Kady CrossCritiques

If you've seen Disney's The Great Mouse Detective, this is it from only the hero's perspective.

Still an enjoyable book. I just wish it was a bit deeper.

Wow. A great finish to this trilogy. And like it is with all good books, I want MORE!

This was just as good as the first book in the series, if not better. Xandy is finding her place in the world and Kate Locke does NOT shy away from her monster. At all.....

This was one of those books where I kept nervously looking to see how far along I was because I didn't want it to end. I can't wait for the next one.

I have not been a fan of steampunk OR Victorian fantasy, but I guess I've never read it done right. It was a background to the story--not the story. I highly recommend this to any fan of Urban Fantasy.

Update: I loved this book. I liked the direction that the author took with the character, but I can't really say why without some major, major spoilers, but those of you who like a good story won't be disappointed. One thing that I did enjoy is that the main character was surrounded by her 'people'. In a lot(most?) of UF the main character is so solitary they may as well have grown up in a test tube--despite years of life, there is no 'life' around them. Not here, Xandra's is full of siblings, mentors, long-term acquaintances, etc. It is as full and messy as real life and I appreciated that aspect.

If you are looking for PNR or the detailed love scene, I'm not sure this is the book for you. There is a love interest, but that is not the end game to the story, and while Xandra has a healthy respect for sex, it no more rules her story than it does her mind.

This is a solid UF more along the lines of Kate Daniels than Cat & Bones. I am not sure that calling it UF is correct, it is more of an alternate, steampunky version of the world we live in and I'm not sure if there is an official name for it; it just feels like a UF to me.

Big pluses for me were that despite the fact that this is the 1st in (hopefully a nice long) series, there is no cliffhanger. Nice. This is a self-contained story and my what a good one it is.
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Oh my goodness. Reading the 1st 4 chapters (for free on Kindle) and pre-ordered at 39% in. Hopefully they are long chapters because this is GOOD. New take on vamps and other supes. The steampunk elements work well in a Great Britain setting.

I hope the writing and plot live up to the sample. If so, heLLO new favorite author!

Good story with very clever details

This one pulled me in immediately and I soon started to desperately hope this wouldn't be another disappointment.
It didn't quite manage to fulfil all my hopes but I still enjoyed it immensely in general.

What I particularly loved was the attention to detail in the world-building. A lot of effort went into explaining all the stuff that's different in this universe from history to science as well as how these differences actually manifest in current technology.
Simultaneously lots of eye-rolling happened regarding the pseudo-science going on around the supernatural elements.
If you base your supernaturals on science please try to get the science part of your explanation right.
There are so many unnecessary mistakes in the pseudo-science that have nothing to do with the supernatural element of these explanations and its basic stuff like Mendel, not some complicated and obscure genetics detail.
Although considering the endnote, this was more the fault of the people helping her with the science stuff which leaves a bit of a bitter taste to the profuse thanks to them.

With that out of the way this story initially showed signs of something I really hate which is taking shit from people because they are family. This is more of a personal dislike tho, seeing how often I've read these kinds of situations it might be a somewhat unpopular opinion? I think just because people are related to you doesn't mean they have some special rights. If you have important family members acting like dicks please show me what they have done as a person to deserve leniency.
I hate it every time when I read "but she is my sister" as an excuse to forgive some bullshit.
Just being genetically related shouldn't matter.
Everyone is immediately on board with this concept the other way around in cases of adoption for example. Why not this way as well? This always has seemed really strange to me.
Ultimately this wasn't a major force driving the plot at least which is something I particularly dislike.

A few words and phrases are being used excessively in this work and I believe the editor should've corrected that. If I have to read that someone is "hatters" again I might actually go hatters myself.

I was initially aversed to reading this one because of a few pretty bad reviews by somewhat prominent people on gr I usually agree with but I really couldn't see where their criticisms came from. It seems a lot of the dislike for this book comes from unmet expectations and not some failing of the book itself.

In conclusion, this was a very enjoyable read that managed to feel fresh and gave me a glimpse into a fascinating world. I rate it a low 4 stars. It realized a good part of its potential but there is room for improvement.

Edit:
Sadly the rest of the series does not even come close to the polish and attention to detail this first book has shown. The third one actually is so bad that I had a hard time justifying even the 2 stars I gave it.
Long story short, you should probably enjoy this as a standalone and ignore the existence of the sequels.

really disappointed with this one.

Stress or high emotion brings out a side of Finley Jayne that scares her. A side that has little fear, a love of violence and a daring to test her limitations. But being stronger, faster and having improved senses is an advantage when Finley is hired as a lady's companion to Lady Phoebe Morton and has to use every ounce of skill to keep her safe.

I really enjoyed this prequel. It was a good introduction to Finley Jayne and the history of her character. The world building was interesting and I'm looking forward to discovering more of it in future books in the series. The mystery was obvious but not unwelcome. It was appropriately terrifying and I liked the parallels for Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Frankenstein.

Overall it was a interesting introduction to Finley Jayne and the world she inhabits. Looking forward to reading further books. But for this one, 3 stars.

I've had a hard time gathering my thoughts on this book. In some ways it's all over the place, on the other hand it accurately summed up my own feelings and thoughts on men, rape and gender. I think as a woman it can be hard not to go to extremes. There are men out there who are amazing (I'm married to one) and who wouldn't dream of sexually assaulting, harassing or raping anyone. The problem is they're so overshadowed by the overwhelming amount that will and it can be hard to separate that as a woman. I feel like this book accurately captured the struggle it can be to separate it.

But this book doesn't just confront society views on rape. It also tackles gossip, rumours and female solidarity and I feel that it does it well. I loved the Girlfriend Watch idea. To create a list of phone tree of girls checking in with each other and being willing to step in for each other and support one another. But I also loved that the Pink Vigilante took on a life of its own. I loved that females started putting on their own pink masks and standing up to sexual harassment. On the other hand I also disliked the idea women put on pink masks and then just started calling out men for everything. There's a delicate line and frankly I totally understood Hadley's conflicted feelings because I was right there with her.

Hadley was a fantastic. I felt so sorry for her because everything she went through sucked. From not knowing how to deal and from lashing out and having conflicted feelings and just everything. I could easily relate to Hadley and her feelings and her actions and her entire being. I thought some of her actions were unfair - blaming Detective Diane Davies for starters. But for the most part I just understood where she was coming from.

The range of female characters in this book was terrific. Between Hadley's mum, Detective Diane Davies, Hadley, Zoe, Magda, Teresa - women of all walks of life (or at least a decent cross section) were represented and I think it really emphasised that every woman is affected by these issues. Diane in particular was fantastic. The progression from Detective to Diane was gradual but it really worked to show the shades of grey. Hadley blames her to start but I think she came to realise that Diane was just as deeply affected by these issues as she was. That all women are. Zoe's comment really stuck with me.

Zoe’s eyes were wide as she stared at me. “I’m sorry. I just... I just wanted to stand up to them, because of what they did to her. What they did to you.” I blinked. “What they did to me?” I frowned. “They didn’t touch me.” Her expression was sympathetic, pitying almost. “Oh, Hadley. They didn’t have to.”

Cross, Kady. Vigilante . Harlequin. Kindle Edition.

The friendship between all the females was just brilliant. I loved how they all started to take the self defence class and gained confidence but also friendship and support. The relationship between Hadley and Gabriel was sweet and sexy and found a good balance of romance, concern, friendship and just everything else. This whole book wasn't just any one thing - it covered so much and in some ways it was a complete mess. But I also felt it really worked because my own thoughts and beliefs are a complete mess too.

As is my review. But I loved this book and I think it's right up there with essential books like The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis. 5 stars, edging slightly under 5.

9788408071594

Let the Night Begin
4.5 Stars

The story of the Brotherhood of Blood continues with Reign and his estranged wife, Olivia Gavin. When Olivia's nephew is abducted, she is forced to put aside her anger for Reign and seek his help as the kidnappers are demanding a ransom that only he can provide. Reign is only too eager to have his wayward bride return, but conditions his assistance on Olivia's willingness to share his bed once more. Can these two former lovers rekindle the passion that brought them together or will they kill each other before their enemies can do it for them?

A significant improvement on the previous installment.

Reign and Olivia have incredible chemistry and their love/hate relationship is intense and satisfying. While the keeping secrets trope usually annoys me no end, Smith manages to avoid all of its pitfalls as Olivia's reasons for withholding information makes sense within the narrative, and Reign is well aware that his beloved is not revealing the entire truth.

The ongoing story arc involving the Order of the Silver Palm takes an interesting turn, and I am eager to see how it all turns out in the last book.

Night of the Huntress
4 Stars

After a hiatus of several years, I have finally gotten around to reading the second book in the series and am angry with myself for putting it off for so long.

Kathryn Smith's Brotherhood of Blood series is a shining example of the best of the paranormal romance genre. The backstory involving a group of warriors in search of the Holy Grail, who inadvertently stumble across the Blood Grail and find themselves turned into vampires, is unique and compelling.

This second installment focuses on the warrior known as Bishop and Marika, a dhampir (vampire-human hybrid), who has made it her mission in life to eradicate the creatures she views as evil. Hired by a mysterious group to capture Bishop, Marika finds herself inexplicably drawn to the enigmatic yet strangely "human" vampire, and begins to question her preconceived notions. Their love-hate relationship is very appealing and their chemistry sizzles.

The ongoing arc concerning the Order of the Silver Plam and their quest to obtain the Blood Grail continues, and it will be interesting to see how this develops.

Overall, an excellent read, and I will not be putting off the rest of the series.

Night After Night
3 Stars

In this final installment. Temple, the enigmatic leader of the Brotherhood of Blood, meets his match in Vivian, a strong-willed young woman with mysterious strength and powers. Unfortunately, Vivian just happens to be the ward of Rupert Villiers, head of the Order of the Silver Palm, whose plans for Temple and his brethren will have dire consequences for all involved. Can Temple and Vivian get past their secrets and betrayals to trust one another with their lives and their hearts?

The first 50% of the book is brilliant with an intense enemies-to-lovers romance. Vivian is a wonderful heroine struggling with her conflicting feelings for the man she has always thought of as her father and Temple, the man she has come to love and respect. Likewise, Temple is an appealing hero and it is entertaining seeing him battle with his emotions.

Sadly, the book deteriorates into a ridiculous farce in the final 50% when the rest of the brotherhood gathers and proceeds to behave in the most idiotic and incomprehensible manner. Where are the quick-witted, vigilant and canny characters from the previous books? Why would a supposedly powerful and intelligent group calmly walk into an obvious trap with no discernable plan and allow the villain to achieve his objective with absolutely no resistance? - This idiocy ruined an otherwise excellent premise - *sigh*.

To sum up, while the Brotherhood of Blood is a well-written, engaging and entertaining series, this conclusion to the story is anti-climactic and disappointing.

Taken by the Night
3 Stars

The 3rd installment of the Brotherhood of Blood series focuses on Saint, a skilled thief and renowned ladies man, as he works together with Ivy Dearing, the daughter of a high-end madam, to investigate a series of Ripper-like murders.

Unfortunately, despite the intriguing premise and original explanation for the Jack the Ripper case, Saint and Ivy's story falls flat. The main reason is the complete lack of chemistry between the romantic leads. This is compounded by the fact that there is something distasteful about an immortal vampire becoming sexually attracted to the woman he has known from birth and whom he has watched mature from childhood into adulthood over the years.

The actual murder investigation is enjoyable overall even though the identity of the killer is obvious from the start and the twists and turns are predictable albeit quite suspenseful.

The ongoing arc revolving around the machinations of the Order of the Silver Palm continues, and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out when the various members of the Brotherhood ultimately meet up to face the Order, whose ultimate agenda has yet to be clearly established.

All in all, not the best in the series, but the hints at Reign's story have potential.

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Introduction
In Your Arms Again was such a wonderful diversion of a read and honestly I do think that Kathryn Smith is so charming to read. If you are looking for endearing, fun, and adventurous, then you definitely need to pick this series up here. This was also another pick for my Romanceopoly reading challenge. I have been behind on it and working on catching up on it. In this one, it was the prompt for "Courtship Row" which is any book with a clinch cover and I would say that this cover makes the perfect clinch. I had such a fun sweet time reading this one, and it was so low angst in some ways, and higher angst in others as well. It also had the type of love triangle that I actually enjoy and had a HEA for all parties involved. If you want to get away from those modern historical's, then I would recommend this one, it was just FUN reading it and easy to relax into.

Summary
The setup of the story, is that our hero, North, is a Bow Street Runner, and has made his services to the Ton for quite some time in being able to solve mysteries and bring justice to those harming those in the upper classes. But he has kept himself apart from the one woman he has always loved but is determined to let her live her life as she deserves. Octavia made a promise to her grandfather before he died that she would marry the man that he wanted her to be with and so now she is engaged. Even though she doesn't love him, there is a level of respect or cordial affection between them. When there are letters arriving to her home, her fiancee hires North to get to the bottom of it just in case her life ends up in danger. As Octavia and North work together, their friendship and more builds between them. But there are vows that were made and now they will need to determine if their love is worth fighting for or resign themselves to letting each other go for duty and past promises...

My Outlook
In Your Arms Again was such a delightful read. I actually found myself so endeared by this story. I was easily drawn into it. Now I will say that the middle sometimes would move a bit slow, but overall the story itself had steady pacing. I really fell hard for North and Octavia. This was such a sweet romance. And no I don't mean closed door, not at all, it has some decent steam to it, although its light in comparison to what many authors write today. There is such a sense of adventure to this story that I really enjoyed. This aspect is what I feel is missing in modern historical's these days. Kathryn Smith really delivered on building such an entertaining plot. I absolutely adored the friends to lovers trope in this one. You see how much they care for each other but haven't had a true chance to see what they can be together without family interference and now they are free to explore what could have been and it was so precious to see this grow between them. I honestly didn't understand though their need to not be together ...together. Like other than North's brothers, their family's are mostly gone and those that didn't want them to be together aren't around, so I felt a bit frustrated at times with how stubborn they both were in this regard. But the ending was satisfying and left me with a smile on my face!

Overall View
In Your Arms Again is a satisfying, witty, well penned historical that will deliver the heart and adventure any historical romance lover is seeking...

Rating Evaluation:
Plot: 4
World Building: 4
Cover:5
Hero: 4
Heroine: 4
Steam: 3
Heart & Feels: 4
Ending:5
Overall View: 4

4 1/2 stars. Very good novella. Introduction to a steampunk series. Main Character is introduced. Can only recommend the steampunk genre.

This book continues the story of Finley Jayne. You will meet Griffin King, Jack Dandy, Sam, jasper and Emilie. This is all the spoilers i am going to give. The category is steampunk. And this book is a wonderful example of this genre. I guess it is considered YA since the characters are still in there teens. However, it is very well written, and as an adult, i was never bored with the story, nor did i fear i was in Middleschool . I can only recommend this book. It is strong characters both male and female, a well thought out story and the steampunk chronicles don't suffer from book 0.5 to book 2.

It is steampunk, it is YA. I don't care, i read it because i like steampunk. This novel is considered YA but it is so well written, that you forget about it. thought out well defined and strong characters.
This time the story plays in NYC and a lot of stuff happens.
Please read the book, read the prequel and book 1 and you won't be disappointed

This was such a good book, and a great ending to one of my favorite steampunk series! All of our favorite characters were back, although this installment focused mostly on Jack Dandy and Mila, and Finley and Griffin. I thought it tied up all the storylines quite well, and I can honestly say that I'm going to miss all of these fascinating and exciting characters!

5/5 stars.

I'm giving this 3 stars because I LOVED the first 1/3 of the book. Then it spiraled into this violent, fairytale world where high school girls can beat up grown men after a few self defense classes, rapists lurk on every corner, and violence is thrown around far too casually.

I feel like there are good intentions with this book-- it's definitely got that GIRL POWER vibe. But I need my issues books to be more realistic and less lessony.

Probabley 3.5 stars. Well written and fun. I did find that the cover description was misleading, but it was a rollicking adventure nonetheless.

That was fun. I like Kady Cross's imagination and she can write a swell action scene. Also, I want the outfits these characters wear. Gimme.
Her characterization was a bit clunky at times: I lost count of how many times I was told that Emily had red "ropey" hair, was "bloody brilliant", was Irish and small. The thing is, the author showed Emily's brilliance through the fact that she was the group's scientist and doctor at a very young age, in addition to being an inventor. No further explanation required.

This was sometimes the problem with the narrative too-the author showed what was happening and then felt like she needed to explain it too. Points for the showing, but I wish she'd had an editor who had reined her in better with the telling. It would have been a shorter and better book. Still, it was enjoyable, I liked the characters, ropey hair and all, and I will be reading the next.

Another great yarn. What I like most about Kate Locke is that she doesn't take the much-traveled low road when she writes about her characters' relationships, especially that of the romantic leads. Here we find no love triangles although for a brief moment I worried she was moving into that territory but it turned out she was just messing with me , and Vex and Xandy actually talk to each other instead of keeping secrets and making assumptions. I love the goblin angle and seeing more of Prince William in this one. My only request for the next installment is that she not have another family member go missing or get kidnapped.
Really swell stuff-highly recommended.

I am a huge fan of Kady Cross and her writing style, so I was very excited to read this book, and I wasn't disappointed. This story is about 2 sisters, Lark, who is alive, and her twin, Wren, who isn't. Wren was stillborn, but she and Lark have a bond that even death couldn't break. Another weird thing about them is that Lark can see the departed, and Wren can slip into Lark's body if she is so inclined.

"I stepped into my sister and took over her body for the time being. People called it possession, but I didn't like to use that term in regards to Lark. Thankfully, she was just asleep. I opened my eyes - Lark's eyes."

So cool! Lark has always been a loner because being known as the crazy kid who talked to ghosts, among other things, has left her jaded when it comes to having friends and trusting others with her secrets. Unfortunately, when some kids from school are in trouble with an evil entity they crossed, Lark is their only hope, so she bites the bullet and agrees to help them, mostly because Wren is adamant that she must.

This book was full of great characters, an interesting premise, and a lot of action! I'm very much looking forward to reading the second book in this duology.

5/5 stars.

Griffin gets his own adventure as he faces off once and for all with Girabaldi. Along the way Finley meets her departed father, and Mila goes on a journey of self-discovery which is fun because she is so innocent and yet knowledgeable. Watching Mila & Jack fall in love is delightful and there is a nice conclusion for Griffin and Finley as well.½