Title: Tarnished Knight
Author: Bec McMaster
Series: London Steampunk #1.5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Steampunk romance, Vampires
Dates read: 1st – 8th January 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novella
Publisher: Smashwords
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: Honoria laughed as Blade slung his arm around her.

In the steam-fuelled world of Victorian London, vampires, werewolves and slasher gangs stalk the night and a man made partly of metal is about to discover just how far he’ll go to protect the woman he loves…

After a vicious vampire attack left him struggling to leash the dark urges of the craving virus, John “Rip” Doolan thinks he’s finally starting to master the darkness within. The only thing that threatens to shatter his hard-won control is Esme, his closest friend and the only woman he’s ever wanted. If the stubborn beauty ever realized precisely what was going through his mind, their friendship would be ruined.

For six months, Esme has waited for Rip to recover and take her as his thrall, not daring to hope for more. Too afraid to put her heart on the line, she is devastated when Rip reveals that he never had any intentions of making her his.

But when a savage gang of Slashers start causing havoc in Whitechapel, Rip and Esme have no choice. They must face up to the depth of the passion that burns between them and forge a new relationship…or risk losing each other forever.

Wow was this novella intense and awesome. And amazing. And fun. There is just something about the world of London Steampunk that draws me in completely. Is kind of unforgettable. And makes me travel to my happy, literary nerd place. It’s just impossible to put down.

I’m really glad that Esme and Rip got their own story in this series. Their relationship and journey was left a little too open-ended at the conclusion of Kiss of Steel. So finding their happily ever after? That was just gorgeous. And, of course, since it’s a thrilling little novella, it couldn’t be easy and simple. Couldn’t just go with what you wanted to happen… I feel like I should be more annoyed by that. But I just absolutely loved the journey.

I love that although this is a steampunk romance and about Esme and Rip, the main storyline was actually a battle against another evil character. Or at least, that’s how it felt to me. I loved trying to find out how and when the bad guy was going to get his comeuppance. And the fact that it coincided with Esme and Rip trying to figure out how to coexist with Rip’s new abilities… well, it was just thrilling.

Image source: Bec McMaster

Title: Kiss of Steel
Author: Bec McMaster
Series: London Steampunk #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Steampunk romance, Vampires
Dates read: 22nd – 26th December 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: Honoria stared at him through passion-glazed eyes.

WHEN NOWHERE IS SAFE
Most people avoid the dreaded Whitechapel district. For Honoria Todd, it’s the last safe haven. But at what price?

Blade is known as the master of the rookeries – no one dares cross him. It’s been said he faced down the Echelon’s army single-handedly, that ever since being infected by the blood-craving he’s been quicker, stronger, almost immortal.

When Honoria shows up at his door, his tenuous control comes close to snapping. She’s so…innocent. He doesn’t see her backbone of steel – or that she could be the very salvation he’s been seeking.

I got about halfway through this book over a year ago. But it was in eBook format, which I always struggle with, so I decided to buy the physical copy and enjoy it that way. Then it sat on my shelf for an untold length of time (actually, it was about a year, but I digress). And after just ripping through this, I’m wondering why I left it just sitting there for so damn long! This is a great steampunk romance that draws you straight in and is a really easy read. The thing that I got most excited about with this though… the author is an Aussie. So now I know that I have to buy the entire series. Because Aussie.

I have a lot of vampire books. And I have a lot of steampunk books. I have never read a story which combines the two. And then adds in romance. Which was really amazing. I loved the idea of both steampunk and vampires. Romance and a little bit of clockwork. Alright, this isn’t as intensely steampunk as some of the other books on that shelf. But it still has that fantastic flavour. And although this is a romance, it’s not as intensely romantic and lustful as many of the other books in that section of my shelves. A great balance all round.

There is a lot of backstory and tragedy to the characters in this. Even, the secondaries have a heap of backstory. Whilst the secondaries don’t really have theirs shared, the slow unravelling of Blade and Honoria’s secrets and hurts was enthralling. There was just enough of a hint that something else was going on that I found it impossible to put down. Plus, their constant dance of almost getting together made me want to know WHEN.

The leads in this story aren’t perfect, they’re wonderfully flawed. And I always love a great, flawed hero. Honoria, although tough needs to get out of her own headspace and realise that while she’s smart, she’s also kind of blinded and dumb about things. Something that I have in common with her… and Blade, he’s kind of beautiful, but also unwilling to bend and change to suit another person’s needs. Which kind of makes them a perfect couple – both irritatingly stubborn, but intrinsically caring.

Image source: Goodreads