Book Review: Competence by Gail Carriger

Title: Competence Series: Custard Protocol #3 Written by: Gail Carriger Published: July 17, 2018 by Orbit (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger comes the delightful sequel to Imprudence.  Accidentally abandoned!  All alone in Singapore, proper Miss Primrose Tunstell must steal helium to save her airship, the Spotted Custard, in a scheme involving a lovesick werecat and a fake fish tail.  When she uncovers rumors of a new kind of vampire, Prim and the Custard crew embark on a mission to Peru. There, they encounter airship pirates and strange atmospheric phenomena, and are mistaken for representatives of the Spanish Inquisition. Forced into extreme subterfuge (and some rather ridiculous outfits) Prim must also answer three of life's most challenging questions:  Can the perfect book club give a man back his soul?  Will her brother ever stop wearing his idiotic velvet fez?  And can the amount of lard in Christmas pudding save an entire species?

I adore Gail Carriger and her books. They are always such a pleasure to read and I need a fast and fun book to read this summer. Of course a Gail Carriger book is a great choice for that. This book, like all her previous were full of adventure, humor, and amazing characters.

I absolutely love the characters in all of Carriger's series and in three books I have come to love these characters so much. In this book the focus shifts a little bit to be less about Prudence and more about some of the other characters in the series. Rue of course was as fabulous and fiesty as ever. But it was nice to get a little bit more of a focus on the other characters, especially Prim and Percy. I absolutely love the Tunstell twins so getting this book from their perspective was so fantastic. Prim is really the one who gets the cover and the majority of play though. She has really great development here. The characters are really the foundation of this series. Their quirky, complex, and incredibly likable.

One of the things that I have to say about the characters, because it is one of the things I love about this series and Carriger's books in general is the LGBTQIA representation. It's great to see a book, with a historical setting no less, not shy away from those kinds of characters and embrace them in a really great way. You really connect with these characters and their desire for love. And I really appreciated the fact that Carriger had Prim at the center of this dealing with how society would view her for the person that she loves. It added a good dimension to the relationship and made it all the more satisfying.

But this is not just a book with good character development, it is also a book with great plot development. Carriger's books are always full of action and adventure and Competence was no exception. There are daring escapes and thrilling fight scenes that keep a plot driven reader like me on their toes. One thing I will say however, is that the adventure story aspect really did feel like a bit of an afterthought. This was more a quieter and character-focused narrative. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, it's just different.

The other thing that I really loved about this book was the setting. This series is one that feels like a globe trotting adventure. It takes you all around the world and in this book it took the reader from Asia to South America. I loved being able to explore the two different places, especially Peru. Peru is one of those places that I have always wanted to visit and after reading this book I want to do that even more now. The country really came alive along with it's history and culture. I also really liked the way that Carriger incorporated a specific supernatural creature that is rooted in the culture of Peru into the story. The combination of history, supernatural fantasy, and steampunk has always been the hallmark of Carriger's books and I love the way she is further developing the world with this book.

It's no surprise that I just adored this book. After 13 books Gail Carriger continues to delight and entertain me. The characters are amazing and likable, the plot is character-driven and engaging, and the setting is fantastic.

I give Competence by Gail Carriger 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! If you are a fan of Carriger, I'm sure I don't need to tell you to read this book. The Custard Protocol is an amazing series and I definitely recommend it to fans of steam punk, supernatural fantasies, or anyone looking for a fun and entertaining read.

Have you read Competence? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Competance by Gail Carriger

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Competence Series: Custard Protocol #3 Published: July 17, 2018 by Orbit (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger comes the delightful sequel to Imprudence. Accidentally abandoned! All alone in Singapore, proper Miss Primrose Tunstell must steal helium to save her airship, the Spotted Custard, in a scheme involving a lovesick werecat and a fake fish tail. When she uncovers rumors of a new kind of vampire, Prim and the Custard crew embark on a mission to Peru. There, they encounter airship pirates and strange atmospheric phenomena, and are mistaken for representatives of the Spanish Inquisition. Forced into extreme subterfuge (and some rather ridiculous outfits) Prim must also answer three of life's most challenging questions: Can the perfect book club give a man back his soul? Will her brother ever stop wearing his idiotic velvet fez? And can the amount of lard in Christmas pudding save an entire species?

Why I'm Waiting:

I have loved every single Gail Garriger book I have read. And I have read a lot of Gail Carriger books, twelve total. I recently read the first two books in The Custard Protocol series and they were seriously amazing. I love of fun and feisty the characters and I love how much action and adventure there are in these books.

I can't remember when I found out that the second two books in this series would be from Prim's perspective but I love this idea. Rue is fantastic, don't get me wrong, but I feel like Primrose is so different that it will be fun to get inside her head. I have a few questions I am hoping we get answers about. Plus seeing the plot synopsis of this one that sounds incredibly fun to be in Prim's head for this. And look haw amazing and proper she looks on the cover in that crazy bright dress. I mean she is Ivy's daughter afterall.

I saw the cover for this one on Gail Carriger's Twitter page recently and it made me so excited. I mean, I didn't even know that it was coming out so soon. I can't wait to read it. I am probably going to listen to the audiobook for this one. I really liked the other two books on audio and I am sure this one will be great as well.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on Competence along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: Imprudence by Gail Carriger

Title: Imprudence Series: The Custard Protocol #2 Written by: Gail Carriger Published: July 19, 2016 by Orbit (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: London is in chaos. Rue and the crew of The Spotted Custard returned from India with revelations that shook the foundations of the scientific community. There is mass political upheaval, the vampires are tetchy, and something is seriously wrong with the local werewolf pack. To top it all off, Rue’s best friend Primrose keeps getting engaged to the most inappropriate military types. Rue has got personal problems as well. Her vampire father is angry, her werewolf father is crazy, and her obstreperous mother is both. Worst of all, Rue’s beginning to suspect what they all really are… is frightened. When the Custard is ordered to Egypt, transporting some highly unusual passengers, Rue’s problems go from personal to impossible. Can she get Percy to stop sulking? Will she find the true cause of Primrose’s lovesickness? And what is Quesnel hiding in the boiler room?

I absolutely love Gail Carriger and all her books. I've been wanting to get all caught up on her books and I finally took the time to listen to the audiobook to do just that. And I am so glad that I did because this book was totally fantastic.

My favorite thing about probably every Carriger book is the characters. They are always such amazing, quirky, and fun characters and this book wasn't any different. I fell for the characters here in Prudence and I was so happy to have them all back in my life. Rue is just as brash, sarcastic, and take charge in this book which was amazing. It was also fun seeing her get a little more complex and vulnerable here. All in all, Prudence is a fantastic main character and I loved being back in her head and along for more of her adventures.

But that is only the beginning because this book is full of amazing secondary characters. In this book we got to see more, and learn more, about Rue's parents. Lord and Lady Maccon play a big part in the overall plot which was amazing because I love Alexia and Conall so I was very much interested in getting some more of them. And Lord Akeldama is always a joy.  Then of course we have the crew of the Custard. The Tunstall twins were amazing and fun. Prim was super awkward and adorable while Percy is as insufferable as ever. Then of course the is Quesnel. Ugh, I really loved Quesnel in this book. He's so roguish and charming but the troublemaker that he was as a child. Him and Rue are amazing together too. I'm such a romancephobe but no one melts my cold heart like Gail Carriger. Because seriously I shipped it so hard. Because all in all Carriger knows how to write amazing and likeable characters.

She also knows how to write a thrilling plot. There was so much action and adventure in this book. Rue and The Custard are constantly finding them in some sort of scuffle, whether by their own doing or someone else's. It made for a fun and exciting plot for sure. However the plot in this book wasn't quite so self-contained. It built on some things from the first book as well as some things from the previous series which was interesting enough. And it did build to an exciting conclusion with plenty of excitement along the way. However, when it was all over it just felt like it lacked a little cohesion. It didn't have quite the impact that I expect from a Carriger book. It was still a good plot and I am confident the next books in the series will be great but I think maybe the plot here could have been a little but more.

The world however was just as fantastic as I expect in a Gail Carriger book. I have always loved the way that she balances steampunk and paranormal. It's the perfect balance of historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and horror. The world is complex and detailed. With every book we get to explore the world even more and learn more about it. Every thing we learn here was fantastic and so interesting. I don't want to give to much away but there are more were creatures that come into play here. With every passing series things develop even more and I love the way everything ties in with previous books and previous series. This is now my eleventh book from Gail Carriger and you would think by now I would be sick of this world but I'm not. I want more.

I totally loved this book. It's another fantastic example of the magic and fun that is Gail Carriger and the world that she has built. This book has amazing characters, a thrilling plot, and a unique and interesting world. It was a great audiobook and a good read.

I give Imprudence by Gail Carriger 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy! I love this series, I love this world, I love this book. If you are a fan of Gail Carriger you need to read the Prudence series. And if you like steampunk and you haven't read Gail Carriger stop wasting time and read it. It's amazing!

Have you read Imprudence? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: Prudence by Gail Carriger

Title: Prudence Series: The Custard Protocol #1 Written by: Gail Carriger Published: March 17, 2015 by Orbit (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible) Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger comes a new novel in the world of the Parasol Protectorate starring Prudence, the daughter of Alexia Tarabotti.   When Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama (Rue to her friends) is given an unexpected dirigible, she does what any sensible female would under similar circumstances - names it the Spotted Custard and floats to India in pursuit of the perfect cup of tea. But India has more than just tea on offer. Rue stumbles upon a plot involving local dissidents, a kidnapped brigadier's wife, and some awfully familiar Scottish werewolves. Faced with a dire crisis and an embarrassing lack of bloomers, what else is a young lady of good breeding to do but turn metanatural and find out everyone's secrets, even thousand-year-old fuzzy ones?

I have been reading my way through Gail Carriger's catalog these past few years and with every series I get more and more impressed with her and her work. I had picked up the audiobook for this one ages ago during an Audible sale but I never found the time to read it. Well I needed a new audio and this perfectly fits my theme this months so I took the time to read it. And I am so glad that I did because it was fantastic.

First things first, I love the world of this series. And here I am not just talking about The Custard Protocal. No, I am talking about the Parasol Protectorate and the Finishing School series. Gail Carriger is one of those rare authors who has taken the world she created and moved it through different era, first backwards and now forwards. In this book we are taken twenty years  after the events of the Parasol Protectorate to the end of the 19th Century. But everything I loved about the first two series are back in this book. It's the perfect combination of historical fiction, science fiction, and fantasy. It's a steampunk paranormal romp and I loved that. It's a world where steam machinery and dirigibles are everywhere but it's also a world where shapeshifters like vampires and werewolves control the government and society. You would think by now that would be old hat but Carriger manages to make it interesting by continuing to expand on all that. In this book we get to explore more of the British Empire and see more shapeshifters and see how the former has affected the latter. I loved the way this world continues to develop.

But my favorite thing about Gail Carriger's work is usually the characters and that was no exception here. Carriger really knows how to create fun and complex characters. First we have the titular character of Prudence aka Rue. Rue is the daughter of Alexia and Lord Maccon who was raised by Lord Akeldama. And honestly she was exactly what I expected with those three as parents. She's equal parts smart, resourceful, brash, flighty, and sarcastic. The last time we saw Rue she was an infant and she hasn't lost any of that trouble-making streak. I loved seeing her all grown up and using her metanatural talents sometimes for good and sometimes for not so good reasons. But honestly it's a serious shame that Rue could not have gone to Mademoiselle Geraldine's because she would have fit right in with those training to be spies.

But as usually this book was full of fantastic secondary characters as well. The crew of the Spotted Custard was all really fantastic. First of all we have the Tunstall twins, Primrose (Prim) and Percival (Percy). And Prim is so much like Ivy that I can't help but like her. Although she is a bit more practical with is nice. Percy however is totally different which didn't make him any less likable. In fact his love of books and knowledge made him one of my favorites along with inability to pick up on social cues. Then there is Quesnel. It was so much fun seeing him all grown up. He's quite rackish which as the child of Genevieve LeFoux I totally appreciate. Speaking of Mme LeFoux, she makes a brief appearance as do many of the other characters from previous series. Alexia, Lord Maccon, and Lord Akeldama are of course there being their usually amazing selfs, then there are members of the London pack like Biffy, members of the Kingair pack like Sidheag and Professor Lyall. It was great learning what had become of them all.

The plot too was really interesting. Like all the other books in the series it is full of action and adventure. Rue takes after her mother in that she is constantly finding herself in some kind of trouble and has to get herself out of it with a combination of quick-thinking and her supernatural ability. She's a little less aggressive then her mother though and more like Lord Akeldama in that she uses her intellect over weaponry. But either way, super engaging and interesting. The book also involved a covert mission which I thoroughly enjoyed. It's got a little bit of a spy novel feel to it but it also has a lot of mystery to it. It had me interested from beginning to end.

And because I listened to the audiobook I wanted to take a quick second to talk about that. I feel like the narrator did a fantastic job with this series. Moira quick also narrates the Finishing School series so perhaps that is why I found myself reminded so much of characters like Sophronia and a adolescent Vieve. But regardless, I thought she did a great job with each of the characters. They all felt unique and different and the accents were pretty good. Plus she set the tone and atmosphere for the book, which is what I like about audiobooks. She made the serious equal parts lighthearted and action-packed. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

But like all Gail Carriger's work I really liked this series. It's a brilliant addition to the world of these series. I don't even know what to call it. Is there a name for this universe? I don't know. WHo cares. It's great. It has a brilliant world, great characters, and a thrilling plot. It's everything I wanted in a historical fantasy and more.

I give Prudence by Gail Carriger 9 out of 10 stars

Buy.Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you liked either the Parasol Protectorate or the Finishing School series I would absolutely recommend you read Prudence. It's Gail Carriger at her finest. If you haven't read any of these series and you like steampunk or are looking for a fun historical novel then check them out. But don't start here. Start with either of the other series.

Have you read Prudence? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!