MY LADY QUICKSILVER by Bec McMaster Review+Interview+Giveaway!

Rating: A+
Synopsis:
“I WILL COME FOR YOU…”

He will find her no matter what. As a blue-blooded captain of the Nighthawk Guard, his senses are keener than most. Some think he’s indestructible. But once he finds the elusive Mercury, what will he do with her? 

It’s his duty to turn her in—she’s a notorious spy and traitor. But after one stolen moment, he can’t forget the feel of her in his arms, the taste of her, or the sharp sting of betrayal as she slipped off into the night. Little does Mercury know, no one hunts better than the Nighthawk. And his greatest revenge will be to leave her begging for his touch…

My thoughts on the book:

My Lady Quicksilver is, by far, my favorite book in this series. This novel is full of heart, romance, action, humor, and heartbreak. I couldn't put this one down, and I was attached to Rosalind/Mercury and Lynch almost immediately. McMaster does not disappoint in the third installment of her series, and this book will have readers coming back for more. 

Rosalind is a terrific leading lady. She's strong, yet vulnerable (even though she doesn't want to be). She is a complex character with a good heart, and one can't help but sympathize with her. She's tougher than most of the heroines we see in literature today, and I really admired her fortitude and willingness to risk everything for those she cares about. 

Lynch is one of the most swoon-worthy male leads I've read all year. I'll admit, I was hesitant to read a book about Lynch after how he was represented in the previous novels, but he's so much more complicated than McMaster let on! I really fell in love with his character throughout the course of the novel. 

We also get to meet an entire new cast of secondary characters, which opens up this world quite a bit. Each one seems extremely real and clearly has his or her own story to tell. I can't wait to see who McMaster writes about next. 

The plot, along with the characters, is quite different from the first two novels. This book could be read as a standalone or as part of the series since we don't hear much about any of the previous characters. Lena makes a small appearance, and Barrons is there (when is he getting his own story?! He's so interesting). Other than that, we get to know all new characters and learn about all new circumstances. Yes, we are still dealing with the bombing, but now we get to explore how these acts of revolution affect the Nighthawks who aren't really accepted in Blue Blood society, and they aren't accepted in human society either. McMaster almost created an entire new world within the world she already built, and I really enjoyed that. The plot itself is full of mystery, intrigue, steamy romance, humor, and action. I was hooked from the first page and read this entire novel all in one sitting. This is the best book I've read in awhile. The ending ties up their story nicely and leaves room for more sequels to take place.

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who enjoys good Steampunk literature. With the addition of vampires into the mix, McMaster has created a unique and addicting world that is sure to captivate readers. 

Order My Lady Quicksilver!

Other buy links:

Barnes and Noble

Books-a-Million

Chapters/Indigo

Discover a New Love

iBookstore

IndieBound

Sourcebooks

About the author:

Award-winning author Bec McMaster lives in a small town in Australia and grew up with her nose in a book. A member of RWA, she writes sexy, dark paranormals and steampunk romance. When not writing, reading, or poring over travel brochures, she loves spending time with her very own hero or daydreaming about new worlds. Read more about her at www.becmcmaster.com or follow her on Twitter, @BecMcMaster.

Click read more to read the interview and enter the giveaway!

Interview with Bec:

Amber: What kind of research was entailed to create the world your novels are set in? How much came from history and how much came from your imagination?

Bec: Since the London Steampunk series is set in the 1870's, a fair bit of research goes into the technology and social mores of the time - however, the series is definitely alternate history. There's no Queen Victoria, no Albert, no Industrial Revolution, as it happened. I tend to use my research as a jumping off point, or a means of inspiration, not so much as a matter of fact for this world.

Amber: If you could have dinner with any of your characters, who would you choose and why?

Bec: Wow, that's a tough one. Probably... Rosalind, the heroine of my latest release, My Lady Quicksilver. Rosa has a little bit of a bawdy sense of humor, so I think she'd be fun to have dinner with. She's the kind of person you could have a few glasses of wine with and gossip about men, particularly, the very sexy, very taciturn Lynch, her hero.

Amber: Who are some of your favorite romance couples?

Bec: Favorite couples, hmm. I'd have to pick Chess and Terrible from Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts UF series, Kate and Curran from Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels series and Miranda and Archer from Kristen Callihan's Firelight.

Amber: How do you create such well-developed characters? What is your character-building process?

Bec: Thanks for the compliment! Basically, I go into each story with a little bit of an idea about the character and who they are. Then as the story develops, so do the characters. I like unearthing them a little at a time, just like a reader gets to do, when they read my stories. As for creating well-developed characters, I often say I write about relationships, not just romance. That includes the relationships between the secondary characters and the main, as well.  When you're writing about friendships or families, there are always going to be small conflicts that arise or issues these people need to deal with. You know, that friend who's always late, or the bossy older sister who always thinks she knows best (a nod to Honoria, my heroine from Kiss of Steel there). Siblings who argue all the time, but if someone outside the family dares say something, they'll all stick together. That and giving your main characters relatable issues to deal with throughout the novel. In Heart of Iron, for example, my heroine Lena is twenty and trying to work out what she wants to do with her life - a lot of that came from myself at that age. I think we all go through that moment when we're adults, but we're still not sure what we really want out of life.  Or Rosalind, my heroine from My Lady Quicksilver - her husband died a long time ago and she thinks its all her fault. She wants revenge for his death, but the main driving force behind her actions in MLQ is guilt. Could she have done something to save him? If she carries on the cause he was fighting for, then maybe it will help cancel out her debt to him, even though she's only going through the actions, not really feeling the urge to carry out his work. I think that's something, as a reader, that we can relate to, even if we've never lost someone. And now I'd better stop, before you get a novel on creating characters :)

Amber: What inspired you to include vampires in your version of Victorian London?

Bec: I wanted to do something vampiric, but in my version I wanted the vampires to be horrible monsters, not the heroes. Something that everyone fears, even the blue bloods themselves, who are vampiric but not yet vampires. The end stages of the craving virus turn blue bloods into vampires and its something they're terrified of. To devolve - or evolve - into a mindless killing machine capable of slaughtering hundreds. I guess I just like the idea of characters facing their fears.

Amber: Which novel was the most challenging to write? 

Bec: Heart of Iron. I'm not going to even take a moment to think about that one! *Laughs* Kiss of Steel was so easy, the words just poured out of me. But I think it's different when you're a novice author who sells your first series, because your first book is always meant to kind of set up suggestions of a series, but stand-alone. It's the book that sells. Heart of Iron was the book where I had to kind of sit down and say, 'Okay, now I have to set up the entire series arc.' It was complicated. There were heaps of sub plots I had to weave together and Will, oy. Who's idea was it to write a gruff, tortured, taciturn hero? He didn't want to speak to me for a long time - but we finally got there. Funnily enough, Will is often rated as most of my reader's favorite heroes. 

Amber: Do you outline your books or write them "free-style?" 

Bec: As an author, you're supposed to outline, but I find that really stifles me. I outline just enough to appease my editor, then I free-style the rest. Saying that, I have a very clear idea where the series is heading - the destination - but sometimes I find surprises popping up along the journey.

Amber: What authors inspire you?

Bec: Ha, so many! I admire anyone who can sit down and write one quality book after another, because it's a lot harder than people think. Personally though, some of the authors whose careers I really admire are Ann Aguirre and Lilith Saintcrow. I'd love to write in a couple of genres, like Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy and/or YA. Or be as prolific as either of them.

Amber: What song reminds you of Rosalind and Jasper?

Bec: Always the hardest question. I don't listen to music much. As for Rosalind and Jasper, they start as enemies and slowly begin to respect each other, before becoming lovers. My Lady Quicksilver is probably the most sensual of my books - it's hot, the humor's a little more wicked between the hero/heroine and of course, its pretty action packed... Maybe something from the new Great Gatsby soundtrack, because I like that.

Amber: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Bec: Make time to write, and if you think you don't have that time, you might be surprised. If you want to get somewhere in this, sometimes you have to make a few sacrifices, and its crazy how many words you can sneak in on your lunch break, or when your boyfriend goes to pick up the fish and chips etc. when you're working full time.

Amber: Thank you so much for stopping by, Bec! It was great talking with you. 

Bec: Thanks for having me! 

The giveaway:

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian followers only. Sorry international friends! I promise to have a giveaway for you really soon. Just enter with the Rafflecopter below. 

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