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booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Alexia Tarabotti is a spinster in her mid-twenties, mostly content to spend her time at home, in libraries, or with her friend Ivy who has unfortunate taste in hats. She’s also soulless, a preternatural whose touch can temporarily revert any supernatural persons to their formerly mortal state.
Alexia and the London werewolf Alpha, Conall, have chemistry built on mutual annoyance. He enjoys someone who will surprise and stand up to him (a limited commodity when one is the Alpha of a pack of werewolves), and she seems surprised when annoying him for fun turns into something more. Professor Lyall is his Beta, a competent and unassuming older werewolf who is a quiet, steady presence. Ivy, Alexia’s hat-obsessed friend, is one of my favorite characters but this isn’t yet the book where she shines. Lord Akeldama is a flamboyant and well-informed vampire who is utterly delightful.
The worldbuilding is cohesive and worked naturally into the story. Alexia and Conall both have to think in order to stay in step with social expectations (or notice whenever they flout them), which provides opportunities for many details about the setting without distracting from the story. I read this series so many times in high school that I’m having trouble distilling my thoughts about the series generally into what just applies to this book. It sets up the cephalopod-obsessed organization which will continue to have a presence in the series, as well as establishing (at least by mention) many of the characters who will matter as the series continues.
I love this series and it’s so nice to dive into it again.
Alexia and the London werewolf Alpha, Conall, have chemistry built on mutual annoyance. He enjoys someone who will surprise and stand up to him (a limited commodity when one is the Alpha of a pack of werewolves), and she seems surprised when annoying him for fun turns into something more. Professor Lyall is his Beta, a competent and unassuming older werewolf who is a quiet, steady presence. Ivy, Alexia’s hat-obsessed friend, is one of my favorite characters but this isn’t yet the book where she shines. Lord Akeldama is a flamboyant and well-informed vampire who is utterly delightful.
The worldbuilding is cohesive and worked naturally into the story. Alexia and Conall both have to think in order to stay in step with social expectations (or notice whenever they flout them), which provides opportunities for many details about the setting without distracting from the story. I read this series so many times in high school that I’m having trouble distilling my thoughts about the series generally into what just applies to this book. It sets up the cephalopod-obsessed organization which will continue to have a presence in the series, as well as establishing (at least by mention) many of the characters who will matter as the series continues.
I love this series and it’s so nice to dive into it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Xenophobia, and Murder
Minor: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and War
thereadinghammock's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Alexia Tarabotti is a fantastically capable heroine and the mystery of learning more about the supernatural and preternatural communities in London society was a hilarious romp with Gail's signature steampunk flair. And the narrator for the audiobooks did a fantastic job distinguishing characters with delightful voice acting. I look forward to picking up future installments in the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Medical trauma
Moderate: Confinement, Racism, Sexual content, and Classism
growintogardens's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
1.75
This was so disappointing! There was so much wasted potential. I'm trying to read through all the books I own and have owned for years, but that I haven't touched yet. This was the latest and it's immediately going in the get rid of pile.
I didn't really care for the characters and I didn't like the romance. Werewolf romances... Idk wtf authors are up to when they write werewolf romances because they are always the same. There's always the strong willed alpha who falls, against his will and only because of his wolfiness bullcrap, for the lead female character. Gotta have an opinionated female character who has few friends and little self worth when it comes to her looks, who falls for an aggressive man who thinks she's beautiful even when society does not, despite not even liking him as a person two days ago. The romance in this book was not as bad as some that I've read, but it still wasn't good.
Moreover, the book had too many genres, and while the beginning was interesting, the rest of the story was a letdown. It started with a good little mystery, but it was way too easy to figure out and didn't focus on it enough. The idea of being soulless was good, but that idea didn't get enough time to shine imo.
Anyway, I thought I was getting a fun paranormal steampunk mystery book, but it turned that it was mostly a paranormal erotic romance.
I didn't really care for the characters and I didn't like the romance. Werewolf romances... Idk wtf authors are up to when they write werewolf romances because they are always the same. There's always the strong willed alpha who falls, against his will and only because of his wolfiness bullcrap, for the lead female character. Gotta have an opinionated female character who has few friends and little self worth when it comes to her looks, who falls for an aggressive man who thinks she's beautiful even when society does not, despite not even liking him as a person two days ago. The romance in this book was not as bad as some that I've read, but it still wasn't good.
Moreover, the book had too many genres, and while the beginning was interesting, the rest of the story was a letdown. It started with a good little mystery, but it was way too easy to figure out and didn't focus on it enough. The idea of being soulless was good, but that idea didn't get enough time to shine imo.
Anyway, I thought I was getting a fun paranormal steampunk mystery book, but it turned that it was mostly a paranormal erotic romance.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Violence, and Kidnapping
ambermarshall's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This grew on me! At first I was a little thrown by the third person omniscient and I'll admit I got more invested once the romance got going. I'd characterize the description of sexy stuff as "coyly explicit." A strange mix of bold and prude. The narrative tone is very Masterpiece Theater if that makes any sense. I'll probably borrow the next in the series some time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
Minor: Violence
the_disreputable_dog's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I was told there was a lot of spice in this book, and while the spice was missing in action save for two instances of making out, a single, incomplete handy, and then sex - once - at the end (that was only partially included!), I did very much like this story over all. It was funny, and I felt the flirtation was suitably Victorian in its reserved nature. After all, as Ms. Tarabotti indicates, it's quite scandalous in Victorian England to be caught showing ankles in public, so it makes sense for a young spinster to keep mostly to herself, except for her penchant for winning arguments all the time. This one is a funny, soft enemies to lovers romance, with a fun mystery to solve as well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Violence
directorpurry's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
This book is just fun.
With as much emphasis on the plot as the romance, Soulless is a well-designed and solidly built steampunk, paranormal universe. Whenever I want to read a romance novel, I reread this book.
With as much emphasis on the plot as the romance, Soulless is a well-designed and solidly built steampunk, paranormal universe. Whenever I want to read a romance novel, I reread this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma
directorpurry's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
apuskas's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
This was delightful. It is quite refreshingly silly in places. I felt very slow, when I realised, at the very end of the book, why the werewolves’ den is called… Woolsey Castle. Tee-hee.
Also, couldn’t shake the SPECTRE connection with all the octopodes, and it is very satisfying that it was never explained.
This (maybe) satisfies prompt #16 from Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge 2022. (Read a book recommended by a friend with different (?) reading tastes. I am not sure how different my reading tastes are from Corrin’s.)
This (maybe) satisfies prompt #16 from Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge 2022. (Read a book recommended by a friend with different (?) reading tastes. I am not sure how different my reading tastes are from Corrin’s.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Gore, Torture, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Minor: Religious bigotry
saffire_sky's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Misogyny, and Sexism
irenei's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I like this book. I really like her relationship. And it's interesting to learn ab the supernatural world. But the colorism, fatphobia and self hate was too much. Constantly saying shit like she was too dark and curvy was unnecessary especially when Alexia was Italian omg she barely has any melanin (she spicy white). And she wasn't fat just bc she had big boobs and hips!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Racism, Blood, and Kidnapping