Burning Lamp: Book Two of the Dreamlight Trilogy (Arcane Society Series #8)

exhilarating Victorian romantic fantasy

In the late seventeenth century alchemist Nicholas Winters developed the Burning Lamp to enhance his arcane skills, but the cost was an insanity curse to his descendents. Only a woman of special power, a dreamlight reader, can work the artifact and prevent the descent into insanity. His enemy Sylvester Jones formed the Arcane Society to police practitioners and remain vigilant in watching the Winters' brood.

In the late Victorian Era, recently orphaned fifteen years old Adelaide Pyne is sold to a brothel. Her first customer Mr. Smith shows her a special lamp with it's' power not activated. Smith uses a crystal to kill the brothel owner, but Adelaide shocks him with her dreamlight skill when she puts him to sleep. Although unsure why, she runs away with the lamp and his money.

Thirteen years later, London Director of the Consortium crime lord Griffin Winters seeks a social reformer who has raided brothels though he does not own whorehouses. He needs this woman and the Burning Lamp to prevent his descent into insanity. He arranges through a mutual acquaintance to meet the Widow. She recognizes he uses shadow magic to conceal himself, but he is excited when she easily spots him. Griffin explains he needs her to prevent his fall into insanity. She mentions possessing the Burning Lamp which was stolen from his parents the night they were murdered. They are attracted to each other and she agrees to help him. However Smith abetted by crime lord Luttrell is coming for her and the lamp.

This exhilarating Arcane Society Victorian romantic fantasy moves forward the overarching theme of the Dreamlight trilogy (see Fired Up) but easily stands alone. The lead couple is an interesting pairing of a crime lord and a social reformer although he never displays criminal activity; while Jones and Jones play support roles. Although the two villains never quite live up to reader anticipation, fans will relish this superb thriller.

Harriet Klausner

8 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

Where is the ebook for the Nook?

Where is the eBook for the Nook? I thought all of the new books would be coming out in ebook format for the Nook as soon as they were released.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Another great society series novel

I didn't expect the older setting. Nice to see the second book in the Dreamlight Trilogy, I started them backwards. It does get confusing since the AS series is ordered differently. We get action right from the start as we meet a young Adelaide in dire straights. Who is this madman and what does he want with her? From here we jump ahead a bit and meet Griffin. The crime boss who's much more than his reputation. Why do I have a feeling this is the start of the Guilds? They're both very different and yet they click so well. This one was a wild ride of twists and excitement. Griffin and the family curse, the legend of the lamp, and she a rare dreamlight talent with a past. We learn of an illusion talent, more on hunters and other assorted talents, and the weapons of the past in the red crystals. Murder, blackmail, underworld takeovers, hostage situations, romance, psy energy, and more. I very much enjoyed the banter as well as the plot and the flow of each new development. The other characters were just as rich as the main ones, and I was also happy that J&J made the scene again. I'm so glad this series is a nice long one, I can't wait to read the rest of it.

Another great Arcane novel

I must say, I did enjoy this book. I do wish that this had been the first, followed by "Fired Up". I don't understand the reasoning behind the sequence. I am looking forward to the last of this trilogy.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

awesome

I loved this book. This is the 2nd in a series of three books. I especially liked how she uses all three of her names in the series, thereby intertwining 3 different times lines. I can't wait for the third book to come out by Jayne Castle. She is one of my favorite authors. She never lets me down!

Another interesting entry in the Arcane Society Series

I am fast becoming a great fan of Amanda Quick's writing style. I have read several of her books that take place "late in the reign of Queen Victoria". Among the ones I've read are Second Sight, Perfect Poison, The Paid Companion and Lie by Moonlight. The Burning Lamp is an Arcane Series book which deals with Griffin Winters,a descendant of Nicholas Winters,who was one of 2 alchemists that started out as friends and ended up as bitter rivals. Sylvester Jones the other alchemist used herbs trying to find a formula that would grant extraordinary abilities while Nicholas Winters built a machine, the Burning Lamp to achieve the same goal. Griffin Winters needs to find the lamp and the woman who will help him unlock the lamp's power in order to keep his sanity. Enter Adelaide Pyne. Many of the characters found in the above mentioned books return in The Burning Lamp and add a sense of continuity to the series. I especially like Ms. Quick's heroines as they are all strong, resourceful and witty. Their male counterparts are extremely open-minded for the era in which they live and act as perfect foils for the ladies. I highly recommend this book any of the books mentioned above and I eagerly await Ms. Quick's next effort.

Good solid read.

I'm a big fan of all of this author's works wether she is writing under the name Krentz, Castle or Quick. One of the aspect's of her writing that I like best is her heroine's are never weak, easily frightened women looking for a "man' to save them. Her latest edition to her wonderful Arcane series is no exception to this. Adelaide Pyne is an independent, strong willed and resourceful women with every bit as much power as the notorious crime lord, Griffin Winters. I found this to be a very enjoyable read and nice edition to the Arcane legend. I'm very much looking forward to the next installment in this trilogy. If you've never read any of this series I do recommend reading them in order, although not strictly essential it is more fun.

Whatever name she uses, Krentz writes winners

I've read Krentz, Quick and Castle. I have enjoyed them all. However, my favorite series is the Arcane Society. The way the past and present have been intertwined (looks like the future will be involved, too) adds a fascinating dimension. Although I enjoyed "Burning Lamp", the crime lord characterization of Winters didn't leave me feeling great. Maybe I'm just tired of "bad boys" who deep down have a heart of gold. As expected, he does turn into good guy in the end, even making peace with Caleb Jones, to the point of creating a working relationship that will obviously lead to the West Coast branches of the Arcane Society and J & J that predominate the Krentz contemporary novels. Once I finish an Arcane book, I'm on pins and needles waiting for the next one. Although "Burning Lamp" was certainly not the best of the Arcane Society books, read it! When is the next book coming out, anyway? For anyone who hasn't read any of the Arcane Society series, go in order.

The Arcane Society Series is one of my favorites.

The Burning Lamp is a great addition to the Arcane series. I wondered how the author was going to continue with this series. There are only so many paranormal talents that you can come up with and I think she does a great job. This particular book was not quite as exciting as the last historical piece she wrote "The Perfect Poison". I found this a little more predictable, but I like the clarification it give you to understand some of what happened in the previous book and what may happen in the future book. The characters were great, they were interesting and romantic, with a bit of offbeat humor thrown in. I love this series and recommend it to all. I would say that you would want to read all in the series to get the full benefit of the characters though. I can't wait to see the author write about the head of the J&J agency.

Love the series

I have 2 others waiting to read book 2 of the series.

Captivating but soft thriller

Easy reading, and good for escapism on a rainy day, or anytime.

The Burning Lamp is book two in the Dreamlight Trilogy.

There are three authors who dominate all the romance world Jayne Ann Kretnz, Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle and guess what they're the same woman. Jayne Ann Krentz writes contemporary, Amanda historical and Jayne Castle futuristic/paranormal, but what would happen if all three authors wrote one book in a trilogy, wonder no more because that time has come.
Welcome to the world of The Arcane Society Jayne/Amanda/Jayne's wonderfully made up consortium devoted to the research and advancing of paranormal behavior. Griffin Winters knows all about threats having grown up on the streets after the death of his parents, he's learned to not only survive but to thrive as he builds a vast underworld empire. He's always had certain abilities and now with the onset of the Winter's curse needs to find the talents of one woman, now he just has to find her. Than woman happens to be Adelaide Pyne a paranormal talent in her own right that has taken a very dangerous step while trying to rid London of it's notorious brothels. And she knows all about brothels having been sold into one at fifteen after the tragic death of her parents. Together Griffin and Adelaide have to find the secret to The Burning Lamp while they discover what they mean to each other.
Welcome to the world according to Amanda Quick, what a world it is. With her wonderful imaginative story lines, her memorable characters and her unforgettable romance. And you'll get all three in this wonderful addition to her work. She will wow you with her inventive plot and her imagination will astound you as she puts it all together. Her hero Griffin and heroine Adelaide are two very different people, he an underworld crime boss and she a social reformer, who get in the way of cupids arrows and either have to succumb to love or get run over by it. Her supporting characters play their roles wonderfully and add dimension to the story. The romance is a comedy of errors as we watch these two unsuspecting characters fall deeply in love. Her love scenes are spicy but not raw and they sizzle without being vulgar.
So run don't walk to your nearest book seller for Amanda's newest novel. This is part of a trilogy and would be better if read as such, but could be read as a stand-a-lone.

The Burning Lamp is a very quick read

I just finished the Burning Lamp which I had begun the day before. This is a perfect book to curl up with on a cold and rainy Mother's Day. The characters are quirky enough to make them interesting but real enough to make them empathtic. I like the paranormal aspect to the story line. It makes the book stand out from the typical romance. I find the whole series to be fun! It is nice to be able to pick up a book that is engaging but does not require a Master's Degree in order to understand. Sometimes, it is nice just to escape for a little while! I highly recommend the Burning Lamp as well as the rest of the series.

excellent

excellent addition to the arcane series cannot wait for more

The difference between a Lord and a Crime Lord, is just a point of view.

Catching up with past characters and meeting new ones is always a joy in a Castle book. This book has twists and suspense galore. It makes me want to go back and start over with the first one, from years ago.

Great Read

If you like Amanda Quick you will love this book. I thought it was great how she brought back characters from other books and mixed the Jones family with the Winters family so you understand the dislike between the families in the other books. Or later books.

Great job.

Burning Lamp (Acane Society Series #8) by Amanda Quick

I have read all the books Amanda Quick, Jayne Ann Krentz and Jayne Castle have written so far,(same person). She has a wonderful flair for writing and her characters are fresh, strong and sassy. This is book 2 on the "Burning Lamp" series, and if I was doing the series books in order, I would have made it 1st since it deals with the past and the first book, "Fired Up, written under Jayne Ann Krentz" was written in the present. Read this book first, if you love it read more of her work, I have never been disappointed yet and that is saying a lot!

Another great book about the Arcane Society

Though I can't understand why some arcane novels are written by Amanda Quick and most by Jayne Ann Krentz (the same individual) they are all excellent. I am anxiously awaiting the third book in the Dreamlight Trilogy. We have 16 of the Krentz/Quick novels with more to come someday.

Excellent Read in typical Quick fashion

The Arcane Society novels are always dramatice and action packed. Love the strong female characters who are always in control. It is wonderful how Quick is able to create such well matched couples who are also so different. Not a frufru love story which makes the Arcane novels a great read. Definitely something to have for a quiet, rainy day when you can curl up with a good book and just relax.

Burning Lamp

Two strong characters are brought together to discover if a lamp has mysterious properties. I love these characters. Griffin Winters is a crime lord but I found him to be honorable and compassionate in his own way. He is intelligent and no ones fool. Adelaide Payne is very much her own woman. After a terrifying experience when she was fifteen , she left England. After making her own way in America, she is drawn back to England. These two people intersect and sparks fly. Can these two people help each other? Only time will tell. All I can tell you is that I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Of course I also enjoyed meeting up again with some of the other characters I have enjoyed in previous books. I can hardly wait for the next book.