Book three in the Metamorphoses series - Gods and Monsters

Enjoyable storyline and writing were enjoyable although some scenes were drawn out a bit. Yet more rhetoric could have been spent on Sophia's illness and death to give her and the boy's story closure.

EMERSON's end was both fitting and sufficient.

The reader does not experience Daniel's movement and return to Laynie other than Daniel's statement about Beth helping him with the house.

OVERALL....an enjoyable read.

The book was way too long. It was very difficult to see why Mr. Vaugn was in love with Beth. She was awful. Laynie put up with too much with Beth. Any young woman would have told her sister to stop embarrassing her and would have put her in her place a few times. Laynie also agreed to marry Mr.Emerson a little too quickly. It was a pretty good story line, but took forever to read and had the few problems mentioned here.

Her writing style has an easy flow. Sometimes, I think she doesn't leave more to the imagination and SPELLS the thoughts of her characters out too much. I enjoy her writing very much. Her plot was so thick at one point I was anxious for the main character and had to stop reading for a few days. Thanks to my curiosity, the main characters succeeded in a happy ending. Why don't men work harder these days for their loves? Looking forward to more of her books from this era.

Marred by sloppy editing. Well written otherwise though not groundbreaking in any way. To me the title hinted at greater things, I even checked to see if it was a quote. So, though this is miles better than many ebooks that pass through my kindle, I am faintly disappointed. The title does appear in the book, in the best sentence of the whole book.

This is the second book by Ms Christensen which I have had the pleasure of reading. It's not typical of the usual fare I choose, a Victorian drama of two sisters competing for a husband, and being nearly forced to wed an uncouth scoundrel and bounder. However the author's command of language, often subtle and understated, drew me in. I found a sense of impending doom fueled by intrigue and machinations on the part of each character in the story. The Victorian Age may not have been exactly like this, but the author's skill at narrative convinces me it may well have been. Another reviewer thought this story was too long. That may be a matter of taste. I usually prefer fast moving suspenseful stories myself, but Ms Christensen needs no high speed chases or gun fights. Horses and subtle suggestion are enough.

V.R. Christensen writes masterful novels and/or family sagas set during the height of the Victorian and Edwardian periods. Gods and Monsters is her third stand alone novel that follows the success of her first two books - Of Moths and Butterfiles and Cry of the Peacock. I have read all three books and am a big fan of this author. I especially am drawn to the stunning covers.

What I love about all her novels, and Gods and Monsters is no exception, is that the characters keep me always guessing. They are never truly what they appear to be and are constantly evolving throughout the story. It keeps me on edge, always guessing as to whether I trust or like them or not. Full of surprises, they are very well developed and as real as life.

What makes this novel stand apart is there are two marriageble heiresses and three possible suitors. Interest and flirting and envy and scheming begin between the sexes and I was kept on my toes as to who would end up with who. Hidden motives, secrets, and little intrigues really kept me flipping the pages.

The author is a detailed, meticulous writer, always giving the reader full details of scenery, inner thoughts, and plot. Her prose has a lovely, flowing pace that allowed me to fall into the story and shut out the world as I enjoyed it. A wonderful novel with plenty to keep me interested from start to finish. I recommend these books to everyone. They can be read in any order and are sure to please. And you'll get your money's worth too - they are nice thick volumes with plenty of pages to hold your interest.

Thank you to the author and publisher. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an historical romance in the old fashioned sense, without the sex. Aside from a lot of dialogue, there's not much going on, either. There are the usual insecurities and misunderstandings, but none of it is very exciting or original. As I'm writing this, I realize I already forgot much of the plot, as it wasn't particularly memorable. On the plus side, if you want some clean, light reading, you might enjoy this.

Such an enjoyable story! I am now a confirmed fan of Ms. Christensen, having read this book and also The Cry of the Peacock. Her characters are given depth, and believable, well-crafted dialogue. I highly recommend Gods and Monsters, and look forward to reading Of Moths and Butterflies next.

Dragged on way too long. Almost all of the characters were very indecisive with the exception of Ned and the dog. The title pulled me in but did not match the story very well for me, or at least not as simple and obvious as the flaws and problems were presented.