Review: The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott

Do you find yourself wasting countless hours a day, day dreaming of the Edwardian era? Do you suddenly find yourself longing for a corset, button up boots, and an ostrich plum hat? You my friend are in good company and clearly suffering from Downton Abbey withdrawals.

If like me, you are looking for literary tale to satisfy your need…then look no further than Kate Alcott’s novel, The Dressmaker. The Dressmaker is a Cinderella-ish tale reminiscent of The Devil Wears Prada set against the backdrop of the Titanic disaster.

Tess Collins spontaneously quits her job with the hope of gaining last minute employment on the Titanic the day it is to set sail. Tess has been working as a maid but her passion is fashion….she longs to design luxurious dresses and make a name for herself in the new world.

Lucile Duff Gordon (who was a real person by the way) is already a famous clothing designer, she is traveling to America with her titled husband, Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon, to supervise her New York fashion show–but at the last minute her maid quits.

Fate intervenes, crossing the paths of Tess Collins and Lucile Duff Gordon–their lives change forever. Continue reading “Review: The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott”

Review: Devoured (Hatton and Roumonde Mystery #1) by D. E. Meredith

To have one’s ideas be heard, isn’t that what all scientists want? That is certainly what forensic scientist, Professor Aldolphus Hatton, wants in D.E.  Meredith’s thriller, Devoured. In the budding world of Darwinism, botanical study, forensics, and science in general– Hatton is using early forensic science to solve crimes all around Victorian London hoping that this new manner of solving crime will catch fire and blaze a new path of crime fighting.

I recently read the second book in the Hatton series, The Devil’s Ribbon which I thoroughly enjoyed. Meredith and I are friends and she offered to send me a copy of Hatton’s first mystery since she knows I hate reading books out of series order. To my smashing delight, she personally signed my copy, I LOVE IT! 🙂

The series in general intrigued me as I love the Victorian era and all the ‘murder by gaslight’ kind of mysteries, and I am also a huge fan of really science-y novels….I love forensic mysteries! One of the things that I especially praised in The Devil’s Ribbon was Meredith’s knowledge of Victorian history, Devoured was equal to the same praise—Meredith really knows her stuff! Continue reading “Review: Devoured (Hatton and Roumonde Mystery #1) by D. E. Meredith”

The Lit Bitch has entered the 2012 Regency & Victorian Reads Challenge

Reading challenge #2 for 2012 has been entered!

As I mentioned before in my other post, over the next couple of weeks I’ll be posting my entries for various challenges here as I sign up and I will also have a special page/section devoted to my entries which will have lists of books I plan on reading.

As per usual I’ll post my reviews throughout the year and add the buttons on my sidebars.

So here is the second challenge sign up of 2012: the Regency & Victorian Reads Challenge hosted by The Royal Reviews. For more details about my entry and goals please see my the Regency & Victorian Reads Challenge

If you are interested in signing up or for more details about the challenge it self, please visit the Royal Reviews blog.

Review: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare

Lies. Betrayal. Danger. Deception. Anger. Adventure. Passion. Love. All of which await eager readers in Cassandra Clare’s latest installment of The Infernal Devices, Clockwork Prince. Clare flawlessly blends action, sci-fi/fantasy, YA, pararomance, and steampunk together magically.

While romance is a huge part of this latest book, it does not over power the adventure. For me, other YA sagas such as Twilight, the love story overpowered the action and adventure, especially in the second book making it less enjoyable but in this series….there was a delicate balance which made it exceptionally hard to put down!

In the midst of all the YA romance there is a richly satisfying mystery and adventure. Tales or betrayal, lies, deception, and unrequited love all cloak this book in a silky velvet darkness that  fully encompasses all the characters and plot not just a singular aspect of the story.  Add in the clockwork angels, automatons, and steam powered inventions and you have one perfectly constructed Steampunk novel! Continue reading “Review: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare”

Review: The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker (Strangely Beautiful #2) by Leanna Renee Hieber

The illuminating, ghostly second installment of the Strangely Beautiful series by Leanna Renee Hieber, The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker, picks up right where Book I left off.

The dark, brooding professor Alexi Rychman and ‘reincarnated’ Grecian goddess Persephone “Percy” Parker are soul mates….destine for each other. They are now planning their hasty wedding in the midst of the turmoil which prophecy has brought on.

With the coming prophecy has come the war which was also for told….the Whisper World is threatening all The Guard holds dear. The Guard knows that their fight is far from done….the Whisper World and Darkness threaten to claim the now mortal goddess (Percy) as his bride.

Alexi struggles to protect Percy from her fate while Percy herself searches for answers to her past and what she is exactly. Alexi knows his duty is to protect Percy from danger and as leader of The Guard, he is powerful….but his power soon turns boarders on obsession. Alexi must learn how to protect Percy while allowing her some room to breath…Percy must learn her own power.

Dark signs soon begin to develop at the beloved Athens Academy signaling the coming war but The Guard is not alone….previous Guard members rally themselves as allies (they are the ghosts of past Guard members) to the new Guard. One ghost Guard member, Beatrice, was once the leader of Alexi’s Guard and she helps him realize he must trust in Percy and trust in her power in order to save the Guard from the coming war. Continue reading “Review: The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker (Strangely Beautiful #2) by Leanna Renee Hieber”