Blameless (Parasol Protectorate #3)

Blameless by Gail Carriger is the third book in her Parasol Protectorate series - a steampunk series that takes place in an alternate Victorian England.

Lady Alexia Maccon is in the middle of a scandal. And with the morning's paper it is obvious that everyone knows. It is enough for her stepfather to kick her out of his home - a home she should not be in in the first place being a married woman. And to add insult to injury, on her way to a friend's house with all of her belongings, her carriage is attacked my mechanical lady bugs.

Alexia calls a meeting of her likely helpers, to be conducted at Madam Lefoux's hat shop - where Alexia decides to get out of London for a while. She, Genevieve Lefoux and her butler turned secretary are leaving for Italy.

Carriger has written a mad chase through Europe as the continuation of her fabulous Parasol Protectorate series. If you like to read, read this series. Alexia Tarabotti is a wonderful character everyone would want on their side in a fight. And Madam Lefoux is delicious.

Carriger, Gail. (2010). Blameless. New York: Orbit.

Changeless (Parasol Protectorate #2)

Changeless by Gail Carriger is the second book in her Parasol Protectorate series - an alternate history, steampunk fantasy set in Victorian England.

Lady Woolsey, Alexia Tarabotti Maccon, is one of a kind. In a world with vampires and werewolves, Alexia is the only preternatural person in England - and as such, any werewolf or vampire she touches reverts to human form until she lets go. She has recently gotten married to Conall Maccon, Lord Woolsey, leader of the Woolsey pack and head of the BUR - Bureau of Unnatural Registry of the British government.

Alexia herself was just appointed to the Shadow Council that advises Her Majesty, Queen Victoria on political and military matters. So when all of the supernatural creatures near the Thames revert to human - a plague of humanity -  one night, both Conall and Alexia investigate.

Carriger's series and world are wonderful. Characters from her YA series, the Finishing School, are seen in this series, twenty years later - including my favorite character, Genvieve Lefoux. If you are a fan of humor, fantasy, supernatural, mystery, steampunk, historical fiction or just great books, read this series!

Carriger, Gail. (2010). Changeless. New York: Orbit. 

Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1)

Soulless by Gail Carriger is the first book in her Parasol Protectorate - set in an alternate, steampunk Victorian London.

Alexia Tarabotti is a spinster. She is twenty-six - much older than the average marriage prospect. Her mother and half-sisters have convinced her she will never wed because of both her forceful opinion and her Italian heritage.

While Alexia is at a ball, as chaperone for her sisters, she sneaks off to the library - her favorite room in any house - where she is attacked by a vampire. What the hungry vampire did not know, and what saved her, is that she is preternatural. Vampire and Werewolves can be changed because as humans they had an excess of soul, which refuses to die. Alexia has a lack of soul and neutralizes any supernatural creature she touches.When the vampire is not convinced to stop, Alexia hits him with her parasol - which accidentally kills him.

Lord Maccon, Alpha of the Woosley Werewolf Pack and in charge of supernatural investigations for Queen Victoria, is not surprised to find Alexia at the center of any controversy. They have been butting heads for months. New vampires have been appearing and rove werewolves have been disappearing, but Maccon does not think Alexia the cause.

Carrige has created a wonderful world of alternative history in Victoria England. Her werewolves and vampires are not the norm, but great characters who are within the stories instead of at the fringe of society. The Finishing School series (YA) takes place in the same world, roughly twenty years earlier. Carriger's books are fabulous! Read them for a refreshingly original, highly entertaining read.

Carriger, Gail. (2009). Soulless. New York: Orbit.

The Smoke Dragon (Drakon #1)

The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe is the first book in the Drakon series. Unlike the myth of the dragon, the actual race of drakon are sleek creatures who can turn to smoke. They spent centuries shape-shifting into human form before they could blend in.

But the drakon live away from humans. They all live in the same shire, no exceptions. It is too dangerous to live among humans. Clarissa Rue Hawthorne is half drakon and half human. Growing up in the shire she was not included in their society.

At 17 she faked her own death in order to escape. She now lives in London. She is a master of disguises and the most successful jewel thief who ever lived. But once stories start to circulate about a thief who can turn to smoke, the drakon must find the thief before their secrets can be exposed. Rue will never be allowed to live on her own in human society.

The alpha drakon, Christoff Langford, will hunt her down and bring her back to the shire.

Abe, Shana. (2005). The Smoke Thief. New York: Bantam.