witandsin's review
3.0
Blue Ribbon Rating: 3 out of 5
Original Review Link
CRIME WAVE IN A CORSET by Stacy Gail
Cornelia Peabody is the consummate thief. But after stealing a Fabergé egg from Roderick Coddington’s house, Cornelia finds herself in a world of trouble. She has seven days to retrieve the egg or she’ll die. The threat of death doesn’t rattle the professional thief, but the fact that Roderick may steal her heart most definitely does.
Author Stacy Gail brings a dark edge to the Christmas holiday in CRIME WAVE IN A CORSET. Roderick may toe the line close to villain territory at the beginning of the story – threatening the instantly likeable Cornelia with death isn’t the most endearing of introductions for a hero – but Ms. Gail slowly brought me around as I learned more about the clever professor. Cornelia and her inventions do tend to steal the show though, which is perhaps appropriate with a thief for a heroine. A healthy dose of sensuality rounds out the enemies-turned-lovers plot, making CRIME WAVE IN A CORSET a sexy seasonal story.
THIS WINTER HEART by PG Forte
Eight years ago, Ophelia’s husband Dario sent her back to her father after discovering that she wasn’t entirely human. Now that her father has died, Ophelia has no choice but to turn to Dario for aid. Dario’s anger at her return intensifies when he learns that Ophelia has a seven-year-old son she never told him about – one he doesn’t believe can be his. Ophelia knows that Dario once loved her…before he found out about her mechanical parts and started viewing her as a machine incapable of returning his love rather than a woman. Can she convince him that she’s far more human than he believes?
Estranged spouses and secret babies may be tried-and-true romance plots, but author PG Forte gives them her own dazzling, unique twist in THIS WINTER HEART. Ophelia wound her way around my heart almost immediately; and I found myself emotionally invested in her story, wanting Ophelia to find happiness. Dario, in turn, is a bit harder to like since he thinks of – or tries to think of – Ophelia as a thing, rather than a person, but Ms. Forte was able to make me follow his logic, even if I didn’t agree with it. I enjoyed watching Dario become the man worthy of Ophelia’s love, and ultimately I found THIS WINTER HEART to be a satisfying, original tale.
WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL by Jenny Schwartz
Australian heiress and suffragette Esme Smith needs a man. And not just any man, but a respectable scoundrel she can hire to represent her political party, the Women’s Advancement League. American inventor Jedediah Reeve seems to fit the bill perfectly. But as the political intrigue that Esme and Jed are involved in heats up, so does their connection. Will Esme fall for her scoundrel who may or may not be all that he seems?
WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL is light on both steam and steampunk devices, but it’s an interesting tale. Esme is a smart woman with a spine of steel, ready to go after what she wants. She doesn’t seem to want to depend on anyone, but thankfully, she’s not the type of heroine who turns away help just to make a point. Esme and Jed fit each other well on a number of levels, and the dynamic between them keeps WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL afloat when the plot slows down in a couple of places. I enjoyed the Australian setting; it was a nice change of pace since almost all of the steampunk stories I’ve read have taken place in England or America. All in all, WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL was an entertaining story.
FAR FROM BROKEN by JK Coi
Colonel Jasper Carlisle fell fast and hard for prima ballerina Callie and courted her until she agreed to be his wife. Their happiness comes crashing to a halt when Jasper’s enemies kidnap and torture Callie. By the time Jasper is able to find her, only a number of experimental surgeries can save her. But the surgeries leave Callie with a mechanical eye, hand and legs, making her feel like a stranger in her own body. Her anger at Jasper and his guilt at leaving her unprotected threaten to tear them apart. However, Jasper’s not about to give up on Callie or their marriage. He’ll prove to his wife that his love hasn’t changed, and he’ll regain her trust. But Jasper has to move quickly – his old enemies are back, and they’re determined to finish what they once started.
FAR FROM BROKEN is a heartbreaking story about two people finding each other once again. Callie has been through an unbelievable trauma that has left her physically and emotionally injured. Both Jasper and Callie’s true strength shows in how they come to connect with each other and the world around them. Though author JK Coi almost made me cry while reading FAR FROM BROKEN, I absolutely loved the story. The romance, character building, danger and steampunk elements all worked together flawlessly to create one fabulous story. I could go on, but suffice it to say that readers looking for a different kind of romance – one rich in both joy and tragedy – should read FAR FROM BROKEN.
A CLOCKWORK CHRISTMAS contains a quartet of unique steampunk romances. Each story is very different from the others, and I liked not knowing what to expect from one story to the next. The Christmas holiday isn’t really a big element in any of the stories in A CLOCKWORK CHRISTMAS, so readers are sure to enjoy this anthology all year long. Stacy Gail, PG Forte, Jenny Schwartz and JK Coi are all talented authors, and I look forward to reading more of their work.
Note 1: All the stories in A CLOCKWORK CHRISTMAS are also for sale as individual ebooks.
Note 2: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here courtesy of Romance Junkies.
Original Review Link
CRIME WAVE IN A CORSET by Stacy Gail
Cornelia Peabody is the consummate thief. But after stealing a Fabergé egg from Roderick Coddington’s house, Cornelia finds herself in a world of trouble. She has seven days to retrieve the egg or she’ll die. The threat of death doesn’t rattle the professional thief, but the fact that Roderick may steal her heart most definitely does.
Author Stacy Gail brings a dark edge to the Christmas holiday in CRIME WAVE IN A CORSET. Roderick may toe the line close to villain territory at the beginning of the story – threatening the instantly likeable Cornelia with death isn’t the most endearing of introductions for a hero – but Ms. Gail slowly brought me around as I learned more about the clever professor. Cornelia and her inventions do tend to steal the show though, which is perhaps appropriate with a thief for a heroine. A healthy dose of sensuality rounds out the enemies-turned-lovers plot, making CRIME WAVE IN A CORSET a sexy seasonal story.
THIS WINTER HEART by PG Forte
Eight years ago, Ophelia’s husband Dario sent her back to her father after discovering that she wasn’t entirely human. Now that her father has died, Ophelia has no choice but to turn to Dario for aid. Dario’s anger at her return intensifies when he learns that Ophelia has a seven-year-old son she never told him about – one he doesn’t believe can be his. Ophelia knows that Dario once loved her…before he found out about her mechanical parts and started viewing her as a machine incapable of returning his love rather than a woman. Can she convince him that she’s far more human than he believes?
Estranged spouses and secret babies may be tried-and-true romance plots, but author PG Forte gives them her own dazzling, unique twist in THIS WINTER HEART. Ophelia wound her way around my heart almost immediately; and I found myself emotionally invested in her story, wanting Ophelia to find happiness. Dario, in turn, is a bit harder to like since he thinks of – or tries to think of – Ophelia as a thing, rather than a person, but Ms. Forte was able to make me follow his logic, even if I didn’t agree with it. I enjoyed watching Dario become the man worthy of Ophelia’s love, and ultimately I found THIS WINTER HEART to be a satisfying, original tale.
WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL by Jenny Schwartz
Australian heiress and suffragette Esme Smith needs a man. And not just any man, but a respectable scoundrel she can hire to represent her political party, the Women’s Advancement League. American inventor Jedediah Reeve seems to fit the bill perfectly. But as the political intrigue that Esme and Jed are involved in heats up, so does their connection. Will Esme fall for her scoundrel who may or may not be all that he seems?
WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL is light on both steam and steampunk devices, but it’s an interesting tale. Esme is a smart woman with a spine of steel, ready to go after what she wants. She doesn’t seem to want to depend on anyone, but thankfully, she’s not the type of heroine who turns away help just to make a point. Esme and Jed fit each other well on a number of levels, and the dynamic between them keeps WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL afloat when the plot slows down in a couple of places. I enjoyed the Australian setting; it was a nice change of pace since almost all of the steampunk stories I’ve read have taken place in England or America. All in all, WANTED: ONE SCOUNDREL was an entertaining story.
FAR FROM BROKEN by JK Coi
Colonel Jasper Carlisle fell fast and hard for prima ballerina Callie and courted her until she agreed to be his wife. Their happiness comes crashing to a halt when Jasper’s enemies kidnap and torture Callie. By the time Jasper is able to find her, only a number of experimental surgeries can save her. But the surgeries leave Callie with a mechanical eye, hand and legs, making her feel like a stranger in her own body. Her anger at Jasper and his guilt at leaving her unprotected threaten to tear them apart. However, Jasper’s not about to give up on Callie or their marriage. He’ll prove to his wife that his love hasn’t changed, and he’ll regain her trust. But Jasper has to move quickly – his old enemies are back, and they’re determined to finish what they once started.
FAR FROM BROKEN is a heartbreaking story about two people finding each other once again. Callie has been through an unbelievable trauma that has left her physically and emotionally injured. Both Jasper and Callie’s true strength shows in how they come to connect with each other and the world around them. Though author JK Coi almost made me cry while reading FAR FROM BROKEN, I absolutely loved the story. The romance, character building, danger and steampunk elements all worked together flawlessly to create one fabulous story. I could go on, but suffice it to say that readers looking for a different kind of romance – one rich in both joy and tragedy – should read FAR FROM BROKEN.
A CLOCKWORK CHRISTMAS contains a quartet of unique steampunk romances. Each story is very different from the others, and I liked not knowing what to expect from one story to the next. The Christmas holiday isn’t really a big element in any of the stories in A CLOCKWORK CHRISTMAS, so readers are sure to enjoy this anthology all year long. Stacy Gail, PG Forte, Jenny Schwartz and JK Coi are all talented authors, and I look forward to reading more of their work.
Note 1: All the stories in A CLOCKWORK CHRISTMAS are also for sale as individual ebooks.
Note 2: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here courtesy of Romance Junkies.
jeanz's review
4.0
I decided to try and read a few Christmas titles, so an anthology seemed a really good idea, and as I haven't read much Steampunk decided on this anthology.
I particularly enjoyed the Crime Wave In A Corset by Stacey Gail, In this novelette Roderick coddington has found out the identity of the person who stole a priceless Fabergé egg from his then dying sister. The thief is identitfied as Cornelia Peabody. Roderick believes that Cornelia is a heartless criminal......will his opinion change of her? Will Cornelia repeat her history to return the Fabergé Egg back to Roderick to try and please him and repent her awful deed and again steal the Fabergé egg from a youngster who is dying?
I really enjoyed this part of the Anthology, it was fast paced, kept you interested all the way through to the ending. Worth buying separately or within this anthology.
Next in the anthology was This Winter Heart by PG Forte. This novelette is again really good and keeps you reading and interested to the very end. the whole will they won't they reconcile, the question of is Ophelia capable of real feelings and emotions? Is Arthur really the son of her and her husband Dario? This one has you holding your breath and crossing your fingers, it also has your heart aching for Ophelia.....Is it a happy ending? Definitely buy this one too!
The third novelette in this anthology is Wanted: One Scounderel by Jenny Schwartz. This short novel is about a suffragette called Emily, who is in need of a man to front her organisation, sort of to act as the male face, and get her into the places females are still not allowed into. Sorry to say this one just didn't grab me and hold me as the first two did, it was okay, but I just didn't seem to "click" with it. I suppose you can't love every book you read then it would be really boring. don't let me put you off giving this one a go.
Finally the last novelette in the anthology is Far From Broken by JK Coi is about a deeply in love couples world being shattered when the woman (Callie) is kidnapped and tortured by the people her husband (Jasper) has been hunting. To be totally honest I tried a couple of times to get into this one and never seemed to get hooked into it...could have been because Of it being christmas and me being busy doing all those jobs you have to do at Christmas etc but ashamed to say i gave up in the end and decided to start reading another book. I will however keep this on my kindle and go back to it for another try in the future.
So on the whole I think this Christmas anthology is definitely worth buying even if you are relatively new to Steampunk as I am, you will find something you like within it's pages. I have certainly added another two author names to my list of authors I like to read!
I particularly enjoyed the Crime Wave In A Corset by Stacey Gail, In this novelette Roderick coddington has found out the identity of the person who stole a priceless Fabergé egg from his then dying sister. The thief is identitfied as Cornelia Peabody. Roderick believes that Cornelia is a heartless criminal......will his opinion change of her? Will Cornelia repeat her history to return the Fabergé Egg back to Roderick to try and please him and repent her awful deed and again steal the Fabergé egg from a youngster who is dying?
I really enjoyed this part of the Anthology, it was fast paced, kept you interested all the way through to the ending. Worth buying separately or within this anthology.
Next in the anthology was This Winter Heart by PG Forte. This novelette is again really good and keeps you reading and interested to the very end. the whole will they won't they reconcile, the question of is Ophelia capable of real feelings and emotions? Is Arthur really the son of her and her husband Dario? This one has you holding your breath and crossing your fingers, it also has your heart aching for Ophelia.....Is it a happy ending? Definitely buy this one too!
The third novelette in this anthology is Wanted: One Scounderel by Jenny Schwartz. This short novel is about a suffragette called Emily, who is in need of a man to front her organisation, sort of to act as the male face, and get her into the places females are still not allowed into. Sorry to say this one just didn't grab me and hold me as the first two did, it was okay, but I just didn't seem to "click" with it. I suppose you can't love every book you read then it would be really boring. don't let me put you off giving this one a go.
Finally the last novelette in the anthology is Far From Broken by JK Coi is about a deeply in love couples world being shattered when the woman (Callie) is kidnapped and tortured by the people her husband (Jasper) has been hunting. To be totally honest I tried a couple of times to get into this one and never seemed to get hooked into it...could have been because Of it being christmas and me being busy doing all those jobs you have to do at Christmas etc but ashamed to say i gave up in the end and decided to start reading another book. I will however keep this on my kindle and go back to it for another try in the future.
So on the whole I think this Christmas anthology is definitely worth buying even if you are relatively new to Steampunk as I am, you will find something you like within it's pages. I have certainly added another two author names to my list of authors I like to read!
claudiap's review
3.0
In this book we have a set of four novels that combine the historical romance and steampunk genres. It seemed to me that they were much more love stories than a steampunk adventure. I know that in short stories is very difficult to develop a story, but the truth is that most were only love stories with a steampunk setting.
The story I liked the best was the third, Wanted: One Scoundrel. Loved the combination of steampunk with social criticism. And it just had a little romance.
The reading was very enjoyable.
The story I liked the best was the third, Wanted: One Scoundrel. Loved the combination of steampunk with social criticism. And it just had a little romance.
The reading was very enjoyable.
melissafirman's review
4.0
We're still within the 12 days of Christmas, aren't we? I mean, this is my last day of Christmas break (as is The Husband's and the kids) so I think I'm good in getting this review posted in the nick of time for the holiday season. Not that it really matters, because even though A Clockwork Christmas is billed as "A Steampunk Christmas Anthology," there isn't very much in the way of the yuletide in these four novellas that comprise this collection. Trust me when I say you're good to go if you want to read this in the middle of July.
A Clockwork Christmas does, however, deliver in regards to the steampunk elements - which I had to look up, being that I'm very new to the steampunk genre. I requested A Clockwork Christmas from NetGalley because I thought a Christmas-themed collection of novellas would be a good introduction to the genre as well as be a fun, entertaining book to read on my Kindle during our 6 hour drive (each way) to and from Philadelphia for the holidays. And that it absolutely was.
(For those who, like me, are unfamiliar with steampunk, here's how Wikipedia describes it: a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that involves a setting where steam power is used, most often in Victorian era Britain or the Wild West era of the United States. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians might have envisioned them, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architecture, etc.)
Now, there's an added element in A Clockwork Christmas that certain readers might want to know about beforehand and that bears mentioning. Carina Press is a publisher of romance novels - some of them on the steamy side, from some of the descriptions of ones I've seen - and the first two steampunk novellas (and even the fourth) in A Clockwork Christmas are definitely powered by that particular type of ... uh, steam. From what I understand and can gather from reading other reviews, this isn't typical of most steampunk works. (Or maybe it is. I don't know. I don't have enough experience with the genre, truthfully, but I do know that it is definitely present here. In great - sometimes, often graphic - detail.)
So, some readers may not appreciate that added romantic element. As for me? Well, that didn't bother me nor did it take away from my enjoyment of these four novellas.
Take Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail, the first novella in the anthology and my favorite of the four. This is the story of Cornelia, a beautiful professional thief who grew up knowing no other way of life and who keeps her physical and emotional scars hidden from anyone who tries to get close to her. When Roderick discovers that Cornelia has stolen a valuable (and sentimental) Faberge egg from him, he demands that she return it - or he'll make certain that she won't live to see Christmas Day. The tension between the two is delicious and makes for a fun and entertaining (and steamy!) story.
Then we have This Winter Heart, by PG Forte, which I also liked. Destitute, Ophelia has returned (from eastern Pennsylvania!) to her husband Dario's estate in the Wild West, after being away for eight years during the Civil War. (An interesting twist there: in this tale, the Civil War happens to have been won by the South.) Lia, as she is known, doesn't return alone; she arrives with her 8 year old son, whose father happens to be (you guessed it) the cad Dario. This comes as somewhat of a surprise to Dario, who believed Lia to be barren - and, because of her father's inventor interventions - inhuman as well. He treats her callously, refusing to admit that he once had feelings for her - and perhaps, still does.
Esme Smith is the protagonist of Wanted: One Scoundrel, Jenny Schwartz's novella about a suffragette in Australia who hires Jed Reeve ("a scoundrel") to promote her feminist agenda in the male social clubs that she's denied access to because she's a woman. I gotta say ... I loved Esme, who was my favorite of all the strong female lead characters presented here. I just adored her independence, smarts, and spunk in a time when women's voices were often silenced and that made Wanted: One Scoundrel a fun story to read. (Plus, there was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming.) And while I liked the romance between Cornelia and Roderick in Crime Wave in a Corset, I really liked the relationship with Esme and Jed.
Finally, JK Coi's Far From Broken was a heartbreaking story about a accomplished ballerina who suffers a horrible crime as revenge for her husband's work as a government spy, the lengths that one will go to save a life, and what it means to be human. There are some similar thematic elements to This Winter Heart in this one, but it is different enough to stand alone. This one had me riveted to my Kindle, as it was the novella I spent New Year's Eve with.
While I thought the Christmas aspect of A Clockwork Christmas was definitely lacking, overall this was an enjoyable, entertaining, turbo-charged romantic read with strong characters and good writing. I'm glad I gave it a try, as it was one of my most surprising reads of 2011. These four novellas were a great introduction to steampunk and while I don't think I'll be abandoning my regular preferences anytime soon, I would certainly consider reading additional works by these talented authors.
A Clockwork Christmas does, however, deliver in regards to the steampunk elements - which I had to look up, being that I'm very new to the steampunk genre. I requested A Clockwork Christmas from NetGalley because I thought a Christmas-themed collection of novellas would be a good introduction to the genre as well as be a fun, entertaining book to read on my Kindle during our 6 hour drive (each way) to and from Philadelphia for the holidays. And that it absolutely was.
(For those who, like me, are unfamiliar with steampunk, here's how Wikipedia describes it: a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that involves a setting where steam power is used, most often in Victorian era Britain or the Wild West era of the United States. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians might have envisioned them, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architecture, etc.)
Now, there's an added element in A Clockwork Christmas that certain readers might want to know about beforehand and that bears mentioning. Carina Press is a publisher of romance novels - some of them on the steamy side, from some of the descriptions of ones I've seen - and the first two steampunk novellas (and even the fourth) in A Clockwork Christmas are definitely powered by that particular type of ... uh, steam. From what I understand and can gather from reading other reviews, this isn't typical of most steampunk works. (Or maybe it is. I don't know. I don't have enough experience with the genre, truthfully, but I do know that it is definitely present here. In great - sometimes, often graphic - detail.)
So, some readers may not appreciate that added romantic element. As for me? Well, that didn't bother me nor did it take away from my enjoyment of these four novellas.
Take Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail, the first novella in the anthology and my favorite of the four. This is the story of Cornelia, a beautiful professional thief who grew up knowing no other way of life and who keeps her physical and emotional scars hidden from anyone who tries to get close to her. When Roderick discovers that Cornelia has stolen a valuable (and sentimental) Faberge egg from him, he demands that she return it - or he'll make certain that she won't live to see Christmas Day. The tension between the two is delicious and makes for a fun and entertaining (and steamy!) story.
Then we have This Winter Heart, by PG Forte, which I also liked. Destitute, Ophelia has returned (from eastern Pennsylvania!) to her husband Dario's estate in the Wild West, after being away for eight years during the Civil War. (An interesting twist there: in this tale, the Civil War happens to have been won by the South.) Lia, as she is known, doesn't return alone; she arrives with her 8 year old son, whose father happens to be (you guessed it) the cad Dario. This comes as somewhat of a surprise to Dario, who believed Lia to be barren - and, because of her father's inventor interventions - inhuman as well. He treats her callously, refusing to admit that he once had feelings for her - and perhaps, still does.
Esme Smith is the protagonist of Wanted: One Scoundrel, Jenny Schwartz's novella about a suffragette in Australia who hires Jed Reeve ("a scoundrel") to promote her feminist agenda in the male social clubs that she's denied access to because she's a woman. I gotta say ... I loved Esme, who was my favorite of all the strong female lead characters presented here. I just adored her independence, smarts, and spunk in a time when women's voices were often silenced and that made Wanted: One Scoundrel a fun story to read. (Plus, there was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming.) And while I liked the romance between Cornelia and Roderick in Crime Wave in a Corset, I really liked the relationship with Esme and Jed.
Finally, JK Coi's Far From Broken was a heartbreaking story about a accomplished ballerina who suffers a horrible crime as revenge for her husband's work as a government spy, the lengths that one will go to save a life, and what it means to be human. There are some similar thematic elements to This Winter Heart in this one, but it is different enough to stand alone. This one had me riveted to my Kindle, as it was the novella I spent New Year's Eve with.
While I thought the Christmas aspect of A Clockwork Christmas was definitely lacking, overall this was an enjoyable, entertaining, turbo-charged romantic read with strong characters and good writing. I'm glad I gave it a try, as it was one of my most surprising reads of 2011. These four novellas were a great introduction to steampunk and while I don't think I'll be abandoning my regular preferences anytime soon, I would certainly consider reading additional works by these talented authors.
triciaschneider's review
4.0
These were all very entertaining holiday stories filled with steampunk inventions and creations, but I will admit that I enjoyed the first and last stories the very best.
Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail was fast-paced and suspenseful with interesting and mysterious characters. The characters clashed at the beginning and then were forced to work together which only brought them closer. It was a well-written story.
Far From Broken by JK Coi left me breathless. Although this story started out more slowly than the first, that by no means detracted from the story unfolding to introduce two tortured characters in need of love and healing. Callie and Jasper's ordeal touched my heartstrings as they both struggled to overcome the ugly hand that was dealt to them. This was an emotionally touching story that I enjoyed so much that I instantly bought the sequel, Broken Promises, which continues their story.
Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail was fast-paced and suspenseful with interesting and mysterious characters. The characters clashed at the beginning and then were forced to work together which only brought them closer. It was a well-written story.
Far From Broken by JK Coi left me breathless. Although this story started out more slowly than the first, that by no means detracted from the story unfolding to introduce two tortured characters in need of love and healing. Callie and Jasper's ordeal touched my heartstrings as they both struggled to overcome the ugly hand that was dealt to them. This was an emotionally touching story that I enjoyed so much that I instantly bought the sequel, Broken Promises, which continues their story.
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