A thief with golden eyes. The spy who loves her. A mad scientist who will break hearts to expose her secrets.Shunned for her odd eyes and an unnerving habit of slipping into shadows, Lady Colleen Stewart refuses to be caged—should she decide to marry, it’ll be for love and to a man of her choice. After all, she’d rather be racing over rooftops than waltzing across ballroom floors. So when the … across ballroom floors. So when the only man to ever tempt her heart invites her on a covert mission, she leaps into danger.
Nicholas Torrington, Queen’s agent, is running out of time. While work has him chasing his tail, his sister grows increasingly ill, and Colleen, the woman he would make his bride, has acquired another, determined suitor. To coax his favorite thief back into his arms, he’ll break every rule and lead her through the underbelly of London on a hunt for a mad scientist and a cure for his sister.
But the discovery of a burned-out laboratory provides more questions than answers, and they find themselves caught in a deadly game where they have become the prey. Surviving the ambitions of their pursuers will bring everything into sharp focus as they risk their very lives.
A REFLECTION OF SHADOWS is a story set in the Elemental Steampunk World, including The Elemental Steampunk Chronicles, Elemental Steampunk Tales, and Elemental Steampunk Stories.
Steampunk adventure wrapped around a romance and threaded with biotechnology. Join USA Today bestselling author, Anne Renwick, as she takes you back into an alternate past.
THE ELEMENTAL STEAMPUNK CHRONICLES
The Golden Spider (Book One)
The Silver Skull (Book Two)
The Iron Fin (Book Three)
Venomous Secrets (Book Four)
ELEMENTAL STEAMPUNK TALES
A Trace of Copper
In Pursuit of Dragons
A Reflection of Shadows
A Snowflake at Midnight
ELEMENTAL STEAMPUNK STORIES
The Tin Rose
Kraken and Canals
Rust and Steam
more
Steampunk fans will love Anne’s books: medical mystery/romance set in Victorian England with all the creatures and contraptions steampunk brings. This book in particular was wicked fun…a friends to lovers story involving a Queen’s agent and a cat burglar and the experimentation of bringing someone back to life. In real life, the author has a Ph.D. in microbiology, so the medical aspects of all her books are both intelligently detailed and accessible.
It’s another great story. I love the steampunk vibe that it has. It had just the right amount of paranormal bend to it. I really liked Colleen and Nick together. Though not sure if she wants to marry him, after having a heart-stopping adventure (almost literally) together, she knows they are meant to be. I love this world.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Audiobook version: 5 stars overall, 5 stars story, 5 stars narration
An outstanding spy thriller and unusual Steampunk mystery
This audiobook was so cool. If you want a spy and a thief running across foggy rooftops, dodging bullets, and solving a mystery, then this is the audiobook for you! The romance was satisfying as well. There were lots of plot twists. I also loved the intrepid couple, Lady Colleen Stewart and Nicholas Torrington. Nicholas was admirable and respectful of all women. He had his work cut out for him in wooing the unique Lady Colleen to become his wife at the same time as they both tried to stay alive and catch the villains.
Beware: there is some brief body horror that was rather revolting. It was definitely darker and more horrifying than the tiny bit in the author’s “In Pursuit of Dragons”, but maybe it is about the same level as in “The Golden Spider”. In addition, some villains were cruel to cats. Regardless of these dark elements, I loved immersing my self in Anne Renwick’s Steampunk Victorian world once again. There was a nail-biting mystery and simmering sexual tension. Love scenes were steamy and not too frequent. I adored the heroine’s feline sidekick, too.
The narrator Anais Inara Chase did a wonderful job. Her smoothly elegant English accent elevated the story. I only wish that she pitched the hero’s voice a little lower. Still, she is the right narrator for this original and unique Steampunk romance series that always includes some biological or medical science.
Nick has loved Colleen for a long time and they finally have a chance to see if they will suit each other. Nick is an unusual man for the times, willing to give Colleen the control she desperately craves after being in the control of her uncle. Nick is willing to let her make her own decisions while being supportive, he’s open to compromise, willing to live in the city and/or Scotland and keep her interested with lots of adventures. I sure hope we get to hear more about them in the future.
I also enjoyed Nicks humor and obvious affection and care for his family and Colleen.
Sorcha, the cat sith provides an interesting character, bringing an element of magic and intrigue to the story. A creative plot device.
I like Nicks mother, sister and father, they are eminently practical and very supportive. Isabelle is a wonderful support for Colleen and I was happy that things are turning out well for her too.
While this has lots of science in it, there’s less of a focus on it this time (though there’s still lots of science to keep us all happy and interested) and more of a focus on romance and mystery than in some of the previous books.
I am glad to see a few more sexual scenes in this book. She writes excellent sex scenes and I hope she will continue to write them into her future stories. I don’t find they detract from the plot at all and in fact, I think they round out the story and the characters.
There was a plot twist which surprised me which made the book even more interesting. Keep an eye out for it!
Thanks to Anne for including an epilogue, I enjoyed it.
This is now one of my most favourite of all Renwick’s books. I’m going to go back and read it again, slowly, so I can enjoy it without needing to rush through to find out what happens.
Anne Renwick does it again! Another great steampunk adventure, A Reflection of Shadows is a tightly written story with an excellent cast of characters, led by a smart, independent woman and a hero with a fierce loyalty. This book grabs you and pulls you into the story so hard you don’t want to put it down. I love all of her books, can’t wait for the next one.
Fiercely independent heroines who are sassy and unique. Alpha heroes with a strong romantic streak. And villains you just love to hate. All this with the author’s distinctive blend of science and supposition. Into this world walk Colleen and Nick; the lady sneak thief and the Queen’s agent. Both of them are searching for solutions to their problems, little realizing that they might be each other’s best answers. I adore the books in this series. The only thing I don’t like about them is when I reach the end and they’re over. Already I’m craving my next foray into this fascinating steampunk world.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.
Jonathan McCready may have written a spy parody but I see Bradley James Sr. and Ursula Valentine in Nicholas Torrington and Colleen Stewart. Such unconventional competent persons on a quest are a delight to the imagination.
I received this book from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was amazed by A Reflection of Shadows. Almost instantly I was drawn in and quickly lost myself amongst the pages of Colleen and Nick’s tale. I liked Colleen’s strong mindedness and her keen intellect. Nick is a wonderful character too. He’s supportive and caring. I like his sense of humor. It definitely made me chuckle on numerous occasions.
I loved going on this adventure with them.
ONE GRIPPING WHIRLWIND!!!
Holla hell! Anne hit the ground running, blazing forward on the wings of fire, riding through the winds of darkness with a vengeance, blowing this baby into the eye of the storm, bursting it into a tailspin with a shocking culmination. A churning throng, chocked full of vexing circumstances and daunting events, exposing those swirling emotions running rampant, thrusting them into play front and center. Action packed, hard hitting, heart pounding, pulse racing, nailbiting, mind-blowing, chart topping bombshell, revving it up and blasting this little fella to life brilliantly. Add distress, turmoil and perplexing situations along with a boatload of dark dastardly deeds, you have one thrilling rollercoaster ride. Bridging the trials and tribulations, along with a slew of shocking twists and unexpected turns, tempting our characters in ways they could have never anticipated. The characters are complex and realistic with qualities and traits that transform into outstanding personalities. The scenes are so colorfully descriptive its easy to interpret each scenario as they play out perfectly. Amazing job Anne, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
I am fairly new at reading steampunk books and I have loved each and every one of these stories by Anne Renwick. This one has an intelligent and exciting heroine, and of course, a male that matches her intelligence and is not afraid to follow her lead. Anne Renwick knows how to keep the story rolling along and builds a completely believable world. I hate to say this, but I just have to love her bad guys, too. You have to read these books. They really are marvelous.