Book Babblings

Soulless by Gail Carriger 

The Nitty Gritty: As if being a spinster was not enough. Alexia Tarabotti is also soulless. A condition heaped upon her by her father. who was Italian of all the horrid things for an Englishwoman to be.

In this steampunk tale we get a glimpse into Victorian London as it becomes embroiled in a sundowner scandal for the ages. Queen Victoria, ever the progressive, is continuing the trend set by her husband. Allowing sundowners a chance at an accepted life. Vampires and werewolves alike have equal rights under the law. They can even serve in Her Majesty's army.

However accepted they are ;one wolves and rove vampires are going missing and one rove has tried to kill Ms. Tarabotti. At a ball of all places. With her trusty parasol and her habit of neutralizing supernatural abilities with a simple touch she is able to dispatch the scoundrel without mussing her ball gown.

Having killed the rove Alexia is pulled into the drama when she is caught in the act by the Director of BUR, the Woosley Pack Alpha Lord Maccon.

Opening Line: "Ms. Alexia Tarabotti was not enjoying her evening." 

The Good: I must say I really hate when I miss being on the ground floor of a new and exciting series like this. Alexia is a woman after my own heart. She doesn't care one whit what anyone has to say about her. Well because in the eyes of society she is a spinster and so she gets used to the teases and the taunts from her sister of all people.

I do love a woman that is all woman. She is bad ass to be sure, but she can do it in a full skirt and corset. Sometimes I think authors take female characters to hot and cold extremes. Alexia Tarabotti manges to run hot wile keeping her cool. She can stand her own when the time calls for it. However when times get tough she has enough sense to let the professionals handle it.

I adore her love affair with Lord Maccon. It so real life that I found myself putting my face onto Alexia's body. There is this dance between the two of them that all of us can see leading up to a relationship but nevertheless it puts us on the edge of our seat for the entire ride. I find that so many authors rush into the love affair with the title characters that I was to gag myself with a spoon. And I am happy as a pig in mud that there wasn't even a hint of a love triangle between Alexia and two totally unsuitable characters. Conall and Alexia engage in a relationship of verbal barbs that leave both of them breathless and panting for more.

I am in heaven that the leading man is actually a man that I would dane to date myself. He isn't a stalker. Though being an Alpha he is used his orders being followed without question, but Alexia has the backbone to stand up to him and put him in his place when the situation calls for it.

That is possible the best thing about this book. Alexia herself. She is strong, self assured, smart, witty, sarcastic and fully capable for whatever life brings. That is refreshing in this sea of Bella Swans and Clarrissa Freys.

The Bad: Her family is absolutely horrible to her. I mean even on my worst day of my sister tripping my very last nerve she wouldn't have said half of the things to me that Alexia's sisters and mother say to her. Its like they don't even love her. Which I suspect is the case all because her mother made the choice to marry an Italian and have a child. So really its not a bad part of the book they are just horrid people in my humble opinion.

Final Thoughts: I have jumped into this series with both hands and feet. Ms. Tarabotti might even make me rethink my ban on teatime....