Short Story Review: Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City

Title: Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City (Iron Seas #1.5)

Author: Meljean Brook
Publication Date: August 7, 2012
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Adult Paranormal Historical Romance
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N
Source: Bought

Eight months after The Iron Duke, can their marriage survive a new danger?

After Mina is called in to investigate the murder of an aristocratic bounder, her husband Rhys—known to the world as the Iron Duke—must overcome his fear for his new bride before his need to protect her tears them apart. But when she invites him to join her at the murder scene, a search for a mysterious killing machine puts her in more danger than ever before…a danger that leads straight back to Rhys.

Fans of Mina Wentworth and Rhys Trahearn rejoice. Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City is a wonderful short story that is a great addendum to The Iron Duke, giving us a little peek into life after the book ended. The Invisible City takes place 8 months after The Iron Duke. When a mutual aquaintance of Rhys and Mina's shows up dead, Mina is called in to investigate. The only clue they have is that the butler saw a giant brass wheel in the garden moments before the body was found. The hunt escalates when Mina discovers that the killer may have a connection to Rhys and she must find him before he can kill again.

I actually didn't know about this novella until my paperback copy of The Iron Duke showed up in the mail. I originally read an e-copy from the library but I loved the book so much that I wanted a copy for myself. I am so glad I bought it, too, because it contains this great little novella. Short stories ar not usually my favorite. It's really hard to write a short story that feels complete in such a short span of words. But Brook manages it quite well with The Invisible City. The story arc felt complete with a true beginning, middle, and end and it was a fun visiting these characters again and getting another view into their world.

The mystery plot was well executed and fast paced. Mina is as determined as ever and is dogged in her pursuit of the killer. While the mystery was a large part of the story, we also get to see how Mina and Rhys are taking to marriage. While they love each other passionately, their marriage is not without its problems. Both Rhys and Mina are still getting accustomed their new relationship. Neither of them has ever been in love before and they each have their own insecurities about the marriage. As a police inspector, Mina is often in danger, and Rhys is having a hard time dealing with his fear for her. Her safety means everything for him but he knows that he cannot stifle her or he will lose her. Mina is afraid that now that Rhys has her, his passion may have waned after the initial excitement of the pursuit has worn off. It was interesting to see how these two dealt with their feelings and insecurities. It's clear that they both love each other passionately. Of course there was also a good amount of steamy sex in this story - more than I would have thought for such a short story. I could have done with a wee bit less shagging, but I'm not really complaining.

It was also great seeing some old favorites from The Iron Duke. Scarsdale is as charming and outrageous as ever. Newberry plays a large role as well and I loved seeing him again. Mina and Rhys also include Anne the tinker in their family and we learn a bit more about her in this story.

I had a great time catching up with these characters. If you wondered what happened to Rhys and Mina after that fateful afternoon in the square, look no further. With incredible world building, great characters, a sexy romance and a fast paced mystery, The Invisible City has something for everyone. A must read for fans of The Iron Duke!

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Visit the author online at meljeanbrook.com,Facebook and follow her on Twitter @meljean

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Review: The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook

Title: The Iron Duke (The Iron Seas #1)

Author: Meljean Brook
Publication Date: Oct 5, 2010
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance/Steampunk
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, Book Depository
Source: Purchased

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power-and fear-of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

But when Mina uncovers the victim's identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans-and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen, as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.

This series has been on my radar for a while now but, for whatever reason, I did not read it for a very long time. I'd heard really good things about it and one of my favorite authors (Nalini Singh) even said that it was one of her favorite series. With such hype, I was a little afraid that this book would not meet my expectations. Fortunately, it surpassed them and I had a really great time diving into this new world.

The Iron Duke is a great mix of steampunk, pirates, zombies and romance. It's like all of my favorite things in one book. The world building is really incredible and Brook manages to create a really intricate world without overwhelming you. There was a lot to take in but I never felt like there was any info dumping or hand holding and I learned about the world naturally as the story progressed.

The story is pretty heavy on the romance though not annoyingly so. Mina and Rhys are both fantastic characters and they make an unlikely couple. Mina is a total badass and I loved how smart and tough she is. She hasn't had the easiest life. A child of what is called a Frenzy, Mina reminds people of their time under Horde rule and she is often discriminated against and assaulted. She has to work twice as hard to make up for the prejudices against her but it hasn't made her mean or bitter. It's just made her more determined. Romance is not something she is used to and it's fun watching the normally calm and cool inspector try to manage her feelings for Rhys.

Rhys Trahaearn is a great match for Mina. Though it seems like the ruthless former pirate captain is the exact opposite of Mina, the two actually have a lot in common. They're both strong willed and fiercely protective of what is theirs. They are both outsiders and don't quite fit in. Rhys hasn't had the easiest life but he made himself into one of the most powerful men in the world. They treated each other as equals and made a great team. Their romance was sweet at times and frustrating at others. They both behaved a little foolishly at the end of the book and neither of them wanted to admit that they needed the other. But don't worry, it all works out in the end. :)

I love it when I find a new series and a new world to explore. The plot was well paced and action packed. I loved Mina and Rhys and the book also had an amazing supporting cast. Newberry and Scarsdale are my favorites.

I am so glad I finally read this. This world has truly captivated me and I have a feeling that I've only scratched the surface of it. I already have book 2 on standby. Recommended for fans of adventure and romance.

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Visit the author online at meljeanbrook.com, Facebook and follow her on Twitter @meljean

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Wicked As They Come - Review

Wicked As They Come (Blud #1) 
by Delilah S. Wilson

Publication date: 27 March 2012 by Pocket Books

ISBN 10/13: 1451657889 | 9781451657883
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Category: Adult Paranormal Romance/Steampunk
Keywords: Paranormal, romance, steampunk, vampires
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook
Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

When Tish Everett forces open the ruby locket she finds at an estate sale, she has no idea that a deliciously rakish Bludman has cast a spell just for her. She wakes up in a surreal world, where Criminy Stain, the dashing proprietor of a magical traveling circus, curiously awaits. At Criminy’s electric touch, Tish glimpses a tantalizing future, but she also foresees her ultimate doom. Before she can decide whether to risk her fate with the charming daredevil, the locket disappears, and with it, her only chance to return home. Tish and Criminy battle roaring sea monsters and thundering bludmares, vengeful ghosts and crooked Coppers in a treacherous race to recover the necklace from the evil Blud-hating Magistrate. But if they succeed, will Tish forsake her fanged suitor and return to her normal life, or will she take a chance on an unpredictable but dangerous destiny with the Bludman she’s coming to love?

Thuy's Review:

I have to be honest and say that I struggled to finish this one. While it had a really cool premise, I had trouble getting into the story and was never able to connect with any of the characters. The pacing of the book was also off, with an extremely slow start, and didn’t pick up until the middle of the book or so. Unfortunately by then, I had a lost a lot of interest and was just trying to get to the finish line.

The book starts off well enough with Tish finding a locket at an estate sale. When she goes to bed, she wakes up naked in a strange world that is similar to her own but also very different. Criminy Stain is there, a mysterious stranger who claims that he cast a spell to bring her to him. Tish must learn to survive in this new, dangerous world while trying to find a permanent way back to her own world.

I think my main problem was with the characters. I found Tish to be whiny and annoying for most of the book. She has two men fighting over her and I couldn’t understand why either of them was interested. Criminy Stain, is the Mad Hatter in this tale, with his magic tricks and enigmatic nature. But instead of charming, I found him to be somewhat patronizing and a little manic. And while I am sure that there are many women out there who would find Criminy swoon worthy, he did nothing for me. I do give him points though for his infinite patience when dealing with Tish. I probably would have left her on the side of the road for the bludbunnies the first chance I got. The book was also lacking in the romance department. I didn’t feel any spark or emotional connection between the two. Even the sex scenes weren’t very exciting.

That’s not to say that I didn’t like anything about the book. It’s clear that Dawson is a good writer and I found the world of Blud to be very unique and imaginative. Dawson’s vivid descriptions paint a dark new world filled with terrifying, bloodthirsty (literally) creatures and ruthless Pinkies and Coppers. The idea of an oppressed vampire race is definitely interesting and I found myself wanting to know more about the history of Sang. I’d also like to learn more about how Tish’s human world and Sang are able to exist at the same time and if there are other parallel worlds.

I wish this had been more to my liking but you can’t win them all, right? If you’re interested in really unique worlds and don’t mind so-so characters, you might enjoy this more than I did.

 

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Visit the author online at www.delilahpaints.blogspot.com and follow her on Twitter @DelilahSDawson


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