Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Heart Collector (Auckland Steampunk #1) by Barbara Russell
The
Heart Collector
Auckland
Steampunk Book 1
by
Barbara Russell
Genre:
Steampunk, Romantic Suspense
Auckland,
1884
The
Supernaturals are frightened. Despite being able to do extraordinary
things like teleporting or lighting a fire with a stare, a serial
killer, the Heart Collector, is slaughtering them. He rips their
chests open and removes their hearts.
While
other aristocratic, nineteen-year-old girls spend time dancing,
Isabel trains hard to become an MI7 agent—Military Intelligence
Seventh Division, a crime squad run by Supernaturals. The Heart
Collector murdered her best friend, and enrolling at MI7 is the best
way to help catch the killer.
Isabel
senses other people’s feelings as if they were her owns. But MI7’s
leader is too worried about Isabel’s safety to let her join the
team.
Eager
to prove that her power is valuable, Isabel volunteers to meet Murk,
a dangerous Supernatural man who can turn himself invisible. MI7
desperately tried to recruit him and failed.
She
believes that her power is enough to convince Murk to become an MI7’s
agent and help apprehend the Heart Collector. If he wants to attack
her, his feelings will broadcast his intention, and she’ll be
ready.
What
Isabel isn’t ready for is to fall in love with the man who will
collect her heart.
Genre: Historical, Mystery, Romance, Royal-Court, Steampunk, Supernatural, Suspense--
Isabel has been waiting for the moment that she would finally be allowed to join the M17 team and hunt down criminals, following in her deceased parent's footsteps. When the M17 leader Victor agrees that she can work on the current case of the Heart Collector, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to prove herself. Her first task is recruit Murk, a supernatural with the gift of invisibility that would help their investigation. But she never intended to lose her heart...
I had a hard time coming up with a rating for this book. The world building (yay, go Steampunk!) was great and the mystery aspect of the story kept me guessing so that was all a solid 4 stars. The romance was where I floundered a little and leaned towards 3 stars, so I split the difference and gave the story a 3.5 Star rating.
Set in a world where Supernaturals are a well know factor, the government created the M17 to be a special department made up of skilled supernaturals to stop difficult criminals. They all basically had super strength and batter healing properties, but that was about it for the commonalities. There were empaths, super (super) strength, invisibility, levitation, cloning, freezing...and a ton more of unique gifts. The world was also enhanced with mechanical hearts, automatons, flying dirigible parties, complicated machines and all the extras you would hope for in a steampunk setting. I will admit that it felt like I missed the first book set in this world with how some details were missing or just assumed I knew, so at times I was a little lost as to what was happening. The mystery was great and full of suspense, I thought I had everything figured out until I didn't- which is just the way I like my mysteries.
The romance I personally felt was a little awkward (for me at least, Isabel did not seem to mind). Isabel is a wealthy, title woman of nobility with no romantic experience and her love interest is Murk, a homeless supernatural who has...a lot of experience (to put it mildly). Isabel has determined that she was instantly attracted to him and attempts to pursue him repeatedly, in EVERY situation even when he continuously rejects her. The girl can't take a hint and seems to have no pride, at one point she is practically begging him to want her and he still abstains. It just made me cringe each time and I wanted her to at least pretend she was not desperate for him. So I guess there is a HEA at the end, but the problems that existed between them are still there (status, permission, propriety...) and nothing is changed but it seems like they both forgot and live in a fantasy. I was hoping for an explanation how it could be possible, but there was none (and yes, I am nit-picky and I am sure others will love it and not care.)
Overall this was an interesting world with a great mystery (with the most gorgeous of covers!) and I would step back into another story set here. I would be interested to read the backstory or have a prequel of how Victor and Essie got together because I loved them the most! This is the perfect read for steampunk fans as well as anyone looking for a paranormal murder mystery with a touch of heat.
I am voluntarily reviewing a complimentary copy of this book.
I’m
an entomologist and a soil biologist, which is a fancy way to say
that I dig in the dirt, looking for bugs. Nature and books have
always been my passion. I was a kid when I read The Lord Of The Ring
and fell in love with fantasy novels.
When
I discovered cosy mystery and crime novel, I fell in love with
Hercules Poirot and Sherlock Holmes. Then I grew up and . . . Nah,
I’m joking. I didn’t grow up. Don’t grow up, folks! It’s a
trap.
PS
I hate gardening. There, I said it. Sorry fellow Kiwis.
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