Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger (ARC)

Soulless by Gail Carriger
Parasol Protectorate Series 1

Genre: Steampunk historical urban fantasy romance
Release date: September 29th 2009
Pages: 384

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she is being rudely attacked by a vampire to whom she has not been properly introduced!

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire, and the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible.

Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?


This book is a mix of things and I fell head over heels for it. I had heard a lot about steampunk and after reading this I want more. I love a good alternate history/earth kind of book.

And yes I know I put up a lot of genres there, but there is a lot of different things in here, and how to tell what is what. Also I am first now getting the whole steampunk idea. What not to miss is that it's also comedic. It's so witty, and even if it's not laugh out loud haha, it has that witty streak through out the whole book that I often sat there with a smile on my face. I loved the banter between the main characters.

Alexia is a great heroine, witty, smart and not like her half sisters or other women. She is also soulless, a soulsucker as the vampires call her kind. She has been a spinster from once, her mother does not know about her condition, but because of her Italian look she has been on the shelf for 10 years. But she is quite happy there, and she has the freedom to at least try to do what she wants.

But then there is the nasty incident with a rude vampire who does not introduce himself instead he goes straight for her neck. Vampires have more manners than that since they, werewolves and ghosts now are a part of society. She is of course shocked and does what she has to do. here the book starts, and we get to meet Lord Maccon who she has come across now and then. The alpha wolf from Scotland who came and took control over the London pack. Rather rude, and very much a werewolf. Can she figure out things without running in to him all the time?

Lord Maccon, well yes I fell for him. He is all alpha, and the dance between those two is great, she has really succeeded with creating chemistry between them. They are so annoyed by each other, but at the same time there is something more there. Something a soulless really should not feel for a werewolf, because what would others say? How I wanted them together.

Werewolves. vampires and ghosts are a normal sight in England, and the rest of the world these days. In England they are a part of society, and it's a nice twist to it. The setting feels normal.

This is a great and funny book. There is the romance, the comedy of manners, and the insight in how things could perhaps have been. The main characters are lovely, and very rude. The side characters are nice, especially Lord Akeldama, her vampire, and very eccentric friend.

For lovers of paranormal, historical, urban fantasy, steampunk or romance, this is a book that I can recommend. It's a nice read, and I am so happy I was lucky to win it, and discovering yet another great side genre. With likeable characters, a funny story and that little bit of extra this is a good start to a series. The next book will be released in the spring of 2010, and I hope to hear more of this author in the future.

"Hot In Here" - Sophie Renwick (ARC)

Hot In Here by Sophie Renwick

She wasn't his dish-until someone turned up the heat

Genre: Contemporary romance
Publication date: June 2nd 2009
Paperback: 288 pages

"I like my women the way I like my recipes: fast, easy and full of variety.”

Bryce Ryder in known as a playboy who dates sexy women and change between them like he changes his socks. His career is in jeopardy after a article in a magazine where he has been quoted saying certain things. He may be from a wealthy family but he wants to make it on his own and has started a successful restaurant, and has his own cooking show (Heating it up). A show watched by home wives who doesn't take kindly to his words and image. He needs to be saved.

In steps Jenna McCabe, his long time friend who owns a PR firm and she is known to be good at it. If anyone can help him it's her. What he doesn't know is that she has been in love with him for 10 years and for her 28th birthday she has promised herself him with a ribbon around. But that will be hard since he was badly hurt in the past by a woman who took half of what he owns, and he is not the commitment guy these days. Now is the time for Bryce to finally see her as the woman she is, and not just same plain girl and hopefully she can keep him too.


You remember what your mothers told you about playing with your food, well after this you will look at it another way. Yes food is sure meant the be played with and it gets played with a lot in this book. He is a wonderful chef, she loves his cooking, mix in with some sexual tension built to explode and what we have is something that boils over. A warning for people who think food should only be eaten from a plate. Because it will get hot in here. This book is steaming.

There will be more books in this series about the Ryder brothers. We quickly meet Tyson, and I can't form an opinion about him, but he will be around later. We see more of Trey and Jenna's sister Sarah, and I sure want to read more about them. They can't seem to stand each other, but at the same time... Yes it will be fun. These two has seen that Jenna is in love with Bryce, and Trey wants his brother to open his eyes too so they set off scheming on how to get them together. But those kinds of plans are a sure bet to fail because love can't be built on lies and deception.

There is also a third sister Emily, she does sound interesting, and I have my ideas on what she is up too. Her we will see more about in the other books I am sure. The McGabe farm is another set stone in the story. Here they grew up and Jenna has wonderful memories of her and Bryce there. It's also a part of the story how her family struggles to keep the farm as they risk to loose it, and everything on it will be destoyed.

I like the theme of friends becoming lovers and learning to know each other in a different way, and look at each other in a different light. They seem so right for each other and I wonder why they didn't get it sooner. But love is blind, and Bryce needed to learn to look past things. I am sure glad he did because they are sweet together, and I get the little jealous streak that comes out of him when he sees her with someone else. Then we do see that he want her, and he begins to admit it to himself. Admit that he may always have felt it. I do like Jenna, she is not a plain girl, she is Strong ans sweet, and Bryce is sexy and I wouldn't mind him cooking me something.

And there is sex, food sex, and a lot of others things that weaves into the story perfectly. It doesn't feel like there is sex for the sake of sex. No, it's there for a reason, and there is so much more than just it too. There is the story about them both, the farm, and their siblings. The book has a story to tell and it's being told.

It's a great story, and because of the way it's written it leaves you wanting more about the Ryder brothers and the McGabe girls.



Other reviews of the book can be found here: Lea @ Closetwriter, Vampfangirl @ Lovin Me some Romance and Barbara @ Happily ever After

received a copy for a review

Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre (ARC)

Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre
A Corine Solomon Novel

18 months ago Corine Solomon left her lover and crossed the border to Mexico. She was fleeing her past and her gift, as a "handler". Which means that when she touch something she can know its past, and sometimes its future. She used it to find missing people - and that is now why people want to find her.

That is how her ex, Chance shows up in her store. He has an ability that gives him luck. Someone they both care about has gone missing and he needs her to find that someone, not to mention that he needs her too. Their search leads them into a world of dark magic, demons, zombies, witches and people that show her that she is not as alone as she first thought.



I really did enjoy this book, and I knew it from the start. It is that kind of book that makes you want to continue reading, you feel the urge to know what is going to happen. It's an easy book to read, and it was just what I needed. It sure lifted my spirits after reading some not so good books. i felt that good books are still being written and this is one of them.

First of all I liked Corine, she is colourful (and then I am not talking about her clothes). I didn't know what to think about Chance at first, just as she struggled with her own emotions for him. But then I did want to see them together. Though I do confess that sexy cop Jesse Saldana sure stirred the blood when he showed up. He was a lovely surprise in the book.

This book sure had a bit of everything thrown in and perhaps that is why I liked it. It did feel different, and a good book needs that to stand out. What is better than dark magic, and then zombies too. Yes even those fitted in.

I do like a book that makes me giggle, and smile. Oh it has some really good bits in it, one that involved a conversation about some cakes and ice-cream after dinner sure made me giggle while I read it.

So if you are on a lookout for a book invloving paranormal, romance, danger, and some fun times then this is the book for you.

How I am supposed to say something bad now..... ok, the cover, when Corine was described in the book I sure thought about her a certain way and that cover doesn't seem like her. The jeans, yes, but not the blouse. Lol, yes this really seems to be the only negative thing I can think of.


I will give this book 4/5 because I enjoyed it a lot, and I would recommend it to others.

It also made me want to read more of Aguirre's books since I haven't read her sci-fi books yet.

Blue Diablo comes out on April 7th