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erinarkin20
I love this series and I am glad I grabbed the audio. I'll be grabbing the final book soon and you should check these out! The narrator took a bit to get used to just due to the way the story was read (it could also be the speed I have it set at too I guess) but overall she did a great job.
4.5 stars
For Darkness Shows the Stars was a pleasant surprise for me. I read the summary and thought it sounded interesting but I got more than I expected. Yes, this story is about the relationship that develops between the two main characters but it is also about prejudice and slavery and includes a sci-fi twist that includes genetic enhancements.
Elliot and Kai were born on the same day but in very different worlds. Elliot is the daughter of Baron North and a Luddite. Kai is the son of the mechanic on the North farm. He is also what some call a COR or Post. The Luddites believe The Reduction occurred when they challenged God and thought they could engineer certain things better. The structure of society on a Luddite farm is one where the Luddites were typically living a leisurely life and the Posts and the Reduced were those doing and/or managing the work.
In the case of the North farm, the difference is that Elliot was largely involved in the day to day workings of the farm. Her father, the Baron, was never raised to run the farm and is really only concerned about what he wants versus what is right for the farm and the Reduced/Posts that work and live there. This is what leads Elliot to experiment with wheat and attempt to make a better version that will help her sustain her farm – unfortunately her father makes the decision to plow it over to create a horse track. While Elliot is wondering what she will do to make ends meet, her father has received a letter from the Admiral of the Cloud Fleet proposing the rental of her grandfather’s shipyard and home. She latches on to this opportunity to help out the family financially and once the Cloud Fleet gets to the farm, we (along with Elliot) find out what happened to Kai.
I loved seeing the relationship/friendship develop between Elliot and Kai through their letters. It is clear Elliot questions everything not only because she wants to understand but also because her closest friends are a Post and a Reduced. As she continues to get older, it is clear she feels the weight of what it means to be responsible for those at the farm. Because of this, when Kai decides he is going to leave, she makes the decision to not go with him. When Kai returns as Malachai as one of the Captains of the Cloud Fleet, it is clear there was a miscommunication. Kai felt her letter was pointing out their differences in class and she was implying she was better than him when really she was trying to communicate that she couldn't abandon the people she felt responsible for because she dreamed of something more.
The anger that Kai had toward Elliot in the beginning was tough to read, mostly because I was able to see how much it hurt her as well as how much she wished things were different for them. Once things start to become clear not only between Elliot and Kai but also what secrets they hide, the story starts to move along. Through a twist of fate, Elliot is given the Boatwright property when her grandfather dies and this is one of the catalysts that change everything for her. At the same time, Elliot and her sister Tatiana come to a sort of agreement that will allow Elliot the freedom to care for the farm and those who live there as she sees fit while Tatiana and their father are free to live in Channel City with no responsibility.
The characters are what made this story for me. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the story too but I think that if I didn’t get to know Kai and Elliot as well as I did through the letters they exchanged I might have been less invested in how this ended up. I also enjoyed the secondary characters as well. From Andromeda and Felicia to Dee and Ro, they all added to the overall story…even those I disliked (Baron North/Benedict).
I won’t give anything away but the ending was perfect and the final letter gets all the sighs from me.
Now I have to admit (and don’t judge me), I have never read Persuasion but I just might after reading this book. With that said, I don’t think you need to have read it to appreciate this book. I will be recommending this to anyone and everyone. I loved it and I think even those that don’t really appreciate the sci-fi aspect will enjoy this as it is about so much more.
For Darkness Shows the Stars was a pleasant surprise for me. I read the summary and thought it sounded interesting but I got more than I expected. Yes, this story is about the relationship that develops between the two main characters but it is also about prejudice and slavery and includes a sci-fi twist that includes genetic enhancements.
Elliot and Kai were born on the same day but in very different worlds. Elliot is the daughter of Baron North and a Luddite. Kai is the son of the mechanic on the North farm. He is also what some call a COR or Post. The Luddites believe The Reduction occurred when they challenged God and thought they could engineer certain things better. The structure of society on a Luddite farm is one where the Luddites were typically living a leisurely life and the Posts and the Reduced were those doing and/or managing the work.
In the case of the North farm, the difference is that Elliot was largely involved in the day to day workings of the farm. Her father, the Baron, was never raised to run the farm and is really only concerned about what he wants versus what is right for the farm and the Reduced/Posts that work and live there. This is what leads Elliot to experiment with wheat and attempt to make a better version that will help her sustain her farm – unfortunately her father makes the decision to plow it over to create a horse track. While Elliot is wondering what she will do to make ends meet, her father has received a letter from the Admiral of the Cloud Fleet proposing the rental of her grandfather’s shipyard and home. She latches on to this opportunity to help out the family financially and once the Cloud Fleet gets to the farm, we (along with Elliot) find out what happened to Kai.
I loved seeing the relationship/friendship develop between Elliot and Kai through their letters. It is clear Elliot questions everything not only because she wants to understand but also because her closest friends are a Post and a Reduced. As she continues to get older, it is clear she feels the weight of what it means to be responsible for those at the farm. Because of this, when Kai decides he is going to leave, she makes the decision to not go with him. When Kai returns as Malachai as one of the Captains of the Cloud Fleet, it is clear there was a miscommunication. Kai felt her letter was pointing out their differences in class and she was implying she was better than him when really she was trying to communicate that she couldn't abandon the people she felt responsible for because she dreamed of something more.
The anger that Kai had toward Elliot in the beginning was tough to read, mostly because I was able to see how much it hurt her as well as how much she wished things were different for them. Once things start to become clear not only between Elliot and Kai but also what secrets they hide, the story starts to move along. Through a twist of fate, Elliot is given the Boatwright property when her grandfather dies and this is one of the catalysts that change everything for her. At the same time, Elliot and her sister Tatiana come to a sort of agreement that will allow Elliot the freedom to care for the farm and those who live there as she sees fit while Tatiana and their father are free to live in Channel City with no responsibility.
The characters are what made this story for me. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the story too but I think that if I didn’t get to know Kai and Elliot as well as I did through the letters they exchanged I might have been less invested in how this ended up. I also enjoyed the secondary characters as well. From Andromeda and Felicia to Dee and Ro, they all added to the overall story…even those I disliked (Baron North/Benedict).
I won’t give anything away but the ending was perfect and the final letter gets all the sighs from me.
Now I have to admit (and don’t judge me), I have never read Persuasion but I just might after reading this book. With that said, I don’t think you need to have read it to appreciate this book. I will be recommending this to anyone and everyone. I loved it and I think even those that don’t really appreciate the sci-fi aspect will enjoy this as it is about so much more.
How to Love a Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne is the first book in the Devil you Know series and I have to say, it was everything I was hoping for! If you know me, you know I have been reading more historical romance of late and having loved Byrne’s Victorian Rebels series, I jumped at getting the chance to check this one out.
Lady Alexandra Lane is our lead and I loved everything about her. She loves her friends and is willing to protect them as much as she is able. We immediately learn about what happened in her past and there’s no question it has impacted her…as it would anyone. And while she hasn’t necessarily resolved the pain and fear that came out of that event, she has continued to live her life. What it did for the story was show exactly why Alexandra and her friends are so protective of each other. I thought that while it is traumatic and perhaps some more sensitive readers might not love it, Byrne created a story that shows just how much of a survivor Alexandra is.
The friendship between Alexandra, Francesca, and Cecilia was really well built and it all starts with the prologue and when the story picks up years later, we can easily see that despite the trauma, Alexandra will do whatever is necessary to help and protect her friends. When she finds out Francesca is supposed to marry the Duke of Redmayne (known as the Terror of Torcliff), she immediately digs in to figure out what is going on and comes up with a solution everyone can be happy with…she will marry the Duke instead.
Piers has his own issues, one of which includes the fact that he needs to marry and have some heirs. When he runs into a woman at the train station who immediately takes over his thoughts, he never expects to see her again. Lucky for him, she just happens to be the best friend of his unannounced fiancé and when she proposes an arrangement that essentially gives him what he wants, a wife, he is more than willing to take the deal.
I loved the chemistry between these two characters. Yes, they are both scarred but they slowly get to know each other and trust one another. Without knowing the full story of Alexandra’s past, Piers is left to make some assumptions which are shaded by his experience with his mother and this all creates some tension. There are bumps along the way for these two as they learn more about one another and it only helps move the story along.
Alongside all of that, there is a bit of a mystery to solve too. Someone has been blackmailing Alexandra because of her secret. As Alexandra and Piers go on their honeymoon, things start to move forward with this storyline. When she finally figures out who is behind the blackmailing, there’s another complication that puts them both in danger.
Overall, this is another great historical romance from Byrne. There’s no question that she is officially on my auto-buy list and I can’t wait for the next books in the series so we can learn more about Francesca and Cecilia as I can already tell there are some twists and turns coming with their stories. If you are looking for a book that will give you well developed characters, swoons, mystery, and some heartache, consider checking this one out.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Lady Alexandra Lane is our lead and I loved everything about her. She loves her friends and is willing to protect them as much as she is able. We immediately learn about what happened in her past and there’s no question it has impacted her…as it would anyone. And while she hasn’t necessarily resolved the pain and fear that came out of that event, she has continued to live her life. What it did for the story was show exactly why Alexandra and her friends are so protective of each other. I thought that while it is traumatic and perhaps some more sensitive readers might not love it, Byrne created a story that shows just how much of a survivor Alexandra is.
The friendship between Alexandra, Francesca, and Cecilia was really well built and it all starts with the prologue and when the story picks up years later, we can easily see that despite the trauma, Alexandra will do whatever is necessary to help and protect her friends. When she finds out Francesca is supposed to marry the Duke of Redmayne (known as the Terror of Torcliff), she immediately digs in to figure out what is going on and comes up with a solution everyone can be happy with…she will marry the Duke instead.
Piers has his own issues, one of which includes the fact that he needs to marry and have some heirs. When he runs into a woman at the train station who immediately takes over his thoughts, he never expects to see her again. Lucky for him, she just happens to be the best friend of his unannounced fiancé and when she proposes an arrangement that essentially gives him what he wants, a wife, he is more than willing to take the deal.
I loved the chemistry between these two characters. Yes, they are both scarred but they slowly get to know each other and trust one another. Without knowing the full story of Alexandra’s past, Piers is left to make some assumptions which are shaded by his experience with his mother and this all creates some tension. There are bumps along the way for these two as they learn more about one another and it only helps move the story along.
Alongside all of that, there is a bit of a mystery to solve too. Someone has been blackmailing Alexandra because of her secret. As Alexandra and Piers go on their honeymoon, things start to move forward with this storyline. When she finally figures out who is behind the blackmailing, there’s another complication that puts them both in danger.
Overall, this is another great historical romance from Byrne. There’s no question that she is officially on my auto-buy list and I can’t wait for the next books in the series so we can learn more about Francesca and Cecilia as I can already tell there are some twists and turns coming with their stories. If you are looking for a book that will give you well developed characters, swoons, mystery, and some heartache, consider checking this one out.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare is the third book in the Girl Meets Duke series, and it is exactly what I was hoping for. I love Dare’s books because they have just the right mix of banter, high jinx, and swoony / sexy bits.
Lady Penelope is the main character and she has never met a lost or wounded animal that she wouldn’t take into her home. As a matter of fact, her wayward animals bring her face to face with her new next-door neighbor in an interesting and somewhat compromising way and so begins their story.
Gabriel Duke is Penelope’s new neighbor and he has built himself quite a reputation. Called the Duke of Ruin, Gabriel has clawed his way out of the slums of London to become one of the most feared men of the Ton. His biggest concern right now though is his neighbor, Lady Penelope and her motley crew of animals who will make it impossible for him to sell his house. When Gabriel demands that Penelope get rid of the animals, she puts a challenge out. If he can find them all loving homes, she will part with them.
I loved Penny and her love of her animals isn’t all that stands out about her. She’s smart and loyal but she’s also not afraid of Gabriel no matter his reputation and her willingness to do whatever she has to in order to protect them, even stand up to him, is what I loved most about her.
The build to the romance with Penelope and Gabriel was more than just an immediate attraction…despite Gabriel’s reputation, he definitely has a soft side and Penny has found it. The animals added another layer to this story. Had they not been there, we would have missed out on the funnier aspects of this novel and how Penny and Gabriel’s story played out.
Penny’s group of friends are all great adds to the story too. I loved how protective they all were of her and getting a glimpse into their lives again was great. I especially enjoyed the scenes where Chase, Ash, and Gabriel were together.
I can always count on a Tessa Dare book to keep me turning the pages and this one is no different. If you like your historical romance with great characters, a storyline that will keep you entertained, and steam / swoon, you should definitely pick this one up. I will be over here just waiting for the next book Tessa Dare writes.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Lady Penelope is the main character and she has never met a lost or wounded animal that she wouldn’t take into her home. As a matter of fact, her wayward animals bring her face to face with her new next-door neighbor in an interesting and somewhat compromising way and so begins their story.
Gabriel Duke is Penelope’s new neighbor and he has built himself quite a reputation. Called the Duke of Ruin, Gabriel has clawed his way out of the slums of London to become one of the most feared men of the Ton. His biggest concern right now though is his neighbor, Lady Penelope and her motley crew of animals who will make it impossible for him to sell his house. When Gabriel demands that Penelope get rid of the animals, she puts a challenge out. If he can find them all loving homes, she will part with them.
I loved Penny and her love of her animals isn’t all that stands out about her. She’s smart and loyal but she’s also not afraid of Gabriel no matter his reputation and her willingness to do whatever she has to in order to protect them, even stand up to him, is what I loved most about her.
The build to the romance with Penelope and Gabriel was more than just an immediate attraction…despite Gabriel’s reputation, he definitely has a soft side and Penny has found it. The animals added another layer to this story. Had they not been there, we would have missed out on the funnier aspects of this novel and how Penny and Gabriel’s story played out.
Penny’s group of friends are all great adds to the story too. I loved how protective they all were of her and getting a glimpse into their lives again was great. I especially enjoyed the scenes where Chase, Ash, and Gabriel were together.
I can always count on a Tessa Dare book to keep me turning the pages and this one is no different. If you like your historical romance with great characters, a storyline that will keep you entertained, and steam / swoon, you should definitely pick this one up. I will be over here just waiting for the next book Tessa Dare writes.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ahhhhhh so good!! I don't even know what else to tell you.
I love this series and I am so sad that Kazi and Jase's story is over...at least in writing, right?!? Mary Pearson somehow knows exactly what I am looking for in a YA fantasy and I can't even put into coherent words how much I loved this book - It was everything I was hoping for.
This book has everything - action, danger, swoons, family, friendships...and so much more!! If you haven't started yet, you are missing out and I don't even know what to tell you other than you NEED to read this series.
It has been added to my "books I will love forever and ever" shelf and that is where it will stay.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
I love this series and I am so sad that Kazi and Jase's story is over...at least in writing, right?!? Mary Pearson somehow knows exactly what I am looking for in a YA fantasy and I can't even put into coherent words how much I loved this book - It was everything I was hoping for.
This book has everything - action, danger, swoons, family, friendships...and so much more!! If you haven't started yet, you are missing out and I don't even know what to tell you other than you NEED to read this series.
It has been added to my "books I will love forever and ever" shelf and that is where it will stay.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Really enjoyed the narrator on this one and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book now that I've done a re-read. Check this one out!