Review: The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart by Leanna Renee Hieber @SourcebooksFire

The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart by Leanna Renee Hieber

Magic Most Foul #2

Release Date: November 1^st, 2012

Number of Pages: 336

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Source: ARC from BEA

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For Natalie Stewart, a normal life has never seemed so far away. Her only solace, Lord Jonathan Denbury, is wanted for murder. To clear his name, Denbury must return to England and assume the role of his demon doppelganger. But Natalie begins to doubt his true motives, especially as a new gentleman begins whispering in her ear. Natalie and Denbury may be able to visit each other in their dreams, but they can't escape the darkening shadows. Amid spontaneous explosions, friends turned enemies and dangerous secrets revealed, there's still a demon who has Natalie's scent, and someone is trying to resurrect the ultimate evil.

I’m a little torn with this book. I liked it, but not to the extant I was expecting. Now, I did really enjoy book one, Darker Still. My main problem with this novel is that nothing really stood out with the story to me. I simply didn’t like the main mystery of the novel, with the idea of soul being attached to object, and the kind of Frankenstein aspect of the novel, which is really sad. It is really sad to me, because there were so many things that I did like. Yet, if the main component of the novel is missing for me, the novel won’t really work.

Now, what I absolutely love with this series is the setting. There is something captivating and dreamy about the world it is set in, even if there are demons and spirits in that said world. Doesn’t matter. I love that time period and especially when they are set in England.

Another I did love, but felt like there wasn’t enough (there is never enough) was of Jonathon and Natalie. I like those two together, and I just can’t get enough. I do have to say there were great addition to the group of characters, Rachel and Nathaniel. Natalie’s’ friend Rachel really made me wish I could hear her thoughts, because she seems to have such an interesting story. Then there’s Nathaniel Veil, whose charm just make you want to read more about him. Both additions really added a little something that helped make up for the disappointing story.

Now, I do think many will enjoy the novel, I did to a certain extend. Yet, I have to say that it wasn’t as good as the first book. I was also a little surprised not to get more from this novel, since the summary seemed to be leading me toward a novel full of the kind of action I do love.

Overall, fan of this era will probably enjoy the settings, but I do have to say that the novel didn’t meet my expectations. Would I read a third book from this series? I probably would. Would I recommend this book to everyone I meet? Probably not. Fans of Darker Still should still give it a shot.

About the Author

Taken from Goodreads

An author, actress and playwright, Leanna grew up in rural Ohio, graduated with a BFA in Theatre, a focus in the Victorian Era and a scholarship to study in London. She adapted 19th Century literature for the stage and her one-act plays have been produced around the country. Her novella "Dark Nest" won the 2009 Prism Award for excellence in Futuristic, Fantasy, or Paranormal Romance. The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, first in the "Strangely Beautiful" saga of Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels (Barnes & Noble Bestseller) won two 2010 Prism Awards (Best Fantasy, Best First Book) and was optioned for musical theatre adaptation currently in development. DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul, begins a Gothic paranormal saga set in 1880 New York City, named an INDIE NEXT title; a recommended buy by the American Book Association, a Scholastic book fairs "Highly Recommended" title and is a finalist in the 2012 Daphne du Maurier awards for excellence in Mystery/Romantic Suspense.

Leanna is a proud member of member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and the International Thriller Writers. She is a proud co-founder of Lady Jane's Salon Reading Series in New York City. A member of Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, Leanna works often in television and film. She is playing the role of Deputy Kellion in Auror's Tale web-series. When not writing or on set, she loves a good Goth club, adventuring about her adopted hometown of New York City, where she resides with her real-life hero and their beloved rescued lab rabbit.

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Review: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

Magic Most Foul #1

Release Date: November 8^th, 20122

Number of Pages: 317

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Source: BEA 

I was obsessed.

 

It was as if he called to me, demanding I reach out and touch the brushstrokes of color swirled onto the canvas. It was the most exquisite portrait I'd ever seen--everything about Lord Denbury was unbelievable...utterly breathtaking and eerily lifelike.

 

There was a reason for that. Because despite what everyone said, Denbury never had committed suicide. He was alive. Trapped within his golden frame.

 

I've crossed over into his world within the painting, and I've seen what dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked--bound together to watch the darkness seeping through the gas-lit cobblestone streets of Manhattan. Unless I can free him soon, things will only get Darker Still.

Darker still is a mix of both romance and mystery. Set in a Victorian era, this book is clearly inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, and other gothic novels of that time. The book was interesting. It had some strength and some weaknesses. I did overall enjoy it, but it was far from love.

One of the things I did like about the book is that it wasn’t about a young lady in distress. No, Natalie is the one trying to save Lord Denbury. That I like, especially since it is set in an era where women aren’t usually the heroes. No, Natalie is the only one who can save her beau, a man she is enthralled with from the moment she sets eyes on his painting. That did annoy me. Instant love can be a little annoying, since it is completely overdone these days.

One of the things that made me question Natalie’s character is how easily she seems to trust people. She trusted Lord Denbury as soon as she meets him, and same time with Mrs. Northe. Am I the only one thinking that Lord Denbury seems to fall for her so fast, yet their romance seems kind of boring? After all, he has been stuck there for a while. Wouldn’t he be looking to enjoy life more than fall in love? There is something about him that I don’t quite trust. I can’t really explain why, but there are little things that made me wonder if there wasn’t something else about him…

I find it hard to put words on how I felt about this book. If you’re looking simply for a gothic romance, you’ll probably enjoy it. Me? I was looking for something more. There was also the way the novel was written that got on my nerves. It was supposed to be in a diary format, but most of the time I felt like it was a regular first person narration. After all, I don’t know many people who would write dialogues in their diaries (Maybe I’m the only one that think that though, we never know…)