The Mysterious Madam Morpho Review

TITLE The Mysterious Madam Morpho (Blud #1.5)
AUTHOR Delilah S. Dawson
PUBLICATION October 2nd 2012 by Pocket Books
READ October 3-5, 2012
SOURCE Simon & Schuster for review

Taking place after Wicked as They Come, this original eBook features a mysterious lady and a reclusive mechanical genius who find love and danger in a traveling circus. An elusive woman arrives at Criminy’s doorstep with a steamer trunk, begging for a position in the caravan to perform her unique new act. She opens her trunk to reveal a menagerie of brilliantly colored butterflies. The woman, who calls herself Madam Morpho, is on the run from a dark past in London, where she was forced to leave her equipment behind and abscond with only her tiny performers. Playing a hunch, Criminy hires Madam Morpho on the spot. Taking her down to meet Mr. Murdoch, the reclusive talented engineer who keeps the carnival’s clockworks running, Criminy instructs them to work together to design and build a groundbreaking new circus for the butterflies. Amid the magical ambiance of the circus and the hint of danger from Madam Morpho’s pursuers, she and Mr. Murdoch soon find that their scientific collaboration has produced chemistry of a more romantic kind.

Having been a big fan of Dawson's Wicked as They Come, I was quick to jump at the opportunity to read this short companion novel. The cover is stunning, and I couldn't wait to travel back to the vivid world of Sang. I once again got wrapped up in the characters but did find myself longing for some more action rather than pages of descriptions.

That being said, beautiful descriptions and stunning imagery is one area where this novel flourishes, the rich descriptions get you lost in this unbelievable world, though there is such a thing as too much. At times I found myself bored of the lulls in the story, and for the amount of pages that shouldn't have really been an issue. It was once again interesting to see the setting from the eyes of an outsider as she met the stars of the show. You know right from the get-go that Imogen Morpho is trying to get away from someone or something and the build-up to the big reveal was great. We get to see more of the inner workings of the contraptions & the man behind the magic that runs this fantastic carnival and that was a welcome addition.

I enjoyed this new tale and my pining for Wicked as She Wants has reached an all time high. Chalk full of stunning imagery and a very hot scene to get your motor running, The Mysterious Madam Morpho packs a lot of punch in its mere 100 pages.

See what I thought of Wicked As They Come

Wicked As They Come Review

TITLE Wicked As They Come (Blud #1)
AUTHOR Delilah S. Dawson
PUBLICATION March 27, 2012 by Pocket Books
READ May 24 - 26, 2012
BUY IT Amazon / The Book Depository

Have you ever heard of a Bludman? They’re rather like you and me—only more fabulous, immortal, and mostly indestructible. (They’re also very good kissers.)

Delilah S. Dawson’s darkly tempting debut drops her unsuspecting heroine into a strange faraway land for a romantic adventure that’s part paranormal, part steampunk . . . and completely irresistible.

When Tish Everett forces open the ruby locket she finds at an estate sale, she has no idea that a deliciously rakish Bludman has cast a spell just for her. She wakes up in a surreal world, where Criminy Stain, the dashing proprietor of a magical traveling circus, curiously awaits. At Criminy’s electric touch, Tish glimpses a tantalizing future, but she also foresees her ultimate doom. Before she can decide whether to risk her fate with the charming daredevil, the locket disappears, and with it, her only chance to return home. Tish and Criminy battle roaring sea monsters and thundering bludmares, vengeful ghosts and crooked Coppers in a treacherous race to recover the necklace from the evil Blud-hating Magistrate. But if they succeed, will Tish forsake her fanged suitor and return to her normal life, or will she take a chance on an unpredictable but dangerous destiny with the Bludman she’s coming to love?

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I was having an internal struggle while reading this book part of me was thinking "wow this is long!" and a much bigger part was savouring every single word because it is so well written.  The world of Sang and all the haunting creatures that Delilah S. Dawson has created make for an engrossing read that keeps you turning the pages long into the night. 

Everything in Wicked As They Come is so unique from the fresh take on the old vampire to the fanged animals that scour the land.  The steampunk aspect makes for some very interesting contraptions, mechanical servant animals & carriages that run on the winding of a key. There was definitely no shortage of steampunkery here and I will say that this is the first steampunk novel I've read that I actually enjoyed.  I have had no luck with his genre, but this book had me fascinated and longing for more.

The love story here between Leticia and Criminy is fantastic.  Watching Leticia go from Tish, the woman who just got out of an abusive relationship to Lady Leticia, master of her own domain was mesmerising.  There is no insta-love here, Leticia meets Criminy and though she does feel an unnatural pull to him she keeps her wits about her and puts herself first.  I really appreciated that, in so many novels girl meets boy and throws her own way of thinking out the window just to be with a man who makes her feel safe.  She makes him work for her love.

Now Criminy is described in a very sinister, creepy way. He has a mouth full of sharp pointy teeth and his hands are black and scaley like a reptile.  Is it weird that in the end, that didn't bother me at all? At first I was thinking "with those teeth, and those hands? How is she going to let this freak touch her?" But alas, I fell for him, I really did. He was strong, determined and funny! He had a great personality and was a man who took charge when need be.  Not only that, he realised Leticias inner struggle and accepted it in his own patient way. So yeah, I looked past the scaley hands and pointy teeth.

Wicked As They Come was a great read with some hot steamy scenes that left me feeling as if I needed me a cigarette. Though I did have this itching in me while reading it that it felt a little long to me, once reading the very last page and reflecting on all of the events, I wouldn't change a damn thing.  This one is definitely 18+ so kiddo's stay away! If you're looking for a hot read with wonderful steampunk strewn in, then this novel is for you!