Soulless

Summary:

First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire--and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart? (Summary and book cover courtesy of goodreads.com)

Review:

This story is Jane Austen meets steampunk meets modern woman.  I found I had to stop reading “Soulless” in public because I was laughing out loud and getting strange stares.  Alexia is hilarious, down to Earth and above all else practical.  Though strong, Carriger balanced it well with Alexia knowing her limits.  The series does take place in a paranormal world, but it is presented so matter-of-fact it avoids the tired “Oh my goodness, are vampires/werewolves/fill-in-the-blank real?!”  All in all, I highly recommend this book even to those who don’t typically enjoy paranormal books.

Rating: 5 stars!

Who should read it?  Anyone looking for a hilarious book with a strong female lead.

Want to read the whole series?

• Changeless (Parasol Protectorate, #2)

• Blameless (Parasol Protectorate, #3)

• Heartless (Parasol Protectorate, #4)

• Timeless (Parasol Protectorate, #5)