Review – Ice and Embers (Steampunk Fairy Tales, Book 2) by Melanie Karsak (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Steampunk
Length: 285 pages
Publisher: Clockpunk Press
Release Date: July 20, 2018
ASIN : B07FRSKFCT
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Steampunk Fairy Tales
Source: Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 4/5 stars
“With the 1814 London Frost Fair in full swing, actress Elyse McKenna’s performance in A Midwinter Night’s Dream thrills the crowd. But Elyse’s backstage has life is beginning to take on a distinctly Shakespearean flavor.
When she fell in love with Lord John Waldegrave, Elyse was prepared to keep their affair secret. But she wasn’t ready for her new love to rock her relationship with her dearest friend, Doctor Kai Murray.
Everything Elyse thought she knew about her feelings for her old friend is flipped upside down when an enchanting ship captain turns her attention to Kai.
If Elyse hopes to escape the Thames with her heart intact, she must discover the truth about the captain, Kai, John, and her own feelings–before it’s too late.”
Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Steampunk Fairy Tales. There are five books in this series. I borrowed this book for my Kindle from Kindle Unlimited.
Story (4/5): This was a fun read and very sweet. This is a retelling of the Snow Queen with some fun twists. It has less of a steampunk tone to it than “Curiouser and Curiouser” and deals more with faerie and magical realism. I didn’t love it quite as much as “Curiouser and Curiouser” but still really enjoyed it. There is an excellent mystery here to keep the reader engaged and I found it to be a delightfully fun and entertaining read.
Characters (4/5): The characters were all well done and I was surprised how quickly I engaged with them in this rather short book. Elyse is a sweet young woman with a delightfully beautiful outlook on just about everything. I enjoyed many of the side characters as well. Additionally, I loved that there are cameos from characters in Curiouser and Curiouser, as well as an introduction to the characters that will be featured in “Beauty and Beastly.
Setting (5/5): The setting of the Frost Fair in London is absolutely magical; I just loved it. I read this at a perfect time when we had just gotten our first snowfall for the year and reading this book made the snow feel more magical and less miserable. It is just so beautiful and the descriptions make the setting really come alive for the reader.
Writing Style (4/5): Karsak writes in a style that is easy to read and engaging. The story moves along at a good pace and has some beautiful descriptions to really bring the world alive for the reader. I really loved all the Shakespeare references Karsak brought into this story as well; I am a huge Shakespeare fan and love revisiting some of it.
My Summary (4/5): Overall this was an excellent continuation of the Steampunk Fairy Tales and I can’t wait to read “Beauty and Beastly”. I would recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a fun fairy tale retelling that is engaging and entertaining, full of good mystery, and leaves you feeling happy.
