Kilts & Kraken by Cindy Spencer Pape

Magnus, Baron Findlay, longs to bring the wonders of the steam age to his remote island home, but his hands are full fighting the vicious kraken ravaging the coast. When he's swept to sea during battle and washes up on the shore of an isle in the Hebrides, he is near death.

Struggling to establish herself as one of the first female physicians in Edinburgh, Dr. Geneva MacKay is annoyed when The Order of the Round Table sends her north to care for an injured highlander. To heal him, Geneva escorts the handsome warrior home, just in time to defend the villagers from another onslaught.

As the attacks escalate and they work together to fight off the threat, neither Geneva nor Magnus can resist the overwhelming attraction between them. But as their relationship deepens, a new threat arises-from within the village itself...

Geneva gets sent to the Isle of Mull to deal with a man that's been washed up following a kraken attack, when he awakens he wants to go home. Thinking he wants to go home to die, Geneva agrees and is shocked when he awakens enough to fight a kraken when he gets to his own shore. Calling in the help of the Order, they try to get to the bottom of the kraken attacks - all while fighting an attraction to one another.

This is the 3rd book, and yes anyone keeping track will realise I read the 4th and 5th before this one but that doesn't break up the story. Yes, it means I knew the outcomes of some of the other characters relationships but that doesn't matter 'cos in this they are only bit players.

I really like this series ..... really, really. I recommend it to anyone wanting some steampunk - very short and very light reads - wonderful.


Amazon UK: Kilts & Kraken

Cards & Caravans by Cindy Spencer Pape

Belinda Danvers isn't a witch. But that won't stop them burning her at the stake ...

Connor McKay can tell at a glance that Belinda's magickal powers are minimal at best. She can't be guilty of murdering village children. There's something suspicious about her arrest and lightning-quick sentence. Unfortunately, telling anyone how he knows would mean revealing his own powers. He's been sent by the Order of the Round Table to help and he can't just let her die.

Escaping from jail and running from vindictive villagers in her grandfather's steam-powered caravan is more excitement than Belinda's had in years. And despite the danger — or maybe because of it — she loves the time spent with her sexy rescuer. But there's more to his magick than he's letting on ...

There's something going on that's bigger than the two of them. It's time for good to make a stand.

Release Date 18th March 2013

Belinda is tried (very quickly) and found guilty of witchcraft, to be burned at the stake the following day. Luckily, Belinda's uncle knows people in the Order and contact Connor to find Belinda and help her. He breaks her out of comes up with a plan to help her - and they both fall in love with each other in the process of trying to bring down the group that are responsible for Belinda's trial.

So, I said in my review of Moonlight & Mechanicals that I thought I saw hints of who the next book was about and, boy was I ...... wrong! So totally wrong, but again there are more hints in this book about that specific couple so I'm still hoping for a book about them in the future. I liked this couple but Wink and Liam are still my favourite of the bunch (that being said, I haven't read Kilts & Krakens yet).

I wasn't entirely sure about this series at the beginning but I find myself liking it more with each book and I get so excited when I see the titles on Netgalley 'cos it means I get tot read it before it's released. I'll be reading the book I missed out next so we'll see how I feel about that couple.


Amazon UK: Cards & Caravans

Moonlight and Mechanicals by Cindy Spencer Pape

Engineer Winifred "Wink" Hadrian has been in love with Inspector Liam McCullough for years, but is beginning to lose hope when he swears to be a lifelong bachelor. Faced with a proposal from a Knight of the Round Table and one of her closest friends, Wink reluctantly agrees to consider him instead.

Because of his dark werewolf past, Liam tries to keep his distance, but can't say no when Wink asks him to help find her friend's missing son. They soon discover that London's poorest are disappearing at an alarming rate, after encounters with mysterious "mechanical" men. Even more alarming is the connection the missing people may have with a conspiracy against the Queen.

Fighting against time - and their escalating feelings for each other - Wink and Liam must work together to find the missing people and save the monarchy before it's too late ...

Wink is in love with Liam, Liam is in love with Wink but he proceeds to try and set her up with another man since he thinks his werewolf side makes him an unsuitable partner for her. While Wink is trying to let said man down gently while also trying to get Liam to really "see" her and accept that they belong together, she stumbles upon a case where lots of people and dogs are going missing. Liam is being kept busy with a case of anti-royalists - turns out both cases are related. And when Wink and Liam almost lose one another, Liam finally mans up and admits his feelings for her.

Wink was introduced in the 1st Gaslight Chronicles book, Steam and Sorcery, as one of the 5 children that Kerrick takes in. She had an affinity for working with electrics and she's now got a job with the Knights - this is a more likeable heroine for me than the previous ones. Liam is also my favourite hero of the bunch - possibly it's the werewolf makes him more manly or he's just not as much a wuss as the previous guys, who knows?

Whatever the reason for my liking these 2 more, it has made me want to read more of this series where Photographs and Phantoms kind of got me down. I do like the world that Pape has created and if she continues on with this type of character, I'll continue to like the series. I think I also caught some small hints about who the next book will be about .... only time will tell if I'm right on that.


Amazon UK: Moonlight & Mechanicals

Photographs and Phantoms by Cindy Spencer Pape

Brighton, 1855

As a member of the Order of the Round Table, Kendall Lake is overqualified to be investigating strange phenomena at a seaside photography studio. But since the photographer is related to the Order's most powerful sorcerer, Kendall reluctantly boards a dirigible to Brighton.

Amy Deland is haunted by a shadow that appears in some of her recent portraits. In each case, the subject died within days of the sitting. Does she have her grandmother's gift of foresight, or has she somehow caused the deaths?

As Kendall and Amy search for answers, their investigation draws them together in a most improper way-but it seems the evil presence in the studio is determined to keep them apart...

Release Date 25th April 2011

A sequel/companion to Steam & Sorcery. Set in the same time span with the Order of the Knights of the Round Table investigating some more weird goings on.

The characters in Steam & Sorcery are mentioned at the beginning and then they actually make an appearance a little later on. I liked Amy straight off, I always like characters that break from the norm. Plus I like to think that if I had lived in that time, I'd be more like Amy and less of an actual lady!

I like a strong leading man but I really can't fall in love with the oldy-timey men. I like a manly man and books set in bygone years never have manly men. But still I like to read the pretty words and hope for more.


Amazon UK: Photographs & Phantoms

Steam and Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape

Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and supernatural. A Knight of the Order of the Round Table, his use of magick and the technologies of steam power have made him both respected and feared. But his considerable skills are useless in the face of his greatest challenge, guardianship of five unusual children. At a loss, Merrick enlists the aid of a governess.

Miss Caroline Bristol is reluctant to work for a bachelor but she needs a position, and these former street children touch her heart. While she tends to break any mechanical device she touches, it never occurs to her that she might be something more than human. All she knows is that Merrick is the most dangerously attractive man she's ever met - and out of reach for a mere governess.

When conspiracy threatens to blur the distinction between humans and monsters, Caroline and Merrick must join forces, and the fate of humanity hinges upon their combined skills of steam and sorcery...

I'm not a huge fan of books set in years-gone-by but the vague steampunk feel to this one made it enjoyable. Cindy Spencer Pape wrote a great cast of characters and an awesome world full of clockwork machinery, vampyres and werewolves.

The only thing that bugged me about this book was at the very beginning. Merrick's weapon was like a sword but instead of being made of metal, it was made of wood. The author called it a sword-stick, for some reason that annoyed me. It seemed like a mouthful and I feel she could've just made up another word for it. But one tiny complaint (that's really just a minor annoyance on my part) does not ruin a great story.

Recommended for any supernatural, steampunk or romance fan.


Amazon UK: Steam & Sorcery