Blameless by Gail Carriger

SPOILER warning!! This is the third book in the Parasol Protectorate series and contains some fairly big spoilers for the previous book, Changeless.

"Quitting her husband's house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon is the scandal of the London season.

Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council, and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town. To top it all off, Alexia is attacked by homicidal mechanical ladybugs, indicating, as only ladybugs can, the fact that all of London's vampire are now very much interested in seeing Alexia quite thoroughly dead.

While Lord Maccon elects to get progressively, more inebriated and Professor Lyall desperately tries to hold the Woolsey werewolf pack together, Alexia flees England for Italy in search of the mysterious Templars. Only they know enough about the preternatural to explain her increasingly inconvenient condition, but they may be worse than the vampires - and they're armed with pesto."

This third Parasol Protectorate book picks up shortly after the end of the previous one, Changeless. Alexia, having been kicked out by her husband, has been forced to move back in with her mother, half-sisters and step-father, somewhere she'd really rather not to be. But it doesn't take long before she realises she's unable to remain there, and with all vampires seemingly intent on her death thanks to her 'infant-inconveniance' she departs for Italy with Madame Lefoux and Floote to help and guide her. Some madness ensues, there and back in London, with Lord Maccon drunk and heart broken, Professor Lyall forced to control the issues left unattended by his alpha, and of course the vampires aren't satisfied with Alexia simply being out of the country.

I loved the first two books in this series. They were smart, funny, full of drama, intrigue and very entertaining. This one was no different. I hated the cliff hanger of Changeless and was very excited for this book. It wasn't a let down at all. Like the previous two, it's told in third person, from a couple of different points of view, mostly Alexia and Professor Lyall's. I just love the writing style for these books. It's short and sharp, bringing together the manners and customs of Victorian England with vampires and werewolves and plenty of action. It's got plenty more laugh out loud moments but still holds a serious edge at times.

I love this series because it's so vivid. All the characters have strong personalities, the setting very well described, along with the various inventions Alexia comes across. It's not hard to imagine what it's like to be there with Alexia and the others. I really felt for Alexia as she struggled to deal with Conall kicking her out, refusing to believe that the baby was his, but at the same time I love how tough she is about it. Refusing to bend to societies pressure that, with such scandal, she should head for the hills. And Lord Maccon, drunk? *snickers*. I love Conall Maccon and his loud, rash nature. The way he and Alexia play off each other and even how Lyall handles him as beta never fails to entertain.

This book moves at a pretty good pace. I thought there were a couple bits that were a little slow, but I've not been too well reading this, so it may just have been my struggle to focus that caused it. There were some good twists and turns and although you can see somethings coming a little ways off, others do come out of nowhere. Really great addition to the series and I'm very excited for the next one, Heartless out July 2011.

Rating: 9/10

Changeless by Gail Carriger

"Alexia Maccon, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears - leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.

But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can.

She might even find time to track down her wayward husband - if she feels like it."

This is the second book in the Parasol Protectorate series from Gail Carriger. I loved the first book in this series and was really looking forward to it. I was not disappointed!! It picks up about three months after Alexia's wedding to Lord Conell Maccon, Alpha werewolf of the large Woolsey pack, and she's more or less adjusted to life in the pack. Until of course there are suddenly many more wolves to deal with, and camping on her front doorstep (very inconsiderate of them too!). But it can't hold Alexia's attention for long. For some reason all supernaturals in a certain area of London have found themselves decidedly mortal again. Very bad news for the ghosts, because it meant sudden exorcism. *poof* no more ghosts in that area. Alexia's new position as muhjah for the Queen means she has good reason to investigate it. Her investigations lead her to Scotland, where her husband also disappeared, without a word to her, to. But being Alexia, a preternatural generally feared by the supernaturals, it is not long before things get even more complicated and she finds herself the specific target of some serious unpleasantness, both with the company she finds herself in and the acts being done against her.

This book was as fast and fun as book one. I am completely in love with the spunk and attitude from Alexia in the Victorian London setting. Add in the Scot's with their slightly less than respecful attitude to the English with Miss Hisselpenny's crazy hats, Alexia's simpering half-sister Felicity and Lord Maccon's claviger, thespian Tunstell (who may or may not be in love with Miss Hisselpenny) and you get serious entertainment as well as drama. I love it!!

There is depth and intrigue to just about every aspect of this story with some surprising twists along the way. We meet some very entertaining new side characters, as well as getting to know those we've already met better. I love the way Alexia and Conell play off each other. They're both strong willed characters who like having their own way and they seem to spend as much time yelling at each other as not. In a loving way, mostly.

I got warned by a couple of people on Jocelynn Drake's forum, very strongly, not to read Changeless before Blameless is out in September. I didn't get the advice until I was halfway through, which was kind of a shame because I should have taken it. The ending is shocking, totally didn't see it coming (well, one part of it I did, the other I didn't) and oh! I so need the next book right now!! I won't say the emotions involved because I don't want to ruin it in anyway for anyone. It was fantastically done and it leaves for a lot to be sorted in the next book. Left me hanging completely. I both love and loathe when that happens. I always hate the wait, I'm a very impatient person, but at the same time, I love it because it adds to the suspense and fun. If 'fun' is the right word... Still, this was a fantastic follow up to Soulless with drama and humor blended together seamlessly. This is a series that has easily jumped to my favourites list. Bring on Blameless!!

Rating: 9/10

Soulless by Gail Carriger

"Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she is being rudely attacked by a vampire to whom she has not been properly introduced! Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire, and the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?"

This is the first book in the Parasol Protectorate series from Gail Carriger. It's part urban fantasy, historical fantasy, part steampunk and I love it. It's written in third person, and takes a little getting used to as the characters are most commonly referred to by their titles, rather than first names. It's fun and adds to the tone of the book, but it is slightly strange for the first chapter or so. Set in London, England during Victorian times, vampires and werewolves are known members of society. Then there is Alexia Tarabotti, a preternatural. She's soulless and as such, when she touches a supernatural, they become more or less human for the time she is in contact with them. All abilities connected to the supernatural, disappear, like say, a vampires fangs. Which amuses me a lot, though I'm not too sure why. Anyway, Alexia is a bit of a loud mouth with a serious intellect for science, standing out from the majority of London's upper class with her darker skin and attitude. It more often than not gets her in a little trouble, but she is also very strict with her manners, as any proper Victorian lady should be.

When Miss Tarabotti finds herself in the middle of a BUR (Bureau of Unnatural Registry) case involving disappearing werewolves and vampires, she can't help trying to find out more. Must to the frustrations of Alpha wolf and high ranking BUR agent, Lord Maccon. He does his best to keep Alexia out of trouble and safe whilst attempting to get to the bottom of the problem.

I loved this book from start to finish. It's funny, snappy, with great characters and a solid plot. While manners and decorum play a part in the book, they don't give it a stuffy air. It's wickedly fun and there are some surprising twists along the way. Alexia is a great main character with her spark and wit, along with some deep built insecurities which make her very real. Lord Maccon is just plain delicious. And leading vampire is Lord Akeldama, a flashy rove vampire (unattached to a 'hive') who is a great friend of Alexia's. He is very entertaining with his nicknames and the delight he takes from being the one to know as much as possible about what's going on where, and with who.

It's an easy book to get sucked in to, with the action starting on page one and never really letting up. I had a hard time putting this book down. I love the ending in that it fairly neatly wraps this book up, but gives great hints to whats to come in the next book. I'm not normally much of a fan of anything set in the past, but this, despite it's setting, is still urban fantasy and great urban fantasy at that. It's very different and it makes for a great change of pace to the usual books in the UF range. If you like the genre, then this book should be a must read for you. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book, Changeless and I'm already looking forward to Blameless, book 3, in September as well!

Rating: 9/10