In the mood for paranormals or parasols, or both? Here are a few paranormal books and box sets on sale!
The Parasol Protectorate boxed set is all five books in the series, on sale for between $15 (after rebate) to $20. That's roughly $4 per book, and a nice price if you're a fan of the series or want to gift it to someone.
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire — and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.
With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?
The Parasol Protectorate is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.
This bundle includes the whole series: Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless, and Timeless.
Goodreads | Amazon ($19.99)| BN ($19.99)| Kobo ($19.99)
The Ether Chronicles series is on sale for $1.99 each, except for one at $2.99. I'm not sure if that's the regular price for this series, but five books for about $11 total is a good deal, especially if you're in the mood to glom a series. This is a steampunk series co-written by husband and wife team Zoe Archer and Nico Rosso. Carrie S is a fan of this series, particularly the last one.
Skies of Fire is book 1, and is $1.99.
Captain Christopher Redmond has just one weakness: the alluring spy who loved and left him years before…when he was still just a man. Now he's superhuman—a Man O' War, made as part of the British Navy's weapons program—and his responsibility is to protect the skies of Europe. If only he could forget Louisa Shaw.
Louisa, a British Naval Intelligence agent, has never left a job undone. But when her assignment is compromised, the one man who can help her complete her mission is also the only man ever to tempt her body and heart. As burning skies loom and passion ignites, Louisa and Christopher must slip behind enemy lines if they are to deliver a devastating strike against their foe . . . and still get out alive.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo | iBooks
Night of Fire is book 2 in the Ether Chronicles series. It's $1.99. Carrie gave this book a C, but sees so much potential in the series and in Rosso's books.
US Army Upland Ranger Tom Knox always knew going home wouldn’t be easy. Three years ago, he skipped town, leaving behind the only woman who ever mattered; now that he’s seen the front lines of war, he’s ready to do what he must to win her back.
Rosa Campos is long past wasting tears on Tom Knox, and now that she’s sheriff of Thornville, she has more than enough to do. Especially when a five-story rock-eating mining machine barrels toward the town she’s sworn to protect. Tom’s the last person Rosa expects to see riding to her aid on his ether-borne mechanical horse.
She may not be ready to forgive, but Rosa can’t deny that having him at her side brings back blissful memories . . . even as it reignites a flame more dangerous than the enemy threatening to destroy them both.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo | iBooks
Skies of Steel is the one that's $2.99. It has a 3.75 average on Goodreads, and is about a rebel-adventure hero and a fiercely smart heroine. Zoe Archer is also a fantastic writer, with a gift for characters and description.
Daphne Carlisle may be a scholar, but she's far more comfortable out in the field than lost in a stack of books. Still, when her parents are kidnapped by a notorious warlord, she knows she'll need more than quick thinking if she is to reach them in time. Daphne's only hope for getting across enemy territory is an airship powered and navigated by Mikhail Denisov, a rogue Man O' War who is as seductive as he is untrustworthy.
Mikhail will do anything for the right price, and he's certain he has this mission—and Daphne—figured out: a simple job and a beautiful but sheltered Englishwoman. But as they traverse the skies above the Mediterranean and Arabia, Mikhail learns the fight ahead is anything but simple, and his lovely passenger is not entirely what she seems. The only thing Mikhail is certain of is their shared desire—both unexpected and dangerous.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo | iBooks
Nights of Steel is book #4, and is $1.99. This book has a lot of action and moves very quickly, according to the reviews on GR.
Bounty hunter Anna Blue always finds her fugitive. But her latest mission is filled with mystery: a high price for an eccentric inventor. And her biggest rival, Jack Hawkins—a startlingly handsome, entirely unsettling man whose abilities match her own—is hunting the same bounty. Neither will back down.
When a rogue Man O' War flies his airship into the California skies, guns blazing, Anna and Jack are forced to team up or die. But it isn't the danger that has them ready to flare like gunpowder. They've circled each other for years as competitors only. Fighters and outsiders, they never thought they'd find a kindred soul. As hot passion and raw need draw them together, can they survive this mission long enough to track the most elusive fugitives… their hearts?
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo
RECOMMENDED: Skies of Gold is the latest in the series, and is $1.99 right now. Carrie S LOVED this book and gave it an A-:
The only bad thing about this book is that it ends. This book is a sublime example of how to do character-driven speculative fiction (specifically, steampunk). I loved the characters, I loved the setting, I loved the world building, and boy howdy did I love the romance.
Kalindi MacNeil survived the devastating enemy airship attack that obliterated Liverpool, but even her engineering skills can't seem to repair her broken heart. Seeking to put her life back together, Kali retreats to a desolate, deserted island–only to discover she's not alone. Captain Fletcher Adams, an elite man/machine hybrid, a Man O' War, crashed his battle-damaged airship into the island after the destruction of Liverpool, never expecting to survive the wreck. But survive he did.
Believing he is nothing but a living weapon, Fletcher is wary of his newfound companion–a pretty, damaged, but determined young woman. Together they are stranded on the island, and it is only a matter of time until desire gets the best of them both. Soon Kali and Fletcher each find that they may be just what the other needed. But a danger from beyond the island puts them to the test. Will it rip them apart or bond their hearts forever?
Mmmmmmm, steampunk!
I absolutely LOOOOOVE the Parasol Protectorate series!! Heartily recommended!
I’m excited to see that several of Zoe Archer’s are available as regular EPUB files and may finally give them a shot, although I have to laugh at ARe having both EPUB and Secure Adobe EPUB available. Who in their right mind would buy the Secure Adobe file if they could have the easier to deal with non-DRMed EPUB?
I read Skies of Gold last night and ZOMGWTF loved it. It was so good that I immediately purchased and started Skies of Steel.
I tried to get into the Nicco Rosso books but just couldn’t. Skies of Fire was excellent, sososo good, but the second was not. Couldn’t even read past the first quarter of it.
And I’m IN LOVE with the Parasol Protectorate series. I’m halfway through book 4, and I just love the dry, practical voice of the heroine. So awesome.
Can someone explain the covers, though? ‘Sup with those little metal shoulder pieces? Are they, like, armor? If so, do the heroes just have to stay flexed in those positions for all time? Or is it some new kind of fancy flexible steampunk armor, in which case I’m still curious as to why we are so concerned for our left shoulders?
Nights of Steel is the only one that makes sense to me. I’m guessing there’s a sexy carpal tunnel subplot.
The preview of the Nicco Rosso book turned me off. The writing just didn’t do anything for me.
I agree the Ether series is uneven. The first book was interesting and had lost of good world building elements with an okay love story. The second book left me ‘meh’. The heroine was an academic but she played this kick-ass partner; just never captured my imagination. The ending felt contrived. Skies of Fire has a moving love story but again a little bit contrived ending, but the hero’s wish fulfillment was satisfying.
The armor isn’t armor; it’s supposed to represent the man-machine fusion. There is one book that almost has a carpal tunnel subplot; if you care, it’s actually about mining infused elements from the enhanced man’s body.
I was so, so disappointed in the Parasol Protectorate books. The first one is just frustrating, stuffed full of awful cliches, and so uncomfortably bad. The heroine is just so mean-spirited, and I was turned off by the tone of them, even though the plot and concept is not bad.
@Shannon I guess that is something along the lines of what I figured. Terminator epaulets maybe don’t scream steampunk to me—but then I’m not sure I want “STEAMPUNK!!!!” screamed at me, haha.