Re-Review: Heaven's Queen (Rachel Bach)

Title: Heaven's Queen
Series: Paradox, Book 3
Author: Rachel Bach
Publisher: Orbit
US Release Date: April 22, 2014
Genre: Adult Paranormal Science Fiction
Content Rating: Adult (heavy violence, some language, child mistreatment, sexual content)
Format Read: Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Indiebound | B&N | BookDepo | Azon
Summary:

From the moment she took a job on Captain Caldswell's doomed ship, Devi Morris' life has been one disaster after another: government conspiracies, two alien races out for her blood, an incurable virus that's eating her alive.

Now, with the captain missing and everyone -- even her own government -- determined to hunt her down, things are going from bad to impossible. The sensible plan would be to hide and wait for things to blow over, but Devi's never been one to shy from a fight, and she's getting mighty sick of running.

It's time to put this crisis on her terms and do what she knows is right. But with all human life hanging on her actions, the price of taking a stand might be more than she can pay.

*          *          *

Series: This is the third and final book in the Paradox trilogy. All are released and available. You can read my review of Book 1: Fortune's Pawn here, and re-read review of Book 2: Honor's Knight here.

After my original 2014 read of the trilogy, this third and final book was my least favorite because, as my original brief review declared, there was "way too much introspection and discussion where there should've just been action, and because of this the climax dragged on way to long (almost half the book)." That opinion now surprises me after this 2020 re-read because, while I can see in retrospect where those feelings came from, I didn't hold to them this time around. 

There are really two parts/halves to Heaven's Queen: on-the-run, and the climax. The first half sees Devi trying to keep away from capture while at the same time make some kind of progress towards doing some good with the cards she's been dealt. It's a lot of action-rest-infodump-repeat sequences, but this read I felt the action-to-discussion ratio was pretty well balanced. I also enjoyed the longer bouts of downtime (except for the romantic sappiness it encouraged) along with the bits of quieter galactic exploration as Devi visited some interesting planets and stations in search of help and answers. 

And then the second-half climax kicked in. Almost all breathless and violent action, Devi fights tooth and nail to see her wild plan through against literally all odds. While it is long, it's a thrill-ride with a few twists that granted I wasn't particularly impressed with but they kept the story and the characters on their toes until the explosive end. Despite all of the physical and emotional pain the story concludes on a surprisingly happy note with everything wrapped up rather neat and tidy - not exactly plausible, but I've never enjoyed the depressive aftertaste of a melancholy finish so I gratefully ignored the inconsistency and reveled with Devi in the win of a job well done. 

Through it all Devi maintained her kick-arse personality and moral convictions and remained the best reason to read this series, although the sappy romantic struggles created by her perceived weakness of her feelings for Rupert took up a bit too much time in my opinion. Rupert continued to be his charming if tortured self and only grew more adorable despite the nauseating sappiness he brought to the book - and brought out in Devi. But theirs is a sweet and fierce female-dominated romance and, for all its passion, Ace me definitely considers it a favorite.

Conclusion: While it had a little more discussion and sappiness than I prefer and the paranormal plot continued to be ridiculous right to the finish, overall I enjoyed this re-read more than my original 2014 one due to the on-the-run first half and thrill-packed second. The end wrapped up way too neat for the violent mess the story was, but I appreciated that most of the characters got what they wanted. A must-read if you enjoyed the first two.

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

Series Conclusion: While I felt the paranormal aspects diminished this otherwise thrilling sci-fi action-adventure trilogy about a kick-arse female warrior and her violent escapades, Devi was a solid and engrossing character and despite my problems with the mystical plot I pretty thoroughly enjoyed myself (some language, sex, and sappiness aside). If you like a decent paranormal sci-fi read then this is series not to be missed.

Series Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach
Honor's Knight by Rachel Bach
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
Zero Repeat Forever by G.S. Prendergast
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Nyxia by Scott Reintgen

Review: Network Effect (Martha Wells)

Title: Network Effect
Series: Murderbot Diaries, Book 5
Author: Martha Wells
Publisher: Tor.com
US Release Date: May 5, 2020
Genre: Science Fiction Suspense
Content Rating: Adult (strong violence, language)
Format Read: Hardcover
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Indiebound | B&N | BookDepo | Azon

Summary:

Murderbot returns in its highly-anticipated, first, full-length standalone novel.

You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot.

Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you’ll read this century.

I’m usually alone in my head, and that’s where 90 plus percent of my problems are.

When Murderbot's human associates (not friends, never friends) are captured and another not-friend from its past requires urgent assistance, Murderbot must choose between inertia and drastic action.

Drastic action it is, then.

*          *          *

Series: This is the fifth book, and first novel, in The Murderbot Diaries series. I highly recommend reading the series in order, and for this book you definitely need to have read Book 2, Artificial Condition.

After thoroughly enjoying three of the first four novellas in this thrilling science fiction series about the awkward and emotionally stunted but highly relatable human/bot construct, Murderbot, I was rather looking forward to this fifth book and first full-length novel. But while some of the action was engaging and a new character piqued my interest, on the whole Network Effect did not impress.

Cons:

• Movement. Right from the start I struggled to follow the movement of the characters, occasionally so lost I didn't even understand that someone had been shot, or even crossed a room. At one point I had to go back and re-read a section four times and still didn't quite see what I'd apparently been told. This disappointingly lessened the impact of the action and Murderbot's clever plans.
• Emotional Growth. Murderbot is naturally growing emotionally through the series, but unfortunately in this book it grew into a petulant teenager who went about whinging and generally being an annoying arsehole. Thankfully the griping and backtalk tapered off in the second half as action took up a great deal of its attention, but then at the end it started to really contemplate its feelings and for the first time not exactly hate them, and this new emotional turning point was somewhat off-putting for me. I will be interested to see how it continues to progress, I guess, but in general I wasn't a fan.
• Pacing. After four novellas that really only had enough word count for action and really important non-action bits, this full-length novel had way too much time on its hands. Every little detail of the "adventure" was laid out, over-complicating a plot that really wasn't that complicated and even dragging out the action scenes a bit longer than necessary. The whole middle of the book was step-by-step planning, with actual bullet-point strategy sessions and checklists (seriously). This made the story a bit too tediously realistic and sadly drained most of the urgency out of the whole affair.

Pros:

• Action. The action was entertaining when I could follow it.
• Three. New character Three was a surprising and interesting addition to the cast, and its uncertain bits were my favorite sections of the story. I hope we'll continue to follow its growth in future books.
• Murderbot. Despite Murderbot's petulant first half and overly emotional second half, when it wasn't whining I still relatively enjoyed its adventures for the most part and look forward to continuing its story in future books. 

Conclusion: Disappointing. The action and movement were unusually described and a struggle to follow, Murderbot acted like a whiny teenager, and with so many extra pages the story took its time to walk us through every single bullet-pointed and check-listed step of their "adventure." What I understood of the action was engaging though, and when Murderbot was too busy being violent to ponder its emotions the story was generally enjoyable. And I really liked new character Three. Although Network Effect is currently battling Book 2 for least favorite of the series, I'll definitely be giving the next book/novella, Fugitive Telemetry (April 2021), a read.

Scribble Rating: 

2.5 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach
Made to Kill by Adam Christopher
Zero Repeat Forever by G.S. Prendergast

Re-Review: Honor's Knight (Rachel Bach)

Title: Honor's Knight
Series: Paradox trilogy, Book 2
Author: Rachel Bach
Publisher: Orbit
US Release Date: February 25, 2014
Genre: Paranormal Science Fiction
Content Rating: Adult (strong violence, language, sensuality, child mistreatment)
Format Read: Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: 
Indiebound | B&N | BookDepo | Azon
Summary:

The rollicking sequel to Fortune's Pawn -- an action packed science fiction novel.

Devi Morris has a lot of problems. And not the fun, easy-to-shoot kind either.

After a mysterious attack left her short several memories and one partner, she's determined to keep her head down, do her job, and get on with her life. But even though Devi's not actually looking for it -- trouble keeps finding her. She sees things no one else can, the black stain on her hands is growing, and she is entangled with the cook she's supposed to hate.

But when a deadly crisis exposes far more of the truth than she bargained for, Devi discovers there's worse fates than being shot, and sometimes the only people you can trust are the ones who want you dead.

*          *          *

Series: This is the second book in the Paradox trilogy, all of which are released and available. You can read my review of the first book, Fortune's Pawn, here.

I originally read Honor's Knight, the second book in the Paradox trilogy, back in 2014. According to my very brief review it seemed to be my favorite of the series, but after this 2020 re-read it is not the favored book it once was.

At its core, Honor's Knight is the story of an uncomplicated merc who gets dragged into a highly complicated paranormal situation and has to fight her way out. Put this way it sounds pretty interesting, and with all its action and sudden twists and kick-arse main character it essentially is. But the paranormal situation was a bit too weird for me to fully accept, the vastly different alien races and plasmex powers somewhat random and ill-fitting with each other. The contrast between Devi and the paranormal elements was also a little too uneven, the main character and plot not quite meshing for a cohesive story that I could fully invest in.

However, the no-nonsense, hard-hitting protagonist Devi was luckily there to save the book in spite of the plot. Naive though her choices were, no matter what was thrown at her she did things her own way - and as her way typically involved throwing things (punches, bullets, aliens, what have her) the more unbelievable moments didn't distract very long with her at the story's helm. Despite her merc mentality she still had her principles and stuck to her guns (figuratively and literally), and I especially liked how she handled her former lover's crap with strength and laughter and didn't let him and his sappy feelings push her around.

Honor's Knight starts with an unfortunately creepy prologue but ends with an inquisitive bang, so although I have vague recollections of the paranormal mess to come in the final and previously least-favorite book of the series, Heaven's Queen, I'll definitely be finishing my re-read of the entire trilogy immediately. If you enjoyed the first Paradox book and don't mind a heavy dose of paranormal with your sci-fi, then I definitely recommend giving this sequel a read. 

For Fans Of: paranormal sci-fi

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson
Zero Repeat Forever by G.S. Prendergast
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Nyxia by Scott Reintgen

Review: Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop (Roselle Lim)

Title: Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop
Series: standalone
Author: Roselle Lim
Publisher: Berkley
US Release Date: August 4, 2020
Genre: Adult Contemporary Magic Realism Romance
Content Rating: Teen (kissing, adult situations, car accident)
Format Read: ARC
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Indiebound | B&N | BookDepo | Azon
Summary:

Become enamored with the splendor of Paris in this heartwarming and delightful story about writing one’s own destiny and finding love along the way.

Vanessa Yu never wanted to see people’s fortunes—or misfortunes—in tea leaves.

Ever since she can remember, Vanessa Yu has been able to see people’s fortunes at the bottom of their teacups. To avoid blurting out their fortunes, she converts to coffee, but somehow fortunes escape and find a way to complicate her life and the ones of those around her. To add to this plight, her romance life is so nonexistent that her parents enlist the services of a matchmaking expert from Shanghai.

The day before her matchmaking appointment, Vanessa accidentally sees her own fate: death by traffic accident. She decides that she can’t truly live until she can find a way to get rid of her uncanny abilities. When her eccentric aunt, Evelyn, shows up with a tempting offer to whisk her away, Vanessa says au revoir to America and bonjour to Paris. While working at Evelyn’s tea stall at a Parisian antique market, Vanessa performs some matchmaking of her own, attempting to help reconnect her aunt with a lost love. As she learns more about herself and the root of her gifts, she realizes one thing to be true: knowing one’s destiny isn’t a curse, but being unable to change it is.

*          *          *

Review copy provided by publisher for honest review. Thank you, Berkley!

With its promise of fortune-telling magic and romance in picturesque France, I just couldn't resist giving Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop a try, even though I'm not usually one for adult contemporary romances (due to sexual content). But while the story was light, the content clean, and the end happy, I unfortunately did not enjoy this book as I'd hoped.

My biggest problem, which tainted everything else, was the writing. And my biggest problem with the writing was the description. Vanessa was a privileged woman who reveled in the finer things in life, so much of the book was excessive description of the high-class food, fashion, art and architecture she relished. An abundance of detail can bring a story to life, but here, because all the topics were so commonplace to Vanessa, the description was loaded down with specific terms and proper names that felt like they were supposed to be obvious but to a layperson like me were typically not. I did recognize some of it, but most was lost on me and, because it made up so much of the book all the extravagant description quickly became irritating. The teen travel romances I've enjoyed in the past made me long to visit their cultured locations and eat their delectable offerings, but Vanessa's experiences left me uninterested or put off by the more complicated sights and tastes of her overseas adventure.

And then there were the characters. Partially due to the erratic writing style, all of the characters were generally flat and wildly inconsistent - especially protagonist Vanessa. Her logic made little to no sense most of the time, and I was repelled by her selfish and stubborn personality as she fought against her unwanted gift and the instruction she was generously offered, multiple times, to help her master it. And then to have the story very randomly reward her bad behavior... But more on that in a minute. Her reasons for fighting against her gift - bad predictions about others that made her feel bad, and her inability to sustain a romance without a prediction ruining it - were childish with no sense of responsibility despite her adult age and strong roots in supportive family. I would've understood if this was a Young Adult book about a teenager, but as an adult peer I had no sympathy for her.

And then there was the story itself. Contrary to the title's claim, the tea shop did not belong to Vanessa but to her aunt, and very little time was spent there. I expected a tea shop owned by Vanessa where magical things happened, but instead it was little more than an unmagical backdrop for a handful of scenes. This was disappointing and created a loss of trust that the story never earned back as it was just as inconsistent and illogical as the characters. The plot even went so far as to drop a deus ex machina into the middle of the book that twisted the situation to Vanessa's selfish favor and despite being ridiculous was immediately accepted by all as a logical occurrence embraced without question. Instead of a story about Vanessa learning responsibility and how to control her power while she traveled and fell in love, it became a pampered woman's empowerment as she finally got everything she wanted while learning very little. This made for an impractical and unrelatable story that left me feeling underwhelmed and honestly a little disgusted.

So did I enjoy anything about Vanessa Yu? Well, it was refreshingly clean for an adult contemporary romance, with little more than a few passionate kisses and little to no language, which is always appreciated. I also found the magical gifts interesting with their predictions and red threads of fate, although Vanessa's occasional unexplained "visions" were weird and flowery. And despite heavier emotions the story was generally light even at its darkest moments (this may have been due to the flat writing, though), with everyone getting their (albeit unrealistic) happily ever after at the end, my usual preference where romances are concerned.

Conclusion: Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop was a lighthearted contemporary of magic and romance that I unfortunately did not like due to the misleading title, flat writing, irritating description, inconsistent and selfish main character, and disappointing story. I did appreciate its clean content and happy ending, but otherwise there was disappointingly little I enjoyed about the book. That said, I'd still easily recommend it for female romance lovers as a summer beach read, but only if they are a serious foodie who has a working knowledge and interest in fashion, art, architecture, and France.

Scribble Rating: 

2.5 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn
Miss Fortune Cookie by Lauren Bjorkman
Maybe This Time by Kasie West
Love, Lies and Hocus Pocus: Beginnings by Lydia Sherrer
Strobe Edge by Io Sakisaka

Review: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much (Allison Hoover Bartlett)

Title: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much
Series: standalone
Author: Allison Hoover Bartlett
Publisher: Riverhead Books (Penguin)
US Release Date: September 17, 2009
Genre: Adult True Crime
Content Rating: Older Teen (unrepentant criminal activity)
Format Read: Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Indiebound | B&N | BookDepo | Azon
Summary:

In the tradition of The Orchid Thief, a compelling narrative set within the strange and genteel world of rare-book collecting: the true story of an infamous book thief, his victims, and the man determined to catch him.

Rare-book theft is even more widespread than fine-art theft. Most thieves, of course, steal for profit. John Charles Gilkey steals purely for the love of books. In an attempt to understand him better, journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett plunged herself into the world of book lust and discovered just how dangerous it can be.

John Gilkey is an obsessed, unrepentant book thief who has stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of rare books from book fairs, stores, and libraries around the country. Ken Sanders is the self-appointed "bibliodick" (book dealer with a penchant for detective work) driven to catch him. Bartlett befriended both outlandish characters and found herself caught in the middle of efforts to recover hidden treasure. With a mixture of suspense, insight, and humor, she has woven this entertaining cat-and-mouse chase into a narrative that not only reveals exactly how Gilkey pulled off his dirtiest crimes, where he stashed the loot, and how Sanders ultimately caught him but also explores the romance of books, the lure to collect them, and the temptation to steal them. Immersing the reader in a rich, wide world of literary obsession, Bartlett looks at the history of book passion, collection, and theft through the ages, to examine the craving that makes some people willing to stop at nothing to possess the books they love.

*          *          *

According to the back cover, The Man Who Loved Books Too Much is a True Crime / Biography about John Gilkey, book thief. But while it did go into too much minute detail about Gilkey's life and his many, many unrepentant exploits, to me it was mainly an exploration of the world of book collecting - its dealers, wares, and the thieves they endure.

Gilkey was a morally warped (his word) individual with an unsettling view of the way things should be. To him, it wasn't fair that there were nice things he wanted but couldn't have, so he had no compunctions in acquiring them through illegal means: by theft of the actual items themselves, or purchase using bad checks or stolen credit card numbers. He didn't feel like he was really hurting anyone, or if he did that they deserved what they got for keeping what he wanted from him. It was obvious that he loved to brag about his criminal accomplishments and rationalizations, and the author unfortunately seemed content to write out every little detail as if recording it for his personal posterity.

But Gilkey wasn't just what this book was about. In a not quite linear and oftentimes slightly confusing structure, Bartlett's book jumped around between the thief, the bibliodick who "caught" him, the author's researched knowledge and personal recollections, and the experiences of other bibliophiles she met along the way. This was an obvious move to generate enough content to fill an entire book that originally started life as an article, but after a while the book felt less like the story of the thief and his detective and more the author's vehicle to ramble about book collecting. While I agree Bartlett had more than a single article's worth of content with Gilkey's story, as a book that constantly meandered off-topic it was somewhat disappointing.

Still, despite its problems I surprisingly made it through this work of non-fiction in just a few days and was intrigued by many of the tales within. Overall, The Man Who Loved Books Too Much was an interesting look into the world of book dealers and collectors of the past few decades from a different perspective than the typical bibliophile. And it certainly whet my appetite to delve deeper into the obsession of antiquarian books.

Scribble Rating: 

3 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

The Automat by Hardart & Diehl
The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy by Sam Maggs

Review: Something from the Nightside (Simon R. Green)

Title: Something from the Nightside
Series: Nightside, Book 1
Author: Simon R. Green
Publisher: Ace Books
US Release Date: May 27, 2003
Genre: Adult Hardboiled Urban Fantasy Horror
Content Rating: Adult (horror elements, strong violence, gore)
Format Read: Mass Market Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Azon | B&N | BookDepo | Indiebound
Summary:

John Taylor is not a private detective per se, but he has a knack for finding lost things. That's why he's been hired to descend into the Nightside, an otherworldly realm in the center of London where fantasy and reality share renting space and the sun never shines.

*          *          *

Series: This is the first in the 12-book Nightside series. All books, along with a short story compilation, are currently available for purchase.

Something from the Nightside is a darkly imaginative but heavily commentative adventure that covers a lot of genres - from urban/contemporary fantasy with both supernatural and paranormal elements, to hardboiled and noir mystery, as well as monster and survival horror. It has a little something for anyone who enjoys a quick story set in the sinister shadows, where few actually tread but many a mind loves to wander. I'm not sure how I discovered the Nightside over a decade ago, but it has been a favorite since and I've read almost all of the 12 novels in the finished series. They aren't perfect - far from it - but Green's world of unique characters and sinful delights is a guilty pleasure.

John Taylor is a classic hardboiled detective, albeit one with psychic powers and a mysterious past (even to him). He has loose morals but strong convictions, always finds himself walking into interesting situations, and has delightfully dangerous acquaintances. Having grown up in the Nightside, he knows its many hazards and secrets all too well, allowing him to unfortunately think and speak about it and its colorful regulars at length. Prone, both mentally and physically, to long-winded monologues about the places and people he encounters, John spends most of the book ruminating on the Nightside, and can take several pages at a time to describe his many, many thoughts and opinions about a single person or place out loud to his tag-along client. It's so unrealistic as to be comical, but commentary aside I found this second read to be better written than I'd originally remembered, and my opinion of the book has grown a little.

The mystery element of the story, however, did not grow better with age. It takes a backseat to the Nightside tour and was little more than a glorified treasure hunt, each stop only leading to the next stop of the mystery as a passing thought with no clues as to what they'll find at the end. The tour makes the book, but the clueless mystery was disappointing, especially when it ended with an unexpected horror climax.

But you don't read this book for the mystery - you read it for the Nightside. Green lets his imagination run wild and presents a dark world of deliciously disquieting offerings and residents. The darkness isn't overly disturbing, though - the brief descriptions only hint at the horrors inhabited within, most things mentioned offhand or in passing as tantalizing tidbits for the reader's imagination instead of painting the entire debauched and grotesque picture. Yes the violence and horror can get slightly unsettling at times, but for the most part Green's depiction of the debased world is a tame one with vague explanations and little language that is greatly appreciated by those of us with somewhat delicate sensibilities.

Conclusion: If you enjoy urban fantasies, detective stories, and/or soft horror set in dark and wild locations with dangerous characters, then I highly recommend you give the Something from the Nightside a try. I look forward to re-reading more in the series soon!

Scribble Rating: 

3.5 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Love, Lies and Hocus Pocus: Beginnings by Lydia Sherrer
Made to Kill by Adam Christopher 

Manga Review: Emma Series (Kaoru Mori)

Title: Emma
Author: Kaoru Mori
Volumes Reviewed: 5 (omnibus editions, complete)
Publisher: Yen Press
US Release Date: May 2015 - August 2016
Genre: Adult Historical Romance
Content Rating: Adult (some unnecessary nudity, kidnapping)
Format Read: Hardcover
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Azon | B&N | BookDepo | Indiebound (see note below)
Summary (of Volume 1):

Calling upon his inimitable former governess, young aristocrat William Jones is startled to find his knock answered by a clever, bespectacled maid--Emma. From that moment forward, the two are drawn to each other and slowly but surely grow ever closer. But as the love between Emma and William builds, so too do the obstacles that threaten to keep them apart. For in Victorian London, some things are simply not done, and marrying outside of one's social class just happens to be one such taboo...

*          *          *

Series/Purchase Note: This physical US edition consists of 5 omnibus volumes. The original Japanese release consisted of 10 volumes. The digital US version appears to be for sale as 10 individual volumes as well.

Author Kaoru Mori's current ongoing series, A Bride's Story, about a traveling Englishman and the local families he meets in 19th-century Central Asia, is one of my favorites. Because of it I consider the author's signature style to be elaborately drawn details and backgrounds, an abundance of interesting historical minutiae, and occasional unnecessary female nudity. Emma was Mori's debut series, and when I was recently able to borrow the complete omnibus set from the library I decided it was time to finally give it a read.

At its heart, Emma is a lord-and-maid forbidden romance set in the late Victorian era. But as is custom with Mori, it's really about so many more people than that. The first 3.5 omnibus volumes mainly center on maid Emma and wealthy William's sweet but fraught romance. Despite a few dramatic turns, the couple was rather plain for me and their relationship a relatively simple one. Because of this, there was a lot of room to introduce and expand a host of colorful side characters who quickly and easily outshone the quiet couple. As the focus on Emma and William's romance faded halfway through volume 4, the lesser cast, with a few new faces, were given time to shine in a collection of short stories exploring everyday life in England. While not as interesting as the exotic culture in Bride's Story, these side narratives proved even more entertaining than the main one, and I learned a few new things about English history and social structure. The last few chapters do return to culminate the quiet couple's romance though, and with most of the characters receiving hopeful resolutions in their lives and loves, the series ends with a sweet and boisterous conclusion.

Conclusion: While not as good as Mori's current series, Emma was an interesting saga of maid love. Entertaining enough to hold my attention through five extremely thick and heavy hardcovers, the detailed artwork and historical tidbits were intriguing, and the side characters and their stories were fun. If you enjoy Mori's A Bride's Story then I do recommend trying this series as well, especially if you have a penchant for English period dramas as I do.

For Fans Of: English period dramas

Scribble Rating: 

3.5 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

W Juliet Series by Emura
Murder, Magic, and What We Wore by Kelly Jones
Duels & Deception by Cindy Anstey
Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Review: Reticence (Gail Carriger)

Title: Reticence
Series: The Custard Protocol, Book 4
Author: Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Genre: New Adult Alternate Historical Paranormal Steampunk Romance
Told: Third Person Multiple, Past Tense
Content Rating: Adult (violence, innuendo, sensuality)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Azon | B&N | Indiebound | BookDepo
Summary:

Bookish and proper Percival Tunstell finds himself out of his depth when floating cities, spirited plumbing, and soggy biscuits collide in this delightful conclusion to NYT bestselling author Gail Carriger's Custard Protocol series.

Percival Tunstell loves that his sister and her best friend are building themselves a family of misfits aboard their airship, the Spotted Custard. Of course, he'd never admit that he belongs among them. He's always been on the outside - dispassionate, aloof, and hatless. But accidental spies, a trip to Japan, and one smart and beautiful doctor may have him renegotiating his whole philosophy on life.

Except hats. He's done with hats. Thank you very much.

*          *          *

Series: This is the fourth and final book in The Custard Protocol series. Although they feature different point of view characters, the books follow the crew of the Spotted Custard and their consecutive adventures and really must be read in order. You can read my review of Book 3, Competence, here. This is also one of many series set in Gail Carriger's Parasolverse, the scope of which you can check out here.

After attending a shotgun wedding in London and catching up with respective (and disrespective) relations, the Spotted Custard is sent to Japan to (naturally) investigate a new rumored shifter and rescue a missing intelligencer. Parachutes, communal bathing, and broken custard ensue, along with an inevitable romance for eligible bachelor Percy and newest crewmember and resident doctor, Arsenic.

Gail's signature wit and playful style make for another delightful read that I quickly devoured and thoroughly enjoyed with laughter and wonder. The romantically addlepated Percy was absolutely adorkable as he navigated the exasperations of love, and it was interesting to view the paranormal elements from Doctor Arsenic's clinical perspective. Their courtship was also somewhat clinical but perfectly fit the couple and was extremely amusing.

I was thoroughly chuffed to visit beloved country Japan, and with its special shifters and exotic setting it did not disappoint. The new paranormal discoveries and discussions did get rather too technical and complicated for simple me to fully follow, but Gail showcased just how thoroughly she has thought out her historically fantastical universe and the little I did understand was most intriguing. A surprise third point of view added a very unique take on the shenanigans (I don't want to spoil the surprise, but it's a familiar face and favorite flyer) and was highly entertaining to observe so closely.

The end had its share of smiles and sniffles but was ultimately uplifting as always as the crew continues their adventures off-page. Although the series nicely wrapped I was definitely left wanting more, and I shall never give up hope that Gail someday gives in to popular demand for The Further Adventures of the Custard Protocol.

Conclusion: A thoroughly delightful read that was even better than expected, and I expected to be thoroughly delighted! Percy was adorkable, Arsenic gave Sophronia a run for her money as my favorite Parasolverse female, and the surprise third POV was such fun. If you enjoy reads by Gail then this novel cannot be missed, if only for the dozen or more catch-up cameos of previous Parasolverse characters.

Scribble Rating: 

4.5 of 5 Scribbles

Series Conclusion: While the Finishing School series remains my favorite of the Parasolverse, the Spotted Custard crew of delightful eccentrics is my favorite team. With Custard's globetrotting adventures and supernatural discoveries I enjoyed learning more about world history through a fantastical lens, and although it could get a little too intellectual at times for simple me the new supernaturals were fun and interesting. I can't wait to see what Gail's vast imagination creates next!

Series Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles