The Baskerville Affair #3 A Sty in Ashes

Presenting The Baskerville Affair #3 A Study in Ashes by Emma Jane Holloway.

Here is the summary of the book:

As part of her devil’s bargain with the industrial steam barons, Evelina Cooper is finally enrolled in the Ladies’ College of London. However, she’s attending as the Gold King’s pet magician, in handcuffs and forbidden contact with even her closest relation, the detective Sherlock Holmes.

Not even Niccolo, the dashing pirate captain, and his sentient airship can save her. But Evelina’s problems are only part of a larger war. The Baskerville Affair is finally coming to light, and the rebels are making their move to wrest power from the barons and restore it to Queen Victoria. Missing heirs and nightmare hounds are the order of the day—or at least that’s what Dr. Watson is telling the press.

But their plans are doomed unless Evelina escapes to unite her magic with the rebels’ machines—and even then her powers aren’t what they used to be. A sorcerer has awakened a dark hunger in Evelina’s soul, and only he can keep her from endangering them all. The only problem is…he’s dead.

I'd say..... this one, I lost interest after painstakingly reading till the middle of the book, using the long way route but somehow I just couldn't take it in at all. It seems like the downward spiral for this series, I actually liked the first one more, then liked the second one less and liked this third one lesser.

There isn't much improvement in this book. Although I liked how Tobias turned out in here and somehow Evelina gets her happy ending too but the other things just seemed to drag on and one. I'd say this again.... the only two factors were the saving grace of this series were steampunk element and the steam council.... totally the only things i enjoyed in this book.... It all ends in ashes I suppose.

"This series was definitely not for me"

Genre :      Young Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Steampunk

Publisher: Del Ray

Release Date: 31st December, 2013

My Copy: publisher and netgalley

Rate:              2/5 (It was Ok)

Books in the series (review links):
              #1 A Study in Silks
              #2 A Study in Darkness

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

The Baskerville Affair #2 A Study in Darkness

Presenting The Baskerville Affair #2 A Study in Darkness by Emma Jane Holloway.

Here is the summary of the book:

When a bomb goes off at 221B Baker Street, Evelina Cooper is thrown into her Uncle Sherlock’s world of mystery and murder. But just when she thought it was safe to return to the ballroom, old, new, and even dead enemies are clamoring for a place on her dance card.

Before Evelina’s even unpacked her gowns for a country house party, an indiscretion puts her in the power of the ruthless Gold King, who recruits her as his spy. He knows her disreputable past and exiles her to the rank alleyways of Whitechapel with orders to unmask his foe.

As danger mounts, Evelina struggles between hiding her illegal magic and succumbing to the darker aspects of her power. One path keeps her secure; the other keeps her alive. For rebellion is brewing, a sorcerer wants her soul, and no one can protect her in the hunting ground of Jack the Ripper.

Following my unsuccessful stint with book one, since I have the whole trilogy to report on, I thought why not start it. Maybe it will be better...... But no it happened again and I did not like it (A Study in Silks was way better).

The author does a disservice to the name of Sherlock Holmes in her book. She may have put him in it, made Evelina Cooper his niece but then particularly relegated him to a tiny spec within the rather big list of perspectives used in the book. Evelina Cooper is the protagonist, but as usual her sleuthing skills have much to be desired. There is foul play afoot and she is tasked to finding out the villain but somehow you don't see her do anything. And the Jack the Ripper arc was well put but still it seemed to be resolved towards the end.

The triangle of love..... well love triangle I liked somewhat in the first book takes a turn for the worst. I can almost pity Tobias right now for his misfortune. And there is the fact about the magic, I definitely liked Evelina tapping into much darker powers and her chemistry with Dr. Magnus truly set the stage..... The premise of the steam council was explored more. But again I saw all of it lost in the echo of the chaos and an abnormally long and boring finish...... I know a lot of people are loving it but somehow it didn't stick with me and I was actually hoping it would be much better than the first book.

"An intriguing leg of the journey that lacks finesse"

Genre :      Young Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Steampunk

Publisher: Del Ray

Release Date: 29th October, 2013

My Copy: publisher and netgalley

Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

Books in the series (review links):
              #1 A Study in Silks

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

The Baskerville Affair #1 A Study in Silks

Another one of those tales with the main character a relative to Sherlock Holmes. Presenting The Baskerville Affair #1 A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway.

Here is the summary of the book:

Evelina Cooper, niece of Sherlock Holmes, is ready for her first London Season - except for a murderer, missing automatons, a sorcerer, and a talking mouse. In a Victorian era ruled by a ruthless steam baron council, mechanical power is the real monarch, and sorcery the demon enemy of the empire. Evelina has secretly mastered a coveted weapon - magic that can run machines. Should she trust the handsome, clever rake who speeds her breath, or the dashing trick rider who would dare anything she would ask?

A Lot of steampunk authors are concocting tales fashioned around a niece or relation to the famous sleuth Sherlock Holmes and Emma Jane Holloway seems to be one of them. But must say I actually got bored with this one.

That's not to say this was a bad read. Some of it was very interesting but it suffered a lot from my perspective in some big ways. If we go by the synopsis, then Evelina Cooper, the niece to Sherlock Holmes is out protagonist of the story. But something with with differing and constantly changing POVs she gets sidelined and is not given room to flourish.

Even Evelina's sleuthing skills had much to be desired for. I commend the author for trying to give her a normal background, life spent with the gypsy travelling circus and the other in English society but somehow that doesn't give her character much depth. It is good she wants to study, likes to tinker and can do magic but they don't help to cement her character at all. When you hear the term, niece of Sherlock Homes, you form the image of a somewhat female version of the detective but she somehow doesn't fir in at all. She actually concealed evidence and was very much biased towards her friend Imogen Roth's family, of the shame. Understandable for girls of that era, but still doesn't establish her credibility.

The only two things I liked about this book was the romance (and that triangle) and the steampunk English setting, that part was very well done. Nut if you go by the book, then it could have been done much better if the while thing was in Evelina's POV and even that mystery lost its vigor in all chaos.

"Good effort for the author but not quite there"

Genre :      Young Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Steampunk

Publisher: Del Ray

Release Date: 24th September, 2013

My Copy: publisher and netgalley

Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository