Today’s team review is from Chris, she blogs at http://cphilippou123.wordpress.com
Chris has been reading The Black Orchid by Celine Jeanjean
Second in The Viper and The Urchin series, though can easily be read as a standalone, this was steampunk at its best. There was intrigue, adventure, mystery, alchemy, and a dash of romance.
Rory and Longinus are bored living an honest life. But when an old friend of Rory’s from her urchin days turns up exsanguinated, Rory and Longinus set off to investigate, through the poverty and illegality of the Rookery, to the opulence of The Mansion and its inhabitants and visiting diplomats, to the brothels of Bayog. And everything keeps leading back to The Black Orchid…
Wow. The plot had me turning (OK, swiping) the pages as quickly as my reading would allow (I think I forgot to eat dinner at one point. What day of the week is it?). The characterisation, too, was so wonderfully written, with the characters interacting and growing as the book progressed. There was pace and immersive setting and… Just read it – it’s brilliant.
*I received a free copy from the author, via Rosie’s Book Review Team, in exchange for my honest review.
Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
A review that makes me wish I liked fantasy!
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Sounds great!
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Such an enthusiastic review, love it!
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Thanks Chris. All the reviews I’ve read for this series so far are fabulous. Love the love!
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Brilliant review for a great book. I loved it – and the first one, too. And I don’t usually read fantasy/streampunk but was persuaded to read the first one by Lizanne’s review of it – can’t wait for the next.
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