Book Reviews
September is Bec McMaster’s debut steampunk romance Kiss of Steel. It features a new and original take on vampires and werewolves, as well as Victorian London. Simply put, it. Is. Awesome.
There’s an originality to her world-building that I really appreciate. I like the term limit, as it were, that she puts on vampires after infection. No endless nights of immortal bliss here. It starts out with super-sexy superhuman strength and bloodlust, but after a certain point, a vampire hits the Fade and turns into a bloodthirsty killing machine. No fangs, either, but no Edward Cullen wimpiness for these vampires. Werewolves are even tougher, due to a similar virus, and I hope she explores them in the next book.
The dialogue was witty and full of romantic tension without being cheesy or drawn out. The plotline moved briskly for the most part and I had to force myself to put it down (darn need to sleep). I found the book thoroughly engrossing. I meant to read a few chapters before going on vacation and ended up finishing it in two days. Heck, I even wrote a review, that’s how good it was.
My only bone of contention, and I know it’s not the author’s fault, was the cover. Our very prim and proper heroine, Honoria (I had to learn to deal with the fact that it rhymes with “gonorrhea”), tarted up liked an extra from Moulin Rouge. What the heck publishers, what the heck?
Otherwise, it was great. Not even the abundance of Cockney dialect bothered me. Which I find funny because Scottish dialect in a book drives me up the walls with a hammer (I don’t know what the meant, either). If you like steampunk, adventure, vampires, werewolves, and/or romance, I absolutely recommend Kiss of Steel.
Cheers! Lynn
