The Shadow Palace - The Viper and the Urchin #6 Paperback

Coming in where The White Hornet finished, The Shadow Palace satisfied my longing for backstories for some of the main characters, as well as continuing the intrigue and danger that the mission has given them.
While not as face paced as the White Hornet, The Shadow Palace has plenty of suspense and action, though it is interspersed with wonderfully detailed tidbits from Longinus' and Rafe's early lives (the backstory part I mentioned).
Excellent book and entire series. Five is not nearly enough stars.

I'm glad I didn't have long to wait before The Shadow Palace came out, because I've been holding my breath since I finished The White Hornet.
The character development in this installment, the twists and turns of court intrigue, grabbed my attention and kept me reading until I reached the end.
Alexis might be my new favourite character.
This book doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but even so I'm already eager to get my hands on the next.
I received a copy for review consideration.

Perilous adventures for the Damsian gang
The 6th story in this series follows on immediately after the dramatic events in Arnia at the end of Book 5, The-White-Hornet. Recovering from her dip beneath the ice, Rory must now spend more time at the Arnian court hobnobbing with influential people. Accompanied by Rafe, with whom she has become closer they partake of the entertainment in the impressive palace, decorated with gold and full of mirrors. Meanwhile Longinus, Adelma and Cruikshank search the corridors and caves beneath the palace encountering strange sickly people. But Longinus has his own agenda. He believes that his long-lost mother may be in the city and he wants to know more about the death of his father. Soon both Longinus and Rafe are endangering their companions as they are both entangled in mistakes from the past. It is the wonderful characterisation of the Damsian party which makes this story so gripping. But it seems as though they will never be able to return to Damsport alive and even their friendship is threatened. There could be a happy ending but dark secrets from the past will not go away.

The 6th story in this series follows on immediately after the dramatic events in Arnia at the end of Book 5, The-White-Hornet. Recovering from her dip beneath the ice, Rory must now spend more time at the Arnian court hobnobbing with influential people. Accompanied by Rafe, with whom she has become closer they partake of the entertainment in the impressive palace, decorated with gold and full of mirrors. Meanwhile Longinus, Adelma and Cruikshank search the corridors and caves beneath the palace encountering strange sickly people. But Longinus has his own agenda. He believes that his long-lost mother may be in the city and he wants to know more about the death of his father. Soon both Longinus and Rafe are endangering their companions as they are both entangled in mistakes from the past. It is the wonderful characterisation of the Damsian party which makes this story so gripping. But it seems as though they will never be able to return to Damsport alive and even their friendship is threatened. There could be a happy ending but dark secrets from the past will not go away.

Great read. Detail styled steam punk inventions with an action packed ending and more turns than a drunken earth worm. Other reviewers give you some spoilers, I wont. I read it in one sitting, OK maybe part of that time was lying down, and snack breaks.

Please note: this review may contain minor spoilers for the previous books in this series.
It took me a little while to get into this next Viper and the Urchin book, but I think that is because I was feeling a bit reading slumpy. Having said that, I think the story itself did pick up in the second half and that did help me to become more engaged.

This instalment picks up where the previous one left off, with Rory and Rafe trying to snag a meeting with the Minister Voynia in order to aid their mission for the Old Girl back in Damsport.

One thing I really enjoy about this series, especially the books not set in Damsport, is trying to spot the real-life cultures that inspired the ones in the books. I was imagining the Airnian Court much like Versailles � ridiculously wide dresses, wigs, powedered faces, vacuous courtiers� Celine Jeanjean�s descriptions are once again strong and vibrant and I had a really clear picture in my head.

I don�t want to give too much of the plot away, but there was a particular aspect of Longinus� arc that had me genuinely wondering how he would get himself out of the tight spot he was in. It was very touch and go for a while. He also had some really great character development as a result of what happens to him in Airnia. I love seeing a favourite character evolve.

We also learned a few things about Rafe that we didn�t know before and I think that�s going to play a bigger part in the upcoming books � he�s going to have to learn to be honest with Rory or she�s going to ditch him.

There�s big political stuff going on, too, and now that the team have found some answers in AIrnia, it�s going to be interesting to see how things play out in Damsport.

Even though this book wasn�t my favourite in the series, it was still highly readable and as always, I�ll be eagerly awaiting the follow-up!

(Thank you to Celine Jeanjean for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. This did not affect my opinions in any way)

It took me a little while to get into this next Viper and the Urchin book, but I think that is because I was feeling a bit reading slumpy. Having said that, I think the story itself did pick up in the second half and that did help me to become more engaged.

This instalment picks up where the previous one left off, with Rory and Rafe trying to snag a meeting with the Minister Voynia in order to aid their mission for the Old Girl back in Damsport.

One thing I really enjoy about this series, especially the books not set in Damsport, is trying to spot the real-life cultures that inspired the ones in the books. I was imagining the Airnian Court much like Versailles � ridiculously wide dresses, wigs, powedered faces, vacuous courtiers� Celine Jeanjean�s descriptions are once again strong and vibrant and I had a really clear picture in my head.

I don�t want to give too much of the plot away, but there was a particular aspect of Longinus� arc that had me genuinely wondering how he would get himself out of the tight spot he was in. It was very touch and go for a while. He also had some really great character development as a result of what happens to him in Airnia. I love seeing a favourite character evolve.

We also learned a few things about Rafe that we didn�t know before and I think that�s going to play a bigger part in the upcoming books � he�s going to have to learn to be honest with Rory or she�s going to ditch him.

There�s big political stuff going on, too, and now that the team have found some answers in AIrnia, it�s going to be interesting to see how things play out in Damsport.

Even though this book wasn�t my favourite in the series, it was still highly readable and as always, I�ll be eagerly awaiting the follow-up!

(Thank you to Celine Jeanjean for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. This did not affect my opinions in any way)

So, I’ll admit, I have rewritten this review multiple times. It’s been tough trying to share what I thought of the book without giving too much away!
Fair warning, after the action-packed ending of the last book, the beginning of this one takes a step back, slowing way down as the gang tries to navigate their new circumstances. Though it seems that they are just where they want to be, it is of course, not that easy. They are still in way over their heads, and way outside their skill set. It leaves them floundering more than a little bit. I was never happier than when they decided to ditch the plan that they were following and get back to doing what they do best.
It may have started out at a slower pace, but the later part of the book is packed with action and answers. Even some of the questions that I have had since the beginning of the series have now been answered.
You learn a lot about Longinus’s family, about why Damsport has been such a target and how the White Hornet ties into it all. Not to mention who the White Hornet is. But the gang pays a price finding out those answers and I suspect that we will see the backlash from that for some time to come.
I received an ARC of this book for my honest review, but also purchased it because it is an interesting read with a cast of characters that I enjoy reading about.

Intriguing and kept my attention throughout. Not lightweight nor without consequences. Good extended world building, and a pleasure to revisit old friends. The scene is well set for more trouble down the road. Keel writing this series Celine!

An excellent entry in the series, this book picks up where the last one left off, thus you must read the previous book The White Hornet. I would suggest reading the entire series but but books 5 and 6 can stand on their own.
The writer is really getting the hang of series writing. With this installment some story lines are wrapped up and new ones lead into. I found I was satisfied and awaiting the next book without being left hanging and wanting more.

Tho was well worth the wait. More twists than a pretzel. I was absolutely absorbed into this book till I finished. Not going to give away anything, just that it is worth the read. May go back and read it again. Well worth 5 stars!!

Great Read
I thoroughly recommend this series to all lovers of Steampunk and Fantasy fiction. The characters are flawed and interesting. Part of the charm of this series is watching the characters grow through perilous adventures. The books are well written with a strong plot line, full of quirky details, humour and camaraderie.

I thoroughly recommend this series to all lovers of Steampunk and Fantasy fiction. The characters are flawed and interesting. Part of the charm of this series is watching the characters grow through perilous adventures. The books are well written with a strong plot line, full of quirky details, humour and camaraderie.

A book that doesn’t skim over the world that the characters live in. The authors details in her word show the care she puts into her creation. And that’s my only nit, the story bogs down a little trying to get through the story. It took me a few days to finish compared to my non-stop reading of the previous books. However, I’ll be there when the next volume hits the eShelf. BTW, I originally had an advanced readers copy, but to support the author I purchased my own.

The Shadow Palace takes up precisely where The White Hornet left off. You may recall, that last story ended on a cliffhanger, which I tolerated only because a) I knew it was going to be a cliffhanger and b) I also knew the next installment would be coming soon. It was a mere three month wait – well worth biding my time.
The Shadow Palace takes Rory, Longinus and crew to a place full of danger, mystery, dark passages, mysterious inhabitants and secrets. The mission, to find out which allies are loyal to Damsport and which allies have turned, has taken the crew to the Airnian Shadow Palace. A place that is just as hard to get out of as it is to get into.
Their one “ally” is Simeon. He is the abdicated prince who wastes his life on gambling and other sordid activities. But for some reason, he has taken an interest in the “southerners”. He is not to be trusted. Rory knows it. Rafe knows it. They all know it. Simeon freely admits he withholds the truth. The very odd alliance constantly evolves and at any one point, you do not know where it will end up – until the end of the book. I will venture that Simeon is much more than he seems.
Longinus and Rafe are the characters whose past will rise to haunt them. We already know something about the family of Longinus. Rafe’s family history has only been touched on briefly. Both will deal with their past in one way or another, good or bad, giving even more depth to both of these characters.
The whole gang is constantly in some kind of danger. Any minute their cover might be blown. The White Hornet is after them, for some unknown reason. They are constantly slinking about the hallways, basements, and dark passages, looking for information and a way out. The constant peril makes the story seem much darker than previous books in the series. I even began to long for a simpler time when it troubles were minor (in comparison) and it was just Rory and Longinus.
But if that were true, I suspect there would be fewer stories to tell. More stories is better!

Thanks to the author who provided a copy of her book in exchange for my honest review.

This instalment maintains the heart, humour and adventure of earlier books, continuing the fabulous world building and character growth of the series. In short, it's another wonderful piece of pure entertainment that's simply fun to read.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book picks up where the previous book (The-White-Hornet) left off and completes the adventur...
This instalment maintains the heart, humour and adventure of earlier books, continuing the fabulous world building and character growth of the series. In short, it's another wonderful piece of pure entertainment that's simply fun to read.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This instalment maintains the heart, humour and adventure of earlier books, continuing the fabulous world building and character growth of the series. In short, it's another wonderful piece of pure entertainment that's simply fun to read.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Shadow Palace picks up were the last book, The White Hornet left off. The crew is in the Shadow Palace, and now they have to try and find a way to get the information they need to help their country and get out of the palace with their lives.

I could not put this book down and fell in love again with the characters in this book series. I love the humor the author brings into intense situations.

I highly recommend this book and if you haven't read this series yet, go back to book 1 and enjoy the reading!

I received an ARC copy of this book. This did not change my opinions on the book!

Ever since reading the first book, the-bloodless-assassin, I have been caught up in the crazy, fa...
The-Shadow-Palace picks up were the last book, The-White-Hornet left off. The crew is in The-Shadow-Palace, and now they have to try and find a way to get the information they need to help their country and get out of the palace with their lives.

I could not put this book down and fell in love again with the characters in this book series. I love the humor the author brings into intense situations.

I highly recommend this book and if you haven't read this series yet, go back to book 1 and enjoy the reading!

I received an ARC copy of this book. This did not change my opinions on the book!

The-Shadow-Palace picks up were the last book, The-White-Hornet left off. The crew is in The-Shadow-Palace, and now they have to try and find a way to get the information they need to help their country and get out of the palace with their lives.

I could not put this book down and fell in love again with the characters in this book series. I love the humor the author brings into intense situations.

I highly recommend this book and if you haven't read this series yet, go back to book 1 and enjoy the reading!

I received an ARC copy of this book. This did not change my opinions on the book!