I've registered/reviewed other copies of this book: here and here

Basically, this was the book that re-ignited my interest in Carriger's writing. I finished the first in the series, found it an uninspired paranormal romance, and didn't bother with keeping up on the series. Some time around when the fourth book was coming out, I happened across this book and decided that the plot was more promising. I read it, loved it, and fell into the Parasolverse fandom! I even ended up cosplaying Madame Lefoux, one of my favorite characters.

One of the starter books for the Vampire Bookbox

I'm claiming this book from the Vampire bookbox.

This is the second volume of the entertaining "Soulless" series, which I first encountered via the manga adaptation of the first book. (There's a manga adaptation of Changeless too.)

The story picks up with Alexia now happily (and lustily) married to Lord Maccon, and with several changes in the power structure of the country. But something weird is happening - reports are coming in of werewolves who have not been able to change their forms for some time, and of large numbers of ghosts that have apparently been exorcised. And now Alexia's husband has gone off on a quest of his own...

She winds up taking a dirigible to Scotland in pursuit of the cause of the bizarre goings-on, along with her friend Ivy (now torn between a respectable betrothal and her passion for werewolf-attendant Tunstell) and the fabulous and mysterious Madame Lefoux (who's happy to flirt with Alexia when she gets the chance). There are forces conspiring to threaten Alexia's life - so what else is new? And as if all that weren't enough, she's been off her feed lately. Hmmm...

Some interesting twists and turns here, involving such real-world Victorian elements as a mummy-unwrapping party (though in a world full of supernaturals, this has its own side effects). We don't get to see quite as much of Lord Akeldama and Biffy as I'd have liked, though they do play a key role in the story. And there's a dandy bit in which Lyall and Biffy work together to foil the villains - a pot of tea can be so handy...

We also get to find out just how an Alpha tries to create a new werewolf, a procedure fraught with peril as the subject may not survive. In this case there's even more pressure, and it's a very dramatic sequence.

But not as dramatic as the book's conclusion, which is something of a punch-in-the-face-type cliffhanger. I had not seen that coming! So of course I had to dash off and read the next book - clever, clever author!

[There's a TV Tropes page for the series, with lots of entertaining info; just beware of spoilers!]

I left this book in the Little Free Library on this warm day; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

*** Released for the 2018 Keep Them Moving release challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2018 One Word Title release challenge. ***