Soulbound by Kristen Callihan

Finally free! Or so Eliza May thought. She'd been chained to Adam for months when she'd been finally freed. She didn't know she was getting herself into another form of enslavement when she moved in with her aunt Mab, though. She must now escape once more and ironically, she'll need the help of Adam to get away.

I really love Kristen's books and Soulbound is no exception! Fool that I am, I almost missed the release day of this book altogether! It would've been a grave offense! Anyhow, this pretty is now sitting on my shelf, along with the previous books, and I am eagerly awaiting the next one!

Adam had always been some kind of enigma to me, and even though he is still mysterious by the end of this title, I feel I know him a lot more. Actually, the man itself laid it all out for all to see and judge, it really is his job and how he controls the GIMs that still remains mysterious. BUT, I got enough answers to keep me satisfied. I really like him and despite not approving all of his decisions, I can understand where he is coming from, and I loved that Callihan shed light on his past, allowing us to really understand his motives. He is a true knight in not-so-shiny armor at his core, but had to become a scheming bastard to survive this long. It's a complicated mix, and I truly enjoyed it.

Eliza May is a force to be reckon-with under her lady attire. She had a very troubled past, has those really weird- and deadly - powers and has to deal with her last slaver to  escape her most recent nightmare. It took a lot of strength to face all that came her way and I command her for it. She is smart and wary, has a strong attitude and the language to back it up, and I loved her verbal sparing with Adam. I rooted for her the whole time and I really hoped it would work out for Adam and her, in the end.

The plot was highly addictive and I have to tip my hat and give a round of applaud to Adam. He is a master manipulator and I can only admire how he managed to make it all work the way he wanted to. With all his smarts, Eliza still managed to get one on him in the end, and I am SOOOO glad she did! What a sad ending it would've been otherwise.

The end isn't your typical happily ever after, and Adam and Eliza aren't your typical couple either. I guess all things considered things didn't turn out not so bad and I'm glad Sin gave his 30cents to Eliza!

Now, I'm under the impression Sin will be the star of the next novel (or maybe Lucien?? who knows) and I can't wait to read it! This series is awesome, and I urge you to read it if you haven't started yet!

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by Tynga at Friday, March 13, 2015

 Adult, Banshee, Darkest London, ghosts, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette, Historical, Kristen Callihan, Netgalley, Paranormal, Review, Romance, steampunk  Leave your mark

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Evernight by Kristen Callihan

I am a big fan of Kristen Callihan and once again I enjoyed my ride with her great characters. This time around, we follow brilliant, human, Holly has she tries to regain her composure after being kidnapped and forced to do terrible things. One of her terrible actions resulted in William Thorne having a titanium heart, poisoning his body and mind. He wants nothing more than the death of the tool (Holly) who forced this transformation onto him, but he had no idea how amazingly good she would make him feel.

I've heard other say this novel was their favorite in the series so far and while I cannot claim the same, I definitely enjoyed it. The most amazing thing about this series is that each novel is so great I simply cannot pick a favorite. They are all equally awesome.

One of the aspects I particularly liked about this installment is that Holly, even though she has an affinity to control metal, is human and that she pulls her own weight in a world of supernaturals. She is super smart, and trained physically be as strong as the supernatural next door and I can only command her for it. I don't want to spoil anything but at some point she fought against a particularly nasty demon and I was awed by her quick thinking and tricks. She is definitely a force to be reckoned with even though she flies under the radar because of her quiet and over-analyzing demeanor.

Will was a delight and I loved witnessing his contradictory feelings. He is a rebel, yet falls for quiet Holly and find himself craving a simple life. She is, despite her circumstances, the source of his torment but her regrets are palpable and go straight to his heart. I really loved how he slowly falls for her and that it drives him nuts to see her so devoid of emotions. They are complete opposites, but draw each other like magnets.

On a side note, the cover is super pretty, and Holly is well represented, but William has long white hair... so yeah, I wish to cover portrayed him better.

I was completely committed to the plot and was surprised by the different twist and turns. The bad guy isn't necessarily whom we think they are and I always appreciate that in a novel.

I loved the conclusion even though it was a bit predictable. I just love those HEA!

I am under the impression the next novel will feature Adam and Eliza May and I can't wait to know more about these two!

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by Tynga at Friday, October 03, 2014

 Darkest London, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette, Historical, Kristen Callihan, Netgalley, Paranormal, Review, steampunk, Vampire  Leave your mark

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Shadowdance by Kristen Callihan

Two years after being tortured for is his blood by demons and being rescued by the lovely Mary Chase, Jack Talent is still trying to recover from the mental damage. His own brand of therapy includes murder, which would be frowned upon considering he is an investigator. All is well though, until the SOS decides that Miss Chase should become his partner and she starts poking around. His strategy to keep the woman his heart desire as far away as possible is utterly destroyed.

Shadowdance had a very different mood than the previous novels in the series and I enjoyed it all the same, if not more, because of it's dark complexity. Talent and Chase have been lashing at each other for four years, since they first met, and things don't get better because they are partnered. See Talent has a terrible secret involving Chase weighting him down and he cannot risk her finding out. So despite his desire to keep her close and cherish her, he does his best to be despicable to her and keep her at bay. Not knowing better, the poor Chase reciprocates teeth and nails and it makes for some quite heated up exchanges. I truly enjoyed their colorful exchange even though I felt bad for them. Callihan did an awesome job keeping their angst and banter believable.

Both main characters are highly lovable individually and they are a diamond in the rough when together. Each of their tormented past is endearing and I can only command Kristen for the complexity of their past. They are entwined in a much deeper way than we are first led to believe and I enjoyed discovering the different layers of their involvement. Their feelings of betrayal and unworthiness felt true and broke my heart on more than one occasion.

I found the main plot line to be jaw-dropping and engrossing. Despite discovering early on who the Bishop of Charing Cross (the killer) is, many plot twists kept us on our toes as a copy cat started mocking the first series of murder. Miss Callihan also introduced new supernaturals we hadn't encounter in the series yet and I enjoyed learning more about this new lore. A new character also made an apparition and I can't wait to know more about him! Lucien also really grew on me and I really hope he gets his own novel in the future.


I really liked how the conclusion played out and I have to say I had all kinds of speculations going on as to how it would end and I got quite a scare at some point! Thankfully, I got my feeling of happy feelings in the end and even got a bit teary-eyed, emotional mess that I am lol


I haven't found information on a fifth novel in the series, but the conclusion leads me to believe their will be an other novel, this one featuring Will Thorne, an old friend of Jack Talent. The Darkest London series is an extremely well written and engaging paranormal romance series and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of historical settings. Steampunk lovers will also find elements they'll like in this amazing series!



 

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by Tynga at Thursday, December 19, 2013

 Adult, Darkest London, Forever, ghost, Hachette, Kristen Callihan, Netgalley, Paranormal Romance, Review, Shifters  4 People left their mark

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Entwined by Kristen Callihan

This story was unexpectedly sweet.  The story is about Eamon and Lu, two young people living in the early 1800s. Lu was promised for marriage to Aidan, Eamon's older brother, to pay for her father's dept. Fate has other plans in mind though!

I loved how filled with romance this novella turned out to be. Eamon writes to Lu, impersonating his brother, and over the years they fall madly in love with each other, despite their initial rebuttal. I loved their wits and sweetness and I couldn't help but root for Eamon when Lu finally came to his manor to marry his brother. Both have very big secrets, and even though it could've been handled better, I command them for their strength of character.

Even though it's pretty obvious that Eamon and Lu will end up together somehow, the road was eventful and some-what surprising. Especially for such a short story.

We don't really know how this story relates to the Darkest London books until the very end, and I was definitely shocked by the revelation.

Not having read Shadowdance yet I can't tell you how necessary it is to read the story before the fourth book of the series, but I feel like it's more extra material than mandatory one. Nonetheless, it's a nice and quick read and I see no reason for you not to read it!

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by Tynga at Friday, October 11, 2013

 Darkest London, Forever, Hachette, Historical, historical fiction, Kristen Callihan, Netgalley, Paranormal, Review  4 People left their mark

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Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan

Book Stats:
Genre: Paranormal historical romance
Reading level: Adult
Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Forever
Release date: February 26, 2013

Series: Darkest London #3

Source: Personal shelf

Reviewed by: Tynga

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Once blissfully in love . . .
Poppy Lane is keeping secrets. Her powerful gift has earned her membership in the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals, but she must keep both her ability and her alliance with the Society from her husband, Winston. Yet when Winston is brutally attacked by a werewolf, Poppy's secrets are revealed, leaving Winston's trust in her as broken as his body. Now Poppy will do anything to win back his affections . . .

Their relationship is now put to the ultimate test.
Winston Lane soon regains his physical strength but his face and heart still bear the scars of the vicious attack. Drawn into the darkest depths of London, Winston must fight an evil demon that wants to take away the last hope of reconciliation with his wife. As a former police inspector, Winston has intelligence and logic on his side. But it will take the strength of Poppy's love for him to defeat the forces that threaten to tear them apart.

Poppy has been weighted down by responsibilities since a very early age, forced to lie to her family time and again. Winston always prided himself in his job as an inspector and ran off on Poppy when he realized she’s been lying to him the whole 14 years they’ve been married. Talk about a talented inspector… A demon is now after him and they must put their differences aside if they want to survive.

Have you ever read a paranormal romance where the two heroes have been married for over a decade? I thought so… neither did I! I thoroughly enjoyed that uniqueness and I hope more authors will dare featuring couples that haven’t just met and are taken over by an inexplicable passion.

The main plotline surrounds a quest to destroy a demon, but the romance aspect was my favourite part. I love how we follow both heroes as they try to deal with their recent break-up, both of them still in love with the other, but not sure they can overcome the lies and hurt feelings. Their strong desire is obvious to us, yet they are completely oblivious to each other, miss-interpreting every signal. Time and again I was torn between laughter, desire to comfort them and utter frustration at their foolishness. Their story was a real rollercoaster and I want a second ride!

We met Poppy and Winston in the previous two books, and Poppy had always been my least favourite of the three sisters, but I came to appreciate her strength in this novel. She’s not a typical beauty but her curvy figure and her mane of red hair is Win’s undoing. I loved how he had eyes only for her from the very start. Winston didn’t really catch my attention in the first two books either, and now I feel like re-reading them again now that I have a new appreciation for the man. He is strong and determined but what I loved best was his outmost trust in Poppy in every aspect of their lives.

Kristen Callihan alternated past present to whole novel, switching between Win and Poppy’s current issues and their early beginnings. We get to witness their meeting, first dates, his proposal, their wedding and all kind of amazing tidbits that built their relationship overtime. And let me tell you, I LOVED it. I particularly liked that she inserted those past moments at just the right time in the plot to have the biggest impact. It was sheer genius.

The conclusion utterly surprised me. I never saw the blow coming and I never imagined the heroes to wrap things up that way. I was really pleased with it all and I hope we’ll see more in the next novel, featuring Mr. Talent and Mary Chase, two secondary characters featured this time around. I came to like them and I have great hopes for them!

Winterblaze was powerful and different from other paranormal romance out there and I strongly suggest you give this series a try. You don’t have to read the previous books, but I would suggest you do if you want to grasp the depth of the main characters break-up.

Read an Excerpt

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by Tynga at Friday, May 24, 2013

 Demon, Hachette, Kristen Callihan, Review  6 People left their mark

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Daring You To Read … Firelight by Kristen Callihan

Daring You To Read is a weekly feature here on Tynga’s Reviews where we dare you to read some of our favorite older releases (at least 6 months old). All the books/series we choose to feature are titles we adored and think you should give them a shot! We think it’s a super awesome way to discover that special book who might have slipped off your radar!

You’ve already read the book? Let’s us know what you thought!
You are accepting the dare? We’d love to know!
Have a dare of your own? Leave a comment ^^

This week, I decided to dare you to read Firelight by Kristen Callihan because I just added the third book, Winterblaze, to my kindle (from netGalley) so I thought you should all catch up on this must read series!

Firelight is a breathtaking gothic twist of The Beauty and The Beast’s story. There are many retell out there, but this one is subtle and I truly enjoyed it! Callihan’s writing is simply fabulous, infusing credibility to this historic setup. Written in old English style and respecting the old traditions and morals, Firelight shines by its authenticity and I loved every second of my reading experience.

If you love to historical romance with a paranormal twist, Firelight is the perfect novel for you! For more fawning, you can read my review ^^

London, 1881
Once the flames are ignited . . .
Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . .
Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Also in the series:

So, will you take the dare?

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by Tynga at Thursday, January 24, 2013

 Daring You to Read, Kristen Callihan  3 People left their mark

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PSC: Interview and Giveaway with Kristen Callihan

I am super excited to welcome author Kristen Callihan here on the blog today! I LOVE her Darkest London series, so I had to invite her for summer camp!

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1- The first book in the Darkest London series is a fantastic historical retell of The Beauty and the Beast, how did you come up with that idea?

Honestly? My daughter was watching Disney’s Beauty and the Beast while I was tying to come up with a story. I started to wonder, what if the “beast” wasn’t outwardly ugly but hid behind a mask? And what if the “beauty” had power of her own, instead of being some helpless victim? And so it went from there.

2- Unless I’m mistaken, Moonglow isn’t a retell of any story, was it different to write this book because of that?

Well it was different in that I didn’t have to follow any preset story markers. But it was the same, in that I always write characters first. Meaning, the characters, how they interact, what they feel about life, is what guides me.

3- How would you introduce Daisy and Ian?

Daisy and Ian are both bright, irreverent people with a joie de viv. But they both use their humor and insouciance to hide deep, personal pain. Apart, they are a bit aimless and fractured of heart and soul. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with.

4- I’m assuming the third book in the series, Winterblaze, will feature Poppy, the third sister, who will be featured in the fourth book, due September 2013?

Yes, Winterblaze features Poppy and her now estranged husband Winston Lane. Book 4, which I hope to have a title for soon, will feature Jack Talent and Mary Chase, who dislike each other immensely. But you know what they say about the thin line between love and hate.

5- Is it important to you to be true to the time period when writing your novels?

As true as I can be. I research, look up the etymology of words to make sure they were in use during the day, and fact check. For all that, however, I do think that the characters, and their situations, have to appeal to a modern audience. Which is why I chose characters  who would be atypical of the time.

6- What would a day camp be like in old London?

A lot like our camps, in that they would advertise vigorous exercise, fresh air, and training of body, mind, and spirit. Just like us, the Victorians were big on self-improvement, and tended to self congratulatory about it as well. ;)  But you can read about an example for yourself! Here is a bit about the Wimbledon Camp in 1867:

“The principal spectacle of the day was now commencing. The four public schools of Eton, Harrow, Rugby, and Marlborough, had each sent its contingent of eleven apiece to contend for the Ashburnham Shield. Each school had its own volunteer uniform, and all seemed full of anxiety and esprit de corps. The mothers and sisters of these young gentlemen mustered also in great numbers, and their heightened colour and eager eyes not only betokened the interest they felt in the juvenile riflemen, but were also exceedingly becoming. Chairs where allotted to the ladies in the best places, to command a view of the proceedings, and behind them stood the vast throng of male spectators.” (Lights and Shadows of London Life [by James Payn], 1867 - Chapter 5 - Wimbledon Camp [external link: http://www.victorianlondon.org/publications8/lights-05.htm])

7- What kind of campers would Daisy and Ian be?

Ian would be an awesome camper. He’s part wolf, so he loves the wild –and can hunt like the beast he is. ;)

Daisy, however, would hate camping. The bugs? The dirt? And where is her soft bed? Ironic, isn’t it, seeing as nature is her gift. Then again, once she got over complaining, she’d likely enjoy being her element and gain much strength from it.

Together, I’m pretty sure Ian would come up with plenty of activities to dissuade Daisy of her discontent. Lol.

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More about Moonglow:

Once the seeds of desire are sown . . .
Finally free of her suffocating marriage, widow Daisy Ellis Craigmore is ready to embrace the pleasures of life that have long been denied her. Yet her new-found freedom is short lived. A string of unexplained murders has brought danger to Daisy's door, forcing her to turn to the most unlikely of saviors . . .

Their growing passion knows no bounds . . .
Ian Ranulf, the Marquis of Northrup, has spent lifetimes hiding his primal nature from London society. But now a vicious killer threatens to expose his secrets. Ian must step out of the shadows and protect the beautiful, fearless Daisy, who awakens in him desires he thought long dead. As their quest to unmask the villain draws them closer together, Daisy has no choice but to reveal her own startling secret, and Ian must face the undeniable truth: Losing his heart to Daisy may be the only way to save his soul.

Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository

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Kristen is offering a copy of Moonglow to one lucky winner!

To enter the giveaway, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

Open Internationally

Ends Wednesday, September 5th, 2012
(like all of our Paranormal Summer Camp giveaways)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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More books by Kristen:

Kristen Callihan is a child of the 80’s, which means she's worn neon skirts, black-lace gloves, and combat boots (although never all at once) and can quote John Hughes movies with the best of them. A life long daydreamer, she finally realized that the characters in her head needed a proper home and thus hit the keyboard. She believes that falling in love is one of the headiest experiences a person can have, so naturally she writes romance. Her love of superheroes, action movies, and history led her to write historical paranormals. She lives in the Washington D.C. area and, when not writing, looks after two children, one husband, and a dog — the fish can fend for themselves.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

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by Tynga at Saturday, August 25, 2012

 Hachette, Interview, Kristen Callihan, Paranormal Summer Camp, werewolf  37 People left their mark

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Moonglow by Kristen Callihan

Moonglow by Kristen Callihan

Book Stats:
Genre: Historical/Paranormal
Reading level: Adult
Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Forever
Release date: July 31, 2012

Series: Darkest London #2

Source: Net Galley

Reviewed by: Tynga

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Once the seeds of desire are sown . . .
Finally free of her suffocating marriage, widow Daisy Ellis Craigmore is ready to embrace the pleasures of life that have long been denied her. Yet her new-found freedom is short lived. A string of unexplained murders has brought danger to Daisy's door, forcing her to turn to the most unlikely of saviors . . .

Their growing passion knows no bounds . . .
Ian Ranulf, the Marquis of Northrup, has spent lifetimes hiding his primal nature from London society. But now a vicious killer threatens to expose his secrets. Ian must step out of the shadows and protect the beautiful, fearless Daisy, who awakens in him desires he thought long dead. As their quest to unmask the villain draws them closer together, Daisy has no choice but to reveal her own startling secret, and Ian must face the undeniable truth: Losing his heart to Daisy may be the only way to save his soul

Daisy was ill treated by her husband, and you’d think his death would her rid of his evil but his words are still plaguing her. Getting involved in any kind of relationship, other than with her two sisters, is challenging and things get even worst when she witnesses a werewolf attack in an alley. Lord Northrup saved her in extremis, invading her life by the same occasion.

Moonglow is the sequel to Firelight, an historical re-tell of Beauty and the Beast with an original twist and it features Miranda’s sister, Daisy. I did not recognize any fables reading this second instalment, so I don’t think this one is a re-tell but I could be wrong. Either way, this book was just as great as the first one.

The story is all about Daisy trying to rebuild her confidence after years of darkness with her late husband, Lord Ian Ranulf coming back to life after his own shadowed past and their common quest to eliminate a werewolf terrorizing London with a series of murdered women.

Both Ian and Daisy have smart mouths and firework personalities which made for extremely entertaining and colourful dialogues. Daisy was a great character with a lot to learn about herself and while I cared for her, I thought she wasn’t as awesome as Ian. He was simply stunning and his wits left me speechless at times. His troubled past also contributed to his perfect tormented soul persona.

Callihan gratified us with an interesting lycan/werewolf lore where man and beast are in constant competition and once the wolf takes control, there is no going back. I loved this twist and the way the author played with it.

The plot itself was interesting and evolving at a pleasing pace. I never felt bored or rushed and I enjoyed every page. Kristen Callihan also had a couple of surprises in her pocket and I loved every single one.

The conclusion was satisfying, though bittersweet and I really though Daisy would go a totally different path then I she did. I wish I could tell you more about it, but I can’t without spoilers so I’ll have to leave it at that hehe.

I love Kristen’s writing because it’s true to my idea of the 16th century's speech and I loved Ian’s Scottish accent. There is also a quote I think sounds a lot like something Romeo would say to Juliet if he were Scottish, and it’s my favourite of the book:

“I would be a god with the power of your love. If I knew I had it.”
He touched her cheek. “But I cannot do it alone. I cannot bow and scrape for each scrap, hoping you’ll  see what I see in us. I won’t have you by default.” A small smile lifted his mouth. “Ah, but if you gave it to me freely, I swear on my soul I wouldn’t let it go to waste. With everything I am, I’d give it back to you in return. I’d keep ye, love ye till my last breath, lass.”

Isn’t it swoon worthy?

If you like paranormal novels in an historical set up, I strongly suggest you pick up this series. It’s fabulously written, with stunning characters and has an healthy dose of passion and humour. Plus it has sexy males with accents, could you possibly ask for more?

Read a sneak peek

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by Tynga at Saturday, August 25, 2012

 Hachette, Kristen Callihan, Review, werewolf  2 People left their mark

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Firelight by Kristen Callihan

Firelight by Kristen Callihan

Book Stats:
Reading level: Adult
Genre: Gothic Paranormal
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Forever
Release date: February 1, 2012

Series: Darkest London #1

Source: NetGalley

Reviewed by: Tynga

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

London, 1881
Once the flames are ignited . . .
Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . .
Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

Life in London in the late 1800s isn’t all fun and games. The monarchy has a strong hold on the citizens and peer pressure in crushing. Miranda Ellis knows all about it, after an unfortunate accident, her father lost his fortune and was shunned out from the big players. She had to steal for her father if she wanted food on the table and even though she always knew her father was no angel, she was surprised when he sold her to the infamous Lord Benjamin Archer. All dressed in black and wearing a mask, he inspired fear wherever he went. But what if all the scared, swooning ladies were wrong and a real diamond was hidden underneath? Or so Miranda hopes… 

What an amazing story! Firelight hadn’t caught my attention at first, but after one of my readers suggested I read the novella (which I haven’t yet, sorry!) and I noticed the cover of the second book, Moonglow, I saw Firelight under a new light and decided to give it a try since it was available on NetGalley. Boy, I was not disappointed! Firelight is a breathtaking gothic twist of The Beauty and The Beast’s story. I hadn’t realized when I picked the book that it was a retell from this classic, my favorite Disney movie growing up, so I was happily surprised when I started noticing the similarities.

Callihan’s writing is simply fabulous, infusing credibility to this historic setup. Written in old English style and respecting the old traditions and morals, Firelight shines by its authenticity and I loved every second of my reading experience. The character’s speech is on par with the era and I truly enjoyed verbal fencing Miranda and Archer nurtured during the whole novel. Miri might be a lady, but her vocabulary is as colorful as one of a man of this period, it was highly entertaining.

Kristen chose to narrate her story in third person and even though I’m a fan of first person narration, it worked perfectly for this story. The author’s writing style allowed the readers to feel very close to the main characters despite the narration form, all the while letting us in on all the characters’ feelings. I really enjoyed both Miranda’s & Archer’s point of view, I honestly couldn’t choose a favorite.

Character wise, Callihan really hit the bull’s eye. Miranda is fierce, strong and protective even though she has a low self-esteem. Her past is making it hard to overcome her differences and her slow progression was believable. Her attraction, then love for Archer were a treat to witness and I loved every moment. Archer is so deep in his self-hatred that he is completely blind to Miranda’s affections. He might technically be a monster (and we won’t know his very nature until the end) and married Miranda for selfish reasons, but his love for her is pure. I really loved the guy!

The atmosphere and the romance were my favorite aspects, but Firelight also has a strong mystery fiber. Someone is murdering Archer’s friends, mailing him body part to bait him. Miranda, wannabe spy that she is, tries to identify the murdered to protect her husband, but Archer is doing his very best to keep her out of arms way, thus withholding information from her. With a killer on the loose and Archer’s nature a secret, room is open for a lot of speculation while reading and I’m grateful I didn’t manage to guess neither until Callihan was ready to enlighten us.

Kristen Callihan’s debut novel is definitely a must read! Firelight’s fast pace, engaging story and amazing characters will enthrall you from the start, and keep you glued to your book. I am anxious to get my hands on the second Darkest London book and I’m glad I only have a couple of months to wait!

Read an Excerpt

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by Tynga at Friday, April 06, 2012

 Hachette, Kristen Callihan, Review  5 People left their mark

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