This book was a good enough addition to the world that Marie has created in her Guild Codex series. I didn't get as swept up as I had with the previous novels, but Kit was likeable, and descriptions of his unique abilities were well done. I found that many of the side characters in this story weren't as fleshed out, which was a real strength in her other novels.

After reading "Taming Demons for beginners," I decided to go back, and read Marie's books in chronological order as the author recommended. Although it was difficult to step away from Robin and Zylar, once more Marie introduced an amazing and engaging cast of characters and a story loaded with enough action and humour to keep me coming. I loved Tori, and the spicy trio of mages who become her friends/ bodyguards. Can't wait to see what comes next!

This novel was a delightful, short read. Robin's timidity did get a little irksome, as well as her tendency to make really bad decisions... but Zylar more than made up for it! The story and the action drew me in, and I can't wait to read more from Marie.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was a short, easy read. Wells provides lots of detail without holding your hand through the narrative. But mostly, I just really liked SecUnit! I found the character funny, engaging, and strangely easy to sympathise with (considering it's a robot that calls itself "Murderbot").

I found myself strangely frustrated by this book. While I liked the concept, and the themes, I was irritated by the characters' unwillingness to talk about things! Alex's mother refused to acknowledge so many things, and later Alex does the same thing. Over halfway through the book and still so much was mystery or conjecture because NOTHING could be said or even thought about. It was all off limits!. And when the protagonist finally does allow herself freedom to be curious, or to have discussions, it happens so quickly that the ending felt rushed and ultimately unsatisfying. I'm still taking in how I feel about this book though, so it is very possible that my opinions/ feelings about it will change over time. Would I recommend this book to anyone? Probably... but with some major caveats.

Someone else here said there is a lot going on, and I would agree. The spiritualism sub-plot, the Lady Heatherton villainy that isn't fully addressed, the issues with the seamstresses that Ahmad alludes to, Evie's disgraced older sister... it's like the author wanted to address all the issues of racism, colonialism, and elitism in one book. This means that some issues got more attention than others leading to some lopsided storytelling!
Overall however, I enjoyed this. While there were minimal truly "steamy" moments, the way that the author used the clothes that Ahmad had made for Evelyn as a substitute for his hands on her body *sigh*! Everything wrapped up (a little too) neatly in the end, and Ahmad and Evie got the HAE they deserve with comparatively little drama, considering the buildup.
The introduction of the other ladies that will serve as the Belles of London has interested me enough that I will certainly continue on with the series. I hope that, as the series progresses, Matthews tightens up the narrative and finds a "less is more" approach.

This is the story of Yeine, a young woman who is forced into the scheming and political intrigue of the family her mother escaped, and the gods that they keep as "weapons". This novel pulled me in from the the first page to the last. The world that Jemisin has created is richly imagined and fully developed. I am excited but nervous to see what comes next in this trilogy, especially considering that the ending felt like a natural conclusion to Yeine's story, open-ended but hopeful.

This was a light, easy read. Some parts were genuinely funny, other parts felt a little repetitive. However, I found the broad-ranging cast of characters, from the hilariously tightly-laced witches, to the chaotically violent pirates, made for a "rollicking" adventure. A serviceable story if you are looking for a paranormal romance with a twist.

There were things I really liked about this book (like Professor Lyall, Lord Maccon's long-suffering second-in-command) and there were things that really bothered me. My biggest problem: apparently Alexia and Lord Maccon have "hated" each other for months (or years... I can't remember), and suddenly, within the span of, like, a week, they are madly in love? It kind of felt like lazy writing.The author told us about the apparent tension between our protagonists, rather than allowing us to witness the journey from hate, to begrudging respect, to love.
However, even with those problems, I still read the book in a day, and I strongly intend to read the rest of the series. The book was far from perfect, but still an enjoyable read.

I loved this book, being a huge fan of the fantasy genre. I loved that, while there was romance, it was not a central theme in this book. I found the magic/ magical system unique and well-developed, and the main protagonist likeable and relatable.