I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.
-Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."
-Phillip K. Dick
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Free On Kindle 1-16-20






The Trilisk Ruins (Parker Interstellar Travels Book 1)

Author: Michael McCloskey

Goodreads Synopsis: Telisa Relachik studied to be a xenoarchaeologist in a future where humans have found alien artifacts but haven't ever encountered live aliens. Of all the aliens whose extinct civilizations are investigated, the Trilisks are the most advanced and the most mysterious.

Telisa refuses to join the government because of her opposition to its hard-handed policies restricting civilian investigation and trade of alien artifacts, despite the fact that her estranged father is a captain in the United Nations Space Force.

When a group of artifact smugglers recruits her, she can't pass up the chance at getting her hands on objects that could advance her life's work. But she soon learns her expectations of excitement and riches come with serious drawbacks as she ends up fighting for her life on a mysterious alien planet. 

If it so pleases you to, you can get a free kindle copy here while it lasts.


The Forgotten

Author: D.L. Cross

Amazon Synopsis:

The Forgotten is a taut, fast-paced Indiana Jones meets Falling Skies style stand-alone thriller that spans the globe and digs deep into humanity's past, unearthing clues to the aliens' motives for invading our world. One’s out of his element. The other’s out of allies. Both are out of time.

Colonel Jack Morley investigates anomalies for the US government. He’s less than thrilled to give up his long holiday weekend at the beach to travel to the middle of the Nevada desert for his fifty-first mission because he assumes it will be another wasted trip. 

He couldn’t be more wrong.

CORE Director Victor Cannon is in charge of a secret facility in Nevada, and he hopes bringing in Morley will keep the government off his back long enough to accomplish both his agency’s mission and his personal goal. 

It only makes the target on his back a brighter beacon.

Now Morley and Cannon are in a race against their own agencies and the clock if they hope to save the world. They’ve discovered the location of the Forgotten, but not everyone wants him found. And those who want him to stay lost in time will go to any lengths to make sure he stays that way.

You may get a copy here, if it sounds of interest, while offer lasts.


ELE boxed set one

Author: Rebecca Gober and Courney Nuckels

Amazon Synopsis:  

BOOK ONE

Project ELE (The ELE Series Book 1)
When the government enacts Project ELE to preserve the human race after a devastating epidemic, survivors like Willow must adapt to new lives in shelters. But soon, Willow and her friends acquire unusual abilities that have far-reaching consequences.

BOOK TWO
Finding ELE (The ELE Series Book 2)
The forces of good and evil collide and Willow has no choice but to choose a side. When her rare abilities become a liability, an unlikely protector must step up to help her. 

BOOK THREE
Exposing ELE (The ELE Series Book 3)
All thoughts of a safe haven go out the window when Willow’s parents and Tony are ruthlessly abducted. In an effort to save them, Willow has to take a stand against the darkness brought forth by the masterminds of Project ELE.

You can get a copy of it here, for free, while it exists.



Valkyrie Reborn: A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy

Author: Allyson Lindt

Amazon Synopsis: 

She Loves. She Dies. She is Reborn.

The gods raised Kirby as an assassin. A weapon to wield against those who threatened their power.

The soldiers she grew up and trained with are the only family she knows. When her partner—her lover—betrays her, and The Order shuns her, Kirby’s world shatters. She spirals into a darkness that threatens to destroy her.

The combat instructor Kirby lusts after from a distance, pulls her from pit and offers her a new path forward. A new place to belong, vengeance, and a chance to do right by the people she once hunted.

But he and his two sexy friends are keeping a secret, and she's forced to decide if facing the threat alone is a bigger risk than giving her trust to more people who could betray her.

Author's Note: Valkyrie Reborn was previously titled Blood in the Shadows, and has been republished. The content has not changed. The heroine doesn’t choose in this urban fantasy with dark themes, and some scorching FF action mixed in. The book contains mention of self-harm, thoughts of suicide, and physical assault

If you desire to get a copy of this book, you may do so here, while it's available.



Justice First Book One

Author:  Odette C. Bell

Amazon Synopsis:

All seek justice. But justice is a fool’s game.
When Melanie finds out she’s magical, she runs. Her powers won’t let her sit still. As they rise, they seek justice. And the city she lives in – Erebus – is home to the worst criminals out there. As her mind unravels, she’s forced to mete out holy punishment.

Nothing can stop her save for one man.
But Tyr isn’t human; he’s the immortal sent to stop her. A practitioner unmatched in all the realms, he seeks one thing – justice. To all those who break the law, he brings punishment. Until he meets Melanie. As he searches for her through the crime-infested streets of this hell-hole, they’re drawn together.

What starts as a game of cat-and-mouse changes as old, hidden feelings arise. They might wish to punish one another, but destiny has another plan.

If this story sounds interesting to you, you may get a copy here, while its free.



Try me Again

Author: Clare Lydon

Amazon Synopsis:

What if lockdown means your ex moving back in?

Dot is still bristling over Caitlin leaving when she turns up at her door, asking to stay.

It's just until Caitlin can get a flight to New York, to the glittering new life she dumped them for.

But when the job falls through, Caitlin has to confront some home truths.

Now she knows what she really wants, can she convince Dot to try her again?

If lesbian romance interests you, you can get a free copy here while its available.


Narrow Escape

Author: Anna Cove

Amazon Synopsis:

There's life... then there's living.

When Julia Knowles hits it big with her first book, she can’t help but see the perks of fame. All the ladies she wants? Bring ‘em on! Her confidence soars. That is, until a chance encounter with an old friend throws her off her game.

Susan Mayer’s life is full of bad news, until she happens to meet Julia again. With Julia, her husband isn’t dying, her kids aren’t furious with her. With Julia, she has no responsibilities. She feels twenty years younger. With Julia, she can smile.

The temptation to leave is strong, but the timing couldn’t be worse.
If she leaves, she’s a horrible person.
If she stays, she might lose herself to sorrow.

Can Susan resist the temptation of Julia? Should she?

This 10,000 word short is a prequel to SWEET SURRENDER, the first novel from Anna Cove. Buy now for a passionate, steamy, and sometimes heartbreaking ride.

You can get a copy of this prequel of a lesbian romance here, for free for a time.


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During these difficult times, I know it helps to find something to do.  I've created this short little list of books that sounded interesting to me, that are currently free on Amazon kindle.  Don't have a kindle? No problem, you can get free apps on android and also on PC.  Not everyone has the money right now to enjoy a good book, so I hope this helps those of you out who are dirt broke and need a distraction.  Let your love of books guide the way.  Enjoy!

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

 

Genre: Scifi / Aliens / Romance

Whether or not you liked Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series or not, if you're into science fiction including aliens, this might be a good read for you.  This story is much better, in my opinion, than her twilight series.  If you enjoyed the movie adaptation but have yet to read the book, it's definitely time.  If you're anything like me, you usually assume the book is better than the actual movie.  However, I have cheated once or twice and watched a movie before I read the book.  If the movie ended up being good, I definitely dive into the book to make sure it's truly worth my while.

The Host takes you through the eyes of both a human girl and an alien species from off world.  It takes place on Earth, and if you're into aliens that are host requiring species, this is definitely the book for you.  I would definitely say the alien is our lead in this book.  I'm not sure how many of you have read the childhood books called Animorphs, or the Andalite Chronicles, but I can definitely say the aliens are definitely a different breed.  Before I get too deep into this, let me share with you the Goodreads synopsis.

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Goodreads Synopsis:
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.


Back when I was reading the Twilight series I can't tell how many years ago at this point, a friend of mine had told me to give The Host a read. I told her I felt like the Twilight series could have been better had I been a 16 year old girl reading it, and she told me I'd probably enjoy The Host far more.  I can't tell you how right she was.

Fast forward to 6 years ago when I finally picked this book up.  I was in college and didn't have a lot of time to read, so I ended up reading the first few chapters of this book with intrigue.  I just picked it up and read the rest of it recently and I was glad that I did.  In between the beginning of my read and the end, I'd watched the movie and my interest was piqued further. 

Had I not been working at the time I'd probably have read this book far sooner, but alas, it brings a pandemic for me to find the time for the things I enjoy.  What a sad world we live in, when we can't even enjoy our hobbies, but I digress...

If you've seen the movie and you start reading this book you will see how true to the book they stayed.  I wouldn't say they were 100% accurate to the story, but I'd say they did a pretty damn good job of keeping with it.  Throughout this book I found myself feeling a tightness in the pit of my stomach, and sad for our lead, Wanderer.  She learns of the emotions of the human species and feels guilt for being what she is, a body snatcher in a sense.  It's almost as if she learns to become a human as well.  Human emotions are far more complicated than any species she's ever come across in all of her years as a parasitic alien.  It's as if she herself wants to be perfect, kind, loving, generous.  I absolutely fell in love with her character.  Wanderer made this story what it was, though through the interactions of other characters, the story becomes whole and complete.  I felt like the details could have been a little better as far as landscape descriptions, but it wasn't too bad.  Having watched the movie I was able to use that as a guide.  Perhaps the two go hand in hand in that sense.  This is definitely a character driven story more than anything else, and I'd never say that's a bad thing.  I enjoy character driven stories.


Pick up your own copy of The Host on Amazon if it so pleases you to do so.


So as you can guess, I give this story 5 out of 5 pinwheels.



Shame to those who think evil of this.


Friday, January 15, 2021

The Gravity Between Us

Genre: Romance / Lesbian / Fiction

First, before I get into the review, I'd like to apologize for how long it's been since I've actually done a review. Life kind of took hold of me and I find it hard to find the time to read much less do reviews of the books I read. In any case, I apologize. Onward to the review...

So far as I know, this is a standalone novel. Kristen Zimmer hasn't written anything else that I was able to find so far. It's her first and only novel to date.

The Gravity Between Us takes us through the eyes of Payton who is musically inclined, and Kendall who is an up and coming actress. The two have been friends since childhood and it soon is discovered that both have deeper feelings than just a friendship.

--

Goodreads Synopsis:
Where does friendship stop and love begin?

At just 19, Kendall Bettencourt is Hollywood’s hottest young starlet with the world at her feet – but behind the glamour and designer dresses is a girl who longs for normal.

Payton Taylor is Kendall’s best friend since childhood, and the one person who reminds her of who she really is – her refuge from the craziness of celebrity life.

With her career taking off, Kendall moves Payton to LA to help keep her sane. But Payton is hiding a secret that could make everything ten times worse. Because to her, Kendall is more than a best friend – she is the only girl that she has ever loved.

Just as they need each other more than ever, they’ll have to answer the question of where friendship stops and love begins? And find out whether the feelings they have can survive the mounting pressure of fame…

The Gravity Between Us is a daring, romantic, emotional story about friendship, love, and finding the courage to be yourself in a crazy world.

New Adult novel: recommended for 17+ due to mature themes and sexual content



I originally got this book to read with a girlfriend of mine, having been in the want of sharing books with a significant other. We read the first 80 or so pages together, before some tragic event, that I wont get into, happened and we parted ways.  Needless to say it was over a year before I picked this book up again to finally finish it. I was glad that I did, as I couldn't put the thing down for long periods of time.

The author has a way with words that just seem to draw you in.  She makes you want to know what happens in the coming chapters.  The anticipation absolutely drove me insane.  I couldn't wait to see what our author had in store for our two lovely characters.  It was easy to connect to the characters in the way that only love can lead you to anticipate.  It was an anxious yearning sort of thing, very reminiscent of past events, for me at least.  It was excellently thought out to the very end.  I do have to say though that the ending felt a bit corny, but in a very good way.  It closes the chapters up nice and tight, letting the story come to a solid conclusion.  

All in all, I'd say this was one of my favorite lesbian reads, and I find that it is fair to say I believe more should pick this book up for a worthwhile read.  Even goodreads ratings prove how well this book has been written.  If you don't believe me, read it yourself and you will see how amazing it truly is.  I can't wait to see what else Kristen Zimmer has in store for us for future novels.


As you can surely guess, my rating is 5 pinwheels out of 5.


Shame on those who think evil of this.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Unknown Futures by Jessica E. Subject



Genre: Sci-fi / Adult / Lesbian / RomanceThis is a story about a woman named Jewel whose face becomes mangled by acid.  She feels like she's alone and lacking in beauty but decides to do a dating site type of thing and she gets hooked up with a lady from a secret space station for a one night stand.

Goodreads Synopsis:
Attacked as a young adult, Jewel is left scarred and alone. She applies to the 1 Night Stand service, believing no one can see past her appearance to love her. But she doesn’t expect to be sent to a space station where her date could be any number of unusual alien species.

Flavia left everything behind to be one of five humans working for the Space Service space station. Extremely homesick, she is excited to learn she will be a guide to a woman from Earth visiting the station for a couple days. She is immediately drawn to the petite woman, seeing past her scars to her true inner beauty, stirring unforeseen desires.

Unfortunately, Jewel is there for a date which Flavia hasn’t been told about. Can she contain her lust and simply show her a good time? Or will she let her desire lead them into an unknown future?


I finally got around to reading some Jessica E. Subject.  She's been following me on twitter for a while and we've communicated back and forth but I hadn't gotten around to reading any of her works.  College eats up most of my time, but she posted a free book dump on amazon and this was in it.  It's a short story but worth a quick read if you have a few moments of free time.

This was a good start of an awesome story. I know it's complete but I feel like I want to read more. I would have liked to have had a little bit more description on the tubes and other places around the space station, but I suppose it left it up to my imagination. Which, being a writer myself, made my mind explore the possibilities. It is a little predictable at times. I would have also have liked to see a little bit more character depth. Flavia just kind of falls in love with Jewel, but it seems like it's all lust, however, parts of it made me feel like there was more to it. I just would have liked that to be elaborated upon more. This needs an in-depth sequel.  I am making a demand lol.

Shame on anyone who thinks evil of this.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

American Literature II [1]

Let me start by saying I'm a little behind on posting on here due to the fact that I have various books I have to read in my American Literature II class.  There are so many that I've read, I'd prefer to just post the ones I like, and thus this is what will be posted here.  I will be reading more stories for my American Literature II class and if any are worth writing a review about, I will come back and post another massive dump.  For now though, I hope you enjoy this review dump.

A ROSE FOR EMILY by William Faulkner
Genre: Classic / Horror / Mystery
This is a story about a woman who doesn't pay her taxes and who buys arsenic, for a purpose which is left up to the reader to decide.

What I thought:
I was expecting this to be a terrible read, having not read any Faulkner and having heard terrible things.  However, this story quite blew me away.  For being a short story it flows well and is very developed.  My only dislike is the fact that we never know why Emily buys arsenic, it's up to the readers interpretation of this.



Rating: ****/5
WINTER DREAMS by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Genre: Classic / Romance
Not technically a romance, but I see it as such.  It's a story about a man who in his youth was a Caddy and later falls in love with a woman of whom he may never truly have.

What I thought:
I was quite bored at the beginning but this didn't last.  The story finally unfolds and by the end I felt myself feeling for the lead character Dexter.  I couldn't dislike it for the fact that it's a very painful thing, unrequited love.  It's one thing that can be most understood for certain people reading it.  I feel in a way that he was quite a strong character.

Rating: ****/5



WINESBURG, OHIO by Sherwood Anderson
Genre: Classic
This is a book with various stories that all intertwine to create a larger whole.  It's about people called grotesques, and the meaning of grotesques in this book is basically along the lines of larger truths.

What I thought:
Some of the stories were dull and not something I would ever want to reread.  Not one of the best novels I have ever read.  I enjoyed some of the stories, and found myself coming to new understandings that are personal only to me.  I feel that anyone who reads this might, through a character's story, come to a new understanding of their own life or the world around them.

Rating: ***/5

THE OPEN BOAT by Stephen Crane
Genre: Classic
This is a story about men surviving a ship wreck by the only means they simply know how.  It's a story of their desire to survive, and their struggle to obtain freedom from the vicious natures throes, the ocean. 

What I thought:
I was expecting for this short story to be quite dull and boring but it was actually kind of interesting.  It didn't take me too long to read and I found myself wondering what was happening in it.  By the end I felt that the men had been more loyal to their captain than to themselves, sacrificing their lives for their loyalty in a way.

Rating: ***/5

DAISY MILLER by Henry James
Genre: Classic / Romance
This is a story about a woman who wants to live by her own rules, and a man who chases after her with love enveloping his very soul.

What I thought:
This felt like a shorter read than it was.  I burned through the pages like fire to paper. I felt connected to the man who loves Daisy, Mr. Winterbourne.  At first I thought he was kind of a douche, for a lack of a better word, but in the end I found myself feeling for him and his situation.  I felt like this is the beginning of a longer novel and was quite disappointed it was left so short.

Rating: ****/5

THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN by Mark Twain
Genre: Classic / Young Adult / Historical Fiction
This is the story of Huck Finn himself.  It tells of his drunken abusive father, and then leads us into his adventures after he escapes the coils of his father's shack.

What I thought:
This book started out as a 5 star review, but it slowly began to spiral down into a novel of lesser enjoyment.  I was expecting this to be one of the best novels I have ever read, but unfortunately, it wasn't.  I didn't find myself connecting to Huck himself, or the other characters really either.  By every chapter it was a new story, take from that what you will.  I felt like it was a bunch of stories that didn't really connect well to one another.  I'd have to say that I enjoyed the language and comprehension I got from this story more than from the story itself.

Rating: ***/5

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Soul of the Fire by Terry Goodkind



Genre: Fantasy / Romance / Magic
Richard and Kahlan finally get what they both have wanted for the past few months.  The Sword of Truth is out of Richard's hands, but he discovers he doesn't need the magic of the sword to bring forth greatness, though he still doesn't seem to think he's great.  Lots of new characters, lots of twists, corruption and wickedness.  Another great story from the Good Kind of fantasy, Terry Goodkind.

Back Cover:
Richard Rahl has traveled far from his days as a simple forest guide.  Emperor of D'hara, war wizard, the Seeker of Truth--none of these roles mean as much to him as his newest.  For Richard Rahl is now husband to Kahlan Amnell.

But there wedding is the key that unlocks a faraway spell, and now a deadly power pours forth across the world.

Separated from the Sword of Truth, stripped of their magic, Richard and Kahlan must journey across the Midlands to confront a secret from their past, and a trap that could tear them apart.  For there's no place so dangerous as a world without magic...

Took me a couple of months to read this due to lack of time because of college, but around midway through I started to read a bit quicker, finding myself more intrigued by the storyline. By the end I was fully captivated.

This went from a 3 star book to a 4 star within the last 5ish chapters. I'm definitely desiring to read the next book.

Also, I'd like to say that I don't think Dalton a wicked character. I definitely felt myself feeling for his poor situation. He's a likeable character in my opinion.

Terry Goodkind can't disappoint. He feigns the ease of it, but by the end of his books I always find myself wanting to read the next one. This is by far my favorite fantasy series yet.

Shame on anyone who thinks evil of this.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Daisy Miller - Henry James


Genre: Classic

This is a story about a man who meets a woman and it's love at first sight.  He watches as she falls in love with someone else.  Or does she?

Goodreads Synopsis:
The plot centers around a Europeanized American man named Winterbourne, who meets a nouveau riche American woman going by the name Daisy Miller. A short novel, James wields the sword of fiction to craft a "study" of the roles of men and women, social relationships, cultural intersection, the allure of money, foolishness and wisdom, the responsibilities of parents, and the impact of one's life upon others.


This was an interesting read. I was in the process of reading it this weekend for my American Literature II class. It didn't feel as long as 164 pages, it felt quite short actually. I kept trying to make a connection to the characters thoughts in a psychoanalytic fashion. At the same time I could see the personalities of the characters for the most part. I found myself connecting to Winterbourne for some reason...Perhaps his infatuation for Miss Daisy. I feel like this story could have been elaborated upon, however, since it was so short, I have to say I was craving more. 

Shame on anyone who thinks evil of this.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind






Genre: Adult / Fantasy / Romance

My Synopsis:
This is the fourth book in the Sword of Truth Series.  Three interesting characters show up at the Confessor’s Palace at the same time:  An evil wizard claiming to want to kill Richard and Kahlan, a woman from Richard’s past who wants to claim him due to a prophecy told to her by the witch named Shota, a healer named Drefan who also happens to be Richard’s half-brother.  A plague breaks out and Richard must be betrayed by Kahlan or all is lost.

Back Cover:
Everything Richard Rahl has learned will be for naught as the ruthless Emperor Jagang returns with his vast legions…heralded by a mystical plague that kills innocents in thousands.
Richard must now challenge the undefeatable: the magic that thwarts magic, sealed away for three thousand years in the Temple of the Winds.
Prodded by prophecy, shadowed by betrayal, to complete his mission Richard must accept the Truth and find a way to pay the price the winds demand…before he and the world both perish.


If you haven’t yet…go check out my review of Blood of the Fold, it doesn’t do the series justice of course, but maybe it’ll give you some insight into this series if you haven’t read it.  I’m sorry to say I don’t yet have a review of Wizards First Rule or Stone of Tears, and may never have some, unless I get the chance to reread them in the future.  It’s been too long since I’ve read them to give proper reviews, but I think I have reviews of them on my Goodreads.com. 

Now, I assume you’ve already: read the series to this point, are ahead of me, or have read my review of Blood of the Fold, so let’s begin.  This book instantly caught my attention, and I had wanted to read this for quite some time.  I finally broke down and had the bookstore order it for me.  I was not disappointed.  The first words spoken in this book are from my favorite character Cara: “Let me kill him,” I instantly started cracking up because it’s such a Cara thing to say.  If you’re familiar with the Sword of Truth series, you’ll know what I’m talking about.  Cara is an important character throughout the beginning of this book, which instantly made this my favorite book in the series so far.  She stays pretty important to the entire book as well.  Good storyline for this one, as well as a good ending to it.  It makes me wonder what happens next. 

I just so happen to have the next book in my possession so I might give that a read as soon as I finish reading Hyperion.

Shame on anyone who thinks evil of this.


Tuesday, September 11, 2012

The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks




Genre: Fantasy / Magic / Romance
This is the second book of a trilogy written by Terry Brooks.  The Ellcrys is a magical tree created to help protect the elves.  The Ellcrys is dying and the Forbidden is weakening.  As she weakens, she’s allowing demons to roam free.  These demons seek to kill all life.

Back Cover:
The magical Ellcrys tree is dying, loosening the spell that bars the demons from enacting vengeance upon the land.  Now Wil Ohmsford must guard the Elven girl Amberle on a perilous quest as she carries one of the Ellcrys’ seeds to a mysterious place where it can be quickened into a powerful new force.  But dark on their trail comes the Reaper, most fearsome of all Demons, aiming to crush their mission at any cost.

First of all, if you haven't yet, go read my review of The Sword of Shannara. I thought this was a pretty good concept.  I liked the idea of the Ellcrys and the Chosen.  The story lost me a few times in the way that some of the wording wasn’t very visual.  I liked the idea of Allanon in this one, even though he seems like such a small part in this book.  Some of the characters of this book were flat in the way that they just didn’t have much to offer.  I liked Amberle.  I didn’t however like Wil that much, though I guess I didn’t hate him either.  Also, the Reaper seems pathetic in the way that he dies, seeing as he’s the main bad guy in this story.  Other than that it was a pretty good read.  I enjoyed it a smidgen more than the first one.

Shame on anyone who thinks evil of this.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Affinity by Sarah Waters

Genre: Crime / Historical Fiction / Lesbian / Romance / Spirituality

Miss Margaret Prior is a 29 year old woman seeking out something in her life to make it more worthwhile.  This all happens of course after her brother stole the love of her life.  She decides to visit ladies at the prison and meets a young woman named Selina Dawes who she assumes is a good soul. Quickly they become close and share spiritual means together, for Selina Dawes is a medium.

Goodreads Synopsis:  
An upper-class woman recovering from a suicide attempt, Margaret Prior has begun visiting the women’s ward of Millbank prison, Victorian London’s grimmest jail, as part of her rehabilitative charity work. Amongst Millbank’s murderers and common thieves, Margaret finds herself increasingly fascinated by on apparently innocent inmate, the enigmatic spiritualist Selina Dawes. Selina was imprisoned after a séance she was conducting went horribly awry, leaving an elderly matron dead and a young woman deeply disturbed. Although initially skeptical of Selina’s gifts, Margaret is soon drawn into a twilight world of ghosts and shadows, unruly spirits and unseemly passions, until she is at last driven to concoct a desperate plot to secure Selina’s freedom, and her own.

First, I'd like to say, this book was nothing of what I expected.  I was expecting a very spiritual and romantic novel.  Instead, I got a book about a woman who claims to see spirits in prison, and a woman whose so kind enough to visit her as well as the other ladies of the prison.  I sort of liked this book at times, but as a whole, it really left me disappointed.  I kept expecting something marvelous to happen, but nothing spectacular occurs.  This novel was nothing fantastic like Tipping the Velvet or Fingersmith.  If you liked those two novels you might find this one a disappointment.  I'd hate to give away the ending, but lets just say it's not spectacular in any sense, in fact, if you're anything like me it'll make you loathe the book.  I can't give this more than 2 stars. 2 stars is just a kindness to the fact that at times it had me intrigued, if only mildly.  Throughout the book it felt like it was missing something.  I think it just didn't have the tragedies or the difficulties that were contained in the other 2 books I read by this author to give it that certain something.  It felt quite stale.  That's not to say some parts of it weren't written well, they were of course.  It sounded very much like a Sarah Waters book, minus the dramatic occurrences that previous Sarah Water's books contained.  That's really all I can say about this book.  I don't recommend reading it if you enjoyed Tipping the Velvet or Fingersmith.


Shame on anyone who thinks evil of this.