raeanne's review against another edition
4.0
TW: Rape and living with the trauma afterwards.
THIS is how you write a survivor coming to terms with her abuse and being coming sexually active, aware, and confident. It’s glorious. And sweet. And sexy.
I fucking LOVED Cara. She’s one BAMF. I hate how she was screwed over by the system and shunned from society. However, I love what she did, how she survived and handles it. And then she ends up helping other women in sticky situations though some have a giant stick up their ass about it.
Nate is an awesome male romance lead. He’s bold but is very cautious with Cara, is aware of her boundaries and doesn’t push her. At first, I was skevved out by his “I want you as a payment” just like Cara but it worked out beautifully.
There is a lot of romance but I think it was well-balanced with the mystery. I liked the way it unfolded and wrapped up. I also liked how the Sherlock and Watson duo were not the end all be-all geniuses that are unbelievably brilliant. And the fact it pointed out how the poor women were discarded and treated as gossip by the ton was brought up with tones of shame. Well, at least by them and our romantic duo.
There isn’t much in the way of Gaslamp factors. It’s mostly flare like literal mechanical horses alongside flesh and bone horses and cars. Instead of drowning in gears and gadgets, it’s a more subdued affair.
I do like how it brings up the money issue when it comes to the cool Gaslamp items. This also gives a reason why it’s so subtle in this book, which makes far more sense to me.
While Nefertiti’s Heart is the main artifact in play, it’s rather magical as well. Or appears to be since it’s not really explained and *magic* is the default if the science isn’t explained. At least for me.
It was an easy, fast-paced read with great characters, action and a mystery worth uncovering. All in all, I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to continue the series.
THIS is how you write a survivor coming to terms with her abuse and being coming sexually active, aware, and confident. It’s glorious. And sweet. And sexy.
I fucking LOVED Cara. She’s one BAMF. I hate how she was screwed over by the system and shunned from society. However, I love what she did, how she survived and handles it. And then she ends up helping other women in sticky situations though some have a giant stick up their ass about it.
Nate is an awesome male romance lead. He’s bold but is very cautious with Cara, is aware of her boundaries and doesn’t push her. At first, I was skevved out by his “I want you as a payment” just like Cara but it worked out beautifully.
There is a lot of romance but I think it was well-balanced with the mystery. I liked the way it unfolded and wrapped up. I also liked how the Sherlock and Watson duo were not the end all be-all geniuses that are unbelievably brilliant. And the fact it pointed out how the poor women were discarded and treated as gossip by the ton was brought up with tones of shame. Well, at least by them and our romantic duo.
There isn’t much in the way of Gaslamp factors. It’s mostly flare like literal mechanical horses alongside flesh and bone horses and cars. Instead of drowning in gears and gadgets, it’s a more subdued affair.
I do like how it brings up the money issue when it comes to the cool Gaslamp items. This also gives a reason why it’s so subtle in this book, which makes far more sense to me.
While Nefertiti’s Heart is the main artifact in play, it’s rather magical as well. Or appears to be since it’s not really explained and *magic* is the default if the science isn’t explained. At least for me.
It was an easy, fast-paced read with great characters, action and a mystery worth uncovering. All in all, I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to continue the series.
inwonderland49's review against another edition
4.0
This review was originally posted on In Wonderland
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book! I was a little hesitant to pick it up for reasons I will never understand but I am so glad I did because I thoroughly enjoyed this and am really itching to get to the rest of this series!
Things that I really enjoyed:
- All of the Egyptian-ness within it! It was great to hear about some of these artifacts and the Egyptian elements were wonderful!
- I really loved the mystery that went with this. It wasn't just a steampunk book. But it was a steampunk book that had murders in it and it was really fun to read about the mystery behind the murders.
- I really loved Cara as a character. She was independent. Though, the reason why she was so independent is sad and at times hard to read, but it was written well.
- I loved the romance between Cara and Nate. I really liked them as a duo!
If you're in the mood for a great steampunk with murders, romance, and Egyptian elements, then pick this one up! I really enjoyed it! :)
clbrx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
laurenjodi's review against another edition
4.0
Neferitit's Heart
4 Stars
After the death of her father, Cara Devon inherits his collection of priceless artifacts. Her plan is to locate and sell the hidden antiquities, but soon discovers that she is not the only one searching for them. A deranged killer is hunting amongst the daughters of the nobility for an ancient Egyptian relic rumored to hold the key to immortality and Cara realizes that she must find it before she becomes the next victim.
An entertaining mix of mystery, romance and treasure hunting.
Although there is plenty of action and suspense in the story, the strong romantic element came as somewhat of a surprise as I was expecting more action and adventure. As a fan of romance, this is an added bonus, but readers more interested in a steampunk mystery should be forewarned.
The story is set in an alternate Victorian London in which automatons and other mechanical devices are subtly interwoven into daily life. The steampunk elements are very subdued and take a back seat to the murder mystery and romance.
The characters fall into all of my favorite types. Cara is an incredible mix of strength and vulnerability emerging from her abusive childhood as a strong and resourceful woman with a kick-ass, take-no-prisoners attitude. She meets her match in Nathaniel Lyons who has his fair share of skeletons in the closet. Fans of dark and brooding heroes in the vein of Blade in Bec McMaster’s Kiss of Steel and Winter in Jenn Bennett’s Bitter Spirits will adore Nate. Nate and Cara’s romance builds slowly but intensely and Exley is excellent at constructing sexual tension and emotional engagement.
The serial killer mystery is well-written with just enough clues to figure out the culprit while still maintaining tension and suspense. The climax is exciting and the inclusion of Egyptian myth another check in the plus column.
All in all, A. W. Exley has acquired a new fan and I am looking forward to continuing with the series.
4 Stars
After the death of her father, Cara Devon inherits his collection of priceless artifacts. Her plan is to locate and sell the hidden antiquities, but soon discovers that she is not the only one searching for them. A deranged killer is hunting amongst the daughters of the nobility for an ancient Egyptian relic rumored to hold the key to immortality and Cara realizes that she must find it before she becomes the next victim.
An entertaining mix of mystery, romance and treasure hunting.
Although there is plenty of action and suspense in the story, the strong romantic element came as somewhat of a surprise as I was expecting more action and adventure. As a fan of romance, this is an added bonus, but readers more interested in a steampunk mystery should be forewarned.
The story is set in an alternate Victorian London in which automatons and other mechanical devices are subtly interwoven into daily life. The steampunk elements are very subdued and take a back seat to the murder mystery and romance.
The characters fall into all of my favorite types. Cara is an incredible mix of strength and vulnerability emerging from her abusive childhood as a strong and resourceful woman with a kick-ass, take-no-prisoners attitude. She meets her match in Nathaniel Lyons who has his fair share of skeletons in the closet. Fans of dark and brooding heroes in the vein of Blade in Bec McMaster’s Kiss of Steel and Winter in Jenn Bennett’s Bitter Spirits will adore Nate. Nate and Cara’s romance builds slowly but intensely and Exley is excellent at constructing sexual tension and emotional engagement.
The serial killer mystery is well-written with just enough clues to figure out the culprit while still maintaining tension and suspense. The climax is exciting and the inclusion of Egyptian myth another check in the plus column.
All in all, A. W. Exley has acquired a new fan and I am looking forward to continuing with the series.
abigcoffeedragon's review against another edition
2.0
R Rated Fare
The story itself is not too bad, but there is a major amount of sexual tension and usage. While not erotica, it does spend a bit of time with female sexual fantasies. Not what I read steampunk for.
The story itself is not too bad, but there is a major amount of sexual tension and usage. While not erotica, it does spend a bit of time with female sexual fantasies. Not what I read steampunk for.
diaryofthebookdragon's review against another edition
4.0
First thing that attracted me to Nefertiti's Heart was the title. You may not know, but I am crazy about Egyptian history and mythology, so as soon as I heard Nefertiti - I had to read it. The second thing that I liked was the cover art. That steampunk heart looked so awesome, I just had to know how A.W. Exley merged steampunk and Egypt into one. Robot-mummy Nefertiti? One can only hope. :)
My realistic expectations that I will like Nefertiti's Heart were, honestly, pretty low. I never heard about Curiosity Quills Press or A.W. Exley before and since I lately have been burned a couple of times by debut authors or small publishing companies, all that I hoped is for Nefertiti's Heart to be readable. So, imagine my surprise when I found myself reading, no devouring Nefertiti's Heart. When I started, it didn't take long for the story and characters to win me over completely and I was enthralled. Nefertiti's Heart is one of those books that you can not put down. I read it whenever I had even a minute of free time and finished it in a day.
So what is Nefertiti's Heart about? The story is centered around Cara Devon, young lady scorned by society. Cara comes back to London first time after scandal that destroyed her reputation because her estranged father was murdered. Lord Devon was eccentric, gambler and collector of ancient relics. There was no love lost between father and daughter, so Cara hopes to quickly sell all his possessions and go back to her life. But nothing is ever simple. There is a serial murderer on the loose and criminal lord Viscount Nathaniel Lyons has got his eye on Cara's relics (and her). The mystery behind murders, ancient relics and passionate romance escalete and Cara is in the middle.
But don't feel sorry for Cara Devon. "...she was no blushing English rose. She had thorns." Yes, Cara is one of those kick-ass heroines that I love. She flaunts conventions and does not care what society that scorned her thinks about her. She's a fighter - literary (knows how to box) and figuratively - she fights her inner demons and fears and pushes herself to the limit. I found myself cheering for Cara almost immediately from the start.
Cara is not the only likable character in Nefertiti's Heart. There are a lot of quirky and cute side characters that appear through the book and A.W. Exley managed to make them feel so alive. There is Jackson Jackson (Viscount Lyons bodyguard), Cara's grandmother, even Countess de Sal - some half-crazy noblewoman Cara helps. I hope we will get glimpses of them in future A.W. Exley's books or I would not complain if they are main characters.
And last but not least, sexy and powerful Viscount Nathaniel Lyons. I have a soft spot for cool and controlled heroes, it's always so much fun when they unravel. It's exaggeration saying that Nathaniel unravels, but Cara manages to make a couple of cracks in his armor. And chemistry between them is off the charts. Slow seduction is my favorite type of romance, and Nathaniel slowly but surely won me over. :)
Nefertiti's Heart is set in alternative version of victorian England. There are glimpses of steampunk-ish machines and inventions through the book and Viscount Lyons even has a carriage with robot horses. How awesome is that? But steampunk is pretty subdued and subtle here. It's mentioned from time to time like part of everyday life but there are no detailed explanations how things work. So if you like a lot of steam-powered goodies, you will be disappointed. Also, no robot-mummy Nefertiti (bummer).
Except for one of the relics in lord Devon's collection being called Nefertiti's Heart and cute legend related to it, there are no more mentions of Egyptian mythology. But in spite of that I found myself thoroughly enjoying this book. In fact, this would be a 5 star read for me, except that the second part of the book got a little bit more focused on romance and sexual content, so I found the other aspect neglected. Still you will definitely encounter me recommending Nefertiti's Heart to my paranormal romance loving friends in the future.
And great news for me (and future Nefertiti's Heart readers) for the end. A.W. Exley tells us on her website that there will be a couple of free novellas about Cara and Nathaniel during the summer. Maybe even one about Jackson Jackson. And of course, the sequel to the series Hatshepsut's Collar is due in autumn 2013. Altough, Nefertiti's Heart did not have clifhanger ending, I can't wait for more of Cara and all other fun characters from this series.
My rating: 4.5 stars
I recommend this book to fans of: historical murder mystery who don't mind a little bit of steampunk and a lot of hot romance; also to those who love paranormal romance and urban fantasy and don't mind historical setting; kick-ass strong heroines with traumatic past; cold and control heroes with shady business arangements; qurky secondary characters; ...
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook via blog tour in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
My realistic expectations that I will like Nefertiti's Heart were, honestly, pretty low. I never heard about Curiosity Quills Press or A.W. Exley before and since I lately have been burned a couple of times by debut authors or small publishing companies, all that I hoped is for Nefertiti's Heart to be readable. So, imagine my surprise when I found myself reading, no devouring Nefertiti's Heart. When I started, it didn't take long for the story and characters to win me over completely and I was enthralled. Nefertiti's Heart is one of those books that you can not put down. I read it whenever I had even a minute of free time and finished it in a day.
So what is Nefertiti's Heart about? The story is centered around Cara Devon, young lady scorned by society. Cara comes back to London first time after scandal that destroyed her reputation because her estranged father was murdered. Lord Devon was eccentric, gambler and collector of ancient relics. There was no love lost between father and daughter, so Cara hopes to quickly sell all his possessions and go back to her life. But nothing is ever simple. There is a serial murderer on the loose and criminal lord Viscount Nathaniel Lyons has got his eye on Cara's relics (and her). The mystery behind murders, ancient relics and passionate romance escalete and Cara is in the middle.
But don't feel sorry for Cara Devon. "...she was no blushing English rose. She had thorns." Yes, Cara is one of those kick-ass heroines that I love. She flaunts conventions and does not care what society that scorned her thinks about her. She's a fighter - literary (knows how to box) and figuratively - she fights her inner demons and fears and pushes herself to the limit. I found myself cheering for Cara almost immediately from the start.
Cara is not the only likable character in Nefertiti's Heart. There are a lot of quirky and cute side characters that appear through the book and A.W. Exley managed to make them feel so alive. There is Jackson Jackson (Viscount Lyons bodyguard), Cara's grandmother, even Countess de Sal - some half-crazy noblewoman Cara helps. I hope we will get glimpses of them in future A.W. Exley's books or I would not complain if they are main characters.
And last but not least, sexy and powerful Viscount Nathaniel Lyons. I have a soft spot for cool and controlled heroes, it's always so much fun when they unravel. It's exaggeration saying that Nathaniel unravels, but Cara manages to make a couple of cracks in his armor. And chemistry between them is off the charts. Slow seduction is my favorite type of romance, and Nathaniel slowly but surely won me over. :)
Nefertiti's Heart is set in alternative version of victorian England. There are glimpses of steampunk-ish machines and inventions through the book and Viscount Lyons even has a carriage with robot horses. How awesome is that? But steampunk is pretty subdued and subtle here. It's mentioned from time to time like part of everyday life but there are no detailed explanations how things work. So if you like a lot of steam-powered goodies, you will be disappointed. Also, no robot-mummy Nefertiti (bummer).
Except for one of the relics in lord Devon's collection being called Nefertiti's Heart and cute legend related to it, there are no more mentions of Egyptian mythology. But in spite of that I found myself thoroughly enjoying this book. In fact, this would be a 5 star read for me, except that the second part of the book got a little bit more focused on romance and sexual content, so I found the other aspect neglected. Still you will definitely encounter me recommending Nefertiti's Heart to my paranormal romance loving friends in the future.
And great news for me (and future Nefertiti's Heart readers) for the end. A.W. Exley tells us on her website that there will be a couple of free novellas about Cara and Nathaniel during the summer. Maybe even one about Jackson Jackson. And of course, the sequel to the series Hatshepsut's Collar is due in autumn 2013. Altough, Nefertiti's Heart did not have clifhanger ending, I can't wait for more of Cara and all other fun characters from this series.
My rating: 4.5 stars
I recommend this book to fans of: historical murder mystery who don't mind a little bit of steampunk and a lot of hot romance; also to those who love paranormal romance and urban fantasy and don't mind historical setting; kick-ass strong heroines with traumatic past; cold and control heroes with shady business arangements; qurky secondary characters; ...
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook via blog tour in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
atlantisfrost's review against another edition
3.0
I got this book to read during my commute. It sounded really interesting (steampunk, ancient Egypt, mystery), but I was turned off by the "romance". It felt emotionless and creepy, and didn't make a lot of sense knowing Cara's past. Needless to say, it was awkward reading so much erotica on the bus... I did have to skip quite a bit. This book could have used a bit more editing too, as there were numerous spelling and grammatical errors. Overall, it wasn't bad. I did enjoy the rest of the story and the author's writing style. I do wish there had been more of Cara's badassery throughout the book. 2.5 stars out of 5.
freckles1987's review against another edition
2.0
Fun little murder mystery/steampunk/romance. Not great, but entertaining. I probably won't continue the series, but it was quick few hours.
aly_anne's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars and a ***trigger warning for rape/abuse***
Once you get past the fact that this is way more romance/soft erotica than it is sci fi, the plot really isn't all that bad. Plus, having a BAMF main female character definitely helps. Bucking societal expectations and living life on your own terms is great, but the circumstances that cause this were not so great. This books should come with a trigger warning, as the main character discusses being raped as a child several times throughout the book, and can be very distressing at times. Outside of that, as well as the ridiculously heated romance between Cara and Nate, I liked this book, and plan on giving the second one a shot. Not so bad for a free ebook from BookBub.
Once you get past the fact that this is way more romance/soft erotica than it is sci fi, the plot really isn't all that bad. Plus, having a BAMF main female character definitely helps. Bucking societal expectations and living life on your own terms is great, but the circumstances that cause this were not so great. This books should come with a trigger warning, as the main character discusses being raped as a child several times throughout the book, and can be very distressing at times. Outside of that, as well as the ridiculously heated romance between Cara and Nate, I liked this book, and plan on giving the second one a shot. Not so bad for a free ebook from BookBub.
chelsea_jack's review against another edition
5.0
Sometimes when you read a book, it manages to check all your boxes. It's got the right setting, the characters are engaging, the plot is paced just so and you find yourself zipping through the pages, eager to find out what happens next....
For me, this was one of those books. Nineteenth century steampunk, with a mystery involving an Egyptian artifact, a hint of paranormal, a potential romance with a sexy criminal lord, a heroine with a very troubled childhood who is very capable with a streak of curiosity guaranteed to get her into the thick of things.... I loved this book and I cannot wait to start the sequel.
For my complete review, visit To Each Their Own Reviews
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
For me, this was one of those books. Nineteenth century steampunk, with a mystery involving an Egyptian artifact, a hint of paranormal, a potential romance with a sexy criminal lord, a heroine with a very troubled childhood who is very capable with a streak of curiosity guaranteed to get her into the thick of things.... I loved this book and I cannot wait to start the sequel.
For my complete review, visit To Each Their Own Reviews
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.