Review: Galvanism and Ghouls (Manners and Monsters #2) by Tilly Wallace

About the Book

Together beyond death...

A new unnatural horror is about to rattle Hannah Miles' quiet existence, and it's not the short-tempered viscount prowling the hallways. Someone is creating a monster by stitching together pieces of different people. When a limb makes an escape attempt, Viscount Wycliff is called to investigate. All of London knows there is one mad scientist among them capable of creating such an ungodly monster... Sir Hugh Miles.

Hannah's father is suspected of a most heinous crime and she is determined to clear his name, even as Wycliff works to see the murderer hang. Buried secrets that touch all their lives will be brought to the surface. One such secret belongs to Hannah and could tear her world apart.

With Hannah and Wycliff on opposing sides, can they find the real monster and will it be the hand that wields the scalpel, or the creature hiding in the dark?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

One didn’t have to scream and shout that one was not following the expected conventions. Many like herself went about quietly doing as they pleased. Marching to their own drum, as it were.

I had such a great time reading this book! This series is turning out to be so much fun. This installment was even better than the first. The world building is spectacular and the characters are charming and easy to root for. I can't get enough.

There were twists and turns and a couple of surprising reveals that I didn't see coming. I thought the mystery was good. I was absolutely convinced I knew who the guilty party was. So much so that I pretty much dismissed everyone else. Boy, was I in for a shock! And while this mystery was solved, there are quite a few loose threads that I'm sure will carry through the rest of the series, which I'm eager to read ASAP! If you're a fan of paranormal cozy mysteries, this series gets a huge recommendation from me. Start with book one and you'll be hooked!

4.5 STARS

Double Review: A couple of gaslamp mysteries

Manners and Monsters by Tilly Wallace

Hannah pushed into the room she loved the most. Could there be anything more marvellous in the world than a library? Other women might prefer a ballroom, or a millinery shop, but Hannah swooned over books.

Hannah is not the typical lady of society. Though once accepted by the elites, she is now ostracized. She assists her father, the so-called "mad scientist", in his research of Unnatural Creatures and their diseases. A most improper role for a young lady. And the fact that her mother was one of the first Afflicted doesn't really help her case much either.

But she doesn't let that get her down. She's quite content with her life. She knows she's loved by those who really matter. And while she wouldn't mind a few more friends, and though she secretly longs for a true romance, she's perfectly fine with how things are. Honestly.

While attending her best friend's engagement party, a footman is murdered. His brain is missing, so the obvious suspect is one of the Afflicted women who attended the party. Because of her expertise in the Afflicted, Hannah reluctantly partners with the rude Lord Wycliff to catch the murderer.

I LOVED this story! It was so much fun! Hannah was an exceptionally likable character, and Lord Wycliff had a Mr. Darcy-like charm that I just couldn’t resist. I did guess the murderer fairly early on, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment at all. In fact, I didn't want the story to end. I’m so glad there are many more stories in this series for me to enjoy. I can’t wait to see what these characters are up to next.

4.5 STARS

Amazon / Goodreads

The Werewolf of Whitechapel by Suzannah Rowntree

Liz has no memory of her life before the werewolf attack that scarred her and sent her to St. Botolph's. She's vowed to find the truth of her attack and make the monster pay for what he did to her. And her new position as lady's maid and bodyguard to a minor royal is the perfect opportunity to find answers. Because of her new position, she'll be in regular contact with the monsters (werewolves, vampires, sirens) since they populate the Continental Royal ranks.

Fresh into her new job though, Liz finds out her best friend from St. Botolph's has been murdered, and now she has a new mission. Find the murderer and make them pay.

I fully expected to love this one, but I couldn't get into it. It might've just been my mood, though. I had just finished a heavy and emotional read right before this one and was ready for a light and fun diversion, which this one was described as. And while there were moments of lightness and laughs here, it was also darker and much more... political... I guess you could say, then I anticipated. And while that's not a bad thing, it just was not what I was in the mood to read.

I was halfway through with it and moderately intrigued by the mysteries, so I thought I'd set it aside for a little while and come back to it. I picked it back up about three weeks later and still couldn't get into it. I still had the same issues with it. The things that irritated me before irritated me even worse. I was just as frustrated with certain things. And Liz was even more unlikable than I remembered. I hate not finishing a book, and I hate writing a bad review even more, but I'm sad to say I abandoned this book around 60%. It had a lot of promise, it just wasn't for me at this time.

DNF

Amazon / Goodreads

Review: Countdown & San Diego 2014 by Mira Grant

Countdown: A Newsflesh Novella

About the Book

The year is 2014, the year everything changed. We cured cancer. We cured the common cold. We died.

This is the story of how we rose.

When will you rise?

Countdown is a novella set in the world of Feed.

Amazon / Goodreads

San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats

About the Book

It was the summer of 2014, and the true horrors of the Rising were only just beginning to reveal themselves. Fans from all over the world gathered in San Diego, California for the annual comic book and media convention, planning to forget about the troubling rumors of new diseases and walking dead by immersing themselves in a familiar environment. Over the course of five grueling days and nights, it became clear that the news was very close to home...and that most of the people who picked up their badges would never make it out alive.

Amazon / Goodreads

My Thoughts

It began nowhere. It began everywhere. It began without warning; it began with all the warning in the world. It could have been prevented a thousand times over. There was nothing that anyone could have done.

These were very timely reads. Utterly compelling and truly terrifying, I couldn't pull myself away from them. It's eerie how author Mira Grant, AKA Seanan McGuire, predicted so much about a global pandemic. I got goosebumps so many times because some things were uncannily similar to what's been going on. Now don't get me wrong, there's a lot of differences too, but there was enough there to freak me out even more.

Countdown explains the origins of the Kellis-Amberlee virus while San Diego 2014 recounts the tragedy and rapid spread of it at Comic-Con. They can definitely be read without prior knowledge of the series, though I think you'll get even more enjoyment out of them if you have read at least some of the series.

If you're in the mood for a couple of quick, unputdownable horror stories, these fit the bill perfectly. There were times when it didn't feel like fiction, but like I was reading an actual real-life account of the zombie apocalypse. So scary!

NOTE: These stories contain strong language.

4 Stars