Wicked as They Come

My review: I bought this book accidentally. I was sending a cop

My review:

I bought this book accidentally. I was sending a copy of Wicked As They Come to one of my giveaway winners and sent a copy to myself, too! I started reading it on the day it popped up in my mailbox and enjoyed the book.

Wicked As They Come by Delilah S. Dawson is a steampunk paranormal romance. The author has created a steampunk world which is filled with fantasy, strange characters and interesting plot. The book was well-written and it was easy to read.

Regarding the plot:

The story begins where Letitia, a nurse and caretaker of dying people, finds a locket on a estate sale. She is drawn to the locket and after she sees it on the estate sale, she steals it and takes it with her to her home. After she finally is capable of opening the locket to see, what’s in there, she is opening a door to unknown world – a world of bludmen, Coppers and Pinkies.

She finds herself in the parallel world where all the names and places are very similar to her own world, but everything is different. Vampires are not vampires, they are bludmen; Pinkies are humans like herself and Coppers are the rulers of the existing world; rabbits are not little cute and puffy animals, they are blood eating bludanimals.

Letitia finds out that the locket brought her to Criminy and to the world of Sang which is very similar to Victorian England, but is nothing she has ever seen or heard before. Criminy is the only person capable of taking care of her and introduces her to Criminy’s Clockwork Caravan which is like a circus on the wheels. Criminy finds out that Letitia is a glancer – a person who can see future and gives her a job as a fortuneteller in the caravan.

When someone important – an evil Magistrate finds out that she has a locket which is a gateway between the real world and the Sang, things get dangerous both for her and Criminy.

I absolutely loved the world of Sang and I think that the author did an excellent job with creating such a strange, surprising and fascinating steampunk world. It kept me surprising and turning the pages with a pace which was incredible fast. I wanted to read the book in one sitting, but had to sleep just to continue the reading. It was truly fascinating!

I also liked the idea of parallel worlds and travelling between them and I think that the characters which you met in both worlds were excellently executed by the author. The idea of the plot was brilliant and refreshing.


Regarding the characters:

Wicked As They Come offered so many characters and the best part of it was, that the characters were wicked too!

I really liked Criminy! When I was reading about him, I was picturing Jonny Depp. Whenever the book will be made into a movie, he would be perfect to this role, except Criminy is much younger than Depp is.

Criminy has cast a spell to bring Letitia to his world. He is a mixture of a good and wicked, even though when it came to his support and feelings towards Letitia, nothing wicked was left: he was sincere, supportive, lovable and willing to go many extra miles to help Letitia. He knew that by helping Letitia to get back the locket would mean that she travels back home to her own world, but he left that freedom of choice to her!

Letitia was lovable! In the beginning of the book she is a woman who pities herself and is afraid of getting attached or loving, but the Sang and meeting with Criminy changed her. She becomes braver, more independent and step by step she opens her heart to Criminy.

Besides Criminy and Letita you meet many other supportive characters: evil Magistrate with the name of Goodwill, Mrs Cleavers who worked in the caravan as a dresser and a fascinator, Tabitha the Mermaid, Casper Sterling whom you met in both worlds.

The characters were supporting the plot amazingly well and they all had their own stories to tell.

Generally:

I have to admit, that I have never been a big fan of steampunk novels, but Wicked As They Come by Delilah S. Dawson has somewhat changed my mind. It was such a fun read with amazing world and creatures and characters. The plot was solid and the writing was smooth and humorous. I would highly recommend it to the lovers of steampunk and paranormal romance!

5 stars!

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Wickedly Wonderful book!

Steampunk magic circus vampire adventure topped off with some romance. It may seem like a lot to cram into one novel but the writing is so compelling and the world so deliciously rich that you will absorb it all and want some more. A fantastic and fun read.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Beth_Rohme

Ok so let's start at how me reading the book, I work for a bookstore which shall not be named. And i was sitting at the computer while my bestfriend was unpacking our truck. And she showed me a cover of a book, I was like ok sexy cover and then I read the back. And tried to start reading it immeaditly and she stopped me but I got a couple of paragraphs in. Well needless to say I brought it that day, and it took me about 4 days to read it. I was hooked and told her she had to read it I could not put it down. And as for the book itself well. Lititia she is sucked into a world she doesn't know and meets this man " or so you think". His name is Crimney she is wisked into his world of carney folk. And wait the best part is just when you think something is cute the damn bunnies oh yeah they bite. Sorry nothing in this world is where it seems she is not only truly a stranger but thats what they call her. Well its kinda a wild ride of places, people and you will either you will absolutely love it. Or you will not, I can tell you this is not the type of genre that I read. But in the end picking up random books can either maje you fall in love or puke. Lol no but a must read and absolutely fabulous. And i can't wait for the next installment.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Within a few pages of reading Wicked as They Come I was hooked.

Within a few pages of reading Wicked as They Come I was hooked. The story opens up with a woman named Tish Everett who has just come out of a bad relationship that she realized was all a sham, and now she is getting her life back together. Tish is our central heroine in the story and she is tired of being a doormat. Tish works hard, takes care of people as a nurse and she is still missing something in life. What Tish soon finds will turn her future around into something else entirely.
While driving past one the home of a deceased patient, Tish walks into an estate sale and comes out into a whole alternate reality filled with bloodthirsty bunnies and traitorous carnies. It wasn’t that simple, there was no magic door to take Tish away, there was no mirror, all Tish had to do was fall asleep. After taking a tarnished locket from the sale and trying to clean it, Tish pushed a ruby in the necklace and is soon sprayed with bloody red liquid which opened up to a tiny portrait of a dark and beautiful man. With thoughts of this mysterious stranger, Tish falls asleep only to wake up naked on a slab of rock. While that may appeal to some, Tish is a bit more reserved then most so when out comes that dark stranger from her locket Tish assumes she is still dreaming. What she finds herself in is not a dream but another world, like ours but in a more steampunk advanced history and also filled with bloodthirsty entities. People of the Blud they are, but this also encompasses animals, once bitten the hunger for flesh and blood turns all living things into creatures of Blud and humans are a rare treat. With strict rules governing Bludmen and Bludwomen this group of people is ostracized for their very nature almost to the point of starvation and degradation.
Into the world of Sang readers will follow Tish, or here Letitia, and the Bludman Ciminy Stain on a whole host of perilous adventures that will give Letitia the ability to choose her future whether in the arms of the Blud or in the present with her grandmother. In Sang there are those of the Blud, the humans, and then there are the Strangers. The significance of the Strangers in the world of Sang is that the Strangers are humans, but sometime in the crossing they contain special powers or abilities or knowledge. These Strangers are redefining the world of Sang and causing complications for its inhabitants. Where we sleep in one world, in another we can reap destruction or never wake up.
Criminy Stain is a central character in the novel alongside Letitia in Wicked As They Come and his talents and voice in the story and the evolution of the book were just amazing. WCTC is a Steampunk Historical Romance where clockworks can protect you and krakens attack subs all the while you can strap on a corset and tempt the craftiest of Bludmen. Criminy releases the wanton element in the story, because that locket that brought Letitita into Sang was basically his last draw to bring his heart, his love to him. See Criminy is a romantic and after a nasty breakup he sent for a piece of himself through dark magic to being the woman who would spend his life with to whom, except what he found was a spirited woman who is juggling her realities and keeps him a hand span away. With some great banter and dialog readers will enjoy Criminy throughout the story and quite possibly fall for him themselves. Surrounded by carnies, those of the Blud and a fantastic caravan, Criminy will stop at nothing to not only protect his people but also try and catch Letititia’s affections. With danger following both characters and future looking none too bright for either, Letitia and Criminy must find strength in themselves and each other to pass the coming storm.
Dawson has brought to life a great pair of characters and has created an intriguing world that while close to our own, is altogether different and full of surprises. With a whole host of adventures and a thrilling perilous journey to save themselves and a whole world of people, Criminy and Letitia will bring readers into a new world filled with an all original romance in a time of Blud and bedpans.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Failed to capture my interest

Since I couldn't finish the entire book (read a majority of the beginning, and skipped to the end), I thought I'd be fair and give it at least 3 stars. I just had a very difficult time connecting to the world and characters. The male lead creeped me out too.

Clever, funny, creative

Whenever I read, I kind of try to anticipate what's going to happen next. Who's they killer going to turn out to be? Who's going to end up together? But, this book is so full of creative and unexpected turns, I could never figure out what was going to happen -- let alone what I HOPED would happen...

I had so much fun reading Wicked As They Come that I've been recommending it to all my friends!

Awesome!

I couldn't put it down!

4/13/12

Very entertaining.

Dawson’s darkly tempting debut drops her unsuspecting hero

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. Like Neil Gaiman on insane carnival crack, Delilah S. Dawson's debut, Wicked As They Come, took me by surprise the moment I picked it up. Skirting the boundaries of fantasy and paranormal, and playing coy with both, Wicked defies genre classification. It was so charming, and refreshingly good that I actually groaned when I hit the last page. Dawson has knit a story whose strength lies in a genuine voice, quirky characters, and notable world-building. You will be transported into a wonderfully crafted "other" dimension within the pages of this book, filled with magical creatures, adventure, mystery, and romance. A paranormal romance like no other, which will have you falling in love with Criminy and his wickedly delicious aura. I will say that, at times, for short periods, it did drag a bit. I thought the addition of the love triangle to be predictable and it makes me a bit sad when authors feel they have to go there to provide the necessary tension between characters. The main characters stand on their own. I don't need the triangle. I can only hope that in the next couple of books this person's real agenda is revealed. Wicked As They Come is an excellent read that will have you shaking your head at the awe-inspiring world created between the pages! Wonderfully written and beautifully detailed, this will rock your book loving world!

The wonderful, magical world the author created was so vivid you

The wonderful, magical world the author created was so vivid you feel like you are there. The characters are amazing and so unlike anything I have ever read, nothing like your normal vampires. Anxiously awaiting the next book in the Blud series!

Excellent novel

Not your typical romance. This was different, and I absolutely loved it.

Absolutely fantastic. Nice change in pace from other "vamp

Absolutely fantastic. Nice change in pace from other "vampire" novels. Can't wait until the next one is available!

Unique and refreshing

I really enjoyed this novel. All the characters, from main to secondary, were really thought out and full of personality. The storyline kept me interested almost the whole time and Criminy was definitely drool worthy. I am not sure if the author touched on it at all, but I'm curious about the Bludpeople's hands and why they are black scaley claws-I guess another physical variation from the Pinkies. Excited for the next tale of the Bluds and world of Sang.

I think I'm going to gush a bit about Wicked as They Come. It's

I think I'm going to gush a bit about Wicked as They Come. It's a wonderful story. Ms. Dawson has created a superb Victorian-esque parallel world, Sangland, filled with steam machines, strange creatures, magic, and Bludmen.

Criminy Stain and Tish Everett are the main characters in Wicked as They Come. I adore both of them. Criminy is dangerous, seductive, magical, and vulnerable at least where Tish is concerned. Tish is trying to recover from a bad relationship and is not really interested in being swept off her feet by Criminy. She wants her independence. She wants to figure out who she is before committing again to someone. This is not simply a story of girl meets Bludman and lives happily ever after. This is a fantastic adventure not only about Tish and Criminy seeking the stolen locket, but about Tish finding herself. It's also a story that deals with how the Bludmen are treated and what one man, the Magistrate, will do against them.

The majority of the novel is set in Sangland. Ms. Dawson has created a parallel world that is much like ours, but wildly different. I loved the animals that inhabit Sangland - similar to our animals but so dangerous. Criminy's traveling circus is amazing. We spend enough time there to get to know the members of the circus who are all interesting in their own rights.There are incredible clockwork contraptions in Sangland. While Bludman share some similarities to vampires, they are not the same. I enjoyed seeing a new take on 'vampires' in Wicked As They Come.

Ms. Dawson's writing is very self-assured. Wicked as They Come is a debut that does not read like one. The characters (primary and secondary) are well-developed, the world setting is extremely well done, the story itself is terrific. Other than a little slow pacing at the beginning the novel moves at a steady clip to the very satisfying ending.

Wicked as They Come is fantastical, intriguing, mysterious, and fun! Since I've run out of superlatives, I will simply say that I loved Wicked as They Come and the Blud series is now an automatic buy.

I give Wicked as They Come 5 Qwills.

This book was a little hard for me to get into, however once I d

This book was a little hard for me to get into, however once I did, I couldn't put it down. The author put as much thought into the secondary characters as she did the main ones. By the time I was done reading, I was ready for the next book.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.