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Gaslight Chronicles #6
Ashes & Alchemy
A Gaslight Chronicles novellaLondon, 1860Police inspector Sebastian Brown served Queen and country in India before returning to England to investigate supernatural crimes alongside the Order of the Round Table. If his wifeless, childless life feels a little empty sometimes, that's not too great a price to pay in the name of duty.Minerva Shaw is desperately seeking a doctor when she mistakenly lands on Sebastian's doorstep. Her daughter Ivy has fallen gravely ill with a mysterious illness-the same illness, it seems, that's responsible for taking the lives of many of Ivy's classmates.Seb sniffs a case, and taking in Minnie and Ivy seems the only way to protect them while he solves it. But as mother and daughter work their way into his heart and Seb uses every magickal and technological resource he can muster to uncover the source of the deadly plague, it's he who will need protecting-from emotions he'd thought buried long ago.30,000 words
82 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
20 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
About the author
Cindy Spencer Pape
84 books252 followersCindy Spencer Pape has been, among other things, a banker, a teacher, and an elected politician, though she swears she got better. She volunteers in environmental education, when she can fit it in around writing. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two teenage sons, a dog, a lizard, and various other small creatures, all of which are easier to clean up after than the three male humans.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 14, 2014
1.5
It tells a lot about a story when the highlight is the appearance of previous characters (Wink and Liam), but even they couldn't make it better.
Trying to find a doctor, Minerva Shaw accidentally ends up at the wrong house and meets Sebastian Brown. They realize there is something different about her kid and they 'solve' a crime. That is all there is unless you count just how unlikeable Minerva is. Read the blurb and you won't miss a single thing.
If the victims hadn't been poor children, the villain would have been ridiculously funny.
I read everything. I like reading romance, but it has to have either great story, great characters or both. This one just wasn't for me, so it gets did not like it rating.
It tells a lot about a story when the highlight is the appearance of previous characters (Wink and Liam), but even they couldn't make it better.
Trying to find a doctor, Minerva Shaw accidentally ends up at the wrong house and meets Sebastian Brown. They realize there is something different about her kid and they 'solve' a crime. That is all there is unless you count just how unlikeable Minerva is. Read the blurb and you won't miss a single thing.
If the victims hadn't been poor children, the villain would have been ridiculously funny.
I read everything. I like reading romance, but it has to have either great story, great characters or both. This one just wasn't for me, so it gets did not like it rating.
February 16, 2014
Either the novella format of this story or the author's scant interest in a deeper story make this shorter fiction entry in the Gaslight Chronicles problematic. Problematic because we barely get a hint of the characters before the story is wrapped up in a neat bow and ended. Given my penchant for longer fiction, I think its more the novella format that lessens the story so if you like shorter fiction, this Victorian steampunk magical romance may be more appealing, as Pape packs a lot into the short fiction and it does seem to hit some magical and steampunk high notes.
Minerva Shaw's daughter Ivy is deathly sick. Shaw braves the sooty London streets without her breathing mask to hunt for a real doctor to treat her girl. But she ends up at the door of Sebastian Brown, a police inspector, who takes pity on the woman and goes to pick up the sick child. Instead they find a murdered friend and a girl covered with soot.
Brown takes Minnie Shaw and Ivy into his home while investigating the murder of the friend and how Ivy got covered with soot. Soon enough romance is afoot between Brown and Shaw.
The mystery of what happened to Ivy seems to involved odd magical experiments at the school she attends. Can the children have been guinea pigs? Some of the kids are dead. How is it that Ivy has survived? It may have something to do with her parentage. Who is her father?
It seems as if Pape cannot help herself by packing the book full of interesting nuggets, which could have been better developed in a book twice as long. Romance, mystery and murder all set in a fully developed victorian steampunk universe.
It seems to short to fit all of the pieces in. I received this novella from Netgalley. Its the sixth entry in the Gaslight Chronicles, and although well written seems to be the wrong place to start.
Minerva Shaw's daughter Ivy is deathly sick. Shaw braves the sooty London streets without her breathing mask to hunt for a real doctor to treat her girl. But she ends up at the door of Sebastian Brown, a police inspector, who takes pity on the woman and goes to pick up the sick child. Instead they find a murdered friend and a girl covered with soot.
Brown takes Minnie Shaw and Ivy into his home while investigating the murder of the friend and how Ivy got covered with soot. Soon enough romance is afoot between Brown and Shaw.
The mystery of what happened to Ivy seems to involved odd magical experiments at the school she attends. Can the children have been guinea pigs? Some of the kids are dead. How is it that Ivy has survived? It may have something to do with her parentage. Who is her father?
It seems as if Pape cannot help herself by packing the book full of interesting nuggets, which could have been better developed in a book twice as long. Romance, mystery and murder all set in a fully developed victorian steampunk universe.
It seems to short to fit all of the pieces in. I received this novella from Netgalley. Its the sixth entry in the Gaslight Chronicles, and although well written seems to be the wrong place to start.
November 25, 2025
Ashes & Alchemy is a wonderfully endearing novella length addition to the Gaslight Chronicles,
Cindy Spencer Pape gives us this delightful paranormal based romance that is touching but still holds the dark mystery we've come to enjoy. In the midst of murder, mad experiments and a devastating plague, the characters find home, family and love to last a lifetime. You can't help but be sucked in by Minnie and Ivy and I have to say that the hero, Inspector Sebastian Brown is quite enchanting as well.
Many novellas seemed rushed, NOT the case with this book. Pape packs a punch while leaving you wanting more with this masterfully written story. I was emotionally invested in the characters and their dark journey. I especially love how she ties the past Gaslight players into this plot. Don't miss this fabulously quick and highly entertaining read.
I received this ARC copy of Ashes & Alchemy from Carina Press in exchange for a honest review. This book will be published on January 6, 2014.
Cindy Spencer Pape gives us this delightful paranormal based romance that is touching but still holds the dark mystery we've come to enjoy. In the midst of murder, mad experiments and a devastating plague, the characters find home, family and love to last a lifetime. You can't help but be sucked in by Minnie and Ivy and I have to say that the hero, Inspector Sebastian Brown is quite enchanting as well.
Many novellas seemed rushed, NOT the case with this book. Pape packs a punch while leaving you wanting more with this masterfully written story. I was emotionally invested in the characters and their dark journey. I especially love how she ties the past Gaslight players into this plot. Don't miss this fabulously quick and highly entertaining read.
I received this ARC copy of Ashes & Alchemy from Carina Press in exchange for a honest review. This book will be published on January 6, 2014.
January 20, 2014
Originally published at Reading Reality
Cindy Spencer Pape’s Gaslight Chronicles are a delicious alchemical mixture of steampunk and sorcery, and I’m not just saying that because it echoes the title of the first book in the series (Steam & Sorcery).
If you love steampunk, read this series from the very beginning. The worldbuilding just gets better and more detailed as the series goes on, and the stories are always just plain fun! What makes the series shine is the author’s invention of an alternate Victorian age where Charles Babbage’s analytical engine was actually invented, as opposed to merely theoretical, in the 1830s, and Ada Lovelace was the first coder. Computers in the 1830s and 1840s changed history, bringing the analytical sciences to bear on the age of steam.
And, since Ada Lovelace was the first computer programmer, women attend university in this alternate era.
But alongside these scientific developments, vampires and werewolves walk, or stalk among the populace. Werewolves are mostly the good guys, but vampires are rotting corpses that feed on anyone they catch. To fight them, and other supernatural creatures, the Order of the Knights of the Round Table has continued into the “modern” era. They fight the supernatural with magic.
Magic and science coexist to make fantastic stories.
In Ashes & Alchemy we see something that hasn’t previously been dealt with much in the Gaslight Chronicles world--what about the people who are part of the families but don’t have the gift?
Sebastian Brown knows all about the Order because his father is a Knight. He has a smidgen of the talent, but not enough to qualify for the Order himself. He still serves Queen and Country--Seb is a Police Inspector, and his talent is a handy one--he can sense when someone is telling the truth.
Minerva Shaw spends nearly her last strength dropping against his door late one night, mistaking his house for the doctor next door. It’s fortuitous for them both. Her daughter is burning up with fever in the tenement they share, and his neighbor is a doctor known for his willingness to make house calls in chancy neighborhoods.
But the doctor is overwhelmed by patients from an accident, and Seb volunteers to bring the child to his own house. This is where the case deepens from a simple act of charity into another fiendishly clever plot like the one in Moonlight & Mechanicals, although this time the motives are closer to hearth and home.
When Seb takes in Minerva and her daughter Ivy, he finds that the presence of this little family in his formerly empty house awakens feelings that he thought he buried in India along with his own wife and child.
But he knows that Minerva has secrets chasing after her that she is afraid to reveal. And the doctor discovers that Ivy’s illness has a far from natural origin; an origin so unnatural that it requires investigation by the Order.
Escape Rating B+: Steampunk, magic and the Knights of the Round Table are still an irresistible combination. But it is terrific to see this story explore what happens with someone who is not a Knight. Just because your family has magic powers does not mean that your parents are any better at the job. Seb’s father is a piece of work. Still.
Seb using the case as an excuse to keep Minerva and Ivy around is such a classic excuse for him to disturb his empty household for a reason. It works excellently! He can keep pretending that he’s only taking care of them during the investigation, and Minerva can pretend that she doesn’t actually want to stay.
Minerva’s past, particularly her relationship with her daughter Ivy, is extremely touching. She puts Ivy first, always, even at her own expense. She’s aware that she’s doing it but has decided that it is worth the cost to herself.
It was great to see the rest of the gang. Wink and Liam in particular, the couple from Moonlight & Mechanicals, are very necessary side characters in this one.
Ashes & Alchemy is a marvelous love story that continues a theme throughout this series, about the importance of the family-you-make. And it has a terrifically convoluted scientific steampunk plot and a sparking hot romance, too!
Cindy Spencer Pape’s Gaslight Chronicles are a delicious alchemical mixture of steampunk and sorcery, and I’m not just saying that because it echoes the title of the first book in the series (Steam & Sorcery).
If you love steampunk, read this series from the very beginning. The worldbuilding just gets better and more detailed as the series goes on, and the stories are always just plain fun! What makes the series shine is the author’s invention of an alternate Victorian age where Charles Babbage’s analytical engine was actually invented, as opposed to merely theoretical, in the 1830s, and Ada Lovelace was the first coder. Computers in the 1830s and 1840s changed history, bringing the analytical sciences to bear on the age of steam.
And, since Ada Lovelace was the first computer programmer, women attend university in this alternate era.
But alongside these scientific developments, vampires and werewolves walk, or stalk among the populace. Werewolves are mostly the good guys, but vampires are rotting corpses that feed on anyone they catch. To fight them, and other supernatural creatures, the Order of the Knights of the Round Table has continued into the “modern” era. They fight the supernatural with magic.
Magic and science coexist to make fantastic stories.
In Ashes & Alchemy we see something that hasn’t previously been dealt with much in the Gaslight Chronicles world--what about the people who are part of the families but don’t have the gift?
Sebastian Brown knows all about the Order because his father is a Knight. He has a smidgen of the talent, but not enough to qualify for the Order himself. He still serves Queen and Country--Seb is a Police Inspector, and his talent is a handy one--he can sense when someone is telling the truth.
Minerva Shaw spends nearly her last strength dropping against his door late one night, mistaking his house for the doctor next door. It’s fortuitous for them both. Her daughter is burning up with fever in the tenement they share, and his neighbor is a doctor known for his willingness to make house calls in chancy neighborhoods.
But the doctor is overwhelmed by patients from an accident, and Seb volunteers to bring the child to his own house. This is where the case deepens from a simple act of charity into another fiendishly clever plot like the one in Moonlight & Mechanicals, although this time the motives are closer to hearth and home.
When Seb takes in Minerva and her daughter Ivy, he finds that the presence of this little family in his formerly empty house awakens feelings that he thought he buried in India along with his own wife and child.
But he knows that Minerva has secrets chasing after her that she is afraid to reveal. And the doctor discovers that Ivy’s illness has a far from natural origin; an origin so unnatural that it requires investigation by the Order.
Escape Rating B+: Steampunk, magic and the Knights of the Round Table are still an irresistible combination. But it is terrific to see this story explore what happens with someone who is not a Knight. Just because your family has magic powers does not mean that your parents are any better at the job. Seb’s father is a piece of work. Still.
Seb using the case as an excuse to keep Minerva and Ivy around is such a classic excuse for him to disturb his empty household for a reason. It works excellently! He can keep pretending that he’s only taking care of them during the investigation, and Minerva can pretend that she doesn’t actually want to stay.
Minerva’s past, particularly her relationship with her daughter Ivy, is extremely touching. She puts Ivy first, always, even at her own expense. She’s aware that she’s doing it but has decided that it is worth the cost to herself.
It was great to see the rest of the gang. Wink and Liam in particular, the couple from Moonlight & Mechanicals, are very necessary side characters in this one.
Ashes & Alchemy is a marvelous love story that continues a theme throughout this series, about the importance of the family-you-make. And it has a terrifically convoluted scientific steampunk plot and a sparking hot romance, too!
January 26, 2025
Desperate Minnie Shaw searches for a doctor to visit her extremely sick 4 year old daughter. After being turned away by two she reaches the wrong house and meet Inspector Sebastian Brown. He takes her next door to Dr Grant, who is too busy to leave but will see the child if she can be brought there. The inspector goes with Minnie to get the child. They find the woman watching Ivy murdered and Ivy hiding in a secret hole in the wall. The child is returned to the doctor and Seb starts an investigation. Minnie and Ivy end up staying with Seb while this is going on. A short novella but very complete and doesn’t feel rushed. Nice addition to the series.
November 15, 2017
I love this series, and I can't believe I managed to miss one during my great read through a couple years ago. This one was a bit of a slow starter because it doesn't immediately immerse you into the Hadrian family you know and love from the rest of the series. But fear not, they do make an appearance once the story gets rolling. Gotta love my Wink!
July 13, 2018
The only complaint I have for the author is that I am just really getting to know the characters when the story abruptly ends. All of the stories in this series have been fun and I have enjoyed them. I would just like to enjoy them a little bit more.
July 21, 2019
Rushed
Totally too rushed & not thought out. I had hoped this series would get better, but unfortunately, the author is just throwing books out there with little to no thought in them. Disappointed.
Totally too rushed & not thought out. I had hoped this series would get better, but unfortunately, the author is just throwing books out there with little to no thought in them. Disappointed.
April 25, 2020
Totally enjoyable story with a great adventure. Minerva knocks on the wrong door when looking for a Doctor for her sick daughter. What ensues is a great novella full of romance, intrigue, and great fun. Highly recommended.
October 18, 2018
3.5 stars
May 21, 2020
The books in this series are all fun, easy, quick reads. However, they're also saccharinely sweet and could use better editing as there are quite a few distracting typos in each book.
January 14, 2021
A bit simplistic and more tell than show. The insta-romance is altogether unbelievable. No real resolution to the mystery; the villain just confesses and is killed.
July 31, 2021
Seemed a little rushed.
October 30, 2019
Pape brings HEA to sooty steampunk London. Everyone has darkness in their backgrounds, making them stronger and more deserving of present good fortune.
In just one day, Minnie 34 and Sebastian 44ish fall in love. His circle of friends grow with the books added to the series. Kids, especially...
In just one day, Minnie 34 and Sebastian 44ish fall in love. His circle of friends grow with the books added to the series. Kids, especially...
January 18, 2014
Reseña de Torre de Babel http://torretadebabel.blogspot.com
¿Os he dicho alguna vez lo maravillosamente adictivo que me parece el género steampunk? Mi primer sorbo este año viene de las letras de Cindy Spencer Pape. Me he aficionado a los relatos cortos llamados novellas que sirven de acompañamiento a libros, desarrollando anécdotas o historias complementarias. ASHES & ALCHEMY resulta una iniciación perfecta en el mundo creado por la autora. La saga de Crónicas de luz de gas -Gaslight Chronicles- consiste en seis novelas que cuentan las aventuras de diversos personajes en Gran Bretaña en el siglo XVIII. Nobles y plebeyos se codean con vampiros, máquinas de vapor, magia, criaturas sobrenaturales y conspiraciones criminales, todo ello en un entorno de tecnología steampunk y el sempiterno broche dorado del romance clásico.
He empezado por el final, la sexta novela, pero así es cómo se descubren las cosas, de repente y a lo loco. En cualquier caso, es justo mi género. Ashes & Alchemy (cenizas y alquimia) empieza con una mujer arrastrándose por las peligrosas calles de Londres en la noche, desafiando el crudo frío y sin portar la máscara protectora de los nocivos gases. Tiene que encontrar un médico a toda costa o su hija pequeña morirá. A punto de desmayarse, logra llegar a su destino. Quien abre la puerta, sin embargo, no es un doctor, pero será el héroe que necesita. El inspector de policía Sebastian Brown toma las riendas del problema. Justo a tiempo de salvar a la pequeña, aunque descubre un asesinato que pondrá su mente inquisitiva a trabajar y le alejará de terribles recuerdos del pasado. Poco a poco, mientras madre e hija recuperan la salud en su casa, el inspector se embarca en una investigación criminal con implicaciones que salpican a la población de Londres.
Ha sido una lectura de lo más interesante. Combina elementos sumamente atractivos para mí ya que tiene la ambientación clásica de novelas del siglo XVIII, con sus ademanes, códigos de conducta, vestimenta, arquitectura, al tiempo que los adereza con tecnología steampunk como carromatos de vapor y lavadoras. La trama se estructura en torno a una investigación criminal que sirve de acicate para la historia personal de los protagonistas. El inspector es un hombre de honor, pero brusco y mandón, mientras que Minerva Shaw ha vivido duramente por un error de juventud. Se compenetran desde el inicio, aunque sus circunstancias evitan que se lancen al impulso sin pensar. Me ha gustado mucho el romance, es serio y dulce. Con un estilo sobrio y eficiente, la autora ha creado un misterio con ciencia y crimen de por medio, al que se unen a investigar los personajes de las entregas anteriores. Por eso salen a relucir indicios de aquellas aventuras y los pilares de esta saga como son los seres con poderes paranormales (detección de mentiras), la Orden de la Tabla Redonda, y la vida en este Londres sobrenatural.
Se nota que la autora ha recreado una especie de saga familiar con aventuras sobre cada personaje que va desarrollando en cada novela. Le confiere una sensación de unidad y continuidad que me apetece un montón.
¿Os he dicho alguna vez lo maravillosamente adictivo que me parece el género steampunk? Mi primer sorbo este año viene de las letras de Cindy Spencer Pape. Me he aficionado a los relatos cortos llamados novellas que sirven de acompañamiento a libros, desarrollando anécdotas o historias complementarias. ASHES & ALCHEMY resulta una iniciación perfecta en el mundo creado por la autora. La saga de Crónicas de luz de gas -Gaslight Chronicles- consiste en seis novelas que cuentan las aventuras de diversos personajes en Gran Bretaña en el siglo XVIII. Nobles y plebeyos se codean con vampiros, máquinas de vapor, magia, criaturas sobrenaturales y conspiraciones criminales, todo ello en un entorno de tecnología steampunk y el sempiterno broche dorado del romance clásico.
He empezado por el final, la sexta novela, pero así es cómo se descubren las cosas, de repente y a lo loco. En cualquier caso, es justo mi género. Ashes & Alchemy (cenizas y alquimia) empieza con una mujer arrastrándose por las peligrosas calles de Londres en la noche, desafiando el crudo frío y sin portar la máscara protectora de los nocivos gases. Tiene que encontrar un médico a toda costa o su hija pequeña morirá. A punto de desmayarse, logra llegar a su destino. Quien abre la puerta, sin embargo, no es un doctor, pero será el héroe que necesita. El inspector de policía Sebastian Brown toma las riendas del problema. Justo a tiempo de salvar a la pequeña, aunque descubre un asesinato que pondrá su mente inquisitiva a trabajar y le alejará de terribles recuerdos del pasado. Poco a poco, mientras madre e hija recuperan la salud en su casa, el inspector se embarca en una investigación criminal con implicaciones que salpican a la población de Londres.
Ha sido una lectura de lo más interesante. Combina elementos sumamente atractivos para mí ya que tiene la ambientación clásica de novelas del siglo XVIII, con sus ademanes, códigos de conducta, vestimenta, arquitectura, al tiempo que los adereza con tecnología steampunk como carromatos de vapor y lavadoras. La trama se estructura en torno a una investigación criminal que sirve de acicate para la historia personal de los protagonistas. El inspector es un hombre de honor, pero brusco y mandón, mientras que Minerva Shaw ha vivido duramente por un error de juventud. Se compenetran desde el inicio, aunque sus circunstancias evitan que se lancen al impulso sin pensar. Me ha gustado mucho el romance, es serio y dulce. Con un estilo sobrio y eficiente, la autora ha creado un misterio con ciencia y crimen de por medio, al que se unen a investigar los personajes de las entregas anteriores. Por eso salen a relucir indicios de aquellas aventuras y los pilares de esta saga como son los seres con poderes paranormales (detección de mentiras), la Orden de la Tabla Redonda, y la vida en este Londres sobrenatural.
Se nota que la autora ha recreado una especie de saga familiar con aventuras sobre cada personaje que va desarrollando en cada novela. Le confiere una sensación de unidad y continuidad que me apetece un montón.
April 24, 2014
Minerva Shaw is forced to race into the London night in desperation to find a doctor for her ill daughter Ivy. Though her clothing is soaked through and she worries about how she will pay the doctor, Minerva knows that she cannot stop. When in desperation, she passes out briefly at the door of Sebastian Brown, she has know idea that this faithful meeting is going to change her life forever. Minerva and Sebastian quickly discover that Ivy, along with the other children who have gotten ill, have been the victims of scientific experimentation. As Minerva and Sebastian two race to find the culprit, they find their own hearts racing as well.
Ashes & Alchemy is only 80 pages and therefore is a novella. Unfortunately, this means a very rushed romance. Sebastian and Minerva actually know each other for about 24 hours when they decide that what they feel for each other is love. Sebastian proposes within 48 hours and they are married within three weeks. That much time isn't even long enough to decide that one is in lust, let alone love. They know absolutely nothing about each other and yet Sebastian is quick to share that he is a member of a super secret society, putting not only his life but the lives of his family and friends at risk. Not to worry though, Minerva promises not to tell, honest.
The problem with the brevity of this story is that Pape based it on new characters with a few familiar ones popping by for a cameo, leaving the reader with very little familiarity with the main characters. The mystery is over before it even really begins and they don't really investigate but follow a lucky turn of phrase uttered by a young girl. The so-called mystery is a ruse for the ridiculous love affair.
To Pape's credit, Minerva has a strongly independent streak. When Sebastian tries to encourage her to stay behind when they go after the villain, she is determined to be included. She is a survivor of an attempted rape and even killed her would be rapist. Given his history in the military, Sebastian is authoritarian in nature but he does not get away with that when it comes to Minerva; she is his match and more. At least in the sense of class however, Sebastian does become her savior, because when they first meet, Minerva's flat is a crime scene and she is unemployed as a consequence of staying home to care for her daughter. A life with Sebastian elevates Minerva's class status significantly. In this way, the HAE is constructed to turn her into a fairy tale princess through the wiping away of all of her deprivations.
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Ashes & Alchemy is only 80 pages and therefore is a novella. Unfortunately, this means a very rushed romance. Sebastian and Minerva actually know each other for about 24 hours when they decide that what they feel for each other is love. Sebastian proposes within 48 hours and they are married within three weeks. That much time isn't even long enough to decide that one is in lust, let alone love. They know absolutely nothing about each other and yet Sebastian is quick to share that he is a member of a super secret society, putting not only his life but the lives of his family and friends at risk. Not to worry though, Minerva promises not to tell, honest.
The problem with the brevity of this story is that Pape based it on new characters with a few familiar ones popping by for a cameo, leaving the reader with very little familiarity with the main characters. The mystery is over before it even really begins and they don't really investigate but follow a lucky turn of phrase uttered by a young girl. The so-called mystery is a ruse for the ridiculous love affair.
To Pape's credit, Minerva has a strongly independent streak. When Sebastian tries to encourage her to stay behind when they go after the villain, she is determined to be included. She is a survivor of an attempted rape and even killed her would be rapist. Given his history in the military, Sebastian is authoritarian in nature but he does not get away with that when it comes to Minerva; she is his match and more. At least in the sense of class however, Sebastian does become her savior, because when they first meet, Minerva's flat is a crime scene and she is unemployed as a consequence of staying home to care for her daughter. A life with Sebastian elevates Minerva's class status significantly. In this way, the HAE is constructed to turn her into a fairy tale princess through the wiping away of all of her deprivations.
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January 5, 2014
I was a bit surprised at the pairing in Ashes & Alchemy. From Cards & Caravans. I thought another pair was getting ready to take the spotlight, but instead of another of the Hadran's now grown adopted kids, instead family friend Inspector Sebastian Brown plays knight in shining armor to Minnie Shaw when Minnie is in a bad way while braving the bitter cold searching for a doctor for her sick daughter Ivy.
Even though this was not the pair I was hoping for, I still enjoyed this short steampunky romances. I did wish at the end, as I have with many of the other books, that the story had been longer. Everything in the set up for this, the leading characters and the background mystery too, was good and most definitely could have been expanded to a longer story - especially since the 'I love yous' come fast and the mystery is resolved quickly as well - and I really would have loved more.
Still, I knew coming in that would be the case, so I still enjoyed this episode in Pape's Gaslight Chronicles and especially enjoyed the brief cameos from past leads and am looking forward to more stories - with hopefully more of the Hadran's 'kids' in the spotlight.
ARC via NetGalley - release date 1/6/14
The Gaslight Chronicles:
Even though this was not the pair I was hoping for, I still enjoyed this short steampunky romances. I did wish at the end, as I have with many of the other books, that the story had been longer. Everything in the set up for this, the leading characters and the background mystery too, was good and most definitely could have been expanded to a longer story - especially since the 'I love yous' come fast and the mystery is resolved quickly as well - and I really would have loved more.
Still, I knew coming in that would be the case, so I still enjoyed this episode in Pape's Gaslight Chronicles and especially enjoyed the brief cameos from past leads and am looking forward to more stories - with hopefully more of the Hadran's 'kids' in the spotlight.
ARC via NetGalley - release date 1/6/14
The Gaslight Chronicles:
May 23, 2015
‘Ashes and Alchemy’ was an advance reader copy I was given and being a lover of historic fantasy, especially steampunk, I jumped at the chance to read this novella. It opens with Minerva Shaw struggling through a toxic London fog, searching desperately for a doctor. Instead she collapses on the doorstep of the intimidating Sebastian Brown, Police detective and her stoic saviour. (For some reason I do like a coupling of two strong willed leads). He aids Minnie who is searching for the decent Dr Grant (Brown’s neighbour) as her daughter, Ivy, is suffering from a deadly fever. Minnie and Sebastian return to her lodging to find that her friend and neighbour Jane has been murdered and the rooms turned up. Luckily, little Ivy was hiding behind the washstand.
Minnie and Ivy stay in Sebastian’s home while they are seen by the doctor and Sebastian investigates the murder of Jane and why Ivy was targeted. Whilst under “Police” custody, Minnie and Sebastian quickly develop feelings for each other, but the attraction is pushed aside amid the murder investigation and Ivy’s miraculous recovery. Their romance slowly burns as they have developed fears from past lovers, but their steady comfort to each other’s nightmares leads to a more revealing affection.
The supernatural elements in the series were barely hinted at due to neither leads having any powers, but did not seem out of place in the world constructed. (Finding out that it was the sixth installment in series made a lot more sense to the surrounding characters and their powers.) The same can be said for the steam machinery that was in the domestic and transport sectors(mainly), it did not have lengthy explanation but readily associated to modern technology.
Some of the revelations in this book happened at such a speed that it almost seemed out of sync with the rest of the narrative, and I can see that it was due to a larger narrative being compressed into the novella form. The revelations did not detract from my enjoyment of the other all narrative, just made it awkward and predictable. Regardless, ‘Ashes and Alchemy’ is a great quick read for anyone in need of a bit a steampunk romance, but keep in mind that it is a novella.
Minnie and Ivy stay in Sebastian’s home while they are seen by the doctor and Sebastian investigates the murder of Jane and why Ivy was targeted. Whilst under “Police” custody, Minnie and Sebastian quickly develop feelings for each other, but the attraction is pushed aside amid the murder investigation and Ivy’s miraculous recovery. Their romance slowly burns as they have developed fears from past lovers, but their steady comfort to each other’s nightmares leads to a more revealing affection.
The supernatural elements in the series were barely hinted at due to neither leads having any powers, but did not seem out of place in the world constructed. (Finding out that it was the sixth installment in series made a lot more sense to the surrounding characters and their powers.) The same can be said for the steam machinery that was in the domestic and transport sectors(mainly), it did not have lengthy explanation but readily associated to modern technology.
Some of the revelations in this book happened at such a speed that it almost seemed out of sync with the rest of the narrative, and I can see that it was due to a larger narrative being compressed into the novella form. The revelations did not detract from my enjoyment of the other all narrative, just made it awkward and predictable. Regardless, ‘Ashes and Alchemy’ is a great quick read for anyone in need of a bit a steampunk romance, but keep in mind that it is a novella.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2016
Ashes & Alchemy is the sixth addition to The Gaslight Chronicles. This one is a novella, and I have to admit that I was a little disappointed that we moved away from the central characters of the series for this one. I've really come to love those characters and the cameo appearance of some simply whetted my appetite for the next book rather than engross me in the current one I was reading.
So far, I have really enjoyed The Gaslight Chronicles. I love steampunk and I really like how magic has been incorporated into this world. For some reason I just wasn’t enthused with Ashes & Alchemy. We were back to the same world; we had a little bit of a mystery, and a budding romance. But in the end I was left feeling that there was something lacking in this novella.
The hero and heroine, investigator Sebastian Brown and Minerva Shaw seemed to be a little bit of a departure from the characters that I’ve come to love in the previous books. They were older than the leads in the previous books, and I think this may have had something to do with my disconnect with the short work. I went in expecting a straight romance with some intrigue; however, both Seb and Minerva have far more important responsibilities on their minds than dealing with their attraction and those responsibilities were the focus here. I liked the fact that this was realistically played out, but I can help but wish romance had played a bigger role in the plot.
Overall, I thought the novella was okay and I like the direction that the series is going. I will, however, be anticipating the next book in the series, and I do hope that it will return to the orphans that Merrick and Caroline adopted in book one. The hints that have been dropped throughout subsequent books about each of the “siblings” makes it clear that each is going to (hopefully) get their own unique story.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
So far, I have really enjoyed The Gaslight Chronicles. I love steampunk and I really like how magic has been incorporated into this world. For some reason I just wasn’t enthused with Ashes & Alchemy. We were back to the same world; we had a little bit of a mystery, and a budding romance. But in the end I was left feeling that there was something lacking in this novella.
The hero and heroine, investigator Sebastian Brown and Minerva Shaw seemed to be a little bit of a departure from the characters that I’ve come to love in the previous books. They were older than the leads in the previous books, and I think this may have had something to do with my disconnect with the short work. I went in expecting a straight romance with some intrigue; however, both Seb and Minerva have far more important responsibilities on their minds than dealing with their attraction and those responsibilities were the focus here. I liked the fact that this was realistically played out, but I can help but wish romance had played a bigger role in the plot.
Overall, I thought the novella was okay and I like the direction that the series is going. I will, however, be anticipating the next book in the series, and I do hope that it will return to the orphans that Merrick and Caroline adopted in book one. The hints that have been dropped throughout subsequent books about each of the “siblings” makes it clear that each is going to (hopefully) get their own unique story.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
January 6, 2014
Nefarious doings!
London, 1850.
Residents must wear masks to protect themselves from the coal smoke that hangs heavily in the air. A product of the devotion to all things steam.
It is a cold and bitter night. Police Inspector Sebastian Brown is disturbed by a woman collapsing on his door step. Searching for a doctor who lives near to Sebastian, she has crossed London without a mask, 'tantamount to a death sentence,' braving the frost and fog, and the possibility of vampyres or cutthroats.'
Her daughter is deathly ill. Sebastian accompanies the woman, Minerva (Minnie) Shaw, to fetch her daughter, Ivy.
What they find is a murdered friend, a room indicating chaotic search, and a missing sick child.
Murders and a mysterious illness that has the patient sweating a black soot are just the beginning.
The black soot residue appears to be a bacteria capable of taking soot out of the body. In this London those who can, wear masks to prevent sure death. Children are being experimented on in the name of science!
Liam takes an interest and calls in his wife Wink, 'a scientific genius', to use her expertise.
It becomes clear that this, in more ways than one, is a case for the Knights of the Order (of the Round Table) to investigate.
Sebastian has some power. For one, he can tell when people are lying. A useful talent in his profession. He takes Minerva and her daughter Ivy into his home and heart. It seems that Ivy is more than most would guess.
A delightful novella that highlights a secondary character in the series. A worthy addition to Gaslight Chronicles.
A NetGalley ARC
London, 1850.
Residents must wear masks to protect themselves from the coal smoke that hangs heavily in the air. A product of the devotion to all things steam.
It is a cold and bitter night. Police Inspector Sebastian Brown is disturbed by a woman collapsing on his door step. Searching for a doctor who lives near to Sebastian, she has crossed London without a mask, 'tantamount to a death sentence,' braving the frost and fog, and the possibility of vampyres or cutthroats.'
Her daughter is deathly ill. Sebastian accompanies the woman, Minerva (Minnie) Shaw, to fetch her daughter, Ivy.
What they find is a murdered friend, a room indicating chaotic search, and a missing sick child.
Murders and a mysterious illness that has the patient sweating a black soot are just the beginning.
The black soot residue appears to be a bacteria capable of taking soot out of the body. In this London those who can, wear masks to prevent sure death. Children are being experimented on in the name of science!
Liam takes an interest and calls in his wife Wink, 'a scientific genius', to use her expertise.
It becomes clear that this, in more ways than one, is a case for the Knights of the Order (of the Round Table) to investigate.
Sebastian has some power. For one, he can tell when people are lying. A useful talent in his profession. He takes Minerva and her daughter Ivy into his home and heart. It seems that Ivy is more than most would guess.
A delightful novella that highlights a secondary character in the series. A worthy addition to Gaslight Chronicles.
A NetGalley ARC
March 4, 2014
Sebastian Brown served his country in India before returning home to England to serve as an Inspector investigating strange, paranormal cases for the Order of the Round Table. If his home life seems a little lonely with just himself living in his large house, well, he can always work more hours. Then Minerva collapses on his doorstep and nothing will ever be the same again.
In The Gaslight Chronicles by Cindy Spencer Pape, Minerva Shaw is braving the elements in a smokey, coal cloud filled night in desperate search of a doctor willing to visit her sick daughter but she is struggling to find one willing to visit her poor apartment. Desperate she is trying to find the one doctor she heard will visit the poor when she mistakenly finds herself on the doorstep of Sebastian. Can this kind lonely be really what he seems or is she just going to get hurt again.
The Gaslight Chronicles by Cindy Spencer Pape is a great bridge series, with paranormal and historical elements it is a great beginning series for those who are interested in dipping their toes into the steampunk genre. Ashes & Alchemy is the sixth book in the Gaslight Chronicles and is a stand alone novella. However, I do recommend at least reading Moonlight & Mechanicals (you can read my review here) so you have a better idea of who Wink is and her history. Sebastian is a great character who undergoes some big changes with the advent of Minerva into his life but it is Minerva character that makes Ashes & Alchemy such a fun read. My only real problem is that Ashes and Alchemy is too short.
In The Gaslight Chronicles by Cindy Spencer Pape, Minerva Shaw is braving the elements in a smokey, coal cloud filled night in desperate search of a doctor willing to visit her sick daughter but she is struggling to find one willing to visit her poor apartment. Desperate she is trying to find the one doctor she heard will visit the poor when she mistakenly finds herself on the doorstep of Sebastian. Can this kind lonely be really what he seems or is she just going to get hurt again.
The Gaslight Chronicles by Cindy Spencer Pape is a great bridge series, with paranormal and historical elements it is a great beginning series for those who are interested in dipping their toes into the steampunk genre. Ashes & Alchemy is the sixth book in the Gaslight Chronicles and is a stand alone novella. However, I do recommend at least reading Moonlight & Mechanicals (you can read my review here) so you have a better idea of who Wink is and her history. Sebastian is a great character who undergoes some big changes with the advent of Minerva into his life but it is Minerva character that makes Ashes & Alchemy such a fun read. My only real problem is that Ashes and Alchemy is too short.
September 18, 2017
While this series is not fine literature, I enjoy these light steampunk dramas. This one has little action, but does have a mystery and some danger. Fortunately, it doesn't overly rely on shocking twists, but instead is a quieter story. The protagonists are 34 and 40 and have faced difficulty, sadness, and pain in their lives. When they meet and click with each other, it is not insta-love, but it does develop very quickly. That speed didn't bother me, as they spent time with each other and came to appreciate the others' qualities in a natural way. Also, given the era, people weren't expected to spend so much time courting, and they each knew what they wanted and were honest with each other. I also appreciated that they weren't focused on romance when the mystery and danger were lurking. They were willing to prioritize and put life-threatening situations before romance.
I also enjoyed the science () aspect of the plot. It took investigation, conversation, and listening to everyone, including children, to put things together. As much as I liked this quieter book, with its air of mature patience and past suffering, I do think it is very helpful to have read at least the first 2-3 books in the series before this one. While background is given on key characters and the Order, understanding their pasts and the extent of their abilities provides helpful context.
It's been a while since I read one of this series, and I'm surprised I waited so long. Normally I pick them up pretty soon after they are published. Now I have the next to read :-)
I also enjoyed the science () aspect of the plot. It took investigation, conversation, and listening to everyone, including children, to put things together. As much as I liked this quieter book, with its air of mature patience and past suffering, I do think it is very helpful to have read at least the first 2-3 books in the series before this one. While background is given on key characters and the Order, understanding their pasts and the extent of their abilities provides helpful context.
It's been a while since I read one of this series, and I'm surprised I waited so long. Normally I pick them up pretty soon after they are published. Now I have the next to read :-)
April 21, 2016
Why was it so much shorter than the other ones? WHY? *sobs uncontrollably* (I wish you could see how I originally wrote that. Because it was so wrong it was funny. And embarrassing. Which is why I’m not sharing it.)
What I liked:
It’s paranormal steampunk, which is always amazing. (Okay, sometimes it goes tragically wrong, but with Cindy Spencer Pape it’s always amazing). Add to that a heroine with no powers (other than the world’s largest heart) and a hero with absurdly weak powers (aside from being a gentleman) who both have emotional baggage and … well you just have a recipe for an excellent book, right there.
Plus I just adore Ivy. Adorable little kids are like an arrow to the heartbone every single time for me.
Oh, and a mystery that’s left open just enough to leave things open for a sequel. Which I always approve of.
What I didn’t like:
Actually, this isn’t something I care about per say, but the main characters fall in love quickly. Like over the course of a few days. And while I personally would’ve liked this progress to take longer, that’s not because I don’t buy falling in love quickly.
I just wanted more.
And I kept finding myself comparing it to Cards and Caravans (which I liked more) and getting sad because … if only there was more.
(I’m greedy)
Who I’d recommend it to:
Fans of Steampunk
What I liked:
It’s paranormal steampunk, which is always amazing. (Okay, sometimes it goes tragically wrong, but with Cindy Spencer Pape it’s always amazing). Add to that a heroine with no powers (other than the world’s largest heart) and a hero with absurdly weak powers (aside from being a gentleman) who both have emotional baggage and … well you just have a recipe for an excellent book, right there.
Plus I just adore Ivy. Adorable little kids are like an arrow to the heartbone every single time for me.
Oh, and a mystery that’s left open just enough to leave things open for a sequel. Which I always approve of.
What I didn’t like:
Actually, this isn’t something I care about per say, but the main characters fall in love quickly. Like over the course of a few days. And while I personally would’ve liked this progress to take longer, that’s not because I don’t buy falling in love quickly.
I just wanted more.
And I kept finding myself comparing it to Cards and Caravans (which I liked more) and getting sad because … if only there was more.
(I’m greedy)
Who I’d recommend it to:
Fans of Steampunk
December 21, 2013
I love the stories Cindy Spencer Pape has created in the Gaslight Chronicles. Ashes and Alchemy fits right into the flow that started with Steam and Sorcery. There is less of the magickal in this story. Instead there is more of attraction and romance. Inspector Sebastian Brown and Minerva Shaw are a great couple. Minerva does not expect romance and is only concerned with her daughter. Seb feels that he has let down everyone close to him and has walled his heart off. Of course when life throws them together there is a good story in the making.
It was great seeing characters from the previous books. Each plays an important part in Seb and Minerva’s story and each helps move the romance forward. Ashes and Alchemy is a well-planned and interesting story that left me with a nice warm feeling as Seb and Minera got their HEA. Like previous stories there are some loose ends in Ashes and Alchemy that seem to be hooks for future stories in the Gaslight world.
Ashes and Alchemy can stand-alone but I recommend you read the previous books. The stories in the Gaslight Chronicles are all a fun read. Each is novella length making reading the entire series much easier.
I received an ARC of Ashes and Alchemy from Netgalley.
It was great seeing characters from the previous books. Each plays an important part in Seb and Minerva’s story and each helps move the romance forward. Ashes and Alchemy is a well-planned and interesting story that left me with a nice warm feeling as Seb and Minera got their HEA. Like previous stories there are some loose ends in Ashes and Alchemy that seem to be hooks for future stories in the Gaslight world.
Ashes and Alchemy can stand-alone but I recommend you read the previous books. The stories in the Gaslight Chronicles are all a fun read. Each is novella length making reading the entire series much easier.
I received an ARC of Ashes and Alchemy from Netgalley.
November 29, 2024
Sabastian Brown, a former military man that lived in India and more recently a policeman, is now a sort of consultant for th e police and working for an "off the record" group of knights that fight for justice. Suddenly, a young woman named Minera shows up at his door looking for a doctor, who lives next door.
For there, they go on to become personally involved and investigate a group of people who have been conducting espertiments on some young children in a charity school run by a local priest. Minera's daughter had been infected, and the night Minera runs for the doctor, somebody breaks in and kills the girl who is a deep friend and was watching the girl. The girl is found in a hidaway with a strange amount of black soot like stuff on her.
It seems that Ivy, the daughter might have special gifts that allowed her to fight off whatever experiment was being conducted. It turns into a mystery with the people at the school beign impicated and perhaps insanity having been involved.
It is a short read at about 89 pages and was a fun read. It is part of a series there might be more to come...likely is but I will say this part is a nice read. I will leave it to the reader to decide if this novella is for them.
For there, they go on to become personally involved and investigate a group of people who have been conducting espertiments on some young children in a charity school run by a local priest. Minera's daughter had been infected, and the night Minera runs for the doctor, somebody breaks in and kills the girl who is a deep friend and was watching the girl. The girl is found in a hidaway with a strange amount of black soot like stuff on her.
It seems that Ivy, the daughter might have special gifts that allowed her to fight off whatever experiment was being conducted. It turns into a mystery with the people at the school beign impicated and perhaps insanity having been involved.
It is a short read at about 89 pages and was a fun read. It is part of a series there might be more to come...likely is but I will say this part is a nice read. I will leave it to the reader to decide if this novella is for them.
December 27, 2013
I've been a big fan of this series since book 1 when we were introduced to the large, rambling group that would one day become the Hadrian family. Honestly, the theme that family is so much more than blood that runs through this series is one of my favorites and I get a kick out of in each book.
This time around, we get Police Inspector Sebastian Brown and Miss Minerva Shaw. Seb steps in to help when things look dire and finds himself drawn to Minnie and little Ivy. I liked Minnie and Seb together. They both have reasons for going slow and yet they're both aware of the sparks they throw when they're near one another.
I loved how the Hadrian's drew the three of them in and welcomed them like it was foregone they'd be part of the group. Again, it touches on the 'family doesn't have to be based on blood' idea that I thoroughly applaud.
A touch of danger, a bit of mystery, and a dollop of the supernatural. I'm still enjoying this series.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
This time around, we get Police Inspector Sebastian Brown and Miss Minerva Shaw. Seb steps in to help when things look dire and finds himself drawn to Minnie and little Ivy. I liked Minnie and Seb together. They both have reasons for going slow and yet they're both aware of the sparks they throw when they're near one another.
I loved how the Hadrian's drew the three of them in and welcomed them like it was foregone they'd be part of the group. Again, it touches on the 'family doesn't have to be based on blood' idea that I thoroughly applaud.
A touch of danger, a bit of mystery, and a dollop of the supernatural. I'm still enjoying this series.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
January 20, 2014
My thoughts:
I love a well written, fast-paced, one sitting story. Sometimes it is just exactly what you need. I was thrilled with Ashes and Alchemy. The characters are fantastic. Minnie and Seb are strong, determined, loving and honorable, so they make the perfect couple. At just over 100 pages, I was pleased to see how much depth Cindy Spencer Pape was able to put into a host of characters. Not one was left wanting, every character - no matter how small a part they played in the story - gave the reader a sense of who they were and what kind of person they were. Nicely paced, the story flowed easily as the pages seemed to disappear while the plot unfolded. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it, the series, and this author to others.
I love a well written, fast-paced, one sitting story. Sometimes it is just exactly what you need. I was thrilled with Ashes and Alchemy. The characters are fantastic. Minnie and Seb are strong, determined, loving and honorable, so they make the perfect couple. At just over 100 pages, I was pleased to see how much depth Cindy Spencer Pape was able to put into a host of characters. Not one was left wanting, every character - no matter how small a part they played in the story - gave the reader a sense of who they were and what kind of person they were. Nicely paced, the story flowed easily as the pages seemed to disappear while the plot unfolded. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it, the series, and this author to others.
March 17, 2015
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
March 28, 2014
A fun steampunk story that covers the mystery of a disease that has been killing children. An officer of the Scotland yard working under the werewolf Liam finds the lovely Minnie on his doorstep and helps her with her 4 year old daughter Ivy. For some reason the child spends most of her time asleep, but offers up an important clue in one of her rare conscience moments. I still really liked this one but for some reason it fell a little flat for me. The hero and heroine of the story are older than the others when they got their love stories, which makes for a pleasant change. All in all a nice edition to the series.
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