them - including a vampire attack and a near kidnapping. Her relationships with the Alpha werewolf and an ancient and well-connected vampire draw her further into the mystery until she is in mortal danger.
I have said before, I am picky about my fantasy reading. Up until now the only "urban fantasy" books I have really enjoyed have been Shanna Swendson's Enchanted series and Patricia Briggs' Alpha and Omega series. This book was the best sort of urban fantasy for my tastes. The author's voice and pacing are a lot of fun. I could *hear* Alexia's voice and she sounds (in my head) like someone I'd like to hang out with. She's smart and sassy, my favorite kind of leading lady. I checked this book out from the library, along with the sequel, and by chapter 11, I had bought my own copies of both. (A third, Blameless, is due out September 1, 2010).
While this book is labeled and shelved in the fantasy/science fiction section of the book store, there is a romantic element to the plot, and more sensitive readers should be aware of that.
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Stumbled onto this title recently at the library and decided to check it out. The tag line on the cover is "A novel of vampires, werewolves and dirigibles." I don't generally like vampire books, but that sentence drew me in. We'll see if it delivers on that fun premise.
[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]
